Police Asked To Press Terrorism Charges Against Pad Leaders

[Gravelrash]

"Trying to prosecute the PAD leaders will only inflame the situation--but what the Thai Authorities need to do now is make sure this does not happen again..on Dec 8 or whenever the PAD decides to protest again the airport or seaports, their convoys of protesters should be met by roadblocks armed with machine guns..and if they try to shut down vital economic arteries again, it's gonna be time to blow some of them away tienamen square style."

SHAME ON YOU!

So what do you suggest? How should the country be prevented from such incidents in the future? Is there a guarantee that something like that won't happen in next weeks/months/years? What would you tell to potential travellers asking you abut safety in Thailand if you were a travel agency worker?

First of all, the safety concerns were already serious before the airport siege and second, the only way to prevent this from happening again is for the present government-mafia to back down and to be prosecuted according to the Thai law. I think that with Thaksin in jail, Bangkwan preferably, politician will think twice before robbing the country blind again.

Your heart is in the right place, but Taksin is not being pursued for corruption, there is no message, re corruption, being sent to anyone.

Sorry but that is not true Gravel.

He's already been convicted for one case AND he must be present in court at least once to be tried for any other cases. His Bro-in-law and Thaksin's proxy party have been protecting him. (In fact they may have even been successful in protecting him via changing the constitution if it were not for the PAD's pressure to prevent that!)

Hopefully the next government will revoke his passport!

JD, no one is going to argue against that he was corrupt. I am speaking about how Thai government and bureaucracy sees this battle. They are all corrupt, you have never been to a government office or pulled over by the coppers? It was corrupt 20+ years ago before Taksin even came on the scene. Books hundreds of years old speak of corruption.

Thais who understand events know what this is really all about and it isn't corruption in any way shape or form. That is the tool being used to nail him legally, but it isn't what he did different, corruption is par for the course, read some history. In fact I remember when he came to power my ex-wife saying that he would be honest as he was rich already, well she got that wrong also.

The point I made in reply to a hope for a corrupt-free future was that there will be no fear of corruption in the future, as that is the tool being used against Taksin only, it won't generally be used on future acceptable governments. That is why nothing will change in that department.

And no, I don't care who governs, if everything is nice and peaceful again. Hate Taksin if you will for the right reasons and not the PR spin.

[mommysboy]

Police asked to press terrorism charges against PAD leaders

BANGKOK: -- A progovernment group led by Dr Weng Tochirakarn Wednesday lodged a complaint with crime suppression police calling on them to press terrorism charges against the People's Alliance for Democracy for besieging Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, resulting in great damage to the country's economy.

Weng and Dr Sant Hattirat, and Prateep Ungsomtham Hata accused 12 PAD leaders of committing terrorism from November 25 to December 3. They named Sondhi Limthongkul, Somkiat Pongpaiboon, Pipop Thongchai, Suriyasai Katasila, Panthep Puapongpan, Samran Rodpet, Sirichai Maingarm, Sawit Kaewwan, Saranyoo Wongkrachang and Maleerat Kaewka.

Weng said the 12 committed a serious crime in breach of Article 135/1 (2) for causing grave damage to the public transport system and infrastructure, causing unrest and terror among the public.

-- The Nation 2008-12-03

Only a legal bod can comment on it's likely success. On the face of it, it looks like a goer. If not, there must be a few lesser charges, eg, criminal damage, rioting, inciting riots, etc.

Aren't they on some sort of charge anyway?

These people deserve everything they get in my opinion.

[Gravelrash]

I won't go into all of this, but one comment is flashing like a siren. The army. Their inaction was a sign that they in fact play a very major role in Thai politics. Try and think it through.

No kidding, Sherlock.

The militars have been running this place from behind the curtain for a long, long time. All pretenses of democracy or what not are just window dressing to keep the rubes appeased.

Thanks for the Sherlock reference. I was replying to another posters comment, not purporting to be breaking news no one was aware of. Little more attention to the evidence Watson.

[hansnl]

Police asked to press terrorism charges against PAD leaders

BANGKOK: -- A progovernment group led by Dr Weng Tochirakarn Wednesday lodged a complaint with crime suppression police calling on them to press terrorism charges against the People's Alliance for Democracy for besieging Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, resulting in great damage to the country's economy.

Weng and Dr Sant Hattirat, and Prateep Ungsomtham Hata accused 12 PAD leaders of committing terrorism from November 25 to December 3. They named Sondhi Limthongkul, Somkiat Pongpaiboon, Pipop Thongchai, Suriyasai Katasila, Panthep Puapongpan, Samran Rodpet, Sirichai Maingarm, Sawit Kaewwan, Saranyoo Wongkrachang and Maleerat Kaewka.

