Frontline workers despaired as they were unable to get to where they were needed the most. Teenagers, caught in the crossfire between security forces and protesters, became victims of indiscriminate shooting -- one of whom remained in a coma as of yesterday. Terrified residents, hoping to escape the worst of the clashes by sheltering in their apartment blocks, ended up as victims after tear gas -- hurled to disperse rioters, authorities say -- landed on their porch instead.
These scenes of chaos were not reported in Kabul, Afghanistan, where thousands of civilians are anxiously bracing for the return of the Taliban after a brisk US-pullout left the country teetering on the edge of deeper instability.
Rather, these were a collage of events which unfolded over the past 72 hours in downtown Bangkok, when anti-government protesters clashed with security forces near the Din Daeng flats to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his cabinet, over their failure to steer the country out of the worst of the pandemic, and heed demands for democratic reforms.
Social media is awash with evidence showing the indiscriminate use of force by security authorities in the name of maintaining law and order. By now, thousands across Thailand, if not across the globe, would have seen videos and pictures of motorists getting roughed up by a uniformed officer after making a wrong turn into the protest site. What's more, thousands of people were able to see live tweets from the clash site -- both sent by anti-government protesters and fed-up residents who were gassed out of their homes -- fanning public anger further.
The government's handling of the protest was wrong in every way imaginable because it drew many people who might have been content to stay out of the protest into the fray. What's worse, it showed the regime's promises to use its power responsibly were mere lip service -- as evidenced by how quickly it resorted to violent means to control unruly protesters.
While it is clear the youth movement is taking a more militant stance, that does not excuse the arbitrary use of violence on protesters. The government, as the monopoly holder on the legitimate use of force within a state, should have taken the high road during the clashes.
Officers on the ground should have ensured their efforts were geared towards controlling, not suppressing, the crowd -- but unfortunately, this week, they chose to kill a mosquito with a sledgehammer. All for what?
In 1771 the Irish statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke said the greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse. If there was ever any doubt about the truth behind the oft-quoted saying, one would only need to look at recent events in Thailand to be assured that Burke's warning still holds true, 250 years after it was uttered.
Judging by the abuses of civil rights and freedoms which have taken place since the pandemic took hold in Thailand, the government has simply accumulated too much power -- which it is using to influence discourse in other areas of life that one would not normally associate with realpolitik in the corridors of power.
Just yesterday, came news that the government has stripped veteran editor Suchart Sawasdsri of his National Artist award due to his "inappropriate behaviour" in connection with support for protests over political reforms. What would revoking his distinction achieve exactly, apart from adding to Suchart's own brand?
While Suchart is the first National Artist whose title and benefits have been revoked over his political stance, it is not the first time a public figure has been targeted by the government for involvement in the youth movement.
In March, the Department of Mental Health revoked its appointment of Miss Universe Thailand 2020, Amanda Obdam, as its mental health ambassador, saying her actions "might cause conflicts and concerns in society".
There are more pressing issues which the government needs to attend to, other than petty power plays in response to valid criticism. Indeed, there is no point in denying that Thailand has fallen far from the lofty perch where it had sat so proudly at the beginning of the outbreak.
The entire nation is still hunkered down under curbs, as the rest of the world starts to experiment with fully reopening. Given how much economic actors have been squeezed out of the market, recovery will undoubtedly be slow. What the government needs to do is acknowledge that it has slipped up and take a step back to rethink the situation. The nation has been at political impasses before, so there are extensive precedents of what (not) to do.
It should bring those responsible for the violence and injuries in the protests to account, and in a speedy and transparent manner. Only then can all stakeholders begin to work on a way forward together.
