Jun 19, 2008
DPA
Bangkok - On Friday the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) will march on Government House to force the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his cabinet, who have been running the country for less than six months.
There promises to be thousands of peaceful protestors, long speeches, tents set up opposite Government House to protect people from the monsoon rains, food deliveries from unknown backers and, no doubt, a long wait before anything happens. The scene is all too familiar for Bangkokians.
The PAD, a loose coalition of disparate groups united only in their hatred for former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, staged almost daily protests in the capital for much of 2006 until the tanks rolled on to the streets on September 19, ending the political impasse.
Twenty-one months after Thaksin's political downfall and six months after a general election brought the pro-Thaksin People Power Party (PPP) to power, coup rumours are rife again.
'I think the PAD's backing goes very high up and involves military elements, because otherwise they would not be so rabid,' opined Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political analyst at Thailand's prestigious Chulalongkorn University.
Although the military ousted Thaksin, they could not prevent the proxy PPP from winning the December 23, 2007, general election, and putting in place a 'nominee' cabinet of Thaksin allies.
The PAD returned to the streets on May 25 shortly after the current government began to push for constitutional amendments that are likely to lead to the dismissal of about 16 corruption cases against Thaksin, a billionaire telecommunications tycoon who was prime minister between 2001 to 2006.
The military justified their September coup with charges that Thaksin has been involved in mass corruption, undermined the monarchy and divided the nation.
So far, only the last charge has stuck.
Thaksin, who was banned from entering politics for five years by a constitutional tribunal ruling a year ago, continues to be at the heart of Thailand's political divide.
Although he holds no political post, the hand of Thaksin is seen in whatever the current 'nominee' cabinet does.
For instance, the government's decision this week to support Cambodia in its bid to nominate Preah Vihear, a centuries old Hindu temple on the Thai-Cambodia border as a World Heritage Site, has been seen as part of a sinister business deal, typical of the Thaksin era.
It doesn't help matters that Thai Foreign Minister Noppodon Patama is Thaksin's former lawyer and one day after he disclosed the country's support for Cambodia's Preah Vihear bid, Thaksin announced plans to build a casino-hotel complex on Koh Kong, an island off Cambodia's western coast bordering Thailand.
Pheah Vihear is a sensitive issue for most Thais. The magnificent Hindu temple was the source of a border dispute in the 1950s that ended up in the Hague's International Court. The court decided the temple belonged to Cambodia.
Thailand opposed Cambodia's proposal to list Preah Vihear temple at UNESCO last year on the grounds that the Cambodian site map included still disputed territory.
Cambodia submitted a new map last month, which Noppodon approved this week, paving the way for the temple's lisitng at a UNESCO meeting on July 2, and providing a publicity boost for Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's party in a general election scheduled on July 27.
'It looks like Thailand decided to help Mr Hun Sen in the elections,' said Kraisak Choonhavan, a member of the Democrat opposition party.
'The government's way of handling this has created the suspicion that personal gains are more important than national gains,' added Kraisak.
That was one of the main complaints against Thaksin's two-term premiership, which increasingly looked like a runaway private gravy train.
Pent up outrage against Thaksin's self-serving government style finally exploded in January 23, 2006, when his family sold their 49 per cent equity in the Thaksin-founded Shin Corp conglomerate to Singapore's Temasek Holding for a tax-free 2 billion dollars.
That gave the PAD the ammunition they needed to mount a a popular anti-Thaksin campaign that finally led to the 2006 coup. Now the PAD is back on the streets for similar reasons.
'I think the Thaksin overhang has been constant,' said Thitinan. 'This government is not to be trusted, and Thaksin exacerbates that.'
Increasingly, with or without a coup, observers are saying that the only long-term solution for the political divide caused by Thaksin is to get Thaksin out of politics for good.
'The only solution is if a court case can quickly come out with a sentence that Thaksin is guilty, then politically he would be out,' said Kraisak.
Unfortunately, Thailand's judicial system is notoriously slow and certain elements may not be able to wait for the courts.
There promises to be thousands of peaceful protestors, long speeches, tents set up opposite Government House to protect people from the monsoon rains, food deliveries from unknown backers and, no doubt, a long wait before anything happens. The scene is all too familiar for Bangkokians.
The PAD, a loose coalition of disparate groups united only in their hatred for former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, staged almost daily protests in the capital for much of 2006 until the tanks rolled on to the streets on September 19, ending the political impasse.
Twenty-one months after Thaksin's political downfall and six months after a general election brought the pro-Thaksin People Power Party (PPP) to power, coup rumours are rife again.
'I think the PAD's backing goes very high up and involves military elements, because otherwise they would not be so rabid,' opined Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political analyst at Thailand's prestigious Chulalongkorn University.
