From the Thai-language press:
Thairath editorial: Worry that the
government is insolvent
- November 3, 2005
An ABAC poll surveyed peoples' opinions in 20 provinces
and 74.8% said they had less trust in the government
than three month ago because of problems of unrest
in the three southern border provinces and 66.4%
cited economic problems, high gasoline costs, and
the high cost of living.
This was a survey of 20 provinces around the country
that asked 4,256 people so the answers reflect some
peoples view. Most people think that the big
problem faced the government and all Thai people
at present is unrest in the South followed by the
high cost of gasoline, the high cost of goods and
corruption.
About the southern problem, the draft report that
the National Conciliation Commission (NCC) prepares
to send to the government is divided into eight
parts. Some parts are worrying, especially the part
that explains about the violent events including
the protesters who vanished at Takbai making Thai-Muslims
in the southern border area not trust the government.
This is a dangerous signal showing things are moving
to the circumstance of insolvability.
A symptom of this is that the government cannot
guarantee safety and give public service for people.
It seems there are more places that the government
cannot access. More dangerous is the trend of weak
insolvent communities such as the case of Tanyonlimore
village where community cannot protect its people.
In the political science philosophy of "society
contract" that PM usually cites, people consent
to make a contract with the state by
sacrificing some rights and freedom to the state.
The important duty of the state is protecting safety
of life and assets of people. If the government
cannot do that, it can termed in the circumstance
of "insolvent."
The worrying thing is the draft of NCC report shows
that areas where the government cannot access is
increasing. The insurgents' statements in the past
said they can spread the liberated area
continuously although the government has many military,
police, administrative people and volunteers including
the full of power of an urgent decree.
The more worrying thing is that there is no confidence
in who is responsible for the unrest in the south--neither
by the persons who set policy or the those who implement
it. Neither can clearly understand and access
problems in the three provinces although the PM
always declared to go to the right way
and quickly "close the game, but it seems
that it is still lost.
Worry that the government is insolvent
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