Most rational people continue to press for political negotiations. More than ever, it is crystal clear that a one-sided "victory" would bring no closure. The only course with the slightest chance of success is compromise. But the men and women claiming to lead political developments have either rejected compromise outright, or are quickly moving away from it. It is up to concerned, reasonable citizens to bring them back to reality.
Suthep Thaugsuban has rejected compromise almost from the beginning of his crusade to topple the "Thaksin regime". Even cutting through his rhetoric, it seems he demands that his People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) supporters refuse all entreaty to negotiate a settlement. In this way lies destruction. Any so-called victory by Mr Suthep will be quickly challenged by an opposing group. The red shirts already have promised that.
For a while, it was possible to take the words of caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at face value. She promised reconciliation and justice "for all Thais" in her election campaign. A political novice, she got the benefit of the doubt from most people in the country.
Ms Yingluck is still claiming to favour negotiations, quick political reform and compromise. In truth, she has declared emergency law. She has appointed the most hard-line officials possible to enforce it. Her public appeals provide no hint of accommodation. She has given credibility to Panlop Pinmanee, a retired icon of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc). Gen Panlop’s reputation is unique as a tough, no-quarters opponent of any real or political enemy.
The prime exhibit on the government’s side is the prime minister’s speech to the nation last Tuesday morning. It was a lamentable address. History may view it as the hour that the wheels finally began to fall off the Pheu Thai Party’s chances of bringing the country to a soft landing. The premier’s words were just as self-serving, and just as self-righteous as any stand by her opponents.
Last week also is where the ill-considered boycott campaign of the PDRC went wildly off-track. First, it is not even aimed at the Shinawatra family. The lines of dutiful phone users queuing up to cancel their AIS accounts have accomplished nothing. Eight years ago, Thaksin sold all of AIS, and most of the rest of his empire. Economic attacks like the one on AIS only harm the Thai economy and the country’s image among investors and in the world.
It was the mirror image of Ms Yingluck’s pitiful claims about the rice-pledging programme. In the premier’s telling, the political opposition is entirely to blame for problems in the rice deals. The rice scheme has hit farmers, hit the economy and hit the nation’s credibility abroad.
But just a day later, Mr Suthep told his followers to "Stop using AIS. Do everything you can so that the Shinawatra businesses fail." He wants to destroy business, cost Thais their jobs, harm the economy and hurt the country. And here is his justification: "I want to teach Thaksin a lesson ... so he can know that hell really exists." This is a wrong and sorry use of the politics of boycotts. To try to destroy a company that has spent eight years building up its business after Thaksin’s departure is so wrong it is indefensible.
With the red shirts stepping up their own counter-attacks, the slim chance that good sense will prevail is better than no chance at all. Sensible, thinking people will speak out to both entrenched sides. At this fork in the road, one way leads to great national injury, and the other leads to healing.