Does Thailand Stand To Gain Or Lose In The Face Of Agitation By Red And Yellow Shirts?

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BURNING ISSUE

ICC case? It's all theatre and PR fluff

By Avudh Panananda

The Nation

Does Thailand stand to gain or lose in the face of agitation by the red and yellow shirts? Today the People's Alliance for Democracy will lead the yellow shirts on to the streets in order to pressure the government to meet three demands related to the Thai-Cambodian border dispute.

Meanwhile, the Sombat Boonngam-anong faction of the red-shirt movement will also rally to demand justice and democracy, despite the reds holding a march on Sunday.

Public anxiety goes up a notch when red and yellow rallies converge. The yellow shirts will encamp at Makkhawan Bridge near Government House while the reds will rally at Democracy Monument, about two kilometres away on Rajdamnoen Avenue.

Next week, the mainstream reds led by Thida Thawornseth will finalise legal plans to file a complaint about injustice and last year's bloodshed at the International Criminal Court, in The Netherlands - which has no chance of being heard but is being done for show.

It is ironic that the red and yellow shirts are treating their country like a punching bag, in order to fight for causes which they believe will bring about a better and stronger Thailand. Under the norms of diplomacy and international politics, border negotiations take place behind closed doors. But the PAD has cited accountability, transparency and freedom of speech to justify its public debate on border issues.

Even though it takes both countries to sort out their common borders, the PAD has curiously focused its attack on the Abhisit Vejjajiva government as if the Thai side alone can make a unilateral decision on where Cambodian territory should be.

The yellow shirts are spearheading an "awareness" campaign over border areas near Preah Vihear Temple and at Sa Kaew, opposite Cambodia's Bantaey Meanchey, to voice concern about the risk of Thailand losing territory to Cambodia.

The yellow shirts have been releasing documents to back up their attack on PM Abhisit for his supposed mishandling of a border dispute, but their arguments could backfire and compromise Thailand's position in any future negotiations on boundary settlement. The belligerent noise generated by the yellow shirts will adversely impact on boundary talks. The two neighbouring countries need an amicable atmosphere to settle their borderline.

Since border agreements are the legacy of the colonial era, Thailand is already in a disadvantageous position. Thai forebears made a painful sacrifice to shed land in order to safeguard independence.

If the yellow shirts are true patriots, then they should carefully weigh the pros and cons of what they are doing, particularly their marshalling of lopsided information on the World Court verdict on Preah Vihear and their reference on the location of border marker No 46 at Sa Kaew.

Of the three demands, the yellow shirts aim to cancel the 2000 memorandum of understanding prescribing negotiations as a way to resolve the borderline. The cancellation of negotiations could end up in military confrontation. But any armed conflict with Cambodia would certainly bring about international intervention. Can the yellow shirts guarantee their fellow compatriots that Thailand will win support from the international community after bullying its smaller neighbour?

Just like the yellow rivals, the red shirts have invoked democracy to justify their struggle. The judicial process has not been exhausted in regard to last year's bloodshed but the red shirts say they want to air their grievances at the International Criminal Court, despite the fact it only ever hears cases such as genocide and crimes against humanity.

Last century, Thais fought hard to overturn extraterritorial jurisdiction imposed by foreign powers. Their descendants, however, claim they can only rely on international courts as they refuse to listen to one another or trust in their own judiciary.

Critics say the reds have no chance of launching a case in the ICC. They overlook the reds' real intent - they just want to embarrass the government.

-- The Nation 2011-01-25

[SouthernMan3]

What a dumb question.

[spidermike007]

This is the most stupid article I have ever seen on ThaiVisa. Of course it is going to hurt. How could it help? It is considered nothing but a sign of instability to the outside world. Thailand has to figure out a way to gain control of these parties, and their desire to demonstrate. Though Thaksin was disliked by many, he did figure out a way to reach the less fortunate amongst the Thais. Why are other politicians not able to figure this out? Holding early elections would have been a historic opportunity, for Abhisit, back in May. It would have required courage, but it would have been the right thing to do.

[mogoso]

Burning Issue? They ought to burn the story. Its a big duh! of course it'll hurt Thailand

[OzMick]

Funny, but no other countries government seems to agree that giving in to the demands of armed terrorists is "the right thing to do." I wonder why?<br>

[jayjay0]

Funny, but no other countries government seems to agree that giving in to the demands of armed terrorists is "the right thing to do." I wonder why?<br>

Beware a red shirt in sheep's clothing.

The idea that the red shirts were justified in there actions is so ridicules that only the die hard red shirt's hang on to it.:jap:

And there to embasressed to be open about it.:cheesy:

Edited January 25, 2011 by jayjay0

[rubl]

Just a reminder. Don't forget to tune in tomorrow !

"Thida Thawornseth, acting chairwoman of the red shirt movement, told a press conference that a meeting of red shirt leaders agreed to "heighten our fight to the world court level".

She said that the red shirts decided to "seek justice" regarding the government crackdown on the red shirt protesters in May last year by appointing Amsterdam to represent them in bringing their case to the International Criminal Court.

The ICC prosecutes individuals for crimes against humanity and similar crimes.

On January 31, a press conference will be held through a video-link from overseas about the move to sue the Thai government, according to Thida."

(From an announcement made on the 19th of January 2010)

[animatic]

Lose.

[SerpentSea]

Since border agreements are the legacy of the colonial era, Thailand is already in a disadvantageous position. Thai forebears made a painful sacrifice to shed land in order to safeguard independence.

...

The cancellation of negotiations could end up in military confrontation. But any armed conflict with Cambodia would certainly bring about international intervention. Can the yellow shirts guarantee their fellow compatriots that Thailand will win support from the international community after bullying its smaller neighbour?

...

Just like the yellow rivals, the red shirts have invoked democracy to justify their struggle. The judicial process has not been exhausted in regard to last year's bloodshed but the red shirts say they want to air their grievances at the International Criminal Court, despite the fact it only ever hears cases such as genocide and crimes against humanity.

Last century, Thais fought hard to overturn extraterritorial jurisdiction imposed by foreign powers. Their descendants, however, claim they can only rely on international courts as they refuse to listen to one another or trust in their own judiciary.

What for a strange line of arguments.

First quoted paragraph reminds us that that the evil FOREIGNERS are to blame and in order to stay the proud land of the free Thailand had to give land away to the colonialist so that they stay away at the other side of the border. So somehow it could be still actually it still belong to if there weren't any foreigners around.

Next quoted paragraph talks about to possibility of an armed conflict. Biggest concern in that case - FOREIGN INTERVENTION and that Thailand might not win the support of the international community or that at least the yellows can not guarantee it that the foreign world will understand.

The last paragraph questions the red shirt activities. Their case is not the issue or if they have a case at all or a right to complain, but one thing the red do they do definitely wrong, they dare to ask FOREIGNERS to look a Thai issue. Have these reds forgotten Thailands history and that the foreigners are evil? So goes the argument.

And meanwhile it seems clear that the red would not succeed to bring their case to the ICC the reds would still damage the reputation of the government/Thailand. But how is that possible. If the government did nothing wrong they should not be worried about international attention And if there was something wrong it would be wrong to keep quiet about it. The truth should be revealed even if current leader may lose face and not a history version created that makes Thailand best looking and heaven forbid never tell any foreigner what is behind the façade.

[SomTumTiger]

Does anyone in the newspaper office realize that both the Reds and Yellows are "Lost Causes"? Neither can muster real popular support, especially since the election is going to be held soon. They are both toilet paper stuck on the shoe of the person who just walked out of the bathroom.