NATION ANALYSIS
Yingluck goes on the offensive as battle gets tougher
Somroutai Sapsomboon
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra seems to have changed her strategy from making gentle compromises to adopting a more aggressive "an eye for an eye" model as the political battle gets tougher.

Her first salvo directed at the anti-graft body in relation to the controversial rice-pledging scheme came in the form of a Facebook comment posted on Thursday. This was after she had delivered a public address earlier.

In both the speech and the Facebook comment, she appeared to show no regrets for the failure of the project and her policy. All she did was point at the anti-government movement, saying it was using the issue in a political game to topple her administration.

"I would love to see the National Anti-Corruption Commission [NACC] launch a strict examination against everybody, without any prejudice and in accordance with the rule of law with no hidden political agenda.

"If this is not done, good projects and the credibility of the checks and balances would be destroyed," she said in her speech.

In a statement posted against the NACC - which is pressing charges against the PM for negligence of duty over the rice scheme - Yingluck said the agency was motivated by the political purpose of toppling her government.

'Double standards'

She also alleged that the NACC had only spent 21 days studying the case before deciding to press charges.

She also drew comparisons with a similar case filed against former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in 2009, pointing out that the NACC had made no progress so far.

She went on to say her request to replace a member of the scrutinising committee who was clearly against her government had got no response from the agency.

"The anti-graft body should show the public that it exercises its authority fairly and constitutionally in accordance with the rule of law," her Facebook post read.

Apart from the anti-graft agency, Yingluck has also decided to put pressure on the Election Commission to speed up the completion of the election. The ruling Pheu Thai Party followed up by calling on the EC to stop dragging its feet to delay the election process.

At this point, it will be interesting to see if Yingluck's offensive ignites the sentiment of her red-shirt supporters against these two independent agencies, because, after all, she is accusing both agencies of having double standards.

In a move to strengthen her strategy further, key red-shirt leaders are hosting a gathering of more than 4,000 supporters in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima tomorrow to launch a crusade against the anti-government crowd.

The game has obviously changed.

Previously, the government tried to keep the red shirts out of the capital to avoid chaos and military intervention. Now a red-shirt leader has announced that nobody fears a coup d'etat, while democracy-loving red shirts say they will not tolerate another coup.

All we can do at this point is wait and watch.


-- The Nation 2014-02-22

Good, about time she started talking tough.

Next, face to face confrontation with Suthep.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Good, about time she started talking tough.

Next, face to face confrontation with Suthep.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

she hasn't got the sack for that.

On a side note: How incredibly pathetic is it that all these "Leaders of Government" make their political "Stances and Announcements" on their FaceBook page instead of publicly.

Yingluk should be very direct with the facts. She should call them out BEFORE the NACC takes action. Call them out not only to thai citizens but to the Intl community. Why cant the UN or other independent authorities be there to have impartial observation of the law/ procedures. Put the pressure back on the NACC.

Someone should check IP address to see who is really doing the postings.

I do not believe she is capable of taking on the fight, but her darling brother is and would bring in red shirts to make problems escalate.

If found guilty in regards to rice, not only she will be thrown out but possibly also relieved from some of her fortune

Yingluk should be very direct with the facts. She should call them out BEFORE the NACC takes action. Call them out not only to thai citizens but to the Intl community. Why cant the UN or other independent authorities be there to have impartial observation of the law/ procedures. Put the pressure back on the NACC.

You sure you want UN to be witness to blunt day light robbery ?

Yingluck on the offensive !

Does that mean she's loaded the Gucci handbag with bricks /

So now she wants the antu graft to fire someone because they dont support the current gov. She wants every group within the gov to be a PTP member so she can do what she wants and now she wants the group that does the checks and balances to all be her supporters. Me thinks she worres that someone has some hidden fears about getting caught. Good that the anti graft committee ignored her requests to fire him.

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

Every day her and her admin looks more pathetic. Just resign already.

What a brave darling of Issan she is, taking the offensive from a keyboard. Show some leadership and call a press conference and make these claims in person and back them up by answering the hard questions. After all Poo has the ice-cream gang and her caddy backing her up.

Yingluck on the offensive !

Does that mean she's loaded the Gucci handbag with bricks /

She has been out and bought this season's Burberry "urban warfare" collection

Nice move by Yingluck in making the NACC the centre of the accountability argument.

Just why has abisits case not moved for years but she is suddenly fast tracked to the top of the agenda.

Answers please NACC members, International community awaiting

Is this government by Facebook? It's about time someone had the spine to step up and form a government that works for the good of the whole population of Thailand. What a bunch of winkers these people are - both reds and yellows.

Yingluk should be very direct with the facts. She should call them out BEFORE the NACC takes action. Call them out not only to thai citizens but to the Intl community. Why cant the UN or other independent authorities be there to have impartial observation of the law/ procedures. Put the pressure back on the NACC.

