By Voranai Vanijaka
Thailand’s generals will do unto the Ratsadon Movement leaders as they have done with the leaders of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD).
The generals will attempt to either tame or turn Anon Nampa, Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, and the rest of the key pro-democracy activists.
If they can’t be tamed or turned, then they’ll be kept in prison.
Just like what the generals did to UDD leaders.
Former UDD leader Jatuporn Prompan, fiery in his rhetorics, hardcore in his actions, is reduced to making social media videos in which viewers can’t quite make sense of which side he’s on nowadays.
In fact, in January of this year, he backed a candidate in Chiang Mai’s Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) against Pheu Thai Party’s candidate. Furthermore, he had warned the pro-democracy protestors not to touch monarchy reforms.
UDD and Pheu Thai supporters have called him a traitor.
Recently released from prison, the equally fiery and hardcore Nattawut Saikua has been mostly quiet. Arisman Pongruangrong has virtually disappeared from the public, as have all the “hardcore” former UDD leaders.
Last but not least, Suporn “Rambo Issan” Atthawong has become General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s lapdog and has been instrumental in dismantling the UDD strongholds in the northern and northeastern regions.
Simply put, they have either been tamed or been turned. That’s the power of the generals who control the guns and the law.
Those who aren’t tamed or turned? The generals will just keep them in prison.
The same strategy is applied to Ratsadon leaders.
Harass them. Persecute them. Imprison them. Delete their freedom and take away their future.
Slice and dice their humanity into bits and pieces. Use imprisonment to stomp down on their defiance and beat the fighting spirit out of their souls.
It worked with those fiery and hardcore UDD leaders. Why wouldn’t it work with these Millenials and university students?
The generals will try to tame Anon like they tamed Jatupon and turn Penguin into another Rambo Isaan.
The generals may be incompetent at running a country. Still, when it comes to deviously persecuting the people in the interests of maintaining their rule over the Kingdom of Thailand, they are, in a word, effective.
Behind prison walls, the generals will try to turn Rung into a proper Thai woman who behaves appropriately, which means complete obedience. Then they will show her to the world. See? A “bad child” can become a “good child.”
She just has to embrace the doctrine of “nation, religion, and king.”
The game is despicable but effective.
As had been done time and again. When you control the guns and the law, you can get away with anything.
If they can’t be tamed or turned, then the generals will keep them in prison or drive them into exile.
It has worked with Thaksin Shinawatra and others. It has worked since the days of Pridi Banomyong and Puey Ungphakorn. The generals also have something in store for Thanathorn Juangrungruangkit, Piyabutr Saengkanokul, and Pannika Wanich.
Just wait and see.
But will it work with Ratsadon leaders?
The generals may or may not succeed in taming or turning the likes of Anon, Penguin, Rung, Pai Daodin, and others. But failing that, the generals can shut them up by keeping them in jail for as long as it pleases them.
After all, each faces Section 112 charges, with a maximum of 15 years imprisonment per count. At this rate, if it pleases the generals, the pro-democracy activists may enter prison as university students but might come out as retirees.
Such is the power of those who control the guns and law but cannot control their greed for power.
The question then becomes: how can they get away with this?
Two reasons explain how the generals can get away with it.
Firstly, countless hardcore monarchists are screaming for execution. “Off with the heads,” they say. Hence, the generals have the “moral blessing.”
Secondly, each week, there are only a few hundred people who come out to chant, “Release our friends.”
Injustice is injustice. The only way to fight against injustice is for the Thai people, non-hardcore royalists and democratists, to wake up and together stand against injustice.
It’s a cliche, but it’s true. United we stand, divided we fall… at the feet of the generals.
When will Thailand say “enough is enough”?
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