Thai PM pleads for rallies to end after amnesty defeated

BANGKOK, November 12, 2013 (AFP) - Thai premier Yingluck Shinawatra appealed Tuesday for anti-government groups to end ongoing street protests after the parliamentary defeat of an amnesty bill failed to defuse political tensions.

The bill, which critics say was aimed at allowing divisive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra to return home from self-exile, was rejected by senators in a unanimous vote late Monday.

Anger over the amnesty proposal saw around 50,000 people cluster in the political heart of Bangkok late into the night, with some 2,500 anti-government protesters remaining on the streets early Tuesday.

The opposition Democrat Party, which is seen as benefiting from the protests, has called for a three-day nationwide strike starting on Wednesday despite assurances from the ruling Puea Thai party not to revive the bill.
Prime Minister Yingluck -- who is Thaksin's sister -- urged demonstrators to reject the strike and end their protest.

"As many of their demands have been met, I plead for those protesting to stop," she told reporters, appealing to the public to give her government time to run the country.

Experts say the ill-fated bill has damaged Yingluck's administration and helped the opposition and anti-government groups -- who have come out in force for nearly a fortnight.

The visceral reaction to the proposed amnesty has brought a new round of street politics in Thailand, where several bouts of rival protests since Thaksin's government was deposed in an army coup in 2006 have periodically brought chaos to the kingdom.

"The Democrats are now trying to enable conditions on the street to prod a judicial intervention... to upend Yingluck's government," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

Predicting the anti-government protesters will try to hold their ground until early December, Thitinan described the situation "as extreme brinkmanship" aimed at "provoking Yingluck's government into an over-reaction".
Tens of thousands of government-allied "Red Shirts" rallied on Sunday in their first show of force over the question of giving amnesty for politically-related crimes.

Their group, made up mainly of Thaksin supporters, has also been riled by the proposed amnesty, saying it would have absolved key Democrat leaders of blame for their alleged roles in a deadly crackdown on a Red Shirt protest in 2010.

Thaksin is a hugely polarising figure in Thailand, drawing great support largely from the rural and urban poor but hatred from many of the Bangkok middle and upper classes.

He was toppled by royalist generals in 2006 and lives in exile to avoid prison for a corruption conviction that he contends was politically motivated.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-11-12

POLITICS
PM calls on Thais to allow govt to carry out its work
Anapat Deechuay
The Nation

"If a lot of people strike then who will work? Please think about this," : Yingluck

BANGKOK: -- Yingluck asked protesters to bring a halt to the rallies and thus maintain foreigners' confidence in Thailand.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Tuesday asked that the government be given a chance to continue its work, saying there are many issues that require its attention.

The government has to continue its work, she said. Among the tasks that cannot be carried out without the government in place is the functioning of the joint committee on ThaiCambodian border, she said.

"Please give us time to prove ourselves. We have listened to (people's) opinions so we want the people to return home and stop protesting. We don't want to hear that foreigners change their schedules and don't come to Thailand," she said.

"We believe everybody must campaign for all the people to pay taxes according to the law. This is the government's duty. I'd like to ask the people not to strike as they can still express their (political) opinions after work. If the people don't pay tax, the country will eventually hurt and that will affect the economy and problems will return to hurt us," she said.

She said "asking" is the first step the government will take. She added that the people should support tax payment.


-- The Nation 2013-11-12

She said "asking" is the first step the government will take. She added that the people should support tax payment.

She maybe should have a chat with her brother about that one

The more she speaks, the more foolish she continues to look.

Edited November 12, 201312 yr by mrtoad

Hmm....... a Shinawat family member lecturing people about paying tax.

Not sure about that.

Yingluck asked protesters to bring a halt to the rallies and thus maintain foreigners' confidence in Thailand.

Not heard of a Gordian knot have they. So they will maintain foreign investors confidence by bringing a person so well connected with corruption?

"We believe everybody must campaign for all the people to pay taxes according to the law. This is the government's duty. I'd like to ask the people not to strike as they can still express their (political) opinions after work. If the people don't pay tax, the country will eventually hurt and that will affect the economy and problems will return to hurt us," she said.

Eventually?

Withholding tax would be a drop in the ocean compared to..........

She was given a fair chance to govern for 2 years but has totally blown it putting her brother's welfare above that of the Thai people, which was exactly the worry from the beginning. Even with the total ruination of the countries rice industry, the rampant inflation, the soaring debts, the lying ministers, she was still allowed to continue. Quite why she plays these dishonest games to keep the amnesty in play so her govt can enact it in 181 days is baffling. Is it not apparent to her that it will cause the PTP govt to fall?

"If people don,t pay tax, it will eventually hurt the country"

Coming from a lady whos government implimented the rice-scam, costing the taxpayers about TBH 1 billion a day!!

Not to mention the disappearence of the 350 billion baht watermanagement fund??

So what she is actually saying: Give us some more money, so we can continue to rob you blind!!

I am not sure if Yingluck is deluded or just plain thick. The tax comments are just hilarious, given her families history.

"As many of their demands have been met, I plead for those protesting to stop," she told reporters, appealing to the public to give her government time to run the country.

The same way the red shirts quit protesting after the goverment promised them an election within 4 months.

She's a miserable pleader of a leader.

Are there still large numbers of protesters near Democracy Monument?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited November 12, 201312 yr by tallfarang

Plea for your political life. They won't stop until the topple you and your government.

A chance to work?

As opposed to spending all that time cooking up bills to bring your brother home and grant amnesty for the clique's crimes?

As opposed to actually being in parliament during sessions?

