The 10 August protest ended with yet another clash. But there must be a clear purpose to all this. Otherwise, it’s just a cycle of slingshots against rubber bullets.
Every demand the protestors make will never be met unless there’s a government democratic in its mindset willing to reform Thailand. Therefore, every protest and conversation must gear towards the next general election.
Vote-buying and a funny calculator notwithstanding. As well, we know the 250 senators won’t willingly give up their power to elect the prime minister. Nonetheless, the election is the closest thing we have to “putting power in the hand of the people.”
The goal is to put at least 376 MPs in parliament who are willing to say “no” to the Prayut Regime. To accomplish this, the majority of voters must tick the box for politicians and political parties with a clear stance against the Prayut Regime.
It’s a tall order, but it could have been done in the 2019 general election.
Minus General Prayut’s 250 senators, General Prawit Wongsuwan’s Palang Pracharat Party with 116 seats, and Suthep Thuagsuban’s Action Coalition Party with five seats, the rest could have and should have banded together and become government. It didn’t happen.
Nonetheless, more than two years since the election, we should know by now who’s willing to betray our democratic future for present power. A year and a half of political awakening and cultural revolution, on top of the abysmal management by the Prayut Regime, should have open eyes and minds.
The next election will prove one or the other: Our success or failure in opening eyes and minds.
As such, opening eyes and minds should be the mission of every protest and conversation, with the clear goal of gathering enough votes to put at least 376 MPs willing to fight for our democratic future in parliament.
Tall order? Near impossible? Yes, and yes. But if the people don’t band together and overcome the obstacles to create our future, then the generals will continue to keep us in the past.
Our voices and votes must be overwhelming.
2021-08-11