Muted response to Suthep's calls for 'civil disobedience'

[webfact]

Muted Response To Suthep's Calls For 'Civil Disobedience'
By Khaosod Online


Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban (centre) on his way to submit his resignation as Democrat MP at Parliament, 12 November 2013

BANGKOK: -- Several prominent representatives of the private sector have spoken out against the ′civil disobedience′ measures suggested by the leader of the anti-government protests.

In the bid to intensify their campaign against the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban called on those hostile to the government to go on a nationwide strike between 13-15 November, while schools and colleges should be shut down during the said period.

Thai people should also refuse to pay taxes to put the pressure on the government to resign, according to Mr. Suthep, who had announced his resignation as a Democrat MP in the same speech at Ratchadamnoen Avenue.

However, the chairman of Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), Mr. Phayungsak Chartsuttipol, criticised Mr. Suthep′s call for the nationwide strike as damaging to the economy and reputation of the nation. He also urged Thai people to pay their taxes, contrary to what Mr. Suthep′s instruction.

The protests should come to an end already, Mr. Phayungsak argued, as the controversial ′blanket amnesty′ has been effectively shelved by the Senate.

"I want to see peace and cooperation of the Thai people to develop their country," said the FTI chairman.

Mr. Isra Wongkusolkit, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, echoed Mr. Phayungsak′s opinion, urging the Thai people to ignore the calls for the strike on 13 November.

"The private sector will not accept this measure," Mr. Isra said, "And as for the proposal to stop paying taxes, the private sector will not go along with it neither, because it is illegal".

Meanwhile, three leading universities have denied reports that they will answer Mr. Suthep′s calls for university shutdown on 13 November. Rectors of Thammasat University, Rangsit University, and Srinakharinwirot University said although the students would not be barred from participating in the protests in their private time, the universities will function as usual.

Facebook pages associated with anti-government factions have previously reported that the three universities would cancel their classes to support the protests at Ratchadamnoen Avenue.

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNE5ESTJOVEU1T1E9PQ==

-- KHAOSOD English 2013-11-13

[webfact]

POLITICS
Suthep civil disobedience move 'bit unreasonable'
Asina Pornwasin

BANGKOK: -- Now that the Senate has rejected the government's blanket amnesty bill, former Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban is calling on people to show their dissatisfaction by taking four actions - a three-day strike, suspending payment of corporate tax, hanging a Thai flag outside their homes and blowing a whistle every time they see a government official.

The Nation has been monitoring social media to see how people are responding to Suthep's demands.

Business owner Piyawan Anan believes these actions were possible with the exception of suspending corporate tax, adding that all goals can be achieved if people unite.

Danupol Siamwalla said this call for action was partially right and partially wrong, as it was based on civil disobedience. He said that in order for it to work, Suthep should implement it on a step-by-step basis, starting with the strike and using corporate tax non-payment as the last step to pressure the government.

Narudom Roongsiriwong, an executive director at ECOP, said Suthep's four actions were not reasonable, especially when it came to not paying corporate tax. He said not paying tax was illegal and the three-day strike would only damage the economy. "What he is asking us to do is illegal," he said.

Presit Klong-Nguluerm, chairman of the Thai Electronic Publishing Club, also said not paying tax was illegal and pointed out that the illegal amnesty bill cannot be fought using illegal means. "It is not the right thing to do."

Pravit Chattalada said he did not think these actions would address the country's problems. "I don't think Suthep has come up with a serious proposal to fix the country's ills. It's more like using fire to get the followers pumped up. Political and national leaders' actions are normally serious and precise. So let's see if they come up with better suggestions that would be worth following," he said.

Sorawis Jumnansilp said the three-day strike would affect the economy, not paying corporate tax was illegal and blowing a whistle at government officials was just bad manners. "Blowing whistles at a rally is acceptable, but calling on us to suspend the corporate tax is like calling on us to break the law. We are against the amnesty bill, because we do not want anyone to break the law. So why are they asking us to do illegal things?" Sorawis asked.

