Thai poliBorder rally set to oppose troop pullout

Four companies of Border Patrol Police officers move in to replace soldiers who are to be pulled out of the disputed area near the Preah Vihear temple Wednesday. The police took part in an exercise Tuesday to prepare for their new roles and operations. PAWAT LAOPAISARNTAKSIN

18/07/2012
Bangkok Post

SI SA KET : Protesters opposed to the government's decision to withdraw soldiers from disputed land near the Preah Vihear temple are planning a demonstration near the Thai-Cambodian border Wednesday morning.

Kittisak Ponpai, head of the Power of Land group, said Tuesday that members of his movement would stage their rally in Si Sa Ket province to protest against today's withdrawal of Thai soldiers from the 4.6-square-kilometre area claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia.

He urged members of the public to join the rally and said that he did not believe that Cambodia would be straightforward in the withdrawal of its own troops.

The International Court of Justice ordered Thailand and Cambodia to pull their troops out of the demilitarised zone covering and surrounding the disputed area a year ago.

Thai ruling party at risk as court mulls key case

Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra's Puea Thai party has delayed a parliamentary vote on "reconciliation" proposals (AFP/File, Pornchai Kittiwongsakul)

07/05/2012
AFP

Thailand's Constitutional Court on Thursday began hearing an incendiary charter amendment case that could lead to the dissolution of the ruling party and tear open the kingdom's bitter political rifts.

The court is set to rule over claims that plans by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's party to amend the constitution are a threat to the deeply-revered monarchy.

Opposition Democrats also accuse Yingluck's party of seeking to redraw the country's charter to enable the return of her divisive brother Thaksin, who was ousted from power in a coup by royalist generals in 2006.

Analysis: Is Thailand’s military compromising for the sake of reconciliation?

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinatwatra (center) and army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha (right). (Picture via Flickr, licensed under CC)

May 18, 2012
By Saksith Saiyasombut
AsianCorrespondent.com

The East Asia Forum recently published a column on the current political role of Thailand’s military written by John Blaxland, Senior Fellow at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University with 30 years of service experience with the Australian Military and also a graduate of the Royal Thai Army Command and Staff College. In short: Dr. Blaxland has lots of military experience.

In the column, also republished in The Australian, he criticizes “the classic Western liberal tendency of painting complex situations in black-and-white terms” where the Thai military is being portrayed power-hungry, coup-happy force. Blaxland takes the 2006 military coup and its consequences as precedence for the Thai armed forces to be hesitant to stage another one, despite repeated cycles of rampant rumors.

Blaxland assumes that the military acted on their own in September 2006, although many heavily disagree with this notion. He also notes that the 2008 change of government was merely an act among political parties, not mentioning the fact that the Democrat-Bhum Jai Thai coalition was reportedly brokered in the residence of then-army chief General Anupong Paochinda and in presence of his successor and then-chief-of-staff General Prayuth Chan-ocha.

Death threat to Thaksin remains

Tuesday, Apr 17, 2012
The Nation/Asia News Network

Defence Minister General Sukampol Suwannathat re-confirmed yesterday that fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra is being targeted for assassination.

Because of security concerns Thaksin is reported to have cancelled a market visit in Cambodia.

He had flown to Phnom Penh to visit the father of Cambodian premier Hun Sen.

Sukampol added that criticism of Thaksin's recent moves might hamper national reconciliation and had not taken into consideration that Thaksin had the right to travel and his actions were acceptable.

Thaksin Rally Raises Interference Questions

Thaksin Shinawatra sprays water towards supporters in front of Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap, April 15, 2012. (AFP)

Analysts say Cambodia’s backing of the former Thai PM’s supporters sends mixed messages.

2012-04-16

Radio Free Asia

“It is unwise for the government to only maintain relations with the Red Shirt group or the ‘Pheu Thai’ Party. To do so [could damage relations] with the Democratic Party of the former Thai prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, and also the Thai King. Both are unhappy with Thaksin.”

Cambodia’s hosting of a mass rally at the weekend for ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra may result in warmer ties between governments of the two countries but has also raised questions of Phnom Penh’s interference in the internal politics of a neighboring country, experts say.

