News from Thailand – December 11, 2013

A newly formed group of academics does not mince words and calls action leader Suthep Thaugsuban's proposal for the formation of a Volksraad 'pure fascism'.

The group, which calls itself Assembly of the Defense of Democracy (AFDD), calls on all parties to express their political wishes through elections. Unlike the Council of University Presidents of Thailand, the AFDD is against the formation of an interim government. That is undemocratic and against the constitution.

Kasian Tejapira, a history teacher at Thammasat University, says every democratic nation should use democratic means to curb corruption. Suthep's proposal boils down to power for the elite and the military. "That opens the way to bloodshed and violence."

Worachet Pakeerut (pictured), a law professor at the same university, thinks it's ridiculous to call those who voted for Thaksin-backed parties a pawn whose vote has been bought. “The people have repeatedly voted for those parties. The continued determination of voters cannot be dismissed as the result of vote-buying,” he says. Worachet considers Suthep's attempt to form a Volksraad without amending the constitution to amount to a coup.

Thanet Abhornsuvan (Asean Programme, Thammasat University) even draws a comparison with fascist corporatism at the time of dictator Benito Mussolini.

– Farmers who have sold their rice to the government will have to wait even longer for their money now that the government is outgoing. Since the start of the new rice season on October 1, they have not seen a penny or received any part of the amount, because the Bank for Agriculture and Africultural Cooperatives (BAAC) has no funds to do so.

The Bank, which pre-finances the rice mortgage system, is waiting for two sources of money: sales by the Ministry of Commerce of rice purchased in the past two seasons, and a guarantee from the Ministry of Finance on a loan. The bank is also awaiting approval from the National Rice Policy Committee to raise the 500 billion baht limit. It has already been exceeded by 180 billion baht.

The emergency measure to generate income by issuing bonds has had little effect. Of the 75 billion baht in bonds, 37 billion baht has been raised, because investors are not eager to spend their expensive money on the costly (corruption-plagued) system and because of political uncertainty.

The BAAC has announced that it can no longer pay the farmers from their own liquidity. If the bank were to do that, the future of the bank would be in jeopardy, according to a source at the bank. Until last Thursday, farmers have offered 6,16 million tons of paddy.

The government has set the guaranteed price for white rice at 15.000 baht per ton and for Hom Mali (jasmine rice) at 20.000 baht, prices that are about 40 percent above market prices. Per farmer may be surrendered for 350.000 baht. The second harvest starts on March 1. Then the farmers receive 13.000 baht for a ton of white rice and the maximum is 300.000 baht. Whether the mortgage system will continue to operate will depend on the new government.

– More rice. Farmers threaten to block roads in 26 provinces if the government does not come up with money quickly. Prasit Boonchoey, president of the Thai Rice Farmers Association, says most farmers have not been paid for their surrendered paddy since October. The farmers desperately need the money for the second harvest.

– The elections scheduled for February 2 will cost 3,8 billion baht, 400 million baht more than the previous one because there are more eligible voters, the Electoral Council has calculated. It is still unclear whether the elections will go ahead given the impasse between the outgoing cabinet and the anti-government movement.

Candidates must register between December 23 and 27 (district candidates) and between December 28 and January 1 (national electoral list). The primaries will take place on January 26.

Ruling party Pheu Thai will probably make Yingluck the list leader again, which means that she is also the PT candidate for the premiership. Some politicians, who were banned 5 years ago when Pheu Thai's predecessor was dissolved, are expected to make their return to parliament. Yingluck has not yet decided whether she wants to run for office. Pheu Thai will announce her electoral list next week.

Opposition party Democrats has not yet announced whether it will participate in the elections. All 153 Democrat MPs resigned en masse on Sunday. The newspaper does not spend a word on the other (smaller) parties.

– During the occupation of the government complex on Chaeng Wattanaweg, four police offices were looted. These are the Immigration Bureau, the Office of the Inspector-General, the Office of the Technology Crime Suppression Division and the Office of Internal Audit. Valuables, such as computer equipment, were stolen from those offices. The complex was partially occupied on November 27 and abandoned on Monday as protesters marched towards Government House.

