Stressful week ahead for Thai government, opposition

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Stressful week ahead for government, opposition
JINTANA PANYAARVUDH,
BUDSARAKHAM SINLAPALAWAN,
NIPHAWAN KAEWRAKMUK
THE NATION

But court ruling tomorrow unlike to have big impact on ruling coalition

BANGKOK: -- THAI POLITICS has entered a dangerous phase again, with both the Pheu Thai-led government and the opposition Democrat Party walking on a tightrope.

Whether the government will survive the first "time-bomb", when the Constitutional Court rules on a bill to amend the election of members of the Senate, will be known tomorrow (Wed).

However, political observers, plus the government and the opposition seem to believe the court's ruling may not have much impact on the political landscape. Most ruled out the worst-case scenario, in which the ruling party and its three coalition allies would be penalised with dissolution and their executives banned from politics for five years.

Political scientist Assadang Panikabutra said he was not worried about the court ruling because he thought it was a normal process for charter amendments. He thought this case may only affect individual MPs - those alleged to have used colleagues' ID cards to vote.

The government is also due to be grilled in a censure debate by next week. The Democrats submitted a no-confidence motion last Friday against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan for alleged mismanagement and abuse of power.

However, the motion was not be put on the agenda for the House of Representatives as Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont asked for more documents related to an impeachment move and allegations related to graft. The parliamentary session will end on November 28.

But few people believe the government will be brought down by the debate, as the opposition does not have enough votes - this would require more than half of House MPs to say they have lost confidence in the Yingluck government. Plus the opposition has failed to find solid evidence to warrant such an outcome.

So, it is unclear how or when the Democrats rally will conclude. They may find an answer, or excuse, on their "battle day" as rally leader Suthep Thaugsuban, who resigned as an MP along with eight other MPs, called on Sunday night for a million people to join their protest next Sunday (Nov 24).

Many political observers have said the opposition party should have dispersed their rally at Democracy Monument after the Senate rejected the amnesty bill last week, on November 11.

Instead, the rally led by the former MP from Surat Thani gradually escalated the protest with calls for civil disobedience, such as a national strike, and for people to delay paying tax, social sanctions, and a boycott on buying products of firms controlled by the Shinawatra clan. But these tactics seemed to have had less success.

Assadang said the Democrats should announce their "victory" before the end of this month and tell the protesters to disperse, and explain that the rally site on Rajadamnoen Avenue will be used to celebrate His Majesty the King's birthday early next month.

Sombat Thamrongtanyawong, former rector of the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida), believed the rally would end this month as the protest leader had said earlier. He said he think the battle day on Sunday will see another peak day of the rally.

"At least, they can tell the protesters that they won the first round [by getting the amnesty bill annulled]," he said.

Suthep called last Friday for signatures to impeach 310 ruling politicians who voted for the amnesty bill. And some 50,000 people had signed this petition by yesterday.

A high-ranking source from the Democrats, who asked not to be named, said the party expected to get at least one million signatures by Sunday and would then step up their bid to oust the government, claiming support from the one million who signed the petition.

They realised it was unlikely to get one million people out on the streets but felt a million signatures would also be significant. So, the one million signatures may be the best excuse for Suthep, to bow out with dignity.


-- The Nation 2013-11-19

[Robby nz]

Tomorrows Constitution court ruling wont make any difference to PT as they have said they wont accept the ruling which ever way it goes.

They are after all above the law of the country and don't have to bother with silly things like that.

[ramrod711]

26-27 PM flies to Singapore, just like her brother going to the Beijing olympics when things got hot. Let's hope she doesn't come back either.

[Joe Mamma]

I am curious what the vast empires the def-act o hold. What firms are in the S's control.

[bigbamboo]

Any girl would need some serious retail therapy after a week like that and lucky for some Singapore is a world hub.

[GrantSmith]

What's the word on the Central Administrative Court case against the Defence Minister? That appears to be quite interesting...

[h90]

Any girl would need some serious retail therapy after a week like that and lucky for some Singapore is a world hub.

lets hope whistle blowing is banned in Singapore.