The fugitive Thaksin on Saturday addressed thousands of his "Red Shirt" supporters, who streamed across the border from Thailand to Cambodia’s northwestern Siem Reap province in the first major rally he has attended since being toppled from power in a military coup in 2006.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen welcomed Thaksin’s supporters into the country, ordering immigration officials to provide “special treatment” to the visitors and waiving their fees for entry to the ancient Angkor Wat temple complex near Siem Reap.

Independent analyst Sok Touch said Hun Sen’s move could mend ties with Thailand following several military skirmishes near a shared border area last year.

“The Cambodian government’s decision … is a message to the Democrat Party and Opposition Party in Thailand that the Cambodian government is taking a balanced political stance or has a political strategy towards solving border conflicts between the two countries.”

Thaksin targets 'auspicious' homecoming

16/04/2012
Bangkok Post

Despite delivering a speech to a crowd of red shirts saying such an "auspicious" year as this might be the right time to come home, ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra denies this implies he is planning an early return.

Thaksin said he hoped good things would happen to him on what he said was an auspicious year for Thailand.

He noted that 2012 will mark the 80th birthday of Her Majesty the Queen and the 60th birthday of HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.

He said yesterday that in such a year disputes should be settled and left behind.

Thaksin hails 'signs of reconciliation'

Sat, 14 Apr 2012
Agence France-Presse

Ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra said Saturday Thailand could begin to heal its deep political rifts in an address to thousands of "Red Shirt" supporters in Cambodia.

Thaksin, a divisive figure in his homeland who lives abroad to avoid a jail term for corruption, was greeted with cheers in northwestern Siem Reap province, in the first major rally he has attended since being toppled from power in a military coup in 2006.

"There are signs of reconciliation. Everybody wants it... There are signs that I will be able to return home to stay with you," he said, adding that royal anniversaries this year make it an "auspicious time".

Yingluck Shinawatra's Foreign Policy

Thaksin's foreign policy

Friday, 20 January 2012
Written by Pavin Chachavalpongpun
Asia Sentinel

Taking over where Thaksin left off

It has been six months since the July election that brought the first woman into Thailand's top political position—Yingluck Shinawatra.

During this period, Prime Minister Yingluck has encountered several difficult issues, ranging from the devastating floods, the attempt to provide amnesty for her fugitive brother Thaksin, and the increasing cases of lèse-majesté.

But there is one area in which Yingluck has appeared to be doing well so far—foreign affairs. It is fair to say that since Thaksin’s downfall in 2006, Thailand has had no tangible foreign policy. The Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat governments were short-lived. And the Abhisit Vejjajiva period was marked by conflicts with neighbouring countries, especially Cambodia.

It is therefore a real test for Yingluck to reinvent Thai diplomacy, the one that departs from antagonism toward neighbouring countries. In terms of Thai-Cambodian relations, Yingluck paid a high-profile visit to Cambodia, as the first country in her introductory tour. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen was gleeful to roll out a red carpet to receive the Thai female premier. For now, relationship between the two countries has returned to normalcy. And the secret to this success is that issues in this bilateral relationship have simply become less politicised, particularly on the Thai part.

[Thai] Activists ask court to stop planned Thai troop withdrawal from disputed border [-If only Cambodians can do the same for Cambodian troops!!!]

Activists ask court to stop planned Thai troop withdrawal from disputed border

Friday, 13 January 2012
MCOT

BANGKOK, Jan 11 – Thai nationalist activists on Wednesday sought court approval to suspend the Thai government order that the army withdraw troops from the disputed Preah Vihear temple border area as earlier demanded by the World Court.

A group of nationalist activists led by Chaiwat Sinsuwong petitioned the Administrative Court, asking it to stop Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from interfering with the Thai military after her government ordered the military to withdraw its troops from the area around the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

The group also asked the court to order the Thai government to withdraw from the case filed by Cambodia at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and reject the legal binding of any court rulings.

ICJ should be allowed to rule on temple [- Siem min choal khbuon!!!]

