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Have the deep divisions between Reds and Yellows in Thailand been healed?
Ugly Truth Thailand - February 4, 2018
"Reform" is a much abused word and is mainly used for what should rightly be called "anti-reforms". This is true of Thailand, but also of the neo-liberals in the West who want to destroy trade union rights and the welfare state.
I have discussed the crafting of a system of military "Guided Democracy" by the junta in number of articles on this site, so I will address the question of whether the junta has healed the deep divisions between Reds and Yellows in society. [See: http://bit.ly/2hDTT6S]
The fact that a number of former Yellows are now critical of Prayut's junta might indicate that a Red-Yellow reconciliation might be possible. The exiled academic Somsak Jeeamteerasakul certainly feels that this is something worth serious consideration.
However, I have always argued that it is not possible or desirable to have unity between those who believe in freedom and democracy and those who believe that democracy has to be limited because the "wrong" people get elected by an "ignorant" electorate.
This is still the case despite the fact that not all Reds are totally committed to freedom and democracy in the strict sense of the word. Some hold narrow-minded views about Patani and GLBT people. Some supported the so-called War on Drugs. The reason why Reds can be regarded as generally pro-democratic is because they have maintained a position against military coups and unelected political bodies, while the Yellows have supported "any means necessary" to overthrow Taksin's governments, even if it means supporting military coups. What is more, pro-democracy activists who have dared to challenge the military in recent times have generally sided with, or been sympathetic to, the Reds.
I have deliberately used a colour short hand to describe the two sides in Thailand's political crisis. I have not used the term "Red Shirts" as this movement no longer exists, having been destroyed through deliberate neglect by Taksin and his allies. The Yellow Shirts also morphed into the multi-coloured shirts ("Salim") and then into Sutep's street thugs.
It is very unlikely that the mistrust and hatred of those who participated in the destruction of democracy can so easily be forgotten by the Reds and why should it be? This destruction of democracy continues with the junta's plans for Guided Democracy. In practice it means that the kind of government favoured in the past by the majority of the population will be ruled out by the military's constitution and its electoral rules. In the past his kind of government had many flaws but it was also forward looking, pro-modern and serious about some degree of poverty reduction. This means that if nothing changes in the near future, Thai citizens will be saddled with a neoliberal government which treats people, especially poor people, in a patronising manner while improving the lives of the rich.
Yet at the same time, what the junta, together with Taksin's allies, have achieved is a demoralisation of hundreds of former pro-democracy activists. This has been achieved by both repression by the junta and neglect from Taksin's people.
So an explosion of opposition to the military is not on the immediate horizon, although we must always be aware that in the right circumstances, things can change very quickly, especially if there is a new generation of activists who are determined to fight.
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