Rtkill Pich said he only agreed with one point - hanging the Thai flag at the front gate.

Attapol Lertlum said the only way Suthep's call can be followed is if corporations agree to take action against the government.

DJ Suharit Siamwalla, who once ran for the Bangkok governor's post, said he was going to stop protesting for now, but will keep his eyes open until the bill is actually killed.

Meanwhile, many Facebook users have removed anti-amnesty bill signs from their profile pictures and there appear to be fewer photographs of the rallies being posted on social media - probably because many have achieved what they set out to do - getting the Senate to reject the controversial bill.


-- The Nation 2013-11-13

[Thainy Tim]

I like Suthep's style and integrity but I think he is getting a little over excited by his rally's success. Calling national strikes causes more harm to the business sector than it does the government. Remembering that the business sector are his supporter, it isn't a good idea to inconvenience them.

I think he needs to wind his neck in a bit and refrain from getting carried away. There is more than one way to skin a cat. Civil disobedience is not the best by a large margin.

[tominbkk]

I thought his ideas were bonehead dumb.

[Nowhereman60]

I thought his ideas were bonehead dumb.

I think the man who came up with this scheme is bonehead dumb.

[tominbkk]

I thought his ideas were bonehead dumb. 

I think the man who came up with this scheme is bonehead dumb.

I am all for the protest, but hate how this yahoo hijacked the protest rally.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[Chrisswe]

This is for sure a crime ! But this gang and it's leader Suthep. T. Are protected by the military constitution law and the group of unvisiable people who finances this mass demonstration!

[JRSoul]

I have to wonder how long a national strike would have to last to damage the economy and reputation of the nation as much as the rice scam has done already.

Even if the anti-government demonstrators' response is muted, having 50,000 red shirts come out in sympathy has to be a win. Unless they are not on strike but gainfully employed as counter-demonstrators.

[FRR]

I like Suthep's style and integrity but I think he is getting a little over excited by his rally's success. Calling national strikes causes more harm to the business sector than it does the government. Remembering that the business sector are his supporter, it isn't a good idea to inconvenience them.

I think he needs to wind his neck in a bit and refrain from getting carried away. There is more than one way to skin a cat. Civil disobedience is not the best by a large margin.

"Suthep's style and integrity" looks of words spring to mind when Suthep's name comes up but integrity isn't one of them!

[ridkun]

This is for sure a crime ! But this gang and it's leader Suthep. T. Are protected by the military constitution law and the group of unvisiable people who finances this mass demonstration!

I like your imagination.

[tominbkk]

So what is the update on numbers of protesters? How many anti amnesty guys are out there? How many redshirts are still at MTT? How many people actually are on strike? Hard to find this information, yet it seems to be the most basic.

[Spare]

Call my office this morning.

Guess what.

I am the only one who did not turn up.

And about tax, my HR say they will deduct from my pay cheque as usual, and deliver to RD as usual.

I had always thought that my company support Suthep / Mark / PAD / Yellow / Multi Color/ Coup etc

[oldsailor35]

Suthep does not give a damn about the economy, its all about his own ego and power.

[mrtoad]

I thought his ideas were bonehead dumb.

I would agree with you on this. The cause to out this corrupt government is worthy, but the methods are ridiculous political bluster.

[mrtoad]

This is for sure a crime ! But this gang and it's leader Suthep. T. Are protected by the military constitution law and the group of unvisiable people who finances this mass demonstration!

Give Pease a chance

[tragickingdom]

Suthep is only suitable as leader for a banana republic. What he actually says i: Next time when I am in power it is fine as the 67% who do not support me are not going to work and will stop paying taxes. Suthep is only trying to keep out of jail and is more damaging and more dangerous to the country than Thaksin ever was. Suthep only takes and never gives, look at the encroachment of his family on public land, the closure of waterways for ordinary people and fishermen by his company and the destruction his businesses are causing to the environment.