Weng said the 12 committed a serious crime in breach of Article 135/1 (2) for causing grave damage to the public transport system and infrastructure, causing unrest and terror among the public.

-- The Nation 2008-12-03

And of course, all at PPP, TRT and so on is so clean.

Including the terrorist training they received from a certain Army general.

Killing people, throwing bombs & grenades, peanuts.

And lo and behold, threatening with a civil war, that is nothing.

What a sorry mess, what a sorry figures.

[Moonrakers]

Don't understand this. This week turned out to be a "win-win" for everyone...

PAD: Enabled the courts to deliver their verdict without hasslen and got the Somchai government out of office.

DAAD: Got the new Peua Thai to look forward to.

Police: Didn't have to resort to violence and recent criticism like post-Oct 7.

Army: Showed they no longer play a role in Thai politics.

AOT: Got back the airport, much cleaner than it was pre-PAD.

Somchai: Got a much needed vacation.

Thaksin: More face-time on internatinal news stations and more motivation from his devoted followers.

I won't go into all of this, but one comment is flashing like a siren. The army. Their inaction was a sign that they in fact play a very major role in Thai politics. Try and think it through.

Exactly.

Anupong went very quiet after the rumours of tans rolling into BKK. And there where various reports of heated calls between himself and Somchai, followed bye the police's stance of the dealing with the protestors changing to 'negotiation' and of course the army seemingly not accepting orders from the Gov.

For a few days at least it appeared as though Anupong was the one calling the shots.

Edited December 3, 2008 by globalj

[wasabi]

THB back to 50+ is the payback I want and should get.

[MyphuketLife]

THB back to 50+ is the payback I want and should get.

One would think, but some how no matter what happens they seam to keep the THB at dam_n near the same rate???

[khunjamespittman]

Trying to prosecute the PAD leaders will only inflame the situation--but what the Thai Authorities need to do now is make sure this does not happen again..on Dec 8 or whenever the PAD decides to protest again the airport or seaports, their convoys of protesters should be met by roadblocks armed with machine guns..and if they try to shut down vital economic arteries again, it's gonna be time to blow some of them away tienamen square style.

The one sure way to insure that this does not happen again is to prosecute the PAD criminals to the full extent of the Thai laws. I am not interested whether you call it terrorism or just violations of a multitude of Thai laws. The criminals should pay for their criminal acts and spend a long time in prison to deter anyone from thinking it is easy to break Thai laws and then just walk away. THE POICE AND JUDICIAL SYSTEM MUST ACT NOW.

[fft100]

This was in the Guardian this morning. may deserve a new thread

Shuffling towards fascism.

Thailand has in a sense been colonised by its own middle class, many of whom live like colonial settlers

Mithran Somasundrum

guardian.co.uk, Wednesday December 3 2008 12.30 GMT

Thailand's main airport is now re-opening, having been blocked by the PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy, or People Against Democracy, to put it more accurately), at an estimated cost of 1 billion baht ($28m) a day to the Thai tourist industry. Airports are supposed to be high security areas, but not here, not if you have enough people, enough weapons and the right backing (which is the army and, to a greater or lesser extent, the conservative forces behind the army). Sunday's attempt to send in the police ended up with the cops getting beaten back and having their tyres slashed.

The police were largely resistant to using force, after their previous attempt to clear Government House with tear gas led to the death of a protester (highly explosive Chinese teargas canisters were to apparently to blame). Meanwhile, the Thai Chamber of Commerce suggested businesses refuse to pay their taxes until the government got the airport open. So for the police were basically dammed if they did and dammed if they didn't.

Politics in Thailand has in the past functioned via relatively weak coalition governments deferring to the holy trinity of the army, the bureaucracy and the monarchy. This changed with Thaksin, who became popular enough with the rural poor to achieve a large majority for his party (TRT). Able to push through any law he wanted, he deferred to no one, and by putting his people into all of the top positions within reach (the army, the legislature, etc), set about turning himself into a Thai version of Singapore's Lee Kwan Yew. He was the self-styled "CEO of the Nation". (Note the implication of that title – the Thai citizens are his employees?) He ran a war on drugs that reduced the amount of amphetamine use in the country at the cost, it has been alleged, of very many police executions, often of the innocent, to achieve the quotas the police had been set.

He attacked press freedom, built Suvanaphumi Airport, the Skytrain, the underground, introduced cheap healthcare for the poor, and made sure all of his businesses did very well. (When he visited heads of state it sometimes wasn't clear whether he was doing the country's business or Shincorp's).

