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Sunday, 04/05/2015 9:26:57 PM

Sunday, April 05, 2015 9:26:57 PM

Post# of 9333
Thailand's former army chief, Prayuth Chan-ocha, calls for understanding of his democracy style

7.30 By South East Asia correspondent Samantha Hawley

Updated Thu at 2:07am

Video: What happens when a foreign journalist challenges the Thai PM over his dictatorship? (7.30)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-01/what-happens-when-a-foreign-journalist-challenges/6366302

Related Story: Thai PM Prayuth says he has power to execute reporters
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-25/thai-pm-prayuth-says-has-power-to-execute-reporters/6348454

Related Story: Thailand under pressure to scrap civilian military detention plan

Map: Thailand .. http://maps.google.com/?q=15,100(Thailand)&z=5

Thailand's former army chief who seized power in last year's coup has pleaded with the international community to understand his style of so-called democracy.

Thai leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, in his first exchange with a foreign journalist since the military takeover, told the ABC that democracy in Thailand is like a shirt that is buttoned incorrectly and foreigners needed to understand he is not power crazy.

The Thai leader was repeatedly asked about the concern that Thailand's draft constitution is undemocratic because it allows the nation's senate to be appointed by a committee and not elected by the people.

"What is your true democracy?" he asked.

"I know everything ... there are people in Thailand who don't want an election, do you know that?

"I try to make you understand, many countries in ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] understand me.

"The principle of democracy, I know that."

Thailand's former education minister, Chaturon Chaisang, told 7.30 the constitution in its draft form will mean voters will have no power at all.

"It is very likely that under the system designed, if they don't amend it before the final approval, the upcoming election will be meaningless," he said.

"People will go to vote but they will not have any power to decide who will be in the government."

Mr Chaturon is facing 14 years in jail after he was arrested after the coup last year for failing to report to the military after his government was deposed.

He is also facing further charges because he later addressed Bangkok's Foreign Correspondents Club, where he argued for the swift return to democratic rule and his words were then posted on Facebook.

He is currently on bail and will be tried before a military court.

"Before the coup there was conflict and after the upcoming election the conflict will be even more severe than that," he said.

"We cannot imagine what is going to happen but we just believe that it is best for this country to go back to democracy."

Hints at possible end to martial law

Pro-government Red Shirt leader Doctor Weng said if you define a dictator by coming to power with the use of guns, then General Chan-ocha is "absolutely a dictator".

"The head of the junta can do anything legislatively, administratively or even in the judiciary and everything he does or orders, he publishes in the law so he has absolute power, he has absolute sovereignty in his hands," he said.

The general seized power after months of deadly street protests in downtown Bangkok.

In recent days he has signalled that, 10 months since the coup, he will soon lift martial law but he will replace it with article 44 of the interim constitution, which will give him power over the government and law and order.

Human rights groups have condemned the move.

Thai man Pratiwat Sariyaem is feeling the consequences of the new rule with the military pursuing with renewed vigour the age-old Lese Majeste laws.

Insulting the revered monarchy is a serious crime in Thailand.

His son, known as Bank, has been jailed for two-and-a-half years for depicting a fictional king in a satirical university play.

He told 7.30 of the bright future that awaited his son but he feared for his future.

"[The sentence] seems a little bit too harsh," he said.

"He told me he joined the play just to earn money and I believe him because he never lies, he is a sincere and a serious person."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-01/thai-leader-calls-for-understanding-of-his-approach-to-democracy/6366232

It was Plato who said, “He, O men, is the wisest, who like Socrates, knows that his wisdom is in truth worth nothing”

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