Before noon yesterday, key red-shirt leaders like Veera Musikapong and Nattawut Saikua, among others, realised it was time to cave in. They understood that it would be futile to continue fighting because their boss, Thaksin Shinawatra, had been finished.April 15, 2009
By Thanong Khanthong
The Nation
Yes, the plug had been pulled and the fugitive former PM was completely routed.
It will be difficult for Thaksin to seek asylum because most countries would not want to welcome him now that they have witnessed the riots and subversive tactics used by his supporters in Bangkok. Thaksin was caught telling blatant lies on CNN and BBC, feeding false information to the global audience that his red-clad supporters were fighting for democracy - when in fact they were burning Bangkok to pave the way for his return.
He was reading a script, telling the international news channels that the military had killed many of his pro-democracy protesters, when in fact there was not a single such case of death reported. The only two people who died, had done so during clashes between Bangkok residents and the protesters.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was wisely exercising restraint, allowing Thaksin to make blunders.
Thaksin, who bet all his political fortune on April 13, has failed miserably. He had his red shirts set fires around Bangkok just as Neptune overshadowed the Sun - a bad omen.
He thought he had big military and police bosses on his side, as well as some politicians on the government wing. He remembered to move his family out of Thailand a few days before the Songkran inferno. Khunying Pojaman is currently shopping in Dubai, still with plenty of money in her pocket.
Thaksin thought he could hold Thailand hostage as he bargained for his return, his amnesty and his Bt76 billion in assets. He thought he was entitled to a royal pardon because he had Thailand in the palm of his hand.
But his strategy backfired. Thaksin failed to get critical mass support. On the contrary, Bangkok residents rose against his red-shirt supporters, who were burning Bangkok while he - just as Nero fiddled while Rome was burning - was singing on his karaoke machine. The subversive tactics being used by the red shirts appalled the global audience.
This was a critical factor. If most Thais were to rise against the red-shirt movement, then Thaksin could only go under. Thaksin thought that the burning of Bangkok would force the country into lawlessness and the military would step in to intervene in his favour.
The plan did not work.
The whole world realised that Thaksin had duped it all along, and many Thais were disgusted by his ability to destroy the nation in exchange for his return to power.
Bangkok was ravaged all Songkran Day, before the security forces brought the situation under control. By then Thaksin must have realised that the game was up.
Now all the red-shirt leaders will be going to jail under treason charges. If you plant gas tanks and threaten to set them ablaze, you are committing an act of terrorism and subversion against the state. It is not too difficult to trace who ordered the trucks to be brought onto the streets.
Now Abhisit has emerged as a strong leader. He has almost transformed overnight from a lame-duck PM who was forced to cancel the Asean Summit in Pattaya into a leader who can defuse a political crisis in a subtle and artful way. There were no deaths during the authorities' crackdown against the red shirts. Only two persons were pronounced dead, both as a result of shooting by the red shirts.
Abhisit has prevailed despite the military, the police, the security people and his own political partners plotting against him.
Though we have no evidence to substantiate doubts that these top people are linked to Thaksin, we did not see Army chief General Anupong Paochinda or police boss Patcharawat Wongsuwan show up while the red shirts were ambushing the Asean Summit. The security forces were not doing their duty, standing by idly as the protesters wreaked havoc in Pattaya.
So far none of Thailand's top security people have come out to admit that they failed to provide security for regional leaders and Thailand's guests.
Abhisit is known to have sought advice from a special unit, set up in haste under his command. As Thaksin played his cards one by one, the advisers countered each hand effectively until Thaksin lost his bet.
At this hour, with the power of the emergency decree in his hand, it is Abhisit - not the Army chief - who is the most powerful person in Thailand. He must use this occasion wisely by controlling the red shirts and dealing with the failure of the security apparatus, which has been undermining national interest and the government's stability.
We expect to see a reshuffle of top security and peacekeeping personnel soon.
However, if Abhisit resorts to his image of a timid Oxford graduate, he would be missing out on an opportunity to take the country forward. Now is the time for him to stand tall and be the prime minister of Thailand.
