As Abhisit Limps Out, Yingluck's At The Old Trapdoor

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STOPPAGE TIME

As Abhisit limps out, Yingluck's at the old trapdoor

By Tulsathit Taptim

Okay, you Democrat fans, it's time to go easy with your status updates, which depressed me to shreds over the past two days.

Abhisit Vejjajiva is not going anywhere, and you will see the best of him speaking from the opposition corner of the House floor. The bright side is he will no longer have to worry about Newin Chidchob so much, and as much as I doubt Chuwit Kamolvisit, seeing him team up with Abhisit could be a real treat.

To the Pheu Thai camp and the red shirts, congratulations. The manner of Abhisit's downfall couldn't have been sweeter. After a combination of a coup, prolonged protests, seizures of Government House and the international airport, street violence and countless court rulings against his political opponents installed him as prime minister, he has been swept away in one clean stroke of a democratic exercise. "Unconstitutional" powers have been given a hard, resounding lesson.

Pheu Thai fans, please also log off from Facebook if you can. Governments come and go so don't let the thin line between ideology and obsession become blurred. At the end of the day (and this applies to all other colours as well), politicians don't care more about us than do our relatives, friends or colleagues.

On one hand, Abhisit's decision to quit as leader of the Democrat Party seemed swift. On the other, his departure, temporary or not, was always a matter of time. The Democrats did not do too badly on Sunday given the number of parliamentary seats won. It was the manner of the Pheu Thai Party's resurgence and the opposition camp's success in the party list contest that blended into a knockout blow. To add to that, Abhisit was still reeling from what happened in April and May last year, and no matter how resilient he appeared, the stigma of being dubbed a "murderer" is never an easy thing to deal with.

The story behind Abhisit's fall from grace is and will always be a murky one. Of course, the flaws and errors are there - and, some may say, in abundance. Did he come to power controversially? Yes. Did he tolerate corruption in his government? Yes, and his Facebook explanation was nowhere near good enough. Did his administration mishandle the red shirts' uprising, its prelude and aftermath? Probably. Did he get mixed up over the Preah Vihear Temple affair? Quite likely.

But, whether or not this matters now, Abhisit is not a killer. He's not the type of politician who can plot political killings to serve his own interests, and we should give the man that much. There was some truth in the rhetoric spun out with characteristic eloquence at the Ratchaprasong intersection two days before the election, and that was his statement that if some people had really been marking protesters for death, he was not one of those who planned it.

I believe that, not only because we witnessed his patience (or "indecisiveness", as the yellow shirts called it), pleas, vulnerability and efforts to reach out to protesters during the fiery crisis, but also because simple logic tells us political deaths would do him no good. People died at Ratchaprasong, but we have to be careful whom we blame, because the dead can't be lied to and their innocent sacrifices shall not be distorted for anyone's gain.

As for Yingluck, she's a new face knocking on an old trapdoor - the issue of the democratic mandate and how it should be used. It will be difficult to shake off her big brother's looming shadow, but she must never treat the overwhelming vote the Pheu Thai Party received on Sunday as a blank cheque, or things will be much harder for Thailand's first female prime minister.

Victories like this used to be a political fairy tale come true for Thaksin Shinawatra and for Samak Sundaravej. Many factors mixed and turned them into a nightmare, but the biggest one was the two leaders' failure to discriminate between what the mandate allowed them to do and what simply couldn't be done. The best way for Yingluck to reconcile Thailand is focus on what a government is really supposed to do, and that is to serve national interests.

Half of the "shield" has been completed for Yingluck after Sunday, and that is good news for Thai democracy. Whether or how the other half will be formed depends on what she does. Dubbed a female white knight by her supporters, she can even be more than that. As long as she knows the potential chinks in her armour, that is.

-- The Nation 2011-07-06

[Mosha]

91 people he is a murderer. What does that make our man in Dubai with his 3000 plus then?

[jayboy]

At last an article (by Khun Tulsathit) that all people of good will can agree on (apart from the inveterate haters on both sides)

Here is another one from the Guardian (Khun Thitinan).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/05/yingluck-shinawatra-thailand

Both articles reject the proposition that in Thailand politics is a zero sum game, that is to the winner go all the spoils.

