As Bitterness Blooms, August Showdown Looms: Thai Politics

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BURNING ISSUE
As bitterness blooms, August showdown looms
Attayuth Bootsripoom

BANGKOK: -- This Sunday will be the third anniversary of the crackdown on red-shirt protesters at the Ratchaprasong Intersection on May 19, 2010. The incident was a great tragedy for Thailand in which nearly 100 people, including troops, were killed.

So far, the truth remains unclear as to whether the government created a situation so that it would have justification to suppress the protesters - or whether there were really men in black who fired at the troops to provoke the military and the government to use force.

The violence has haunted both sides until now. Former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban are facing murder charges while red-shirt leaders are facing terrorism charges.

The violence on that day was based on conflict that has been instilled in individuals who hate anyone with different political opinions.

Several have tried but failed so far to lead the society beyond this divisiveness, which is one of the worst in Thailand's history. Reconciliation talks were tried and fact-finding probes carried out to find the truth. Amnesty was proposed for those who unfairly faced charges.

The two major political parties - Pheu Thai and the Democrats - announced they would bring about reconciliation, but the declarations became lip service. On the contrary, both parties seemed to incite their supporters to hate the other side even more.

Both parties have been organising rallies in the provinces during which the flames of hatred are being fuelled even more. The Democrats have been holding "Exposing the truth" rallies for months in some provinces, including strongholds of red shirts. Such provocative moves led to efforts by local red shirts to disrupt the rallies - and by retaliation through legal action by the Democrats.

During the rallies, Democrat leaders criticised the government and red-shirt leaders. Rhetoric was used to portray the government as betrayers of the motherland and as engaging in massive corruption. The government was accused of doing everything to help former prime Thaksin Shinawatra, and Pheu Thai was accused of using elections merely as a ritual to install bad capitalists into power.

The strong attacks were repeated again and again on pro-Democrat satellite TV channels - BlueSky Channel and T News, further spreading hatred in the community.

Pheu Thai has retaliated in kind by holding rallies for two weeks now. Its rallies were titled "Pheu Thai for Thailand's Future". During each rally, Pheu Thai leaders started with explaining the need to amend the Constitution, to enact an amnesty bill and to borrow Bt2 trillion for improving transport infrastructure.

But at around the middle of each rally, red-shirt leaders would begin to attack their opponents - who were critical of the bills' enactments - as spoilers of the country's development and as always playing political games to protect the old power clique.

Worse still, red-shirt leaders accused their opponents of favouring dictatorial regimes and supporting coups. They said the opponents did not want the country to progress. They ended each rally with a knock-out punch, saying the Democrats ordered the killing of people. Their attacks were echoed on red-shirt Asia Update channel every day. Eventually, it was obvious the rallies were for fuelling hatred for political purposes.

The government should be the one to control the game - but it chose to play events to its own advantage. For example, it plans to push for at least two charter amendments during an extraordinary Parliament session to be convened to deliberate the budget bill and the Bt2-trilllion borrowing bill.

And when the ordinary session is open in August, bills, which are expected to bring about more rifts such as the amnesty bill and the Article 68-amendment bill, will be taken up for further deliberation.

It has been reported the government will not budge this time but is ready to clash head-on with its opponents by preparing the red-shirt supporters to hold demonstrations. The Royal Thai Police has also trained its newly graduated officers to control the crowds.

Now, the hope of seeing real reconciliation is getting dimmer as both sides are being fully prepared for a war instead.


-- The Nation 2013-05-16

[Bellweather]

" As bitterness blooms ", what nonsense as it's been in full bloom for years in fact it's an evergreen. Is the author of this article a Rip Van Winkle type who has just wakened up from a long sleep ?

[Tatsujin]

We are WAY past the point of ANY reconciliation or agreement. There will be more rioting, more protests, more killings, and likely another coup before this all settles down.

[Curt1591]

You read the sentiments on this forum, mostly by those who aren't even Thai, one can realize that there s no middle ground; one side is all right while the other is all wrong.

[NongKhaiKid]

You read the sentiments on this forum, mostly by those who aren't even Thai, one can realize that there s no middle ground; one side is all right while the other is all wrong.

PTp ? Reds manifesto " we are all right, everyone else is all wrong.

[Curt1591]

You read the sentiments on this forum, mostly by those who aren't even Thai, one can realize that there s no middle ground; one side is all right while the other is all wrong.

PTp ? Reds manifesto " we are all right, everyone else is all wrong.

I rest my case

[bkkgriz]

We are WAY past the point of ANY reconciliation or agreement. There will be more rioting, more protests, more killings, and likely another coup before this all settles down.

I'm afraid I have to agree with you on this one. Thaksin's ego is way too large to ever let any slights against him go unpunished. If he is ever let back into Thailand and all his crimes forgiven he will go after every one of his enemies. If he is not let back in the reds will push and push until there is bloody confrontation. I don't see either side backing down. When the balloon goes up it is going to be messy.