24/01/2011
Bangkok Post
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is insisting the government will not bow to pressure from the People's Alliance for Democracy, Thai Patriots Network and the Santi Asoke sect ahead of their planned joint rally this week.
Mr Abhisit said in a televised address last night that the government would not submit to the groups' demands, particularly the revocation of the memorandum of understanding signed by Thailand and Cambodia in 2000 governing the two countries' border disputes.
The PAD is calling on the government to revoke the memorandum which they say puts Thailand at a disadvantage in its dealings with Phnom Penh.
It also want the government to force Cambodians from every disputed area and to cancel Thailand's membership of Unesco's World Heritage Committee.
"[The PAD and Thai Patriots Network's] actual goal is not to push for the revocation of the memorandum, it is to oust the government from office," Mr Abhisit said.
He insisted he would not allow a repeat of the 2008 yellow shirt PAD seizure of Government House, when the pressure group targeted the Samak Sundaravej government.
A member of a security team led by Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban predicted yesterday that the number of PAD protesters tomorrow would be relatively small at between 3,000 and 3,500.
"But the PAD's capability cannot be underestimated," the source said.
The PAD, the Thai Patriots Network and its ally, the Santi Asoke sect, might appear to be at odds, but "the three groups remain unified and their supporters have the capability to hold and continue with protracted rallies".
The Thai Patriots Network and Santi Asoke are already encamped outside Government House to try to force the government to alter its stand on its dealings with Phnom Penh.
A team of advisers to the prime minister also said they were concerned about the demonstrations.
They believe the ultimate goal of the rallies is to ensure there will be no general election later in the year.
The security source said the government must explain to the public its position on the border dispute, especially the middle class in the capital who represent a strong PAD support base.
The leaders of the PAD could again convince members of the middle class to support the yellow shirt movement, which played a key role in the ouster of the elected Thaksin Shinawatra government in 2006 and succeeding Thaksin-backed nominee administrations in 2008.
"If the government fails to curb the PAD rallies, the red shirts are expected to cry foul over double standards and they too will mount pressure on the government," the source said.
PAD spokesman Panthep Phongphuaphan said yesterday the rally planned for Makkhawan Bridge on Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue tomorrow would go ahead and would continue until the group's demands were met.
But he denied the PAD was seeking to overthrow the government.
Mr Panthep was confident the PAD, the Thai Patriots Network and Santi Asoke would unite at the mass rally tomorrow.
Santi Asoke leader Samana Photirak stressed his sect's rally would be peaceful and they would make the ultimate sacrifice by going on hunger strike.
2 comments:
Fucken PAD wants war with Cambodia.
siem pad thugs should change their name to terrorist groups! talk about extreme siem groups like these, siem gov't should not cater to them and should control them with iron fist! these siem pad thugs groups always make trouble for thailand on relations with cambodia! apparently siem pad thugs do not understand the meaning of international diplomacy, etc! they act like they can do anything they want with cambodia, etc... i hope next time cambodia should put them in toul sleng hilton for the rest of their lives! this way they can live with mosquitos, cockroaches, flies, rats, snakes, crocodiles, fleas, centipedes, scorpions, red ants, etc, etc..., you know!
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