Thai govt scoffs at PDRC 'victory dance'

[webfact]

Govt scoffs at PDRC 'victory dance'
NIPHAWAN KAEWRAKMUK
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- THE CAPITAL has been pressured for a month after anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban began his "Bangkok Shutdown" operation to close major intersections in the capital to force the |resignation of caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) sees their operation a success - but the Pheu Thai Party considers it a failure as the government still exists and military top brass is still working with the government.

Anti-government protest leader Satit Wongnongtaey said the PDRC rally successfully exposed the alleged wrongdoing of Thaksin's regime for Thai people and their battle is going to end soon after fighting for almost four months

"The government under-estimated our fight and walked in the wrong direction. If this battle ends, the regime will have difficulty recovering. What we did was not a waste because our fight received strong support from the community," he said.

He added the Thaksin regime was now being shaken by the protest of rice farmers who had been the ex-premier's biggest political base.

The government now has lost legitimacy to rule the country as it could not give orders to government officials, Satit said, adding that |military also has its own stance |and the police are divided.

Former deputy prime minister Korbsak Sabhavasu said the shutdown in the capital was efficient as no complaints were made by Bangkokians against Suthep. On the contrary, Thais turned against the government and Yingluck, he said.

"Although Bangkokians suffered from the shutdown, they were trying to be patient. The feeling differed from when red-shirt protesters rallied in the capital in 2010," he said.

However, a key leader of PDRC's rally, who asked not to be named, said the shutdown had no impact on politics but it would be trouble for the economy.

He calculated that the PDRC's daily activities besieging government offices had not affected government's work or officers as they could |relocate to other places.

"It's difficult for Suthep to continue the fight. The sieges laid or the cutting of power and water supplies were just symbolic, but failed to oust the government," he said.

"If new voting is held, who will block the polling stations as Suthep and all of their leaders have been issued arrest warrants?" he said.

This evaluation was similar to the Pheu Thai Party's point of view.

A high ranking source from the ruling party said the government's retreat from an amnesty bill should have defused the time bomb, but the PDRC had gone too far to backtrack.

Suthep was wrong to think that ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra would have pushed for the bill and was ready to fight an all-out battle, he said.

However, he admitted the |government's popularity was |damaged by the rally.

In his opinion, he thought the only way to remove the government was through a coup - but the idea was not in the minds of the military top brass.

"Suthep now has no idea where to go. He is at the end of the road. His initial goal was to rouse the military to stage a coup and topple the government," he said.

He said the number of protesters was continually declining. More budget was needed to stage the rally while financiers could not support more.

"All sides have now come to a dead-end and should end the impasse. Though we cannot end it totally - the government, PDRC, and military should find a way to compromise," he said.

However, Korbsak saw no possibility for talks between the government and the PDRC, especially when the former were faced with a protest from rice farmers.

The government could not push for talks as neither Suthep nor Thaksin wanted to talk, he said.

"The only way out for the country would be for the resignation of Yingluck to pave the way to appoint a non- partisan premier. If she resigned, I think people would forgive her and let her stay in the country," Korbsak said.


-- The Nation 2014-02-17

[noitom]

"Victory dance." They brought the economy to its knees, lost magnitudes of international support, wreaked havoc on Thai people and foreigners in Thailand, made fools of Thais before the world proposing such outlandish government as a "people's council" headed by 185 hand selected establishment insiders. They call it a victory dance and the Thai press larks ut on the idea of promoting the "victory dance" by giving it press.

[NCFC]

Suthep has achieved one thing and that is to destroy the local economy. MNCs now shun Thailand and look to carry out their business at other locations in SE Asia. Manufacturers have cut OT and ordinary people are not spending with the current uncertainty. Hotels are empty and tourist numbers are down.

The biggest losers are the ordinary people with residents living near the rally sites unable to go about their normal business, people who are on short-time working or have lost their jobs completely. The small mom and pop stores whose income has been slashed.

All because of the megalomaniac games of a few greedy persons - of many colours.

[thesetat2013]

All you said is true but they did show the thai people the wrongdoings of the gov. They got YLs followers to stop believing the lies from the PTP. They got YL to resign het post as PM and made her popularity drop to below 50%. They exposed many scams (schemes) and exposed the laws the gov were commiting.