[webfact]

POLITICS
Mixed responses to urge to step up rallies
PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI
BAMRUNG AMNARTCHAROENRIT
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The private sector yesterday bombarded Monday's calls by anti-amnesty campaigners for action including a mass strike later this week and the withholding of tax payments by businesses. Some labour unions of state enterprises leave the decision to employers.

The Board of Trade (BoT) and the the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) have urged demonstrators to halt their protests against the amnesty bill, which has been rejected by the Senate, and to negotiate with their political opponents as a peaceful way to work out the best solutions for the country. They said the private sector disagreed with such moves as they would only hamper the Kingdom's economic growth.

TCC chairman Isara Vongkusolkit expressed concern about the impact of serious political turmoil on the country's growth, saying it could cause a drop in the number of tourists and destroy investor confidence.

"The private sector disagrees with civil disobedience, as it is not the right action. Business will continue to pay tax as it is our responsibility and will not announce any days off for employees, as firms need to run as normal," Isara said.

The University of Thai Chamber of Commerce earlier forecast that prolonged political conflict would cause Thailand's economic growth projection to fall from 3.5 per cent to 3-3.2 per cent.

The BoT and the TCC called on all parties to negotiate for the benefit of the country. The organisations stressed three key efforts that needed to be made: steps to end corruption; avoiding confrontations that could lead to disaster and affect the country's growth; and an attempt by every party to unite and restore peace to the country.

Yutthachai Soonthron-rattanavate, president of Domestic Travel, said he was worried about the situation. Stopping work meant doubts would be created, impacting economic activities. At this uncertain time, the country needed to drive the economy forward and keep it dynamic to improve the climate for investors and boost their confidence.

Thanavath Phonvichai, director of the UTCC's Economic and Business Forecasting Centre, said if the political strife lasts into the first quarter of next year, Thailand would lose income from the tourism sector amounting to Bt30 billion to Bt50 billion. Economic growth next year would be only 4-4.8 per cent, down from a previous projection of between 5-5.1 per cent.

Economic growth this year could also drop to just 3-3.2 per cent if more problems occurred this year, Thanavath said. The UTCC forecasts the economy this year will grow by only 3.3 per cent if protests continue, down from 3.5 per cent in previous projections.

Deputy Finance Minister Benja Louicharoen said a thorough ministry inspection into tax collection would be conducted in response to senior Democrat Party member Suthep Thaugsuban's call for tax non-payment. She shrugged off the call, saying that paying tax was a civil duty and a thorough inspection would easily detect and prevent tax evasion.

She said the political instability had not affected the Revenue Department's ability to collect taxes, adding that collection in October, the first month in the 2014 fiscal year, was above the targeted amount.

Her fellow Deputy Finance Minister Tanusak Lekuthai said Suthep's call was prompted largely by emotion and should not be taken seriously. Tanusak thought rally-goers, as educated, middle-class people, would not heed the call.

Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt said ministry officials or state-enterprise employees were free to express their opinions or take part in political rallies outside of working hours, but their duties and public service must continue.

Heeding to a call for mass strikes today to Friday made by an anti-amnesty rally, three powerful labour unions - the State Enterprises Workers' Relations Confederation (SERC), the Thai Labour Solidarity Committee, and the union of Thai Airways International (THAI) - said yesterday that it was for employers to decide whether their businesses would take part in the mass strikes, while employees were free to join the rallies after working hours.

THAI Union president Damrong Waikanee said a union conclusion was made yesterday to give freedom to THAI employees to join the mass strike, if they deemed their acts useful to the country's interest. Most members have reportedly agreed with the strike against the controversial amnesty bill, although it has been dislodged but pending a reactivation after a 180-day period.

The other measures cited at a SERC meeting yesterday in response to future reactivation of the bill are that electricity would be cut off at government offices that have pending power bills, while city bus services would also be downsized. However, those giving free rides to serve low-income earners would continue as per normal.