It will be difficult for Thaksin to seek asylum because most countries would not want to welcome him now that they have witnessed the riots and subversive tactics used by his supporters in Bangkok. Thaksin was caught telling blatant lies on CNN and BBC, feeding false information to the global audience that his red-clad supporters were fighting for democracy - when in fact they were burning Bangkok to pave the way for his return.
He was reading a script, telling the international news channels that the military had killed many of his pro-democracy protesters, when in fact there was not a single such case of death reported. The only two people who died, had done so during clashes between Bangkok residents and the protesters.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was wisely exercising restraint, allowing Thaksin to make blunders.
Thaksin, who bet all his political fortune on April 13, has failed miserably. He had his red shirts set fires around Bangkok just as Neptune overshadowed the Sun - a bad omen.
He thought he had big military and police bosses on his side, as well as some politicians on the government wing. He remembered to move his family out of Thailand a few days before the Songkran inferno. Khunying Pojaman is currently shopping in Dubai, still with plenty of money in her pocket.
Thaksin thought he could hold Thailand hostage as he bargained for his return, his amnesty and his Bt76 billion in assets. He thought he was entitled to a royal pardon because he had Thailand in the palm of his hand.
But his strategy backfired. Thaksin failed to get critical mass support. On the contrary, Bangkok residents rose against his red-shirt supporters, who were burning Bangkok while he - just as Nero fiddled while Rome was burning - was singing on his karaoke machine. The subversive tactics being used by the red shirts appalled the global audience.
This was a critical factor. If most Thais were to rise against the red-shirt movement, then Thaksin could only go under. Thaksin thought that the burning of Bangkok would force the country into lawlessness and the military would step in to intervene in his favour.
The plan did not work.
The whole world realised that Thaksin had duped it all along, and many Thais were disgusted by his ability to destroy the nation in exchange for his return to power.
Bangkok was ravaged all Songkran Day, before the security forces brought the situation under control. By then Thaksin must have realised that the game was up.
Now all the red-shirt leaders will be going to jail under treason charges. If you plant gas tanks and threaten to set them ablaze, you are committing an act of terrorism and subversion against the state. It is not too difficult to trace who ordered the trucks to be brought onto the streets.
Now Abhisit has emerged as a strong leader. He has almost transformed overnight from a lame-duck PM who was forced to cancel the Asean Summit in Pattaya into a leader who can defuse a political crisis in a subtle and artful way. There were no deaths during the authorities' crackdown against the red shirts. Only two persons were pronounced dead, both as a result of shooting by the red shirts.
Abhisit has prevailed despite the military, the police, the security people and his own political partners plotting against him.
Though we have no evidence to substantiate doubts that these top people are linked to Thaksin, we did not see Army chief General Anupong Paochinda or police boss Patcharawat Wongsuwan show up while the red shirts were ambushing the Asean Summit. The security forces were not doing their duty, standing by idly as the protesters wreaked havoc in Pattaya.
So far none of Thailand's top security people have come out to admit that they failed to provide security for regional leaders and Thailand's guests.
Abhisit is known to have sought advice from a special unit, set up in haste under his command. As Thaksin played his cards one by one, the advisers countered each hand effectively until Thaksin lost his bet.
At this hour, with the power of the emergency decree in his hand, it is Abhisit - not the Army chief - who is the most powerful person in Thailand. He must use this occasion wisely by controlling the red shirts and dealing with the failure of the security apparatus, which has been undermining national interest and the government's stability.
We expect to see a reshuffle of top security and peacekeeping personnel soon.
However, if Abhisit resorts to his image of a timid Oxford graduate, he would be missing out on an opportunity to take the country forward. Now is the time for him to stand tall and be the prime minister of Thailand.
