Aliran has joined civil society groups in the Asia Pacific region in condemning the military coup in Thailand and demanding an immediate repeal of martial law.
We, the undersigned organisations, strongly condemn the latest coup d’état staged by Thai military under the leadership of Prayuth Chan-ocha.
The current coup, which took place almost eight years after the 2006 coup, will do nothing to enhance democracy and social justice in Thailand; instead it will only tighten the grip of dictatorial rule and attempt to crush any democratic institution that exists. The army has already started its crackdown on media and the internet, and has arrested people who oppose the coup.
The coup is set to protect the interests of the section of Thai ruling class who want to reduce the democratic space in order to consolidate their power. The military junta in Thailand has no interest in bringing about free and fair elections to solve the political crisis and certainly will not protect freedom of expression, which it sees as a threat to its rule.
The Thai military has been notorious for ruthless crackdowns on democratic movements, for instance, the bloody massacre of red-shirts pro-democracy protests in 2010.
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Hence, we demand:
– An immediate repeal of martial law in Thailand;
– The restoration of the electoral process to let the people of Thailand choose their future government democratically;
– A stop to the crackdown and arrest of political dissidents in Thailand and the freeing of all political prisoners;
– That governments of Asean get together to condemn and exert pressure to end the coup in Thailand;
– That all governments withdraw their ambassadors from Thailand to demonstrate that they do not recognise the military junta.
We also extend our solidarity with the pro-democracy movement in Thailand to fight against the military coup and to push for the restoration of democracy in Thailand.
Signed by:
- Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)
- Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM), Philippines
- Socialist Alliance, Australia
- Turn Left, Thailand
- Social Action for Change (SAC), Cambodia
- Socialist Aotearoa, New Zealand
- Unite Union, New Zealand
- Thai Alliance for Human Rights – Australia
- Awami Workers Party, Pakistan
- National Trade Union Federation Pakistan (NTUF)
- Transform Asia Gender and Labor Institute, Philippines
- Pioneer, Hong Kong
- Communist Party of Bangladesh-ML
- National Democratic Action Society (WAAD), Bahrain
- Aliran, Malaysia
- Malaysia Support Group for Democracy in Thailand
- SORTU, Basque Country
- Partido ng Manggagawa, Philippines
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
The Thai army was from day one behind the red shirt’s protest and their demands. Just look at the present situation of the red shirt protester leaders. Everything they are asking for is happening and just look at what has happened to the red shirt protesters and where are these leaders now and also what has happened to them ?
Who is now the PM and who have voted for him to become the PM ? Have the army learnt that they are only there as the army and just do not have the mandate to rule the country ? If the Thai people have got a corrupted government it is a problem the Thai people must try to overcome to have one that is no so corrupted. Corruption is a very common problem in this part especially in Asia and is not an exclusive behaviour of Thailand.
I think the army in Asia must stick to be the army and must not ever use it to initiate any coup. They must realise that they are not elected by the people to rule the country.