Red Shirts Feelings Mixed On Pheu Thai Govt's Denial Of Ministerial Posts

[webfact]

Reds' feelings mixed on cabinet

By Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

Pheu Thai govt's denial of ministerial posts for its key backers is called 'foolish' by some, but others say the movement lives on

Red-shirt caretaker chairwoman Thida Tavornsaet Tojirakarn said yesterday that the movement had no problem with the government's decision to include no red-shirt MPs in the new Pheu Thai Cabinet.

But other key red shirts reacted differently, calling the move an attempt to appease the old establishment.

"This is a compromise between Pheu Thai and the amataya," Kengkij Kitrianglarp, a red shirt and lecturer of history and politics at Kasetsart University, told The Nation.

Kengkij said the new Cabinet line-up without any red MPs was an attempt to project a royalist image to the public. "They wanted to play down the red shirts' struggle, too."

Kengkij believes the move is a mistake, however, as it will keep red shirts out of parliamentary politics and on the streets. He blamed red-shirt leaders for having been outmanoeuvred by influential figures within and outside the Pheu Thai Party.

"Was it that red leaders really had no bargaining power? Or did they not try to bargain?" he said, adding if it was the latter, then those red MPs and red-shirt leaders were "foolish".

Red Sunday group leader Sombat Boon-ngam-anong said he was stunned by new Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's decision not to include any red MPs in the Cabinet despite the fact many were in the upper bracket of the party-list candidacy during the election campaign.

"The [Cabinet] line-up is based on the condition that there shall be no red shirts. [They] accepted the demand from the other side all the way," he said, referring to the old establishment.

Sombat added, however, that reds would not simply evaporate but would now focus their work on organising rural masses.

Noi, a staunch red-shirt supporter and key member of the red-shirt Democracy Network, who works at a ministry as a mid-level bureaucrat and asked that her true name not be revealed, thinks differently. Noi said the strength of the red shirts should remain on the streets.

"Let us monitor the new government and see if it's responsive to the majority of citizens or not," said Noi, adding that such issues as amending or abolishing the lese majeste law and seeking truth and accountability for the 92 deaths of last year would be key to judging the new government's performance.

Thida, caretaker chairwoman of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD), said the movement would continue to support the new Pheu Thai government even though no red MPs had been given a ministerial portfolio.

Thida said the movement would not interfere with the work of the new administration but also called for the resignation or firing of Tharit Pengdit, chief of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), for conflict of interest in investigating cases related to the deaths and violence of last year.

She reasoned that since Tharit was also a member of the Abhisit Vejjajiva government's appointed Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation, which was in charge of cracking down on red protesters, Tharit was unfit to be in charge of the DSI and the investigations.

-- The Nation 2011-08-11

[OzMick]

"Thida ............. called for the resignation or firing of Tharit Pengdit, chief of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI)............since Tharit was also a member ........... Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation....................."

He should be fired for doing his job? of for doing it too well?

[whybother]

Thida, caretaker chairwoman of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD)

She's been caretaker leader for longer than Thaksin was caretaker PM.

[ricardofel]

You stupid ignorant red shirts...don't you know you were USED and now discarded!!! Welcome to Thailand.....

[Crushdepth]

Used and dumped. Truly pathetic. Thanks for voting, suckers!!!

[SomTumTiger]

You stupid ignorant red shirts...don't you know you were USED and now discarded!!! Welcome to Thailand.....

They didn't know it then, they won't know it now. That is the nature of ignorance.

[cougar52]

It is a case like spoiled child not getting the red toy but the green toy. An example was when Col. Apiwan Wiriyachai was offered a post he decided he did not that one, even being a Col. has said he has no experience in military matters???

[Crushdepth]

It is a case like spoiled child not getting the red toy but the green toy. An example was when Col. Apiwan Wiriyachai was offered a post he decided he did not that one, even being a Col. has said he has no experience in military matters???

Well he said he was offered a post. Got to save face somehow.

[Buchholz]

"This is a compromise between Pheu Thai and the amataya," Kengkij Kitrianglarp, a red shirt

told The Nation.

well, duh...

[rametindallas]

Sombat added, however, that reds would not simply evaporate but would now focus their work on organising rural masses.

I hope they do organise and begin working for their own interests and not be a willing 'patsy' for any billionaire who makes easy promises. I see this as a chance for the poor to form their own political party and really have a voice and not have to be represented by this or that group of elites who control Thailand now. If it's grass-roots, I am behind them 100%. I hope they have learned a valuable lesson by being manipulated for small gain. They really need to change the 'You have to have a university degree to be an MP' first so that some of their own can get elected and begin a proper, peaceful, and lawful revolution. The poor are the vast majority of voters and it they can organise, there WILL be greater equity in this country.

