Bangkok Revisited
As part of our sea voyage from Hong Kong to Singapore we spent a day and a half in Bangkok. The centre of continuing unrest, massive protests and a subsequent abortive general election, Thailand was the same wonderful place that we remembered from our four year term there.
A few passengers were a little apprehensive about visiting Thailand in the midst of unrest: when one can travel anywhere in the world, why look for trouble? We reassured everyone and pointed out that the violent demonstrations in 2011 were more serious. As ‘old Thai hands' we were not in the slightest bit concerned.
I addressed the South African/Thai Chamber of Commerce lunch on the subject of "South Africa - yesterday, today and tomorrow; a critical look by an analyst who remains an optimist."
Pam and I paid a courtesy call on the South African Embassy and received a great welcome from our staff. Laughter, tears and hugs; the Thais are the warmest, nicest people in the world (except when they talk politics) and it was an affirming experience to see them again after two years.
That evening we had a party for friends at Senor Pico, a Mexican restaurant at the Rembrandt hotel, scene of some very happy past times. After the personal greetings and the reminiscences, the Thai political situation was a major topic. People shook their heads, at a loss to say what should happen but certain the election three days later would solve nothing.
Thai democracy is broken. Democrat Party MPs all resigned from parliament and boycotted the election. They say the Pheu Thai government, led by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, abused democracy by trying to give amnesty to her self-exiled former prime minister brother Thaksin Shinawatra; by permitting corruption to increase and by introducing ‘populist policies' that harm the Thai economy.
The Thai government points out that the country has the world's lowest unemployment rate; the economy is not doing badly and that they have a democratic mandate.
Thailand badly needs both a reality check and a sincere attempt at national reconciliation. There seems to be a democratic deficit that affects both the winners and the losers. No party is entitled to ‘winner takes all' in a working democracy; nor can an election-loser deny the winner the right to govern.
The Democrat Party is strong in Bangkok, the South and the North West. Pheu Thai is strong in the North and North East. Unless Thailand is to split in two or retreat from democracy and introduce authoritarian government, with or without army intervention, both sides need to do some tough thinking.
It seems to me what is needed to bridge the gap is talks aimed at breaking the current deadlock and at reconciliation through a coalition government led by both Yingluck and opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva. South Africa is a good friend of Thailand and the Thai people. Friends help each other. We cannot be arrogant about democracy because ours is such a very young one, but we have experience of bridging seemingly unbridgeable gaps. Could we and other international friends with the necessary goodwill perhaps help to resolve the Thailand mess, if invited?
Douglas Gibson is the former Opposition Chief Whip and former ambassador to Thailand. He can be followed on Twitter @dhmgibson
Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter
