So far - winners and losers in Thai unrest

[webfact]

REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE
So far - winners and losers in Thai unrest
Kavi Chongkittavorn



BANGKOK: -- The biggest winner of the month-long civil disobedience movement is the awakening of young Thais, who are twentyish equipped with smart phones and dozens of apps. They are no longer shy away from the so-called irritant social elements they used to churn off. In other word, they are no longer detach from the everyday reality.

Over the past weeks, they have done all these amazing things: demonstrating and peace marching on streets amid blazing sun, blowing whistles for hours including occupying government buildings. Of course, they tweeted and retweeted and Instagram their photos on Facebook. When they were asked to help to prevent the security forces from apprehending a group of their leaders at Ministry of Finance, immediately they tweeted and called their family, relatives or friends to drive cars in several hundreds at the wee hours to block toll-ways and their entries including streets and sois leading to the ministry. It was an incredible political achievement.

After the student movement reached its peak during 1973-76, which overthrew the Thanom-Praphat dictatorship and paved the way for more democratic Thailand, a long standing yarning could be heard for more active political engagements from students. Now we have it. Nobody expected in the beginning that various student organizations and informal networks would show up so forcefully, not to mention, several hundreds of high school students.

Although these youngsters still lack the sophistication of their predecessors - namely Theerayuth Boonme, Seksan Prasetkul, in terms of political discourse and orientation, they however share a common perception that unless they take part, they would become puppets themselves and eventually could suffer from the ongoing political impasse. For instance, thousands of students from vocational institutions, who are notoriously known as troublemakers, have suddenly morphed into respectable crusaders for justice and democracy.

The second winner is the civil society organizations, which have played active role in sharpening and sustaining the movement. There are well over 80,000 civil groups of various shades and colors with proper registrations or without. Previously, they seldom got together due to their different objectives and ulterior motives so are their organizational structure and funding. But the issues related to the amnesty bill, corruption charges and planned mega-spending schemes have united them in a nick of them. It is interesting to see how these informal and loosely-formed networks of civil groups would able to strengthen and become weighty political entity.

The third winner is the individuals who disconnect electricity and water, unlock doors at ministries and blow the whistles. In other culture the whistle blowers have different meaning - they are people telling secrets nobody knows. In the Thai case, they all know about Thaksin's secret. That is why they show up and blow the whistles to purge him away. The unlikely hero is, Suthep Thaugsuban, former Democrat Party hotshot, who has reinvented himself into a popular mass leader, something he could not accomplish in his party. His rise as a leader with a staying-on power tells a lot about his background from a village chief.

On the contrary, the biggest loser is undeniably Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Her charm and non-committal comments which used to be her strength and weapons of mass destruction have suddenly turned against her. For the past two years, albeit her political novice, she managed to survive and played high political poker games. She made a catastrophic mistake as she underestimated the opposition of amnesty bill. She was so confident the bill would go through with the majority in the House. Moreover, her nearly one billion baht frozen bank account linked his brother, as revealed by the Democrat Party during the no-confidence vote, also shattered her innocent image. Now, she is in ruins - her photogenic looks rear its ugly heads.

The second loser is the Red-shirt movement and its affiliated organizations. The confrontation they had over Saturday's night with the anti-government supporters at Ramkhamhaeng University, killing five persons and injuring scores have discredited further the groups as thuggish. It is interesting to note that the Red-shirt supporters including businessmen and intellectuals have conspicuously absent from the political dialogue and debates these days. There must have been some realization among their peers the Red-shirt movements and political manifesto needed to be changed.

However, another biggest loser is Thailand's 180-year-old friend, the United States. After all these years, Washington is still do now know how to deal with Thailand. As the world's foremost supporter of democracy, the US could only say: the United States firmly believes all parties should work together to resolve differences through peaceful dialogue in ways that strengthen democracy and rule of law. That helped explain why both former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij joined the protesters to the US Embassy last week trying to explain the US about the nature of Thai politics.

