Bangkok Post expects chaotic April month

Bangkok Post expect political pressure to rise to a breaking point next month. The situation could turn for the better or for the worse. Two procedures threaten the position of Prime Minister Yingluck and her cabinet. In the worst case, they have to leave the field and a 'political vacuum' is created.

National Anti-Corruption Commission

Today is the last day for Prime Minister Yingluck to defend herself against the National Anti-Corruption Commission's (NACC) accusation that, as chair of the National Rice Policy Committee, she failed to intervene in the corruption and escalating charges of the mortgage system for rice.

If the NACC finds her guilty, she starts a impeachment procedure. Yingluck must cease her duties with immediate effect and the Senate will decide her fate. Opinions differ as to whether this procedure will have consequences for the government.

In any case, the stability of the government is seriously affected, says Minister Chalerm Yubamrung (Employment). Protest leader Suriyasai Katasila believes that the cabinet should stop working because the mortgage system was set up by the government.

Whether Yingluck will appear in person before the NACC, she did not want to say yesterday. She complained, as she also wrote on her Facebook page, that she and her lawyers received 280 pages of evidence from the NACC just three days ago. She was refused a postponement. In addition, she still needs to receive data from government departments for her defense. A source at the NACC expects the committee to take the plunge within ten days.

Constitutional Court

The second procedure, which can certainly have consequences for the entire cabinet, is before the Constitutional Court. A group of senators have asked the Court to review Yingluck's status after the Supreme Administrative Court overruled the transfer of Thawil Pliensri, secretary general of the National Security Council, to a post as Yingluck's adviser. According to the court, the transfer ordered by Yingluck was not right.

Some political observers believe that the curtain will fall on the Yingluck government if the Court follows the administrative judge and considers the transfer culpable. The Court doesn't even need to hear Yingluck to pass judgment. If the Court follows this line, it will be over for Yingluck with the cabinet in tow. The Senate is not involved, as in the other procedure. The anti-government movement hopes for this scenario, because then a neutral government can be appointed that will deal with political reforms. The court is expected to rule on Wednesday.

Mass rally red shirts

The tension may rise further due to the rally that the United Front for Democracy (UDD, red shirts) will hold on Saturday 5 April. Last Saturday, the management discussed its strategy. UDD chairman Jatuporn Prompan expects to be able to mobilize half a million people and, if the situation drags on, to mobilize a million people.

The newspaper does not provide further details about the rally, quoting Ongart Khlampaiboon, deputy leader of the opposition Democrats, as referring to "20 locations in Bangkok." According to him, these could lead to skirmishes with anti-government demonstrators. It depends on Yingluck and the government whether they let the situation get out of hand, Ongart said. He calls on the government to do everything possible to prevent violence.

(Source: Bangkok Post, March 31, 2014)

Photo homepage: Yingluck talks to the press after she cast her vote in the senate elections on Sunday.