Suthep's Goals, And Thailand's Future, Remain Obscure

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9 December 2013, 21:50

(9 December) Weeks into their campaign to unseat the government, the aims and demands of the anti-government protesters remain unclear.

After weeks of intense street campaign organised by People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King as Head of State (PCAD), which saw the occupation of several governmental offices and violent clashes, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was finally forced to announce her intention to dissolve the House and call new election earlier this morning.

But if Ms. Yingluck and her advisers had hoped the move would satisfy PCAD leaders, they were proven wrong. PCAD secrety-general and former Democrat MP, Suthep Thaugsuban, simply refused to call off the protests and continued to march on Government House.

He later told the crowd the victory is not secure yet, and that he will not stop the fights until "Thaksin Regime" is completely uprooted and an unelected ?People′s Council? established to rule the country. Mr. Suthep also insisted that Ms. Yingluck cannot stay even as a caretaker Prime Minister.

However, his demand for ?People′s Council? has been ruled out repeatedly by Pheu Thai leadership, including Ms. Yingluck herself, on the ground that no provision in the Constitution allows such body to be formed. Likewise, the Constitution also clearly stated that the current Prime Minister must retain his or her position until the next election.

Furthermore, Mr. Suthep had never explained the concept of his ?People′s Council? in great details. He had vaguely described it as a body with representatives from various occupations. Earlier tonight, Mr. Suthep said the ?People′s Council? would be a part of an even bigger Prachapiwat (People′s Glorious Revolution) – yet another term that he did not elaborate.

His hope, therefore, appears to rest on the activation of Article 7 of the 2007 Constitution which, in his interpretation, would allow His Majesty the King to replace Ms. Yingluck with a Prime Minister of his own discretion.

But Mr. Suthep′s interpretation of Article 7 has been widely condemned by academics and legal experts as an undemocratic means which would allow His Majesty the King – technically a Constitutional Monarch – to directly intervene as Absolute Monarchs in the obsolete past had done.

Mr. Suthep is also thought to be working at his hardest to convince outside forces, such as the military, the judiciary, and the palace – which are understood by many anti-government activists to be hostile to Ms. Yingluck′s faction – to back his campaign and oust Ms. Yingluck in some way.

However, many observers of Thai politics are afraid that should Ms. Yingluck′s government fall under pressure or any sort of ?coup d?etat?, the Redshirts would initiate their own campaign to retaliate Ms. Yingluck′s ousters, and Thailand might enter yet another cycle of violence that could be more devastating than 2010 unrest.

The hope that the next election, set to be the date of 2 February 2014, would help solve the crisis also remains slim, as the opposition party signals that it might boycott the election – just as it did to protest Ms. Yingluck′s brother former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006.

“Our members have not yet discussed what to do in the next election. We are not going to propose another condition to the country. We do not reject the future election, if it is the best possible solution," said Mr, Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, Spokesman of the Democrat Party.

He added, "It is not the time to discuss about the election yet".

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Thai-Cambodia Border Explosions Explained As 'Satellite'

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Khaosod English

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9 December 2013, 18:59

Makeshift bomb shelter in Bhumisrol village

(9 December) Mysterious explosions and subsequent metals raining down near the village on Thai-Cambodia border are caused by a downed satellite, officials said.

Locals in Bhumisrol village, which sits near the disputed territory around Preah Vihear Temple, were surprised earlier today by abrupt sounds of explosions.

Students, farmers, and other citizens immediately rushed to bomb shelters, many of them thinking another artillery duel between Thai and Cambodian armed forces over the border dispute have erupted once again.

"We heard 7-8 explosions while we were teaching," said Mr. Wutthinan Niyom, a teacher from Baan Bhumisrol school, “We took our students to hide in bomb shelters as we fear the clash between Thai and Cambodian armies have started.”

After the situation returned to normalcy, many villagers ventured out and collected many metal shards near the border, believed to have been caused by the explosions.

“At least 5 metal scraps were collected, and each of them is roughly 50 cm long” said Chief Executive of the Kantralak Subdistrict Administrative Organization (SAO), Mr. Chokchai Saikaew.

However, local security forces said after investigating the matter that the explosions and the metal shards came from a malfunctioned satellite which explodes on its own.

They also claimed that a similar satellite explosion occurred in 2011.

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Key Infrastructure Project 'Unaffected' By Dissolution

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Khaosod English

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9 December 2013, 17:20

Anti-government protesters in Bangkok, 9 December 2013

(9 December) Transport Minister Chatchart Sittipan insisted that the 2.2 trillion baht infrastructure overhaul is unaffected by the House dissolution called by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

If approved, the package would include construction of high-speed rail system and other public transports. However, many fear that the bill stands slim chance of passing considering the ongoing political crisis.

