I have been reading so much on the ‘Red Shirts’ and the current shenanigans happening here in Thailand, well Bangkok. I am all for people having a voice and being able to express it. I mean I have been in plenty of marches in my day with the union when we wanted to express the point needed making.
But here in Thailand we have the ‘Yellow Shirts or P.A.D - People’s Alliance for Democracy” and now the ‘Red Shirts or UDD - United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship’ who continually fight over the government.
Way back in 2006 the then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was overthrown in a military coup after a long campaign by the ‘yellow shirt’ brigade run and funded by media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul. I have read in many places that this all started over the removal of a bank president of a state owned bank who forgave personal debts of Sondhi to the tune of 1.5 Billion Baht. Is this the truth that started the hate campaign between Sondhi and Thaksin I am not 100% sure. Before the removal of this president Sondhi was a Thaksin supporter.
Anyway, the coup eventually happened in September 2006 and the military government came to power. They stayed in power until 2008 and when Samak Sundaravej became Prime Minister of Thailand for the P.P.P or People Power Party. The PPP were linked to Thaksin and the ‘yellow shirts’ again took to the streets protesting.
The accusations of vote buying surfaced; this is true as I have seen it with my own eyes. It isn’t one political party but virtually all of them. Then Samak was deemed to be Thaksin’s puppet.
The yellow shirts then took the Government House hostage when Samak refused to stand down. They then went on to take 3 regional airports, stopped trains and so forth. Eventually on the 9th of September the Constitutional Court disqualified him from the Premier’s position for being an emcee on his cooking show.
He wanted to run again to be prime minister but support lacked and then more controversy as Thaksin’s brother in law Somchai Wongsawat beat the current Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva with 298 votes to 163. Of course the ‘yellow shirts’ were having nothing to do with a brother in law of Thaksin being the prime minister and besieged Parliament for 6 weeks.
Somchai was found that he had “neglected duty” 8 years before working in the justice department. He suspended a corruption investigation into two senior officials. Then the PPP was finally dissolved by the Constitutional Court and he was banned from politics along with hundreds more for 5 years.
Now to the current Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, who entered politics in 1991 and has served in many positions. There has also been controversy for him as well. Allegations of his Democrat Party bribing smaller parties were dismissed by the courts.
In 2009 an investigation into the lead-up to the 2005 general election, while Abhisit was Deputy Party Leader, it was alleged that they received 258 million Baht in illegal donations from TPI Polene.
Anyway I could go on and on. Abhisit came to power by a “special parliamentary vote” Now the UDD claim that he took power illegally backed by the military. They accuse the country's elite — the military, judiciary, certain members of the Privy Council, and other unelected officials — of undermining democracy by interfering in politics.
They love Thaksin and now the fight is currently on in Bangkok to remove the current Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva. As most would know, this turned ugly last night and 19 or so people died and many injured.
The only death that saddens me is the Japanese journalist, working for Reuters who was shot. All the deaths that have happened during this turmoil could have been prevented with normal protests and let parliament take its course. But sadly this hasn’t and will never happen.
How people are so easily led, like lambs to the slaughter, bemuse me. The yellow shirts are meant to be the educated and elite and the red shirts villagers and uneducated. But both follow their so called leaders and believe all they say.
How these leaders to this day have not been jailed! The yellow leaders who all have arrest warrants against them for the Government House and airport seizures, that still haven’t been ruled on and enforced. It has been before the courts 8 times and for sure higher powers are at work here.
And on and on it goes. The corruption involved is disgusting. The rich that keep stealing to make themselves richer, is sickening. I cannot see Thai politics ever changing, sadly. I can see whoever is chosen as prime minister, there will be one side that will disapprove and take to the streets.
Many ask me if I think Thaksin was a good prime minister. I have no idea. The north loved him but Bangkokians hated him. I do believe he did wrong and was corrupt when he sold his Shin Corp shares for $1.88 billion US Dollars tax free the day new legislation came in. I won’t even go into this as it would take hours and hours.
I feel bad for so many real Thais, people who sit back and shake their heads at all this. Thankfully there are many of them where I live. Whatever happens in politics doesn’t really affect me, unless they decide to remove all foreigners. It does affect the Thais and all I can hope for and that by some miracle all this shit that is going on, stops.
Whoever comes to power I hope they represent the people for once, the people who vote for them, but I believe I am dreaming and in fairyland. Corruption is so indebted in Thai society and so many don’t bat an eyelid at having to pay ‘tea money’ for so many things.
That is my take on all this; each party is as bad as the other. One evil replaces the other and the cycle continues.
Brunty
5 comments:
Interesting analysis. Thanks for sharing your thoughts
That was a really good recap Jase, it was handy for me to have a refresher course over the last 5 years as so much has happened you tend to forget many bits!
It really is sad watching those protests. The saddest bit is that I cannot see any end to this ongoing stalemate.
Thanks Boonsong just a real quick analysis as there is so much more and would be a million words long.
Memok we all forget the build up to what has happened, it is sad watching what is happening as Thailand is a beautiful country.
I too cannot see an end to all this no matter who is elected "by the people" as someone (welathy and rich with too much to lose) will not be happy.
I have posted this comment on behalf of my mate Smorg.
I had to delete one line from it.
Smorg will know which one and the reason why being I know how the Thais view this subject.
Any mention even as true and not in anyway bad, could make just one over anal retentive person to make a complaint and then it all snow balls.
Smorg
Thanks for writing this up, Brunty! :o) It is frustrating watching all these politically-organized protests going on in Thailand the past few years. :o(
My parents (who live near Bangkok now) are resolutely for the yellow shirt group (they are what you'd call the Bangkokian intelligentsia, I guess, and really dislike Thaksin. It doesn't help that my grandparents were from the south. That violent episode he invoked in the Muslim population down there didn't rub off well even though none of my Thai family members are Muslim). Naturally, when I hear from my folks about politics, they aren't very objective about it...
I really don't know what to think. My mom, for one, grew up very poor and put herself through medical school by always finishing at the top of her class and earning all the scholarships. So she definitely knows what it's like being poor in Thailand. But she is also very intellectually blessed (and worked hard to maximize her natural smartness)... I'm afraid most poor people there (or here in the States, even) aren't as driven as that and are mostly just trying to get through the day.
So her expectations can be a bit unrealistic (I think that's what drives many of the Bangkokian intelligentsia to think that they know what is best for the poor class better than the poor themselves do... And that may be right.. Except that the poor also have their own free will and the right to not want what others consider good for them). So... I wonder how it'll all turn out.
Anyhow! Glad to hear that the political protests aren't affecting you too much. :o) Thanks a bunch for keeping us posted, Brunty.
Best wishes from Southern California,
Thanks a bunch, Brunty! :o) You're quite right, of course. Sorry I mentioned that there. It's a touchy subject there indeed. I hope it changes in my lifetime... but I'm not holding my breath. :oP
Good wishes, :o)
Post a Comment