Against a background of unease (largely middle-class) over the way Thaksin had centralised power, the protests of PAD began. From the start they tried to ally themselves with the monarchy in the eyes of the people, eg wearing yellow, the king's colour. It is not clear how much this support was actually reciprocated. When the PAD protester was killed by the teargas canister, the queen paid for her funeral, attended, and described the woman as a "defender of the monarchy".

Thaksin's reply to PAD's initial protests was to hold an election, which he inevitably won. There was some vote-buying by the TRT, and by everyone else, as there always is, but overall the election underlined his safety.

However, appointing his people to the top jobs in the army was a step too far. Hence the coup.

When the post-coup elections were eventually held (with Thaksin holed up in England), they were won by a new party (the PPP) consisting mostly of ex-TRT MPs. The leader, Samak, was accused of taking his orders from Thaksin. Samak has now gone, having been found guilty of a conflict of interest (the conflict being the fact that he was paid for presenting a TV cookery show – count on a Thai court to keep a sense of perspective) to be replaced by Somchai who, just for good measure, is Thaksin's brother-in-law. Somchai has now stepped down after the PPP was disolved by the Thai courts. Meanwhile, the PPP MPs left eligible by the courts have formed the Peuea Thai Party and are expected to form the same coalitions PPP did. This coalition will chose the next prime minister, and therefore leaves open the possibility of the protests starting all over again.

It's fairly clear that to win an election you have to be allied to Thaksin in the mind of the people, whether or not you are following the man's actual instructions. The party of the holy trinity – the Democrats – led by Oxford-educated Abhisit is seen as an urban elite, out of touch with the concerns of the rural poor. Plus, over the last months it has been fatally compromised by its closeness to PAD.

Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, one of PAD's core leaders, responded to this electoral lock-out by proposing a "new politics", in which only 30% of the house is elected and the other 70% appointed by the great and good. The rationale is that the uneducated poor need to be protected from themselves. It will no longer matter if they vote for corrupt politicians: they will take what they are given.

Meanwhile, just to add another element into the mix, the leader of PAD, a media mogul called Sondhi Limthongkul, is gradually starting to believe in his own culthood. Having convinced himself Taksin was using Cambodian black magic from his mansion in Surrey, Sondhi performed a protecting ceremony involving placing used tampons around a statue of King Chulalongkorn. This is the man who shut down Thailand.

One of the first things you are sure to be told in this least nationalistic of countries, is that Thailand has never been colonised. But look closer. Thailand has in a sense been colonised by its own middle-class, many of whom live in this country like colonial settlers. As with all colonisers, they see the true centres of culture and education as being elsewhere (the US, Britain, etc). They send their children to school abroad, they try to look as western as possible (white = attractive, brown = unattractive). They have the coloniser's exasperation and disdain for the natives, who are treated with paternal benevolence provided they know their place. Poverty in this setting is an ongoing problem; it is not to be solved but is to remain ongoing, since good works provide the middle-classes with their validation: moments of upcountry genuine "Thai-ness", before air-conditioned cars return them to their shopping malls.

To read the English-language Thai press is to appreciate the full depths of this disdain. From an article in The Nation (October 14 2008, before the airport takeover), written by Thanong Khantong, The Nation's editor, in favour of PAD's protests: "I don't see Thailand backtracking against the democratic process ... It is a joke to believe that the rural voters love or have a better understanding of democracy than the Bangkok middle class ... The foreign media and foreign experts must stop distorting Thai politics with their convenient definition of democracy." From earlier in the article: "A country can survive without democracy but it can't survive without law" ... "The politicians are the main problem and a liability in our democracy."

The last two quotes are what I mean by fascism, since I don't know what else you'd call it.

It is not possible to have contempt for democracy without first having contempt for people, since democracy is after all meant to deliver the people's will. Likewise, contempt for people, or at least for a significant section of a country's population, will eventually lead to a corroding of democracy. That corrosion is occuring now, and, here, at this moment in time, is what contempt gets you – a ring of used tampons around a statue and a shuttered-up economy. And a feeling, growing among many – the poor, the dismissed, the un-noticed – that rights taken from them will never be returned.

[MyphuketLife]

Trying to prosecute the PAD leaders will only inflame the situation--but what the Thai Authorities need to do now is make sure this does not happen again..on Dec 8 or whenever the PAD decides to protest again the airport or seaports, their convoys of protesters should be met by roadblocks armed with machine guns..and if they try to shut down vital economic arteries again, it's gonna be time to blow some of them away tienamen square style.

Always amazed me what one could learn about some posters here.

Or how one could see the usual suspects rear their heads in support of an illegitimate regime (Yes, our resident neocons, I'm looking at you.).

Like clockwork...

