Bangkok : Sunday Protest

[Mid]

Sunday Protest
By Post Reporters

The anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has announced it will renew its programme of street protest with a mass rally at the Democracy Monument on Sunday against the proposed amendment of the constitution.

In a statement, the PAD claimed the content of the charter amendment motion filed by coalition MPs and a group of senators was clear evidence that both the legislature and the executive branch have taken an action deemed detrimental to the country, religion and the monarchy, as well as the people.

During the rally, which is set to start at 3pm, the PAD will gather protesters' signatures in a bid to impeach all MPs and senators who signed up to support the motion.

One of the PAD leaders, Sondhi Limthongkul, said the government's referendum proposal was only a political ploy. The People Power party-led coalition has already begun the charter rewriting process, he said.

Piphob Thongchai, another PAD leader, said Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej should have ordered MPs from his party to withdraw the amendment motion while pushing for the referendum, but he did not do so.

The motion seeking a charter rewrite, signed by 164 MPs and 30 senators, was lodged with House Speaker Chai Chidchob on Wednesday.

Senator Khamnoon Sitthisamarn warned Mr Chai that putting the motion on the agenda for the parliamentary meeting could breach Article 291 of the constitution.

Mr Khamnoon said he had found that the draft proposed by the group was exactly the same as the draft that the Confederation for Democracy, led by Weng Tojirakarn, had attempted to lodge with the deputy House speaker early this month. However, it was considered illegitimate because there is no organic law to facilitate charter amendment that was proposed by members of the public.

As a result, the draft proposed by the coalition MPs and senators is not considered an amendment of the current constitution, but a new charter.

In addition, Mr Khamnoon said, the draft must detail the proposed amendments by each article.

But the proposed draft did not follow the required format. It also lacks necessary supporting documents stating the rationale and specific reasons behind the charter amendment, he said.

Mr Chai said yesterday that he would not put the amendment draft on the agenda for the House until His Majesty the King grants a royal command on the opening of the special assembly of parliament.

Mr Chai explained that in this case, the law requires him to put the motion on the agenda within 15 days after parliament reconvenes, not after the day it was lodged

bangkokpost.net

[good2bhappy]

Is this the beginnng of the end or the end of the begining?

[Loombucket]

I think that this is the end of, yet another, begining. After they have argued about what to write and how to write it, let alone what it really means, they will probably go round again. Anything to avoid having to do something 'new'.

[Wayne Kerr]

Well after 2 hrs stuck in a traffic jam it seems they are still at it today. Impossible to get to the office ... a long weekend for Mr. Kerr .

[mediamanbkk]

I can't seem to find out how many people actually turned up at the rally on Sunday, just that there was going to be about 1,500 police present on duty.

[gjbkk]

Its seems the protest is getting a bit more violent. And Samack is in the Philippines doing something fishy

[Wayne Kerr]

The police presence this morning was huge, biggest I've seen.

[NickA]

Great name.... PAD Thai

[EmperorTud]

Only a matter of time now.

This also from the Nation yesterday.

Thailand says poor rating is misinformed


By The Nation
Published on May 24, 2008


Rating falls from 105 to 118 with strong possibility of violence




Thailand has dismissed the Global Peace Index (GPI) report downgrading the country's peace and happiness ranking, saying the survey was not based on proper information.
Thailand's GPI rank dropped from 105 last year to 118 this year out of 140 countries. The most peaceful country is ranked first. Thailand is placed near Congo and Kenya in the rankings, while neighbouring countries such as Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia have higher rankings of 37, 51 and 91 respectively.
The GPI, conducted by Australia-based Vision of Humanity and University of Sydney, was unfair as the survey judged the situation in Thailand only on violence in the South, which only makes up a minor part of the country, said the Foreign Ministry's spokesman Tharit Charungvat.
Violence in the three southernmost provinces could not be used as weight indicators since people in 73 other provinces lived their lives normally and peacefully, he said.
Thailand's political instability was ranked at 3.6, almost the same level as last year. The highest point of instability is ranked 5.
The likelihood of violent demonstrations and the potential for terrorist acts in the country are both ranked as high as 4.
Tharit said the methodology and data-collecting system were doubtful in terms of updated information and accuracy.
The GPI survey was contrary to many previous surveys by other independent agencies, such as the Swiss-based Institute of Management Development, which upgraded Thailand in the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2008 from a ranking of 33 last year to 27 this year, he said.
Thailand is in top place for the World's Best Tourist Country surveyed by Swedish-based Travel News Magazine, he added.
"Even people from countries that are ranked high in terms of peace come to visit Thailand. That means we are peaceful as they are at home," he said.