[Colin Yai]

Sombat added, however, that reds would not simply evaporate but would now focus their work on organising rural masses.

I hope they do organise and begin working for their own interests and not be a willing 'patsy' for any billionaire who makes easy promises. I see this as a chance for the poor to form their own political party and really have a voice and not have to be represented by this or that group of elites who control Thailand now. If it's grass-roots, I am behind them 100%. I hope they have learned a valuable lesson by being manipulated for small gain. They really need to change the 'You have to have a university degree to be an MP' first so that some of their own can get elected and begin a proper, peaceful, and lawful revolution. The poor are the vast majority of voters and it they can organise, there WILL be greater equity in this country.

Yeah you are quite correct there has to be change, but just how will this be brought about?, a poor man to represent the poor?, nah never in a million years ,cos as in the movie "the godfather" they will make him "an offer he can't refuse", financially or other wise!, the "disappearance" of a poor man who raises his voice against "the establishment" is very small potatoes here I am afraid.

[SomTumTiger]

1 poor man is unnoticed. 5 poor men are an inconvenience, one million poor men are a revolution - Somtumtiger.

[OzMick]

Sombat added, however, that reds would not simply evaporate but would now focus their work on organising rural masses.

I hope they do organise and begin working for their own interests and not be a willing 'patsy' for any billionaire who makes easy promises. I see this as a chance for the poor to form their own political party and really have a voice and not have to be represented by this or that group of elites who control Thailand now. If it's grass-roots, I am behind them 100%. I hope they have learned a valuable lesson by being manipulated for small gain. They really need to change the 'You have to have a university degree to be an MP' first so that some of their own can get elected and begin a proper, peaceful, and lawful revolution. The poor are the vast majority of voters and it they can organise, there WILL be greater equity in this country.

Ummmm, yeah sounds good in theory. In practice what you would probably end up with is a party offering a string of populist policies without the understanding that though they offer short term benefits to their supporters, they are actually harming the country in the long run.

Worse still, they might get elected.

[Ricardo]

Sombat added, however, that reds would not simply evaporate but would now focus their work on organising rural masses.

I hope they do organise and begin working for their own interests and not be a willing 'patsy' for any billionaire who makes easy promises. I see this as a chance for the poor to form their own political party and really have a voice and not have to be represented by this or that group of elites who control Thailand now. If it's grass-roots, I am behind them 100%. I hope they have learned a valuable lesson by being manipulated for small gain. They really need to change the 'You have to have a university degree to be an MP' first so that some of their own can get elected and begin a proper, peaceful, and lawful revolution. The poor are the vast majority of voters and it they can organise, there WILL be greater equity in this country.

Wasn't the requirement-to-have-a-degree removed, by the current (2007) constitution, I recall reading that but cannot find a reference ? I heard (but freely admit that I may be wrong) that it now applies only to Cabinet-ministers, not MPs.

If so, a good thing, as the best people to represent poor-Isaan-farmers are other poor-Isaan-farmers, not the junior-members of the local feudal power-brokers' families !

[MunterHunter]

Ummmm, yeah sounds good in theory. In practice what you would probably end up with is a party offering a string of populist policies without the understanding that though they offer short term benefits to their supporters, they are actually harming the country in the long run.

Worse still, they might get elected.

Didn't that just happen last month?

[Thaddeus]

Ummmm, yeah sounds good in theory. In practice what you would probably end up with is a party offering a string of populist policies without the understanding that though they offer short term benefits to their supporters, they are actually harming the country in the long run.

Worse still, they might get elected.

Didn't that just happen last month?

I think he was being rhetorical.

[rubl]

From a few days ago:

"Thailand’s Prime Minister-elect Yingluck Shinawatra has stressed that her consideration of cabinet members will be based solely on individual capabilities."

I guess that's why no 'UDD leader' type of MP made it. Hurts a bit, now doesn't it

[Bagwan]

So the Thaksinistas screwed the poor, the needy, the dispossessed and the oppressed. So what is new? Wasn't the 500 baht, a new tee shirt and a few days out in BKK enough recompense? Whatever did they expect?

[myfriendu]

im happy they are doing the right thing,mr t knows and will bring thailand back too 2011,im also happy he is pulling the strings.better the devil you know.we can complain but this is thailand and maybe just maybe things will be better.

can it get any worse.lets see

[rametindallas]

Sombat added, however, that reds would not simply evaporate but would now focus their work on organising rural masses.