I would say their campain was pretty successful.

Maybe noone wants Sutheps peoples counsel but for sure YL and many PTP and MPs will be facing criminal charges.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Snig27]

Unless you are on some sort of hallucinogenics or sitting in a bar in Pattaya on your third Chang the idea that the PDRC have 'won' anything is simply ludicrous. Thailand as a nation, as others point out above, has 'lost' big time over this self serving power grab by Suthep and those pulling his strings.

[Blackmirage2013]

This political stand off is like a python constricting itself around the neck of Bangkok.... it is slowly tightening itself around the economy and the livelihood of people. It is squeezing the oxygen out of us and making life unpleasant.

This just goes to show that both parties are more interested in themselves than the general public. Why Suthep wanted to block the traffic and close down Bangkok is beyond me. Even if Thailand were invaded that would not happen. He should have just focused on blocking the government, particularly Yingluck and other leaders from going to work, going home, shopping at Paragon, buying new Mercedes at the dealerships....

Actually Suthep's crack team should have blocked her from returning from Valentine's Day when she was off goofing around upcountry.

[Blackmirage2013]

Unless you are on some sort of hallucinogenics or sitting in a bar in Pattaya on your third Chang the idea that the PDRC have 'won' anything is simply ludicrous. Thailand as a nation, as others point out above, has 'lost' big time over this self serving power grab by Suthep and those pulling his strings.

Both Ying and Suthep are to blame. GREEDGREEDGREED.....

Imagine if they joined forces with the only objective being to improve the lives of people living in Thailand long-term. Just plain SELFISH.

[englishoak]

OK ok its a victory congratulations well done, pat on the head whatever ....Suthep wins a staggering victory now p**s off home and let the government continue to implode like it would have done anyway without ruining the countries image and reputation abroad and pushing Thais at each others throats any further...

[binjalin]

Suthep is living in a fantasy world - what 'Victory'? he said countless times "it will be over Monday, or Friday or Sunday... well definitely by New year"

and what??? shutdown what? people tell me everything just fine in BKK and only small areas occupied by the nutters

[sam sen]

the PDRC are opposing an inept, discredited and corrupt government and yet still fear going up against them at the polls.

if the opposition cant beat this lot then then they dont deserve to govern the country.

[Confuscious]

Suthep and his PDRC clan has managed to lose every credibility when he started to appoint corrupt people as the shady lear jet monk or the Singha lady to join his party.

And not to forget the farmers, who he collected a lotof money for but didn't gave them a dime.
That was the start of the end of Suthep and his PDRC.

Yingluck and the government is now trying to pay off the farmers and she will succeed in this (not in the last because of the help of Suthep who claimed that the banks should give loans to the farmers).

In a few months, Suthep and his whole PDRC will be a bad page in history and forgotten.

But not by the country which has been damaged badly by his behavior.

[toybits]

PDRC has to make claims of victory to keep the self-deception the semblance of being "alive". In reality, it is on life-support - but is BRAIN DEAD. When his backers realize that, they will pull the plug to cut the loss. Then Mr. Suthep will be left out to hang dry...

Edited February 17, 2014 by toybits

[jpeg]

All you said is true but they did show the thai people the wrongdoings of the gov. They got YLs followers to stop believing the lies from the PTP. They got YL to resign het post as PM and made her popularity drop to below 50%. They exposed many scams (schemes) and exposed the laws the gov were commiting.

I would say their campain was pretty successful.

Maybe noone wants Sutheps peoples counsel but for sure YL and many PTP and MPs will be facing criminal charges.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

But wouldn't Yingluck, okay Taksin's maladministration have been found out anyway? Given their inability to pay the rice farmers? Difficult to sweep that one under the carpet don't you think?

[Baerboxer]

Suthep has achieved one thing and that is to destroy the local economy. MNCs now shun Thailand and look to carry out their business at other locations in SE Asia. Manufacturers have cut OT and ordinary people are not spending with the current uncertainty. Hotels are empty and tourist numbers are down.

The biggest losers are the ordinary people with residents living near the rally sites unable to go about their normal business, people who are on short-time working or have lost their jobs completely. The small mom and pop stores whose income has been slashed.

All because of the megalomaniac games of a few greedy persons - of many colours.

