Red Shirts Need To Be Pacified First

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

Reds need to be pacified first

By Avudh Panananda

The Nation

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's leadership qualities, the country's economic woes and the bloody crackdown on the red-shirt movement are emerging as hot issues that will dominate the upcoming elections.

Judging from Abhisit's remarks, the House will most likely be dissolved soon after next week's censure debate to pave the way for balloting within 45 to 60 days. Pending an agreement between the Election Commission and Abhisit, elections should be held between late May and early June.

Looking at the individuals and topics targeted for the censure debate, it is clear that the Pheu Thai Party is planning to exploit the flaws of the Democrat Party as a springboard to grab power.

If those targeted in the censure and the topics are any indication, then it is clear that the Pheu Thai Party is planning to exploit the flaws of the Democrat Party as a springboard to grab power.

The Pheu Thai-Democrat race is not a contest to offer policy choices to voters, but more an attempt to wrest power by mud slinging and character assassinations.

The prospects of Thai politics seem bleak because politicians are preoccupied with settling old scores rather than looking for ways to help the country go forward.

The main opposition party and the red-shirt movement want to go back to the "good old days" during the Thaksin Shinawatra regime.

The Democrats see Pheu Thai as Thaksin's shadow instead of a bona fide opposition party tasked to reflect on government performance.

The People's Alliance for Democracy and its offshoot New Politics Party, meanwhile, are becoming politically righteous. Even if the incumbent politicians were to be banished altogether, it is still doubtful that a pool of honest and capable successors will emerge to thwart a power vacuum.

Politicians try to fault one another. They are so deeply mired in fractious politics that they forget they are duty-bound to lead and inspire the people.

Over the past few weeks, the red shirts have put up banners undermining Abhisit's leadership as Pheu Thai MPs get ready to portray the premier as an incompetent leader who is a good talker but has no tangible achievements.

As a skilful orator, Abhisit should not have any difficulties rebutting the censure charges and repelling attempts made to tarnish his reputation. While campaigning for votes, Pheu Thai candidates and Democrats will be engaged in a war of words rather than a policy debate to help voters make an informed decision.

If the Democrats had it their way, the poll date would be advanced forward as much as possible. Based on election candidates and campaign platforms, the ruling party should be well ahead of the opposition.

However, it appears that its chances are fast diminishing. Poor supervision leading to the shortage of palm oil has made a big dent in the popularity stakes. The Democrat Party disappointed its Bangkok constituents by failing to provide an adequate supply of palm oil in a speedy manner.

The prices of oil, food and consumer products are bound to soar. The Democrats are relying on a depleting oil fund to intervene in the diesel price with the hope of holding the cost of transportation in check and delaying the inevitable rise in the cost of living.

In the face of rising prices, any delay in voting will work in the opposition's favour.

Another crucial campaign issue that the Democrats should not overlook is the growing red-shirt movement. The red shirts will no doubt dog Abhisit and the Democrats over the blood spilled during last year's crackdown.

The number of red-shirt supporters has been steadily growing in the wake of the May 2010 crackdown. The past two rallies have had tens of thousands of red shirts show up, and up to 30,000 protesters are expected to be at the Democracy Monument protest on Saturday.

In the meantime, politics will stay off course unless the government manages to pacify the reds.

-- The Nation 2011-03-08

[yellow1red1]

summary - it's a big mess

[thaikahuna]

Pacified? You don't pacify law-breakers and terrorists.

[jayboy]

Pacified? You don't pacify law-breakers and terrorists.

That's no way to talk about the Thai army.Sure they launched an illegal coup and then pardoned themselves.Ok they are thoroughly corrupt and incompetent but "terrorist" is too harsh a term.

[asiawatcher]

First this... " ... The prospects of Thai politics seem bleak because politicians are preoccupied with settling old scores rather than looking for ways to help the country go forward."

Then this " ... Could it only be wished Khun Panananda's words will fall on all Thai ears and allow them to work towards a better Thailand?

Thai politicians by and large are a disgrace by definition of representing the people and there is no avoiding that fact!

Edited March 8, 2011 by asiawatcher

[Robroy]

Be nice if the Reds could ditch Thaksin, as they do have many legitimate grievances - namely a system stacked against the poor in favour of a kleptocracy.

[Godolphin]

Pacified? You don't pacify law-breakers and terrorists.

Who makes the laws?

Remember the old "golden rule"?

Those who have the gold make the laws.

Hitler made laws once, So did every dictator and despot in history.

Just have a look at Burma and its "laws."

Many Thais IMHO are sick of the old system and want some more of the action despite "laws" enacted by a government in office thanks to the military elite and accountable to that elite.