Who said he/she supports the "illegitimate" regime? Just because one does not agree with the actions of the PAD does not make them Thaksin supporters. I agree with the statement above 100% but I do not think Thaksin is a good man.

It was not OK for Thaksin to break laws just like it's not OK for PAD to break laws... Difference from the two is Thaksin stole money, PAD brought the transportation system to its knees.

Justing adding back what the mods took out (minus the personal attack I had made on an aviator)

Why can’t people seem to grasp that someone can be ANTI-Thaksin, maybe PRO-PAD goals, AND ANTI-PAD actions?

I think that most people would agree that Thaksin is corrupt, I think most would agree with PAD stated goals of removing corruption in the government (a noble cause, if that was their only intention)….. But the noble cause does not justify breaking laws that include shutting down 4 airports, shutting down the SEA PORTS, occupying the government house, shooting at TV vans, and kidnapping police. How are those actions deemed as ok in your eyes? I think the crimes just mentioned fall into the terrorism charges that they should be charged with.

[grandpops]

"Trying to prosecute the PAD leaders will only inflame the situation--but what the Thai Authorities need to do now is make sure this does not happen again..on Dec 8 or whenever the PAD decides to protest again the airport or seaports, their convoys of protesters should be met by roadblocks armed with machine guns..and if they try to shut down vital economic arteries again, it's gonna be time to blow some of them away tienamen square style."

SHAME ON YOU!

Easy, anybody not at the airport making trouble is not shot.

This is going to bite pad in the ass now.

[erobando]

Easy, anybody not at the airport making trouble is not shot.

This is going to bite pad in the ass now.

Now that's fascist talk!

[angiud]

"Trying to prosecute the PAD leaders will only inflame the situation--but what the Thai Authorities need to do now is make sure this does not happen again..on Dec 8 or whenever the PAD decides to protest again the airport or seaports, their convoys of protesters should be met by roadblocks armed with machine guns..and if they try to shut down vital economic arteries again, it's gonna be time to blow some of them away tienamen square style."

SHAME ON YOU!

Easy, anybody not at the airport making trouble is not shot.

This is going to bite pad in the ass now.

Please switch on the brain before post

[Koo82]

I dont think the police will take any action in this regard I think they made a deal with Chamlong.

And not to forget that Chamlong is the hero of 1992. Without him Thailand would have a Military Dictator!

Things change. Chamlong this time is not right but he was right back then.

Who knows if Puea Thai can turn out dark in the future?

[Koo82]

I think that most people would agree that Thaksin is corrupt, I think most would agree with PAD stated goals of removing corruption in the government (a noble cause, if that was their only intention)….. But the noble cause does not justify breaking laws that include shutting down 4 airports, shutting down the SEA PORTS, occupying the government house, shooting at TV vans, and kidnapping police. How are those actions deemed as ok in your eyes? I think the crimes just mentioned fall into the terrorism charges that they should be charged with.

I don't agree that Khun Thaksin is corrupt.

You missed a few. One I can remember now is the PAD guards beat a PAD who wanted to go home. The dead body has been found without the head, and as I remember, the victim is from Phitsanulok.

[tatt]

"Trying to prosecute the PAD leaders will only inflame the situation--but what the Thai Authorities need to do now is make sure this does not happen again..on Dec 8 or whenever the PAD decides to protest again the airport or seaports, their convoys of protesters should be met by roadblocks armed with machine guns..and if they try to shut down vital economic arteries again, it's gonna be time to blow some of them away tienamen square style."

SHAME ON YOU!

So what do you suggest? How should the country be prevented from such incidents in the future? Is there a guarantee that something like that won't happen in next weeks/months/years? What would you tell to potential travellers asking you abut safety in Thailand if you were a travel agency worker?

First of all, the safety concerns were already serious before the airport siege and second, the only way to prevent this from happening again is for the present government-mafia to back down and to be prosecuted according to the Thai law. I think that with Thaksin in jail, Bangkwan preferably, politician will think twice before robbing the country blind again.

Your heart is in the right place, but Taksin is not being pursued for corruption, there is no message, re corruption, being sent to anyone.

Sorry but that is not true Gravel.

He's already been convicted for one case AND he must be present in court at least once to be tried for any other cases. His Bro-in-law and Thaksin's proxy party have been protecting him. (In fact they may have even been successful in protecting him via changing the constitution if it were not for the PAD's pressure to prevent that!)

Hopefully the next government will revoke his passport!

Totally agree! Many people are blaming PAD for what they have done to the economy, but obviously, the government don't really care what is happening to the economy as long as they're still in power...and amazingly, instead of protesting for the government to dissolve, the people are pressuring PAD! Why is that?? I think it is because those individuals don't feel they are directly affected by the corruption much, which I think is very selfish of them. But when the PAD had taken over the airports, that is when they feel they are directly affected. So they decide to attack the PAD because this bothers them. Basically, those people don't really care what is happening to the country but themselves.

