Rough time ahead for Yingluck government

The large turnout at the anti-government rally at the Royal Turf Club on Sunday caught both the government and the organiser, the Pitak Siam group led by retired soldier Gen Boonlert Kaewprasit, by surprise.

The club’s stadium was filled to capacity with the crowd estimated at 20,000, many of them members of the Santi Asoke movement led by Phra Bhodhirak and the multi-coloured group. It was the biggest gathering of anti-Thaksin people in recent years.

Gen Boonlert had earlier said that he would stop his anti-government campaign if Sunday’s crowd was fewer than 1,000. Bouyed by the unexpected high turnout, he and the other organisers are now thinking about a second rally in a month or so.

A staunch royalist, the retired general accused the government of inaction in dealing with people who were insulting the monarchy and openly called for a coup d’etat.

The leaders of another anti-Thaksin group, the yellow-shirt Peoples Alliance for Democracy (PAD), stayed away from Sunday’s rally but did not stop their members from joining the Pitak Siam gathering. PAD spokesman Panthep Wongpuapan said that the PAD would only stage a protest if the government tries to force through a so-called reconciliation bill which would grant amnesty to exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung earlier said with a trace of contempt that he would not rate Pitak Siam highly. But after Sunday’s show of force, he might have to think differently because Pitak Siam and its like are not the spent force he assumed them to be and remain a force to be reckoned with.

On Monday, Udon Thani's red-shirt leader Kwanchai Praipana threatened to organise counter-protests against Pitak Siam. The radical leader of the Rak Udon group, which is affilicated with the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), also warned the Yingluck government of the likely negative consequences if it fails to bring Thaksin home during its four-year term in office.

Village headmen and kamnan have also threatened a mass protest if the government proceeds with a bill seeking to cap the terms of these local leaders to four years, instead of staying on until retirement at 60 years of age as it is now.

Having enjoyed a pleasant ride for more than a year, it appears that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her new cabinet have a rough time ahead in dealing with the different interest groups, in addition to the other social and economic problems which are bound to pop up.

Despite all the challenges and minus a coup, the government will be able to muddle through and complete its four-term term because of its overwhelming majority in the parliament. Only a self implosion as a result of its own self-destructive policies, such as the rotten rice pledging scheme and massive corruption, could bring this government to its knees.

Share your thoughts

Discussion 1 : 31/10/2012 at 12:44 AM
"the retired general...openly called for a coup d’etat." "Section 68. No person shall ... overthrow the democratic regime of government...or to acquire the power to rule the country by any means which is not in accordance with the modes provided in this Constitution." - 2007 Constitution
Discussion 2 : 31/10/2012 at 12:09 AM
I HATE the way many Thais talk badly about the military. Look back to Sep-Nov last year, floods all around. The military helped civilians, they cleaned drains and even cleaned dirty canals. That sounds OK as it was an emergency. Then the government took a few 100 thousand million baht to build flood defences, then 8 to 10 months later - we found the government once again calling the military to dig canals and quickly build walls around industrial estates. What was the government doing for 12 months? Where did the big money go? Why the military, this was not an emergency situation. Thailand is different, Thai military is different.
Discussion 3 : 30/10/2012 at 10:57 PM
Two small observations; firstly there is no evidence that the current government is permitting attacks against the Monarchy. Indeed they seem to have been ultra-zealous at enforcing laws which many observers outside Thailand have criticised as restrictive of legitimate free speech. Secondly, what is a retired general doing, openly advocating a military coup? Military coups have been the curse of Thailand (and other countries) for decades. They inevitably destroy the rule of law, encourage factional politics as soon as they are over, and are a licence for incompetent and corrupt government. I am sure, whatever anyone's politics, almost nob
Discussion 4 : 30/10/2012 at 07:58 PM
'Rough time ahead for Yingluck government'. Should be 'Rough time ahead for Thaksin's government'. Thaksin thinks PTP acts.
Discussion 5 : 30/10/2012 at 07:53 PM
I have to ask. What big turn out ? All you have demonstrated is that Pheu Thai is still in control. Yingluck will stay as she is for a long time.
Discussion 6 : 30/10/2012 at 07:36 PM
If the general thinks 20,000 is alot he must remember thats a very small number to the days the reds rallied.And i think personally that hes an instigator of trouble.This govertment seems to be doing a good job and if a small minority like this troublemaker wants to express his feelings then go ahead.Just remember this govertment was democratically elected by the vast majority of Thais and 20,000 is a small part of 67 million folk.
Discussion 7 : 30/10/2012 at 04:56 PM
Too bad the media cannot ignore this aging old generation Thai attempting to revitalize his ego, if they did he would just go away.
Discussion 8 : 30/10/2012 at 04:12 PM
Isn't it against the law for some one to express his intention openly wanting to topple the government by force? Or is there an exception on this law for an ex general?
Discussion 9 : 30/10/2012 at 02:24 PM
The General needs to lay out his plans for a post coup government. I suspect his post coup plans are non-existent. I also suspect whatever plans he may produce would be more disastrous than the previous coup. Talk is cheap.
Discussion 10 : 30/10/2012 at 02:08 PM
certainly rough times ahead for thailand,no recocillation (just another word for whitewashing of his crimes to the nation ) its a divided nation those 30% of the population who back the convicted criminal who manipulated the election by a 99.9 turnout in the north an unual ammount of percentage,whilst the 70 % of the tax paying population have to go along with widespread corruption, unfortunately the good intention of the beggining of people power against this dictorial regime was marred by a ill thought sentence by the retired general coup,we all accept its not the way forward,we have to rely upon justice and the downfall of this very distur
Discussion 11 : 30/10/2012 at 02:03 PM
I wouldn't call meeting the biggest flood ever after less than 6 months in office as a pleasant year or perhaps you just being yourself. In fact it has never been an easy job for the government with the global economy and with the Demos misbehaving and throwing tantrums but the government did survive all that and even gain in popularity. So now, there are new challenges from the same ultra right groups. Not that all of these groups have disappear but just waiting for the right opportunity to throw a spanner into the already challenging environment and caring less for the country if we self destruct just to fulfil their self interest and agend
Discussion 12 : 30/10/2012 at 01:58 PM
This sentence summarise the problem I have "..., the retired general accused the government of inaction in dealing with people who were insulting the monarchy and openly called for a coup d’etat." I don't mind that he's a retired General, but it's not the job of the government to arrest people if they insult the Monarchy it's the job of the police, as this would be against the law. I don't mind that he is against the government because thats his democratic right, but to call for a coup, borders on irresponsible. We don't need a coup, we need a working democracy and untill PTP, Dems, PAD, UDD, coup callers, civil servants, RTA and citizens w

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