Thai Parliament To Spin Political Roulette Wheel: Analysis

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ANALYSIS

Parliament to spin political roulette wheel

Avudh Panananda

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand is treading a dangerous path because the anti- and pro-government camps are bent on manipulating the rule book without heeding the referees.

Parliament is expected today to form a crucial decision which will have far reaching consequences on the political landscape.

The issue is not to vote or not to vote on the final passage of the charter change bill.

At stake is the future of the political system - the country may either plunge into mob rule or emerge stronger whereby the differences are settled through intellectual debate.

Last week, the Constitution Court issued, rightly or wrongly, an order to delay the legislative vote on charter change pending a judicial inquiry into the matter.

Even though the high court is sanctioned by the Constitution to interpret and enforce the charter provisions, many legal pundits have stepped out to proclaim themselves to be more authoritative on constitutionality than the seven judges.

The government opponents, particularly the yellow shirts led by the People's Alliance for Democracy and allies, have sided with the high court for putting a damper on what they see as an attempt to topple the political system via the legislature.

The government supporters, particularly the red shirts and other allies of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, have been attacking the judges for what they see as an attempt to invoke the judicial power to usurp the popular mandate vested in the government and legislature.

Anxiety soars as the opposing camps try to sway the sentiment by inciting the crowds.

As if to add insult to injury, the Office of the Attorney General issued a prosecution ruling to dismiss the six complaints on grounds for lacking the cause to suspect foul play on the constitutionality issue.

The attorney general curiously chose to render his legal opinion after the high court had already decided to launch the inquiry.

In defiance of Article 216 of the Constitution which gives an unconditional sanction to a judicial decision, the House Secretariat interpreted that in this particular case, the lawmakers were not duty-bound to abide by the court order.

Both of the opposing sides have opted to look at the high court through their respective political prism.

If key players refuse to abide by the refereeing, then the political system will plunge into the state of unpredictability because everyone has their own rule book.

In the United States, a vote-count crisis happened in 2000 because there were no laws nor precedents to resolve the presidential race. The Supreme Court stepped in and ruled to resolve the crisis.

To this day legal scholars are still debating on the judicial mandate and justification for intervening.

In the US experience, differences are settle in the courts and academic corridors. A political crisis can be thwarted because parties concerned are willing to forego vested interests for the sake of a common good.

Thai leading figures have yet to emulate on lesson from a mature democracy.

The red and yellow shirts should play by the rule instead of descending on the streets to outwit the other.

If the opposing camps refuse to find a common ground for mending fences, then change or no change to the charter is meaningless.

Today the red shirts may have the upper hand to amend the charter. But the yellow shirts will just wait for their turn to undo what the reds strive for.

If Thaksin wants amnesty before reconciling with his opponents, then his freedom will not sustain the ever-shifting political wind.

The Pheu Thai-led majority can vote on and dominate the writing of a new rule book. But the Democrats will rewrite everything after grabbing power.

All sides should bury the hatchet, otherwise an ugly chapter of Thai politics will never end.

-- The Nation 2012-06-08

[ThaiOats]

Someone should make a movie about Thai politics so people can reflect on themselves on all sides.

[OzMick]

Most roulette wheels are re/black but this one is red/yellow. But remember there is also a green slot (or 2) where everybody loses.

[GentlemanJim]

Most roulette wheels are re/black but this one is red/yellow. But remember there is also a green slot (or 2) where everybody loses.

True, unless you bet on the Green. Perhaps this country needs an alternative to Red and Yellow. It may take a while, but it could happen. The one good thing that has come from the Shinawatra greed is that where once the common people accepted the vast difference in money between the classes, they have now had a belly full of the rich continuing to steal from the poor. One day the country may get a party that will be there for the people.

[MunterHunter]

True, unless you bet on the Green. Perhaps this country needs an alternative to Red and Yellow. It may take a while, but it could happen. The one good thing that has come from the Shinawatra greed is that where once the common people accepted the vast difference in money between the classes, they have now had a belly full of the rich continuing to steal from the poor. One day the country may get a party that will be there for the people.

And i'm pretty sure that TS and his cronies will charge everyone 500b to attend the party and give them only 100b worth of food and drink, whilst putting the rest in his swiss bank account!

[gand]

In the United States, a vote-count crisis happened in 2000 because there were no laws nor precedents to resolve the presidential race. The Supreme Court stepped in and ruled to resolve the crisis.

Not quite accurate, but yes, Gore and the democrats took their issues to the courts in Florida first, then the Florida Supreme court and then to the Supreme court and the Supreme court ruled accordingly and both parties lived with their decision.

[hellodolly]

Most roulette wheels are re/black but this one is red/yellow. But remember there is also a green slot (or 2) where everybody loses.

True, unless you bet on the Green. Perhaps this country needs an alternative to Red and Yellow. It may take a while, but it could happen. The one good thing that has come from the Shinawatra greed is that where once the common people accepted the vast difference in money between the classes, they have now had a belly full of the rich continuing to steal from the poor. One day the country may get a party that will be there for the people.

Not quite sure I would agree with you on common people accepting the vast difference. Most of them really don't know how big the differences are they are just sheep following leaders who are just using them as tools. Part of it is to blame on we as foreigners living above the standards they have always had and been relatively happy with.

I have no qualms with agreeing that the poor should have more but I do believe that they should work for it. Many of the demonstrators depend on protests as a source of income. It is easy to say close the gap but how. Raise the minimum wage to 300 baht a day and create unemployment. Just think of the number of people who will loose their jobs in the 7 11s or the service industries. Is that the solution. I think not. What is needed is a government willing to work for the people. Give them a education stop stealing money from them with all the corruption do not talk actually do some thing to attract industries that pay higher wages. And for sure put a big tax on the so called elites. Put the people first.

Just to start trouble I am going to suggest they could put a tax on all buildings that are rentals weather they are occupied or not.