Officials Should Not Try To Whitewash The Government; Thai Opinion

[webfact]

GUEST COLUMN

Officials should not try to whitewash the government

By Pavin Chachavalpongpun

Panitan Wattanayagorn, deputy secretary-general to the prime minister and acting government spokesperson, dropped by my institute in Singapore on June 3 to give a talk on the topic "Thailand's future after the election".

The objective of this talk was clear: to glorify the Democrat Party, rather than to discuss the future of Thailand as the title suggested.

His talk lasted for just over an hour, including a question and answer session. Many expected that, as the government's spokesperson, Panitan would have no problem in delivering a straightforward and well-thought-out speech. As it turned out, some of his statements were confusing, others simply surreal. He said that he was a government official and not a member of any political party. Yet, he continually spoke in favour of the Democrat Party.

Obviously, Panitan is launching a nationwide and international election campaign on behalf of the Democrats.

Unsurprisingly, there were two fundamental threads in Panitan's talk: eulogising the Democrat Party for its past success, and demonising the government's opponents. But while Panitan was keen to give his side of the story, he refused to answer some hard-hitting questions - questions that challenge the legitimacy of the government.

Panitan chose to look at the Thai political situation from late 2008 onward, the period after which the Democrat Party came to power. In so doing, it allowed him to ignore other significant political events in the pre-2008 period, such as the launching of the anti-Thaksin campaign by the yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) which led to the coup in 2006; the PAD's politicisation of the Preah Vihear Temple issue; and its occupation of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. Some of these political events were supported, or even participated in, by certain members of the Democrat Party.

Instead, Panitan reiterated an angelic image of the Democrat government. He could not emphasise enough the success of the Democrat Party's economic and social policies, including free education, cash handouts to poor Thais and an income-guarantee scheme for farmers.

Thailand under the Democrats was prosperous, he said, with the country's economic growth reaching 7.8 per cent in 2010, with only 1 per cent unemployment, despite the protracted political crisis. But Panitan could have avoided a lengthy and somewhat tedious elaboration on Abhisit's "impressive" programmes by just referring to Thaksin's past populist policies - since both are astonishingly similar to one another.

Panitan then embarked on attacking his government's opponents, not directly but through sarcastic rhetoric. For example, he reminded the audience that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was unable to deliver a policy statement to Parliament on December 31, 2008 because of a blockade by a group of anti-government demonstrators. To Panitan, this marked "the beginning of a long two years of struggle between the opposition and the government".

Panitan also said that the Democrat government wanted to pull Thailand out of a vicious circle of political protests, violence and instability that were "very much centred on the interests of only one man". It doesn't take a genius to understand that Panitan meant to say that Thaksin is behind all the bad things that have gone wrong in the kingdom over the last few years.

The government, according to Panitan, was sincere in wanting to restore peace and promote reconciliation, particularly after the deadly confrontations in Bangkok in May 2010. To demonstrate this, the state authorities decided to release some of the red-shirt core leaders from prison and permitted them to contest the upcoming election. Panitan said proudly that Abhisit had a clear idea at the beginning that he never wished to serve a full term but rather to return power to the Thai people, on the condition that the economy was strengthened and vital political reforms carried out. And Abhisit has kept his promise. In other words, Thailand was lucky to have a prime minister who was not power-hungry.

On top of that, according to Panitan, Abhisit enjoyed an amicable working relationship with the media. Panitan stated: "In all major decisions we made, we invited the media to come in and observe."

Ironically, Panitan swept under the carpet one shocking fact: Under the Abhisit regime, more than 113,000 websites had been blocked and over 300 Thais to date have been arrested for airing views that are different from those of the state.

As the focus was on the freedom of expression, an American scholar asked why Panitan was reluctant to talk about the contentious case of Thammasat University historian Somsak Jeamtheerasakul, who has been charged with lese-majeste, despite the fact that Abhisit once said that academic views were tolerated. Panitan admitted that the case was complicated, but pointed out, "No man is above the law in Thailand."

The glorification of the Democrat government was fulfilled at the expense of many critical issues facing Thailand being totally neglected. Panitan failed to discuss the ongoing conflict in the deep South, the long-drawn-out investigation of the brutal crackdown of May 2010 which led to 91 people being killed and more than 2,000 injured, the political intervention of the military, the reform of the royal institution and the repeated abuse of the lese-majeste law.