[animatic]

No, just most of the spoils,

and they make every effort to increase their share.

[jayboy]

No, just most of the spoils,

and they make every effort to increase their share.

As I said one must exclude the inveterate haters on both sides, but there's hope their poison will be ineffective if Thais of good will -from all sides - join together in the country's interests

[wackysleet]

91 people he is a murderer. What does that make our man in Dubai with his 3000 plus then?

Undoubtedly a murderer Steve but in a lot of peoples views the end justified the means {not in my opinion}, drug dealers without doubt have directly killed more over the years and drugs are so widespread now that no minister has even begun to scratch the surface or come up with an effective plan to combat the massive increase.

Every week we hear of drug hauls being found on their way from Chiang Rai to the rest of the country, recently during a drugs bust 3 policemen/ DEAs were killed.

I have a house in shit city that I visit from time to time and yaba is rife there, the city that is, I have business interests in Patong and it's the same there. Someone needs to come up with an effective way of eradicating drugs and the dealers, what about the police doing their jobs I hear someone say, please dont make me laugh.

[wackysleet]

No, just most of the spoils,

and they make every effort to increase their share.

Are you saying then that the Democrats are as guilty of having their snouts in the trough as the previously elected party.

I am not a fan of any party and believe Mr. Abhisit to be inept and a weak character but do not believe he is a crook but certainly failed to keep at least one other important member of his party in check and not to mention his main coalition partner.

I believe all parties in this country are corrupt, it is in the way people are brought up in this and most if not all Asian cultures that it is an acceptable normal practice.

[KireB]

As I said one must exclude the inveterate haters on both sides, but there's hope their poison will be ineffective if Thais of good will -from all sides - join together in the country's interests

Funny how easily you believe the election blah blah.

Thai are very egocentric when it comes their country's interests.

Its all about their own family circle and nothing else matters.

Vote buying ,from whatever side, is rife.

Well it takes 2 to tango, doesn't it. One to sell its vote and one to buy it!

National interests? LOL!

It would be really interesting to see which percentage of these PT voters are actually paying tax in the name of the country's interests?

In my 'Thai' family, they certainly don't and are quite proud of it. They are heavily involved in the red charade and do not seem to see through populist schemes! The rules of the game are easy! Join together in the name of national interests? Great, let's start with paying tax and let theis tax percentage grow with 2% a year, till it reaches the levels necessary to be able to fulfill all the election lies !

[NALAK]

91 people he is a murderer. What does that make our man in Dubai with his 3000 plus then?

wonder how may people died from drugs supplied by the 3000, many forget or dont know what spured Thaskin to do that, he was put in a corner about the drug situation. he was asked publicly why can drug dealers be so strong so as to be able to shoot at our armies helicopters. he lost face at the speech. 3000 drug dealers dead well thats 3000 less murderers around for a start.as for the innocents wifes etc well th ewives would have been in on it, children well that was wrong but these dealers were supplying children.

Edited July 6, 2011 by NALAK

[hammered]

At last an article (by Khun Tulsathit) that all people of good will can agree on (apart from the inveterate haters on both sides)

Here is another one from the Guardian (Khun Thitinan).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/05/yingluck-shinawatra-thailand

Both articles reject the proposition that in Thailand politics is a zero sum game, that is to the winner go all the spoils.

Hi Jayboy. Long time.

In Thai politics to be there and to do or to oversee is important. After election victory maganinimity is often available. The weird thing in Thailand is will those defeated accept it. All we have now is a reset of who oversees what happens. What actually happens is available for negotiation in most cases. I think Abhisit gets it and some of the media, but the question is do "those who like to tell everyone including the elected government what they can and cant do" get it? The media and poltical parties are linked to the democratic process and get it mostly to a lesser or greater deal. The extra-parlaimentary forces forces may not and may not also realise how overstretched and exposed they are if they force things to far.

[jayboy]

Hi Jayboy. Long time.

In Thai politics to be there and to do or to oversee is important. After election victory maganinimity is often available. The weird thing in Thailand is will those defeated accept it. All we have now is a reset of who oversees what happens. What actually happens is available for negotiation in most cases. I think Abhisit gets it and some of the media, but the question is do "those who like to tell everyone including the elected government what they can and cant do" get it? The media and poltical parties are linked to the democratic process and get it mostly to a lesser or greater deal. The extra-parlaimentary forces forces may not and may not also realise how overstretched and exposed they are if they force things to far.