SERC chief Khomsan Thongsiri admitted that not all 45 member unions convened yesterday. He added that SERC remained active in the anti-amnesty move because it did not trust the government that the bill would never be reactivated. Citing possible action against any future efforts to bring the bill back, he said.

Separately, Police have issued a summon ordering former Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban to acknowledge an offence against calling for a mass strike from today and Friday, after he made a call on Monday night, at the anti-amnesty rally led by Democrat Party, for a number of acts of civil disobedience.

A senior police commander, Pol Maj-General Adul Narongsak, said Suthep’s call was in violation of Article 117 of the Criminal Code which carries a seven-year imprisonment and/or maximum fine of Bt14,000. People who co-operate or follow such calls would face a three-year imprisonment and/or maximum fine of Bt6,000.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet yesterday approved a Bt117-million budget to buy a system that can jam communication frequencies for use in crowd-control operations to deter future political rallies, while this system could also encrypted police radio messages to prevent eavesdropping by protestors, a Cabinet source said yesterday.

The approval was granted during a discussion of a group of brief, confidential agenda items at yesterday's weekly meeting. No Cabinet members objected to the plan, or even discussed the matter, the source said. He added that the system's operational radius was very wide and that it could jam or block all communications frequencies, ranging from Wi-Fi to other wireless bandwidths, as well as mobile-phone signals and two-way radio communications.


-- The Nation 2013-11-13

[CelticBhoy]

The last two paragraphs of that article are beyond freaky.

Paranoid people in the hot seat methinks.

[chrisrazz]

He and his fellow dems that resigned from parliament have deserted the constituencies that voted them in to represent them. Do any politicians these days they ever seek election in order to represent the electorate that voted for them? Are they allowed to stand again in those constituencies at any future elections? In my mind, this is dereliction of duty to the public and deserves some sort of punishment.

As for jamming electronic devices, any developments in this regard will no doubt come back to bite.

[Baerboxer]

Suthep is only suitable as leader for a banana republic. What he actually says i: Next time when I am in power it is fine as the 67% who do not support me are not going to work and will stop paying taxes. Suthep is only trying to keep out of jail and is more damaging and more dangerous to the country than Thaksin ever was. Suthep only takes and never gives, look at the encroachment of his family on public land, the closure of waterways for ordinary people and fishermen by his company and the destruction his businesses are causing to the environment.

Suthep and many other politicians of all political persuasions no doubt have many skeletons buried in the murky past.

However, I don't think anyone can have done more damage to, and be more dangerous to Thailand than Thaksin.

[Showbags]

He and his fellow dems that resigned from parliament have deserted the constituencies that voted them in to represent them. Do any politicians these days they ever seek election in order to represent the electorate that voted for them? Are they allowed to stand again in those constituencies at any future elections? In my mind, this is dereliction of duty to the public and deserves some sort of punishment.

As for jamming electronic devices, any developments in this regard will no doubt come back to bite.

They could always go back to smoke signals...plenty buildings in Bangkok to start them with.

[hellodolly]

This is for sure a crime ! But this gang and it's leader Suthep. T. Are protected by the military constitution law and the group of unvisiable people who finances this mass demonstration!

Care to tell us the cost of this mass demonstration.

Better still compare it to the red shirt one where they had to hire demonstrators and buses to bruing them in. Unlike the anti government one where people came on their own. People who are intelligent enough to know when they are being screwed people that don't need any money to demonstrate for democracy People that want what is best for Thailand.

Give us the break down you have made a claim now back it up.

I for one am very interested in the costs.

[hellodolly]

I have to wonder how long a national strike would have to last to damage the economy and reputation of the nation as much as the rice scam has done already.

Even if the anti-government demonstrators' response is muted, having 50,000 red shirts come out in sympathy has to be a win. Unless they are not on strike but gainfully employed as counter-demonstrators.

gainfully employed as counter-demonstrators

My understanding of a demonstrator for a political situation is some one protesting against some thing or supporting it.