[debcmai]

Trying to prosecute the PAD leaders will only inflame the situation--but what the Thai Authorities need to do now is make sure this does not happen again..on Dec 8 or whenever the PAD decides to protest again the airport or seaports, their convoys of protesters should be met by roadblocks armed with machine guns..and if they try to shut down vital economic arteries again, it's gonna be time to blow some of them away tienamen square style.

This is utterly ridiculous. They most certain did disrupt the nation, cause billions of baht to be lost, not just by the Thai economy, but by many of the stranded tourists, not to mention people and organizations who had to cancel seminars and conferences being held that week, both here and in the region. NOT to mention the havoc that was wrought upon the other major airports in the region. Absolutely insane. Of COURSE someone needs to be charged with SOME thing, doncha think....or shall we let this be a precedent for the next time folks are unhappy with how things are going here???????

[samgrowth]

So how soon before the sequel, PAD II, comes out?

After the long weekend.

[Koo82]

shall we let this be a precedent for the next time folks are unhappy with how things are going here???????

Are you sleeping? If the red shirts were there, the Army and Police would act promptly.

[tatt]

Trying to prosecute the PAD leaders will only inflame the situation--but what the Thai Authorities need to do now is make sure this does not happen again..on Dec 8 or whenever the PAD decides to protest again the airport or seaports, their convoys of protesters should be met by roadblocks armed with machine guns..and if they try to shut down vital economic arteries again, it's gonna be time to blow some of them away tienamen square style.

If they wanted to stop it, they would have.

Agree! It was part of their plan to let PAD in easily so they didn't have to do the dirty job. They just sat, played blackjack, and watched Thai people fighting for them.

[shielded220011]

Police asked to press terrorism charges against PAD leaders

BANGKOK: -- A progovernment group led by Dr Weng Tochirakarn Wednesday lodged a complaint with crime suppression police calling on them to press terrorism charges against the People's Alliance for Democracy for besieging Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, resulting in great damage to the country's economy.

Weng and Dr Sant Hattirat, and Prateep Ungsomtham Hata accused 12 PAD leaders of committing terrorism from November 25 to December 3. They named Sondhi Limthongkul, Somkiat Pongpaiboon, Pipop Thongchai, Suriyasai Katasila, Panthep Puapongpan, Samran Rodpet, Sirichai Maingarm, Sawit Kaewwan, Saranyoo Wongkrachang and Maleerat Kaewka.

Weng said the 12 committed a serious crime in breach of Article 135/1 (2) for causing grave damage to the public transport system and infrastructure, causing unrest and terror among the public.

-- The Nation 2008-12-03

It's about time someone started making sense. ACCOUNTABILITY, WOW!

[shielded220011]

So how soon before the sequel, PAD II, comes out?

It's not a matter of soon, but under what name. I am so tired of this bull####. and posters agreeing like as

IF they were able to vote like a THAI.

Well give up your citizenship and see if you are welcome like one, just bring a lot of money;

My brother from another mother. definitely take u in like a a organ donor, just make sure its your organ!

[tartempion]

Don't understand this. This week turned out to be a "win-win" for everyone...

Seems to me you forgot to mention:

Tourists: lose

Thai businesses: lose

[ThaiVoltaire]

The police will not press any type of legal action against PAD. Just look at the show of force used to attempt to remove PAD last Saturday. Sending in 200 officers to oust 5,000 people told me that they were too busy writing tickets for tea money to really want to make a significant effort to remove them. This is Thailand folks. The police force here is more akin to Barney Fife on the Andy Griffith Show. Only Barney did not keep ticket revenue.

[AussieFarang]

And so the cycle that causes the problems continues.

The failure to apply the rule of law evenly to all Thai citizens without fear, favor or outside influence.

[presscamera]

Police asked to press terrorism charges against PAD leaders

BANGKOK: -- A progovernment group led by Dr Weng Tochirakarn Wednesday lodged a complaint with crime suppression police calling on them to press terrorism charges against the People's Alliance for Democracy for besieging Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, resulting in great damage to the country's economy.

Weng and Dr Sant Hattirat, and Prateep Ungsomtham Hata accused 12 PAD leaders of committing terrorism from November 25 to December 3. They named Sondhi Limthongkul, Somkiat Pongpaiboon, Pipop Thongchai, Suriyasai Katasila, Panthep Puapongpan, Samran Rodpet, Sirichai Maingarm, Sawit Kaewwan, Saranyoo Wongkrachang and Maleerat Kaewka.

