Thai opposition torn between elections and 'revolution'

[webfact]

Thai opposition torn between elections and 'revolution'
by Daniel ROOK

BANGKOK, December 16, 2013 (AFP) - She is a poster child for a Thai elite campaigning to freeze democracy. But when Chitpas Bhirombhakdi is not on stage cheerleading for a self-styled "people's revolution", she is quietly preparing a bid for parliament.

It is a contradiction that highlights the dilemma facing Thailand's oldest -- but by no means most popular -- political party, the Democrats, whose lawmakers recently resigned en masse from parliament to join opposition street protests.

The party must soon decide whether to take part in, or boycott, a general election that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has called for February 2 -- a decision that could determine the fate of the country's fragile democracy.

"We don't know whether there's going to be a general election or not but as a politician I have to be prepared for it," Chitpas said.

The Democrat-backed street protest movement has rejected the election, raising concerns that the party may decide to boycott the polls at a key two-day meeting starting on Monday.

Known as the "Singha heiress", Chitpas's family is one of the richest in Thailand. Its Boon Rawd Brewery makes Singha beer, an official sponsor of English Premier League giants Manchester United.

A former Democrat Party spokeswoman who ran unsuccessfully for a seat in parliament two years ago, the British-educated 27-year-old says her childhood dream is to become prime minister.

Yet each night she takes to the stage to support a movement seeking to overthrow a government which won a landslide election in 2011, and to install an unelected "people's council" in its place.

The glamorous socialite -- who was picked by protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban to play a leading role in the street movement -- has led marches to besiege state buildings in Bangkok.

She has tended wounded demonstrators, addressed the international media from the rally stage in near-flawless English and was even spotted riding in a bulldozer brought out to dismantle police barricades.

But she insists the Democrats are not turning their back on elections.

"We're not taking away democracy. We just need some time to reform the country before we can move on to democracy," she told AFP, explaining that problems such as corruption and vote-buying must be tackled before free and fair elections can be held.

The problem, she added, is that many Thais lack a "true understanding of democracy... especially in the rural areas".

The Democrats enjoy widespread support among Thailand's Bangkok-based elite and middle class.

But they have not won an elected majority in about two decades, and critics argue that the only "reforms" they are interested in are those which will end their losing streak.

They face a formidable opponent in Yingluck's brother, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whose overthrow by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago ushered in years of political turmoil and periodic street violence.

The Democrats last took power in 2008 by parliamentary vote after a court stripped Thaksin's allies of power, angering his "Red Shirt" supporters who launched mass street protests three years ago that ended in a military crackdown that left dozens dead.

Thaksin, who now lives in self-exile in Dubai, is adored by many outside Bangkok for his populist policies that helped to transform the country's impoverished northern hinterlands.

But the billionaire tycoon-turned-politician is reviled by the elite, Bangkok's middle class and southerners, who see him as corrupt and a threat to the monarchy.

Pro-Thaksin parties have won every election since 2001, most recently with a landslide victory under Yingluck two years ago.

To solve the country's problems, "Thailand needs proper education on democracy", Chitpas said.

"In the past, before all of this happened, very little awareness was made about politics. In the parliament, when the bills are being passed and it's being shown live on TV, people don't watch it."

If the Democrats do choose to boycott the February elections, it will likely prolong the crisis.

"Their agenda is to get rid of Thaksin and to set up a regime of their own by bypassing the democratic process," said Pavin Chachavalpongpun, an associate professor at the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Japan's Kyoto University.

But without their participation in elections, Thailand's political system would face a crisis of legitimacy, he said.

Chitpas said her hope for the future is to see a government last for a full four-year term -- a rarity in a country where the military and courts have a history of intervening to remove elected governments.

Even if it is a pro-Thaksin government?

"Well that's the problem," she replied. "That's why we have to fix it before we can move forward."


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-12-16

[Emptyset]

More on Chitpas here:

'BANGKOK (Reuters) - Chitpas Bhirombhakdi is heiress to a $2.6 billion family fortune and, according to high-society magazine Thailand Tatler, one of Bangkok's "most eligible young ladies". She can also handle tear gas and ride a tractor. On December 2, as anti-government demonstrations in Bangkok turned violent, the 27-year-old climbed aboard a front-loader brought in by protesters to break down police barricades.

Chitpas, whose family owns the Boon Rawd Brewery that makes Singha Beer, had dismounted the machine long before police pelted it with rubber bullets and gas canisters. But her gung-ho act showed how members of Thailand's most celebrated families are discarding all past pretence of neutrality to hit the streets in the hope of toppling Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

While visiting the main protest site at Democracy Monument, Naphalai Areesorn, editor of Thailand Tatler, said she bumped into a than phuying - the Thai equivalent of a dame - and others with royally-bestowed titles.

"People you would normally see in the society pages were out there," she said. "All the people from big families used to be called the silent minority. Well, they're not silent anymore."'

http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKBRE9BC0ZI20131213?irpc=932

Edited December 16, 2013 by Emptyset

[Spare]

More on Chitpas here:

'BANGKOK (Reuters) - Chitpas Bhirombhakdi is heiress to a $2.6 billion family fortune and, according to high-society magazine Thailand Tatler, one of Bangkok's "most eligible young ladies". She can also handle tear gas and ride a tractor. On December 2, as anti-government demonstrations in Bangkok turned violent, the 27-year-old climbed aboard a front-loader brought in by protesters to break down police barricades.