Sure - and things were going all so swimmingly well under the Shin clan regime.

All the money spent. nothing to show for it, 2.2 trillion loan on the agenda.

If they had been allowed to cheat the amnesty bill, the 2.2 trillion off budget / no parliamentary checks through into law, and continued to remove or dilute checks and balances as they were doing, do you really believe the Thai economy and people would have benefited? No transparency, money spent secretly with no accountability (are those massively over expensive clocks working o k ? Whose company supplied them? etc etc etc).

Still, during the period of his family's government Thaksin's family's wealth increased 450%. They must be brilliant at business to achieve this wonderful growth in the current economic climate. So, the bad things can't be their fault, must be others? They have demonstrated how successful they are.

[thesetat2013]

All you said is true but they did show the thai people the wrongdoings of the gov. They got YLs followers to stop believing the lies from the PTP. They got YL to resign het post as PM and made her popularity drop to below 50%. They exposed many scams (schemes) and exposed the laws the gov were commiting.

I would say their campain was pretty successful.

Maybe noone wants Sutheps peoples counsel but for sure YL and many PTP and MPs will be facing criminal charges.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

But wouldn't Yingluck, okay Taksin's maladministration have been found out anyway? Given their inability to pay the rice farmers? Difficult to sweep that one under the carpet don't you think?

I think if it was not learnes now there is a good chance they could have kept it hidden for several years more. Dont forget the gov was waiting to approve 2.2 million for train scheme and that would have made it possible to divert some funds. All of what im saying now is speculation and irrelevant since we could never know what might have happened in an unrealistic future with this gov.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Baerboxer]

All you said is true but they did show the thai people the wrongdoings of the gov. They got YLs followers to stop believing the lies from the PTP. They got YL to resign het post as PM and made her popularity drop to below 50%. They exposed many scams (schemes) and exposed the laws the gov were commiting.

I would say their campain was pretty successful.

Maybe noone wants Sutheps peoples counsel but for sure YL and many PTP and MPs will be facing criminal charges.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

But wouldn't Yingluck, okay Taksin's maladministration have been found out anyway? Given their inability to pay the rice farmers? Difficult to sweep that one under the carpet don't you think?

All hinged on getting the 2,2 trillion loan. That would have covered things for years, and allowed more cream offs. By the time the shit hit the fan and Thailand was bled dry the gang would have been long gone.

One of the issues with globalization is it's much easier for the very wealthy to simply move to another country and buy citizenship, keeping their assets in countries like Switzerland that aren't too fussy.

[mancub]

The government could not push for talks as neither Suthep nor Thaksin wanted to talk, he said.................

Pardon my ignorance, but shouldn't that read : neither Suthep nor Yingluck ?

[thesetat2013]

Suthep and his PDRC clan has managed to lose every credibility when he started to appoint corrupt people as the shady lear jet monk or the Singha lady to join his party.

And not to forget the farmers, who he collected a lotof money for but didn't gave them a dime.

That was the start of the end of Suthep and his PDRC.

Yingluck and the government is now trying to pay off the farmers and she will succeed in this (not in the last because of the help of Suthep who claimed that the banks should give loans to the farmers).

In a few months, Suthep and his whole PDRC will be a bad page in history and forgotten.

But not by the country which has been damaged badly by his behavior.

I dont believe they will get the money. The loans they think they are getting today is not enougg to appease the farmers. The loans GSB made to BAAC was done with lies that they were not for the farmers and are now being opposed by their unions.

The auctions are selling for below wholesale costs.

Without the loans the farmers will not be paid until there is a new PM.

Plus the arguments about making the loans constitutionally

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[englishoak]

The government could not push for talks as neither Suthep nor Thaksin wanted to talk, he said.................

Pardon my ignorance, but shouldn't that read : neither Suthep nor Yingluck ?

Oh no hes being very clear about that in the last couple of days...hes regressed back to saying he will only talk with Thaksin ... in Thailand. A very concerted effort at talks dont you think

[rickirs]

PDRC "sees their operation a success." Then why is it declaring it will never "surrender" as the remainder of the elections go forward? If you score victory there is no talk of surrender. But it's the sad reality by the PDRC that it has not won. It does not control Parliament, cannot pass laws, and will eventually rely on the PTP party to pass an amensty bill for the anti-government protest leaders so they can participate in future elections. So let PDRC have its dance and life goes on without them.

