STOPPAGE TIME
A naive leader transformed by her impatient brother
Tulsathit Taptim



BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck "Bridget Jones" Shinawatra has turned into Erin Brockovich for a reason. While many are tempted to believe that her speech in Mongolia indicated a screw loose somewhere, she appeared perfectly sane when she delivered it.

Those who gaped at her drastic transformation, therefore, might not have anticipated the "amnesty" issue re-emerging so soon, or seen Chalerm Yoobamrung coming forth with an ironically named "reconciliation" bill.

The looming "amnesty" and "reconciliation" items are exactly why Yingluck can no longer giggle off questions about her big brother and her government's activities being seemingly related to him. For those of you who love political technicality, there are two bills at the moment that could put the government under different degrees of heat. One is called an "amnesty" bill that many Pheu Thai MPs seem to favour, as it does not bring all the "big fish" into the picture. The other is ridiculously dubbed a "reconciliation" bill by its creator, Chalerm, and is, in effect, political dynamite.

The latter may need Yingluck's direct endorsement, as it has some big financial implications. But which bill requires how much of her backing doesn't matter much now. With the "amnesty" and "reconciliation" plots merging and thickening, Yingluck can't go on pretending that it isn't her business any longer (not that everyone believed her).

She had to come out all guns blazing. Mongolia was a good practice venue, or so her advisors might have thought. Thaksin Shinawatra was politically persecuted, she told an international audience. Cartoonist Chai Ratchawat, like many Thais, saw something he didn't like and scolded her in a controversial Facebook posting. The uproar he created has turned out to be a prelude to another potentially explosive episode in badly-cursed Thai politics.

Chalerm stepped onto the stage when the Chai Ratchawat dust was settling, wielding what could be his lifetime political masterpiece. The draft "reconciliation" bill is claimed to have sufficient backing from Pheu Thai MPs and is likely to be debated in Parliament soon, provided that Yingluck, if she is legally required to endorse it, makes the mistake of endorsing it.

Chalerm's creation is short and plain, but critics' extra-short and extra-plain summary has generated horrifying effects. This bill, they say, would bring Thaksin home a free man, give him back "his" Bt46 billion and immediately open the door for him to be prime minister again.

To many, what's horrifying is not the "Honey, I'm home" scenario painted by the critics, but what may happen before such a scenario materialises. It's scary what people scared of Thaksin can do, so to speak. Or, to put it in a more pro-Thaksin way: it's scary what people scared of Thaksin can be manipulated into doing.

Chalerm's bill would nullify all legal consequences of the 2006 coup. This means not only would the Ratchadapisek land purchase conviction be revoked, but also the assets clampdown on the Shinawatras. Chalerm desperately denies that the bill would return Bt46 billion to Thaksin plus interest. He argues that the assets seizure was a "civil" case, but - as the brilliant legal talent he often proclaims himself to be - Chalerm omits to mention that his bill would invalidate the Assets Examination Committee, whose findings formed the basis of why Thaksin's money was taken by the state.

Publicly at least, the deputy prime minister has avoided discussing the possibility of Thaksin's immediate political comeback. The man in exile has also sworn repeatedly that all he wants is to come home and solemnly wash his hands of politics. Truth, however, is that Chalerm's bill would remove all legal barriers blocking Thaksin's political return, and records show Thaksin to be anything but a serious oath-taker.

Now, let's recap. We have a highly influential fugitive extremely desperate to get back what he has "lost". He is being helped by a self-proclaimed legal genius who can breathe fire into a crisis situation. Political analysts and some Pheu Thai sources believe that Chalerm and his "reconciliation" bill are being used to test the waters, meaning they could be abandoned if things become too hot to handle.

Leaving Chalerm and his bill alone will benefit everybody. Worrying is the possibility that he, Thaksin and Yingluck will mistake the currently weak opposition as an all-clear sign. They may think they should strike while the iron is hot, while the real circumstances require that they should look before they leap.

What is scary is not only what scared people (manipulated or not) can do, but also what angry people are capable of. Chalerm's bill can frighten and provoke. Thaksin's opponents will be both angry and afraid, but wait until all the implications of Chalerm's brainchild dawn on the red shirts themselves.

