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Reactionary protesters threaten elected government in Thailand

Red Thai Socialist - November 29, 2013

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Thai leader invokes security law amid protests - Associated Press. November 26, 2013
Bangkok tense as major protest continues to pressure government - Agence France Presse. November 25, 2013

Giles Ji Ungpakorn – Thousands of reactionary middle-class royalists, led by a notorious Democrat Party politician have occupied government buildings in Bangkok in an attempt to get rid of the Government. They also occupied the head-quarters of the army, hoping that the military will stage a coup. They lie about being pro-democracy and like to wear "Guy Fawkes" masks, pretending to be like the "Occupy Movement". However, they carry pictures of the king!

Sutep Tueksuban, the protest leader called for the "restoration of an absolute monarchy". He was a key government strongman in the military appointed government, which ordered the shooting down in 2010 of ninety pro-democracy Red Shirts. Yet he has the gall to accuse the present government of lacking "legitimacy".

These are the same people who called for and supported the 2006 military coup that overthrew the elected government of big-business leader Taksin Shinawat. In those days they were "Yellow Shirts" and they rejected repeated election results which gave huge majorities to Taksin's party. His support among the population, even today, stems from his government's policies which introduced universal health care and help for the poor. Today they want to overthrow the Pua Thai Party government, which easily won elections in 2011. It is headed by Taksin's sister Yingluck. The yellow shirts and Democrat Party politicians claimed then, and still claim today, that the majority of Thais are "too stupid and uneducated" to deserve the right to vote. The protesters are partly angry that the government tried to amend the military constitution of 2007 so that all senators would be elected instead of half being appointed by the elites.

In addition to their undemocratic views, they are also extreme neo-liberals. They constantly talk about "fiscal discipline" and are opposed to government funds being spent on health care and welfare for the poor. They oppose government support for rice farmers and are opposed to upgrading Thailand's decaying railway infrastructure to a high speed system. Yet they do not oppose massive spending on the military and the royal family.

Yingluck Shinawat's government brought this latest crisis on itself by trying to push through a blanket amnesty bill which would have let all military and Democrat Party killers off the hook. It would also have allowed Taksin to return from exile. The amnesty for Taksin enraged the Yellow Shirts, but the bill was also a slap in the face for the Red Shirts who had fought the dictatorship and died. In addition, the amnesty did not cover political prisoners in jail under the draconian lhse majeste law.

The government cannot be trusted not to enter into some grubby deal with its elite opponents. A deal between Taksin and the military was struck in 2011. The tragedy is that progressive forces of the Left are too weak to win leadership of the Red Shirt movement.