14 comments:
Heheh Moo Mooo This article is nothing but a propaganda for that guy called Abhisit. Yep, his name is to SIT and BE QUIET because he is the most incompetent prime minister in the whole wide world. Thaksin's ancestors saved Thailand in time of trouble, and Thaksin will continue that tradition again. The Thais worship money and those who have the money will control the power, the will, and the spirits of the living Thais. Hahha. Thaksin will RETURN and make all struggling Thais prosperous once again.
Cambodian Town
Long Beach, CA
This Nation Newpapers Editoral were nothing, but a propaganda to make people confuse.
New Phally
But Abishit is an illegitimate leader. The reason Thailand is in the situation it is in is because of Abishit power grab. I don't think Thailand will settle its dust until it learn to follow the law of democracy rising through the ballot box. If Abishit could the way he did for power so can Thaksin...
Thai politic is always caused by the Royal Palace & the Army.
They're about the law,Politic-Stormers whose like to control Thailand forever; the political climate has being came to change THailand.
From bangkokpost commentator:
Re: Abhisit your days are numbered
Postby sacnut on Tue Apr 14, 2009 8:49 pm [58.171.138.xx]
I am an Australian who lives in Thailand working for a large Multinational. I have a keen interest in local politics and feel compelled to give a brief description of what’s really happening here as no other media network has and Thai media is unable as it is largely controlled by the current goverment/ military. The only media network here that did provide the relevant stories was shut down by the current government PAD protestors.-(yellow shirts), which reminds me of the major similarity to the media control happening in Fiji at the moment.
International media has done a lousy job at covering the anti government protests in Thailand during the last few days in April. They have referred to the protestors wearing red shirts – (Red shirts) as former Prime Minister Thaksin supporters, and suggested the reason behind the protests is to bring down the current government and restore Thaksin to the office of prime minister. Not true!! Although the red shirts would probably love to restore Thaksin as PM, the primary reason 100,000 red shirts were in the streets of Bangkok this week is because their legitimate elected government has been thwarted by the PAD party who is now in government with the backing of senior military.
To make a long story brief PM Thaksin made enemies in Thailand with his vast reform policies. He made many enemies in the military who have staged 8 coups in Thailand in recent history. In order to diminish the military’s power over the government he cut their funding progressively which angered senior generals who in 2006 led a coup against the government. It is interesting to speculate that the current PAD government just doubled the Military’s annual budget and it is whispered that this was the deal the PAD did with the Military to have them installed in government.
After the 2006 coup some trumped up charges were fabricated against Thaksin and a slanderous campaign launched by the military government to defame Thaksin and legitimise their coup. After all their efforts the military achieved nothing and the pro thaksin party PPP won the 2007 elections held in Thailand. During the elections it was clear that the military was supporting the PAD party.
The military had no choice but to accept the results of the election however they did not intend to allow the PPP government to survive for long. The PPP government was hounded from day 1 in office and any dirt that could be dug up on any PPP member was including many fabrications. A government department called the electoral commission (EC) launched investigations into the elections but was not very good at hiding the fact that is was exclusively targeting the PPP. This made me laugh at the time as the only party in Bangkok at the time of the elections who I personally witnessed to be fraudulent was the PAD, who were paying supporters 300 baht per vote. The elitist PAD yellow shirt camp have many connections/supporters in Thai high society and many deals are done within this group that have influence over big business , courts and officials. This is your average Thai corruption.
The PAD yellow shirts regularly organised anti government protests, which is not the job of opposition. They are supposed to oppose the government in Parliament. The Military clearly on side with the yellow shirts did not secure any government or public property against these yellow shirt protestors and the elected PPP government started losing their ability to run the country when Thailand needed a strong government the most, (the beginning of the current financial crisis).
The three major actions of the PAD were to
1) Shut down a media network critical of the PAD which is owned by Thaksin
2) Shut down the Thai parliament building by setting up a permanent camp. This made governing the country very difficult. Many senior Military figures and retired generals were paying for the protestor’s food and water.
3) The PAD yellow shirts shut down Bangkok’s two airports in early DEC 2008 and stayed there until a constitutional court ruled that the PPP government be disbanded, the reason given was the PPP was alleged to have bought votes in some provinces. This made me spit my coffee all over the morning news paper as I had witnessed the PAD as the only party doing this.
