Suthep is in danger of overplaying his hand

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Suthep is in danger of overplaying his hand
Supon Thanukid
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- In its two decisions relating to the charter-amendment bill on the election and qualification of senators, the Constitutional Court judges voted 6:3 and 5:4 that the legislation was unconstitutional. The rulings came amid opposition from the pro-government red shirts, who said the court had no power to consider the case in the first place.

Now that the court has delivered a decision unfavourable to the ruling Pheu Thai Party and the government, it is quite certain that the red shirts will intensify their activities.

On the other side, former Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban has called on a million anti-government protesters to come to Democracy Monument on Rajdamnoen Road in Bangkok on Sunday, saying this will be judgement day on whether Thailand will be able to get rid of the "Thaksin regime".

"Eradication of the Thaksin Regime" is the discourse used to mobilise protesters both in Bangkok and the provinces to show the government that a large number of people reject it and its ties to fugitive ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra.

Actually, Suthep's announcement last Friday marked the second time he had attempted to step up the rally. The first time, his call for "civil disobedience", including a strike, was not so successful - especially when compared with the initial mass protests targeted solely at the blanket-amnesty bill, which drew people from all walks of life.

This time, Suthep had a higher goal - one that was much harder to achieve - of bringing a million people to join in the rally, including government officials, who were asked to stop work to attend. Such an invitation, however, had the opposite of the desired effect, making government officials reluctant to join in.

While some of the Pheu Thai Party's rank-and-file members urged it to push ahead with the problematic amnesty bill, the government adopted a strategy of maintaining silence. Doing so has only added fuel to the fire.

The massive and nationwide protests against the amnesty bill showed that Pheu Thai underestimated the extent of opposition to the bill. Even de facto leader Thaksin did not think the Democrats would be able to mobilise people. Mobilisation via social media only drew more people.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who rarely gives press conferences, did so twice on state television channels to tell the public that the government was retracting the legislation. Until then, she had been silent, refusing to answer questions about the controversial bill.

Although Pheu Thai tried to say that the blanket amnesty bill had nothing to do with Thaksin, the people observed the government's behaviour, considered it, and chose not to believe the claim. In a desperate attempt to salvage the government's stability, the coalition parties finally gathered and promised not to push further for the bill.

When the government's popularity slips, Suthep - who is now an ex-MP - takes the chance to attack the government. Now he will certainly use the court's ruling to hit it harder.

Nevertheless, Suthep will have to work much harder, as the political temperature has fallen since the amnesty bill was withdrawn.

If Pheu Thai and the government take any wrong step, the people will come out - regardless of Suthep's efforts.

Failing this, Suthep should reconsider and end his rally soon, before his perseverance begins to look like stubbornness, and backfires.


-- The Nation 2013-11-22

[NongKhaiKid]

" in danger of..." is a massive understatement as he already has, His ' open mouth without engaging brain ' ( I'm presuming he has one, sort of ) is doing the opposition no good.

They have some great issues to explore but his stance is counter productive, try telling a Thai politician to shut up and sit down.

[Thait Spot]

I hear that some red shirts smashed up some of their loudspeakers at Rajadamnoen around 02:00 this morning

[Sunisalom]

I hear that some red shirts smashed up some of their loudspeakers at Rajadamnoen around 02:00 this morning

Was Chalerm one of the ones to get a kick-in?

-mel.

[JoeThePoster]

Suthep is in danger of overplaying his hand

Gonna run out of tissues and gel soon?

[thaicbr]

Suthep should end the current rally ASAP using the Kings birthday as a get out clause. No loss of face and can begin again if necessary.

with the end of this parliamentary session so close. It's unlikely anything will happen.

Although one question.

If Parliament is not in session would the "suspended" amnesty bill just "happen" after the 180days or does the government actually have to do something???

Sent from my phone with the app thingy.

[gamini]

We need someone like Suthep as prime minister. He has got guts.

[Artisi]

You can say what you like about Suthep, either good or bad , for or against, but at least he has the balls to stand up, be seem and to state his case - haven't seem the fugitive putting in an appearance, instead he cowers like a mongrel dog behind his puppet sister and his brown-nosing believers snapping at the heals of anyone coming close enough.

[Chupup]

Time to go home Suthep, with this government there will ALWAYS be another day & another time

[GrantSmith]

Suthep should end the current rally ASAP using the Kings birthday as a get out clause. No loss of face and can begin again if necessary.

with the end of this parliamentary session so close. It's unlikely anything will happen.

Although one question.

If Parliament is not in session would the "suspended" amnesty bill just "happen" after the 180days or does the government actually have to do something???

Sent from my phone with the app thingy.

He's already agreed to end it at its current location for HM the King's birthday celebrations.

One would also suspect that if the censure motion is heard next week and prior to the end of the parliaments session, coupled with further decisions to be read out from the Constitutional Court it may well all be over by the end of the month.

As for the Amnesty Bill - it's suspended and can't be touched in it's current state for another 170 something days, it can then be put up again and be passed with a 50% + 1 majority. It does not need to be cleared by the Senate.