December 28, 2011
Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation

It is not a good idea to ask Cambodia to withdraw the Preah Vihear case from the International Court of Justice (ICJ)'s consideration, as it could lead to an escalation of the boundary dispute over the temple, rather than a permanent solution.

Conservative figures in Thailand have demanded the government exploit its good relations with Cambodia to end the ICJ's pending interpretation of its 1962 ruling.

Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul said earlier that he might seek a chance to raise the proposal with Cambodia when he visits the country later this week. If Cambodia agrees to withdraw the case, the two countries would try to settle the dispute through bilateral negotiations.

Hush the border radicals

27/12/2011
Bangkok Post
EDITORIAL

One of the early and positive achievements of the Pheu Thai government is the dramatically improved relations with Cambodia. Almost as soon as Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was sworn into office, the tension between the countries dropped. Diplomacy is nearly back on a dignified level, and the military officers are once again conducting professional talks and negotiations. It still is not entirely smooth or always pleasant to be the neighbour of Cambodian strongman Hun Sen, but Thai-Cambodian relations can be described as peaceful once again.

This is why it is disturbing to hear from the self-styled nationalists that the very top politicians, diplomats and military officers are giving away Thai territory to Cambodia (sic!). It happened again over the weekend, when Defence Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa and army commander Prayuth Chan-ocha flew back to Bangkok from the General Border Committee meeting with Cambodian counterparts in Phnom Penh. The top military men of the two countries spent several days putting together a border agreement which, for the first time, will pull back all troops from the disputed area around Preah Vihear temple _ and involve foreign observers from Indonesia.

[Thai] Democrats blast chopper stance

18/12/2011
Bangkok Post

The Democrat Party has lashed out at Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul for failing to lodge a protest with Cambodia after its troops shot at a Thai helicopter.

Cambodian soldiers fired at a navy Bell 121 helicopter near Trat province on Thursday as it was delivering food to marines. The helicopter made an emergency landing, but no one was hurt.

The Royal Thai Marine Corps, which insisted the helicopter did not cross into Cambodian airspace, protested the shooting in a letter to the Cambodian 3rd military region chief.

Democrat spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said Mr Surapong should have sent a protest letter to Phnom Penh himself, but hasn't.

Thai PM hospitalised with food poisoning [... or it could be Khmer voodoo?]

Thai Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra (AFP/Pool/File, Damir Sagolj)

Tuesday, November 29, 2011
AFP

BANGKOK — Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, grappling with a devastating flood crisis, was admitted to hospital on Tuesday with food poisoning, according to the government.

"She is in Praram 9 Hospital because she is suffering from diarrhoea due to food poisoning," government spokeswoman Titima Chaisang told reporters, adding that Yingluck had asked her deputy to chair a cabinet meeting in her place.

The 44-year-old leader, the younger sister of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, was a political novice before taking office in August and has struggled to get a grip on Thailand's worst floods in half a century.

Cambodia denies claim of soldiers hired to help Thai PM in case of coup

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian government denied Monday that it had allowed or supported some 5,000 hired Cambodian soldiers to help current Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in case of coup to arise.

In a statement released by the spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, it said the Cambodian side "denies a fabrication of information and incitement by Mr. Somkiet Phongphaiboon, activist of the People's Alliance for Democracy (Yellow Shirt) at which he alleged that people who are close to former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra had hired 5,000 Cambodian soldiers based along Cambodia-Vietnam border so as to help Thaksin's sister and his people in case of coup to arise."

The statement was made in response to Thai ASTV manager online which broadcast such allegation on Nov. 26.

The statement said based on the spirit of good cooperation between the two governments, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen has highly valued the work of the General Border Commission (GBC) on the fight against terrorism.

