The PAD-Privy Council alliance re-energized

It appears that the signature campaign for a royal pardon for Thaksin Shinawatra by the UDD is re-energizing PAD and the privy council. The Bangkok Post (30 July 2009: “Pardon fight gains pace”) reports that the PAD leadership has had an emergency meeting.

The Post reports that: “The People’s Alliance for Democracy, the Privy Council and the Bhumjaithai Party have made clear they oppose the petition and are pressing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to prevent it going ahead.”

PAD leader Phibhop Dhongchai said “the petition was a political move that would affect the monarchy and the judicial process as well as national security. The petition would put national security at risk by worsening the rifts between members of the public…”. He added that the “government is obliged to protect the monarchy and the country’s judicial system…”.

A military source reportedly “close to Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda said Gen Prem was concerned about the strategy of Thaksin’s supporters. He was reluctant to take action however as it concerned political conflicts, the source said. He said some privy councillors who were former military top brass had questioned why the government and the military were doing nothing to stop the red shirts from submitting the petition.”

As usual, the myth that the monarchy is not involved in politics was raised: “They viewed the petition as an attempt to possibly drag the monarch into politics and put pressure on him.”

It was reported that a “Privy Council source said Gen Prem had raised the issue of the red shirts’ petition at the Privy Council meeting on Tuesday. However, the Royal Household Bureau yesterday denied the council had discussed the issue. The bureau’s comments were seen as an attempt to protect the Privy Council from attack for interfering in politics.”

It may be a bit late for that and in any case, it seems to be a deliberate lie for “Privy Councillor Pichitr Kullavanijaya yesterday insisted members of the Privy Council had agreed the royal pardon move was inappropriate.” In addition, the “Privy Council source said Gen Surayud Chulanont, a privy councillor and former prime minister, had raised the issue with army chief Anupong Paojinda, asking him what the army could do about it.”

Gen Anupong reportedly “told Gen Surayud that although the military was concerned the royal pardon petition could trouble His Majesty, it could not do anything directly because the petition was a political move, the source said. The only way to block the red shirt campaign was to mobilise social pressure against them, Gen Anupong was quoted as saying.”

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