His lieutenants tried to describe yesterday's rally as "the people's war" or "people's revolution".
All these claims, of course, are nothing but pure hogwash invented by Thaksin and his aides to drum up a street demonstration big enough to enhance his bargaining power with the powers-that-be.
The thinly-veiled goal is unmistakable. The former prime minister wants to pressure the Abhisit government to:
1. Step down to allow his Pheu Thai Party for form a new government, or
2. Dissolve Parliament and call a new election in which he hopes his party will win a majority that will change all the rules to free him from the two-year jail term and delete all the pending criminal charges against him, or
3. Stir up the crowd enough to bring about a violent confrontation with law-enforcement officials. Any ensuing bloodshed would open up a chance for him to overthrow the current administration.
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Abhisit's dilemma is clear. He has been accused by some of being "too soft" on some of the protestors and Thaksin, who, through his video links, has already "crossed the legal line" by openly attacking General Prem and some other privy councillors.
How, the critics asked, can a man fleeing a two-year jail term handed down by the court, be allowed to repeatedly incite a mob to carry out what could arguably amount to an open revolt?
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When all is said and done, Abhisit can win this "war" only if he can disperse the smokescreen put up by Thaksin; a smokescreen of claims that this is a battle between democracy and "bureaucratic polity", or a clash between the powers-that-be and the once-powerful.
In its crudest form, the ongoing confrontation is nothing but an ugly and ruinous power struggle between Thaksin and everybody else he considers his enemies.
The Yoonster's blog only proves that The Nation has zero credibility when it comes to their sanctimonious bleating on about the media's role in being an honest arbiter of the facts.
You got to wonder what The Nation's strategy is in insulting the intelligence of hundreds of thousands of Thai people. This movement is bigger than the Chinese Godfathers--Thaksin, Sondhi Lim, Yoon, Prem--and their personal vendettas. This activism takes a type of stamina and commitment that goes beyond loyalty to a politician or a couple hundred baht.
If it was all about money, Abhisit's 2000 baht bribes to the people with state money should have bought some loyalty. It didn't.
4 comments:
what is the "legal line" that has been crossed in criticising Prem?
Prem and the military have been using "royalty" as a cover for their criminal behaviour destroying Thailand
and perhaps Yoon has swallowed their cover story
but both Prem and Yoon should recognise that Prem is a "royalty manipulator" not royalty itself!
There is a desperation so manifest in your recent blogs Fonzi that I am beginning to think you are on the brink of breakdown.
This is what you said: "This movement is bigger than the Chinese Godfathers--Thaksin, Sondhi Lim, Yoon, Prem--and their personal vendettas. This activism takes a type of stamina and commitment that goes beyond loyalty to a politician or a couple hundred baht.
If it was all about money, Abhisit's 2000 baht bribes to the people with state money should have bought some loyalty. It didn't."
Oh really Fonzi? . . is there stamina and commitment beyond the couple hundred bahts/person forked out for each Red Shirt?
Red Shirts are fools or paid or both . . . take your pick.
Where do you think this people power movement is heading?
(feel free to slam me over here)
btw, regarding my new hobby, I would also be interested in your thoughts on the practicalities of 'detachment', as so far all roads seem to lead to that concept.
Is it true Fonzi that the Red Shirts have called off their protests during the Songkran holidays?
I don't usually rub it in. But whatever happened to Fonzi's "Red shirts stamina and commitment that goes beyond loyalty to a politican or a couple of hundred bahts?"
Me thinks a couple of hundred bahts is all the Red shirts truly care about.
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