By Syed Arif Hussaini

September 29, 2006

Military Coup in Thailand Triggers Reminiscences

The military coup of September 19, 2006 in Thailand triggers memories of a rewarding 2-1/2 years spent at Pakistan’s embassy in that country, half a century back. It was during that period that Pakistan’s army staged its first coup d’etat in 1958. Comparisons are thus inevitable between the patterns of political power shifts from elected civilians to the men in uniform of the two countries.
Thailand has witnessed some twenty military coups since 1932 when a group of Western-educated young men succeeded in grabbing power and putting an end to absolute monarchy in favor of an elected democracy. Pakistan cannot match the record of coup-prone Thailand, but it too has come under martial law and military rule four times and for almost half of the period since its emergence as an independent state.
The latest coup in Thailand occurred after fifteen years of civilian rule and three national elections. It was generally felt that the history of military intervention had ended in the country. But like in Pakistan, the elected leader, Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire business tycoon, was unwilling to part with power. Greed has no end.
The coup followed months of demands for him to resign amid allegations of corruption, election skullduggery and a worsening Muslim insurgency in the southern provinces of the country where they are in majority. He had, however, built considerable following in rural areas by launching projects for the poor of the areas.
Premier Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon turned politician, had won three general elections since coming to power in 2001 but tarnished with allegations of riggings. Recently he alienated a segment of the military by claiming that some senior officers had tried to assassinate him in a foiled bombing attempt. This was seen by the media as a drama to gain sympathy of the voters. Then, he attempted to remove officers loyal to the Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin, from key positions.
Thailand has had no working legislature and only a caretaker government since last February when the Prime Minister dissolved the parliament promising fresh elections.
Gen. Sondhi, 59, a Muslim in a vastly Buddhist country, is known to be close to Thailand’s revered constitutional and world’s longest serving monarch. He was selected in 2005 to head the army chiefly because it was felt that he could better deal with the Muslim insurgency in Southern Thailand. For, he advocated negotiations with the separatists in contrast to Thaksin’s hard-fisted approach. Over 1700 persons of the Muslim region died consequently in the last couple of years only and without any success at pacification.
A day after the coup, Gen. Sondhi announced that he would act as Prime Minister, under the monarch, Bhumibol Adulyadej, for two weeks till a new leader is chosen by the Council of Administrative Reforms that he heads and an interim constitution is drafted. He promised elections for October, 2007.
What brought the fall of Thaksin from the seat of power is what is keeping both Benazir and Nawaz Sharif away from that seat. It is the inability to accept a graceful exit. Being the chairperson for life or head of a party indefinitely may block the way for the emergence of a new leadership, but it cannot erase their tarnished images. They would be rendering a great national service by stepping aside to let new faces assume leadership. Only the inspirational leadership of visionaries with unquestionable integrity may be able to send the army back to the barracks.
No one upholds military rule, but the presence of such tarnished leaders serves as an asset for the ruler in uniform. They hardly provide a welcome alternative.
The Thai middle class and city dwellers have hailed the military takeover chiefly because of the miasma of Thaksin’s corruption, reminding one of a similar welcome according to the military coup in Pakistan of October 1991. The Western democracies and some Asian countries have understandably denounced the coup. The US State Department called it a “step backwards for democracy”, while the European Union urged “the military forces to stand back and give way to the democratically elected government”.
The military takeover is unlikely to leave any scar on the Thai polity. It may turn out to be just a passing, corrective phase. History points out the remarkable faculty of the Thai people to come to terms with changing conditions both at home and abroad. It was this flair for adaptability buttressed with a strong sense of national unity, the aura of sacredness surrounding the monarchy, the pervasive influence of the Buddhist outlook, the spirit of tolerance, the elitist structure of the society, and the conjunction of merit and power that have enabled the Thais to retain their independence even in the most trying colonial times. Thailand means the land of the free.
The Thais treat their traditions as sacred. Their past is reflected in their present. Essentially, the Thais constitute a hierarchical society. It comprises those who fight (king, princes, nobles), those who pray (men of religion), and those who work. The military officers, the warrior caste, claim a place in the first category on the basis of, not birth, but ascendance and attainment.
Widespread modern education, revolutionary information technologies and the demands of globalization, are pressuring the hierarchical structure to make room for meritocracy and social mobility – the foundation of democracy. This has created tension and put the Thais to test for finding a balance between their faculty of adaptability and adherence to traditional values. They have excelled in conflict resolution and are likely to do so this time too.
A marked difference with the society in Pakistan is in respect of education. Some 96% of men and 90% of women in a population of 62 million are literate. Over 20% of the Thai budget is spent on education. There is compulsory education throughout the nation for children between the ages of 7 and 16 and free schooling is allowed for 12 years. However, the outmoded educational system encourages, like in Pakistan, learning by rote instead of promoting the spirit of enquiry.
Exceptional reverence is accorded to the king. I had the advantage of watching him at close quarters. He stuck meticulously to his role as the constitutional head of state and seldom gave vent to his emotional reaction to a situation. He is 78 now and has been the king for 60 years. I used to move among media men who are generally quite outspoken. But, not even once I heard a critical word about him from anyone.
He has lent his prestige, though in an unobtrusive manner, to the army junta that has staged the coup. And, that probably is their greatest asset, apart from the litany of failures of the outgoing prime minister.
arifhussaini@hotmail.com September 21, 2006





