Yingluck praises reds for 'protecting democracy' - The Nation
Yingluck praises reds for 'protecting democracy'
November 8, 2012 6:06 pm
In a speech at the Bali Democracy Forum Thursday, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra praised the red shirts for their struggle in 2010 to protect democracy, which she said had been overthrown by a military-backed coup d'etat in 2006.
Thailand has experienced many coups against the will of the people, so when a government is created using democratic means, it needs to be made sustainable, she said.
The best way to preserve democracy would be to empower the people to value and participate in the process of democracy, which has made it possible for an election to take place.
"When people participate, they feel that they own democracy and can cherish the values. And when this democracy is overthrown or abused, people will rise up to defend it. This is what happened in Thailand in 2010," she said in a prepared speech at the forum.
The Nation