From: anuchit@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Anuchit Anuchitanukul)
Subject: Re: Yet another *UNOFFICIAL* results
Organization: Computer Science Department, Stanford University.
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 05:06:40 GMT

In article <0egzJK200Uh7I5W1c_@andrew.cmu.edu> sl2k+@andrew.cmu.edu (Schitt Laowattana) writes:
>Excerpts from netnews.soc.culture.thai: 14-Sep-92 Re: Yet another
>*UNOFFICIAL.. by LAURENCE GODFREY@sscvx1. 
>
>> Should we give up hope for democracy in Thailand for the time being?
>
>    No, we should not give up.  Democracy is a time-comsuming process
>and big changes could not be expected.  As long as, Thais are optimistic
>and work hard for democracy and other national development, Thailand
>will prosper.

Yes, we must not give up.  And yes, democracy is a time-consuming process
but how much longer and how many more lives to sacrifice.  We began this
process 60 years ago and today we are still "beginning".  I believe last year
in this forum I talked about a bloodshed and it in deed occured.  I am not 
very optimistic but I am not too pessimistic either.  I was optimistic
about this election but I also had a glut feeling that it will turn out
to be just another time-wasting money-dumping election.  

>    In addition, the result of this election shows some good signs that
>our political system is improved.

I am one who cannot see clearly any good sign.  What I see is the old wine
in a new bottle (or in the same old bottle with a new label).  If the
new goverment turns out to be the 4 parties as many have guessed, what
I see is an unstable goverment and a coming new election (probably
as a result of a split of the Democrat party).  If the new goverment 
consists of 3 out of 4 top parties, what I see is a betrayal to the public. 

What we need is not a group of good politicians.  We need all politicians
to be good since a good politician competing with money-dumping politicians
may have a very little chance to get into the parliament (especially if he/she
is poor too).  But to have all politicians good is impossible.  

It left us no choice but to say we need good citizens.  If hundreads of 
lives didn't teach one any lesson, nothing can.  This kind of lessons
has been repeated many many times.  We have to accept we have too many 
ignorant people.  So, what should we do?  History proved that no matter 
how extensive and intensive the programs to raise political awareness are, 
they just didn't work!  

Thai people are too easy to forget (and forgive).  Those guilty of killing
people must be punished as an example for someone who wants to follow 
their footsteps.  Those who corrupted must be denouced.  How many times
when a corruption was exposed and nothing happened?  (Gas station, 
electronic horse racing box, buffalo roads, ...)  A politician publically
said he ("somehow") made 2 billion baths while he was a minister ... and
no investigation from any authority or media.  A politicain publically
accepted that a party paid 3, 5, 7 ... millions to its members for using
in the election ... again no investigation.   During a televised discussion 
panel, many politicians shamelessly denied to swear that they won't buy 
votes... and the worst thing is that we still see them in the new parliament.

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