Striking similarity

An audience of Abhisit, a new Thai PM, with the King reminds me of Thailand some fifty years ago. 

There is a criticism towards Abhisit that he should not sit on the same level as the King. However, it is believed that the position has been arranged beforehand. 

Which means something? 

Back in the late 1950s, Sarit used to sit at the same level as the King. I believe that some might have seen the picture. 

These two images, one from the 1950s and another from present, poses a striking similarity: After Sarit staged a coup in 1957, the power was brought back to the monarchy after it was challaenged by Phibun. 

At present, the power was brought back to the monarchy by "an invisible coup" led by the army leaders (e.g. Three "P"s and Big Bung) after it is believed that Thaksin regime brought it away  in the last 5-10 years. Abhisit is someone who will stablize the monarchy once again. 

However, as we all have known, today the development of democracy in Thailand has come to the point that political conflict cannot be solved in the same way as it used to fifty years ago. Take Lese Majeste law for example, the world desperately wants to know why Thailand still tighten such law when this is a crucial time to discuss about the role of the monarchy in the constitutional system. Ultimately, this law has been used as a tool to discredit, criticize, and attack political oppositions, rather than to stabilize the monarchy itself.  

What happend proves that while the stream of democray is moving forward, Thai authorities choose to halt the process of change. The mass would still have nothing in hand and cannot think for themselves, but to look upon the role model in order to rely their lives on. I think this is an unhealthy way of rasing your "children".     

It shows that Thailand seeks sudden change, rather than a smooth, non-violent one.