The advantages of dictatorships: in Thailand the 'Parliament' approves a large budget deficit
The military coup that brought General Prayuth Chan-ocha to power in Thailand has divided the country: those who complained of the previous stalemate in which majority and opposition paralyzed each other, and the strings of government were held by exiled billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra (convicted of corruption) approve the intervention of the army. Others complain about the suspension of democracy. But there is some benefit to decision making. The reins of power are in the hands of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) which has appointed a puppet Parliament (the NLA. National Legislative Assembly) of 197 members, more than half of which are military. The general, in a suit and tie, presented the budget to Parliament in a 30-minute speech, after which he asked if anyone had anything to say. None of the military members asked to speak, little comment came from civilian members, and the budget, with a 10 percent revenue shortfall, passed with zero dissent.
The approval process proved to be of rare efficiency, and did not make us regret the tormented events of the approval of the budget in less authoritarian regimes. But what Winston Churchill said remains true: 'Democracy is the worst of all systems, except for all others'.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/427455/nla-waves-through-budget
Attached: bangkok post
