Sek Wannamethee is Director-General, Department of Information in the royalist-dominated Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has written to the Financial Times, presumably directed to do so by the military dictatorship.
His letter is an example of the kind of propaganda peddled most vociferously during the Abhisit Vejjajiva regime.
Sek states he wants “to set the record straight…”. Straight like a nest of vipers:
The monarchy has been the core spiritual pillar of Thai society for over 700 years, a unifying force binding all Thais together, no matter their political beliefs.
700 years? Palace propaganda, perhaps, but it is also false to anyone with even a passing interest in Thailand’s history. Even the current dynasty came to the throne via a military coup. Nothing like a pedigree!
As such, the institution does not and cannot take sides in any political conflict. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch has pro forma powers and responsibilities as prescribed by the constitution.
We imagine that Sek was just being silly here. After all, the military junta had only just secretly developed an interim constitution, and for long periods, the king has not been under a constitution. And Sek knows that the king and palace have long taken political sides. The 2006 coup was one example where the political involvement was clearest, but this cabal of elite men that is “the palace” is a nest of political vipers (and less straight).
In exercising this function, His Majesty the King is ever conscious of his non-political role. The monarchy is, therefore, non-partisan and above politics. Any suggestion otherwise is entirely unfounded and completely unacceptable.
Horse manure.
Sek continues with his propaganda: “The incident of May 22″ – he means the military coup – “must be viewed within the context of the previous eight months.”
Indeed it must. The mutinous military protected anti-democrats, armed them, and supported them in order to bring down the elected government.
So Sek is right that “Thailand was then a dysfunctional democracy plagued by political paralysis.” That paralysis was the work of anti-democrats in the pay of the royalist elite and supported by the palace’s military.
He then bleats the military mantra: “the only sustainable way for democracy to thrive in Thailand is for it to take roots from within by the hands of the Thai people and not imposed upon by the international community.”
The international community does not impose democracy on Thailand. It is the military and palace that does not allow the “Thai people” to establish democracy. It is not “sustainable” because of the domestic forces of anti-democracy.
Political Prisoners in Thailand 
[…] might note that Sek’s position reflects him being rewarded for his support of the regime and the draconian use of lese majeste over the past few years. One might say […]
[…] might note that Sek’s position reflects him being rewarded for his support of the regime and the draconian use of lese majeste over the past few years. One might say […]