Word: sanya
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1970-1979
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...business suit in public, rather than his general's uniform. Nonetheless, competent civilians still hesitate taking power, because they have long viewed participation in politics with distaste. In fact the Thai language uses the idiom "to play at politics" rather than "to go into politics." Thus even Sanya Dhamasakti, the popular civilian who has been temporary Prime Minister for the past three months, wants to return quickly to his job as rector of Bangkok's Thammasat University...
Fear of Reprisal. The students voice a different complaint. They worry that Sanya, a gentle, scholarly Buddhist who studied law in London, may not be able to keep the ambitious young Narong from returning to power. Leaders of the twelve-man executive of the National Student Center of Thailand, which organized most of the demonstrations against the Thanom regime, are so afraid of reprisals from the military that they sleep in a different house each night. Explained one student leader: "Colonel Narong still has his followers. We don't want to go out in the dark night alone." There...
Drafting a constitution-a task Sanya has entrusted to a broad-based committee of judges, lawyers and law professors-will not be all that easy. Any new political charter for Thailand must assign an important role to its very popular King, even though Bhumibol personally desires little political power. (In fact, the King has hinted that he is even uncomfortable about the role he was forced to play in ousting the former leaders.) A new constitution must not only exclude the military from politics but must also create a government so stable that the military will not be tempted...
...Sanya's cautious pace and his concentration on the constitution have irritated Bangkok's newspapers. Now that they have complete freedom, they have become vocal and critical. The papers have chided the Premier for doing little to help Thailand's sluggish economy, curb soaring inflation and eliminate rampant corruption. The English-language Bangkok Post complained that in slum areas of the capital, police services have deteriorated so badly that "robbery and violence are at a level which can only remind one of New York and Chicago...
Despite the fears of a possible military coup, the students still remain solidly committed to Sanya. "We must give the government time to work," observed Prasarn Triratvorakul, a Student Center leader. Because three university rectors and one dean now sit in the Cabinet, the students have an unprecedented line of communication into the new government. This easy access seems to overwhelm some of them. Reflecting the modesty and caution that marked the students' revolution, Prasarn remarked: "We are being listened to. But if our ideas get too radical, then the government should stop listening. We don't want...