Analytically, Panitan's Singapore tour revealed a deep anxiety within the Democrat Party and its associates within the governing and elite circles. They live in fear that the power of electoral democracy will once again pose a serious threat to their entrenched position. When asked by a journalist if the Democrats and their backers would accept the election result this time around, Panitan did not say a word.

Never mind. His silence provided an answer to this intricate question.

Pavin Chachavalpongpun is a fellow at Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. The views expressed here are his own.

-- The Nation 2011-06-22

[toybits]

Interesting!!! Wery Wery Interesting!!!

[MILT]

This is what Pavin got out of the interview? It's his opinion OK and like the saying goes Opinions are like...................Everyone has one.

Edited June 22, 2011 by MILT

[MengWan]

I see this Pavin Chachavalpongpun hopes to get an official post in Thailand soon 5555

What is to "white wash" ?

This government has nothing to be ashamed of, on the contrary !

[landofthefree]

I see this Pavin Chachavalpongpun hopes to get an official post in Thailand soon 5555

What is to "white wash" ?

This government has nothing to be ashamed of, on the contrary !

What has this Government got to be ashamed of?

How about causing the deaths of hundreds of innocent people? How about its banning of thousands of websites?How about its jailing of 300 people who express different opinions to the State?How about cheating its way in saying that they don't trust Farrang as election monitors? How about deliberately causing divisions in Thai society as shown by their hugely provocative act tomorrow (only done because they are about to lose so they think than can provoke violence and cheat their way in again) How about bribing the military to support them?

Ok I agree with you apart from these things and a few hundred others they have nothing to be ashamed of

[animatic]

And on and on it goes.

Who is it always saying the Nation is siding with the Demsall the time? This opinion piece is not exactly a hagiography of the Dems. is it?

Edited June 22, 2011 by animatic

[whybother]

What has this Government got to be ashamed of?

How about causing the deaths of hundreds of innocent people? How about its banning of thousands of websites?How about its jailing of 300 people who express different opinions to the State?How about cheating its way in saying that they don't trust Farrang as election monitors? How about deliberately causing divisions in Thai society as shown by their hugely provocative act tomorrow (only done because they are about to lose so they think than can provoke violence and cheat their way in again) How about bribing the military to support them?

Ok I agree with you apart from these things and a few hundred others they have nothing to be ashamed of

Which "deaths of hundreds of innocent people" would they be? 91 people died during the 2010 red shirt protests. 20 or so of those were army personal. Some were bystanders killed by red shirt grenades. Many were red shirt protesters attacking army positions with various weapons, including guns.

Which "300 people who express different opinions to the State" would they be? I have no idea what you're talking about here.

When did they cheat their way in? Are you talking about them getting the support of a major block of ex-PPP MPs that had already decided not to join the PTP?

How do they provoke violence by having an election rally? The red shirts don't have to turn up to listen to him.

When did they bribe the military? Are you talking about the increase in military spending which is still below average for the region?

The divisions were there long before the Democrats were in government. The divisions started around 2005 when Thaksin changed laws (as PM) so that he could sell his company to the Singaporeans tax free.

[MengWan]

Which "deaths of hundreds of innocent people" would they be?

I bet he counts the guy who exploded himself when making a bomb among the "victims of Democrats" ?

[Asa]

Things that this government should be ashamed of:

1. Lacks of sincerity in reconciliation program

1.1 in negotiation with red-shirts from the start

1.2 in allowing delay tactic/ hiding of evident on fact finding mission of the bloody red-shirts dispersal by the military

1.3 in holding people in custody (jail) without trial, and no bails

2. On Allowing use of deadly force, provocation, and heavy war weapons/ armory on the protesters

3. On deny its responsibility of jointly causing deaths of so many protesters

4. Housing crooks, corrupted ministers and official in the office

4. In mishandling of commodities price, especially allowing cooking palm oil shortage and price increase

5. In accuse others of not being loyal to the monarchy

The wheel is turning around, we'll see.

[somo]

What has this Government got to be ashamed of?

