From today's Bangkok Post:
PM to speak at Oxford on democracy
By: BangkokPost.com
Published: 14/03/2009 at 09:49 AM
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is set to deliver a speech on democracy in Thai politics at Oxford University on Saturday evening Thailand time.
The speech, entitled Taking on the Challenges of Democracy, will be given at 5pm Thailand time or 10am local time.
The Oxford-educated prime minister has faced opposition to his plan to deliver his speech at St John's College from an Oxford academic and the international media.
Oxford lecturer Lee Jones earlier accused Mr Abhisit in his blog of being undemocratic, violating press freedom in Thailand and enforcing lese majeste charges against his political rivals.
I assume the Oxford Union link below isn't a wind-up and that the BKK Post simply didn't know in time for their story:
http://www.oxford-union.org/term_events ... _vejjajiva
That's one big slap in the face for an old Oxford student. Protests have been raging at the university for the past few days in an attempt to have him barred from speaking. Seems that the authorities listened.
However, it might have been more productive to have let him speak and for the students to have ripped him to pieces?
Abhisit to speak on Democracy at Oxford University???
Oh well, the speech did go ahead after all. From today's BKK Post:
Abhisit vows progress on democracy
PM TANGLES WITH CRITIC AT OXFORD
Published: 15/03/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday tried to allay international concern about the future of Thailand, promising democracy will move forward.
"I can't tell how fast democracy in Thailand will move forward. The experience of Western countries has shown that it took centuries.
"The point is Thai democracy will no longer be moving backward," he said in a speech on democracy delivered at St John's College at Oxford University.
During the prime minister's visit to his old university there was a brief confrontation with left-wing academic Giles Ungphakorn, who fled Thailand for the UK after being charged with lese majeste in January.
During a question and answer session, Mr Giles accused the government of using the lese majeste law to protect the administration and military. But the prime minister argued that it was never used to charge anyone without grounds.
Wearing red, the former Chulalongkorn University political scientist greeted Mr Abhisit with a foot clapper when the prime minister was introduced to the audience, mostly academics and students.
Mr Abhisit defended the 2006 coup as necessary to end the abuse of power by Thaksin Shinawatra's government and said it did not interfere with politics after the People Power party, backed by the convicted former prime minister, won the general elections a year later.
He said political reform, culminating in the 1997 constitution, had been damaged by corrupt politicians who also undermined the rule of law. The speech at the world-renowned university wrapped up Mr Abhisit's visit to London ahead of the G20 summit scheduled for April 2. The prime minister will represent Asean at the summit. Thailand is the current chair of the 10-nation grouping.
In a joint statement with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown released yesterday, the Thai and British governments made it clear that they wanted to see a stand against protectionism coming out of the summit.
They also expect a call for multilateral efforts to stimulate economies and to see international financial institutions reformed. The statement was carefully worded when it came to the Burma issue by underlining their "shared interest" in the political situation there.
Thailand and Britain "agreed to work together" to ensure political progress in Burma, it said. They also emphasised "the urgent need for the Myanmar authorities to cooperate fully with the Good Offices Mission of the UN secretary-general, for political prisoners to be released, and for a fully inclusive transition to democracy".
On Friday, Mr Abhisit tried to please British investors by telling them Thailand would continue with free and fair trade.
The government will not amend the Foreign Business Act to curb foreign competition, will respect the World Trade Organisation's intellectual property agreement despite Thailand's commitment to provide cheap medicines for the public under its compulsory licensing policy and allow the private sector to join megaprojects under the Public Private Partnership formula, he said. BANGKOK POST AND THAI NEWS AGENCY
Abhisit vows progress on democracy
PM TANGLES WITH CRITIC AT OXFORD
Published: 15/03/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday tried to allay international concern about the future of Thailand, promising democracy will move forward.
"I can't tell how fast democracy in Thailand will move forward. The experience of Western countries has shown that it took centuries.
"The point is Thai democracy will no longer be moving backward," he said in a speech on democracy delivered at St John's College at Oxford University.
During the prime minister's visit to his old university there was a brief confrontation with left-wing academic Giles Ungphakorn, who fled Thailand for the UK after being charged with lese majeste in January.
During a question and answer session, Mr Giles accused the government of using the lese majeste law to protect the administration and military. But the prime minister argued that it was never used to charge anyone without grounds.
Wearing red, the former Chulalongkorn University political scientist greeted Mr Abhisit with a foot clapper when the prime minister was introduced to the audience, mostly academics and students.
Mr Abhisit defended the 2006 coup as necessary to end the abuse of power by Thaksin Shinawatra's government and said it did not interfere with politics after the People Power party, backed by the convicted former prime minister, won the general elections a year later.
He said political reform, culminating in the 1997 constitution, had been damaged by corrupt politicians who also undermined the rule of law. The speech at the world-renowned university wrapped up Mr Abhisit's visit to London ahead of the G20 summit scheduled for April 2. The prime minister will represent Asean at the summit. Thailand is the current chair of the 10-nation grouping.
In a joint statement with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown released yesterday, the Thai and British governments made it clear that they wanted to see a stand against protectionism coming out of the summit.
They also expect a call for multilateral efforts to stimulate economies and to see international financial institutions reformed. The statement was carefully worded when it came to the Burma issue by underlining their "shared interest" in the political situation there.
Thailand and Britain "agreed to work together" to ensure political progress in Burma, it said. They also emphasised "the urgent need for the Myanmar authorities to cooperate fully with the Good Offices Mission of the UN secretary-general, for political prisoners to be released, and for a fully inclusive transition to democracy".
On Friday, Mr Abhisit tried to please British investors by telling them Thailand would continue with free and fair trade.
The government will not amend the Foreign Business Act to curb foreign competition, will respect the World Trade Organisation's intellectual property agreement despite Thailand's commitment to provide cheap medicines for the public under its compulsory licensing policy and allow the private sector to join megaprojects under the Public Private Partnership formula, he said. BANGKOK POST AND THAI NEWS AGENCY
Hhhhmmm, all sounds like it was carefully choreographed and had his answers ready to anticipated questions.
Quote, "Abhisit vows progress on democracy."
We'll see! Might be too many institutional dinosaurs to vanquish along the way to turn that to reality rather than just a romantic myth.
Quote, "Abhisit vows progress on democracy."
We'll see! Might be too many institutional dinosaurs to vanquish along the way to turn that to reality rather than just a romantic myth.
Resolve dissolves in alcohol
For anyone that is interested, there's a 10 minute "tricky" interview for Abhisit with the BBC's Zeinab Badawi.
Interesting, sure there are few that ask him those questions here in such a "frank" fashion and the level of candour is noticable.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/bus ... 946122.stm
All sounds hopeful and he's obviously had to make this trip to allay fears in the west about Thailand.
Interesting, sure there are few that ask him those questions here in such a "frank" fashion and the level of candour is noticable.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/bus ... 946122.stm
All sounds hopeful and he's obviously had to make this trip to allay fears in the west about Thailand.
Resolve dissolves in alcohol