Preparing for Premocracy

Former academic and failed political candidate Anek Laothamatas has advised Thailand to prepare for the reincarnation of Premocracy.

The Nation reports that Anek, who seems to be a junta messenger, has told political parties that they should make some sort of agreement or hammer out an “understanding” with the military junta and/or it “proxies.”

He says that “[i]f all the parties and the NCPO [he means the military junta] could get together it would allow them to familiarise themselves with each other, which would be advantageous for the political process…”.

It seems that “advantageous” is used to indicate that the junta is going to be running the political show for several years, so the parties need to deal with it.

Anek says that “if there is a proxy party [representing the junta], it will have a prominent role to play in the election as well as in the administration, alongside the winners [another party?] of the election…”. His view is that an “election” will produce a form of Premocracy where the “government and opposition had to work together to create democracy and make politics work for the national interest…”. He doesn’t think the parties can prevent an “outsider” premier, meaning a military boss or proxy.

He said the new charter “clearly stated that the junta had the power to select a Senate that would have the authority to co-select a prime minister. It was impossible to keep the junta from future politics, he added.”

Anek recalled that during “General Prem Tinsulanonda’s term as prime minister in the 1980s, Thailand was under a quasi-democracy and his government did not have its own party…”. He “urged today’s parties to consider Prem’s approach…”.

He then forgets his political history, claiming that “Prem’s administration … was open to scrutiny.” We understand that Anek is engaged is a “softening-up” process for a military-backed or dominated regime and “quasi-democracy,” but he seems to forget that Prem never, ever faced parliamentary scrutiny. The monarchy’s man almost never appeared in parliament for any substantial debate. He was essentially unaccountable.

The junta is unaccountable now and it can only be imagined that it will be in any future form it decides to take.