Rumours And Deadlock Could Make For A Volatile Mix

[webfact]

SIDELINES

Rumours and deadlock could make for a volatile mix

By Sopon Onkgara

The Nation

Published on February 2, 2010

PRIME MINISTER Abhisit has returned from the World Economic Forum in Davos with another feather in his cap, so to speak. His stature in the international community has edged up another notch, after he gave interviews exuding more confidence and eloquence.

But getting back to reality at home, he is faced with the same old problems of more bad news and intensifying political conflict. The problems with the always-bullying coalition partners might have been solved, quite effectively after he called their empty bluff and found that they had chickened out.

That came at some cost, however. His deputy, Suthep Thaugsuban, in charge of security affairs, will have to live with declining influence among the top party hierarchy and his schmoozing role with the coalition partners will result in a less forceful, weaker clout.

The real problem still lies in the expanding crisis caused by fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra, who lurks not so far in the background, ranting and hissing about more violence and unpleasant consequences for those who are opposed to his shameless campaign to be absolved of all criminal charges and his two-year jail sentence, and the return of his frozen assets.

As judgement day in the assets case draws nearer, a rogue military general has blurted out publicly that there could be attempts on the lives of the judges in the case, as well as members of independent agencies dealing with the fate of Thaksin.

At the same time, the red shirts are threatening more violence and similar actions against Thaksin's adversaries. Their threats have become so common that law enforcement authorities no longer show interest, either due to indifference or for fear of more trouble and mob pressure.

Major General Khattiya Sawasdiphol, commonly known as "Seh Daeng", gave himself up to police to face criminal charges for possible involvement in illegal possession of weapons and a grenade attack on the Army headquarters. He remains a pain in the neck for the Army. He is a loose cannon, causing acute embarrassment. Yet, nobody seems to have any idea how to make him shut up.

The threat on the lives of the judges must be taken seriously. Seh Daeng was accurate whenever he talked in advance about grenade attacks on rallies by the People's Alliance for Democracy. These attacks caused the deaths of at least 18 people, with more than 180 injured in various degrees. Security has to be provided to ensure that all judges are on the bench on judgement day.

Violence to pressure the judges and members of the independent agencies cannot be ruled out. If that does occur, the country could slip into anarchy. Thaksin's cronies and militia are all out just to get a share of his money. They are not interested in democracy or the good causes they have used as a pretext for the continuing campaign to oust the Abhisit government.

The recent flexing of muscles by Army commanders could signal a deterrent against widespread violence by the red shirts under the direct command of Thaksin, who moaned the other day to his cronies that the assets he still has left are frozen by the government. That makes him more desperate to get the money back at any cost, even if the price is the destruction of the country.

How can we predict what might happen? We can watch the movements of Thaksin's family members and relatives. If they starting leaving the country in droves, as they did during last year's Songkran festival, then the likelihood of serious trouble is not remote. How the government will handle crowd control and possible mob violence depends on the attitude and role of the military.

The red shirts have been hollering about a possible military coup. Such frequent crying wolf and cheap tricks have become a routine of the red shirts to attract public attention and enhance their significance in the eyes of their paymaster.

This should not be anything to worry about as long as their sinister political games do not get too nasty and become a threat to the country's revered institutions.

They should realise by now that a coup is among the few options for breaking the political deadlock - especially for ousting big-time crooks who become despotic when they are in government too long and disregard the people's rights and eternal power.

-- The Nation 2010-02-02

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[Netfan]

PRIME MINISTER Abhisit has returned from the World Economic Forum in Davos with another feather in his cap, so to speak. His stature in the international community has edged up another notch, after he gave interviews exuding more confidence and eloquence.

What kind of lead is this for a news story? It just tells me that whatever is in this article is not going to be news, but the reporter / editors opinion. is it from the editorial page or a news story? And btw, if you were to ask me who's "side" I'm on, it ain't the reds. .

[hammered]

Its a nation opinion piece. Ole Sopon is always a bit flowery and out there.

[Old Man River]

There is no question that the military is ready to keep order if things get out of hand. Yes, I know that is the job of the police, but they haven't shown the inclination to assume that role in the recent past. Hence, military troop buildups to be ready if need be.

[animatic]

Tumors and Dreadlocks

doesn't work well as a title either,

but it would fill newsprint as well.

[Thai at Heart]

Christ, this piece reads like a kid who was on a tourism scholarship for a trip to Davos from sensationnews.com

Who writes this drivel?

The real problem still lies in the expanding crisis caused by fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra, who lurks not so far in the background, ranting and hissing about more violence and unpleasant consequences for those who are opposed to his shameless campaign to be absolved of all criminal charges and his two-year jail sentence, and the return of his frozen assets.

Hardly Shakesperian....

As judgement day in the assets case draws nearer, a rogue military general has blurted out publicly that there could be attempts on the lives of the judges in the case, as well as members of independent agencies dealing with the fate of Thaksin.

At the same time, the red shirts are threatening more violence and similar actions against Thaksin's adversaries. Their threats have become so common that law enforcement authorities no longer show interest, either due to indifference or for fear of more trouble and mob pressure.

