Dual citizenship does not disqualify Mark from public office… compulsive dishonesty… definitely should.

Mark Abhisit’s Confession

In spite of his ill-gotten reputation as a “squeaky clean” politician, Mark Abhisit is well known to play fast and loose with the truth. In every matter on which his government has been asked tough questions – the Rohingya affair, the lese majeste prosecutions, the media censorship, and last year’s massacre of 91 people – the same pattern has repeated itself over and over again. In every case, the government has stonewalled, obfuscated the facts, suppressed evidence, made promises of transparency it never intended on keeping, and trotted out the usual buffoons who never met a lie they were too ashamed to tell. On the issue of dual nationality as well as on the human rights abuses committed by the security forces, we have all come to expect that Mark Abhisit’s government will never respond with anything but falsehoods. After all, if one cannot tell the truth about his real name, or his nationality, how can he be expected to be open about his role in incidents that may well result in criminal liability?

Aside from whether a pathological liar is fit to serve Thailand as its Prime Minister, the Thai public might also want to consider whether someone as reluctant to take responsibility for his mistakes and so eager to pass the buck to someone else possesses the moral qualities to lead. Even while admitting his British nationality today, Mark Abhisit had the audacity to blame his parents for registering his birth in the United Kingdom, when he had almost thirty years to renounce his citizenship, had he ever wished to do so. In Mark Abhisit’s world, it is always someone else’s fault. Despite his government’s appalling human rights record, Mark Abhisit has always sought to deflect accountability for the crimes committed on his watch.

Dual citizenship does not disqualify Mark Abhisit from holding public office. His compulsive dishonesty and substandard leadership definitely should.