With a number of chances to ask a question directly to PM Abhisit and in numerous interviews I have had with him, one of the things I have been most curious to know is if he would utter any apology after the crackdown in May last year.

92 deaths
2,000 injuries
162 cases under DSI oversight
31 deaths by gunshot wounds to the head
0 apologies from Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva

With a number of chances to ask a question directly to PM Abhisit and in numerous interviews I have had with him, one of the things I have been most curious to know is if he would utter any apology after the crackdown in May last year.

Before my interviews with PM Abhisit, his team would ensure me that he would entertain any question. Well, as an Oxford graduate with first class honours in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, one would not doubt his ability to deal with any question on earth. No matter how difficult the questions may be, he is certainly able to handle them all.

But only one question was not allowed on air.

“After the crackdown which resulted in a number of casualties among the demonstrators, of course legal liability has to proceed along judicial lines, but as Prime Minister of a country in which a number of people have died for a political cause, would you as PM want to apologize to the demonstrators?

I asked the same question twice and was bracing myself to hear the answer. I was nervous about how the answer would turn out. And I expected a word of apology from the country’s leader who once made a wrong political move.

Alas, no.
I never got to hear from him the word “sorry”.
I never felt any repentance he may have.

What I heard was
“This question is not allowed on air.”

I asked why.
“Because if we apologize, it means we are in the wrong.”

That was the only answer from PM Abhisit. It was far from what I had expected.

My expectation stemmed from what the PM once said: “I pledge to become the Prime Minister of all Thais.”
My expectation stemmed from the politician who once said that “(the government) has to heed to the people’s voice regardless if it is uttered by just one or by hundreds of thousands of people”
I was expecting to hear a word of apology only to realize how the PM comes to terms with his mistake in decision-making.

It was such a common expectation by anyone...
Someone who has no intention whatsoever to topple the Abhisit coalition...
Someone who never asked him to dissolve Parliament or to resign...

I was simply looking forward to a word of apology.
An apology from someone we care for and value
.... someone to whom we are still ready to listen.

.............................
Note: This was written around October 2010 after I was invited to ask questions to PM Abhisit Vejjajiva in an online program with the Prime Minister.
 

Translated by Pipob Udomittipong