But Mr. Chatchart said the real test of the infrastructure bill is not the discontinuity in government, but the constitutional challenge filed by the opposition party; the bill′s legality is now waiting to be decided by the Constitutional Court.

“If the bill survives in the court, the next government must decide whether to submit the bill to His Majesty of King, or to leave it to be annulled” said Transport Minister. He stressed that the bill is crucial for the country’s future development and that it has been under discussion for many years.

“The bill is aimed to accelerate the progress of many infrastructure development projects, and so far, none of the project has been paused," Mr. Chatchart said, adding that the research works on the project have already started, as they do not require funding from the bill.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chula Sukmanop, the Director of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP), said that OTP is processing the bill’s instruction, despite the dissolution of the parliament.

“Every mega-project needs time for research and development, and OTP is researching the project continuously in accordance with the given time-frame. We hope that the project will be ready when the bill is cleared by the Constitutional Court”, said Mr. Chula.

Mr. Amphon Kittiamphon, Secretary-General to the Cabinet, echoed Mr. Chatchart′s statement that the dissolution of the parliament does not affect the bill, as the most crucial point is the decision of the constitutional court.

So far, Prime Minister Yingluck had decided to hold the submission of the bill to his Majesty the king as the government is waiting for the decision of the court, Mr. Amphon said.

“We are currently waiting for the decision of the constitutional court. I do not wish to comment about anything before the verdict is reached. However, if the court agrees to pass the bill, the mega project will proceed according to plan", Mr. Amphon told our correspondent.

He added, "But for the sake of political courtesy, the current government [as being the caretaker government] may not submit the bill to his Majesty the King, and will wait for the new elected government instead”

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Student Activist Vows To Fight Her 'Suspension'

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Khaosod English

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9 December 2013, 15:57

(9 December) Thammasat University is said to be considering a punishment against a transgender student activist who protested its Rector′s alleged conspiracy with anti-government protesters.

Ms. Aum Neko, whose real name is Saran Chuichai, had previously attempted to replace the Thai national flag with a black flag at an administrative building in Rangsit Campus of the university. She also accused Thammasat Rector Somkid Lertpaithoon of collaborating with anti-government protests, which she described as an undemocratic movement.

Thammasat University has responded to the incident by setting up a committee to determine whether Ms. Aum had violated the university′s code of conduct, and if found guilty, Ms. Aum could face a punishment as severe as a one year suspension.

A number of Thammasat students is also collecting signatures for a petition asking for expulsion of Ms. Aum, on the grounds that she has "betrayed" the university.

Speaking to Khaosod, Ms. Aum said she does not feel threatened by the petition, as the students are simply exercising their rights, but added that the university′s constitution does not permit expulsion of students in this manner.

The activist also dismissed allegations that she had insulted her educational institute by dressing inappropriately for the protest, explaining that Thammasat has no official guidelines on dresscodes.

She said she has not been contacted by any university official, as the university has not yet re-opened. Nevertheless, if the committee approved her suspension, Ms. Aum said, it would amount to Thammasat′s departure from its reputation as a bastion of democracy and liberal ideas.

"It would mean we have no basic rights. We were just expressing our disagreement with the Rector," Ms. Aum told our correspondent.

Ms. Aum also vowed to scrutinise whether university regulations allow her suspension and appeal the punishment if she feels she is being unjustly punished.

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Court Rejects Protesters' Insurrection Charges Warrant

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Khaosod English

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9 December 2013, 15:09

Anti-government protesters outside Government House, 9 December 2013

(9 December) The Criminal Court has refused to issue arrest warrants on insurrection charges against 13 anti-government protest leaders as requested by the police.

Earlier at 10.00 today, the Royal Thai police has told the court that the 13 leaders have violated the Constitution by engaging in an ?insurrection? against the government and urging the protesters to commit unlawful actions, resulting in chaotic situation across the country.

Names attached in the arrest warrants were Mr. Sathit Wongnongtoey, Mr. Chumphon Julsai, Mr. Phuttipong Punnakan, Mr. Isara Somchai, Mr. Wittaya Kaewparadai, Mr. Thaworn Senneam, Mr. Nathaphon Theepsuwan, Mr. Ekkanat Prompan, Ms. Anchalee Phaireerak, Mr. Nithithorn Lamluea, Mr. Uthai Yodmanee, Second Lieutenant Samdin Lertbut, and General Preecha Eaiamsuphan.

