Anger Festers In Politically Divided Thailand

[webfact]

Anger festers in politically divided Thailand

by Kelly Macnamara

CHIANG MAI, December 28, 2010 (AFP) - Samai Wongsuwan left home a few months after suffering a gunshot wound during opposition protests in Bangkok, telling his wife he would not return until Thailand had a new government.

She never heard from him again.

Samai's badly burnt remains were found at the scene of a blast at an apartment complex near the capital in which three other people were also killed in October.

His wife Buakam Muangma does not believe her husband -- who the authorities say was renting the room where the blast is thought to have been accidentally sparked by a bomb-maker -- was capable of making an explosive device.

But she said he changed after joining the two-month anti-government Red Shirt rally which ended in May, leaving more than 90 people dead and nearly 1,900 injured in a series of street clashes between troops and demonstrators.

"He saw the soldiers shooting people so he came back with a feeling of hatred for the military," the 44-year-old told AFP sadly as she clutched a portrait of her husband at their modest home in Chiang Mai.

The unrest was the worst political violence in the kingdom for decades and fuelled concerns over a widening split in Thai society, particularly between the rural poor and the urban elite.

While there has been a lull in unrest in recent weeks, the fear is that simmering tensions might explode into fresh violence in 2011.

"The Reds are running amok because they have been disenfranchised and alienated," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

"Suppressing without talking will only lead to more festering and disenchantment which can galvanise into a genuine people's uprising."

Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn, however, said the country was returning to "normal law" after the recent end to a state of emergency and switch to a more moderate security decree.

He said more suspects who had been detained under the emergency powers were expected to be released.

"With the lifting of the emergency decree there will be less and less censorship," he told AFP.

The apartment explosion, which remains under investigation by intelligence services, followed a series of smaller grenade blasts in the wake of a deadly government crackdown on the Reds' sprawling base in the heart of Bangkok.

Most of the movement's leaders are in jail on terrorism charges or on the run, but the group appears to be regaining momentum with plans to hold meetings twice a month. A recent Bangkok rally attracted around 10,000 people.

Senior figures have warned of the need for strong leadership to avoid militancy.

Retired microbiology lecturer Thida Thavornseth, the new acting chairwoman of the group -- officially called the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) -- said it was crucial to fill the power vacuum.

"If we leave it too long there will develop anarchy... Something ugly could happen," she told AFP in a recent interview. "We want to keep the democracy movement peaceful."

Thailand is expected to hold an election next year, a potential flashpoint in a country that has been plagued by political violence since tycoon-turned-premier Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in 2006, in just one of 18 actual or attempted military coups since 1932.

Many Reds support Thaksin for his populist policies while in office, and see current Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva as a puppet for an unelected elite.

Abhisit took office in 2008 through a parliamentary vote, after court rulings brought down two successive pro-Thaksin governments in the same year.

Paul Chambers, senior research fellow at Heidelberg University in Germany, said campaigning for the next election could potentially see "a lot of violence".

"Eventually, some political event may take place... which will cause a political vacuum to occur and Thailand may begin to find itself in the throes of the outset of a low-intensity civil war," he added.

A regional police source in northern Thailand, who asked not to be named, said he believed the threat level was low at the moment.

But he said there was uncertainty about the future, particularly in light of perceived double standards in recent Thai constitutional court rulings that enabled the ruling Democrats to escape a political ban.

"Maybe they are disappointed, maybe they'll get angry," he said of the Reds.

In Chiang Mai, Thaksin's home town, Sucha Channam laid out a grizzly display of photographs taken on April 10 -- the day he was shot twice -- as he prepared to go back to the capital for one of the recent peaceful Red rallies.

One image showed Samai, who was also wounded that day.

The pair went their separate ways after the protest and Sucha stressed that he does not condone violence.

"I went to pressure the government to disband with no weapon, nothing. So I do feel angry, but I do not want revenge," he said.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-12-28

[jayjay0]

It is a unfortunate fact that many people after losing in a confrontation rather than try to learn for it just get angry.

Let us fast forward to today. Yes the spring peaceful unarmed rally showed a split in the Thai political system. That is a fact in every country in the world No big news that.

I would like to propose that had it not been openly shown in a violent way Thailand would not be putting as much effort into healing it as they are today.

Today we still have many of the same people in opposition. There problem being that there past actions make them some what more transparent. Today much of Thailand is aware of them but thanks to there transparency more willing to sit back and laugh and shake there head at them. There ability to bring about violence has been greatly reduced.

