Democracy grows more distant

After repeated postponements due to varying reasons, the prime minister has yet again set a general target date for the election. He’s pledged this time it will be held “no later than” early February 2019. But General Prayut Chan-o-cha added a caveat to the assurance given on Tuesday, warning that even this vague timing would depend on social conditions at the time and whether an election could proceed without problem. 
Hopefully, there will be no more excuses resulting in still more postponements. We have heard nearly four years’ worth of excuses, the first coming soon after General Prayut staged his coup in May 2014, when he was still Army commander-in-chief. The promise at that time was that an election would be called within 15 months of the coup, as part of a “road map to democracy”. That would have seen voters returning to the polls in late summer 2015. How naïve we were to believe him. As prime minister, Prayut has continually pushed the timeline backwards. His latest vow on Tuesday came amid mounting pressure from critics and the international community.
For many citizens, the last straw was a vote by the National Legislative Assembly last month to postpone by 90 days enforcement of a law governing the election of members of Parliament. The consequence was a delay in the election from November – when Prayut promised US President Donald Trump and others it would be held – into next year. Pro-democracy activists took to the streets demanding an election this year. They were already unwilling to tolerate any more excuses and delays.
Street rallies by the group People Who Want to Vote have so far gained no significant support from the public. But recent opinion surveys found that most citizens do “want to vote” to select a civilian government and see no good reason for delaying the election further.
There are of course many other citizens – a sizeable minority – who don’t care about an election. They would prefer the military to remain in charge, reasoning that the junta with its dictatorial powers can accomplish more for the country than could an elected government that’s restrained by constitutional law. They do not see democracy as being necessary, believing instead that anyone deprived of fundamental rights must deserve it.
If Prayut were at the helm of an elected civilian government, its four-year mandate would end this coming August. By February 2019, his military-backed administration will have been in power at least seven months  longer than any elected predecessor. Prayut’s government was formed in August 2014, three months after the coup. 
Consider, too, that this regime will retain a caretaker role for several months even after the election, until a new Cabinet is formed.
In any event, doubt is widespread over the premier’s latest assurances about an election being held by next February. The pressure building against him and his government is unlikely to ease until we have more than hollow words. To convince the public that this bizarrely evasive election will not be postponed yet again, General Prayut has to put his words into action. He should start by issuing a formal decree that clearly sets out the election date.