Bangkok Mass Rally: Top or Flop?
The elections on February 2 will go ahead, opposition party Democrats will not participate, opposition party Matubhum calls for a postponement, Prime Minister Yingluck proposes a conciliation council and the protest movement continues to insist on her resignation. Here, in a nutshell, is the political situation on the eve of what should be a mass rally in Bangkok.
Action leader Suthep Thaugsuban's People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) thinks big. It has placed five large stages and ten smaller ones around the city. Bangkok today may experience traffic congestion that has never been seen before: the city will come to a complete standstill. What are the demands? The outgoing cabinet must resign, the elections must be canceled and a Volksraad must be established to take over power.
The cabinet, meanwhile, is not bowing. To force an opening, Yingluck has proposed that all political parties sign an agreement promising to form a 'reform council' after the elections.
The council should consist of representatives of various professional groups, institutions, all political parties and groups that have important political ideas. The council must function for 2 years and make proposals, in particular for long-term political reforms. Yingluck's proposal was reportedly approved by the military at a meeting of the Defense Council on Friday.
Ruling party Pheu Thai says: "If the party can form the government, once the reform process is completed, it will return power to the people." The party expects the reform process to take a year. Elections will then be held again.
Opposition party Democrats is not taking part in the elections. Party leader Abhisit says the party is not opposed to elections. According to him, the politicians who stand for election want to continue the regime that is based on the system of 'Thaksinomics', a term that refers to Thaksin's policies when he was in power. Simply put, run the country as if it were a business.
According to Abhisit, the political system has been failing for ten years. Democrats do not believe the election will lead to national reform or restore popular confidence in the parliamentary system.
The registration of election candidates will start in the Thai-Japan stadium on Monday. Political observers fear that protesters will surround the stadium, preventing them from entering. The preparations are ready; see picture.
(Source: Bangkok Post, Dec. 22, 2013)
More protest and election news later today in News from Thailand.
Now that the current government is outgoing – partly due to the resignation of Abhisit's “democrats” – elections are the only way out of the impasse.
Now that Abhisit's Democrats (?) and Suthep's club are not going to participate in the elections, an old saying comes into effect: whoever does not vote loses the right to speak after the elections. That clears the way for Yingluck cs. And what about Abhisit's comment that “the political system has failed in the last 10 years”. As far as I know, he reigned for 2 years (without being elected, incidentally) during that period. What reforms did he bring about during that period? According to Suthep, this could be done in 1 year. So 2 years seems more than enough. Not true?
Yingluck would be wise - if she wins the election - to announce now that she will form a government with some democrats in relevant positions with the democrats. Yes, I know the Democrats may be in the minority, but that's how she binds the Democrats. She will then not be able to afford to simply ignore all the ideas of the democrats without immediately blowing up the new cabinet again. This government of Pheu Thai and Democrats will then have to consider reforms TOGETHER. Possibly supported/advised by an advisory board consisting of non-political representatives from society.
Another advantage is that Suthep is taking the wind out of its sails in this way. His ideas (people's council and people's government) don't work. That much is clear.
Finally. All of Suthep's actions have only led to major damage to the economy (including tourists staying away). The rate of the Thai baht is also getting completely out of hand due to his actions (good for most farang, but that's not the point of course). Imports (such as oil/gasoline/diesel to name but a few) will only become more expensive as a result.
The sooner elections are held the better. And let's hope that Abhisith decides to participate anyway and Yingluck invites him to form a government together.
The Baht is still pegged to the US dollar, at least unofficially. The backgrounds have already been extensively measured here. The Euro has risen and fallen there because of the Baht and not because of the unrest in Bangkok. The Baht has been above course for years and is actually not worth more than 2/3 of what it is now worth. So stay focused for a while and don't start shouting things that aren't quite right. If we then look at the damage (rice surplus) caused by the Taksin family in the past 7 years, those few tourists who do stay now are just peanuts.
I wonder if things will get better with those threatening Democrats, whether you will be bitten by the dog or by the cat. It will still be corrupt.
Dear Dick,
The dog, Yingluck, has bitten for many years, but the cat, Suthep, has not yet.
As long as the demonstrations are peaceful, I see a profit for Thailand.
In any case, Phuket is packed with tourists…especially Russians and Chinese.
So the tourists are still not so afraid of these demonstrations. So Suthep is not doing that bad yet..
Every day that Yingluck can no longer make decisions for the country is profit.
Every day that money is not spent on unorganized water management is a profit.
The people who have been demonstrating for weeks are fed up with corruption and since the bank accounts of the leaders have been blocked, the demonstrators will have to pay for the actions, food and drinks themselves, I don't see the red shirts doing that anytime soon.
