The Hunger striker 'Chalard' strikes back against coup

In April this year, Prachatai interviewed Pilot Officer Chalard Worachat who had been holding a solo protest near Parliament House to oppose the Constitutional Court’s decision that nullified the February 2 general election. Back then, he said he would carry out a hunger strike if a military coup happened.

When the coup took place on May 22, 71-year-old Chalard did not break his promise. He has taken nothing but water and honey and slept in a tent in front of Dusit Zoo facing Parliament House. It’s been 19 days that he has been carrying out the tactic which has made him so well-known.

“I need to take some medicine, so honey will do my stomach good,” Chalard said when asked about his health. He seems more haggard and weaker than when I interviewed him two months ago. On Thursday, three health workers, who had given Chalard a check-up during his 1992 strike, examined his health and said he has low blood pressure, aside from a serious lack of water and food.

Pilot Officer Chalard Worachat sitting at his protest site

“We suggested that he save his life by slowly taking food and water, but if he was determined to follow his decision, then we also respect that,” one doctor said.

Banners announcing his stance and demands are hung from the trees that make up his protest area. Near where he rests and talks to people, lies a mock coffin with artificial flowers used in cremation ceremonies placed above it. A framed funeral-style photo of himself stands before the coffin.

“Stop the coup d’état! The international community must not accept this. We the people shall fight against this treason. If the people lose, I shall die!” state the banners.

One vertical banner also lists his political career, such as the five hunger strikes which led to the resignations of two Prime Ministers throughout the 1970s-1990s. A hunger strike in 1994 also led to the drafting of the 1997 constitution, regarded as the most democratic constitution Thailand has had.

The former Democrat Party member said he would end his hunger strike when coup maker Gen.Prayuth Chan-ocha announces an election date within two years. But he said he would not automatically accept that. He will be satisfied as long as an election takes place, political parties can run freely and the Prime Minister comes from the election.

Chalard said Gen Prayuth should not hunt down dissidents as he is currently doing.

“If you make yourself an enemy to so many people, you will find it difficult to come back down from that path,” he warned Gen Prayuth, also criticizing the extreme use of the lèse majesté law against many common people.

On Tuesday, he went to court and sued Gen. Prayuth, members of the National Council for Peace and Order and Permanent Secretaries for insulting the monarchy and overthrowing the government. He filed the same charges against 308 people involved in the 2006 coup, when he lost the case and 300,000 baht in legal fees in 2007.

“I think I would get to change the venue,” he said “from sitting here to sitting in the jail of the military court.”

Saying this hunger strike will be his last, he said he hoped the political parties would stand up for a more democratic constitution and let the true elements of democracy take root. No parties, whether Pheu Thai or the Democrats, dared to amend the constitution to make it truly democratic, he said.

“Even if I die today, it’s still worth it because it is my duty,” he said “I just let the wisdom pass along to the next generation and make them curious as to why it is worth sacrificing a life to fight for democracy.”

Update, June 10, 2014: The Criminal Court said it would not accept Chalard's complaints, saying that only the state can be the plaintiff in the cases about the national security.

Correction:

The article has been corrected to reflect that Chalard's hunger strikes had led to resignation of two Prime Ministers throughout 1970s-1990s, not four Prime Ministers.

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