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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