Weng said the 12 committed a serious crime in breach of Article 135/1 (2) for causing grave damage to the public transport system and infrastructure, causing unrest and terror among the public.

-- The Nation 2008-12-03

Would it be possible for the Airlines to get together and take an action in an International Court and press Terrorism charges against the Leaders of the PAD.

If so, they could be dealt with the moment they set foot outside of Thailand. Obviously any action in Thailand would fail as they are protected by the System. Also could airlines ban these people from travelling by Air again?

Just a thought!

[LennyW]

What i find amusing in all of this is that the PAD used the airport to protest against the man, Thaksin, whom without which, the airport at swampy would not have been built!! Makes me chuckle!

[Thailand]

Don't understand this. This week turned out to be a "win-win" for everyone...

PAD: Enabled the courts to deliver their verdict without hasslen and got the Somchai government out of office.

DAAD: Got the new Peua Thai to look forward to.

Police: Didn't have to resort to violence and recent criticism like post-Oct 7.

Army: Showed they no longer play a role in Thai politics.

AOT: Got back the airport, much cleaner than it was pre-PAD.

Somchai: Got a much needed vacation.

Thaksin: More face-time on internatinal news stations and more motivation from his devoted followers.

I won't go into all of this, but one comment is flashing like a siren. The army. Their inaction was a sign that they in fact play a very major role in Thai politics. Try and think it through.

On the nail - the army are still the big movers and shakers here.

[jayjayjayjay]

This was in the Guardian this morning. may deserve a new thread

Shuffling towards fascism.

Thailand has in a sense been colonised by its own middle class, many of whom live like colonial settlers

Mithran Somasundrum

guardian.co.uk, Wednesday December 3 2008 12.30 GMT

Thailand's main airport is now re-opening, having been blocked by the PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy, or People Against Democracy, to put it more accurately), at an estimated cost of 1 billion baht ($28m) a day to the Thai tourist industry. Airports are supposed to be high security areas, but not here, not if you have enough people, enough weapons and the right backing (which is the army and, to a greater or lesser extent, the conservative forces behind the army). Sunday's attempt to send in the police ended up with the cops getting beaten back and having their tyres slashed.

The police were largely resistant to using force, after their previous attempt to clear Government House with tear gas led to the death of a protester (highly explosive Chinese teargas canisters were to apparently to blame). Meanwhile, the Thai Chamber of Commerce suggested businesses refuse to pay their taxes until the government got the airport open. So for the police were basically dammed if they did and dammed if they didn't.

Politics in Thailand has in the past functioned via relatively weak coalition governments deferring to the holy trinity of the army, the bureaucracy and the monarchy. This changed with Thaksin, who became popular enough with the rural poor to achieve a large majority for his party (TRT). Able to push through any law he wanted, he deferred to no one, and by putting his people into all of the top positions within reach (the army, the legislature, etc), set about turning himself into a Thai version of Singapore's Lee Kwan Yew. He was the self-styled "CEO of the Nation". (Note the implication of that title – the Thai citizens are his employees?) He ran a war on drugs that reduced the amount of amphetamine use in the country at the cost, it has been alleged, of very many police executions, often of the innocent, to achieve the quotas the police had been set.

He attacked press freedom, built Suvanaphumi Airport, the Skytrain, the underground, introduced cheap healthcare for the poor, and made sure all of his businesses did very well. (When he visited heads of state it sometimes wasn't clear whether he was doing the country's business or Shincorp's).

Against a background of unease (largely middle-class) over the way Thaksin had centralised power, the protests of PAD began. From the start they tried to ally themselves with the monarchy in the eyes of the people, eg wearing yellow, the king's colour. It is not clear how much this support was actually reciprocated. When the PAD protester was killed by the teargas canister, the queen paid for her funeral, attended, and described the woman as a "defender of the monarchy".

Thaksin's reply to PAD's initial protests was to hold an election, which he inevitably won. There was some vote-buying by the TRT, and by everyone else, as there always is, but overall the election underlined his safety.

However, appointing his people to the top jobs in the army was a step too far. Hence the coup.

When the post-coup elections were eventually held (with Thaksin holed up in England), they were won by a new party (the PPP) consisting mostly of ex-TRT MPs. The leader, Samak, was accused of taking his orders from Thaksin. Samak has now gone, having been found guilty of a conflict of interest (the conflict being the fact that he was paid for presenting a TV cookery show – count on a Thai court to keep a sense of perspective) to be replaced by Somchai who, just for good measure, is Thaksin's brother-in-law. Somchai has now stepped down after the PPP was disolved by the Thai courts. Meanwhile, the PPP MPs left eligible by the courts have formed the Peuea Thai Party and are expected to form the same coalitions PPP did. This coalition will chose the next prime minister, and therefore leaves open the possibility of the protests starting all over again.

