Protests at Government House continue as the People’s Movement for a Just Society demands a powerful committee to address issues facing the marginalised and poor. Tensions rise with police scuffles, egg-throwing, and calls for government representatives to negotiate.
An organised public protest has taken position outside the gates leading to Government House for over a week now. The protesters were involved in scuffles with police on Monday and threw eggs at the government compound gates on Tuesday. At the same time, the movement styling itself as the People’s Movement for a Just Society (P-Move) is calling for a powerful supra-government committee comprising ministers and civil servants to address its demands. On Tuesday, the protest leaders suggested they represent the marginalised and the poor who are dissatisfied with the new government of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
The government of Paetongtarn Shinawatra is already facing public protests camped outside Government House in Bangkok. The protest movement calls itself People for Just Society.
In short, they claim to represent the poor of North, Northeastern, and Western Thailand. The mob has set up camp at the gates of the government complex in Bangkok and is demanding a supra-government national committee be set up.
Indeed, on Monday, there were reportedly scuffles and tensions between the protesters and police, who tightened security and cordoned off the mob.
On Tuesday, they began shaking the gates of an entrance into Government House in addition to throwing eggs.
Protesters camp outside Government House as they demand action from the Prime Minister and government
The camp has been in place since October 7th. Furthermore, the group has told reporters that they wrote to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on September 24 detailing their demands.
At one point, the group praised former Minister of Agriculture Thamanat Prompow, the former Palang Pracharat Party MP for Phayao.
In particular, they said he was a man who helped remedy people’s problems. Mr. Thamanat was forced out of the previous government in September. In brief, this was due to strict scrutiny of ministerial candidates when Ms. Paetongtarn’s government was formed.
Previously, Thamanat Prompow was Minister of Agriculture. However, he leads a rump group of former Palang Pracharat Party MPs. At the same time, he is seen as an ally of the present government.
His brother Akkara Prompao serves as a deputy minister at his former ministry while Ms. Narumon Pinyosinwat from his group is Minister of Agriculture in his place.
Protesters escalate their actions while expressing disappointment with government responses
The tempo of activity with the protests picked up a notch on Tuesday morning after 8 a.m. The protest camp is located at Gates 3 and 4 of the government complex.
Leaders of the protest spoke of a disappointing response from the present government. Afterwards, they threw eggs at the gates of the government compound signalling their displeasure.
They brought up problems linked with farming and housing in rural Thailand. In particular, they highlighted the problems of sea gipsies on Ko Lipe in Satun Province, as well as the Karen community in Phetchaburi Province.
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Significantly, they claim to be angry that after nine days, no government representative came forward to meet them. The movement is called the People’s Movement for a Just Society (P-Move).
Certainly, it is not clear who is orchestrating this protest. In short, its leaders appear to assert that it is a spontaneous protest linked with grassroots grievances.
However, given the political climate presently in Bangkok, this piles further pressure on Thailand’s youngest PM. Particularly in light of an already concerted campaign to undermine the government of Ms. Paetongtarn.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra fails to communicate with protest leaders, deepening tensions
Undoubtedly, this would explain why the PM has failed to acknowledge and communicate with its leadership.
Furthermore, the movement is calling for official recognition and concessions that go beyond the normal democratic process. Certainly, they would undermine the authority of the government if it conceded them.
For instance, on Tuesday, a representative of the group quoted Chinese wisdom or sayings. He lamented that the voices of poor people are not being heard by Ms. Paetongtarn’s government.
“Today we woke up before dawn to open the door for you because some of our brothers and sisters have not yet arrived. Now the government has started working. It’s been 9 days and there has been no progress in signing the order to appoint any committees.”
“A Chinese proverb says, ‘Winning the hearts of the people will make you an emperor. Winning the hearts of the emperor will make you a lord of a state. But winning the hearts of the lord of a state will make you a minister. Today the people have appeared for the government to see. We will know whether Pheu Thai will become emperor again next time.”
Certainly, the speaker appeared to lament the absence of Captain Thamanat Prompow from the new government. He claimed to have repeatedly tried to communicate with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for nine days.
However, the protest near Government House reportedly began on October 7th, eight days previously.
Protest leaders demand government representatives negotiate and establish a problem-solving committee
After that, they demanded that 4-5 representatives of the present government come to speak and negotiate with the protest leaders. The group suggested that they had already made demands from the government previously. Indeed, no less than four times without response.
The group therefore called on the Prime Minister to establish a committee. At length, a ‘Just Society Problem-Solving Committee’ with powers. This would be based on a letter they submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office on September 24.
Furthermore, they called for ministers such as Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungruangkit, and Digital Economy and Society Minister Prasert Chantararuangthong to be involved as well as five other ministers.
In addition, they want to see five permanent secretaries on this powerful government committee. Significantly, they require that this committee carry out its duties and functions even if the government of Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra is ousted and a new ministry is formed.
Tensions rise within coalition government amid ongoing protests, controversies and political differences
This protest comes with the coalition government presently riven by tensions. In addition, there are controversies such as the flight of Pheu Thai Party MP General Pisal Wattanawongkiri before an arrest warrant against him over the Tak Bai massacre in October 2004.
Moreover, there are political problems with the government’s plans to alter the constitution. Furthermore, there are serious concerns raised by a raft of complaints against both PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra and the Pheu Thai Party.
These have been made to independent agencies such as the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and Election Commission. At the same time, former People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leader Mr. Sondhi Limthongkul is threatening to lead protests in 2025.
Certainly, so too is former Redshirt leader and United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) Chairman Jatuporn Prompan.
Shinawatra government faces confusion and unrest just weeks after taking office in September
Undoubtedly, the latest Shinawatra government finds itself embroiled in an atmosphere of confusion and flagging authority just weeks after it was installed in early September.
In contrast, it should be noted that the Prime Minister in a recent National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) poll emerged as the country’s most popular choice for Prime Minister.
Furthermore, the same, highly reputable poll showed that both the Pheu Thai Party and the People’s Party have the support of 61.4% of the electorate. Unfortunately for Thailand, however, history appears to be repeating itself.
Indeed, it also feels like the same forces which were unleashed in 2006 and 2013/2014 are on the move again against another democratically elected government.
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Further reading:
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Government is already divided as the PM shelves efforts at amending the 2017 Constitution on ethics
People’s Party on campaign but on guard against potential legal complaints to oversight agencies
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