Mediation role of six agencies was doomed from the start: Thai politics

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Mediation role of six agencies was doomed from the start
ATTAYUTH BOOTSRIPOOM

BANGKOK: -- THE ATTEMPT by six independent organisations to mediate talks between the government and the rival Suthep camp to resolve the political deadlock met a premature end, because they got off to a wrong start.

Both caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and People's Democratic Reform Committee chief Suthep Thaugsuban turned down the six agencies' suggestion that each side nominate 10 individuals for the mediation talks.

Both political camps' reaction to the suggestion did not raise any eyebrows because the six agencies - the Office of the Ombudsman, the National Economic and Social Advisory Council, the Election Commission, the National Human Rights Commission, the National Anti-Corruption Commission and the Office of the Auditor-General - seemed to have over-estimated themselves.

The government and the PDRC may have suspected the six agencies did not have enough clout and prestige to act as "mediators". This may have stemmed from their belief that the six agencies could not fully carry out their roles in a neutral manner.

To gain the trust and acceptance of both sides, the six agencies had to act without bias and discrimination. This kind of trust cannot be built overnight.

The six agencies stumbled even before they kicked off their plan to help find a way out of the deadlock. The first sign of failure was when they changed their roles from being mediators to coordinators. The change followed a lukewarm response from the public and the media to their earlier proposal. The Office of the Attorney-General then announced its withdrawal from the original group of seven, leaving only six agencies.

The Administrative Court also denied it had anything to do with the mediation role of the agencies after some media branches linked the court to the group.

Besides, most people including the government, viewed some members of the six agencies as "referees who had [already] taken sides".

Their first proposal for a "neutral government" was seen as leaning towards the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).

Not only the government, but the PDRC and even critics with a neutral stance, consequently threw "the neutral government" proposal out of the window.

They all agreed that the six agencies could help the country find a way out merely by carrying out their roles to the best of their ability and following the law.

After their first suggestion was rejected, the six agencies came up with a second idea of having both camps nominate 10 individuals to mediate talks. This time the six agencies knew or partly expected neither side would nominate anyone.

As a result, they urged the public to put pressure on both political camps to accept their proposal, but finally they had to end their roles after no one was ready take up their suggestions.

As Green Politics group coordinator Suriyasai Katasila put it: "The six agencies may end up soiling their hands if they persist with their efforts, since their proposals are beyond reach."

Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra had his own conditions for going to the negotiating table, of the kind he would only offer when he is at bay or cornered. Suthep, meanwhile, insisted that he would talk to his old rival only if there was a televised live debate.


-- The Nation 2014-03-20

[Tatsujin]

The only "person" that ALL sides will listen to and the Thai people will accept is the Monarchy.

[Thai at Heart]

Ummm. Maybe coz negotiating with 6 different groups at once is impossible? Duh....

[chainarong]

You don't have to be a Philadelphia lawyer to figure this little sortie out , six agencies all vying for news head lines, the five minuets of fame mob, I Think Tatsujin has hit the nail on the head, there is only one person that Thailand can rely on and be listened to, this course of action would take a lot of the heat out of the equation, all other players have their own private agenda's, that is the problem with the political situation in Thailand, it's what's in it for me, not what do the people want or need.

[ikke]

Suthep will never agree on talks and mediators, as he knows very well no one with even a little brains would follow his dictatorship ideas.

[northernjohn]

It was a no brainer. the government would consider talking only if Yingluck remained in office Suthep would not even consider it if she remained in office.

what we have here is a struggle by two different groups. One wants to hold on to the old corrupt ways by staying in power and the other wants them to step down while a committee works out some fair and justifiable changes to the government that would apply to all people.

As it stands now we have a government that maintains court orders don't apply to them but they do to others. That is not a good way to govern and needs changing along with the election laws and the education system plus the reasonable punishment to be added. Convicted murders out on bail and other punishments that are dependent on who you know and how much money you have. Also Cabinet meetings should not be open to direction from convicted criminals living out of the country to avoid a legally imposed sentence on them to call in and direct them in what to do.

Also clarify the law.

