Bangkok Post: Let's keep a cool head
In an almost desperate comment, the editors of Bangkok Post the call to keep a cool head. Monday is the hour. That is the day on which the Senate can fulfill its promise that the controversial amnesty proposal will be rejected. And it is also the day that the International Court of Justice in The Hague makes a ruling in the Preah Vihear case.
If the ruling goes against Thailand, the country is likely to plunge into a nationalist frenzy, which will be exploited politically to overthrow the government. The outcome will not be very enticing.
This is the time to keep a cool head, the newspaper writes. Both the government and protest groups must be extremely careful to prevent Thailand from making the same mistake that led to the 2006 military coup and has plunged the country into a political abyss in recent years.
The omens are worrisome. At the rallies, the newspaper hears deep hatred against the divisive former Prime Minister Thaksin, who is seen as the mastermind behind the blank amnesty proposal. The rhetoric recalls the time before the 2006 putch with the stoking of ultra-royalist and ultra-nationalist sentiments to demonize political opponents. Some speakers even call for violence.
After the bloody events of 2010, Democratic politicians and other protest leaders should know better and not exploit the populace's admiration for the Royal Family and misguided nationalism for political gain. The Pheu Thai government should realize that the current outburst of public anger is not only the result of the amnesty proposal, but also the way it has used its parliamentary majority over the past two years.
The paper lauds the government's decision to abandon the proposal as well as the other six, but notes that it is not enough. She must stop using her parliamentary dictatorship to push controversial decisions down the people's throats, as she did with the amnesty proposal. And the army must realize that it belongs in the barracks. Despite all the political hurdles, democracy should be given free rein.
(Source: bangkok mail, Nov. 8, 2013)
Submitted communication
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Yes, I'm certainly curious to see how that will turn out. Monday, in our village (approx. 40 kilometers from the Cambodian border), the residents have already been advised to pack the most important items if things get out of hand after Monday, I heard that some places closer to the border residents have already received weapons, and several battle tanks have already taken up position. and all that for a piece of land of 4 square kilometers with some old stones. Anyway, I get the impression that whatever the outcome, the Thais do not accept it, the hotheads!!
The big problem is that there are considerable emotions involved. Rationally, politically, the following is going on: the amnesty bill is definitely being rejected after the protests from almost all walks of life. A major miscalculation by Thaksin and therefore a loss of face, for him but also for his sister who shows that she does not have good judgment (or too little offense power). The temple case can hardly be won by Thailand. It will be a draw (the court simply returns the border dispute to the two countries or declares itself incompetent) or Cambodia wins a Pyrrhus victory. Both the Abhisit government and Yingluck have led the Thai to believe that they could win this fight against Cambodia.
The Yingluck government urgently needs good news and a clear achievement. Hun Sen, a friend of Thaksin (and also of Yingluck) can provide them with this by sending a stray Cambodian across the border next Monday afternoon or evening or 'coincidentally' firing or shooting a grenade to Thailand. In that case, the Thai army naturally reacts immediately. (or not?). There are a few days of fighting (actually about NOTHING but symbolism), some people are killed and wounded and during the week Cambodia apologizes, sends a still captured Thai back home and everyone goes back to normalcy. order of the day. And Yingluck can tell that she won't let friend Hun Sen eat the rice off the plate just like that.
Hi Thailand experts,
We are going to Thailand next Tuesday and we are a bit worried about all the news. Can you estimate whether the entire situation will also affect the tourism sector?
Gr. French
@ Frans As long as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs/the embassy does not issue a travel warning, you can travel to Thailand with peace of mind. Even in 2010 during the red shirt riots, a holiday in Thailand was justified, provided you avoided certain places. Any disturbances will have no consequences for tourism from Europe and the US. Chinese and Southeast Asian tourists stay away a bit faster, but that effect disappears when peace returns.
completely agree with chris .. a thai just fight for a while ..
The government has no say in this
So it will be exciting for a few days
but then peace returns.
more bad is the country's debt crisis.
That could lead the country into a deep crisis
when you see how the average debt ceiling of a family has risen
then that bomb may soon burst
if you just look again at how expensive everything is here
except for thai food ..rice and vegetables ..not'
but all other products are either as expensive or a lot more expensive than in the Netherlands
and then they dare to say in the Netherlands .. life is cheaper there
absolutely not.
next year will be crucial for thailand..
when you see what a thai earns wow .. and the prices are so expensive .