Social change is not always a peaceful process. Just look at the American Civil War, the French Revolution, the recent events in North Africa.

[whybother]

Pacified? You don't pacify law-breakers and terrorists.

Who makes the laws?

Remember the old "golden rule"?

Those who have the gold make the laws.

Hitler made laws once, So did every dictator and despot in history.

Just have a look at Burma and its "laws."

Many Thais IMHO are sick of the old system and want some more of the action despite "laws" enacted by a government in office thanks to the military elite and accountable to that elite.

Social change is not always a peaceful process. Just look at the American Civil War, the French Revolution, the recent events in North Africa.

Didn't the elite government of Thaksin's TRT make some of the laws used against the red shirts last year?

[rubl]

begin removed, mostly statements without much value ...

Many Thais IMHO are sick of the old system and want some more of the action despite "laws" enacted by a government in office thanks to the military elite and accountable to that elite.

Social change is not always a peaceful process. Just look at the American Civil War, the French Revolution, the recent events in North Africa.

As yet another opinion I will not comment on too much, but I just happen to have a different opinion.

Many Thai are indeed looking for a more open democratic model where participation is not just a right on paper, but also in practice. Till now elite of any and many colours and old & new have been able to get their way as they used to. Change has been slow, but mostly steady. It's unfortunate that the original red-shirts have had their cause hijacked by UDD, PTP and k. Thaksin. All we hear is 'bring back Thaksin', 'accountability' (for the others), etc., etc.

To compare the Thai situation with some historical events and the current North African / Arabian changes is a bit misleading. The unrest in March - May 2010 did not lead to many changes, the protesters were seen as violent agitators rather than 'democracy fighters'. Neither UN, ICC or major countries really care, they see it as an internal struggle between two types of elite. Poor common people, shafted as usual, by both sides as well. Good as cannon fodder for the elite. Remember k. Jatuporn saying 'I'll fight on till the last drop of blood', may be he didn't mention it wouldn't be his

Edited March 8, 2011 by rubl

[philw]

Pacified? You don't pacify law-breakers and terrorists.

They are actually citizens of Thailand.

Que ?

[philw]

Pacified? You don't pacify law-breakers and terrorists.

That's no way to talk about the Thai army.Sure they launched an illegal coup and then pardoned themselves.Ok they are thoroughly corrupt and incompetent but "terrorist" is too harsh a term.

Nice one JB !!!

Terrorists don't use snipers for crowd control.

ph

[jdinasia]

Pacified? You don't pacify law-breakers and terrorists.

That's no way to talk about the Thai army.Sure they launched an illegal coup and then pardoned themselves.Ok they are thoroughly corrupt and incompetent but "terrorist" is too harsh a term.

Nice one JB !!!

Terrorists don't use snipers for crowd control.

ph

I am not sure that is true .... the men in black seem to be responsible for quite a few deaths on April 10th and they had snipers and were mingling freely with the reds. Snipers were reported inside the red controlled areas in May as well ... so apparently some terrorists DO use snipers (apparently for propaganda control, more than actually controlling the crowds though!)

[yoshiwara]

Pacified? You don't pacify law-breakers and terrorists.

Who makes the laws?

Remember the old "golden rule"?

Those who have the gold make the laws.

Hitler made laws once, So did every dictator and despot in history.

Just have a look at Burma and its "laws."

Many Thais IMHO are sick of the old system and want some more of the action despite "laws" enacted by a government in office thanks to the military elite and accountable to that elite.

Social change is not always a peaceful process. Just look at the American Civil War, the French Revolution, the recent events in North Africa.

'Those who have the gold make the rules' ? That would be Thaksin's mantra.

There is absolutely nothing, not one economic policy advocated by the Thaksin reds which amounts to a single element of social change.

On the contrary, all they want is to re-establish Thaksin's corruption as a pillar of the state.

Reds leading the working class? er no. reds leading the peasantry for land reform? er no.

Reds bamboozle for soggy liberals looking for that Viva Che! moment? Coming right up sir, just jump in this hole!

[yoshiwara]

Be nice if the Reds could ditch Thaksin, as they do have many legitimate grievances - namely a system stacked against the poor in favour of a kleptocracy.

The reds cannot ditch Thaksin. He pays their bills. And lets be clear here, he is their payoff.

They have no policies to split them from Thaksin either.

And anybody who makes vague generalisations about the poor Vs the rich understands very little about the possibilities of any class revolution, though it can be safely assumed that most of our friendly red cheerleaders though happy to wave the flag of a bourgeois revolution (how inane is that)are very careful not to wave the flag of a Bolshevik revolution (as if that is on the cards either). In the end its all cover for Thaksin. Very sad.

[Buchholz]

What's this about Red Shirts and pacifiers?