If she feels so strongly that they are wrong, she should go before her accusers on 27 February and face them directly. Will she? NO!

There is no pressure on the NACC; they have sufficient evidence, she needs to refute the evidence or face the consequences...!!

"I would love to see the National Anti-Corruption Commission [NACC] launch a strict examination against everybody, without any prejudice and in accordance with the rule of law with no hidden political agenda.

She wouldn't love that at all. The only reason she says it is because it will never happen.

Know that all of Yingluck's pronouncements on Facebook come directly from Thaksin's office. The puppeteer pretending to be the puppet.

So Maggie Shinawatra has declared " the lady's not for turning " but will she try to give Suthep a ' good hand bagging ' ?

I don't see a good end to this. If either side gains control, it's still graft and chaos. On the one hand there is proper democracy which might leave the Shinawatra clan in charge, on the other is anti-democracy Suthep.

I don't even see a lesser of two evils.

Nice move by Yingluck in making the NACC the centre of the accountability argument.

Just why has abisits case not moved for years but she is suddenly fast tracked to the top of the agenda.

Answers please NACC members, International community awaiting

Hello Clog (or whatever your former monicker was before you were suspended, again).

The reason the case against Abhisit has gone nowhere is that it was groundless. Many frivolous arguments were brought against Abhisit when Thaksin was trying to regain power, and they were all proven to be just that, which is why all of the investigations have simply died away.

The case against the inept YL, which you describe as "fast tracked", has actually been under scrutiny for two years, and there is now sufficient evidence for her to answer the case...!

I think the international community could have actually worked that one out for themselves...!!

So Maggie Shinawatra has declared " the lady's not for turning " but will she try to give Suthep a ' good hand bagging ' ?

Thaksin masquerading as his sister on Facebook is hardly Mrs Thatcher.

I don't see a good end to this. If either side gains control, it's still graft and chaos. On the one hand there is proper democracy which might leave the Shinawatra clan in charge, on the other is anti-democracy Suthep.

I don't even see a lesser of two evils.

You're clearly not allowing yourself to see the potential advancements that could be made because you regard the current situation under the Shin clan as being a "proper democracy"...!!

'Double standards'

She also alleged that the NACC had only spent 21 days studying the case before deciding to press charges.

She also drew comparisons with a similar case filed against former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in 2009, pointing out that the NACC had made no progress so far.

She went on to say her request to replace a member of the scrutinising committee who was clearly against her government had got no response from the agency.

NACC, EC, Judges, all the so called independent "checks and balances" dont work for Thailand or the people or the constitution or the law.... they are puppets of the elites, mostly put into power via and as a result of the 2006 coup for the military to protect their interests.

She may have a considerable amount of ammo behind her but what is she going to do when her gun gets hot?

Blah Blah Blah ..... If the Shin Government has nothing to hide .. Just Show The Books !!! ............ SIMPLE .......

Is this government by Facebook? It's about time someone had the spine to step up and form a government that works for the good of the whole population of Thailand. What a bunch of winkers these people are - both reds and yellows.

Why not...her brother rules by Skype, goverment by facebook seems like a natural progression and the farmers will get paid with candy crush tokens...

Is this government by Facebook? It's about time someone had the spine to step up and form a government that works for the good of the whole population of Thailand. What a bunch of winkers these people are - both reds and yellows.

Why not...her brother rules by Skype, goverment by facebook seems like a natural progression and the farmers will get paid with candy crush tokens...

May be this is why the initiative for tablets, to make sure all have Skype and Facebook

Something very sexy about YL going on an offensive I must admit. Never seen her feisty. I am eager to see it.

Nice move by Yingluck in making the NACC the centre of the accountability argument.

Just why has abisits case not moved for years but she is suddenly fast tracked to the top of the agenda.

Answers please NACC members, International community awaiting

Do police keep writing the parking ticket when the robbers run out of the bank with a sack of money? Perhaps, in Thailand.

NACC, EC, Judges, all the so called independent "checks and balances" dont work for Thailand or the people or the constitution or the law.... they are puppets of the elites, mostly put into power via and as a result of the 2006 coup for the military to protect their interests.

Straight out of the red handbook. Perhaps they should hire some semi-literate rice farmers so that they will be "better balanced".

Nice move by Yingluck in making the NACC the centre of the accountability argument.

Just why has abisits case not moved for years but she is suddenly fast tracked to the top of the agenda.

Answers please NACC members, International community awaiting

Because she's in power and running the country now and her administration's corruption and mismanagement is bringing the country to collapse. This is why it's urgent ...

Unlike Thaksin ... Abisit is not fleeing the country ... and unlike the Shinawatra clan ....he also isn't bankrupting it.