PREVIOUSLY

Desire and the Culture of Instant Gratification
March 23 - Memories & Nostalgia
Deeper Malaise of Pakistan Polity
BJP’s Debacle in the Battle for Ballots
Feudalism’s Aversion to Education
Forgetfulness -a Prank of Old Age or of Hyperfocus
The Taliban and Beyond
Meetings of World Economic Forum and Its Counterweight
BJP Fails Again to Frame Pakistan
Indo-Chinese Relations in Perspective
Taj Mahal and Indo-Pakistan Standoff
Grandma, Grandpa
'The Clash of Civilizations' : A Questionable Thesis
In the Gadgeteer's Dreamland
Emergence of MMA on Pak Political Landscape
Chechnya and Moscow's Hostage Crisis
Turkish Elections in Historical Perspective
Iraq's Oil Wealth
America: A Nation on Wheels
"Jinnah & Pakistan" - A Worthwhile Book
Afghanistan Merits More Attention

The Siren Song of Sale and Savings

In Memory of Dr. Hamidullah

Tackling Murphy at the Airport

Musings of a Superannuated Man

US Economy: Will Bush's Plan Work

Tempo of Life in America

The Genius behind the Mouse

The Media Mogul Who Manipulated Men and Events

Hearst and Disney: A Comparative Study

Nothing but the Truth

War on Iraq Imminent and Inevitable

Mahathir's Interesting Views

Portents of a New World Order

March 23 - Memories & Nostalgia

Rachel Corrie & the Spotted Owl

Lost in Cyberspace

The American Nice Guyism

Connecticut - A Nursery of Men

On a Visit to Canada after Half of Century

Some Legal Aspects of the Iraq War

Bureaucratic Antics

Rhode Island: An Oxymoron, a Paradox

The Mystique of California

Comic Operas in Islamabad & in Texas

Khyber Knights: A Fascinating Book

G-8 Summit Skirts Touchy Issues

In Memory of a Versatile Genius

Hillary Clinton's Cleverly Crafted Book

Chitranwala Katora and Chutkiyan

The Yak Shows : The Trash Talks

The Giants of Sequoia National Park

Reflections on Pakistan's Independence Day

Aziz Kay 'Sifarati Maarkay And Mujtaba Kay 'Safarnamay'

California's Political Circus

Lali Chaudhri's Provocative Short Stories

September: A Witness to Wars

America in the Quagmire of Iraq

Collapse of Another WTO Summit

A B C D: American-Born-Clear-Headed Desis

The Pangs of Waiting

Chechnya: A Ray of Hope for Peace

American Job Exodus to China

Islamabad : Its Beauty & Oddities

Welcome Proposals to Break Indo-Pak Logjam

Benazir's Case and the Corruption Scenario

Predicament of Pakistan's Polity

When Memory Starts Faltering

Terror in Turkey Unrelated to Nation's Cultural Conflict

The Siren Song of Sale and Savings

Wrinkles in US-China Relations

Wrinkles in US-China Relations

Saddam Crawls out of a Hole to Ignominy

Saddam Crawls out of a Hole to Ignominy

When Memory Starts Faltering

A Day in the Company of Mujtaba Hussain

Hyderabad Presents a Panorama of Progress and Change

Conflict over New World Economic Order

Pakistan's Nuclear Scandal

Urdu in Hyderabad Deccan

A Good Book on a Great Man

Gay Marriages in Vivacious San Francisco

The Passion of the Christ - A Well-Sculpted but Fuss-Causing Film

A Treat of Mujtaba's Wit and Humor

Predicament of Pakistan's Polity

The Murder of Sheikh Yassin: Israel's Hidden Agenda

Army Action in Pakistan's Tribal Belt

Would the NSC Buttress or Besiege Democracy?

Desire and the Culture of Instant Gratification

Swiss Court and the Benazir-Zardari Plunder Saga

Pakistan and the International Economic Forums

Why Do US Follies Keep Piling up in Iraq?

