Conflict Management

Expressing differences of opinion is part and parcel of a “democratic form of governance” It is interesting for me to watch what is going on in Thailand from New York, where we have free access of information technology and Internet. I watch international news in CNN, BBC World Services, ASTV (Asia Satellite Television), PTV (People’s Television) broadcasted from Bangkok. Every day, I read the Thai and English language news on line from http://www/matichon.co.th, http://www.manager.co.th, http://www.nationmultimedia.com, and watch videos from http://www.youtube.com (which I cannot do from Bangkok). I am quite concern about the situation in the country right now, where people are very much divided based on conflict of interests, economically and politically. Suthichai Yoon, editor of the Nation newspapers said that Thailand is in danger of falling deeper into the trappings of a “failed state” unless we get out of confrontation and obsession with the “Thaksin syndrome”. I agree with him that we should take Thaksin and generals out of political equation and bring us on the road to normalcy and democracy. Anand Panyarachun, former Prime Minister who in 2004 chaired the United Nations High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change, also warned of the danger of Thailand becoming a “failed state”, ungovernable, unless we deal seriously with the issues that divide the people in the country. The present interim government, and the justice system have successfully brought back the “rule of law” to the country by dealing with the large-scale corruptions, allowed to occured by the Thaksin’s government. Now we need to focus on conflict-management and training which are needed to prevent violence and street fighting that could happen between now and the upcoming election campaign before the end of this year.

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