After another week of protests and two days of a special parliamentary session, the kingdom is still mired in political conflict. There are two key centres of focus. One is the now approved idea of a reconciliation committee and the other is the growing chorus calling for the Prime Minister, Prayut Chan ocha, to step down to break the impasse.
Prawit Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister, former army chief and leader of the ruling political party, Palang Pracharat, on Thursday ruled out any prospect of a coup following the intervention of a former yellow shirt national protest leader who appeared to embrace the prospect in a TV broadcast. It comes as there are still growing calls for the resignation of Thai Prime Minister, Prayut Chan ocha, to diffuse the current political crisis.
Deputy Prime Minister, Prawit Wongsuwan, flatly rejected any prospect of a military coup following comments made by a former yellow shirt protest organiser, on Thursday, who called for a unity government after power was returned to His Majesty, the King.
Sondhi Limthongkul is the former, charismatic leader of the People’s Alliance for Democracy. The former media tycoon, and one-time ardent supporter of Thaksin Shinawatra who nearly two decades ago, in 2006, appeared to have a change of heart and led protests against the dynamic Thai prime minister precipitating the coup that year.
Mr Sondhi later led national movements against elected governments aligned to Mr Shinawatra in 2008 and 2009.
Jailed for twenty years in 2016 for forgery relating to a bank loan but later released on a pardon
He was subsequently jailed for 20 years in 2016 on forgery charges linked to a bank loan before being pardoned in September 2019.
Comments by Mr Sondhi appeared on a clip aired by satellite TV channel on a programme called ‘News One’, this Tuesday.
In it, he said: ‘For me, a coup is not evil. If the constitution is to be amended, all involved must be allowed a say to make sure the charter is fair. A national unity government must be set up and it must be independent. Anyone who might be thinking of staging a coup must not make a mistake like the NCPO, which seized power and expanded it.’
Yellow shirt leader sees national unity government
Mr Sondhi was referring to the National Council For Peace and Order, led by the current Prime Minister, Prayut Chan ocha, which ruled Thailand from 2014 until last year when a democratically elected government again under his leadership took power.
The former yellow shirt leader envisaged the Thai King appointing a national unity government to oversee a reset of the country’s political system.
No coup says DPM Prawit
On Thursday, DPM Prawit gave the idea short shrift and pronounced: ‘There won’t be any coup’.
Following two days of a parliamentary session on Monday and Tuesday, the Thai parliament, with the approval of the government, is proceeding with the establishment of a reconciliation committee.
It also comes as the Thai Prime Minister, General Prayut, has conceded publicly that he is willing to see the controversial Section 272 of the 2017 Constitution concerning the Senate’s role in the election of a prime minister, rescinded as part of any new constitutional arrangement.
Move Forward Party boss says PM Prayut Chan ocha must step down to diffuse the current conflict
On Thursday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chuan Leekpai, said that the new committee must involve players from outside parliament. He dismissed reports that the main opposition party and the country’s largest, Pheu Thai, have ruled out participation in the body.
At the same time, Chaithawat Tulathon, the Secretary-General of the progressive Move Forward Party has reiterated that the Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha must stand down before the committee proceeds and stressed that this move was key, right now, to defusing the current political conflict.
Former Prime Minister from 1991 and 1992 also hints that General Prayut must bow to the younger generation’s demand for him to go
Meanwhile, at a forum in Bangkok hosted by a range of groups including the National Press Council and the Chulalongkorn University’s Centre for the Study of Peace and Conflicts, former Prime Minister, Anand Panyarachun, who served twice in 1991 and 1992 during similar political turmoil, called for a new charter or constitution which, he says, should be shorter.
Mr Anand agreed that Section 272 relating to the powers of the Senate should be removed.
He also appeared to suggest that Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha should resign to appease and open dialogue with the younger generation.
‘The young generation insists that the prime minister is the source of all problems. I’m not sure if other generations agree, but they too think that his resignation would help solve the problem,’ he said.
DPM Wissanu calls for a focus on the reconciliation committee as the way forward out of crisis
Mr Anand asserted that General Prayut, in the eyes of this upcoming generation, represented everything that they see as having gone wrong for the last seven years.
Asked about the former PM’s statement, the current Deputy Prime Minister with responsibility for legal affairs, Wissanu Krea-ngam, said he had no knowledge of the remarks but would only say that he personally believes that the reconciliation proposal being advanced by parliament represents the best prospect to a solution to the crisis at this time.
Join the Thai News forum, follow Thai Examiner on Facebook here
Receive all our stories as they come out on Telegram here
Follow Thai Examiner here
Further reading:
Chiang Rai MP shocks parliament in Bangkok by slashing himself in an outcry at police force action
Water cannon used to fend off Bangkok protesters as police uphold the strict new emergency laws
Prime Minister and Budget director issue strong warning about the legally stalled 2020 budget
Vital ฿3.2 trillion spending bill could be sunk after former Democrat MP raises valid legal concerns
Opposition will not put the ฿3.3 trillion 2020 budget bill in danger but plans to scrutinise it
Fears of a crackdown on protest grow overnight as PM warns parents to get loved ones out of zone
Rally’s march on Government House surprises officials with a larger turnout and police in retreat
Smaller crowd expected at rally on Wednesday as police gear up security cordon with checkpoints
Police say students have no permission to protest as army chief warns that security will be upheld
Criminal charges likely against student leaders as mysterious ‘People’s Party’ plaque goes missing
Western foreigners being blamed by ultra-right for this latest wave of radical student protests
Raised concerns for the defiant student protest being planned for next Saturday and Sunday
Army chief denies and rejects rumours of a likely coup as the country faces crisis on key fronts
Shock resignation of Minister of Finance a sign of more politics being demanded in government
Thailand stuck in a ‘vicious cycle’ which will lead to further military coups says leading academic
New ministers take the reins in a formal audience with King Rama X & Queen Suthida at Dusit Palace
Warning signs in new banking and employment reports as virus crisis hits Thailand’s bottom line hard
June export figures show a 23% decline on last year but the economy will recover by end of 2021
Prime Minister indicates that the cabinet reshuffle will be complete very shortly with no problem
Somkid ready to bow out of government as September cabinet reshuffle seems to be on the cards
Election of Prawit as Palang Pracharat leader will see more grassroots politics in government