Are you saying that the red shirts are gainfully employed for supporting the government. We all saw the video of them being paid. I couldent make out the bills they looked to me like 1,000 baht bills and two were being given to each demonstrator. But I think my eyes were fooling me and they were hundred baht bills. After all they only paid 500 baht a day to the common red shirt foot soldier in 2010. Of course a lot more to the leaders.

[Thai at Heart]

I like Suthep's style and integrity but I think he is getting a little over excited by his rally's success. Calling national strikes causes more harm to the business sector than it does the government. Remembering that the business sector are his supporter, it isn't a good idea to inconvenience them.

I think he needs to wind his neck in a bit and refrain from getting carried away. There is more than one way to skin a cat. Civil disobedience is not the best by a large margin.

They desperately need Sondhi involved to bring this thing to a cresecendo.

[Thai at Heart]

The last two paragraphs of that article are beyond freaky.

Paranoid people in the hot seat methinks.

I wouldn't take that too seriously, it's probably an 11.7mn baht coat hanger in a plastic holder.

[GentlemanJim]

I have to wonder how long a national strike would have to last to damage the economy and reputation of the nation as much as the rice scam has done already.

Even if the anti-government demonstrators' response is muted, having 50,000 red shirts come out in sympathy has to be a win. Unless they are not on strike but gainfully employed as counter-demonstrators.

gainfully employed as counter-demonstrators

My understanding of a demonstrator for a political situation is some one protesting against some thing or supporting it.

Are you saying that the red shirts are gainfully employed for supporting the government. We all saw the video of them being paid. I couldent make out the bills they looked to me like 1,000 baht bills and two were being given to each demonstrator. But I think my eyes were fooling me and they were hundred baht bills. After all they only paid 500 baht a day to the common red shirt foot soldier in 2010. Of course a lot more to the leaders.

They were 1000 baht bills you saw

It seems when these leaders get up on stage they tend to get carried away with their emotions and without exception they all start engaging mouth before brain....playing to the crowd so to speak. Burn down the city, murder soldiers and don't pay taxes. All stupid irresponsible things to say. Fools the lot of them. The problem is they never had to work hard at school their grades were assured by their Fathers 'school contributions'.

[FLHR]

You guys did good getting the amnesty bill off the table, now it's time to grow up & go home.

Even if they pushed the city into chaos & pulled off some kind of coup; what would change? Only the faces. There would still be the same old self serving corruption. Until there's a decent educational system here (without the nationalistic brainwashing) it will always be the same old thing.

Sure would like to see a little peace & equality in this world!

[fab4]

The last two paragraphs of that article are beyond freaky.

Paranoid people in the hot seat methinks.

Or an intelligent technological response to demonstrations organised via social media?

[borisloosebrain]

Maybe Suthep is suffering from the I'm a rock star mentality displayed by some of the red shirt leaders.... scratch and you'll find a demagogue underneath. .... Personally I wouldn't even follow Suthep to a 7/11.

Having successfully orchestrated a government backdown on the amnesty he is blowing all that political capital on a campaign that seems a bridge too far for most people at this time. (IMHO). He might have been better returning to parliament to deal with a PT who may now be looking over their backs more than before.

Its' worth noting however that Suthep does a track record of bring down governments, he bought down his own ( Chuan Leekpais) thru his central role in the Phuket Land corruption scandal. lol

[GeorgeO]

The last two paragraphs of that article are beyond freaky.

Paranoid people in the hot seat methinks.

But not beyond belief ... Bt 117 million for a system for jamming communications...?! That simply appears to me to be another way of sucking as much as they can from the government coffers before someone slams the lid shut on them. What kind of system are they looking at which will cost them almost four million US dollars?

It's amazing the lengths that these people will go to when it comes to anti-government protesters, when the police are prepared to provide active protection for red shirt rallies.

And how can they threaten an employee with a three-year jail sentence for not going to work? Any court in the world asked to apply such a sentence would surely say "why didn't you just sack your worker if you're not happy with them being absent?", but I'm damn sure they wouldn't throw them in jail. To do so would spark public outrage.