Pay taxes like should have been done with the sale of ShinCorp?

Suthep must be laughing his head off at all this verbal ammunition

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

what goes on in that tiny little brain....does she honestly not realise whats coming out of her mouth.....shes pathetic..im almost cringing with embarrasment when shes about to talk...its almost a relief that most are uneducated here..can you imagine if they were ..60.000.000 laughing at the same time you would here it in space..

She's a miserable pleader of a leader.

Pleading women...!

'If a lot of people strike who will work?'

Well, PM ... noone!, That's the concept.

'"If a lot of people strike then who will work? Please think about this," : Yingluck'

Gosh, she's not exactly profound in her grasp of things, is she? Doesn't she realise that that is what strikes are for ...?

After all, who would help sell her a new designer handbag in Emporium if it was closed?

Plea for your political life. They won't stop until the topple you and your government.

She's already dead in the water - just a matter of time before Thailand's international embarrassment goes the way of her brother - out of the window.

Edited November 12, 201312 yr by Mister Fixit

"She added that the people should support tax payment"

People should pay tax so she can keep her voter base by giving half the tax money to the red shirt rice farmers, and the other half to her friends and family - and keep all the details secret????

"If a lot of people strike, who will work?"

Why does she always sound like a 7 year old, talking from her own personal perspective? Can't she wash her own dishes for a day or two?

Might be an improvement in matters if her megalomaniac brother kept his mouth shut and his nose out of Thailand's affairs as a first move.

Follow up that move by the P.T.P. ignoring the megalomaniacs mental ramblings and orders then possibly she might just see an improvement in matters, although now the damage is done those matters in reality stand a very slim chance of improving.

Yingluck was put into place as a cosmetic measure, now those cosmetics are wearing thin and we are now seeing the haggardness of reality as Yingluck comes to see that she is and always was no more than a fine application of political powder and paint to make her brother Thaksin seem what he' aint!!.

Mr. and Mrs Somchai the average Thai have seen through the facade of powder and paint so perhaps madam Prime Minister it is you and your government (or as we all know it's your brothers government that needs to change not the people of Thailand.

Now be a good girl, go to the ladies room , wipe away those crocodile tears and let's see if you actually have the ability or the willingness to change matters yourself, resigning your puppet star status might be a first good move then the removal of that political powder and paint stage makeup you are always wearing can be removed.

Edited November 12, 201312 yr by siampolee

Her speeches and over the last several days have been a good demonstration the her and her teams ability, Her team including the caddie of course.

Give us more time to prove ourselves. The "achievements" and performance over the last 2 years, coupled with the very obvious number one agenda item should be more than enough for almost anyone to make a judgement. Gonna be a lot more than 500 baht a vote next time sweetie - best get the 2.2 trillion in the bank quick.

She's a miserable pleader of a leader.

Pleading women...!

She has totally lost it. Not implying she ever had it. She reminds me of the words of an old song Please Mister Custer I don't want to go. Especially the line in the song, what am I doing here.

"We believe everybody must campaign for all the people to pay taxes according to the law. This is the government's duty. I'd like to ask the people not to strike as they can still express their (political) opinions after work."

With this in mind, I am assuming that us Aliens who pay taxes are allowed to express our political opinions. This should shut up the Red Shirt apologists, who keep saying "if you don't like it go home".

Edited November 12, 201312 yr by mrtoad

"Please give us time to prove ourselves".

It's over two years, since the faux-PM first asked for six months in which to prove herself, so how come people are still waiting, and she's still begging for more ?

Might be an improvement in matters if her megalomaniac brother kept his mouth shut and his nose out of Thailand's affairs as a first move.

Follow up that move by the P.T.P. ignoring the megalomaniacs mental ramblings and orders then possibly she might just see an improvement in matters, although now the damage is done those matters in reality stand a very slim chance of improving.

Yingluck was put into place as a cosmetic measure, now those cosmetics are wearing thin and we are now seeing the haggardness of reality as Yingluck comes to see that she is and always was no more than a fine application of political powder and paint to make her brother Thaksin seem what he' aint!!.

Mr. and Mrs Somchai the average Thai have seen through the facade of powder and paint so perhaps madam Prime Minister it is you and your government (or as we all know it's your brothers government that needs to change not the people of Thailand.

Now be a good girl, go to the ladies room , wipe away those crocodile tears and let's see if you actually have the ability or the willingness to change matters yourself, resigning your puppet star status might be a first good move then the removal of that political powder and paint stage makeup you are always wearing can be removed.

"a fine application of political powder and paint to make her brother Thaksin seem what he' aint!!."

A poetic reality.

Are there still large numbers of protesters near Democracy Monument? Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Yes, still a couple of die hards.

Yingluck's hollow pleadings falling on deaf ears.

"Listened to tthe peoples opinion", but Ms Prime minister, you listened to the wrong people. You steam rolled a Aministy bill thru under the guise of reconciltion and then attempted to do the same via the Senate.

You and various cronies have spent 3 weeks talking about the forthcoming verdict, now its here, you have gone back into your weasel mode.

You and the cabinet has precested in touting your populist programs (not), knowing they were set up to facilate the middle men, cronies, and yourselves and you want to be allowed to get back to running the government?

What needs to be done is the current government should review where they have had success in the past 2 years, where they have had complete failure, and take the honorable avenue in advancing Thailand's image on the world stage.

Are there still large numbers of protesters near Democracy Monument? Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

demo.jpg

Yes, still a couple of die hards.

Yingluck's hollow pleadings falling on deaf ears.

That's yesterday's photo. Not today. I don't know about today too.