Prayut needs to win the hearts of more red shirts

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Prayut needs to win the hearts of more red shirts
JINTANA PANYAARVUDH



BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER General Prayut Chan-o-cha may return from his second trip to the red-shirt stronghold - the Northeast - wreathed in smiles rather than fury.

Apart from learning that recent economic stimulus measures by his government have been satisfactory in the lower Northeast, he also saw signs of possible reconciliation emerging.

While in Ubon Ratchathani's Don Mod Daeng district, Prayut met a red-shirt leader who promised to work with the government to restore peace and help push the country forward.

Jamroonsak Jantaramai, who is affiliated with the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), offered this promise to Prayut, who was visiting to check out his government's "Pracha Rat" stimulus measures. Jamroonsak also said he was trying to persuade other UDD leaders to join him in his efforts.

The premier met the man's offer with a bear hug - a huge contrast from the PM's first trip to a red-shirt stronghold, where he was furious most of the time.

Prayut went to the red-shirt bastion of Khon Kaen in November last year, just after the May 2014 coup. The aim of his trip was to air policies aimed at solving local issues, including drought.

However, while delivering his speech, Prayut was surprised by a group of student activists dressed in anti-coup T-shirts, who sneaked into the auditorium and flashed the three-finger democracy salute.

Yet, while things seem to have become warmer, peace and reconciliation may still be a long way away.

To start with, it may be difficult to find more red shirts who think like Jamroonsak, and Prayut will still have to work hard to win their hearts - especially since many of their leaders have yet to receive justice.

One such case involves former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, as Jamroonsak pointed out. She is being tried in the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders over her government's rice-pledging scheme, charged of dereliction of duty causing huge losses to the country because of her alleged failure to perform her duty to stop corruption in the scheme - much to the chagrin of her red-shirt supporters.

She may also be slapped with a massive compensation demand if the government chooses to go ahead with issuing an administrative order to claim for losses from the scheme.

However, Pheu Thai and Yingluck's supporters hope the government waits until the case goes through the courts before it slaps her with a compensation demand.

Red-shirt-leader-turned-government-supporter Jamroonsak explained that the rice-pledging scheme was deep at the heart of the red-shirt supporters, which is why they are so hurt about the case and hope that rules of law are followed. He also hopes that this government will actually be able to tackle corruption as it has promised.

Ironically, the junta is facing its first alleged corruption scandal related to the Rajabhakti Park project and allegedly involving one of its members.

The project had been initiated by Army, with Deputy Defence Minister General Udomdej Sitabutr, who is also a member of the National Council for Peace and Order, inaugurating the project while serving as Army chief.

Udomdej confirmed last week that officials had intervened and got the foundries involved (making statues for the park) to donate money they had set aside for kickbacks to the Rajabhakti Park Foundation.

Eventually, after much pressure, the Army finally ordered an urgent probe into the alleged irregularities.

This case could, more or less, affect public faith in the junta - especially since it has always promised to tackle graft and is attacking the former government for the very same reason.

Prayut should take this opportunity to prove his ability to work without any double standards - that he will not protect his cronies and only go after his opponents. Because if he cannot be just and fair, he may get few more chances to hug red shirts.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Prayut-needs-to-win-the-hearts-of-more-red-shirts-30273096.html


-- The Nation 2015-11-17

[davehowden]

"Hug a Redshirt Week" coming soon?

[NongKhaiKid]

Maybe the PM will feature the photo on his Friday Night Farce and instruct the nation to note and copy the correct way to point.

[daoyai]

It would be wise politicly for the opposition to play nice so that there might someday actually be an election with it's inevitable outcome.

[tbthailand]

You! , yes you, red shirt, ... tell the Thai people how much you love me ... or it's a week of military AA vacation camp for you...

[tbthailand]

Prayut should take this opportunity to prove his ability to work without any double standards

He has no such ability, ... and certainly no desire...

The Nation can't help sucking up to the General even when they are pretending to be critical...

[waldroj]

His body language says it (he ain't a nice person)!

So-called reconciliation, on his terms, involves winners and losers, and oppression if you disagree - NOT winning hearts.

[yellowboat]

Don't think coups win the hearts and minds of the people. That will only happen once he and his cronies are distant memories.

[terminatorchiangmai]

Maybe start with easing on the bar closing times here in Chiang Mai.

[Seastallion]

Another round of free mobile phones for the peasants, perhaps?

Oh, he does have an interest in a telco, so scrub that idea.

[Squeegee]

Weren't the big hugs with a guy who had gone through 'attitude adjustment'?

That's oppression, not reconciliation. For the real picture of how the people (dare to openly) feel, look to the three finger salutes.

[thesetat2013]

You! , yes you, red shirt, ... tell the Thai people how much you love me ... or it's a week of military AA vacation camp for you...