It's fairly clear that to win an election you have to be allied to Thaksin in the mind of the people, whether or not you are following the man's actual instructions. The party of the holy trinity – the Democrats – led by Oxford-educated Abhisit is seen as an urban elite, out of touch with the concerns of the rural poor. Plus, over the last months it has been fatally compromised by its closeness to PAD.

Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, one of PAD's core leaders, responded to this electoral lock-out by proposing a "new politics", in which only 30% of the house is elected and the other 70% appointed by the great and good. The rationale is that the uneducated poor need to be protected from themselves. It will no longer matter if they vote for corrupt politicians: they will take what they are given.

Meanwhile, just to add another element into the mix, the leader of PAD, a media mogul called Sondhi Limthongkul, is gradually starting to believe in his own culthood. Having convinced himself Taksin was using Cambodian black magic from his mansion in Surrey, Sondhi performed a protecting ceremony involving placing used tampons around a statue of King Chulalongkorn. This is the man who shut down Thailand.

One of the first things you are sure to be told in this least nationalistic of countries, is that Thailand has never been colonised. But look closer. Thailand has in a sense been colonised by its own middle-class, many of whom live in this country like colonial settlers. As with all colonisers, they see the true centres of culture and education as being elsewhere (the US, Britain, etc). They send their children to school abroad, they try to look as western as possible (white = attractive, brown = unattractive). They have the coloniser's exasperation and disdain for the natives, who are treated with paternal benevolence provided they know their place. Poverty in this setting is an ongoing problem; it is not to be solved but is to remain ongoing, since good works provide the middle-classes with their validation: moments of upcountry genuine "Thai-ness", before air-conditioned cars return them to their shopping malls.

To read the English-language Thai press is to appreciate the full depths of this disdain. From an article in The Nation (October 14 2008, before the airport takeover), written by Thanong Khantong, The Nation's editor, in favour of PAD's protests: "I don't see Thailand backtracking against the democratic process ... It is a joke to believe that the rural voters love or have a better understanding of democracy than the Bangkok middle class ... The foreign media and foreign experts must stop distorting Thai politics with their convenient definition of democracy." From earlier in the article: "A country can survive without democracy but it can't survive without law" ... "The politicians are the main problem and a liability in our democracy."

The last two quotes are what I mean by fascism, since I don't know what else you'd call it.

It is not possible to have contempt for democracy without first having contempt for people, since democracy is after all meant to deliver the people's will. Likewise, contempt for people, or at least for a significant section of a country's population, will eventually lead to a corroding of democracy. That corrosion is occuring now, and, here, at this moment in time, is what contempt gets you – a ring of used tampons around a statue and a shuttered-up economy. And a feeling, growing among many – the poor, the dismissed, the un-noticed – that rights taken from them will never be returned.

I find is hard to believe a journolist could write such a brilliant summary of the last 5 years of Thai politics. Well done Mithran. JJJJ

[Wolfie]

This was in the Guardian this morning. may deserve a new thread

Shuffling towards fascism.

Thailand has in a sense been colonised by its own middle class, many of whom live like colonial settlers

Mithran Somasundrum

guardian.co.uk, Wednesday December 3 2008 12.30 GMT

Thailand's main airport is now re-opening, having been blocked by the PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy, or People Against Democracy, to put it more accurately), at an estimated cost of 1 billion baht ($28m) a day to the Thai tourist industry. Airports are supposed to be high security areas, but not here, not if you have enough people, enough weapons and the right backing (which is the army and, to a greater or lesser extent, the conservative forces behind the army). Sunday's attempt to send in the police ended up with the cops getting beaten back and having their tyres slashed.

The police were largely resistant to using force, after their previous attempt to clear Government House with tear gas led to the death of a protester (highly explosive Chinese teargas canisters were to apparently to blame). Meanwhile, the Thai Chamber of Commerce suggested businesses refuse to pay their taxes until the government got the airport open. So for the police were basically dammed if they did and dammed if they didn't.

Politics in Thailand has in the past functioned via relatively weak coalition governments deferring to the holy trinity of the army, the bureaucracy and the monarchy. This changed with Thaksin, who became popular enough with the rural poor to achieve a large majority for his party (TRT). Able to push through any law he wanted, he deferred to no one, and by putting his people into all of the top positions within reach (the army, the legislature, etc), set about turning himself into a Thai version of Singapore's Lee Kwan Yew. He was the self-styled "CEO of the Nation". (Note the implication of that title – the Thai citizens are his employees?) He ran a war on drugs that reduced the amount of amphetamine use in the country at the cost, it has been alleged, of very many police executions, often of the innocent, to achieve the quotas the police had been set.