The Tamasha at Lahore Airport

Indian Elections and Subsequent Developments

Bush Flaunts His Faulty Policies on Iraq

Post Civil War America and Post-Independence Pakistan

Bureaucratic Antics

Tackling Murphy at the Airport

Asma's Fascinating Book on Islam

APPNA Qissa - 25 Years of Activities of Pak-American Doctors

Bureacratic Antics

Nightmare in Sudan

In Pursuit of Terrorists

Why Turkey's Entry into European Union Is Blocked?

Forgetfulness - A Prank of Old Age or of Hyperfocus

Kremlin's Inept Tackling of Chechen Extremists

Who Should Get My Vote In November Election?

Bush vs. Annan on Legal Status of Iraq War

Rethinking the National Security of Pakistan

The Brief Message

Desire and the Culture of Instant Gratification

Is Iran the Next Target?

Dollar vs. Euro -A Question of Hegemony

Zardari’s Release Indicative of Reconciliation?

The Siren Song of Sale and Savings

Christmastime – A Festive Occasion

Pak-China Ties Keep Growing Firmly

American Shopping Malls

Tsunami - an Asian Disaster

Dr. Cohen’s Thought-Provoking Work on Pakistan

Alice in the Freeland

Balochistan: Crisis & Conflict

Iran the Next Target, but

The Common Man

Chechnya: Chaos to Continue in the Caucasus

Global Warming and Emulators of the OstrichA

Treat of Mujtaba’s Wit and Humor

Reflections on the Idea of Pakistan

‘Engaging India’ - A Valuable Book by Strobe Talbott
Memories & Nostalgia

American Nice Guyism

Balochistan at the Verge of Revolutionary Changes?

India as Seen by Early Muslim Chroniclers

India, China Leading a Resurgent Asia

The Pain at the Petrol Pump

Mujtaba Husain - a Humorist Par Excellence

Musings of a Superannuated Man in America

The Pangs of Waiting

Chaos and Killings in Uzbekistan

Prospects of the Pain at the Petrol Pump
French Voters Reject Proposed EU Constitution

Why Turkey’s Entry into European Union Is Being Blocked

What Ails Thee, My Native Land?

The Deeper Malaise of Pakistan’s Polity

Resistance to Change in the System

Feudalism’s Aversion to Education

Rhode Island: An Oxymoron, a Paradox

The Spotted Owl Wins against Bush Administration

Sufi Sage of Philadelphia and His Devotee from Toronto

To Ease the Pain at the Petrol Pump

Pat Robertson - a Loose Canon?

Monkey Menace in New Delhi

September - A Witness to Wars

The Trouble with Islam Today

Two Revealing Books on Afghanistan

To Lighten the Tedium of Air Travel
Islamabad as I Remember It

China’s White Paper Upholds Its “Democratic Dictatorship”

The Brief Message

Halloween: The Fun-Filled Fantasy

Practical Joking: The Sport of Creeps?

Senate Rebuffs Bush on War in Iraq

Bush’s Unproductive Visit to China

Global Warming or Terrorism: Which Is a Bigger Threat?

A High Achiever Shows the Way

Syriana - An Expose of Intrigues of Oil Companies

How Washington Sold Its Soul for Saudi Crude

Alice in the Freeland

American English

The Battle of the Bulge

Lost in Cyberspace

Hamas Vote Victory Invites Wrath of the West

No Relief in Sight from Pain at the Petrol Pump

Politics of the Cartoons’ Controversy

Follies & Fantasies of the Freaks

Mujtaba’s New Book and Urdu Magazine ‘Al Aqreba’

Bush’s South Asian Visit

Feudalism’s Aversion to Education

Mergers and Cartels Produce Unprecedented Oil Profits?

V for Vendetta – A Controversial Political Thriller

A Treat of Mujtaba’s Wit and Humor

Media Buzz on Invasion of Iran

China’s Charm Offensive

To Pump or Not to Pump, That Is Not the Question

Undocumented Immigrants, No Social Pariahs

Bush’s Subtle Approach to Immigration Issue

The Da Vinci Code – A Mega Money Minter

Randolph Hearst: The Media Mogul

Hearst and Disney: A Comparative Study

Pakistan’s Political Scenario Portends Violence but No Basic Change

Chatty Columns of a Remarkable Young Woman

Mountbatten Messed up Partition of India

Chechnya after Blast Kills Its Rebel Leader

Bombay Blasts and Some Reflections on Terrorism

A Good Addition to Urdu Literature

Lieberman’s Defeat in Democratic Primary

Asifa Nishat - a Deep Thinking Urdu Poet

War In Iraq: The Crucial Issue in Midterm Elections

Balochistan: Shape of Things to Come

Khalid Khaja - an Eminent Urdu Poet, Writer & Speaker

September - a Witness to Wars


Editor: Akhtar M. Faruqui
© 2004 pakistanlink.com . All Rights Reserved.