PAD hopes Boonlert can oust govt

COMMENTARY

Published: 8 Nov 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

The new role of Royal Turf Club secretary-general Gen Boonlert Kaewprasit as the leader of the Pitak Siam group - which recently staged an anti-government mass rally in Bangkok - has prompted political observers to link the military veteran with the ammart, or pro-establishment elites.

The link is understandable. Gen Boonlert is a classmate of Privy Councillor Surayud Chulanont, former prime minister of the interim government after the Sept 19, 2006 coup, when they both studied at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School's Class 1. The privy councillor is also president of the Royal Turf Club where the Pitak Siam anti-government rally took place.

Both generals have dismissed the alleged links. Yet some observers are still calling Gen Boonlert a new political figure and another Sondhi Limthongkul, one of the core leaders of the yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) movement.

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nui
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Discussion 6 : 08 Nov 2012 at 07.526
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Disc.3 : The PAD leaders will be gone by then and the supporters fall asleep already when they watch ASTV. If PAD wants to survive, they should change the old leaders Chamlong and Sondhi. They repeat and repeat the same old story and attack the democrats every day. This is very unwise. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. The PT is laughing because their enemies cannot join hands and attack each other. PAD leaders live in the past.
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canuck
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Discussion 5 : 08 Nov 2012 at 07.485
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Pad and Pitak Siam should spend more time learning how to WIN an election. Elections cost a lot of money and they always complain about the government wasting money. Such hippocrates. Common sense tells you if you can't win an election don't ask for one. Read this. You are not popular enough to win an election so don't wait our time.
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pjt
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Discussion 4 : 08 Nov 2012 at 07.454
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But is not the reason we get Gen Boonlert and the PAD because there is a void into which they have stepped which should be filled by sensible reasoned opposition. The Democrats have failed to provide this. My sense is there is a 'silent majority' which is very unhappy the concept of a Shinawatra clan based government and its failure to address basic issues on corruption, education etc etc, but they have nowhere to go. Gen Boonlert problem is that he has failed to embrace a legal and democractic approach to his opposition - the first group who do that will gain significant support
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spiceman
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Discussion 3 : 08 Nov 2012 at 06.263
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Those wihin PAD leadership know, based on their bad past experience and limited manpower, they have little to work with, and therefore, little they can achieve politically. So, they prioritize what they can and can't live with. That's why they don't waste time voting, but will take to the streets if they absolutely have to. Their top priority is self-preservation, by preventing TS from returning to Thailand, to personally lead his army of Red Shirts against them. They figure out that the Red Shirts depend on financial support from one man, TS. So, the day when TS breaths his last, they will finally and patiently claim victory.
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commonman
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Discussion 2 : 08 Nov 2012 at 06.242
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This is an un-story. There is no news in this story. It is all old information about the same old people talking and doing the same old things. Let's move on.
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nui
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Discussion 1 : 08 Nov 2012 at 05.131
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I do not think that PAD is openly supporting the Pitak Siam group. PAD made it clear, that they have a different aim. Toppling the government will lead to another election and it will start all over again. PAD is looking for other ways but has not found one yet and cannot give clear directions to its supporters. That is the reason why yellow shirts turn to Pitak Siam. Many yellow shirts are disappointed with PAD leadership because they have no strategy and no idea what to do. The permanent criticism of the Democratic Party by PAD leaders is boring and makes no sense. PT is in power not the Democrats.
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PAD hopes Boonlert can oust govt | Bangkok Post: opinion