Although the military ousted Thaksin, they could not prevent the proxy PPP from winning the December 23, 2007, general election, and putting in place a 'nominee' cabinet of Thaksin allies.
The PAD returned to the streets on May 25 shortly after the current government began to push for constitutional amendments that are likely to lead to the dismissal of about 16 corruption cases against Thaksin, a billionaire telecommunications tycoon who was prime minister between 2001 to 2006.
The military justified their September coup with charges that Thaksin has been involved in mass corruption, undermined the monarchy and divided the nation.
So far, only the last charge has stuck.
Thaksin, who was banned from entering politics for five years by a constitutional tribunal ruling a year ago, continues to be at the heart of Thailand's political divide.
Although he holds no political post, the hand of Thaksin is seen in whatever the current 'nominee' cabinet does.
For instance, the government's decision this week to support Cambodia in its bid to nominate Preah Vihear, a centuries old Hindu temple on the Thai-Cambodia border as a World Heritage Site, has been seen as part of a sinister business deal, typical of the Thaksin era.
It doesn't help matters that Thai Foreign Minister Noppodon Patama is Thaksin's former lawyer and one day after he disclosed the country's support for Cambodia's Preah Vihear bid, Thaksin announced plans to build a casino-hotel complex on Koh Kong, an island off Cambodia's western coast bordering Thailand.
Pheah Vihear is a sensitive issue for most Thais. The magnificent Hindu temple was the source of a border dispute in the 1950s that ended up in the Hague's International Court. The court decided the temple belonged to Cambodia.
Thailand opposed Cambodia's proposal to list Preah Vihear temple at UNESCO last year on the grounds that the Cambodian site map included still disputed territory.
Cambodia submitted a new map last month, which Noppodon approved this week, paving the way for the temple's lisitng at a UNESCO meeting on July 2, and providing a publicity boost for Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's party in a general election scheduled on July 27.
'It looks like Thailand decided to help Mr Hun Sen in the elections,' said Kraisak Choonhavan, a member of the Democrat opposition party.
'The government's way of handling this has created the suspicion that personal gains are more important than national gains,' added Kraisak.
That was one of the main complaints against Thaksin's two-term premiership, which increasingly looked like a runaway private gravy train.
Pent up outrage against Thaksin's self-serving government style finally exploded in January 23, 2006, when his family sold their 49 per cent equity in the Thaksin-founded Shin Corp conglomerate to Singapore's Temasek Holding for a tax-free 2 billion dollars.
That gave the PAD the ammunition they needed to mount a a popular anti-Thaksin campaign that finally led to the 2006 coup. Now the PAD is back on the streets for similar reasons.
'I think the Thaksin overhang has been constant,' said Thitinan. 'This government is not to be trusted, and Thaksin exacerbates that.'
Increasingly, with or without a coup, observers are saying that the only long-term solution for the political divide caused by Thaksin is to get Thaksin out of politics for good.
'The only solution is if a court case can quickly come out with a sentence that Thaksin is guilty, then politically he would be out,' said Kraisak.
Unfortunately, Thailand's judicial system is notoriously slow and certain elements may not be able to wait for the courts.
10 comments:
As much I hate Hun Sen, but he has many good advisors.
Sam Rainsy I like to see hime to be a leader, but his supporters keep making war against everyone.
Welcome to POLITIC World. If you cannot shake hand with your enemy, you will lose for good.
As much as you hate your enemy like Vietnam and Thailand, but sometime you have to close your eyes and try to put your smile on your face if you want everything comes on your way.
11:43 pm you such a great idea. I totally agree with your rationale.
Black cat or white cat, as long as it can catch mice, it is good. I do not like HUnsen nor I side with CPP, but i do not expect Samranzy can make a big change as well. Hun Sen was uneducated but his advisers and his experiences show he is qualified. Human being changes. Politics changes so is international politics. I think we need Hun Sen and CPP not because they are good or bad. I am afraid if the power shift to others, our society may collapse and people suffer more. We need strong central government to secure political stability, which lead to economic progress. We need Hun Sen at least for another 20 years. When we achieve high level of economic development, it will be the time to start our democratization project. Now it is still too earlier.
According to my observation supporters of SRP are very conservative, and mostly blinded patriotic. They attack any one no matter who they are if they are not side with SRP. It seems to me every one not with them are their enemies. The same style repeatedly used is the slave of Hanoi of Vietname ect. They do not even know how to play game with the enemy. For some reason we need good relationships with neighboring countries, if not permanently, temporarily for the sake of national interest. A nation has no permanent enemies. If they all see everyone their enemy how can they rule the country.? I think now CPP become more liberal and business oriented than SRP.
I have no attachment to any party. And not every one who not support SRP is the slave of CPP. I treat my comments are from my objective viewpoint. I think you have some educational background connected to political sciences. So do I.
