ABC Radio Australia
Turmoil has been continuing in the Thai capital, but this week the People's Alliance for Democracy has called off protests.
They are speculating that the Prime Minister's royal audience yesterday signals the dissolution of Parliament but the Prime Minister is not saying anything.
Presenter: Sen Lam
Speaker: Andrew Walker, Dr Andrew Walker, who's with Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies at the Australian National University in Canberra
WALKER: Well, it's very hard to tell what the King said to the prime minister behind closed doors is anyone's guess.
I think we need to remember the king is an old man, his health is fragile and there's a real possibility that he's not completely engaged with contemporary political developments. So I think it's very hard to speculate what that particular meeting may have meant.
LAM: But what do you make of Queen Sirikit's attendance at the funeral of one of the protesters who died last week?
WALKER: Exactly. I think what's much more important is what's happening out in public. What we've seen this week is the Royal Family explicitly come out and support the anti-government protest movement. The Queen and the King's daughter attended and they sponsored the funeral of one of the protesters who was killed in the violence last week. And by attending the funeral, the Queen pretty much has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the leaders of the opposition movement and that's an opposition movement that is quite openly attempting to bring about a coup against an elected government.
LAM: And yet, there are some who say that the PAD should respect the people's electoral choice and to stop the demonstrations. Is this a widespread sentiment?
WALKER: Well, I think it's a widespread sentiment internationally, and I'm sure in many parts of Thailand this is a sentiment. But it's not a sentiment that is being picked up much by the Thai press and it's certainly not a view that the PAD respects. They have an elitist and non-representative political agenda. They are not interested in trying to win over the hearts and minds of the electorate through a normal political campaign. What they are interested in is trying to provoke violence on the streets of Bangkok, in an attempt to precipitate a coup.
LAM: And why do you think the Royal Family is turning out in public like that in support of certainly the family of the demonstrators who died?
WALKER: Well, for a long time, the opposition movement has used royal symbolism as the basis for their campaign and the King has made no attempt to withdraw his brand endorsement from this opposition campaign against an elected government.
Now perhaps the King is not really in a position now to closely monitor or control events and perhaps to a certain extent, the Queen is acting to a degree independently, but she certainly made no bones about it. She has signalled her support for the opposition movement.
LAM: Well, the whole affair has certainly shown up deep divisions within Thai society, certainly in Bangkok. Do you think dissolving parliament and calling for fresh elections might be a solution?
WALKER: Well, it's hard to see why fresh elections would be a solution, because there's a strong possibility that fresh elections, given the polarisation that's occurred would return a government of a similar complexion. The opposition movement has made it quite clear that they don't respect election results, so it's hard to see why a fresh election would necessarily resolve the situation.
LAM: Well, just very briefly Dr Walker, Prime Minister, Somchai, seems to have other troubles to contend with, including reports that Thailand is building up troops on the border, near the disputed Preah Vihear temple. If the reports are true, what do you make of the move?
WALKER: Well, it's a disturbing situation and there's been some strong and aggressive words from the Cambodian prime minister in very recent days and the Thai prime minister is responding to that. Perhaps a crisis like this might give him a little bit of breathing space from his domestic troubles, but we need to remember that the origins of this dispute lie with the Thai opposition movement, who have whipped up this dispute between Thailand and Cambodia in an attempt to increase the pressure on the Thai government.
They are speculating that the Prime Minister's royal audience yesterday signals the dissolution of Parliament but the Prime Minister is not saying anything.
Presenter: Sen Lam
Speaker: Andrew Walker, Dr Andrew Walker, who's with Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies at the Australian National University in Canberra
WALKER: Well, it's very hard to tell what the King said to the prime minister behind closed doors is anyone's guess.
I think we need to remember the king is an old man, his health is fragile and there's a real possibility that he's not completely engaged with contemporary political developments. So I think it's very hard to speculate what that particular meeting may have meant.
LAM: But what do you make of Queen Sirikit's attendance at the funeral of one of the protesters who died last week?
WALKER: Exactly. I think what's much more important is what's happening out in public. What we've seen this week is the Royal Family explicitly come out and support the anti-government protest movement. The Queen and the King's daughter attended and they sponsored the funeral of one of the protesters who was killed in the violence last week. And by attending the funeral, the Queen pretty much has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the leaders of the opposition movement and that's an opposition movement that is quite openly attempting to bring about a coup against an elected government.
LAM: And yet, there are some who say that the PAD should respect the people's electoral choice and to stop the demonstrations. Is this a widespread sentiment?
WALKER: Well, I think it's a widespread sentiment internationally, and I'm sure in many parts of Thailand this is a sentiment. But it's not a sentiment that is being picked up much by the Thai press and it's certainly not a view that the PAD respects. They have an elitist and non-representative political agenda. They are not interested in trying to win over the hearts and minds of the electorate through a normal political campaign. What they are interested in is trying to provoke violence on the streets of Bangkok, in an attempt to precipitate a coup.
LAM: And why do you think the Royal Family is turning out in public like that in support of certainly the family of the demonstrators who died?
WALKER: Well, for a long time, the opposition movement has used royal symbolism as the basis for their campaign and the King has made no attempt to withdraw his brand endorsement from this opposition campaign against an elected government.
Now perhaps the King is not really in a position now to closely monitor or control events and perhaps to a certain extent, the Queen is acting to a degree independently, but she certainly made no bones about it. She has signalled her support for the opposition movement.
LAM: Well, the whole affair has certainly shown up deep divisions within Thai society, certainly in Bangkok. Do you think dissolving parliament and calling for fresh elections might be a solution?
WALKER: Well, it's hard to see why fresh elections would be a solution, because there's a strong possibility that fresh elections, given the polarisation that's occurred would return a government of a similar complexion. The opposition movement has made it quite clear that they don't respect election results, so it's hard to see why a fresh election would necessarily resolve the situation.
LAM: Well, just very briefly Dr Walker, Prime Minister, Somchai, seems to have other troubles to contend with, including reports that Thailand is building up troops on the border, near the disputed Preah Vihear temple. If the reports are true, what do you make of the move?
WALKER: Well, it's a disturbing situation and there's been some strong and aggressive words from the Cambodian prime minister in very recent days and the Thai prime minister is responding to that. Perhaps a crisis like this might give him a little bit of breathing space from his domestic troubles, but we need to remember that the origins of this dispute lie with the Thai opposition movement, who have whipped up this dispute between Thailand and Cambodia in an attempt to increase the pressure on the Thai government.
3 comments:
Relax just sit back and enjoy the show.
Yeah you right. the thieve king is on his way to hell now. for his last breath he want to see his troop get a some piece of land from khmer. keep dreaming dept shit.it not going to happen. today khmer people are way smarter than the thieve people.
Mayamar, laos, malyasia and cambodia are all waiting the for arrogance thais to collapse.
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