Of course you won't hear me say that Suthep should become the new leader (I don't think he wants to either) and he sometimes has some strange ideas, but to this day he has achieved a lot of good. to send.
If you are right with your expression, then we are indeed back to square one, but don't you think something should be tried? Because doing nothing would have been so bad for Thailand.
A good greeting from Danny
My name is Farang, I do not speak the Thai language, I was not born and raised here and will therefore never be able to understand and feel like a Thai, because I am and am and will remain a Farang, no matter how old I am and already here living for half a century. So I have no judgment to make about the current political impasse because we will never be able to understand it as Farang. I know one thing for sure and that is that I find this situation very unfortunate for this country and all the people who live in this beautiful country.
I don't agree with the whole mess in Bangkok because it doesn't interest me. I have no possibility to intervene because I am a guest here. But if I don't like the host anymore, I slowly start looking for a better, another host. It is also a pity that the Thais themselves apparently do not understand at all that they have been busy helping their own country to the pennants for years. What is important to them is that they get a demonstration bonus, from whatever angle. And when there are elections, Thaksin wins again, because most of the population is illiterate in their thinking, least able to think for the future. Most part is not only day looner but also, only day today thinker. And if we run out of food, there is always a daughter somewhere that we can send to Pattaya or Phuket.
It turned out to be a flop. There weren't as many protesters as expected. Suthep can sit behind the garaniums. And Teun has good ideas, but how can you invite democrats if they do not participate in the elections. But whether this current government will form another government or not.
there will be a reform, yes.
But really if you want to eradicate corruption in this country you have to start on the street.
And Dick is right
Monte,
You never know what goes on behind the scenes. It can only happen that Abhisit decides in the coming days that it is better to participate. And maybe Yingluck can seduce him to do so in a way I suggested.
Because what does Abhisit have to gain if he doesn't participate? After all, then the Democrats will be completely condemned to the waning rebel camp of Suthep.
High time for consultation and cooperation between political parties…
One last thought that just crossed my mind. suthepcs. and Abhisit (democrats) believe that reforms are necessary. This after about 2 years (2011-2013) that Yingluck and her government would not have succeeded.
To my knowledge Abhisit as prime minister and Suthep as deputy prime minister in the preceding period (2008-2011) were the ones who could have helped Thailand to reform. It was all the more simple because the reds as a party were then banned/abolished by the judge. And therefore were not represented in parliament. Opportunity for open goal…..
What have Abhisit and Suthep (never came to power as winners of elections, but only through the abolition/banning of the reds) in those 2-2,5 years of their government actually proposed, let alone implemented reforms? Nothing comes to mind for me………….
And then say that making proposals and partially implementing them in about 1 year would be possible?
best support
You are quite right that the Democrats themselves could have proposed reforms to the House. You are not right that there were no 'reds' in parliament. When one red party was banned the next day a new red party was founded and all MPs were back. Abhisit came to power because part of the old Red Party (the faction headed by Newin who was himself banned from politics for 5 years) split from them and 'defected', helping Abhisit to gain a parliamentary majority.
In the negotiations between Abhsiist and the occupiers of Rachaprasong (the red shirts), Abhisit proposed new elections. That was not enough for the protesting red shirts. The cabinet had to resign. Compare this situation with now…….in other words: the pot calling the kettle black….
Chris,
Strictly factual, you're right. So the outcome is the same. Abhisit never won elections, but did have a majority of 2-2,5 and therefore had the chance to devise and implement reforms. But left that - of course - and even believed that he could stay as prime minister for 4 years...... But the reds didn't accept that.
In any case, your conclusion is correct (the pot etc). And thus indicates that the democratization process is in the “infant stage”. It will therefore – unfortunately still take a while before it reaches an adult stage…
@ Siamese. Fantastic response. I can't say it better. Dutch people everywhere in the world always feel called upon to give an opinion about everything and at all times. I have been living in Thailand for 27 years and indeed... you are and will remain that farang and you are not asked for your opinion at all. I really don't care how they roll down the street in red, yellow or perhaps green? Too bad for the country, but I also think that about the demise of 'my' Netherlands, which is being emaciated by that sinking ship called 'EU'.
You yourself give a good (?) example of 'feeling called upon to express an opinion about everything'. Away from NL for 27 years and still have an opinion about the Netherlands and the EU………………
Barack Obama said not long ago:
if you do the same thing (and also with the same people) you shouldn't expect the result to be different.
There may be elections on February 2 (I have yet to see, by the way) but there is nothing to choose. Parties are empty shells, no content, no real supporters, no local branches where political discussions take place, no election manifesto, except for populist slogans that may be detrimental to the country's economy. But nobody worries about that only when there are demonstrations.
This country still has a long way to go on the road to democracy and that road is also being fought as has happened in every democratic country. Nothing new under the sun, and nothing wrong with that either.