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ess than 24 hours after the new Paetongtarn Shinawatra was sworn into office in front of the King, anti-government protesters decided to demonstrate in Bangkok yesterday. They vow to take to the street outside the PM’s office, the Government House, in less than 10 days from now, on Sept 17.
The key slogan this time is they are against the “Shinawatra Regime” a reference to the belief that the new government is not exactly run by the 38-year-old Paetongtarn, but ultimate by the head of the Shinawatra family, headed by ex-convict-cum-ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. They call it a “Family Cabinet”, a “Hereditary Cabinet” and seek to yet again, create chaos and pave a way for another military coup.
One can partly understand their frustrations, for it appears the most important qualification Paetongtarn possesses to secure the top job of the executive branch is the fact that she is a daughter of Thaksin, arguably the most influential de facto politician alive in Thailand today. Having your children or siblings running the political show on your behalf because you are somehow constrained by certain legal limitations makes people feel as if politics is not just a family business but a family monopoly. Paetongtarn is not the only one.
Just two or three days before the new Deputy Interior Minister was supposed to be sworn in, the name of Chada Thaised was dropped from the list of the new Cabinet lineup due to concerns that he may lack ethical qualifications to continue to become a Cabinet minister under the new government. Chada then announced to the public that he will relinquish his post to his daughter, Ms Sabeeda Thaised, 39, a political novice. Again, Sabeeda’s chief qualification is not her law degree but the fact that she’s daddy’s daughter and that daddy trusts her.
There’s more. Another blatant reminder that politics is a family business is the fact that former Agriculture Minister Thamanat Prompow’s younger brother was field in as new Deputy Agriculture Minister as Thamanat, being a former convicted heroin smuggler, conspiring to import heroin to Australia, was sentenced to 6 years in prison by an Australian Court back in 1994.
In light of PM Srettha Thavisin being removed in August by the Constitutional Court for having appointed Pichit Chuenban as PM Office Minister despite Pichit having been charged for attempted bribery of a court official, the Paetongtarn government is taking no chance. Thus Thamanat has become too risky post-Srettha ruling. Nevertheless, Thamanat, who insists he didn’t know who decided to appoint his younger brother, can now count on his younger bro, Akara Prompao to be his ears and eyes, and representative at the ministry.
These are just some of the legacy Cabinet members and heriditary politicians and the list will indeed be long if we continue. It’s understandable why some Thais, particularly those against the current administration, feel frustrated, if not furious. Many feel it’s an insult to their intelligence and become alienated by electoral politics. Some wish the army could again stage another military coup.
Such sentiment is egregious and will do even more harm to Thailand, however. Thailand has been making too many political detours as a result of one military coup after another. The nine decades of “parliamentary democracy” saw at least 13 “successful coups” which literally slowed down development if not grounded the kingdom into a halt.
Some Thais need to learn to be patient, and allow this imperfect system to correct itself and refrain from calling and supporting another military intervention which would amount to stalling Thailand, ensuring political and economic uncertainties, and regress in fundamental political rights.
Whether one likes the new Paetongtarn Shinawatra government, or Thaksin, or not, one should look at the bigger picture and recognize that military intervention is not the solution. Thailand has lost 9 years under junta leader Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha. As much as this writer may have many reservations about the Shinawatra government, another rogue general taking over the country is definitely not the answer.