Bangkok's Independent Newspaper

Interesting that Tharit doesn't think they should include the ongoing Civil War in the South, after all, it is a part of Thailand is it not? I was under the impression that is what the continuing fighting was all about.

I also struggle to see what political instability and violent demonstrations have to do with the Southern provinces?

Seems like a perfectly fair and accurate rating to me.

[panama hat]

Thailand has dismissed the Global Peace Index (GPI) report downgrading the country's peace and happiness ranking, saying the survey was not based on proper information.

Oh, so that's what it is. Improper information = = = = read independent information source, not government propaganda and historical whitewashing.

I am surprised that China is not in first place, followed by Zimbabwe . . . using government information.

An ongoing civil war does seem to me to be a good reason to downgrade a country's security grading.

[gjbkk]

Army chief expresses concerns over the protest


By The Nation

Army Commander in Chief Gen Anupong Paojinda expressed concerns on Monday over the street protest that resulted in clashes by mebers of People Alliance for Democracy and government supporters.






"The protest should not be escalated into violence and the situation should not go beyond this as the country will be tarnished and damaged," Anupong said.

Security concern was heightened as protestors moved from Democracy Monument to Makawan Bridge near the Government House on Sunday night.

PAD protesters on Monday submitted a petition to the House Speaker to withdraw MPs and senators who supported the charter rewrite.

The protesters led by PAD clashed with pro-government protesters on Sunday night, resulting in several injuries of both sides.

Anupong said it was not duties of the army, but police, to handle the protest.

Anupong said it was not duties of the army, but police, to handle the protest

is that a warning

[Agent_Smith]

"Even people from countries that are ranked high in terms of peace come to visit Thailand. That means we are peaceful as they are at home," he said.

Thai logic at its finest

[Mid]

People’s Alliance for Democracy supporters cheer yesterday morning on Makkawan Bridge in front of the United Nations building on Rajdamnoen Avenue.

nationmultimedia.com




About 5,000 demonstrators from the People's Alliance for Democracy pack Ratchadamnoen avenue as they march from the Democracy Monument to Government House to demand Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and other lawmakers stop trying to amend the charter.
Pattanapong Hirunard

bangkokpost.net

[hillbilly]

*excerpt from the Nation*

Those taking part in the anti-government rally seemed last night like they would be bracing for another possible street battle. Both sides knew they had to be better prepared. The role of the police will be watched.

Samak and fellow Cabinet members might have felt relieved they were able to survive the political pressure for another day. They must have commended the police on duty for looking the other way when the goons attacked the protesters.

Thailand might have to relive the bloody October, 1976 period when government forces killed students at Thammasat University. At that time, Samak was also riding on a political high.

If political trouble blows up again, this time with Samak holding the top job, it would be the second time he has been witness to political conflict that threatens to split the country due to factional rivalries and power plays.

Bangkok's Independent Newspaper

[gjbkk]

Chamlong warns protesters of attacks by 300 motorcyclists









Chamlong Srimuang Monday evening warned demonstrators to be careful as he has learnt the opponents would deploy some 300 motorcyclists to try to disrupt the rally at the Makkhawan Bridge.

Chamlong advised the demonstrators to sit within the rally ground protected by some 200 guards of the PAD.

The Nation



I wonder who is paying them

[Agent_Smith]

I wonder who is paying them

No you don't.

[panama hat]

Democracy Monument

Kudos to them, though, for showing their convictions.

[gjbkk]

^ ^ Yes.


But this is an iteresting translation.


‘Heaven knows who we were fighting for’ in May 1992

Somchai Preechasilpakul
26 May 2008
Article

What is the meaning of the bloodshed in May 1992, and what significance does it have in terms of Thai political history?

