re: "Men in green take step too far" (Editorial, March 10)
Dear editor,
The army chief is right to be concerned for the honour of himself and the army he leads. It is, however, less obvious that filing defamation suits alleging insults by civil politicians is the most effective way to protect and defend the honour of the Thai army and its officers. A sounder strategy might be to fight those battles that prove to the Thai nation that the Thai army is doing its duty to the nation, for which reason alone the Thai people maintain their army.
What, then, is the duty of the Thai army? The army's duty is to protect and defend the nation it serves. Section 1 of the Thai constitution is perfectly clear: "Thailand is one and indivisible Kingdom." It is the constitution of the Thai nation that founds the entity that is the Thai nation, along with every subordinate law and institution, including the monarchy, the army and the government of the Thai people, and it is the Thai people to whom the "Sovereign power belongs," as section 3 of the constitution explicitly states. It is only by the provisions of the constitution, which clearly defines Thailand as "a democratic regime of government with the King as Head of State" (sect. 2), that all other Thai law and and state institutions are made real and potent. It therefore follows with logical certainty that the duty of the army, the ultimate source of its honour, is the protection and upholding of the constitution of the Thai nation. Conversely, the true source of dishonour is failure to fulfill this supreme duty to protect and uphold the constitution of the Thai nation.
A few blunt words from civil politicians cannot seriously tarnish its honour provided the army is loyally doing its duty to defend, protect and uphold the constitution whence derives not only Thailand's government, but all other Thai laws and institutions.
Felix Qui
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The above letter to the editor is the text as submitted by Felix Qui to the Bangkok Post.
The text as edited was published in PostBag on March 12, 2019, under the title "PostTitle " at https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/postbag/1643032/different-rules-for-rich
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