Cambodia is in Asia, the land of authoritarian regimes.
Yes if you dare to kill you so called nation religion by defrog a monk because the fucking communist Vietname want too and aloww the fucking foreigners to take over the land and arrest your people and monk from your land to imprison in their country and give all the natural reasources to them!
How long you are goint to live as acountry and survive as a independent race? If you that fucking selfish and afraid to stand for your right as a man some day you will be a dog! like Ah Kwack Hun Xen and tugs
the way i see it is that both sides needed a certain level of education because, it's not that easy for everybody to know everything without consultation and advise or suggetion from others. even someone you don't like or hate can sometimes give you a different point of view. the way i see sometimes is that the opposition group are a bit too radical or extreme or too strict to put it kindly. they seem to expect everything and everyone to yield to their demand at a break-neck speed without taking into consideration the other sides point of view, the reality of things in cambodia, the majority etc... i think in politics, if one doesn't listen to the other side as well, it really is hard to work or get along together because each side keep thinking that they are right. therefore, i think it is good to listen to the opinion or objective of other and always ask questions why someone is doing something the way they are doing it. there have to be a reason for everything they do, put aside right or wrong, they still insist on doing it. i think it may take some expert adviser groups or something along that line to help politicians in cambodia to see what others are seeing as well, instead of the "i'm right, you're wrong" attitude without taking into consideration that others could be as capable or as knowledgeable as you are. in khmer we say, "cheah aeng kraeng kae", meaning you think you may know it all, but also be aware that others may know as much as you do.
i mean, all cambodian politicians are no doubt nationalists, however, their own philosophy or thinking may blinded them from seeing the others point of view as well. i think it goes both ways. sometimes it's hard for the west to understand the asian mentality. this is why i think the rule of laws is very essential for cambodia; otherwise, injustice will always play by the politician without regards for the general population well-being, etc, as it is only about the politicians and their agenda. i say cambodian people had suffered way too much already, and i don't think khmer people in their right mind wanted that again, especially too soon in the midst of national development, etc...i think politicians need to do better for the cambodian people for once in history, instead of all about themselves only. it seems like they always fight amongst themselves, no matter what state cambodia regime is in; they are all the same mentality. i think it will take someone to truly reform cambodia, and the rule of laws is the best method for cambodia as laws will always prevail over injustice, and injust will take an independent and strong judiaciary system in place in cambodia to prevent such injustice, and thus will protect cambodia and our people from having to suffering non-stop like this again. so, there are still a lot of work left to do. thank you.
Occurs all neighboring country trying to help Hun Sen government (CPP) stay in power.
Because they want Cambodia have the dummy government, so they can move the border into Cambodia little by little.
In the future Cambodia may be fade away from the world map.
hey,hey, ah siem, don't try to get cambodia involved in your problem at home! cambodia has nothing to do with you not liking mr. thaksin and his gov't officials. why are the pad wanting to drag cambodia to get involved in their own political problem that seems to boil over in bangcock? go to hell, will ya!
About 90 percent of CPP people are not event completed grade school, that is including Hun Sen and another 10 percent are unknown. That is why in the last 29 years Cambodia
Still count the poorest country in the world. When the government (CPP) lack of education, they do anything for their own personal good without comply with the law.
Especially stealing the people votes, lands grabbing from the people, corruption everyday lives.
1:12 AM. I don't have political science background but I watch the world problems.
Cambodia is too small and too weak, and she needs all her people to help, to put aside the past but come together as one.
Just to make sure the people of Cambodia know that if Thailand and Vietnam want to invade or take Cambodia they can do just an hour like Hitler invaded France.
I like to see Sam Rainsy as an opposition but his supporters have to understand it is no the right way to change a Regime in Cambodia, and it wil not happen through internal revolt, because this current government will not allow it to happen to destory what has been built.
Some who make negative comments in KI don't seem to understand the problems. They think if two people shake hand they are guilty.
Dear 1:12Am and 11:30AM I love you all.. I am not sure if you are Cambodian but i wish Cambodia could have more rationale people like you to come together and put an end to the sufferring of her people.
As you said, that should start from politicians and their supporters. If only they can give a thought to their so-called enemies' point of view and work out their way to improve things, Cambodia would become a better place in the near future. Koun Khmer observer.
It's good that Thailand went with the plan of listing PV as world heritage site, but none of us have, yet to see the map that was summit to Thailand. Don't forget that Khmer's land extends way far out of PV in 1907 and not right off the step like the Thai Foreign. Mis. showed it to his Nation and those protesters in Thailand has the right to demand to see the true, Another word, this case need to go to the international court again. We should not settle on behalf of an angry neighbor. It may be after all a scam and there won't be any Kos Kong development at all. Let just wait and see, because " the real puring rain isn't coming, yet. It was only a dark cloud ".
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