Finally, there is one person, Thaksin, who is neither a winner nor a loser - not yet for the time being. He is a grand spectator housed in a VIP room far away from the blood, sweat and tear's struggle he helped to chronograph. As of now, he is thinking of his next bet.


-- The Nation 2013-12-03

[NongKhaiKid]

Winners and losers ? No one wins and everyone loses.

[charliebru]

Everyone loses. Probably time for the military to get involved; the children's games have gotten out of hand. Curious comment about US; what more would they expect? It is a Thai problem; why should US be involved and, if they did intervene, would they guarantee no editorials about US meddling and trying to be the sheriff to the world?

[Silurian]

Another big loser is the person that wrote this article if he thinks it is right to approve of acts of vandalism such as cutting power lines and breaking down gates.

[JiveTalker]

My goodness. That's one of the most biased articles I've seen on this situation. The author is not even trying to hide it.

[connda]

My goodness. That's one of the most biased articles I've seen on this situation. The author is not even trying to hide it.

It also needs to be run by the editor again for grammar checking, imho. Biased? I'm assuming this is op-ed which is opinion which is...well, biased.

[marioc]

The Nation...... as usual.....

[Chanticlear]

Um, how about the thousands of small business owners who have not made any money since the protests started? And all the people who rely on tourism for a living, with high season coming up. The everyday Thai is the big looser here, while the rich use them like chess pieces.

[ggold]

Another big loser is the person that wrote this article if he thinks it is right to approve of acts of vandalism such as cutting power lines and breaking down gates.

Yes, much better to burn Bangkok to the ground!

[ggold]

My goodness. That's one of the most biased articles I've seen on this situation. The author is not even trying to hide it.

It also needs to be run by the editor again for grammar checking, imho. Biased? I'm assuming this is op-ed which is opinion which is...well, biased.

grammar apart, I thought it gives a fair description of the situation without being biased, one way or another. The OP is not claiming victory of one side against the other. The outcome is still far from certain. IMO

[DGIE]

Another big loser is the person that wrote this article if he thinks it is right to approve of acts of vandalism such as cutting power lines and breaking down gates.

I see no reason why the protesters include hospitals in their anger by cutting the electricity.

[jdinasia]

I see no reason why the protesters include hospitals in their anger by cutting the electricity.

They didn't .... I have yet to see a post by you stat stated a fact that turned out to be correct.

[Prbkk]

"..a paper unworthy of that most vulgar purpose" ( I forget who said that but it applies to The Nation)

[Prbkk]

Setting aside the impact on individuals and group, the biggest loser is the Thai economy: weeks of lower productivity, waste of public money, inestimable damage to Thailand's tourism industry, further battering of Thailand's reputation ( the coup country), decline in stock values, lost business opportunities. Other ASEAN countries, while expressing concern and regret in public, must be joyfully laughing themselves silly that Thailand has shot itself in the foot...AGAIN

Edited December 3, 2013 by Prbkk

[farang000999]

Most of the young Thais seem to be of the opinion that red shirt supporters are all stupid buffalo and should go back to the rice paddy. They view themselves as part of the elite because they live in Bangkok and drink Starbucks. They don't really have much of a worldview because they have grown up in the Thai education system and class society. They don't realize the bigger picture, that this is not about Thaksin, it is about globalization and rising economics and political power of lower classes. There are no winners. There are 60 million people and they all turn like a machine, you can build dams but eventually water will flow through.

Edited December 3, 2013 by farang000999

[newcomer71]

Another big loser is the person that wrote this article if he thinks it is right to approve of acts of vandalism such as cutting power lines and breaking down gates.

I see no reason why the protesters include hospitals in their anger by cutting the electricity.

Let's keep to the fact. They occupied government premises, had violent actions, but they never cut electric supply to hospitals.

[mgjackson69]

Most of the young Thais seem to be of the opinion that red shirt supporters are all stupid buffalo and should go back to the rice paddy. They view themselves as part of the elite because they live in Bangkok and drink Starbucks. They don't really have much of a worldview because they have grown up in the Thai education system and class society. They don't realize the bigger picture, that this is not about Thaksin, it is about globalization and rising economics and political power of lower classes. There are no winners. There are 60 million people and they all turn like a machine, you can build dams but eventually water will flow through.

