[Tlc] T-political editorial

[justinm at ucr.edu]

Forwarded from Sr. Ricardo Lucio Ortiz.
Thanks,
justin

Well, I must congratulate both the leadership and the rank-and-file of the People’s Alliance for Democracy for achieving their objective:  Raising their parochial image to a global level.  The footage being beamed at the moment across the world of PAD supporters hypocritically-clad in royal yellow disrupting operations at Thailand’s principal entry point with their presence most definitely will not force Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to step down from office.  Indeed, this situation presents the embattled head of government with a golden opportunity to demonstrate his capacity to lead the country at the state level, to strengthen his legitimacy in the eyes of world leaders and to redefine the ongoing struggle between the “patriotic forces of civility” (Government) versus the “reactionary forces of mobocracy” (PAD).

The invasion and subsequent occupation of Suvarnabhumi International Airport is a major tactical error on the part of the PAD.  In fact, the action can be considered not only counter-intuitive but also counter-productive.  Here’s a seemingly populist “movement” that started off its anti-government campaign with the veneer of being a genuine democratic opposition, the product of grass-roots organization and a champion for “new politics”.  But taking over the airport’s main terminal has thrown the PAD clearly off-message and reflects a substantive change in the essence of the “movement” from self-professed catalyst of change to sanctioned praetorians of anarchy.  Moreover, it appears that the People’s Alliance for Democracy is facing an unstated expiration date.  The sense of desperation exhibited by the PAD hordes since this Monday is real and palpable.  The PAD seeks the immediate removal of Prime Minister Somchai, perhaps by the end of the year.  However, its current behavior loses the “movement” valuable public sympathy (perhaps support as well) here in Thailand amongst the country’s “silent majority” not to mention that its image overseas will be highly negative.  Even more, the PAD is beginning to give impression that it is bipolar at best, schizophrenic at worst.  Its perpetual mobilization of supporters, its incessant self-righteous propaganda, its ever-shifting demands and its demonization of the Thaksin/TRT clique, in combination, have aggravated the polarization of the Thai body politic.  In short, the PAD is setting a bad precedent for the country.

This is a “movement” that has been searching for a bloody confrontation with the elected Thai government since it threw down the gauntlet and took over the grounds of Government House back in late August.  It has kept raising the stakes in such a manner that dialogue and/or negotiations with the present government are in no way considered to be viable options. The PAD is playing a zero-sum game with the country’s political system and processes, economic growth and prosperity and overall socio-cultural cohesion.  In short, we are witnessing  the emergence of doctrinaire mobocracy as a bona fide force to be reckoned with in Thailand’s political arena.

These observations have led me to raise a few questions of interest.

What powerful interests are behind the People’s Alliance for Democracy?  What groups or individuals are providing this “movement” with the requisite resources to continue with its protests?

Why doesn’t the PAD reconstitute itself as a political party and contest elections?  Does the PAD leadership possess any ambitions for political office?

Has the People’s Alliance for Democracy already crossed the threshold of permissible protest?  If so, then what are the primary restraints holding back the Government from exercising its constitutionally-mandated right to restore law and order?

I am of the opinion that the elements of a perfect storm are brewing in the not-too-distant horizon.

Ricardo

 

Sr. Ricardo Lucio Ortiz

Webster University Thailand

Director, Bangkok MA IR Program

Program Coordinator, HPIR Department

Lecturer

______________
Dr. Justin McDaniel
Dept. of Religious Studies
3046 INTN
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
951-827-4530
justinm at ucr.edu