Just old wine in a new bottle

Just old wine in a new bottle

Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s latest olive branch to his political opponents is nothing new – it's just sour old wine in a new bottle.

Noppadon Pattama, Thaksin’s private lawyer, quoted his boss as saying in Hong Kong that the Shinawatra family, himself included, was willing to "make a sacrifice" by washing their hands of politics so that the country could move forward. But there were, of course, terms.

Thaksin: Little support for this promise.

In return, he said, Thaksin wanted all parties in the protracted political conflict to stick to the rules and, at the same time, "politicians who organize their members to block elections must to stop doing so".

Going by the above remarks by Thaksin, as relayed by Mr Noppadon to the public, the peace overture is highly conditional because his political opponents, namely the People’s Democratic Reform Committee and the Democrat Party, must totally respond in kind.

Hence, the word "sacrifice" used by Mr Noppadon seems to carry a different meaning from what is widely understood. Sacrifice is supposed to be a unilateral act and the person who makes the sacrifice does not ask for something in return.

So it came as no surprise at all that Thaksin’s latest peace overture was shunned by his opponents. Even members of the public were cool to his proposition.

The following is the timeline for Thaksin's and Noppadon's previous comments on the same subject:

Oct 22, 2006, Noppadon said Thaksin would cease his political role after he resigned as leader of the now defunct Thai Rak Thai Party;

Jan 1, 2008 , Thaksin said he would leave active politics, 100 percent, and would serve as an adviser;

Feb 28, 2008, Thaksin said he would not get involved in politics and would become an ordinary Thai citizen "spending my life in the country as I have travelled the world over and found out that there is nowhere in this world which is as warm as in Thailand";

Sept 22 2009, Thaksin said that if he had not been ousted by a coup he would have completed his second four-year term in the premiership and then he would have left politics;

April 15, 2012, Thaksin said he would not return to politics because his sister was "performing well" as prime minister. He earlier described her as his "clone";

And, on April 20 this year, he said his family was "willing to sacrifice" by leaving politics so the country can move forward but, at the same time, his opponents must respect the rules.

But his latest peace initiative came with very bad timing. Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra faces two crucial cases – one pending with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the other with the Constitutional Court – either of which could have a devastating impact on her political career and on the future of her government if she were found guilty.

As far as his opponents are concerned, the government is in a difficult position and could collapse pretty soon, especially if the Constitutional Court’s ruling goes their way. So, what is the point of talking peace with Thaksin or the Shinwatra government?

Besides the unfavourable timing,Thaksin’s latest proposition is just empty talk, without any actual deeds to back up his words and prove that he is genuinely serious about quitting politics this time around.

Both the NACC and the Constitutional Court are still being hounded by government supporters, among them the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Oder, as the Pheu Thai party’s legal allies such as Dr Ukrit Mongkolnavin, chairman of the government-appointed Independent National Rule of Law Commission, have stepped up a campaign to discredit the two independent agencies.

As the saying goes "deeds speak louder than words". Thaksin himself should have by now realised why his many "peace overtures" have always failed to convince his opponents and the public in general of his sincerity.

Veera Prateepchaikul

Former Editor

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

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