It is the same everywhere in the world where you have a large population of young people attending university. They believe that they are enlightened simply by virtue of having a student ID.

Sent from my Xoom using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Calimotty]

I see no reason why the protesters include hospitals in their anger by cutting the electricity.

They didn't .... I have yet to see a post by you stat stated a fact that turned out to be correct.

Dollar to Baht Exchange Rate Chart ... 02 Dec 13, 1 USD = 32.1750 THB.....555.

[Jim walker]

Losers Thailand and TAT winners Cambodia and Vietnam watch all the tourist number growing in these countries who wants to come to a place like Thailand far to dangerous for a family holiday battling fighting and death on the streets, all the media around the world has been watching and reporting how well disciplined Thai people are over the past week, I wonder how many were saying Oh that looks a nice destination for a relaxing holiday with the kids.

[Maybole]

I cannot see how the USA is affected except for the win in the USD/THB rate.

[gemini81]

Another big loser is the person that wrote this article if he thinks it is right to approve of acts of vandalism such as cutting power lines and breaking down gates.

I see no reason why the protesters include hospitals in their anger by cutting the electricity.

That was the RED SHIRTS in 2010...don't make stuff up- the anti gov't group of 2013 didn't do that. The biggest losers are: ones who spend time making up fabricated claims on a forum.

Edited December 3, 2013 by gemini81

[JiveTalker]

My goodness. That's one of the most biased articles I've seen on this situation. The author is not even trying to hide it.

It also needs to be run by the editor again for grammar checking, imho. Biased? I'm assuming this is op-ed which is opinion which is...well, biased.

grammar apart, I thought it gives a fair description of the situation without being biased, one way or another. The OP is not claiming victory of one side against the other. The outcome is still far from certain. IMO

Not biased?

The unlikely hero is, Suthep Thaugsuban, former Democrat Party hotshot, who has reinvented himself into a popular mass leader, something he could not accomplish in his party. His rise as a leader with a staying-on power tells a lot about his background from a village chief.

Seriosuly? It's hilarious.

[ggold]

My goodness. That's one of the most biased articles I've seen on this situation. The author is not even trying to hide it.

It also needs to be run by the editor again for grammar checking, imho. Biased? I'm assuming this is op-ed which is opinion which is...well, biased.

grammar apart, I thought it gives a fair description of the situation without being biased, one way or another. The OP is not claiming victory of one side against the other. The outcome is still far from certain. IMO

Not biased?

The unlikely hero is, Suthep Thaugsuban, former Democrat Party hotshot, who has reinvented himself into a popular mass leader, something he could not accomplish in his party. His rise as a leader with a staying-on power tells a lot about his background from a village chief.

Seriosuly? It's hilarious.

What is hilarious is that a country could vote for someone who has zero experience in politics as Prime Minister of their country! Well it would be if it wasn't so sad for the nation as a whole.

[A1Str8]

There will be no winners.

[SamMunich]

I can't see any wrong facts in Khun Kavi Chongkittavorn article. He is a looong time editor of the NATION and he is not isolated from reality. His description of how the younger people take part in the demonstrations is quite to the point.

As for the "damage" of the demonstration, that needs to be compared to the damage the government is creating every day it is in office. Why? Just look at how much tax money is burned for the rice pledging scheme every single day.

So folks, let's not be silly, if there is a public dispute, some damage will always appear. It's just about how much is bearable. The damage by the Red Shirts three years ago certainlty wasn't. Here and now nobody ransacked the offices, because their leaders told them not to do. What did the Red Shirts 3 years ago to the provincial governors offices they stormed in the Isarn? The burnt it down!

So in fact the people of Thailand, except the crooked ones, are the winners. And like it or not, even the Red Shorts, not as a group, but as individual citizens. And that is exactly, what Khu Kavi wrote...

Sam M.