Thailand must stop pandering to the Burmese junta and do more to bring positive change
Published on April 22, 2008
The Nation
Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein is coming to Thailand for a two-day visit next week. His purpose is to strengthen ties and forge closer economic and development cooperation. Indeed, it is a good time to tell the visiting guest what our country has in mind about his junta. First of all, our government should stop pandering to Burmese wishes. Both under the Thaksin government and the current one, Thailand has been acting like a marionette for the Burmese junta. Our leaders are often ready to defend Burma at all costs, whenever need be. When PM Samak Sundaravej visited Burma, he came back making world headlines with his comments. He said the Burmese leaders meditate and the country lives in peace. Normally any leader of a peaceful country would not kill monks. Samak's comments showed how naive our leaders can be. His observation sent shock waves throughout the world and immediately turned him into a joke. But that has not stopped him commenting on foreign affairs.
Secondly, Thailand should impress on Burma democratic lessons. People must be free to speak up and vote without any imposition by the state. Moreover, the Burmese media must be given liberty to report the truth. The authorities must stop intimidating voters to vote "yes" for the referendum, which aims to give power to the military. Thailand must not behave like South Africa, which has refused to condemn Robert Mugabe and the atrocities he has committed. We must not turn a blind eye towards Burma. Unfortunately, Samak is following South African president Thabo Mbeki by rendering support to junta leaders condemned throughout the world.
Thirdly, Thailand must continue to engage the international community to help end the Burmese quagmire. Since the 1988 pro-democracy crackdown, Thailand has been on the receiving end of problems created by the junta. Just look at the recent 54 deaths of Burmese migrant workers. The Thai side should be blamed for taking bribes, including those accomplices at the border. But we have to tackle the root cause of the current malaise in Burma, where the junta rules without consent. It is amazing how Thai leaders can become so timid when dealing face-to-face with the junta leaders.
Thailand must support the UN and its current effort to find a solution to the Burmese quagmire. We should encourage UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to tackle this issue more seriously. He missed a good chance when he was here earlier this year but failed to go to Burma. He went to Africa to make his presence and concern felt on Mugabe. Why can't he do the same in this part of the world? His special envoy, Ibrahim Gambari was useless in delivering international concerns to the junta leaders.
Of course, the Thai authorities would immediately argue that it is difficult for Thailand to get tough on Burma. Both countries share a long common border and Thailand depends on imported energy from Burma. Pending dam construction along the Salween River will provide much-needed hydro-electricity in the future. We also need cheap Burmese labour. Over three million Burmese sweat to promote the Thai livelihood. So goes the conventional wisdom which impairs Thailand's sense of good judgement. We have mistreated the Burmese labourers. Worse, we are colluding with the junta under the disguise of bilateral cooperation to suppress democracy in Burma. Quite a few economic cooperation plans are in place, which benefit the junta more than the people. This government still promotes interests that benefit the regime.
It is a shame for Thailand, as a front-line state, to behave the way it has done all these years. So, when Thein Sein and his team come to town next Tuesday, let us be bold and tell it like it is. It cannot get worse than this.
Published on April 22, 2008
The Nation
Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein is coming to Thailand for a two-day visit next week. His purpose is to strengthen ties and forge closer economic and development cooperation. Indeed, it is a good time to tell the visiting guest what our country has in mind about his junta. First of all, our government should stop pandering to Burmese wishes. Both under the Thaksin government and the current one, Thailand has been acting like a marionette for the Burmese junta. Our leaders are often ready to defend Burma at all costs, whenever need be. When PM Samak Sundaravej visited Burma, he came back making world headlines with his comments. He said the Burmese leaders meditate and the country lives in peace. Normally any leader of a peaceful country would not kill monks. Samak's comments showed how naive our leaders can be. His observation sent shock waves throughout the world and immediately turned him into a joke. But that has not stopped him commenting on foreign affairs.
Secondly, Thailand should impress on Burma democratic lessons. People must be free to speak up and vote without any imposition by the state. Moreover, the Burmese media must be given liberty to report the truth. The authorities must stop intimidating voters to vote "yes" for the referendum, which aims to give power to the military. Thailand must not behave like South Africa, which has refused to condemn Robert Mugabe and the atrocities he has committed. We must not turn a blind eye towards Burma. Unfortunately, Samak is following South African president Thabo Mbeki by rendering support to junta leaders condemned throughout the world.
Thirdly, Thailand must continue to engage the international community to help end the Burmese quagmire. Since the 1988 pro-democracy crackdown, Thailand has been on the receiving end of problems created by the junta. Just look at the recent 54 deaths of Burmese migrant workers. The Thai side should be blamed for taking bribes, including those accomplices at the border. But we have to tackle the root cause of the current malaise in Burma, where the junta rules without consent. It is amazing how Thai leaders can become so timid when dealing face-to-face with the junta leaders.
Thailand must support the UN and its current effort to find a solution to the Burmese quagmire. We should encourage UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to tackle this issue more seriously. He missed a good chance when he was here earlier this year but failed to go to Burma. He went to Africa to make his presence and concern felt on Mugabe. Why can't he do the same in this part of the world? His special envoy, Ibrahim Gambari was useless in delivering international concerns to the junta leaders.
Of course, the Thai authorities would immediately argue that it is difficult for Thailand to get tough on Burma. Both countries share a long common border and Thailand depends on imported energy from Burma. Pending dam construction along the Salween River will provide much-needed hydro-electricity in the future. We also need cheap Burmese labour. Over three million Burmese sweat to promote the Thai livelihood. So goes the conventional wisdom which impairs Thailand's sense of good judgement. We have mistreated the Burmese labourers. Worse, we are colluding with the junta under the disguise of bilateral cooperation to suppress democracy in Burma. Quite a few economic cooperation plans are in place, which benefit the junta more than the people. This government still promotes interests that benefit the regime.
It is a shame for Thailand, as a front-line state, to behave the way it has done all these years. So, when Thein Sein and his team come to town next Tuesday, let us be bold and tell it like it is. It cannot get worse than this.
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