The Slow-Motion Revolution
Spectator auStralia Bangkok-based foreign media euphemism to avoid the world’s most draconian lèse majesté The slow-motion laws, his notional heir Vajiralongkorn ‘carries less of the personal prestige than his father’, who after 61 years is the world’s longest-ruling revolution monarch. Despite popular entreaties, the for- ever-young Bhumibol wasn’t the direct calm- ing player in this crisis as he was in 1992, the Thailand has been spared its Tiananmen moment, says last time the military killed Thais in Bangkok, probably because he’s medically unable to. Eric Ellis, but Thais now know what civil war looks like And if Bhumibol does know Thais as well as his courtiers insist, and he’s physically able urderous though May and al liberties, a containment of corruption, even for conscious, rational decision-making, he’d the months before it were a democracy-of-sorts) were actually intro- know that his sudden public intervention in Bangkok, this was not duced in China in the post-Tiananmen years, would shock, his wizened appearance more 1989 as it spontaneously and are evident today in rampant China. As alarming than soothing. rose in Beijing. Casualties for their critical demand — for actual power The amart will also struggle with Abhisit’s Mwere measured in Thai tens not Chinese — Deng and his Politburo were never going evocation of ‘civil society’ in his plan. The Thai thousands. Unlike the People’s Liberation to allow it. This differs little to what skilled elite are imbued with generations of belief of Army, the Royal Thai Army was quick, pro- politicians do anywhere, even in democra- their own self-worth, regarding their societal fessional and exercised considerable restraint cies: condemn opponents, purloin their bet- primacy and privilege as a celestial birthright, in its purge, just as it did when seizing power ter ideas, manipulate the polity and placate one endorsed by the semi-divine monarchy.
[Show full text]