Somsak: Delaying Charter, Unity Debates Was My Idea

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POLITICS

Somsak: Delaying charter, unity debates was my idea

The Nation

Somsak

BANGKOK: -- In an audio recording of his comments to key Pheu Thai Party supporters in Phetchabun province, House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranond claimed he was behind the Yingluck Shinawatra government's retreat on the charter-amendment and reconciliation bills.

The tape was leaked by pro-Democrat Party Blue Sky Satellite Television Channel earlier this week. A close aide of the House Speaker later admitted that the voice on the tape is Somsak's. A translated tran script of the comments follows.

"Only we have the privilege to hear what I am about to say. Even the MPs have not heard this. Of everyone, I've talked most often with the person living far away.

"When I asked not to go ahead with the third reading [of the charter-amendment bills] he wouldn't listen. He didn't yell, but he wouldn't listen. So I told him that for all the time that we have known one another, I have analysed various political issues and was there any issue that didn't turn out the way I analysed? He became quiet and listened.

"But he tried to change the subject when I was explaining. And when I finished speaking, he gave no response. Do you know what my most important line was? It was when I told him that Pheu Thai's direction - as it always has been - is right. The strategy is not to play the king [in a chess match] unless it is required. We need to keep the premier out of [difficult situations].

"The prime minister has stressed that everything is the Parliament's business. The Constitution is a matter for the Parliament, and so is the reconciliation bill and the third-reading process.

"The premier did the right thing. It was correct to pass the hot potato to me. What were they thinking, yanking the hot potato from my hand? What was he thinking, I asked?

"He was quiet. So I proposed that we talk among our people first. I phoned Khun Daeng Yaowapa [Wongsawat, Thaksin's sister]. Earlier, I spoke to former premier Somchai [Wongsawat]. I convinced him and he finally concurred. Two hours later, former premier Somchai called to say the party was holding its strategy committee and that Thaksin would skype into the meeting.

"At the meeting the following day, the person far away did all the talking and used the reasons I gave him to influence the members before deciding whether the third reading should go ahead. To this minute, the Pheu Thai Party's strategy has followed those rationales.

"The next task is to avoid deliberating the reconciliation bills in Parliament. I have repeated this ten thousand times to the person far away. I said to him that he has had to endure so much over five years, what does another three to six months mean? On August 1, the reconciliation bill should be withdrawn and put up for public deliberation in every square inch of this nation. The state-run media outlets will publicise it and the population will be the shield protecting us. It will take three to six months, then the reconciliation bills will be returned to Parliament. Let our opponent declare war; that's not our doing. We should keep in our hands the power to run the state and proceed cautiously.

"Red shirts criticised me as being a coward for not pushing for the third reading [of the charter-amendment bills]. If I am a coward I would have done that, but I volunteered to hold the hot potato and not hand it over to the premier.

Those who don't look deeply into politics think I am a coward; if I am I would push for the third reading and that's it. Comfortable, I could just walk comfortably into Parliament. But will the prime minister manage to enter Government House? That's the point of the matter.

"Let me stress - the heart of Pheu Thai is to sustainably manage its victory. Why be in a rush? You want to visit Rajprasong [intersection to protest] again? How can a fist fight against M16 [rifles]? If the chessboard is overturned this time, we won't have a country to stay in. And Thaksin won't be able to return [to Thailand]."

-- The Nation 2012-07-06

[Buchholz]

Two hours later, former premier Somchai called to say the party was holding its strategy committee and that Thaksin would skype into the meeting.

"At the meeting the following day, the person far away did all the talking

Pretty damning tape for House Speaker Somsak when bits like the last actually did occur.

They can add the revelations in the tape to his impeachment proceedings...

House Speaker Somsak Target Of Impeachment Drive

.

[ThaiOats]

Still waiting for the usual suspects to come out and defend this... don't let me down.

[Siripon]

Still waiting for the usual suspects to come out and defend this... don't let me down.

I'll do it for them ThaiOats..... You see it's not Thaksin controlling the government, no, it's really Somsak controlling Thaksin.

The man faraway in Dubai is controlled by the man very near in Khon Kaen.

[Yunla]

It was when I told him that Pheu Thai's direction - as it always has been - is right. The strategy is not to play the king [in a chess match] unless it is required. We need to keep the premier out of [difficult situations].

Yes, the PTP chess-piece-king has been kept safely on the back row for several years infact, while the PTP chess-piece-pawns were played out in 2010 in a risky and futile sacrificial opening gambit.

[OzMick]

Involve everybody except the person purportedly running this government.

[saltandpepper]

oh the bragging.... Might cost him dearly later!

[OzMick]

i wonder if Thaksin and Somsak recall that conversation the same way. Claiming to be smarter than the World's Greatest Politician/Businessman/Ego won't help fatten this year's bonus.

It also really doesn't help him to hold on to his lucrative position as the NEUTRAL Speaker.

[Yunla]

oh the bragging.... Might cost him dearly later!

