Updated: No democracy, plenty of Prayuth

PPT is somewhat bemused by how rattled the military dictatorship seems at present. Was it Thaksin Shinawatra’s statement a few days ago that threw The Dictator and his minions into a spin? Or is it that some people want a debate on the military’s constitution? Or is it the king’s health scaring them? Or a combination?

We read several stories that suggest that, whatever it is, The Dictator, various of his puppets and some of the anti-democrats seem seriously spooked. Prachatai and Khaosod have a series of stories that suggest political panic.

First, Prachatai reports on pressure on some villagers. From Khon Kaen, we learn that the “military have summoned a village chief in Thailand’s northeast to a military base over a banner protesting against the junta’s draft constitution at an administrative meeting.” It is reported that Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) and police “stormed into a provincial public administration meeting in Mueang District of Khon Kaen province” demanding that “meeting participants to stop displaying and taking pictures of a banner saying ‘Against the Draft Constitution Articles 82(3), 284(5), 285 and the Decentralisation Bill’.”

Tassanai Suksabai, the village head of Ban Ped was taken away “for an attitude adjustment talk at Sri Pacharin Military Base in the province.” The junta’s minions also confiscated banners that had been printed in multiple copies.

Opposing a few articles in a draft constitution that junta hired hands like Bowornsak Uwanno say is all about rights and citizens suggest that this claim is horse manure and that the junta is worried about any and all “debate.”

Second, Prachatai has a report on the military dictatorship banning a discussion of human rights at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand. PPT knows that the regime doesn’t understand human rights, but stopping an event where foreigners were to listen to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights must be considered further evidence of the junta’s fears. For the junta’s response that this pressure was not about suppressing human rights, see a more recent Prachatai report. Of course, the dictatorship’s response is a nonsensical joke and sham.

Third, at Prachatai, it is reported that “[a]t least four student activists who last week were detained for an attempt to commemorate the first anniversary of the military coup were summoned to hear charges for violating the junta’s order.” This represents further evidence that the military dictatorship is fearful that a very small spark could ignite a firestorm of opposition.

Fourth, The Dictator and other anti-democrats seems so fearful of tiny challenges that they are considering totalitarianism as a form of governance for Thailand. [This suggests that the planning for the king’s death might be playing a role, but we have no evidence for this claim.] Prayuth is babbling about staying in power longer. Yes, he flip flops, but he’s essentially asking for support from the anti-democrats.

And, he’s getting the required support. Khaosod reports that the anti-democrat monk Buddha Issara is “gathering signatures for a proposal that could keep junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha in power for several more years until the junta’s national reform program is complete.”

Other support might come from leading anti-democrat Suthep Thaugsuban, who says he is going to leave “house arrest” in the monkhood. He states: “I have determined that there are works in the current situation that I have to help. So I decided I will leave monkhood, but when, I have to think about it first.”

That all sounds like a fear driving further repression and the extension of the dictatorship.

Update: According to a report at Khaosod, Prayuth’s call for “support” for his developing totalitarian regime have resulted in Thailand’s dysfunctional Election Commission to run a referendum to anoint Prayuth as the country’s despotic and paternalistic dictator for years to come. [This is remarkable when it is considered that the EC didn’t want to organize and conduct a national election in 2014.] We anticipate that a sham referendum will have Prayuth appointed “Royal President” for as long as the elite feels necessary.