THE old Indonesian proverb “Raja alim disembah, raja zalim disanggah” (A pious king is worshipped, a despotic king is defied) can probably explain what is now going on in Thailand. The current waves of street protests mark demands for reform in the royal family and the resignation of the prime minister.
The first demand is very complicated and can only materialise very gradually, but the second demand will be much easier for the Thai political elite to realise.
