A cornered cat makes strange jumps. Does Prime Minister Yingluck already see the mood of an early end to her premiership? The Constitutional Court will rule on her status after Songkran and she seems to have little faith that it will work out in her favor.
Earlier this week, the Prime Minister criticized the Court for considering a petition related to the Thawil case. Never before has the Court dealt with the transfer of an official, she said. The Court thus sets a precedent.
The reaction of opposition leader Abhisit, then you resign yourself before the Court makes a ruling, has gone down the wrong way with Yingluck. She had not questioned the jurisdiction of the Court, she defends herself, she had merely 'made a comment' on the Court's decision. Yingluck rejected Abhisit's suggestion that he resign himself.
'Mr Abhisit is nevertheless aware that after the dissolution of the House of Representatives, a government has an obligation to take care of things. I have an obligation to do that. […] By dissolving the House, we have returned the mandate to the people, who can democratically elect a new leader. Dissolution of the House does not mean there are no rules.'
Abhisit thinks the prime minister is trying to discredit independent institutions. He points out that Yingluck is misleading the public by suggesting that the Constitutional Court and earlier the Supreme Administrative Court are dealing with the same case. The administrative court considered whether Yingluck's transfer of Thawil, former secretary general of the National Security Council, was appropriate. No, it wasn't, the judge ruled and ordered the government to reinstate him.
The Constitutional Court has a different angle, says Abhisit. The Court examines whether the prime minister has violated the constitution. The senators who filed the petition argue this because a brother-in-law of Yingluck indirectly benefited from the transfer.
Abhsit does not think it is surprising that the case before the Court is without precedent. “Has there ever been anyone who was in the same position as her and had to deal with a similar case? If she wasn't Acting Prime Minister there would be no case before the Court.'
Abhisit also lashed out at Yingluck's party Pheu Thai. That party tends to question the jurisdiction of the Court. Abhisit: 'She wants the population to believe that there should be no organization that is concerned with the use of power. That puts the country at a disadvantage.'
(Source: Bangkok Post, Apr 11, 2014)
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Government holds its breath: is the curtain falling today?
Tension rises in political Thailand after Constitutional Court decision
Strength to Ying Luck and she knows that most of the population is behind her. I hope that the best prime minister Thailand has had in a long time, except for Thaksin of course, will last a very long time. An unelected government, how do they come up with it!
Even stronger. The WHOLE Thai population is behind her. This is not because people support her politically, but because in a country like Thailand, those in authority are always at the forefront, whether they are good or not.