PM's surprise talks plan needs a serious look

PM's surprise talks plan needs a serious look

Africa seems to be an ideal place in which to gain some inspiration - at least for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Before leaving Bangkok last week for her African visit, which took her to Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda, the prime minister declined to comment on Pheu Thai MP Worachai Hema's contentious amnesty bill and planned protests against the bill, plus related reconciliation bills by anti-Thaksin groups, saying it was a parliamentary affair. Remaining aloof from political controversies and contentious issues, she gave her standard answer. "I don't know" has been her trademark reply for the past two years.

But upon arriving home from Africa last Friday, Ms Yingluck appeared to be a changed person, like a born-again Christian. To the surprise of her critics and seasoned political observers, she went on television on Friday night, not to tell the public of her African visit and how successful it was, but to extend an olive branch to all opposition groups to come together for talks in order to end the protracted political conflict.

She said that in the past two years, she and the government have taken measures to bring about national reconciliation in earnest and with patience and to open space for all opposing political groups to express their viewpoints. She stressed the government was ready to compromise with all stakeholders and had tried to use the parliament instead of the streets to resolve the conflict.

"It is most regrettable that some groups of people want to use the streets to carry out their activities. Although it is their constitutional right to do so, their expressions calling for the overthrow of the government, a coup, and the use of violence go against democratic rule and are provocative," the prime minister said.

She proposed a political reform assembly in which all political stakeholders, including government and opposition parties, all anti-Thaksin groups such as the People's Alliance for Democracy, the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, academics, senators and independent organisations are invited for talks in order to find durable solutions to the political conflict.

"I want to see a climate of cooperation _ not finding fault with one another," said the prime minister, who also proposed the setup of a mechanism for political reform.

As a matter of fact, the prime minister's proposed dialogue of all stakeholders in order to find solutions to the political divide is nothing new. King Prajadhipok's Institute and Khanit na Nakhon's Truth for Reconciliation Commission earlier had made a similar proposal and several other recommendations to move towards reconciliation. Regrettably, they were all brushed aside by the government for the reason that they were partial or, as in the case of the Truth for Reconciliation Commission, set up by the Abhisit government.

Anyway, the proposal for talks with the participation of all stakeholders is reasonable and should be accepted by all concerned. The big question is, how sincere is her administration about its new approach as there is still a lot of mistrust toward the government among all opposition groups.

Thus it came as little surprise that the anti-government groups described Ms Yingluck's "peace" talks as just another political game to buy more time for her administration. The proposal was not in fact rejected outright but agreed to with reservations _ that is, the government must withdraw the contentious amnesty bill from the parliament. The government is yet to respond to this counter-proposal.

What is worthy of pondering is why Prime Minister Yingluck had to hastily reach out to her opponents with an invitation for all of them to come to the negotiating table while, at the same time, making preparations in an overt manner to cope with the planned protests this week when the amnesty bill is due to be debated in the parliament, tentatively on Wednesday.

The enforcement of the Internal Security Act in Dusit, Phra Nakhon and Pomprap Sattruphai districts for 10 days, beginning Aug 1, and the mobilisation of the police force have caused great anxiety among local and foreign investors, especially in the stock market. The over-reaction by the police has given a misleading impression that the protests will turn violent or ugly.

Viewed in the context that the "reconciliation" talks are a new political ballgame started by the government, it would seem the next move is in the hands of the Yingluck administration _ and therefore if it is sincere about holding talks with all parties involved, then it should rethink Worachai's amnesty bill and the other similar bills by withdrawing them from the parliament _ or, to save its own face, to indefinitely postpone debate on the bills.

The anti-government groups should respond in kind by cancelling their planned protests.

There is, however, one hitch that the government has to fix in order to win the trust of the red shirts if Worachai's amnesty bill is to be withdrawn or postponed. That is about the fate of some 200 red shirts in detention pending trial. What the government or the Pheu Thai party should do is to help arrange for their bail.

Some sort of compromise can still be worked out by the government and its opponents to calm political jitters and to normalise the situation.


Veera Prateepchaikul is a former editor, Bangkok Post.

Veera Prateepchaikul

Former Editor

Former Bangkok Post Editor, political commentator and a regular columnist at Post Publishing.

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