There goes Mr T again and O look over ther Mr J is performing again. O look the red shirts have a new leader who wants nothing to do with her Benefactor. The list go's on.

In short sorrowful as it was it has started Thailand on the road to harmony. A long and diffacult road but we are finnaly on it with many set backs yet to be over come on the route.

[geriatrickid]

Retired microbiology lecturer Thida Thavornseth, the new acting chairwoman of the group -- officially called the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD)

This must be a mistake. According to the experts of TVF, the leaders of these groups are all whiskey swilling uneducated rabble rousing men. Look at that. A woman, an educated woman at that and a retired microbiology lecturer. I think I'm in love. (well, ok maybe not if she's like really old .) If she lectured at one of the medical schools, chances are she worked at the associated teaching hospital and probably did the lab work for a few TV members. Fancy that.

[Northman061]

In the end the Army will have the final vote on who is allowed to run the country........

[SomTumTiger]

Sarcasm aside - this was the first decent face of the UDD to emerge - once they scraped off the upper layer of scum.

Retired microbiology lecturer Thida Thavornseth, the new acting chairwoman of the group -- officially called the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD)

This must be a mistake. According to the experts of TVF, the leaders of these groups are all whiskey swilling uneducated rabble rousing men. Look at that. A woman, an educated woman at that and a retired microbiology lecturer. I think I'm in love. (well, ok maybe not if she's like really old .) If she lectured at one of the medical schools, chances are she worked at the associated teaching hospital and probably did the lab work for a few TV members. Fancy that.

[bailly]

In the end the Army will have the final vote on who is allowed to run the country........

I second that!

[jayjay0]

In the end the Army will have the final vote on who is allowed to run the country........

I second that!

the facts to prove it. You forgot them. I already know about throwing Thaksin out. Something today please.

I will take silence as a I don't have any.

That would be sad because I am not even on the witch hunt and I can come up with 2.incidents to make it look that way. Not prove it.

[Buchholz]

Retired microbiology lecturer Thida Thavornseth, the new acting chairwoman of the group -- officially called the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD)

This must be a mistake. According to the experts of TVF, the leaders of these groups are all whiskey swilling uneducated rabble rousing men. Look at that. A woman, an educated woman at that and a retired microbiology lecturer. I think I'm in love.

Knock yourself out..

The disappointing aspect to her supposed leadership position is that she isn't.

Recent comments by Jatuporn and other Red Shirts seem to show the status quo amongst the Red Leaders.

[dumpling]

Lets Just put the past behind us and hope that 2011 does not hold more of the same , happy new year to all.

[Buchholz]

His wife Buakam Muangma does not believe her husband -- who the authorities say was renting the room where the blast is thought to have been accidentally sparked by a bomb-maker -- was capable of making an explosive device.

He was apparently capable, but just not very good at controlling it.

Probably wouldn't hurt to remind people that Red Shirt Samai

also killed three innocent people along with himself:

Edited December 28, 2010 by Buchholz

[whybother]

In the end the Army will have the final vote on who is allowed to run the country........

The army organised the elections in 2001 and let Thaksin organise them in 2005 and 2006. It is only when Thaksin didn't organise new elections after 2006 that the army stepped in. They then organised new elections within about a year, which Thaksin's team won again until they were disbanded because of getting caught committing blatant electoral fraud.

The army doesn't have a problem who leads the country, as long as it isn't someone that tries to circumvent the checks and balances by putting people he controls in charge of the country's institutions.

[Siam Simon]

In the end the Army will have the final vote on who is allowed to run the country........

The army organised the elections in 2001 and let Thaksin organise them in 2005 and 2006. It is only when Thaksin didn't organise new elections after 2006 that the army stepped in. They then organised new elections within about a year, which Thaksin's team won again until they were disbanded because of getting caught committing blatant electoral fraud.

The army doesn't have a problem who leads the country, as long as it isn't someone that tries to circumvent the checks and balances by putting people he controls in charge of the country's institutions.

The Army had martial law in most of the PPP strongholds during the 2007 election and made life difficult for PPP politicians. In the same elections, the Army brass encouraged (to say the least) it's rank and file to vote Democrat. After the Army brass 'brokered' (euphemism) the current coalition into power, the then Army Chief Gen Anupong announced that he would be looking at ways of helping increase the Democrats' popularity in regions where their support was low......and it goes on and on. Attempts to portray the armed forces as impartial would be comically absurd if it wasn't such a tragedy for the country.