How about causing the deaths of hundreds of innocent people? How about its banning of thousands of websites?How about its jailing of 300 people who express different opinions to the State?How about cheating its way in saying that they don't trust Farrang as election monitors? How about deliberately causing divisions in Thai society as shown by their hugely provocative act tomorrow (only done because they are about to lose so they think than can provoke violence and cheat their way in again) How about bribing the military to support them?

Ok I agree with you apart from these things and a few hundred others they have nothing to be ashamed of

Well put. The shooting of protesters, the huge amount of censorship plus misuse of laws to shut people up make the party name of Democrats a joke.

Despite controlling the media the Thai people can still see the truth and are getting ready to yet again dump them

but the so called democrats have no intention of letting the people decide who should govern and the army will once again forcibly organise another joke coalition unless of course the PTP get an overall majority in which case there will have to be a few court cases first in order to destroy that majority.

[hanuman1]

Here's an example - which happened only last night - of how a government deals with a gathering of hostile rioters armed with weapons - guns among them - without leaving itself open to accusations of murdering its own people.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13869210

See, it is possible.

Edited June 22, 2011 by hanuman1

[noahvail]

Here's an example - which happened only last night - of how a government deals with a gathering of hostile rioters armed with weapons - guns among them - without leaving itself open to accusations of murdering its own people.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...reland-13869210

See, it is possible.

Well, a grand total of 700 demonstrators against a force of well-trained and experienced riot police is a bit different from - how many thousands of red shirts were there? Against a force who wasn't properly trained for such an insurgency.

Apples and oranges, I think. Maybe a better comparison would be to show Yemen and Tunisia...

[samurai]

I see this Pavin Chachavalpongpun hopes to get an official post in Thailand soon 5555

What is to "white wash" ?

This government has nothing to be ashamed of, on the contrary !

Google up his name and read what Pavin has to say about Thaksin.

[rreddin]

Here's an example - which happened only last night - of how a government deals with a gathering of hostile rioters armed with weapons - guns among them - without leaving itself open to accusations of murdering its own people.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...reland-13869210

See, it is possible.

Well, a grand total of 700 demonstrators against a force of well-trained and experienced riot police is a bit different from - how many thousands of red shirts were there? Against a force who wasn't properly trained for such an insurgency.

Apples and oranges, I think. Maybe a better comparison would be to show Yemen and Tunisia...

The army was definitely not properly trained for this type of situation, but it was well armed with live ammunition and had the help of snipers in adjacent buildings. Apples and oranges? No, more like Oranges and Catholics.

[rubl]

Here's an example - which happened only last night - of how a government deals with a gathering of hostile rioters armed with weapons - guns among them - without leaving itself open to accusations of murdering its own people.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...reland-13869210

See, it is possible.

Well, a grand total of 700 demonstrators against a force of well-trained and experienced riot police is a bit different from - how many thousands of red shirts were there? Against a force who wasn't properly trained for such an insurgency.

Apples and oranges, I think. Maybe a better comparison would be to show Yemen and Tunisia...

The army was definitely not properly trained for this type of situation, but it was well armed with live ammunition and had the help of snipers in adjacent buildings. Apples and oranges? No, more like Oranges and Catholics.

With the Thai police force having failed miserably, or being reluctant to perform the task they were trained for, there were only two options. Let anarchy escalate, or call in the army. Even the army was caught off guard when on April 10th 2010 they tried to clear a protest. Grenades rained, people (and soldiers) panicked.

Of course the government is to blame, that's why we have a government. They should have special police units to infiltrate the UDD protesters long ago. Maybe they had, but those didn't perform as expected, like other police units?

With the whole world demanding the government takes it's responsibility (at least as far as Robert A. tells us) I'm only surprised the HRW report which says part of the blame is with UDD leaders, is studiously ignored. May be because some of those UDD leaders now happen to have become respectable PTP party list candidates? Red-shirts and ties?

[metisdead]

A post of a possible libellous/defammatory nature and a reply to it have been removed.

[khaowong1]

Business as usual in Thai politics. As far as rhetoric goes, politicians are the same world over. Look at the garbage that comes out of Obama's mouth, and out of the mouths of the Republicans also. For some reason, politicians can't call white - white or black - black. I think it's in their dna. Willie Shakespeare had it right, first we kill all the lawyers, then we start in on two-faced politicians. Shakespeare said the killing part, not me. I'm agains't killing, maybe branding them as liars and scalawags would be better.