absolutelyBangkok archive · Politics
Originally published Nov. 29, 2009
A year ago, a few days before HM the King’s 81st birthday, Thailand was in the hands of reactionary yellow shirts who saw themselves on a holy mission to save the Thai nation and crown at whatever cost from doomsday. Hundreds of thousands of tourists paid a heavy price, not to mention the losses Thai businesses faced in the aftermath of the world’s probably first “legitimate” airport occupation.
Don’t tell me court cases are pending. You know better than anyone that nothing will happen. Thailand was under lockdown and no authority dared to intervene as the lockdown happened in the name of you know of whom and what, stoically ignoring that the fight did much more harm than good to the values the yellows ought to protect. This year, a few days before HM the King’s 82nd birthday, red shirts are calling off a mass rally to not cause the king even more worries.
The discrepancy between yellow politics and red politics doesn’t go unnoticed. The Post Bag’s a treasure trove these days of digs at the yellow ideologists. “What a difference a year makes,” writes Per G. With people asking if the red shirts had no respect for HM the King’s birthday by holding a (now canceled) mass rally when the whole nation is preparing to celebrate his birthday… There are even signs that the intelligentsia and part of the elite are distancing themselves from the yellow nationalists.
Take this piece by The Nation titled
Scrapping of Gulf Agreement Could Prove a Nuisance: The scrapping of the convention is obviously based on the same emotional retaliation the yellow shirts apply in their fight against anything they don’t like. Don’t like it, then don’t accept it. There’s a law? Don’t bother. Anything goes in the name of an honorable crusade. 1 + 1 = 3. Don’t argue.
There is no legal basis to any of the Thai government’s legal threats. Except that Thaksin’s a bad man and deserves the full force of Thai law. Writes The Nation:
In reality though, Thaksin had nothing to do with the (maritime agreement) deal, which was negotiated by the then-foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai. The only people who knew all details of the deal were foreign ministry officials, some of whom are still with the government, while others have retired. As the top boss, Thaksin might have known something about the pact, but it is ridiculous to say that he knows everything.
(…)
Article 62 of the convention, which is based on fundamental changes in circumstance, cannot be applied either. The fundamental change that can be deemed the cause for termination would have to “radically transform the extent of obligations still to be performed under the treaty.” Thaksin’s appointment (by Cambodia) cannot be regarded as a “fundamental change of circumstances” because he is neither a signatory nor a subject of the treaty.
Even our dear prime minister seems to have gotten cold feet by now, realizing that to blindly follow the diktat of the yellow camp doesn’t really serve Thailand that much. After threatening Thaksin-friendly Cambodia with the pullout of loans and cancellation of treaties Abhisit now speaks of confusion among the Cambodian leadership who said they don’t need no Thai loan to build a road that serves mainly Thai traders. Who’s confused? What a humiliation.
Under growing pressure
Abhisit phoned Hun Sen for the first time, asking the Cambodian premier again to please not reject the Thai loan. But Abhisit didn’t submit the request in writing as agreed, so Hun Sen was left saying that “Abhisit is the most difficult person to work with among the Thai PMs I have worked with.”
Implying Thai prime ministers come and go while he, Hun Sen, stays on and on.
Analyzes The Nation:
PM Shot Himself in the Foot. Thailand would have been a beneficiary in the road project. No more. As long as Hun Sen is in power…
Again, as mentioned in earlier posts, this is not Abhisit himself causing the whole spat only to make a U-turn. He’s not his own man since accepting the premiership. It’s obvious again that he’s only the pretty face of a nasty reality behind. Abhisit is in no way the decision maker, but has to face the music and may sooner or later tire of it and call it a day, filled with bitterness.
So the real question is: Who is causing damage?
Emailed a reader this quote from our dear foreign minister:
If anyone causes damage to the country, the person’s passport will be revoked.
Then, well, “in light of the Cambodia fiasco and the extensive damage to Thailand’s position and standing,” writes the reader, “that would seem to necessitate revoking the passport of none other than HE Kasit. I just can’t see how any foreign minister of any country could survive such a gross error in judgement and behavior.”
Look at Germany’s former defense minister who just stepped down following criticizm over an Afghan air strike… following criticizm… Said he accepted “political responsibility”…
“The whole Cambodian affair has been one gigantic diplomatic misplay by the Thailand group,” our reader goes on, “and they are going to end up looking very measly faced smirky faced when they try to weasel back into Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen’s good graces… I think Hun Sen is going to know just how to handle it when they start trying to get back in… as with the fishing fleet the concession price is going to go up at least 30%, etc.”
While — hear this — this same foreign minister says his office did not request Cambodia to sack Thaksin… You have a minister with zero nada zilch credibility rubbing off on what’s left of Thailand’s credibility.
As long as 1 plus 1 can equal 3 in Thailand not much will change.
No heads have to roll and accountability and responsibility remain strange foreign words.
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