Yes clearly there's a danger of unelected elites interfering, notwithstanding that such meddling in politics by the military, "directed" courts and establishment feudalists has brought the country to the edge of disaster.The encouraging aspect is that at last a sense of enlightened self interest seems to be dawning, fortified by the awareness that the tricks and strategems to thwart the Thai people's elected choice are now well known (and thus more dangerous to deploy).Equally the new government has to honour its promising opening pledges.That means Thaksin must remain in exile and as quiet as possible for some time - two years or so? His presence in Thailand would be too divisive, and the country needs time to heal.

Some caveats

1.The Bangkok Sino-Thai middle class (Democrats mostly) need to become more mature.At the moment too many of them seem to regard the rural majority as something "other" and resent efforts to make life fairer (with their taxes).This is crucially different from say the UK where the rich South may vote Tory and resent the "welfare culture" of the generally Labour voting North.But there is no question when push comes to shove the South recognises the poorer North as culturally the same - fellow Brits who they may complain about but still ...people basically the same as us.I seriously doubt whether this applies to the same extent in Thailand where Bangkok middle class has often erupted into racist hysteria.

2.Despite my sense there is a more intelligent attitude emerging among the elite, there are still worries about the Thai military.If there was ever an organisation that needed root and branch reform, it surely must be the Thai military.

[OzMick]

91 people he is a murderer. What does that make our man in Dubai with his 3000 plus then?

wonder how may people died from drugs supplied by the 3000, many forget or dont know what spured Thaskin to do that, he was put in a corner about the drug situation. he was asked publicly why can drug dealers be so strong so as to be able to shoot at our armies helicopters. he lost face at the speech. 3000 drug dealers dead well thats 3000 less murderers around for a start.as for the innocents wifes etc well th ewives would have been in on it, children well that was wrong but these dealers were supplying children.

Oh yes, nothing wrong with a little(?) extra-judicial murder, pity some of those who ended up face down in the mud were innocent of any connection with drugs, just a little collateral damage, eh?

Next year they are proposing a war on pedophilia, especially farangs, and will shoot out-of-hand any farang suspected of this vile crime. I'm sure the move will have your full support. I just hope there haven't been any children seen around your house.

[jfchandler]

To compare Abhisit and Thaksin is like comparing night and day...

Whatever one thinks of his actual government policies, what led to Thaksin's original downfall was his own substantial efforts at personal self-enrichment at the expense of the Thai government and people. Last time I checked, there were something like 7 or 9 different legal cases in various stages pending against him, including the one conviction for conflict of interest.

On the other hand, while he clearly failed to reign in corruption among his allies or do much to limit it in the broader Thai government, I've seen nothing to suggest that Abhisit in any way used his term as PM to enrich himself. And rather than being a "murderer," if anything, it was his own personal abiding restraint (some would say inaction) in dealing with the Red riots and takeover of Bangkok -- thus letting the situation grow and escalate -- that probably contributed to the ultimate end and the casualties incurred.

With the election now decided and Yingluck headed toward being PM, the main question is will her election mark a return to the family's old ways of government sponsored self-enrichment.... or will they take a wildly improbable change of direction and actually focus on actions and policies that benefit Thailand and the Thai people at large... If past history is any judge, the odds of that don't seem promising.

[wolfmanjack]

To compare Abhisit and Thaksin is like comparing night and day...

Whatever one thinks of his actual government policies, what led to Thaksin's original downfall was his own substantial efforts at personal self-enrichment at the expense of the Thai government and people. Last time I checked, there were something like 7 or 9 different legal cases in various stages pending against him, including the one conviction for conflict of interest.

On the other hand, while he clearly failed to reign in corruption among his allies or do much to limit it in the broader Thai government, I've seen nothing to suggest that Abhisit in any way used his term as PM to enrich himself. And rather than being a "murderer," if anything, it was his own personal abiding restraint (some would say inaction) in dealing with the Red riots and takeover of Bangkok -- thus letting the situation grow and escalate -- that probably contributed to the ultimate end and the casualties incurred.