At the Ministry of Finance, which is [still?] occupied by the protesters, vans and police vehicles have been broken into and damaged.

The Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (Capo), which is responsible for the security situation in Bangkok, is looking for the perpetrators and will prosecute them.

– The municipality of Bangkok, with 400 employees and 50 soldiers, cleaned the government complex and the streets that were marched on Monday. 20 tons of waste have been collected. Another 30 municipal workers have been sent to the Ministry of Finance to clean things up.

– Since the start of the political unrest at the end of last month, 290 people have been injured, says the Ministry of Health. Of these, 89 have been hospitalized. Most have since been fired. In 11 hospitals, 15 are still injured, but no one is in danger. The death toll is 5. No one was injured during the marches to Government House on Monday.

– In addition to the US and England, Germany has now also expressed concern about the situation in Thailand. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle fears a possible escalation of the protest. He has appealed to all parties to restrain themselves and to exercise patience so that an unmanageable situation is avoided. Westerwelle advocates negotiations.

– The Stop Global Warming Association wants the 350 billion baht water management program to be postponed, now that the House of Representatives has been dissolved. President Srisuwan Janya disagrees with Supoj Tovichakchaikul, secretary general of the Office of the National Policy on Water and Flood Management, who said on Monday that the program can go ahead. According to Supoj, the contracts could be signed in February.

The association also points out that the hearings that were held did not meet the applicable requirements. Opponents of projects were often not admitted, registration was complicated, speakers were given too little speaking time and those involved were informed too late or incompletely in advance. (See also Economic news)

– Thirayuth Boonmee, 'social critic' and 'prominent academic', according to the newspaper, supports the 'whistle revolution'. He said this yesterday at a meeting organized by the Thai Journalists Association. But the demonstrators must rally influential institutional forces behind them to bring about real change.

And besides, I think it's pretty good what that gentleman brought up. If you are interested, I refer you to the newspaper's website. The title of the article reads: Thirayuth gets behind whistle blowers, hopes for democracy.

– A man in Klong Toey (Bangkok) shot his wife and his 2-year-old daughter, his 15-year-old son was fatally wounded and then killed himself. The couple sold catfish. The man was reportedly addicted to gambling and owed more than one million baht.

– A suitcase left on a baggage carousel from Suvarnabhumi aroused the suspicion of customs and rightly so, because it contained sixty rare turtles. Customs also managed to arrest the owner on the basis of the suitcase tag, which had his name on it. The turtles and the suspect came from Madagascar.

– The public transport company of Bangkok loses 600.000 baht in revenue every day due to the protests. Normally, the BMTA collects 10 million baht daily, now 9,4 million baht. 28 bus routes had to be diverted to bypass the protest locations. An additional handicap is cars parked by demonstrators on some roads, such as Phahon Yothin Road. The number of calls to the hotline has skyrocketed by 40 percent. Most callers wanted to know which routes were blocked.

Economic news

“This is only a short-term solution, because conflicts can arise at any moment,” said Issara Vongkusolkij, the newly appointed chairman of the Board of Trade and president of the Thai Chamber of Commerce. On Monday [?] he chaired a meeting of seven private business organizations.

The seven agree that dissolving the House of Representatives is the best way to contain the crisis and prevent violence, but that is not enough. The conflict is not just about political differences, but is rooted in all layers of society. Restoring the confidence of the population and foreign investors in the long term requires reform in the fields of politics, society and the economy.

The companies have offered to form a special committee that will be tasked with devising long-term solutions for Thailand. They want to invite politicians from the major parties to sit on that committee, as well as representatives from all sectors.

– The waterworks, for which the government has allocated 350 billion baht, will not be delayed now that the House of Representatives has been dissolved and the government is outgoing, says Secretary General Supoj Tovichakchaikul of the Office of the National Policy on Water and Flood Management.

The contracts can be signed in February, when the new government takes office. All that remains is the hearing in Bangkok. It was scheduled for December 6, but could not take place because of the demonstrations. Supoj expects the political demonstrations to end next week, so that the hearing can be held shortly afterwards.

www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post