My Solution to the Crisis

This is my solution to the crisis based upon democratic principles and the rule of law.

Parliament should be dissolved and new elections should be held, but with a few caveats:

a) The PAD promises never to use violence, force and/or terrorism again when it exercises its right to protest.

b) The PAD promises to field candidates in the next election. In other words, it needs to put its money, effort and time where its mouth is. If it is truly representative of all the people, like it claims, then it needs to get elected and prove it to Thailand and the rest of the world.

c) The PAD promises to acknowledge and respect the results of the election if it loses.

d) The Thai media needs to join forces and have election observers placed all around the country to investigate so-called patronage politics and vote-buying.

e) International elections observers need to be brought into the country to observe the election.

f) All junta appointed people who control the courts and investigative agencies should resign.

g) Thaksin should "voluntarily" stay in exile in perpetuity and promise not to interfere.

h) All the ridiculous (collective punishment) clauses in the constitution need to amended.

i) All political parties need to make a commitment to Thailand's democratic development in the spirit of the 1997 Constitution.

j) The military promises that it will never stage a coup again.

k) There will be a concerted effort made to give the poor and working class more of a voice in Thai politics and civil society instead of disenfranchisement.

l) There will be a commitment from all political parties and actors in reforming the Thai education system, especially in the areas of democratic development and participation.

m) The Thai criminal justice system will make a concerted effort in enforcing the law across the board instead of picking and choosing who to prosecute based on political considerations.

n) A concerted commitment by all political parties to reform the military and police forces.