However, the court rejected the request to issue arrest warrants, claiming that the situation is being defused by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra′s announcement that she will dissolve parliament and call fresh election. Therefore, the court′s statement says, it does not see any further possibility of violence.

It also advised the police to summon the protest leaders to give their testimonies first before requesting arrest warrants.

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Redshirts Call Off Ayutthaya Rally

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Khaosod English

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9 December 2013, 14:15

Police officer at the sports stadium in Ayutthaya where Redshirts originally planned to hold their rally.

(9 December) The United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) has cancelled its rally in Ayutthaya province, hours after Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced her intention to dissolve the parliament.

Redshirts across the country were originally urged to hold a massive rally at a stadium in Ayutthaya tomorrow to defend the government of Ms. Yingluck amid the ongoing anti-government protests to replace her with an unelected ?People′s Council? – a proposal decried as unconstitutional by the Redshirts.

The scheduled date of the rally, 10 December, is also designed to coincide with Constitution Day, which remembers the enactment of the first official Constitution in 1932, following a successful revolution to overthrow the Absolute Monarchy by People′s Party in June that year.

But Mr. Surachet Chaikosol, leader of UDD′s Ayutthaya chapter, said UDD leaders have discussed about the situation and agreed that it is best to call off the rally. "The Prime Minister has declared her wish to solve the House, that is a good solution, because it would help prevent Thai people from confronting each other," Mr. Surachet said.

UDD staff have already packed up their tents, loudspeakers, and other equipment, and vacated the stadium, Mr. Surachet added.

The last Redshirts rally to show their support for the government was ended following the violence near their rally site in eastern Bangkok which killed one anti-government protester and three Redshirts supporters.

Pol.Lt.Gen. Sermkit Sitthichaikarn, a police commander in Ayutthaya, said the police are "relieved" to hear about the Redshirts? cancellation of their rally. Nevertheless, he said police officers will continue to monitor the situation and set up security checkpoints in the province as a precaution.

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Foreign Diplomats' Tour Of Govt House Cancelled

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Khaosod English

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9 December 2013, 13:13

(9 December) Foreign diplomats will not be touring the Government House as planned, Minister of Foreign Affairs said, citing security concerns as anti-government protesters are besieging the compound.

Mr. Surapong Tovijakchaikul has previously invited 60 foreign diplomats to observe the situation at Government House, where riot police awaited the arrival of thousands of protesters who had announced they would seize it in an attempt to unseat Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The intention of the tour was assuring the diplomats that the government would respond to the protesters with appropriate universal crowd-control measures. The diplomats would also be shown the arsenal of police equipment stored at Government House, to highlight the lack of firearms or any heavy weapons, Mr. Surapong said.

However, the protesters? siege of the Government House has forced Mr. Surapong to cancel the visit out of concern over the diplomat′s safety and brief them about the situation in Thailand at Ministry of Foreign Affairs instead.

Mr. Surapong stressed that the government will maintain patience and avoid committing violence against the protesters. He added that footage from CCTVs around the Government House would be broadcast via Channel 9 and Channel 11 to inform the public about the protests.

The diplomats did not ask any question during the briefing, our correspondent said.

Mr. Surapong told reporters after the briefing that representatives from many countries have shown their support to the government′s peaceful measures in this protest. He also called on protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban to put an end to their protests, now that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has agreed to dissolve the House.

"If Mr. Suthep won?t end today, he can?t call himself a man, because he broke his own words," Mr. Surapong said, "If he doesn?t hold to his words, he would lose all his credibility. In that case, it won?t be inaccurate if I just call him a bandit thug".

Nevertheless, Mr. Surapong insisted that the government is always open to negotiations with Mr. Suthep.

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Protesters Reach Govt House

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Khaosod English

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9 December 2013, 12:34

Anti-government protesters shouting abuse at police officers inside Government House compound.

(12.50) Anti-government protesters led by former Democrat MPs are now besieging Government House, their target for the massive demonstrations today.

Very few police officers are visible around the Government House
compound, our correspondent says. Most of the officers have now retreated to their positions inside
the buildings, while thousands of protesters are just outside the
compound.

The
protesters are occupying various roads around the government office, such as Pitsanulok Road and
Royal Plaza, their ranks increasingly swelling by the minute as they are joined demonstrations from
other areas of Bangkok.

The demonstrators are being led by a number of former Democrat MPs who resigned from their
position just yesterday.

All
exits and entrances of Government House are blocked by the protesters who were instructed by their
leaders not to let the police force to leave the compound.

Protest leaders on their
loudspeaker-vehicles have told the protesters to hold their ground and wait for a ?declaration of
victory? from PCAD leader Suthep Thaugsuban.