The future refusing to be born: Thai fascism, genocide and the “Primister”

Nov 19, 2011
By Andrew Spooner
Asian Correspondant

With talk ratcheting up of a pardon for the former Thai PM, Thaksin Shinawatra, who was illegally ousted in a coup in 2006, the Thai right wing and supporters of the neo-fascist PAD seem to have descended into a hysterical meltdown. Is this a sign of their increasing desperation as they realise that the wheels of history are turning against them? Famous British Labour Party MP and minister, Aneurin Bevan, who founded the UK’s National Health Service in 1946, once summed up fascism in one pithy comment and it seems as relevant today to Thailand’s PAD as it was to 1930s European fascism -

Fascism is not in itself a new order of society. It is the future refusing to be born.

First, there’s the issue of the present prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra’s use of the English language (Siam Voices contributor Kaewmala has her take on the entire matter here which I’m roundly in agreement with).What Kaewmala has missed though, are some of the terrible and highly amusing English language manglings made by Yingluck’s critics, the best of which is below.

Thai neo-fascists attack Yingluck's English while mangling their own

Thaksin keeps low profile in Thai flood crisis

Thursday, November 10, 2011
By Michelle Fitzpatrick (AFP)

BANGKOK — With a flood crisis rocking his sister's government, fugitive ex-Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra is lying low as prospects of a triumphant homecoming look ever more distant, observers say.

The usually outspoken Thaksin, who lives abroad to avoid a jail term for corruption, has mostly shied away from publicly commenting on a disaster that has killed more than 500 people and threatens the heart of Bangkok.

The former tycoon, 62, has posted several messages on Twitter and Facebook offering sympathy to the victims.

Some relief supplies reportedly also had "with love and great concern from Thaksin Shinawatra" written on them -- without his knowledge, his aides say.

Flood gate in Thai capital focus of fear, rivalry

Soldiers drive armoured vehicles through a flooded street as they move them to higher ground in Bangkok November 2, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Damir Sagolj

Wed Nov 2, 2011
By Robert Birsel

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Authorities in the Thai capital repaired a damaged flood gate on Wednesday that has become the focus of anger, fear and rivalry between arms of government battling the country's worst floods in decades.

The central government led by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of the ousted populist premier Thaksin Shinawatra, is at odds with the city government dominated by the main opposition and former ruling Democrat party.

The floods that have killed 427 people since July are the first big test for Yingluck, who came to power in a July poll many Thais hoped would heal divisions that last year brought violent clashes in Southeast Asia's second biggest economy.

Mob Rule’ Threatens Inner Bangkok With Floods, Governor Warns

By Daniel Ten Kate and Suttinee Yuvejwattana

Nov. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra warned against succumbing to “mob rule” in managing floodwaters on the city’s outskirts, saying the entire country will suffer if waters inundate central business areas.

“It’s no good if we decide to do something either by ourselves or in tandem with the government, and then allow people to change our policy on the ground,” Sukhumbhand said in an interview yesterday. “We cannot give in to mob rule.”

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday ordered city officials to allow more water to flow through the Sam Wa canal, appeasing thousands of residents who have held protests in the flooded northeastern part of the capital. Most of Bangkok will be spared from severe flooding as water moves through the city’s canals toward the Gulf of Thailand, 30 kilometers (19 miles) to the south of the city, she said.

Insight: Thai flood crisis puts swamped PM in firing line

Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (front R) greets people as she visits a flooded area in Nonthaburi province on the outskirts of Bangkok September 18, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Sukree Sukplang

Fri Oct 28, 2011
By Martin Petty and Jason Szep

BANGKOK (Reuters) - In the early days of Thailand's devastating floods, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was seen knee-deep in muddy waters in wading boots, greeting evacuated villagers, surrounded by clicking cameras and appearing to take charge.

Fast-forward a month, as the worst floods in half a century close in on inner-city Bangkok, Yingluck's three-month-old government is under fire for badly managing the crisis -- from shoddy policy coordination to poor communication and conflicts with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

With rising river waters this weekend threatening to breach dikes protecting the city of 12 million, her decisions and her mis-steps are fodder for critics and political pundits.

Thunder will strike at noon on the day Hun Xen will share national issues with Cambodia's opposition leader

THAILAND:

Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, right, looks at the map during a meeting on flood relief operations with former Prime Minister and Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, left, in Bangkok, Thailand Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2011. (AP Photo)

CAMBODIA:

(Photo: AFP)