[rickirs]

This political stand off is like a python constricting itself around the neck of Bangkok.... it is slowly tightening itself around the economy and the livelihood of people. It is squeezing the oxygen out of us and making life unpleasant.

This just goes to show that both parties are more interested in themselves than the general public. Why Suthep wanted to block the traffic and close down Bangkok is beyond me. Even if Thailand were invaded that would not happen. He should have just focused on blocking the government, particularly Yingluck and other leaders from going to work, going home, shopping at Paragon, buying new Mercedes at the dealerships....

Actually Suthep's crack team should have blocked her from returning from Valentine's Day when she was off goofing around upcountry.

The PDRC is more like a python eating its own tail. The good news is at some point it will reach its end.

[rickirs]

All you said is true but they did show the thai people the wrongdoings of the gov. They got YLs followers to stop believing the lies from the PTP. They got YL to resign het post as PM and made her popularity drop to below 50%. They exposed many scams (schemes) and exposed the laws the gov were commiting.

I would say their campain was pretty successful.

Maybe noone wants Sutheps peoples counsel but for sure YL and many PTP and MPs will be facing criminal charges.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

But wouldn't Yingluck, okay Taksin's maladministration have been found out anyway? Given their inability to pay the rice farmers? Difficult to sweep that one under the carpet don't you think?

Yesterday it was announced that the government received a 17 billion baht loan from the Government Bank to start paying the farners. Can you sweep that under the carpet?

[gerrythepoet]

Having a dance is what this whole saga is about it has nothing to do with anything except Suthep out on the town not painting it red but to all and sundry a waste of taxpayers time.

[rickirs]

Suthep and his PDRC clan has managed to lose every credibility when he started to appoint corrupt people as the shady lear jet monk or the Singha lady to join his party.

And not to forget the farmers, who he collected a lotof money for but didn't gave them a dime.

That was the start of the end of Suthep and his PDRC.

Yingluck and the government is now trying to pay off the farmers and she will succeed in this (not in the last because of the help of Suthep who claimed that the banks should give loans to the farmers).

In a few months, Suthep and his whole PDRC will be a bad page in history and forgotten.

But not by the country which has been damaged badly by his behavior.

I dont believe they will get the money. The loans they think they are getting today is not enougg to appease the farmers. The loans GSB made to BAAC was done with lies that they were not for the farmers and are now being opposed by their unions.

The auctions are selling for below wholesale costs.

Without the loans the farmers will not be paid until there is a new PM.

Plus the arguments about making the loans constitutionally

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The Government is getting its loans to pay the farmers so no need to wait for a new PM. No farmer support for the PDRC. Will the PDRC now file a lawsuit against the Government receiving the loans as unconstitutional, and thus deprive the farmers of their payments? Wouldn't that be an irony. And I thought Suthep lately (subject to change as the wind blows) supported the banks to make loans to the Government. It doesn't seem he believes (for the moment) the loans would be unconstitutional and he favored the Government paying the farmers. The PDRC has become a political merry-go-round and where it stops noone will know.

[icommunity]

To People who suffered from Thaksinitis and Thaksinphobia

"The only way out for the country would be for the resignation of Yingluck to pave the way to appoint a non- partisan premier. If she resigned, I think people would forgive her and let her stay in the country," Korbsak said.

Don't push that, PM YS will stay in the country. You think the country will be fooled and not away of your trickery and ever changing shifting of goal posts?

"Although Bangkokians suffered from the shutdown, they were trying to be patient. The feeling differed from when red-shirt protesters rallied in the capital in 2010," he said.

Where are the 6-million protesters? It is the government and law enforcement agencies showing and guiding the BKKians to be patient, restraint, tolerance and have compassion toward the misguided, intimidated, manipulated, maneuvered protesters.

The government now has lost legitimacy to rule the country as it could not give orders to government officials, Satit said, adding that |military also has its own stance |and the police are divided.

The government and departments are still functioning. The dem had lost legitimacy to talk about rule of law, corruption, abused of power and democratic principles. It has also lost the political party status. They are but a bunch of street mobs and thugs taking the BKKians and sotherners as hostages.