Chitpas, whose family owns the Boon Rawd Brewery that makes Singha Beer, had dismounted the machine long before police pelted it with rubber bullets and gas canisters. But her gung-ho act showed how members of Thailand's most celebrated families are discarding all past pretence of neutrality to hit the streets in the hope of toppling Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

While visiting the main protest site at Democracy Monument, Naphalai Areesorn, editor of Thailand Tatler, said she bumped into a than phuying - the Thai equivalent of a dame - and others with royally-bestowed titles.

"People you would normally see in the society pages were out there," she said. "All the people from big families used to be called the silent minority. Well, they're not silent anymore."'

http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKBRE9BC0ZI20131213?irpc=932

She is very beautiful and distributed porno while she was in POWER.

http://beerbeer.org/?p=3770

On Wednesday, Chitpas Bhirom-bhakdi, a 23-year-old daughter of the executive vice-president of Singha Corporation, took out two boxes of calendars from the trunk of her BMW and distributed them at the Government House in Bangkok.

Government House officials (including deputy government spokesmen Phumin Leetheerapra-sert and Supachai Jaisamut), MPs, police and journalists (covering the Government House beat) lined up to accept Chitpas’ generosity and within a few minutes, about 200 copies were snapped up.

(For the record: the two spokesmen denied taking the calendars, claiming they were only passing by.)

The next day, to accept responsibility for distributing the calendars inside the August compound of the Government House, Chitpas resigned as a political appointee at the PM’s secretariat office.

In her resignation letter, the heiress explained that she did not intend to distribute them.

“I brought along the calendars because some friends want to have them,” she said, as quoted by The Nation.

Edited December 16, 2013 by Spare

[RubbaJohnny]

ale to the chief in the bimbocracy.

As the democratic election lacked sufficient ABV gravity for the dumbercarts it was decide that the froth of the nation would give better head,a long cool head ,crsip finish and hop to attention when the Brewmeister ppulled on the main pump.

Topers nationwide rejoiced at news of free beer tomorrow ,and raised an ass to bar steward bar none Subtle Thugs are born every minuye a soke for Hub, the STAT sox tourist authoritty of Toyland said there seamys too bee no decrease in lust and they were expecting a new waiver of tourisks riding agong the floods.

Mr Nopspellcheck Typowangwonki expalined Tieland wull be a hub fur Enggerrrish

Edited December 16, 2013 by RubbaJohnny

[Crazy chef 1]

The party must soon decide whether to take part in, or boycott, a general election that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has called for February 2 -- a decision that could determine the fate of the country's fragile democracy.

democracy or idiocracy,that's here the question.

Edited December 16, 2013 by Crazy chef 1

[chainarong]

In short you need elections and Democracy, not revolution , Thailand has had many and to no effect , except for some who profited from them, the Thai road to Democracy needs to be made clearer and much more transparent ,in short , revolution is for the uneducated and perhaps Suthep.

[edwardandtubs]

"Well that's the problem," she replied. "That's why we have to fix it before we can move forward."

Of course the Democrats have to "fix" the election before participating in it.

[falangadang]

If she became PM and did no better at the job than Yingluck I think we could all accept that provided there was free beer parties in the streets at least once a month.

[binjalin]

a billionaire heiress? an established Amart member? THIS is Dear Leaders solution to unite the country?

[frank1965]

Other players, same game........

[rwdrwdrwd]

She is very beautiful and distributed porno while she was in POWER.

http://beerbeer.org/?p=3770

You seriously think that calendar is pornography?

“Many reporters saw the calendars and wanted them. So, I gave them to everyone. I admit that I did not think that this would turn out to be a big deal. This happened because of my recklessness.”

No, don't worry Chitpas, I think you were onto something with your first reaction.

Edited December 16, 2013 by rwdrwdrwd

[Ulic]

Sounds like Chitpas needs a proper lesson on democracy.

[gamini]

a billionaire heiress? an established Amart member? THIS is Dear Leaders solution to unite the country?

a damn slight better than the current government any day. Yingluck is also a billionaire.

[indyuk]

"To solve the country's problems, Thailand needs proper education on democracy"; Chitpas said.

Khun Chitpass has effectively abandoned democracy by her recent actions. She fails to understand why the Democrats can no longer win an election.

To be an electable political party the members must learn how to be professional politicians whether being in government or in opposition. During my twenty year's in Thailand the Democrat party have failed achieve either.

Her (Chitpass) support of the Suthep farce is a further black mark on her career. The Democrat support for an attempt to modify Thailand's democratic system, under threat of continuous anarchy, discredits her and the Democrat Party.

Edited December 17, 2013 by indyuk

[binjalin]

a billionaire heiress? an established Amart member? THIS is Dear Leaders solution to unite the country?

a dam_n slight better than the current government any day. Yingluck is also a billionaire.

source? Yingluck is also a Billionaire? even if she was (and probably is not) don't you understand this is the elite grabbing power when the electorate do not want them? the government of the amart (Dems) is the 'amart' reeling against the electorate