[jayjay0]

In the end the Army will have the final vote on who is allowed to run the country........

The army organised the elections in 2001 and let Thaksin organise them in 2005 and 2006. It is only when Thaksin didn't organise new elections after 2006 that the army stepped in. They then organised new elections within about a year, which Thaksin's team won again until they were disbanded because of getting caught committing blatant electoral fraud.

The army doesn't have a problem who leads the country, as long as it isn't someone that tries to circumvent the checks and balances by putting people he controls in charge of the country's institutions.

The Army had martial law in most of the PPP strongholds during the 2007 election and made life difficult for PPP politicians. In the same elections, the Army brass encouraged (to say the least) it's rank and file to vote Democrat. After the Army brass 'brokered' (euphemism) the current coalition into power, the then Army Chief Gen Anupong announced that he would be looking at ways of helping increase the Democrats' popularity in regions where their support was low......and it goes on and on. Attempts to portray the armed forces as impartial would be comically absurd if it wasn't such a tragedy for the country.

Your point of view is saying Thaksin raping the country was OK stopping him was a tragedy.

So much for concern for your fellow country men.

I suppose you are proposing that after the police proved unable to stop the red shirts the army should have stayed out of it.

[Siam Simon]

Your point of view is saying Thaksin raping the country was OK stopping him was a tragedy.

So much for concern for your fellow country men.

I suppose you are proposing that after the police proved unable to stop the red shirts the army should have stayed out of it.

If ever we had a classic example of putting two and two together and getting five, the above post has to come fairly close to it .

[jayjay0]

Your point of view is saying Thaksin raping the country was OK stopping him was a tragedy.

So much for concern for your fellow country men.

I suppose you are proposing that after the police proved unable to stop the red shirts the army should have stayed out of it.

If ever we had a classic example of putting two and two together and getting five, the above post has to come fairly close to it .

Some day you might learn how to answer a question. In the mean time keep on running when you are called on your BS. You do it well.

Fact is with out the army actions we would be in big trouble.

[whybother]

In the end the Army will have the final vote on who is allowed to run the country........

The army organised the elections in 2001 and let Thaksin organise them in 2005 and 2006. It is only when Thaksin didn't organise new elections after 2006 that the army stepped in. They then organised new elections within about a year, which Thaksin's team won again until they were disbanded because of getting caught committing blatant electoral fraud.

The army doesn't have a problem who leads the country, as long as it isn't someone that tries to circumvent the checks and balances by putting people he controls in charge of the country's institutions.

The Army had martial law in most of the PPP strongholds during the 2007 election and made life difficult for PPP politicians. In the same elections, the Army brass encouraged (to say the least) it's rank and file to vote Democrat. After the Army brass 'brokered' (euphemism) the current coalition into power, the then Army Chief Gen Anupong announced that he would be looking at ways of helping increase the Democrats' popularity in regions where their support was low......and it goes on and on. Attempts to portray the armed forces as impartial would be comically absurd if it wasn't such a tragedy for the country.

How did it make life difficult for the PPP? Did it stop them cheating again?

The army isn't just Gen. Anupong. The army has plenty of Thaksin supporters too.

[SomTumTiger]

Discover the ignore function all, it makes life more sabai

[hyperdimension]

the then Army Chief Gen Anupong announced that he would be looking at ways of helping increase the Democrats' popularity in regions where their support was low.

I hope they help this time around too, and they need to do a better job of it.

[Siam Simon]

Your point of view is saying Thaksin raping the country was OK stopping him was a tragedy.

So much for concern for your fellow country men.

I suppose you are proposing that after the police proved unable to stop the red shirts the army should have stayed out of it.

If ever we had a classic example of putting two and two together and getting five, the above post has to come fairly close to it .

Some day you might learn how to answer a question. In the mean time keep on running when you are called on your BS. You do it well.

Fact is with out the army actions we would be in big trouble.

And someday you might learn how to ask a question. I'll give you a start: Try putting a question mark at the end of a sentence. After I provided some evidence to another poster of the Army's interference in politics, your reply contained a suggestion that I have a POV about Thaksin that I don't have, some baseless nonsense about my concern for other people, and your supposition that I am proposing something that I'm not. You do make a habit of going off at the deep end in a rather crazy fashion on this forum, don't you jayjay?