COMMENTARY
Froth and foam from a 'tame dog'
- Published: 31/03/2009 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: News
So, what do we do? Now that the battle lines have been clearly drawn between Thaksin Shinawatra and the so-called "extra-constitutional charismatic group" which includes some members of the Privy Council and judiciary, what should be the role for ordinary people like you and I?
The allegation of the former premier that Privy Councillor Surayud Chulanont - the same man who took the premiership after Thaksin was ousted in the military coup of 2006 - and president of the Privy Council Gen Prem Tinsulanonda were behind the putsch, was supposed to be shocking.
For some reason, however, it failed to shock.Instead of generating gigantic shock waves that instantly roused hundreds of thousands to don red shirts and join up with the red march, Thaksin's latest act - considered audacious by traditional Thai standards - made but a faint plop!
The red protest, although emboldened, has not grown substantially. It is still far from Thaksin's aspiration of seeing a sea of red-clad protesters swelling up from every corner of the country begging for his immediate return to govern the country again, for sure.
There are many reasons why what Thaksin must have considered a lethal weapon - a trump card he has held close to his heart for so long - turned out to be a dud. One is the fact that Thaksin's information has no news value - rumours and unconfirmed reports about the possibility have been going around for years. Without any solid evidence or anything that will lend more weight to the information, Thaksin has simply put another round of speculation on the table. It's true that it is much clearer now what is on his mind and where he is coming from, but the whole thing remains, ultimately, tied at his word against theirs. Without the "shock and awe" element, Thaksin would have no power to sway.
Another is the numbness and sense of boredom that has inevitably set in among the general public after these few years of turmoil. Thai people are bored with the endless protest, period.
Pile that up on top of more personal worries about the declining state of the economy and ensuing hardship, and the result is political apathy. Many would rather queue up for information about what the government can do for them at this time, than to stand in the heat and try to dictate who can sit in the seat of power.
Yet another is the dubiousness of the whole thing. Why must Thaksin go full-throttle in his fight at this particular moment when it is obvious that he has sat on this piece of information which he said Gen Panlop Pinmanee had given him late last year? If he was so concerned about extra-constitutional powers meddling in local politics, why didn't he mention anything earlier? Why now?
The answer may lie in the tightening of the Supreme Court's case to seize his 76-billion-baht assets. The case is due to be heard in July. The timing of Thaksin in releasing the information he believes is detrimental to democracy right before the trial about his own fortune whose result can only be damaging to himself and his family, thus takes the edge off the attack. Why should the public get involved if this is merely a personal fight?
That very much summarises the predicament in the minds of the general Thai democracy-loving public. The coalition of the middle - those who are neither with the red or yellow shirts - has largely sat on the fence as the political crisis continues to play itself out. Has the time come for us all to choose sides? Do we know everything we need to, to make an informed choice?
The problem is, if Thaksin is really going for broke this time and evidently his deadly weapon has not produced the rallying effect he desired, what will he do next? What is his game plan and how would he like it to end? Thailand's political change has been made possible mostly because of collateral damage.
I do not belittle the sacrifices of people who dared to fight, to get engaged and become involved in the many chapters of our long and arduous struggle for democracy. I just think we can take sides only when we know for sure we are fighting for democracy and not anybody's personal war.
Democracy, after all, is not about a choice between a demagogue or the Privy Council.
- Atiya Achakulwisut is Editorial Pages Editor, Bangkok Post.
About the author
- Writer: Atiya Achakulwisut