The PAD was absolutely selfish in doing this. December is the beginning of the Thai tourist season which is Thailand’s main source of income. The news headlines went around the world that Thailand was in strife and thousands of tourists were stranded and vast numbers of tourists who were intending to holiday in Thailand cancelled their plans to do so. Many Thai’s are now struggling. I should point out that the 8000 protestors who stormed the airport were paid to do so. 100 baht or more each. The 100,000 protestors red shirts who were in Bangkok over the weekend were not paid anything and came from all over the country.
The constitutional court made the unconstitutional ruling to disband the elected government and senior military and business figures who had funded the PAD yellow shirts to overthrow the government swung into action and did some heavy arm twisting to get other political parties on board with the PAD. A new government was formed. As soon as the PAD was in government all protests stopped and the military budget doubled, and of course the military started to do their job and protected law and order, securing all government property.
I am outraged! Thaksins legitimate elected government is thrown out by the military, they try with lies and slander with controlled state media to brainwash the country. It doesn’t work and the country votes in Thaksins supporters into government again! Outraged the army makes a deal with the PAD to again overthrow the elected government and put a puppet government in for them. The Red shirt wearing protestors have everything going against them but they are still marching in massive numbers, 10 or 15 times the size of the yellow shirts. They are absolutely right to protest against this illegitimate government to be hosting an ASEAN summit. They need the international community to help them denounce the PAD government and insist elections are held as Thailand is supposed to be a democracy.
sacnut
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 8:43 pm
What about the red-shirt AH Abhisit Vejjajiva’s supporters who shut down the airport and isn't this a form of riots and subversive tactics? And where was the fucken Siem military to stop the red-shirt?
The Nation is lying for AH Abhisit Vejjajiva and any fool can play with words!
Thanks SACNUT for your analysis.
A lot of poor Thai-People are living
under the dictatorship regime back up by the military & the King.
The sky will change it,like or not,so does in Cambodia under the tyranny regime of Hun Sen.
this clearly shows that the Thai's military/PAD control the media and this media(The Nation) is useless to be taken serious......it is one-sided....I feel sorry for Thaksin....now they gang up against Thaksin who is popular amongst the poor.
Most Cambodian readers of Ki-media don't give a shit about Thailand's internal politics. The fact that Thaksin is similar to Hun Sen, in terms of corruption, greed, personality and buying of votes raises questions in the minds of many readers. During the Thaksin years, there were abuse of human rights, massive corruption and blatant use of State money to favor supporters of his Thai Rak Thai party.
I live in Bangkok and have witnessed the Thaksin era since the beginning when he was first elected.
Thaksin has seriously set himself back with this latest episode. If you go all out, throw caution to the wind and cry revolution, you better win. Because if you fail, you antagonize your enemies, lose support from your supporters and look like a fool to oustsiders.
The hubris of Thaksin in attempting and overthrow of the government can mean either that Thaksin is delusional or that his real motive is only destruction of Thailand and not a change in government. In either case, his supporters are naive tools for Thaksin.
Abhisit has risked looking weak to withhold any violence. In the end the strategy has worked and made Thaksin and Co. look like a bunch of thugs.
Thaksin has further alienated the Thai population against him and no amount of hired spin doctors can change this.
Thaksin will not let down these red-shirt people. For a long time,they are the majority but looked down by the minority elite. Democratically,they should be in the power but in the real life they are exploited by the people in power until the born of Thai rak thai.
They will not happy to be treated like this, they will be back inevitably in a revolution.
If Thaksin wants to start a Red-Shirt revolution in Thailand, he should smuggle more guns to his supporters through Cambodia. He should use Cambodia as a base for his subversive activities.
You watch when Phumibol is gone. There will be no one to act as super glue to hold the fractured pieces of Thailand together.....then it's time to make a move on the elites.
Sea of Red Roses.
5:08 AM
Thanks so much for having posted a very well-written article.
Anet Khmer
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