Asian Democracy?

I am sad about what happen in the political development of Thailand. At the time of global financial crisis, where the concern of people should take priority, instead of politic.

I was in the Bangkok immediately after the open of Bangkok airport during the last anti-government demonstration. My friends were rushing out of airport during the period. It was time of concern for our friends' safety. At that time we were on the way to North Thailand. We managed to arrive in Bangkok when others had left. Asian tourists were hardly seen, we are the only few in the Bangkok airport. However, the 1st demonstration was considered peaceful. The armies was neutral.

This is the 2nd demonstration of the other party, but the demonstration was turning violence,which was not normal for Thailand's politic. The armies have took the action, emergency rule has declared. I wonder why the police who are in charge of internal security did not take action to control and monitor the crowds? Why the army must come in?

Democracy is the process where forming of government is by majority of citizen who has won the election, to choose their representatives in the government. The elected citizens are normally from a political party, which was formed by citizens based on their common political ideas. It is a peaceful transfer of power for specific period. For the democracy to be successful, all parties involved in the election system, must respect the right of the winner. The election must be fair, otherwise there will be dispute. In the democracy, any dispute should be decided by the court. Democracy is a western product, Asian have difficulty to understand democracy, it is just not the culture, and need a long process of education. The end result of democracy is for the benefits of people. Individually, democracy is the right of individual, a human right, and freedom of individual provided any action is not against the law or result in the damage of other individual right and property. When political democracy failed, individual democracy will take its place to exert a change.

In the Thailand case, the result of the election was disputed, but the respective parties did not wait for the judgment of the court. They take to demonstration of individual right, freedom of expression, freedom of gathering..... . In the west, the demonstrators and the police know the rule, it is peaceful and orderly, just to express their anger or disagreement. In Asia, the demonstrators may resulted in crowd contagion effect, and the ruling party may lost control, where emotion turned high, and end up in violence. They do not understand democracy.

Democracy without rules and control become demon crazy.

A politician who understand democracy is the politician who love his country and his people, even with the expense of positive collaboration, negotiate for win-win political solution, or even giving up his power, if situation demand that. For peace, and for the benefits of the country and its people. After all, democracy is for the people, the elected representatives are elected by the people, the country is the people, not individual politician.....A good politician is not crazy of individual power, he will not hold on to power, just to see his country and people suffer(despite he may be a good leader). He has the heart for his country and his people, not his power; he has the patient to wait and win the heart of the people in the next election, rather than let the country to face the chaotic future and suffer. He has the respect for his opponents, the winner in the democratic election process.

Because there is always another election..... to let the people decide again.

If the unstable situation continue, at the end there is no winner(even for politician) , the final loser is the country, the people....

(Note: This article dedicated to my friends who are in Thailand; ho peng, jia yin, tek leong, and others, remember them in prayers; for comfort, safety and peace will come to Thailand)