Having failed to develop such a vision, Thailand’s establishment has decided to dispense with democracy for the time being. Instead of overcoming dissent with better arguments and better policies, they have simply done their best to outlaw opposition. They have resorted to tactics employed by intellectually bankrupt dictatorships which, unable to win the support of the majority of their people through democratic means, turn to censorship, intimidation and repression. And a great many educated Thais have given this their full support, while continuing to blame the poor for the failure of democracy in Thailand.
One of the most eloquent recent denunciations of oppressive rule in Thailand came from Abhisit Vejjajiva in 2008, when he was still in opposition and two yellow shirt protesters were killed during clashes in Bangkok:
For all that has happened, the PM cannot deny his responsibility, either by negligence or intention. What is even worse than laying the blame on the authorities is vilifying the people. I have never thought that we would have a state which has the people killed and seriously injured, and then accuses the people of the crimes. This is unacceptable. I have heard those in the government always asking people if they are Thai or not. Considering what you are doing now, it is not a question of being Thai or not, but whether you are human at all.
It is a tragedy for Thailand that so many educated Thais who should know better have abandoned principles that they claimed to support less than two years ago.
What is the point of being educated if you have forgotten how to think?