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Citing Democratic Principles, Yingluck Dissolves House

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Khaosod English

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9 December 2013, 09:37

(9 December) Prime Minister Yingluck has told the nation she will dissolve Parliament to let the Thai people decide the outcome of the ongoing political crisis with democratic means.

Ms. Yingluck′s announcement was made on live television broadcast at a time of high tension in Thailand; all opposition MPs just announced their resignation in protest yesterday, and the anti-government protesters were set to march from various rally sites in Bangkok toward Government House in the bid to unseat her.

In her speech, she defended her government as a hard-working and democratic one. The Prime Minister also claimed her government has been pursuing a compromise with the anti-government faction, even going as far as offering to hold a referendum on the idea of ?People′s Council? proposed by protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban.

Nevertheless, Ms. Yingluck said, she has decided to give back the power to the people by calling a new election and dissolving the House "which is a democratic way, letting the people to decide which path the majority of the people wants to see"

She added that she would like to invite all parties and all groups to use the upcoming election as the means to pursue their political goals.

Ms. Yingluck also told the nation she and her cabinet would stay in power as caretakers until the next election.
Although Ms. Yingluck has not set the date for next election, Khaosod has been told by a source that the polls would likely take place on 2 February 2014.

However, as of 10.00 today, anti-government protesters have refused to disperse, and they have begun their demonstrations across Bangkok as planned. Anti-government protest leaders have previously demanded the establishment of an unelected ?People′s Council? to rule Thailand instead of another election which, they said, would still be won by Ms. Yingluck′s allies.

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Rector's Leaked Message Predicts Suthep's Gameplan

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Khaosod English

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7 December 2013, 19:57

(7 December) The Rector of Thammasat University has been accused of secretly collaborating with anti-government protest leaders after leaked screenshot of his chat application correctly predicts the protesters? next move.

The protesters, led by the People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King as Head of State (PCAD), had refrained from marching out of their protest camps since His Majesty the King′s Birthday, providing Bangkok with a brief lull following a week of confrontation when the protesters clashed with riot police in governmental district.

But when, a leaked screenshot shows, Thammasat University′s Rector Somkid Lertpaithoon was asked in a LINE group chat what the next gameplan of the protesters could be, he instantly casually that "nothing much" would happen on 6 December, and said the real move would come on 9 December.

On that day, Mr. Somkid said in the screenshot, the protesters would attempt to "shutdown Bangkok" following two days of demonstration on 7-8 December.

The news came less than a week after a group of student activists staged a protest in Rangsit Campus of Thammasat University to denounce Mr. Somkid′s decision to close down the university earlier this week.

While Mr. Somkid claimed he did so out of safety concerns amid the political chaos in Bangkok, the activists charged that the closure announcement coincides with PCAD leader Suthep Thaugsuban′s call for a nationwide strike and shutdown of education establishments.

The screenshot of the chat was also seized by critics of Mr. Somkid as further evidence of his conspiracy with the protest leaders.

Speaking to Khaosod, Mr. Somkid confirmed the screenshot was real, but denied he possessed any inside knowledge of the protest leaders, explaining that he merely repeated what he had been told by his colleagues, and he did not know whether the rumour was true.

"I was just talking without any agenda," Mr. Somkid said, "If I knew the events beforehand where the protesters would go, I would be a genius, and I would have joined Mr. Suthep′s strategic advisers already".

The Rector also told our correspondent his actions or words might appear to coincide with the anti-government protesters?, but it is because he had proposed them even before the protest started. "I have been talking about House dissolution and [Prime Minister′s] resignation before Mr. Suthep did. He just copied my formula, and people think I collaborated with Mr. Suthep. That is not true."

He added, "Some people just want to attack me" with smear campaign.

However, his discussion of Mr. Suthep′s next move was proven to be accurate later in the evening when Mr. Suthep himself announced the plan to mobilise his supporters over the weekend for a "final showdown" on 9 December.

PCAD leader promised a shutdown of "every street" in the capital city, as he expected "millions" of protesters to come out of their offices and homes to join their "final" march on Government House. Mr. Suthep said he was confident he would achieve "victory" within a single day.

The coincidence led Mr. Jatupon Prompan, a leader of the Redshirts official organisation, to quip during a press conference today that Thammasat is no longer a bastion of freedom and democracy when its Rector is cooperating with what Mr. Jatupon described as anti-democracy protesters.

"He can claim he merely repeated what people have been sharing, but it doesn?t make sense," Mr. Jatupon said, "He′s been collaborating with Mr. Suthep all along".

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