Reformed man

re: "Prawit advocates unity, non-violence" (BP, April 5)

Dear editor,

In news related to the nightmare rumour of a Pheu Thai deal with Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), it is also now being reported that PPRP leader General Prawit Wongsuwon is industriously seeking to present himself as a voice of reason, a shiny, new convert to peaceful dialogue and democratic principle. He may well be sincere. If so, he can easily enough prove that.

If Gen. Prawit is truly committed to peaceful dialogue, if he is truly "willing to listen to different opinions" as quoted in "Prawit advocates unity, non-violence" (BP, April 5), he and PPRP will join Move Forward in proposing long overdue reforms to the lèse majesté laws, section 112 of the criminal code. That law has, to Thailand's enduring shame and the taint of every lawful institution involved, been used with increasing excess over recent years to deliberately violate the right of Thai citizens to peacefully share their ideas about matters of the highest national importance. Adding his voice to Move Forward's proposed reforms will credibly reassure that Gen. Prawit has indeed changed his spots to those of an advocate for wholesome, open dialogue on all matters that matter to the Thai people. In the meantime, he can also prove that his claim to be "willing to dialogue with all sides" is not hollow by speaking with those who have been arrested in accord with those laws, and speaking up for their right to peacefully speak their own minds. His words will then be every bit as credible as Pheu Thai's commitment to only form a coalition with those who truly support democratic principle and process. 

 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 April 9, 2023, under the title "Reformed man" at https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/postbag/2546100/burn-offs-persist