With the election now decided and Yingluck headed toward being PM, the main question is will her election mark a return to the family's old ways of government sponsored self-enrichment.... or will they take a wildly improbable change of direction and actually focus on actions and policies that benefit Thailand and the Thai people at large... If past history is any judge, the odds of that don't seem promising.

If the reds were unarmed peaceful protesters then i would blame abhisit for the deaths. Since that was not the case i applaud that he diffused the situation with only 91 deaths.

[hyperdimension]

People died at Ratchaprasong, but we have to be careful whom we blame, because the dead can't be lied to and their innocent sacrifices shall not be distorted for anyone's gain.

Not all deaths were "innocent sacrifices".

The deaths were repeatedly used by the UDD to smear Abhisit and the government for Pheu Thai's and Thaksin's own gain.

[hellodolly]

No, just most of the spoils,

and they make every effort to increase their share.

As I said one must exclude the inveterate haters on both sides, but there's hope their poison will be ineffective if Thais of good will -from all sides - join together in the country's interests

You can post any nonsense you want and not be called on it when you use the word IF. Try to post some facts with out it and leave your intolerance out of your posts.

Because some one does not like some thing that does not make them a hater of it. I did not like Abhist and if I was a Thai I would have voted for him because I genuinely care about Thailand.

You are in the political world now and your black and white outlook is not a good one to have in it. That is the road to hating. I have yet to see you post some thing good about posts animatic makes you always attack.

[hellodolly]

91 people he is a murderer. What does that make our man in Dubai with his 3000 plus then?

Undoubtedly a murderer Steve but in a lot of peoples views the end justified the means {not in my opinion}, drug dealers without doubt have directly killed more over the years and drugs are so widespread now that no minister has even begun to scratch the surface or come up with an effective plan to combat the massive increase.

Every week we hear of drug hauls being found on their way from Chiang Rai to the rest of the country, recently during a drugs bust 3 policemen/ DEAs were killed.

I have a house in shit city that I visit from time to time and yaba is rife there, the city that is, I have business interests in Patong and it's the same there. Someone needs to come up with an effective way of eradicating drugs and the dealers, what about the police doing their jobs I hear someone say, please dont make me laugh.

There will never be any thing done to eliminate the drug use here in Thailand. The police do there job in the states and the trade is still growing while the tax payers put out good money to support the dealers and even the people who just possess it for personal use.

Of course there is always the know nothings that think the police could stop it but that is just in there heads. If any one wants to do some thing about it they might take a look at the progress Portugal has made with the problem and they decreased there spending to do it.

In the mean time dream on.

[moe666]

I think jayboy is bit naive.

[ajarnmark]

91 people he is a murderer. What does that make our man in Dubai with his 3000 plus then?

Two wrongs can never make a right... n u agreed for having 91 murders... no one agreed to have 3,000 murders...

[geriatrickid]

One of the few unbiased opinion pieces to appear in the Nation. Former PM Abhisit is not a murderer, nor is the former PM Thaksin. The police and the military were responsible for the implementation of the war on drugs just as they were responsible for removing the redshirts in Bangkok and the yellowshirts at the airport and government buildings. In all cases there were errors, and misjudgement. It is a facile argument to blame the respective PMs at the time and allows the responsible parties to avoid responsibility. the fact of the matter is that many of the same senior officers involved in the drugs crackdown were also at the helm during the red and yellow shirt protests.

At least the Nation's opinion piece acknowledges the reality of the election victory and doesn't shy away from the failings of the Abhisit led Democrat government. However, the time has come to move on and to help the duly elected government as selected by the people of Thailand to get about its business and responsibilities. As good visitors/guests/non nationalised residents it is incumbent that we all do our part to try and make Thailand a better place. The move to betterment will not be facilitated by continual sniping and whining. Move forward to progress and to success. Look forward, not back.

Edited July 10, 2011 by geriatrickid

[moe666]

I guess we will soon find out how long, can't we just get along lasts.

[rubl]

91 people he is a murderer. What does that make our man in Dubai with his 3000 plus then?

Two wrongs can never make a right... n u agreed for having 91 murders... no one agreed to have 3,000 murders...

The 91 may or may not be 92, but what's one more if the 'war on drugs' had 1400++ with people arguing about the size of the plusses