He attacked press freedom, built Suvanaphumi Airport, the Skytrain, the underground, introduced cheap healthcare for the poor, and made sure all of his businesses did very well. (When he visited heads of state it sometimes wasn't clear whether he was doing the country's business or Shincorp's).

Against a background of unease (largely middle-class) over the way Thaksin had centralised power, the protests of PAD began. From the start they tried to ally themselves with the monarchy in the eyes of the people, eg wearing yellow, the king's colour. It is not clear how much this support was actually reciprocated. When the PAD protester was killed by the teargas canister, the queen paid for her funeral, attended, and described the woman as a "defender of the monarchy".

Thaksin's reply to PAD's initial protests was to hold an election, which he inevitably won. There was some vote-buying by the TRT, and by everyone else, as there always is, but overall the election underlined his safety.

However, appointing his people to the top jobs in the army was a step too far. Hence the coup.

When the post-coup elections were eventually held (with Thaksin holed up in England), they were won by a new party (the PPP) consisting mostly of ex-TRT MPs. The leader, Samak, was accused of taking his orders from Thaksin. Samak has now gone, having been found guilty of a conflict of interest (the conflict being the fact that he was paid for presenting a TV cookery show – count on a Thai court to keep a sense of perspective) to be replaced by Somchai who, just for good measure, is Thaksin's brother-in-law. Somchai has now stepped down after the PPP was disolved by the Thai courts. Meanwhile, the PPP MPs left eligible by the courts have formed the Peuea Thai Party and are expected to form the same coalitions PPP did. This coalition will chose the next prime minister, and therefore leaves open the possibility of the protests starting all over again.

It's fairly clear that to win an election you have to be allied to Thaksin in the mind of the people, whether or not you are following the man's actual instructions. The party of the holy trinity – the Democrats – led by Oxford-educated Abhisit is seen as an urban elite, out of touch with the concerns of the rural poor. Plus, over the last months it has been fatally compromised by its closeness to PAD.

Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, one of PAD's core leaders, responded to this electoral lock-out by proposing a "new politics", in which only 30% of the house is elected and the other 70% appointed by the great and good. The rationale is that the uneducated poor need to be protected from themselves. It will no longer matter if they vote for corrupt politicians: they will take what they are given.

Meanwhile, just to add another element into the mix, the leader of PAD, a media mogul called Sondhi Limthongkul, is gradually starting to believe in his own culthood. Having convinced himself Taksin was using Cambodian black magic from his mansion in Surrey, Sondhi performed a protecting ceremony involving placing used tampons around a statue of King Chulalongkorn. This is the man who shut down Thailand.

One of the first things you are sure to be told in this least nationalistic of countries, is that Thailand has never been colonised. But look closer. Thailand has in a sense been colonised by its own middle-class, many of whom live in this country like colonial settlers. As with all colonisers, they see the true centres of culture and education as being elsewhere (the US, Britain, etc). They send their children to school abroad, they try to look as western as possible (white = attractive, brown = unattractive). They have the coloniser's exasperation and disdain for the natives, who are treated with paternal benevolence provided they know their place. Poverty in this setting is an ongoing problem; it is not to be solved but is to remain ongoing, since good works provide the middle-classes with their validation: moments of upcountry genuine "Thai-ness", before air-conditioned cars return them to their shopping malls.

To read the English-language Thai press is to appreciate the full depths of this disdain. From an article in The Nation (October 14 2008, before the airport takeover), written by Thanong Khantong, The Nation's editor, in favour of PAD's protests: "I don't see Thailand backtracking against the democratic process ... It is a joke to believe that the rural voters love or have a better understanding of democracy than the Bangkok middle class ... The foreign media and foreign experts must stop distorting Thai politics with their convenient definition of democracy." From earlier in the article: "A country can survive without democracy but it can't survive without law" ... "The politicians are the main problem and a liability in our democracy."

The last two quotes are what I mean by fascism, since I don't know what else you'd call it.

It is not possible to have contempt for democracy without first having contempt for people, since democracy is after all meant to deliver the people's will. Likewise, contempt for people, or at least for a significant section of a country's population, will eventually lead to a corroding of democracy. That corrosion is occuring now, and, here, at this moment in time, is what contempt gets you – a ring of used tampons around a statue and a shuttered-up economy. And a feeling, growing among many – the poor, the dismissed, the un-noticed – that rights taken from them will never be returned.

I find is hard to believe a journolist could write such a brilliant summary of the last 5 years of Thai politics. Well done Mithran. JJJJ

A very good article