Thailand seen more democratic since 1992 massacre

Thailand seen more democratic since 1992 massacre

By Tony Austin

BANGKOK (Reuter): Two years after soldiers gunned down
demonstrators in the streets of Bangkok, diplomats say that
democracy appears to be slowly taking root in Thailand, the scene
of 17 successful or attempted military coups since 1932.

For some Thais, however, the pace of democratic change is so
slow as to be imperceptible, raising doubts as to whether Prime
Minister Chuan Leekpai can cling to power for the remainder of
the four-year parliamentary term.

Chuan took office at the head of a five-party coalition in
September 1992, after pledging in a general election to introduce
more democracy in a land notoriously prone to interference by the
powerful armed forces.

"It is a rare phenomenon in this part of the world, to be able
to mix a dynamic economy with democracy, but Thailand is making
enormous progress," one European diplomat said.

Pro-democracy groups and some of the victims' families held
ceremonies this week to mark the May 17-20 uprising, suppressed
by the military when troops shot dead scores of demonstrators and
wounded hundreds more.

Watched by uniformed and plainclothes security forces, about
500 people held a midnight vigil at Democracy Monument on
Wednesday night, lighting candles for the victims of Thailand's
worst political violence in 16 years.

The exact number of casualties in the May massacre may never
be known, but there is agreement scores were killed and hundreds
injured. The present government has said 44 people were killed
and 40 others are still missing. Pro-democracy groups put the
death toll at more than 50.

The 1992 demonstrators were demanding the resignation of Prime
Minister Suchinda Kraprayoon, the army chief who seized power in
February 1991 in the latest of Thailand's 15 successful military
coups since 1932.

None of the military commanders involved in the shooting two
years ago has been prosecuted, and Chuan preached a policy of
national reconciliation at one of the memorial services, urging
that the martyrs should not be used as political pawns.

"The Chuan government has been very concerned to institute
democracy in Thailand. He has had some success in trying to
spread the benefits of wealth beyond Bangkok, but in a free
market system you cannot force people out of the capital," a
Western diplomat said.

The diplomats, none of whom wished to be quoted by name when
commenting on Thai politics, said international recognition of
Chuan had undoubtedly strengthened his efforts to run a
democratic government in the face of strong opposition.

The United States abruptly pulled out of scheduled war games
with Thailand following the 1992 shootings, but President Bill
Clinton gave a warm reception to Chuan at the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Seattle last year.

Thai pro-democracy campaigners have criticized Chuan for
failing to deliver on his 1992 election pledge to inject more
democracy into the constitution and government.

"Only four points of the constitution have been amended, the
four points which led to the (1992) bloody crackdown," former
student leader Prinya Tevanarumitkul was quoted by the daily
Bangkok Post as saying.

Chuan suffered a humiliating setback in late April-early May
when Lower House opposition parties and the Upper House Senate
combined to defeat eight government-backed constitutional changes
aimed at reinforcing democratic guarantees.

One of the amendments would have limited the power of the
Senate, an appointed chamber of military officers, businessmen,
senior civil servants and academics which is widely considered
the political arm of the armed forces.

The Nation newspaper, referring to the political impasse, said
opposition parties and senators would now seek ways to force
Chuan to dissolve parliament, and added: "Our fledgling
democratic process has come to a standstill."

"Of course his legislative record looks poor compared with
some of the rubber-stamp parliaments of the past," said another
diplomat referring to earlier, military-led governments.

Chronic and worsening traffic congestion in Bangkok is often
cited as a glaring example of Chuan's failure to solve the
country's problems by democratic methods.

"But Chuan probably feels you cannot do things by fiat, like
restricting cars in the center as Singapore did," the diplomat
added.

An Asian diplomat noted last year's relatively smooth military
reshuffle, an annual shakeup of top brass which in the past has
sometimes highlighted tensions within the armed forces and caused
political jitters.

This could mean that despite its occasional saber-rattling,
the officer corps was becoming more professional and less
inclined to dabble in politics, the diplomat said.

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