Many pro-coup activists who claime they definitely love democracy are bitter whenever any people compare Thai political development with neighboring Burma.

            Now there is a tongue-lashing again when the Spoke Authoritative of the State Peace and Development Council Minister for Information Brig-Gen Kyaw Hsan gave a lecture to United Nations Special Envoy to Burma Ibrahim Gambari when the latter was in the trouble country on March 7 that Burmese democracy has nothing difference from Thai democracy.

            Kyaw Hsan talked to Gambari in the context that the UN demanded the junta to allow opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to participate in the politics.

            The junta mouthpiece New Light of Myanmar published full lecture on March 8; the following is a part which compared the two constitution drafting processes;

            Kyaw Hsan: "Regarding the process of drawing a constitution, I would like to present you some points about Thailand’s drafting of its 17th constitution. Thai National Security Council firstly selected 2,000 persons for the conference to draft a constitution. The 2,000 persons had to elect 200 from among themselves and the list of the elected 200 persons was submitted to the National Security Council. And the National Security Council selected and appointed 100 of them as representatives to a conference for drafting a constitution. Then, the 100-member conference for drafting the constitution had to elect 25 outsiders as members for the committee for drafting the constitution, and the National Security Council had to select 10 members. And they were not to be the ones who were in the membership of a political party in last two years. The 35-member committee for drafting the constitution drafted and submitted the draft to the conference for drafting the constitution.

In our country (Burma), more than 1000 people’s representatives took part in the process of adopting the principles. And based on the principles, the 54-member commission for drafting the constitution drafted the constitution. So, there is a great difference between the two countries in taking time, holding discussions, and mobilizing representatives from the four corners of the country.

In Thailand, the upper chamber is made up of 150 representatives. Among them, a representative was elected from each of the 76 provinces. The commission for holding elections had to select and appoint 74 seats from intellectuals and intelligentsia, State service personnel and eminent persons from the private sector. Twenty-five percent of our Pyidaungsu Hluttaw representatives will be directly appointed Tatmadaw member representatives, whereas directly-appointed representatives make up nearly 50 percent in their country.

Now, Thai people have approved and started to practice the constitution of Thailand. But, none of the candidates of People Power Party and the opposition Democrat Party had the right to participate in the (constitution drafting) process. To make it clearer, in Iraq, Shiite militants who opposed the US, and Sunni militants who had links with Al Qaeda had no right to participate in the process of drafting a constitution. Similarly, in Afghanistan, Talebans had no right to draft the constitution. We haven't heard any objection to these events by those persons and organizations who are objecting us. But in drafting the constitution in our country, many are criticizing and pointing out that certain persons were not among the representatives in the process. It is not reasonable."

Who want to argue him, please...