(2 May) After maintaining the image of a leader keen on soft approaches and decreasing political tension for 2 years as the Prime Minister, Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra expressed her opinion and political stance in a very clear manner for the first time.
In the speech to the summit of Communities of Democracies, held in Mongolia earlier this week, she pounded on the negative effects of the 2006 military coup and other extra-judicial powers that continued to crush Thai democracy.
The situation led to uprising by the citizens who felt their rights had been robbed away, the Prime Minister pointed out, and ended up in loss of so many lives.
Those who hold a political stance hostile to the Prime Minister and her government claimed the speech was a smearing campaign against her own country before dignitaries from various nation.
Some also claimed that Ms. Yingluck′s speech would only sharpen the political conflict in Thailand.
Meanwhile, those who support the government asked a pertinent question – what′s more damaging to Thailand: launching the coup and abusing state powers to murder the people on streets, or speaking the truth about those atrocities which are known facts to the world.
Furthermore, government supporters questioned the claim that Ms. Yingluck is to blame for rising confrontation in the nation, since it is her legitimate duty to make clear her principles and beliefs to the public, to the world community, and even to those who stand against her.
On the other hand, she must stick to reality when she put her principles into practices, finding what is best for the nation in certain situations.
However, the important thing is that she must not lose sight of those democratic principles, regardless of how she approaches the issues.
It remains to be seen if Ms. Yingluck and her government can live up to her words.
