Will the Empire strike back at the Skywalkers?

Will the Empire strike back at the Skywalkers?

The dark spectre of street politics has returned to a deeply polarised society, as the ruling conservatives try to hold on to their unstable coalition over a feast of shark fin soup.

What they must realise is that the "The Rise of the Skywalkers" -- as the rally called by Future Forward Party (FFP) leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit on the Skywalk at Pathumwan intersection is now known as -- was mainly the result of their own bigotry.

The rally, which drew thousands of people all flashing the Hunger Games-inspired three-finger salute as a symbol of defiance against injustice, was the biggest of its kind since the coup five years ago.

As promised by FFP leaders, the gathering only lasted for only about an hour. However, the return of crowds to Bangkok's streets inevitably evoked memories of that raucous time when protests and violence were part of everyday life, when the country was gripped by bitter political conflicts.

The 2014 coup, led by the current Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, was supposed to end the rabble-rousing and put the country on the path towards reforms. Obviously, that didn't happen.

In fact, the country is staring at yet another round of political conflict -- this time, with the coupmakers as the main conflicting party. The PM and his conservative backers must realise that they have no one to blame but themselves.

The powers-that-be must realise that after a decade of street politics -- the yellow shirts, the red shirts and the "Bangkok Shutdown" demonstrations -- Thais are really fed up with shows of force. It must have taken a great deal of discontent to bring people back onto the streets.

What has given them the push?

The popularity of the FFP, especially among younger people, is one reason. After all, the party swept more than six million votes to become the third largest, even though it was only set up last year.

The party's supporters were also angered by the Election Commission (EC) asking the Constitution Court to consider disbanding the FFP for accepting a 191-million-baht loan from Mr Thanathorn to finance its election campaign.

Still, it is unlikely that loyalty to the party, whose leader is facing the prospect of being banned from politics if found guilty of the loan charge, would have been enough by itself to draw people to the rally.

A political gathering, demonstration or protest is only possible when people feel they are at the end of the line.

It is possible when people realise the government did nothing when a minister who was reported by Australian newspapers as having spent four years in a Sydney prison for heroin trafficking. Instead, the government chose to be indifferent -- even though the constitution bars people who have served time from serving as a minister. And this indifference lies in contrast to the PM's vows to crack down on narcotics and anyone associated with its trade.

It is possible when people realise that a government figure stood up for a coalition MP who encroached on forest reserves, saying she wouldn't be prosecuted if she returned the land to the state. If an ordinary person faced the charge, this wouldn't happen.

A return to the "politics of protests" is possible when people see that the rule of law no longer applies. When people realise that people can remain above the law simply by allying with those in power, while those who do the right thing get the short end of the stick it triggers a primal fear.

The rally was not just about the possibility that the FFP could be disbanded over the rather unusual loan charge -- rather, it was a case of "it could happen to you, too".

When injustice and flagrant abuses of power are seen as the name of the game, it is no longer about the government failing to shore up the economy while blaming everyone for not spending. It isn't about the PM's wayward logic and outright hypocrisy, neither is it about him telling people not to eat shark fin one day, while including it on the menu for his cabinet to enjoy the next. In the end, when people see that the law can be manipulated for nepotistic gains, they begin to fear for themselves.

In a game where the end justifies the means, the end is always near. Pheu Thai was at the height of its power when it took the winner-takes-all approach and rushed the controversial political amnesty law through the parliament.

The party probably didn't foresee that a relatively small "mob" led by then Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban would have culminated in the 2014 coup that ousted its government.

As Mr Thanathorn said, "The Rise of the Skywalkers is just the beginning." So before "the Empire" decides whether it wants to strike back or how, some soul-searching might be in order.


Atiya Achakulwisut is a Bangkok Post columnist.

Atiya Achakulwisut

Columnist for the Bangkok Post

Atiya Achakulwisut is a columnist for the Bangkok Post.

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