Thai Democrats And PAD - An Alliance Gone Sour

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ANALYSIS

Democrats and PAD - an alliance gone sour

By THE NATION

The flare-up between the Democrats and People's Alliance for Democracy was long overdue. An intriguing YouTube video, a taunting question by Suthep Thaugsuban and a virtual olive branch from a PAD protest speaker to the red shirts have followed a long, tense period between the ruling party and the yellow-shirt movement. Both camps have burnt their bridges, but is there something deeper than that?

Democrat secretary-general Suthep tried to suggest there is. Yesterday, he all but asked Sondhi to come clean on where the PAD stands on the issue of Thaksin Shinawatra. "Sondhi led the street protests to oust Thaksin but today he appears to have taken Yingluck Shinawatra's side," Suthep said.

The Democrats have been upset about the PAD's "Vote No" campaign, but now they are trying publicly to make it look suspicious. Since the ruling party and PAD have similar support bases -middle-class, inner-city people - the more voters mark abstention on their ballots, the more it can affect the Democrats' chances in the election. Now, the party is openly saying that the "Vote No" campaign will directly help Thaksin's Pheu Thai Party.

The PAD has been complaining that the Democrats let it down, and now the political party must share responsibility if Thaksin is to make a political return thanks to the "Vote No" campaign. The movement has always begrudged the Democrats getting all the political windfall without playing a major role in Thaksin's ouster. The "Vote No" campaign, the PAD said, was only meant to reflect its disillusionment with all Thai politicians.

The Democrats could claim they have cause for suspicion, though. The PAD's response to attempts by other groups - namely the "multi-coloured" movement and former members of the Assets Examination Committee led by Kaewsun Atibodhi - to scrutinise Yingluck's role in Thaksin's case of alleged ill-gotten wealth has been lukewarm at best. The PAD of old would have amplified the scrutiny and cried foul over the presence of several red-shirt "terrorist suspects" on Pheu Thai's party list, but the present PAD has been unwavering in its attacks on Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The Democrat-PAD-Pheu Thai intrigue has intensified this week following the posting of a video, broken in 12 pieces, on youtube.com, exposing a veteran telecom businessman acting as the middleman for a politician and CAT Telecom executive in a telecom deal. The video was posted to purportedly show the influence of the leading political figure in the state-supervised telecom industry.

The video was posted months after a bidder filed a lawsuit in the Criminal Court. SACT Co Ltd named nine persons for malpractice in violation of the Criminal Code and the law governing employees of state agencies. The case, observers say, underlined intertwined political and business interests in the telecom industry and the vulnerability of state officials to political strong-handed tactics.

From the yellow-shirt camp the other day, meanwhile, a leading speaker made a tantalising comment, pointing to the possibility of a yellow-red partial cooperation after the election. He said the "Vote No" campaign would create political repercussions big enough to warrant a major change after the election, and that the PAD would welcome support from like-minded red shirts to strengthen the drive.

It should be known soon if the apparent re-alliance is serious, or if Thailand's divided politics has become firmly three-pronged. Those questioning the possibility of a red-yellow "merger" only have to check out where PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul's loyalty lay just seven years ago.

-- The Nation 2011-06-09

[geriatrickid]

Chickens come home to roost?

[Ricardo]

The PAD has been complaining that the Democrats let it down

'Boo-hoo, they weren't our puppet, as some had claimed & we had hoped'.

The PAD were a useful pressure-group, 'blowing the whistle' on corruption and mistakes by Thasksin/TRT, but that never gave them the right to dictate to a party or a government or a whole country. As they now know.

[OzMick]

Oh no! Mix red and yellow and get Orange. I'm sure that telco will be thrilled.

[Ricardo]

Oh no! Mix red and yellow and get Orange. I'm sure that telco will be thrilled.

I suspect that the T-shirt manufacturers might want to sponsor them !

[tragickingdom]

It was always an alliance that was doomed. But if you are Suthep and power horny, than you do everything what it takes to grab power. The yellow shirt policies are based on blackmail, they have no popular support at all when it comes to the numbers needed in a parliament. Chamlong already found that out when he did not get more than one seat in parliament after the bloody crackdown by the army where he was by the way belittled on TV by the elite from the moment.

There is nothing wrong to strive for a totally different system and although we may find their proposals appalling they are entitled to fight for it and entitled to free speech. The problem is however that due to the Yellow Shirt movement all Thais are living now in a virtual police state. If it takes a coalition between ultra left and ultra right to overthrow that police state model, so it be. The democrat party does not deserve anybody's support they needed corrupted courts to make it to power, while they boycotted a vote because they were too afraid to fight an election.

In the end the Red Shirts have far more in common with the Yellow Shirts than the yellows with the DP. Eliminate the de facto leaders from both parties and real business can be done.

[JAG]

In the end the Red Shirts have far more in common with the Yellow Shirts than the yellows with the DP. Eliminate the de facto leaders from both parties and real business can be done.

Coo, wouldn't half involve some interesting (metaphorical) gymnastic displays from some of the frequent posters on this board!!

[anterian]

I have always maintained that the Reds and Yellows have much in common, they both oppose the elitist control of this country. Thaksin was simply a renegade elite.

"Those questioning the possibility of a red-yellow "merger" only have to check out where PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul's loyalty lay just seven years ago."

For those unaware, Sondhi was Thaksin's buddy until Thaksin refused to bail him out of financial difficulties, so the relationship soured.

[anterian]

I have always maintained that real Reds and Yellows, not Sondhi or Thaksin followers, have much in common.