The "murderers" will be pardoned, according to the bill. Of course they have to be, or Chalerm's bill may as well be named "A Bill to Bring Thaksin Shinawatra Home a Rich Hero". Cynically speaking, Chalerm may be doing the right thing for the wrong reason, but can the red shirts accept a bill that would essentially mean the "Ratchaprasong massacre" never took place?

So much for reconciliation. Common sense calls for Yingluck to return to her giggling self and tell her brother that all good things come to those who wait. Problem is, he thinks he has been waiting for too long and the gloves that came off in Mongolia meant her glass house has been shattered. Her sense of prime ministerial duty is in danger of getting badly mixed up.

There must be a bright side. Lame as it may sound, here's a choice: Yingluck stepping into unfamiliar territory while warring Thais cramming Square One can be interesting, if not very exciting.


-- The Nation 2013-05-22

I just don't get this nonsense as she has not been transformed in the least, she's still naive, still a puppet. Of course she was sane when she read the speech in Mongolia but probably didn't understand a word or the implications and to tell her brother to wait, don't make me laugh.

Where else but Thailand would you get a call for the supposed national leader to go back to her old giggling self ?

I am so tired of reading about recon. and amnesty

Can can someone send me the cliff notes on this one

I say bring TS home ... IMO he will end up like Sah Daeng ..

Sooner the better

The 'reconciliation' bill is so way over the top, it must be to as a means of distraction. No one at PTP can be that stupid to believe it would be accepted.

The amnesty bill I could live with if it excluded the bigger fish. The problem is the amnesty bill is really just a side issue as no one gives a crap what happens to the little people anyway. Its just something that they have to go through to keep the little people happy, whilst the behind the scenes wrangling on Thaksin goes on.

Thaksins desires to get off scot free and soon is putting the government in peril. Good work Thaksin keep it up.

The 'reconciliation' bill is so way over the top, it must be to as a means of distraction. No one at PTP can be that stupid to believe it would be accepted.

The amnesty bill I could live with if it excluded the bigger fish. The problem is the amnesty bill is really just a side issue as no one gives a crap what happens to the little people anyway. Its just something that they have to go through to keep the little people happy, whilst the behind the scenes wrangling on Thaksin goes on.

.

The Democrats could also live with it, if it excluded the bigger fish.

Brigette Jones a fictional movie character Erin Brockovic an ex prostitue is this something from notthenation?

Brigette Jones a fictional movie character Erin Brockovic an ex prostitue is this something from notthenation?

What? Where do you get the idea that Erin Brockovic was a prostitute?

Brigette Jones a fictional movie character Erin Brockovic an ex prostitue is this something from notthenation?

Careful there dude. I don't think you know who Erin Brockovich is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erin_Brockovich

This whole episode leaves me some what perplexed, you get Bridget Jones, that walks into the Prime Ministers position ,off the street, without a day's experience as a politician and starts running a country of seventy million people, these positions are born out of experience, possibly twenty years as a politician and as a Minister, one might even call Yingluck's brother a green horn , he had no experience, so is it any wonder the Administration of Thailand is such a backward , laughable , stupid , inward looking , Government , totally lacking any integrity, on any level.

She's a Barbie girl, in her Barbie world, only that even Barbie is smarter than her,

She's a Barbie girl, in her Barbie world, only that even Barbie is smarter than her,

This assumes that she was naive in the first place.

She might be lots of things, but unknowingly innocent is probably not one of them. I think that to underestimate her is to do so at one's own peril.

It is embarrassing to watch Thaksin tie his sister, the Prime Minister, to the front of the bus to crash his way back.

It is embarrassing to watch Thaksin tie his sister, the Prime Minister, to the front of the bus to crash his way back.

well, she including another few hundred people (estimate) are and have been living the high life with all of Thaksin's stolen weatlth.

As far as I am concerned her name is Shinawatra. That is all I need to know. If a Shinawatra has anything to do with it, there must be money in it for them. The do nothing for the people of Thailand. They do nothing for anybody but themselves.

I just don't get this nonsense as she has not been transformed in the least, she's still naive, still a puppet. Of course she was sane when she read the speech in Mongolia but probably didn't understand a word or the implications and to tell her brother to wait, don't make me laugh.

Where else but Thailand would you get a call for the supposed national leader to go back to her old giggling self ?

I'd love to be a fly on the cabinet office wall when she Skyped Mr.T and told him to be patient as all good things come etc. I think she would be reminded in short order that they have already been told what the only priority is so get on with it. That's the polite version of course.