I hope they do organise and begin working for their own interests and not be a willing 'patsy' for any billionaire who makes easy promises. I see this as a chance for the poor to form their own political party and really have a voice and not have to be represented by this or that group of elites who control Thailand now. If it's grass-roots, I am behind them 100%. I hope they have learned a valuable lesson by being manipulated for small gain. They really need to change the 'You have to have a university degree to be an MP' first so that some of their own can get elected and begin a proper, peaceful, and lawful revolution. The poor are the vast majority of voters and it they can organise, there WILL be greater equity in this country.

Ummmm, yeah sounds good in theory. In practice what you would probably end up with is a party offering a string of populist policies without the understanding that though they offer short term benefits to their supporters, they are actually harming the country in the long run.

Worse still, they might get elected.

It has to start somewhere. Sure, they will take time to mature but they have passed the point where they can be intimidated or stopped. Their only danger is having the movement hijacked by 'powerful forces' or 'dark hands'. The alternative way for them to reach equity is to bring the rest of Thailand down to their level through violence and anarchy (e.g. Russian revolution) and I hope nobody wants that.

Edited August 11, 2011 by rametindallas

[hanuman1]

You stupid ignorant red shirts...don't you know you were USED and now discarded!!! Welcome to Thailand.....

They didn't know it then, they won't know it now. That is the nature of ignorance.

I don't remember the red shirts ever demonstrating to get the UDD leaders into cabinet positions, do you? I don't recall placards saying 'Nattawut for Interior Minister', do you? The main aim of the red shirt movement for the past year or more was to get the Dems out and to do this legally they had to get behind the PTP and guess what - they were successful!

So you may want to consider the proposition that instead of getting shafted, the reds have actually accomplished their main mission already. Or maybe you don't. If ignorance breeds success you may want to look at not being quite so clever.

Edited August 11, 2011 by hanuman1

[473geo]

From a few days ago:

"Thailand's Prime Minister-elect Yingluck Shinawatra has stressed that her consideration of cabinet members will be based solely on individual capabilities."

I guess that's why no 'UDD leader' type of MP made it. Hurts a bit, now doesn't it

I guess your quote presents 2 messages, Yingluck is as good as her word, Yingluck is prepared to make difficult decisions in the best interests of Thailand

[MAJIC]

Lets face the facts,what use would Red Shirts be in Parlimentary law passing and Bills and general parliamentary business,

First time they didn't get their own way,they would probably torch it.

I must change my Beer.

Edited August 11, 2011 by MAJIC

[MAJIC]

So the Thaksinistas screwed the poor, the needy, the dispossessed and the oppressed. So what is new? Wasn't the 500 baht, a new tee shirt and a few days out in BKK enough recompense? Whatever did they expect?

As Harold Wilson British Prime Minister in the 60s + once said "A week in Politics is a long time"

Enlightenment for the Redshirts must be very painful! and even worse for those that really did expect a Brave New World to come about,and making them all" Rich in six months"as the Messiah told them.

[Colin Yai]

Sombat added, however, that reds would not simply evaporate but would now focus their work on organising rural masses.

I hope they do organise and begin working for their own interests and not be a willing 'patsy' for any billionaire who makes easy promises. I see this as a chance for the poor to form their own political party and really have a voice and not have to be represented by this or that group of elites who control Thailand now. If it's grass-roots, I am behind them 100%. I hope they have learned a valuable lesson by being manipulated for small gain. They really need to change the 'You have to have a university degree to be an MP' first so that some of their own can get elected and begin a proper, peaceful, and lawful revolution. The poor are the vast majority of voters and it they can organise, there WILL be greater equity in this country.

Ummmm, yeah sounds good in theory. In practice what you would probably end up with is a party offering a string of populist policies without the understanding that though they offer short term benefits to their supporters, they are actually harming the country in the long run.

Worse still, they might get elected.

It has to start somewhere. Sure, they will take time to mature but they have passed the point where they can be intimidated or stopped. Their only danger is having the movement hijacked by 'powerful forces' or 'dark hands'. The alternative way for them to reach equity is to bring the rest of Thailand down to their level through violence and anarchy (e.g. Russian revolution) and I hope nobody wants that.

I was not aware that they had a "Lenin" Mk 2 here in Thailand to lead the poor and oppressed, to only finish up with something far worse, and yes you are quite right no one wants to see something as horrific as that ,the big problem was Lenin mouthed the words the masses wanted to hear ,but I am certain something as drastic as that will never happen in 21st century Thailand . Edited August 11, 2011 by Colin Yai