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| Protesters in front of the Government House. |
Related links:
bangkok-protest-truce-waffenstillstand-update-04.12.2013
bangkok-protest-and-clashes
bangkok-protest-update-sunday-morning-01.12.
bangkok-protest-update-thursday-28
bangkok-protest-update-monday-25november
battleday-in-bangkok
protest in Bangkok - a summary
the-blanket-amnesty-bill-final-version
05.-08.
December 2013
Since
my last post of December 4th a lot has happened in Thailand. For a few days the situation has
calmed down in Bangkok. Self-proclaimed protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban gave Prime Minister Yingluck
Shinawatra and her caretaker government another ultimatum. He demanded of her
to step down immediately. Furthermore he ordered her to transfer all
powers to the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), led by
general secretary Suthep Thaugsuban.
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| Yingluck Shinawatra |
Interestingly this group of
self-appointed saviours continues to talk about democracy on and on and on. However, the last thing they are
interested in is democracy. The PDRC represents just a minority of
the Thai people and their goal is to abandon democracy and the principle of "one man, one vote" indefinitely.
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| Suthep Thaugsuban |
...Mr Suthep said people from all walks of life will then choose representatives from various professions to form the people's council to work out policies and draw up legislation.
The council, he added, will act as the legislative assembly to amend laws and regulations and also push national reform to change Thailand for the better. He said the council will select "decent people" with no affiliations to political parties to be an interim prime minister and form an interim government under Section 7 of the charter.
The interim government will then put the council's national reform policy into practice such as by implementing plans to revamp the structure of the police force so they come under the people's supervision and decentralising power to provincial governors, Mr Suthep said. When the national reform plans are carried out successfully, a general election will be called and the people's council will end its role, Mr Suthep declared...
While we visited the protest camp at
the monument of democracy on December 5th (during the
birthday celebrations for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej) we talked to a group of elderly women. They told us that democracy could be a
goal for the far future and that Thailand is not ready for real
democracy nowadays. They support the PDRC's idea of appointing an
interim-government, consisting of appointed”decent” people. They told us that they would already know who those "decent" people would be (my guess: general
secretary Suthep and the members of the PDRC?). Most important for
this group of older ladies: the appointed members shouldn't be corrupt
on any account.
Corruption is of course one of the
biggest problems in Thailand. During one year Thailand (from 2012 to 2013) dropped from No. 88 to No. 102 (out of 177 countries). This is the biggest drop in Thailand's history. With only 35 out of 100 possible points it has even fallen behind countries like India and the Philppines.
But should one set a thief to catch a thief? Here are some examples about Suthep's history on corruption and his alleged decency:
1.) The Soe Por Kor 4-01 land reform
1995: As part of the Sor Por Kor 4-01 (สปก.4-01)
land reform scheme, Suthep gave title deeds to 592 plots of land in
to 489 farmers. It was later found that members of 11 wealthy
families in Phuket were among the recipients.
2.) In 2009 Suthep was accused of
violating the Constitution of Thailand by holding equity in a media
firm that had received concessions from the government and resigned
to avoid being disqualified but continued as Deputy PM.
3.) In February 2013 former deputy
prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban was accused of corruption in the
police station building contract saga after the Department of Special
Investigation launched a probe of alleged corruption in the
unfinished projects.
4.) In October 2013 Democrat core
member Suthep was indicted on murder and attempted murder
charges for their roles in ordering the Centre for the Resolution of
the Emergency Situations (CRES) to quell anti-government
protests in 2010.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
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| Abhisit Vejjajiva |
Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva
announced on Sunday, that all remaining 153 Members of Parliament of the Democrat Party will resign their seats immediately. The
parliament and the government are not legitimate anymore. This has been
seen as another attempt by the Democrat Party to force the government
to step down.
09. December 2013
Despite Yingluck`s announcement to dissolve parliament and call for snap elections, some hundreds of thousands protesters joined the anti-government rally. Many of the protesters oppose snap
elections because they already know the outcome: Yingluck and the
Pheu Thai will win again and govern another
turn.
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| Urupong intersection |
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| "Wistle blowing" at Phitsanulok road. |
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| On the top of the concrete blocks (positined behind the gate of the access road to the Government House). |
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| Thaksin, Thaksin, Thaksin |
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| There have been even bigger one's. |
In the evening, Suthep urged his
supporters that this is only a partial victory and that the protests have to
go on until the “Thaksin regime” has been
eradicated.
He gave Yingluck another 24 hours
ultimatum to step down (as interim Prime Minister) and to "return" the power to the people (in other words: to the
PDRC), otherwise she would have to suffer the
consequences.
The Redshirts on the other hand
cancelled their pro-government mass rally in Ayutthaya (on
Tuesday, December 10th). Because of the house dissolution and the already announced
snap elections they saw no reason to stage this rally anyway.
Tuesday , 10th December 2013
Interim Prime Minister Yingluck refused to make any further concessions and asked the protesters to put up with the results of their protest. She said, she will stay
in power and lead the caretaker government until the snap elections on
February 2nd. There will be no more concessions from the her government´s side.
Meanwhile it seems that Suthep and
his PDRC are going nuts and are completely getting above themselves.
They declared, referring to article 7 of the constitution (to bridge
a power vacuum with a royally endorsed interim government) that the caretaker government of Yingluck Shinawatra has been removed and declared
themselves as the only and legitimate government. However, it is actually the Yingluck government which is still in charge, due to royal endorsement, and the PDRC' s claim to power is neither valid nor legitimate.
They threatened the state officials, the police and the military that they have three days to decide either to support the PDRC and to obey its orders or to face the consequences.
Suthep even supported the idea of forming vigilante groups to establish (his) order when the police can't be trusted. Just imagine how Suthep's vigilante troops are going to establish order in redshirt dominated Isaan villages and cities!!!
Announcement of the PDRC on 10th December (Translation by David Streckfuss)
(Quick translation:) "The
secretary-general of the PDRC Suthep Thaugsuban came onto the stage
and read out four orders after the 24-hour deadline: for the prime
minister to resign as caretaker, for criminal prosecution of
rebellion against the prime minister to be carried out, for the
police forces to be ordered back to their normal posts within 12
hours, and for the people to track the movements of those in the clan
[presumably Shinawatra clan] with peaceful non-violence."
video recording of the speech at: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=262184357239445
เลขาธิการกปปส.
สุเทพ
เทือกสุบรรณ ขึ้นเวทีอ่านคำสั่ง
4 ข้อหลังครบเส้นตาย
24 ชั่วโมง
ให้นายกรัฐมนตรีลาออกจากรักษาการณ์
ให้ดำเนินคดีอาญาข้อหากบฏกับนายกฯ
สั่งตำรวจถอนกำลังกลับที่ตั้งปกติภายใน
12 ชั่วโมง
และให้ประชาชนติดตามความเคลื่อนไหวคนในตระกูลอย่างสันติ
อหิงสา
After the ultimatum passed, the self-appointed government (by the grace of Suthep)
gave the police forces the order to arrest interim Prime Minister
Yingluck for insurrection, because she refused to follow the orders
given by the PDRC.
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| Chalerm Yubamrung |
On the same evening labour minister Chalerm Yubamrung demanded from Bangkok's police chief Kamronwit Thoopkrachang to arrest protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban within the next 48 hours.
The upcoming days and weeks will be very interesting (in a negative sense). I fear for the worst because of the irreconcilable hate on both sides. I think, there is a real risk that Thailand is moving in direction of a civil war.
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| Not every protester wants to be recognised. |
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| Yommarat |
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| Phitsanulok road |
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