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Question and Answer
February 22, 2022
Question :
I have seen “Salim” like you like to obstruct the teenagers and the new generation who call for democracy. What’s wrong if they look for changes?
Answer :
Answering the person who uses the name “Spoiled Salim”, no one wants to obstruct people who sincerely call for democracy.
People in this country all like a democratic country, and transparency and accountability in every society. Nobody dislikes democracy.
If you were born in time or you have studied the history of politics. During the regimes of Field Marshal Praphas or Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn that the country was ruled by dictatorship, Salim like us, that you have insulted, joined the demonstration and we did not have any weapon.
We fought against officials who had armored tanks, the M79 grenade launchers, the M16 rifles, and machine guns. They bombarded us with shoots that a lot of us died all over the roads. Then, the soldiers loaded corpses into military trucks.
Till today, Salim like us has fought and sacrificed many times with the hope “to see better changes”.
No matter how much we were hurt by those in power, we have never thought of destroying the three pillars of the country, namely, the nation, religions, and the monarchy.
When General Chamlong Srimuang led people to fight against General Suchinda Kraprayoon, who had earlier mounted a coup and been appointed prime minister, Salim like us were besieged by soldiers. So, we escaped to the area of the Chitralada Royal Villa. After knowing that, King Rama IX had the gate opened to welcome people like us so that we could hide inside the palace. The King even came to welcome us. We were brought food and water. Royal doctors and nurses also treated the injured.
If there weren’t the King’s mercy, Salim like us might have already become fertilizer for trees or crocodiles’ food.
I would like to stress that we neither dislike democracy nor deny changes. In the past, we have undergone changes all the time, but we never think of destroying beautiful heritage.
Salim like us have fought and have risked our lives on the streets numerous times to call for changes, but we never think of destroying our national key pillars, namely, the nation, religions, and the King.
Salim like us have fought and called for democracy since you were unborn, but we never defame the royal institution, beloved and admired by Thais since the country’s founding.
The new generation’s calling for changes is not wrong, but we cannot stand it if they want to destroy our national key pillars that unite our nation.
I want to tell Mr./Ms. Spoiled Salim that democracy and changes don’t need to hurt people of different views, right?
If you want democracy and changes, but you cannot live together with other people. Is this the kind of democracy you yearn for?
If you want to change the country, but destroy the beautiful heritage of the ancestors, how can we do nothing?
Please think and think it through.