If he really wanted to win their hearts he just needs to copy Thaks and pay them off. Not hard to do.

[EnglishJohn]

You! , yes you, red shirt, ... tell the Thai people how much you love me ... or it's a week of military AA vacation camp for you...

Ha ha ha - I see what you did there. You took a picture then added your own comment for your own political agenda which is a complete lie (and unfortunately a witless one).

Very good - you should take it in to show your teacher. Although I expect she will say you should grow up.

I never went on an AA camp. Are you saying all red-shirts are alcoholics ?.

[Srikcir]

Maybe Prayut will use the military's Thung Yang Daeng model to quell any unrest in "Red Shirt country" as it has alleged in South Thailand. Thus far it has been a great propoganda success.

[elgordo38]

Quote The premier met the man's offer with a bear hug - a huge contrast from the PM's first trip to a red-shirt stronghold, where he was furious most of the time. unquote. As my old grandmother used to say keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

[Cuchulainn]

At least he doesn't throw money at them, like some other vermin and their brood of rat-like feral spawn I could mention.

[Solomon]

Well, he has at least stop ordering his troops to shoot the Reds dead like dogs in the streets.

Not much, but it's a start I guess.

[Bluespunk]

Well, he has at least stop ordering his troops to shoot the Reds dead like dogs in the streets.

Not much, but it's a start I guess.

Can you post a link to when he did that please.

Oh, and evidential links please, not PT BS conjecture.....

[thelonius]

Well, he has at least stop ordering his troops to shoot the Reds dead like dogs in the streets.

Not much, but it's a start I guess.

Can you post a link to when he did that please.

Oh, and evidential links please, not PT BS conjecture.....

No, No, you're quite right. In fact as the man himself said, the army wasn't even involved in the deaths of the the 6 innocents in the Wat - all a misunderstanding.

BANGKOK - The chief of Royal Thai Army insisted that the military was not involved in the deaths of 6 civilians shot dead as they sought shelter inside a temple during the 2010 military crackdown.

His comment contradicts the recent court inquest which confirmed that the 6 victims, including a volunteer nurse, were killed by soldiers stationed near Wat Pathumwanararm Temple. The military has always denied any involvement, despite stacks of evidences and witness' accounts.

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha said the court decision is not final, and the court is still investigating further details pertaining to the case. Only witnesses from the victims' side had been present at the court, he said, and the army had not had their chance to defend themselves. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1376049801

Indeed, again from the horses mouth;

"None of his commanding officers ever admitted they had shot any civilian" he added.

Well he's certainly not wrong there...............

[h90]

Pay more than Thaksin and they will switch alliance....but might be expensive.

[jesimps]

You! , yes you, red shirt, ... tell the Thai people how much you love me ... or it's a week of military AA vacation camp for you...

Ha ha ha - I see what you did there. You took a picture then added your own comment for your own political agenda which is a complete lie (and unfortunately a witless one).

Very good - you should take it in to show your teacher. Although I expect she will say you should grow up.

I never went on an AA camp. Are you saying all red-shirts are alcoholics ?.

And here's me thinking he really said it. Well well well. First time I've heard that "Show your teacher...grow up" etc...not.

Typical load of blx rant from EJ. Still, wouldn't expect anything else from junta groupy-in-chief.

[tbthailand]

You! , yes you, red shirt, ... tell the Thai people how much you love me ... or it's a week of military AA vacation camp for you...

If he really wanted to win their hearts he just needs to copy Thaks and pay them off. Not hard to do.

yeah, not really. The people in isaan want a better life - like any one else in the world. What they know is that the governments pre-Thaksin didn't do anything to make their lives better - for decades and decades... Look at the stats, people are poor here.

But they have woken up over time... the short version is that people here understand democracy better here than all those PDRC / yellow shirts in BKK and they liked the fact that they could chose their leaders in BKK and have a party there which did something good for them. No one I know here liked everything that any government did, but they like having their say about who that government is... You and I understand that as "self-governance" aka "democracy"...

So if you call a government that spends moderately more of it's resources on programs for people outside of BKK "paying them off", then you're right. As you should probably know, there is still a lot of ground to make up before the Thai government spending comes close to being spread proportionally around the country rather than being hoarded to support the interests of the BKK elites.

[tbthailand]

Pay more than Thaksin and they will switch alliance....but might be expensive.

interesting point.

it's why they so badly need an unelected "PM" again like Prem....

It's so much less effort to buy a handful of MPs... (than it is to win an election)

Edited November 17, 2015 by tbthailand

[tbthailand]

You! , yes you, red shirt, ... tell the Thai people how much you love me ... or it's a week of military AA vacation camp for you...

Ha ha ha - I see what you did there. You took a picture then added your own comment for your own political agenda which is a complete lie (and unfortunately a witless one).

Very good - you should take it in to show your teacher. Although I expect she will say you should grow up.