[antimedia]

It was a no brainer. the government would consider talking only if Yingluck remained in office Suthep would not even consider it if she remained in office.

what we have here is a struggle by two different groups. One wants to hold on to the old corrupt ways by staying in power and the other wants them to step down while a committee works out some fair and justifiable changes to the government that would apply to all people.

As it stands now we have a government that maintains court orders don't apply to them but they do to others. That is not a good way to govern and needs changing along with the election laws and the education system plus the reasonable punishment to be added. Convicted murders out on bail and other punishments that are dependent on who you know and how much money you have. Also Cabinet meetings should not be open to direction from convicted criminals living out of the country to avoid a legally imposed sentence on them to call in and direct them in what to do.

Also clarify the law.

Then there is only one way to put an end to this stupidy - military.

[noitom]

Thai mediation is synonymous with ineffective.

[northernjohn]

It was a no brainer. the government would consider talking only if Yingluck remained in office Suthep would not even consider it if she remained in office.

what we have here is a struggle by two different groups. One wants to hold on to the old corrupt ways by staying in power and the other wants them to step down while a committee works out some fair and justifiable changes to the government that would apply to all people.

As it stands now we have a government that maintains court orders don't apply to them but they do to others. That is not a good way to govern and needs changing along with the election laws and the education system plus the reasonable punishment to be added. Convicted murders out on bail and other punishments that are dependent on who you know and how much money you have. Also Cabinet meetings should not be open to direction from convicted criminals living out of the country to avoid a legally imposed sentence on them to call in and direct them in what to do.

Also clarify the law.

Then there is only one way to put an end to this stupidy - military.

I think you are correct in that assumption. Yet I don't think they will have to intervene unless the red shirts push to hard.

The fact that they have refused to take sides and will not let either side get to violent is enough to make the two sides soften there stance. The PTP could possibly push to hard with there refusal to honor court decisions and continued use of the same courts against the PDRC. I think that is just posturing and push come to pull they will back down. To be honest if they started actively disobeying the court decisions they would lose a lot of support that they still have. Possibly members also. Hard to say I stand for democracy and I am above court rulings. But they are not the brightest bulbs in the box. It would gain more support for the other parties who are willing to accept a democratic courts verdict.

The big danger is in the red shirts. Loose cannons all of them. No idea of the danger they present to not only the government but the innocent population. I am not all that sure the PTP would stand behind them if they started another 2010 only this time on a larger scale.

The PTP had no problem supporting them when it was not there job to keep peace in the country. Now the shoe is on the other foot and they are learning that all there preconceived ideas need tinkering with if not out right abandonment.

The Bangkok post ran a good article on how much closer they are in their wants than they have been in past years.

Kind of funny it might just boil down to two people. Yingluck refusing to negotiate unless she can be the queen Bee and Suthep refusing to negotiate as long as she is. with Thaksin now attacking Yingluck's aides makes me wonder how much support she has when the final bell rings. I think with the Shinawatra history Suthep will maintain his strength in insisting she step down. Not that they have any one capable of doing the job as long as Thaksin is pulling the strings. The caddy might fire the golfer.

[Scamper]

It is appropriate that this well-meaning effort didn't materialize. The constitutional process is the only path that can deal with this, and the constitutional process is proceeding as it should.

[Stan7444]

It was a no brainer. the government would consider talking only if Yingluck remained in office Suthep would not even consider it if she remained in office.

what we have here is a struggle by two different groups. One wants to hold on to the old corrupt ways by staying in power and the other wants them to step down while a committee works out some fair and justifiable changes to the government that would apply to all people.

As it stands now we have a government that maintains court orders don't apply to them but they do to others. That is not a good way to govern and needs changing along with the election laws and the education system plus the reasonable punishment to be added. Convicted murders out on bail and other punishments that are dependent on who you know and how much money you have. Also Cabinet meetings should not be open to direction from convicted criminals living out of the country to avoid a legally imposed sentence on them to call in and direct them in what to do.

Also clarify the law.

Then there is only one way to put an end to this stupidy - military.

Another option: Suthep and Thaksin take 10 steps apart, turn and fire then see who is the last person standing. That use to be the "gentlemanly" way to settle differences without the innocents getting murdered.