I can see it disappearing into the stars as Straw Wers Eqilogue 6 from a dodgy DVD from Nana starts up

In all honesty, do they get these pieces of prose come from sixth form students in the international schools?

Edited February 2, 2010 by Thai at Heart

[SomTumTiger]

Certainly no T.S. Eliot, but he ain't wrong, lol.

[Thai at Heart]

Certainly no T.S. Eliot, but he ain't wrong, lol.

Well I hope the writer isn't a history student, or people will believe that one guy with a phone company, versus a guy with some land, plus a guy who was an army general, plus a guy who went to a British boarding school coz his dad was ambassador, is more important than a weirdo with a dodgy moustache killed 7 million people.

In all fairness to the journalism profession/job:

As judgement day in the assets case draws nearer, a rogue military general has blurted out publicly that there could be attempts on the lives of the judges in the case, as well as members of independent agencies dealing with the fate of Thaksin.

The red shirts have been hollering (to whom)about a possible military coup. Such frequent crying wolf and cheap tricks (little red riding hood, always a favourite)have become a routine of the red shirts to attract public attention and enhance their significance in the eyes of their paymaster(oh fagin, that buggar). Is this a Charles Dickens book?

This should not be anything to worry about as long as their sinister political games do not get too nasty and become a threat to the country's revered institutions.

They should realise by now that a coup is among the few options for breaking the political deadlock - especially for ousting big-time crooks who become despotic when they are in government too long and disregard the people's rights and eternal power.

Did he get this from his maid or what?

Same Battime, Same Bat channel!!!

Dum, Dum, Dum, Dum Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum!

I am amazed that anything pretending to be a newspaper could print such absolute bo*****s

Edited February 2, 2010 by Thai at Heart

[SomTumTiger]

Pretty accurate - they have been hollaring coup coup coup for weeks now.

[CLOD]

What a bag of <deleted> that article is.

On the international stage Khun Abisit is a serial Human Rights Abuser, as detailed in the Human Rights Watch report.

[animatic]

What a bag of <deleted> that article is.

On the international stage Khun Abisit is a serial Human Rights Abuser, as detailed in the Human Rights Watch report.

Why not just say the army is,

they are the one ignoring Abhisits requests for better handling of human rights.

But the abuses under your liege lord Thaksin were much worse,

as also noted by Human Rights Watch : so kettle vs teapot.

[jdinasia]

It isn't Shakespeare (as noted) but honestly it isn't that bad either. It is a filler piece in the paper and does accurately portray the issues of the day.

[Bagwan]

Hardly Shakesperian....

[/unquote]

I've borrowed the following from Google:-

Did you mean: Shakespeare?

What style would you prefer? Adolf Hitler? Karl Marx? Voltaire? Hans Christian Anderson? Hank Janson?

By the standards of The Nation it was a pretty eloquent piece - comprehensible too for a change.

[KireB]

Spot on article! If the coward Shinnies do a runner again, embrace yourselves!

[mca]

PRIME MINISTER Abhisit has returned from the World Economic Forum in Davos with another feather in his cap, so to speak. His stature in the international community has edged up another notch, after he gave interviews exuding more confidence and eloquence.

I've got a mental image of a couple of other delegates whispering together " Oh he don't half speak luvverly"

Hannibal Lechter used to speak with confidence and eloquence too.

[animatic]

The real problem still lies in the expanding crisis caused by fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra,

who lurks not so far in the background, ranting and hissing about more violence

and unpleasant consequences for those who are opposed to his shameless campaign

to be absolved of all criminal charges and his two-year jail sentence,

and the return of his frozen assets.

Well if communicating a situation and painting vivid images with prose is the aim,

then this does all of it. The page title was an editorial oddity, but this paragraph gives solid imagery

[hammered]

What a bag of <deleted> that article is.

On the international stage Khun Abisit is a serial Human Rights Abuser, as detailed in the Human Rights Watch report.

If Abhisit is seen that way imagine how they see Thaksin who if HRW and the rettig reprot are to be believed offed almost the same number of people as Pinochet.

Truth is the ionternational community dont give a monkeys about HRW reports or Amnesty ones etc or even ole Pinochet judging by the way the UK let him go. The international communtiy is about real politik and a countries vested interests. Ole Abhisit remains relatively popular. Oddly enough Thaksin who cant even visit most western countries doesnt as he doesnt play the old boys game that the real world is about, not because he offed loads of innocent people note (remembering everyone in a democracy is innocent until proven....)

[geriatrickid]

If the goal was not to draw attention or embarrass itself, then Thailand did a good job at Davos. However, Thailand missed out on some tremendous and significant opportunities related to the international funding of scientific research and health care. In case anyone missed it, a major announcement was made by the Gates Foundation and supported by a number of nations. Sadly, Thailand was not included. Had Thailand positioned itself, it would have had the opportunity of a generation to jumpstart R&D. On that, I give the government a D-. I wasn't present at the schmoozing reception, so maybe PM Abhisit asked nicely for something.