PTP are illustrating to the world something seemingly obvious, which is that you can not build a house out of rotten wood. Or more specifically, you can build a house out of rotten wood, but it will collapse fairly quickly into a creaking broken heap, as PTP themselves are doing. The only questions remaining about PTP the political institution are which rotten planks are going to collapse and in what order. Even the finest shadow-puppetry can only distract the audience's attention for so long, when the rotting building is collapsing around them.

[GentlemanJim]

I imagine there is a venerable old chap sat in a special hospital wing in BKK, reading the papers, absolutely livid about what is happening here, fully aware he does not have the energy to sort this shower of sh*ts out.

If the transcript of the audio recording is accurate, then if that is not sufficient grounds for successful impeachment of Somsak, then nothing ever will be. I particularly like this bit

At the meeting the following day, the person far away did all the talking

I find it amazing that this Government and it's Premier would put themselves in the most blindingly obvious position of diplomatic embarrassment as they have done. It really beggars belief. The courts have declared him from far away a fugitive criminal. For a race of people that hate to lose face they don't seem to mind any amount of shame.

[MEL1]

The opposition just needs to make a few diagonals, turn this into a Queen's gambit, and see how long it is before she retires and the real endgame begins!

-mel.

[Artisi]

Well he either has "b@lls" or no brains, but not both.

[Yunla]

Actually in that photo he looks a bit like a komodo dragon. They have the worst smelling bad-breath and poisonous saliva in the animal kingdom too apparently. Apologies in advance to any komodo dragons reading this who are offended by being compared to Somsak.

[saltandpepper]

Actually in that photo he looks a bit like a komodo dragon. They have the worst smelling bad-breath and poisonous saliva in the animal kingdom too apparently. Apologies in advance to any komodo dragons reading this who are offended by being compared to Somsak.

Now, I think that it is OK to criticize the actions of the guys, to mock his communication skills, or to disagree with his ideas, but to make such comments is quite rude.

[Yunla]

Actually in that photo he looks a bit like a komodo dragon. They have the worst smelling bad-breath and poisonous saliva in the animal kingdom too apparently. Apologies in advance to any komodo dragons reading this who are offended by being compared to Somsak.

Now, I think that it is OK to criticize the actions of the guys, to mock his communication skills, or to disagree with his ideas, but to make such comments is quite rude.

I think his actions of corrupting the office of the House Speaker with partisan scheming and heavyhanded mistreatment of Opposition speakers, is corrosive to democracy, is one-party criminalism and is also to use your words "quite rude". I don't hear the violins and sorrowful opera music, when I insult a criminal dictator's henchmen. If they want my compliments and respect they should stop behaving like common gangsters.

Edited July 6, 2012 by Yunla

[saltandpepper]

Actually in that photo he looks a bit like a komodo dragon. They have the worst smelling bad-breath and poisonous saliva in the animal kingdom too apparently. Apologies in advance to any komodo dragons reading this who are offended by being compared to Somsak.

Now, I think that it is OK to criticize the actions of the guys, to mock his communication skills, or to disagree with his ideas, but to make such comments is quite rude.

I think his actions of corrupting the office of the House Speaker with partisan scheming and heavyhanded mistreatment of Opposition speakers, is corrosive to democracy, is one-party criminalism and is also to use your words "quite rude". I don't hear the violins and sorrowful opera music, when I insult a criminal dictator's henchmen. If they want my compliments and respect they should stop behaving like common gangsters.

Actually in that photo he looks a bit like a komodo dragon. They have the worst smelling bad-breath and poisonous saliva in the animal kingdom too apparently. Apologies in advance to any komodo dragons reading this who are offended by being compared to Somsak.

Again, criticize actions or thoughts or ideas,etc..... But your comment about appearance, smell etc.... is quite rude.

I dislike the guy for what and who he represents, and for his behavior. But to go as far as you do, I just would not do....

[Arkady]

Why would anyone believe this man?

[Yunla]

Actually in that photo he looks a bit like a komodo dragon. They have the worst smelling bad-breath and poisonous saliva in the animal kingdom too apparently. Apologies in advance to any komodo dragons reading this who are offended by being compared to Somsak.

Again, criticize actions or thoughts or ideas,etc..... But your comment about appearance, smell etc.... is quite rude.

I dislike the guy for what and who he represents, and for his behavior. But to go as far as you do, I just would not do....

You are right. I was insulting him. Because he deserves it.

[bigbamboo]

The saddest thing for those who love Thailand is that this disingenuous buffoon is the Speaker of the Thai parliament, a position reserved for the occasional politician deemed trustworthy.

[animatic]

When the bosses thumb is pressed firmly to your forehead,

and stepping backwards means immediate firing,

and a good old fashion socio-colonic reaming in public,

and 2,000 points precipitous drop in social and economic status:

You do what the boss says, and deny he said anything.

S.O.P. Thailand politics,

Edited July 6, 2012 by animatic