‘Rajdamnoen’, a song written by Ad Carabao after the event, says that the May uprising was ‘for the people, for Democracy’.

So the struggle against the junta’s government was for Democracy. It was a fight against military threats to the parliamentary system.

In the aftermath of the event, a series of actions was carried out in a bid to attain ‘fully-fledged’ democracy: constitutional amendments to reduce the political powers of bureaucrats, including the military, while increasing those of elected politicians, and to require that the Prime Minister must be elected and that Speaker of the House of Representatives must be the Speaker of Parliament.

Bloody May 92, therefore, has been remembered and represented as a struggle against an undemocratic regime, or a military dictatorship. In other words, it has been said to be ‘Oct 14, 1973, redux’ in Thai political history.

Nevertheless, it could hardly be associated with public sentiments and comments in light of the Sept 19, 2006, coup and the 2007 Constitution. How could one explain such a contrast? Or can this be explained simply because Thai society is always forgetful of its lessons?

In a seminar in June 2006, before the coup, Thongchai Winijjakul, a historian, proposed that the May 92 event had two representations in Thai political history.

Firstly, the May 92 represents the end of political rivalry between the military and parliamentary politics, which had started in the era of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkram when the military ruled. After Oct 14, 1973, the parliamentary politics began to gain more political significance. Coups have happened, but there has always had to be general elections shortly afterwards. The rivalry came to an end in May 1992.

Secondly, May 92 is part of the new political chemistry, an interaction between three political institutions of Money, Mass and Monarchy, or Democracy with 3 Ms, according to Thongchai.
In Democracy with 3 Ms, money politics has been a core problem that needs to be solved.

Movements in Thai society since politicians tool a greater role during the administrations of Gen Prem until the political reform that resulted in the 1997 Constitution have been along this path.
Above the interaction between Money and Mass, the Monarchy has established its legitimacy above politics, and holds a moral authority revered by all sides in society.

Thongchai’s latter view of the May 92 event as part of the Democracy with 3 Ms needs to take into account more aspects, rather than considering it as merely a fight of democratic forces against dictatorship.

In the Democracy VS Dictatorship view, one could hardly understand why a number of figures who took important roles in the May event have become advocates of the Royal Prerogative, or Article 7 of the 1997 Constitution, and the Sept 19 coup.

The May 92 event needs to be understood in a different light, especially in regard to relationships between the Masses and the others. The ‘closing scene’ of the event probably sheds some light on a better understanding that ‘Democracy’ that was in great demand at the time may not be the same as what is called democracy in the West, but a polity with a Moral Ruler above politics, as a guardian to rescue the nation in crises and as the holder of supreme power.

In this regard, Democracy forged from the people’s fight against military dictatorship and money politics in the parliamentary system fits into the mould of ‘Democracy with the King as Head of State’.

Just 14 years after 1992, the advocacy of Article 7 and the Sept 19 coup derives from a particular Thai political power relationship which has rarely been explored. The May 92 movement has come to a destination which is hard to discuss.

Thai society’s perspective of its political system is therefore restricted, especially regarding the attempt to establish political institutions based on people’s power to solve conflicts and problems.

As long as the power relationship dominating Thai society is not addressed, only ‘Heaven knows who we were fighting for’ in May 1992, as the song says.



Translated by Ponglert Pongwanan

Source: สมชาย ปรีชาศิลปกุล: “สวรรค์เบื้องบนรู้ดีเราสู้เพื่อใคร”

[EmperorTud]

the Monarchy has established its legitimacy above politics

The great myth that the Monarchy is a purely apolitical institution.

[EmperorTud]

"Even people from countries that are ranked high in terms of peace come to visit Thailand. That means we are peaceful as they are at home," he said.

Thanit is obviously not aware of the fact that Thailand is Britain's most dangerous tourist destination, with a murder rate of 5 times that of the UK for British Citizens according to an FCO spokesman.

In single country terms, Britons represent the biggest non-Asian visitors to the Land of Smiles.

Somebody should tell him.

[Mid]

that of course is the problem .............

nobody can tell nobody nothing .