Naive is when you blame the dummy for the ventriloquist's jokes.

Brigette Jones a fictional movie character Erin Brockovic an ex prostitue is this something from notthenation?

Erin Brockovic is a wonderful woman and has done so many great law cases----- <deleted> are you doing calling her a prostitute---- S^@$# B*&%#

Brigette Jones a fictional movie character Erin Brockovic an ex prostitue is this something from notthenation?

Wrong Julia Roberts character

I am so tired of reading about recon. and amnesty

Can can someone send me the cliff notes on this one

I say bring TS home ... IMO he will end up like Sah Daeng ..

Sooner the better

The biggest mystery is the fact that he "hasn't been taken out" already and it would be so easy. And so few would miss him.

It is embarrassing to watch Thaksin tie his sister, the Prime Minister, to the front of the bus to crash his way back.

well, she including another few hundred people (estimate) are and have been living the high life with all of Thaksin's stolen weatlth.

That may be true but the de facto reconciliation as represented by Yingluck as the PM is about to be shredded by Thaksin's crude desire to return. His behaviour may be predictable and inevitable but it is still Thailand's tragedy.

I just don't get this nonsense as she has not been transformed in the least, she's still naive, still a puppet. Of course she was sane when she read the speech in Mongolia but probably didn't understand a word or the implications and to tell her brother to wait, don't make me laugh.

Where else but Thailand would you get a call for the supposed national leader to go back to her old giggling self ?

I'd love to be a fly on the cabinet office wall when she Skyped Mr.T and told him to be patient as all good things come etc. I think she would be reminded in short order that they have already been told what the only priority is so get on with it. That's the polite version of course.

The Bring Back Thaksin theme is heating up because Pheu Thai only has 2 more years to accomplish this monumental task. Time is running out and Thaksin is letting everybody know.

Hi, I'm Barbie............Hi, I'm Ken.

I just don't get this nonsense as she has not been transformed in the least, she's still naive, still a puppet. Of course she was sane when she read the speech in Mongolia but probably didn't understand a word or the implications and to tell her brother to wait, don't make me laugh.

Where else but Thailand would you get a call for the supposed national leader to go back to her old giggling self ?

You Sir are being irrational. I suppose you think that you're the man for ther job. That's so eh? Then stop bleating and prepare to win votes at the next end of term election.

Brigette Jones a fictional movie character Erin Brockovic an ex prostitue is this something from notthenation?

Don't know where you get your info but Erin was never a prostitute but a woman who got her fame as a paralegal working for a law firm in CA and she was instrumental in uncovering the truth behind a cover up by the Pacific Gas and Water company for leakage into local water sources of Chormium 6 for over 20 years causing the deaths and terminal ailments of several residents resulting in huge lawsuits and stopping the leaks , something that would probably never happen in the LOS. She was a single Mom and eventually became a lawyer.

I just don't get this nonsense as she has not been transformed in the least, she's still naive, still a puppet. Of course she was sane when she read the speech in Mongolia but probably didn't understand a word or the implications and to tell her brother to wait, don't make me laugh.

Where else but Thailand would you get a call for the supposed national leader to go back to her old giggling self ?

You Sir are being irrational. I suppose you think that you're the man for ther job. That's so eh? Then stop bleating and prepare to win votes at the next end of term election.

Oh please! She is the pretty face for a massive con, as deceptive and toxic as a smiling Baby Food label on a packet of rat poison. While she swans in and out of the country, the levers are being pulled by a malignant troglodyte enriching himself and her from the country's coffers; and she abets his crimes as an active participant, prepared to lie in and out of court for the benefit of her family.

To describe the PM as naive, thus transformed by her brother may be overlooking some of her apparent personal atribuites.

I could see a similarity between Bonnie and Clyde and these 2 with little just some minor script change.

Why not refer to Chalerm's bill for what it really is. That's to say the 'My last desperate attempt to be Prime Minister of Thailand Bill.'

Once Yaowapa get's her size tens in the door of the cabinet his enforcer role will be finished.

To describe the PM as naive, thus transformed by her brother may be overlooking some of her apparent personal atribuites.

I could see a similarity between Bonnie and Clyde and these 2 with little just some minor script change.

So, naive she definitely is not.