Is Suthep's Charm Wearing Off?

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

Is Suthep's charm wearing off?

By Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

Why did Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban launch a fierce attack against the friendly People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and the red-shirt enemies at the same time? The attack on the red-shirt Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) is understandable because the group has been an opponent from the very beginning, but the PAD?

Suthep has always ignored PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul's criticism for dismissing his group's demands, particularly the one calling for a reshuffle in bureaucracy. However, when Sondhi launched an attack against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva at a rally outside Parliament against constitutional amendments, Suthep lost his patience.

"Our country has problems because of these two groups - the red shirts of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the yellow shirts - who are making [inappropriate] demands. If they don't get what they want, they will use their media to put pressure [on the government]," Suthep said.

"Frankly speaking, both of them are equally bad, as they only care about their own interests, not the national interest. Both of them have been creating trouble for the country.

"I have never cared what they [the yellow group] have been saying about me over the past two years. But four or five days ago, they started attacking Abhisit, saying he was betraying them because they backed his becoming a prime minister. That is untrue. Not one of them raised his hand in Parliament to vote for him. Now they are pressuring him to get their own way," Suthep said at a Democrat Party seminar in Chumphon on Sunday.

"However, the country comes first for the prime minister, not the interest of certain groups."

A statement like this could turn Suthep into a PAD foe, though political analysts need to find out how and why.

A possibility is that Suthep is thinking that both the groups can be controlled. The red shirts are planning to hold a major rally on December 10, followed by a PAD one the very next day.

However, a government official said the PAD was no longer as powerful as before, because it was only able to mobilise a small number of people for the protest outside Parliament last week. Though the key leaders Sondhi, Chamlong Srimuang and Somsak Kosaisuk were present at the rally, the number of protesters was low compared with when they were rallying against previous governments.

Also, the red shirts don't seem to be posing any major threats to this government because they are in a conciliatory mood. They kept quiet on Monday when the Constitution Court delivered the verdict on the Democrat Party dissolution case.

The red shirts, meanwhile, have changed their leader, opting for Thida Tavornset, wife of key leader weng Tojirakarn, who is currently under detention. She is certainly a lot less aggressive than her husband, the official said.

As for Suthep, his real enemy might be inside the party. While the court was reading the verdict, the deputy prime minister was nowhere near other Democrats who were either waiting at the court or hanging around the party headquarters. Suthep, instead, was ensconced in his office at Government House, busy preparing for His Majesty's birthday celebrations together with Defence Minister Pravit Wongsuwan, Army chief Prayut Chan-ocha and his now close friend Newin Chidchob.

It is really Chuan Leekpai's faction that should get the credit for the party's victory. Chuan led the legal team, while Suthep as the party's secretary-general did nothing. In fact, Chuan openly criticised Suthep for bending far too much to please the coalition parties and the military.

Perhaps Suthep needs to stick by his associates outside the party, because they are the only ones who are supporting him now.

-- The Nation 2010-12-01

[Siam Simon]

"Suthep, instead, was ensconced in his office at Government House, busy preparing for His Majesty's birthday celebrations together with Defence Minister Pravit Wongsuwan, Army chief Prayut Chan-ocha and his now close friend Newin Chidchob."

Hmmmm.....rather telling mix of allies and close friends. We all knew about the Suthep/Newin double act from their disgusting antics at the aborted ASEAN summit in Pattaya 2008. Now we know what Abhisit, the good guy in these shenanigans, is really up against.

[timekeeper]

"Suthep, instead, was ensconced in his office at Government House, busy preparing for His Majesty's birthday celebrations together with Defence Minister Pravit Wongsuwan, Army chief Prayut Chan-ocha and his now close friend Newin Chidchob."

Hmmmm.....rather telling mix of allies and close friends. We all knew about the Suthep/Newin double act from their disgusting antics at the aborted ASEAN summit in Pattaya 2008. Now we know what Abhisit, the good guy in these shenanigans, is really up against.

Suthip won't matter come next election, Korn will be deputy to Abhisit and they will win with a landslide

[jayjay0]

Right or wrong.

Can't be all bad to have both those groups against you.

When you stop and think about it neither one of the groups want what is good for Thailand they both have there own self interests at heart.

One group wants Thaksin back and see's violence as a OK tool to achieve that end and the other group wants to take away democracy and appoint 70% of the leaders and see it as OK to bring the nation to its knee's by blocking airport's and making prisoners of hundreds of thousands or foreign tourists. Not to mention the damage done to there international reputation and the money lost by Industry.

All in all not people I would want to see in power.

[jayjay0]

Sorry double post

Edited December 1, 2010 by jayjay0

[asiawatcher]

"Suthep, instead, was ensconced in his office at Government House, busy preparing for His Majesty's birthday celebrations together with Defence Minister Pravit Wongsuwan, Army chief Prayut Chan-ocha and his now close friend Newin Chidchob."

Hmmmm.....rather telling mix of allies and close friends. We all knew about the Suthep/Newin double act from their disgusting antics at the aborted ASEAN summit in Pattaya 2008. Now we know what Abhisit, the good guy in these shenanigans, is really up against.

Suthip won't matter come next election, Korn will be deputy to Abhisit and they will win with a landslide

Here's hoping

[whybother]

Suthep has charm??

[hammered]

What charm?

[animatic]

Retired Snake Charmer maybe.

This of course supposes that PAD could actually be considered a friend, as opposed to having been for a time reluctantly, simply a temporary side of convenience or expedience. The convenient part has quite worn off and they are long now a detriment.

Why charm a demented snake that would bite you if it could?

The idea of governance is to get things done and if an erstwhile partner is really stopping things from getting done and not acting friendly to boot, it can be seen that they have turned on you and turning on them in consequences is a logical action.

Edited December 1, 2010 by animatic

[jdinasia]

What charm?

Snake charmer? (Cobra 6?) .. or would that be Newin?