Thought and Practice of “Good Men’s Politics” of the Southerners in Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

The southerners of Klong-Chan state housing (Klong-Chan flat) selflessly and dedicatedly attended the rally held by People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), although the political ideology of PDRC doesn’t promote equal political rights of the lower class, the economic status they are in. For them joining the PDRC is a great opportunity to do good deeds to make Thailand without corruption, to get good people in government, and to protect the monarchy to be a strong pillar of the country forever. The shared feeling of the same partisan among southerners as being suffered from “Thaksin Regime”, highly influences the southerners at Klong-Chan flat to participate PDRC. The identity of southern-ness as not succumbing to injustice and fraudulent power by political parties and politicians is also emphasized in joining PDRC. Their identity is also about comparing themselves with people of other regions especially the north-eastern (Isan) people, who are usually looked down by them as being educationally and economically inferior. Their participation in PDRC rally is successful in overthrow democracy and promoting aristocracy ruling Thailand by few good people. Although during the first two years under the regime of military dictatorship, Thai public has started to criticize the regime’s administration, the southerners in Klong-Chan flat have still affirmed that the coup staged by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) in 2014 was necessary and suitable. For them, even though the election is important but it should be postponed until Thai society “ready” for it.