EDITORIAL

Manipulation and resistance

 

A red-shirt leader’s proposal to found a party just for red shirts is risky, but he’s probably right about why it’s needed
 

A lesser-known red-shirt leader in the Northeast recently made an interesting observation about the chronic political dispute that has divided our country for more than a decade and shown no signs of ending, not even four years after the military coup imposed an uneasy ceasefire.

 

Sira Pimklang of Sakon Nakhon alleged that certain groups of people are seeking to prolong the conflict for their own benefit. He blamed other leaders of the red shirts and those of the rival yellow shirts, as well as the major political parties and the military, for there being no end in sight to the conflict. Sira said he and his followers planned to set up a new political party for red shirts who were committed to promoting political reconciliation. 

 

Setting up a political party for a particular group of people might not be the right way to go, and it is unclear whether it’s even possible to establish a party for rank-and-file red shirts. But the goal of achieving reconciliation in the long-lasting dispute deserves widespread support.

 

Sira’s idea of forming a party for the red shirts has failed to earn the backing of key leaders of the movement’s umbrella group, the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD). Core UDD leaders in Bangkok said they had no knowledge about a proposal to set up a party just for red shirts.

 

Regardless of his motive, there was truth to what Sira said, particularly in blaming all sides for the conflict that has gripped Thailand and impeded its development for so many years.

 

Whichever side we support, it is everyone’s common responsibility to redress the mistakes that brought us to this point.

 

This is not the first red-shirt party, in fact. A group of non-core leaders of the movement, disappointed with the Pheu Thai Party, registered their own political party in 2013.

 

The Election Commission wouldn’t approve their proposed name for it, “the Red Shirt Party”, so it was called the Democratic Force Party. Lacking support even among red-shirt voters, it failed to win a single seat in the general election of February 2014. Most red shirts remained loyal to Pheu Thai and its wealthy patriarch, Thaksin Shinawatra.

 

The poor showing of that torch-bearing effort should serve as a warning for minor leaders of the movement contemplating striking out on their own. The notion of a political party for ordinary people is praiseworthy, but unsustainable. It takes a lot of money to run a party. Without wealthy financiers, progress is all but impossible. 

 

Perhaps a groundswell of grass-roots fervour could carry an independent effort to victory, or at least to an influential place in the legislature. For now, though, the point is we should pay attention to people like Sira who might not be political bigwigs or opinion leaders, but have alternative viewpoints worth considering.

 

Regarding the effort to foster reconciliation, it is worth considering the view that certain groups could be pitting their followers against one another to maintain mutual animosity.

 

The atmosphere of hatred thus bred keeps the manipulators in power or promises to deliver it, but at the cost of the country’s best interests.

 

Regardless of political preferences, those who follow must not allow themselves to be led in such a way. By resisting, they help their compatriots steer away from conflict and closer to reconciliation.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30346164

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-24

One can't argue with the goal of seeing Thailand's politics settle into something a little less confrontational and something a little more effective...

 

"...Regarding the effort to foster reconciliation, it is worth considering the view that certain groups could be pitting their followers against one another to maintain mutual animosity. 

The atmosphere of hatred thus bred keeps the manipulators in power or promises to deliver it, but at the cost of the country’s best interests. 

Regardless of political preferences, those who follow must not allow themselves to be led in such a way. By resisting, they help their compatriots steer away from conflict and closer to reconciliation..."

 

However, there is a method that many countries use, and have used for a very long time, to settle political issues; it is called an election.

 

If the Military and the PTB simply allow elections to occur on a regular basis, then the people's votes will sort out the system. It may not get everything 100% correct the first time (in fact, it almost certainly won't), but it is a tried and true system that works.

 

Put Thailand firmly on the Democratic path and ensure that the Military stay in the barracks; that is the best route forward and the best way to ensure peaceful problem-solving and good governance.

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Whichever side we support, it is everyone’s common responsibility to redress the mistakes that brought us to this point.

no such thing as common responsibility here, it is but an intellectual myth; people here will vote or otherwise express themselves based on what they believe, at that time, to be in their best individual,  practical interests

'The atmosphere of hatred thus bred keeps the manipulators in power'.

 

Wrong! Even when there is four years of 'peace' in the land - no massive street demos, no public political rantings between different parties, etc (because it is all banned) - the junta STILL stay in power!

 

This opinion piece is very weak and very naive. The junta do not stay in power 'to preserve the peace'; they stay in power to preserve themselves and their very, very, very rich backers. Even if Thailand became too peaceful even for Gandhi to feel comfortable in, the junta would still find an excuse - any excuse, any lie - to cling on to power (openly or covertly).

 

The writer of this opinion piece has not even learned the most basic, elementary, blindingly obvious truths about this military junta. Dear oh dear oh dear. 'Political journalist'?  Yes, and I am a blue alien from the planet Zog!

1 hour ago, Eligius said:

'The atmosphere of hatred thus bred keeps the manipulators in power'.

 

Wrong! Even when there is four years of 'peace' in the land - no massive street demos, no public political rantings between different parties, etc (because it is all banned) - the junta STILL stay in power!

 

This opinion piece is very weak and very naive. The junta do not stay in power 'to preserve the peace'; they stay in power to preserve themselves and their very, very, very rich backers. Even if Thailand became too peaceful even for Gandhi to feel comfortable in, the junta would still find an excuse - any excuse, any lie - to cling on to power (openly or covertly).

 

The writer of this opinion piece has not even learned the most basic, elementary, blindingly obvious truths about this military junta. Dear oh dear oh dear. 'Political journalist'?  Yes, and I am a blue alien from the planet Zog!

As you say, this is very naive. 'Preserving the peace' is a phrase so often used as an excuse for self-interest.

 

I can't recall who it was that said, "any country with the word 'democratic' in its name is usually anything but."

The same goes with those claiming to be 'preserving the peace'.

 

From another blue alien, sitting on his sofa.

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Regardless of his motive, there was truth to what Sira said, particularly in blaming all sides for the conflict that has gripped Thailand and impeded its development for so many years.

Yes, blame for all sides

But, only one side have coup.

No forget that!

 

2 hours ago, YetAnother said:

no such thing as common responsibility here, it is but an intellectual myth; people here will vote or otherwise express themselves based on what they believe, at that time, to be in their best individual,  practical interests

Which is precisely what happens in democratic countries worldwide, you vote for the party which you think will most benefit you and yours personally. Thais are no different. Democracy gives every elegible citizen the right to vote regardless of his or her motives.