BANGKOK – Social unrest returned to the streets of the Thai capital this weekend as the People’s Alliance for Democracy, or PAD, resumed their campaign to rid the kingdom of what it perceives to be the dangerous values corrupting Thai society: majority rule, the current coalition government, and the passing of laws by elected representatives chosen by open elections.
“We are the guardians of Thai values and tradition,” said Chamlong Srimuang, a former Army general and one of the PAD’s leaders. “These blatant attempts by the Parliament to pass laws and overthrow the rightfully installed military Constitution of 2007 is an assault on our country’s soul,” he continued, referring to the charter written by hand-picked members of the Council for National Security, the junta which overthrew the administration of Thaksin Shinawatra in a bloodless coup in September 2006.
Some 3,000 PAD supporters marched past Democracy Monument before settling in front of a large stage in Sanam Luang, where various speakers took to the microphone denouncing the People’s Power Party, widely viewed as a nominee of Thaksin. Despite having won a near-majority of seats in November’s elections, which UN observers decreed to be free and fair, the PPP and its leader, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, have yet to gain the support of many of the country’s intellectuals, academics, and upper-class elites who consider its populism a threat to the constitutional monarchy.
“The people made the wrong choice,” explains Sonthi Limthongkul, a former ally of Thaksin and now a sworn enemy. “Thaksin bought the election, everyone knows that, and since upcountry people sell their votes the results are not legitimate.” According to Sonthi, the will of the people must be occasionally “guided” by those who know better, an example set by none other than His Majesty the King. “Truly His Majesty is our guiding light, and to follow his example means to guide others who have been led astray,” Sonthi continued. “You can see that we’re wearing yellow, so that means we’re right.”
Among the PAD’s demands is the resignation of Prime Minister Samak, the arrest of Thaksin on treason charges, the dissolution of Parliament, the permanent exile of all PPP members, the establishment of Buddhism as national religion, the replacement of the Supreme Court with the Privy Council, the mandatory wearing of yellow on Mondays, Wednesdays, and alternate Fridays, and the enstatement of the death penalty for those who don’t stand for the King’s anthem at cinemas.
The PAD demonstration was met by a smaller but vociferous counter-demonstration of PPP supporters, who favor proposed change in the constitution which would make it more like the so-called “People’s Constitution” of 1997, considered to be the most liberal in Thailand’s history. Additional changes would also abolish the Assets Scrutiny Committee and reverse the electoral ban on the former executives of Thai Rak Thai, Thaksin’s old party.
“We’re the true supporters of democracy,” explained Sutin Nopkham, a PPP member and spokesperson. “We won the election fairly, which allows us to rewrite the rules. Specifically, to free up the 75 billion baht that the ASC has unlawfully frozen, and which Thaksin should be allowed to, er, distribute as he pleases.” When asked about the alleged abuses of power which led to the 2006 coup, Sutin insists that they were the will of the electorate. “The war on drugs was very popular,” he noted. “And only Bangkok elitists want a free and active press. True Thais prefer game shows, English football, blinding amounts of alcohol, and cash handouts. We promise all that and more.”
As an expression of their democratic principles, the PPP supporters pelted the PAD with bottles, rocks and plastic bags full of feces before being pushed back by police. The PAD, in response, exhibited their traditional defense of Thai values by turning up the volume on their loudpeakers and chanting insults about their opponents’ masculinity. Meanwhile, neutral passers-by showed their civic spirit by cursing at both sides to stop blocking traffic.