I never went on an AA camp. Are you saying all red-shirts are alcoholics ?.

EJ, it was a joke, ... I would have thought that even you could have understood that.

[Enoon]

You! , yes you, red shirt, ... tell the Thai people how much you love me ... or it's a week of military AA vacation camp for you...

Ha ha ha - I see what you did there. You took a picture then added your own comment for your own political agenda which is a complete lie (and unfortunately a witless one).

Very good - you should take it in to show your teacher. Although I expect she will say you should grow up.

I never went on an AA camp. Are you saying all red-shirts are alcoholics ?.

EJ, it was a joke, ... I would have thought that even you could have understood that.

Here's another joke for you "Jean L'Anglais":

Prayuth: "Put his name on the list"

Aide: "Already done it sir"

[MZurf]

It would be wise politicly for the opposition to play nice so that there might someday actually be an election with it's inevitable outcome.

Won't matter who wins the next election if/when the system is rigged so that unelected "committees" and individuals can overrule the elected government.

[Enoon]

At least he doesn't throw money at them, like some other vermin and their brood of rat-like feral spawn I could mention.

Nice to see that you have connected with the "spirits" so beloved of the Thais.

I do believe you are "channeling" Ian Paisley.

(Perhaps not something that is needed, or wanted, in Thailand)

[baboon]

You! , yes you, red shirt, ... tell the Thai people how much you love me ... or it's a week of military AA vacation camp for you...

Ha ha ha - I see what you did there. You took a picture then added your own comment for your own political agenda which is a complete lie (and unfortunately a witless one).

Very good - you should take it in to show your teacher. Although I expect she will say you should grow up.

I never went on an AA camp. Are you saying all red-shirts are alcoholics ?.

EJ, it was a joke, ... I would have thought that even you could have understood that.

One gets the impression JuntaJohn doesn't do jokes. One very angry man, God bless him....

[lucky11]

You! , yes you, red shirt, ... tell the Thai people how much you love me ... or it's a week of military AA vacation camp for you...

If he really wanted to win their hearts he just needs to copy Thaks and pay them off. Not hard to do.

yeah, not really. The people in isaan want a better life - like any one else in the world. What they know is that the governments pre-Thaksin didn't do anything to make their lives better - for decades and decades... Look at the stats, people are poor here.

But they have woken up over time... the short version is that people here understand democracy better here than all those PDRC / yellow shirts in BKK and they liked the fact that they could chose their leaders in BKK and have a party there which did something good for them. No one I know here liked everything that any government did, but they like having their say about who that government is... You and I understand that as "self-governance" aka "democracy"...

So if you call a government that spends moderately more of it's resources on programs for people outside of BKK "paying them off", then you're right. As you should probably know, there is still a lot of ground to make up before the Thai government spending comes close to being spread proportionally around the country rather than being hoarded to support the interests of the BKK elites.

"Look at the stats, people are poor here".

So you admit that the money Thaksin supposedly splashed out on them over his 15 years or so tenure in it's various guises with him holding the reins didn't exactly help them out financially!! It just goes to show how much he tricked and fooled so many gullible people in the pretence that he was making their lives more tolerable when in fact it was all to do with enriching himself and his cronies.

The 'democracy show', whereby you cheat, lie and buy your way to win at the polls and then disregard everything in the 'democracy book' illustrates just how flawed the Thai version of democracy was. They must change the rules so that it is a level playing field with the PTP bribes of unjustifiable and unaffordable populist policies outlawed and if necessary (as seems the case) find a way to prevent the PTP from ever governing again for the interests of the Thai population as a whole.

[Bluespunk]

Well, he has at least stop ordering his troops to shoot the Reds dead like dogs in the streets.

Not much, but it's a start I guess.

Can you post a link to when he did that please.

Oh, and evidential links please, not PT BS conjecture.....

No, No, you're quite right. In fact as the man himself said, the army wasn't even involved in the deaths of the the 6 innocents in the Wat - all a misunderstanding.

BANGKOK - The chief of Royal Thai Army insisted that the military was not involved in the deaths of 6 civilians shot dead as they sought shelter inside a temple during the 2010 military crackdown.

His comment contradicts the recent court inquest which confirmed that the 6 victims, including a volunteer nurse, were killed by soldiers stationed near Wat Pathumwanararm Temple. The military has always denied any involvement, despite stacks of evidences and witness' accounts.

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha said the court decision is not final, and the court is still investigating further details pertaining to the case. Only witnesses from the victims' side had been present at the court, he said, and the army had not had their chance to defend themselves. http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1376049801

Indeed, again from the horses mouth;

"None of his commanding officers ever admitted they had shot any civilian" he added.

Well he's certainly not wrong there...............

I asked for a link to evidence that the current PM ordered troops to fire on civilians, as Solomon alleged.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Bluespunk