Sondhi and Thaksin were buddies, they fell out when Thaksin refused to bail Sondhi out of financial difficulties, the rest is history.

[whybother]

I have always maintained that the Reds and Yellows have much in common, they both oppose the elitist control of this country. Thaksin was simply a renegade elite.

"Those questioning the possibility of a red-yellow "merger" only have to check out where PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul's loyalty lay just seven years ago."

For those unaware, Sondhi was Thaksin's buddy until Thaksin refused to bail him out of financial difficulties, so the relationship soured.

I doubt that you would get many to agree that the yellows oppose elitist control of the country.

I agree that Thaksin was just a renegade elite, which is why the idea that the red shirt's uprising being a "poor vs elite" battle doesn't wash.

[anterian]

I have always maintained that the Reds and Yellows have much in common, they both oppose the elitist control of this country. Thaksin was simply a renegade elite.

"Those questioning the possibility of a red-yellow "merger" only have to check out where PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul's loyalty lay just seven years ago."

For those unaware, Sondhi was Thaksin's buddy until Thaksin refused to bail him out of financial difficulties, so the relationship soured.

I doubt that you would get many to agree that the yellows oppose elitist control of the country.

I agree that Thaksin was just a renegade elite, which is why the idea that the red shirt's uprising being a "poor vs elite" battle doesn't wash.

Then let me amend my comment, the working class and poor, Reds and Yellows, have much in common, including resentment of the elitists monopoly of power and wealth.

[jayboy]

I agree that Thaksin was just a renegade elite, which is why the idea that the red shirt's uprising being a "poor vs elite" battle doesn't wash.

It's much more than a poor versus elite issue, as I suspect the election results will prove beyond dispute.

The problem for those fixated by Thaksin hatred is that they can't get to grips with the fact that his significance was as a catalyst more than anything else.If he vanished off the face of the earth tomorrow, the elite couldn't force the genie back into the bottle.The old habits of deference which kept the Thai people more or less silent in the face of society's unfairness are vanishing fast.Nothing is going to be easy in the transition, not least the burden of reactionary and corrupt generals.But the final outcome is crystal clear.

[whybother]

I agree that Thaksin was just a renegade elite, which is why the idea that the red shirt's uprising being a "poor vs elite" battle doesn't wash.

It's much more than a poor versus elite issue, as I suspect the election results will prove beyond dispute.

The problem for those fixated by Thaksin hatred is that they can't get to grips with the fact that his significance was as a catalyst more than anything else.If he vanished off the face of the earth tomorrow, the elite couldn't force the genie back into the bottle.The old habits of deference which kept the Thai people more or less silent in the face of society's unfairness are vanishing fast.Nothing is going to be easy in the transition, not least the burden of reactionary and corrupt generals.But the final outcome is crystal clear.

If Thaksin vanished of the face of the earth tomorrow, there could be clear movement towards improving the life of the poor and the farmers, as Abhisit is already trying to do.

There are two issues here. Getting a better deal for the farmers and the poor, and getting Thaksin back into power. There isn't much opposition to getting a better deal for the farmers and poor (particularly on TV). The opposition is all based around Thaksin getting his crimes whitewashed and getting back into power.

Thaksin gave the farmers and poor a voice. They don't need him anymore, and they would get much more support without him. Without him, it would become a clear peoples movement, a la North Africa, but with him, it's just a fight between two groups of elite.

[jayboy]

If Thaksin vanished of the face of the earth tomorrow, there could be clear movement towards improving the life of the poor and the farmers, as Abhisit is already trying to do.

There are two issues here. Getting a better deal for the farmers and the poor, and getting Thaksin back into power. There isn't much opposition to getting a better deal for the farmers and poor (particularly on TV). The opposition is all based around Thaksin getting his crimes whitewashed and getting back into power.

Thaksin gave the farmers and poor a voice. They don't need him anymore, and they would get much more support without him. Without him, it would become a clear peoples movement, a la North Africa, but with him, it's just a fight between two groups of elite.

I tend to agree the rural majority don't need Thaksin any more.As you say he gave them a voice , and to that extent his role is completed.Whether the Democrats would have developed pro poor policies without Thaksin's catalytic influence is a matter for debate:I am seriously sceptical.The question for those who take your view is why the PTP is attracting so much support across classes and regions.I submit that the fixation with Thaksin has distracted attention from the far more important trend in Thai society, namely the dislike and boredom with the unelected elite that dominates the country.

[hanuman1]

If Thaksin vanished of the face of the earth tomorrow, there could be clear movement towards improving the life of the poor and the farmers, as Abhisit is already trying to do.

There are two issues here. Getting a better deal for the farmers and the poor, and getting Thaksin back into power. There isn't much opposition to getting a better deal for the farmers and poor (particularly on TV). The opposition is all based around Thaksin getting his crimes whitewashed and getting back into power.

Thaksin gave the farmers and poor a voice. They don't need him anymore, and they would get much more support without him. Without him, it would become a clear peoples movement, a la North Africa, but with him, it's just a fight between two groups of elite.

I tend to agree the rural majority don't need Thaksin any more.As you say he gave them a voice , and to that extent his role is completed.Whether the Democrats would have developed pro poor policies without Thaksin's catalytic influence is a matter for debate:I am seriously sceptical.The question for those who take your view is why the PTP is attracting so much support across classes and regions.I submit that the fixation with Thaksin has distracted attention from the far more important trend in Thai society, namely the dislike and boredom with the unelected elite that dominates the country.

Well put. And if Thaksin were to come back and start monopolizing power I would expect his support base to eventually diminish and turn into growing opposition movements just as we have seen against the unelected elite players of today.