Anti-government protest leader Satit Wongnongtaey said the PDRC rally successfully exposed the alleged wrongdoing of Thaksin's regime for Thai people and their battle is going to end soon after fighting for almost four months

How many alleged wrongdoing as compared to the dem's led government? How many of the current government officials and cabinet minster were convicted of wrongdoing?

"The government under-estimated our fight and walked in the wrong direction. If this battle ends, the regime will have difficulty recovering. What we did was not a waste because our fight received strong support from the community," he said.

Where are the 6-million supporters now? Were they sent home because of crackdown? Support of the Community? Or was it the community that was misguided, intimidated, manipulated, maneuvered protesters.

[binjalin]

the PDRC are opposing an inept, discredited and corrupt government and yet still fear going up against them at the polls.

if the opposition cant beat this lot then then they dont deserve to govern the country.

you see this IS the point

they should slaughter the current government in elections... yet they fail continually and I do not for one moment believe that has anything to to with the PTP being 'good' at anything or that everyone worships Thaksin

the reality is:

most Thais dislike the feudal, elite ammart who have controlled and squeezed them for 100 of years

this is paradigm shift at work and it's unstoppable - Suthep is just a reactionary nutter that the government are too weak to finish off

if the UnDems had a good platform of policies and were not controlled but the ammart they could appeal to the center but they fail miserably and continually as they appeal only to the better off Bangkokians

[Imale]

'Former deputy prime minister Korbsak Sabhavasu said the shutdown in the capital was efficient as no complaints were made by Bangkokians against Suthep.'

Not true. I have complained. I was then threatened and chased from the Asoke site. And I am far from being the only one. There were reports of widespread complaints against blocking voting (with thousands reporting to the police) and when an unsuccessful attempt was made to remove the blockade on Chaeng Wattana Rd, there were also reports of crowds cheering the police.

Any hope of a compromise solution depends on eliminating false claims and more honesty from both sides in accepting reality.

[Saladin]

The meaning of true modern Democracy is pretty simple really although its enactment in Thailand seems to be rather confused. It goes something like this. The people vote in a free and fair election for a bunch of people to govern them for a stipulated period. During that period the police rigorously enforce the existing laws but don't exceed their authority.The military gives unambiguous loyalty to the government of the day and focuses on protecting the country from external threats. Now that wasn't too hard, was it?

Could somebody please pass this on to the Thai police and military.

[kikoman]

The Shut down was a total, complete failure, but the Liar Suthep, needs to save face as he still sees the (6) million protesters he swore was at one of his rally's, PTP spokes person said it best "Suthep has no idea where to go,He is at the end of the road, his initial goal was to rouse the military to stage a coup and topple the government".

Suthep overplayed his hand, the election documented what a small portion of the population of Thailand that backed his fascist agenda, all of his allies backed him from afar and the courts, military failed to come to his aid, This 34 year elected representative of the Democrat party, wanted no politicians in his new government, he is one of the worse examples with being investigated for murder, his land scheme, buying land with the donated moneys etc

Transparency International found in their 2013 report, that there was less corruption in the Yingluck government then in that of the previous Democrat Abhisit government was more corrupt, and the B.P. newspaper misrepresented that report to the Thai people, The article titled:"Investigative Journalism into Controversial Thailand" subtitled: "What Transparency International says about Thaksin will shock you" written by thaiintelligentnews, dated:March 26, 2013.

The 130 billion Baht that was allocated to pay the rice farmers in the 2013-2014 budget was approved on September 3, 2013 and is still untouched in that budget. just needs to be released to pay the farmers!

Cheers

[SICHONSTEVE]

Suthep has achieved one thing and that is to destroy the local economy. MNCs now shun Thailand and look to carry out their business at other locations in SE Asia. Manufacturers have cut OT and ordinary people are not spending with the current uncertainty. Hotels are empty and tourist numbers are down.

The biggest losers are the ordinary people with residents living near the rally sites unable to go about their normal business, people who are on short-time working or have lost their jobs completely. The small mom and pop stores whose income has been slashed.

All because of the megalomaniac games of a few greedy persons - of many colours.

Yingluck should have done the honourable thing then and resigned immediately.

None of this would have happened if she had fallen on her sword and admitted abject failure!!!