As PPT indicated in earlier posts (here and here), the Democrat Party-led government seems intent on making political mileage from the “royal death” rumors of last week.
The Nation (20 October 2009: “Govt, military condemn rumour mongers”) reports that “[g]overnment and military leaders condemned people spreading rumour as being unpatriotic and causing undue concern over the health of His Majesty the King.” Unpatriotic has a clear meaning: Thais are now said to behind the rumors and they are being painted as anti-monarchy and anti-Thailand.All of the italics in this post are courtesy of PPT.
If that sounds just a little like Privy Councuilor Prem Tinsulanonda accusing Chavalit Yongchaiyudh of being a traitor for joining a legal political party that happens to be in opposition and supportive of Thaksin Shinawatra, then you have a clear picture of the government’s orientation. See the words of Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban: “I believe these rumour mongers are betraying their own country because they have triggered panic and caused untold damage…”.
Suthep has begun a witch hunt, confirming that “he had issued instructions for intelligence and security authorities to track down the people behind this rumour so legal proceedings can be taken against them.” At the same time, he “threatened to prosecute, to the full extent of law, if evidence indicated the involvement of certain individuals manipulating the stock market for replenishing their campaign war chest.”
There can be no doubt who Suthep and his Democrat Party colleagues are targeting: Thaksin and his red shirt and Puea Thai Party supporters.
Whenever PM’s Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtaey gets involved, one may be sure that something politically dirty is underway. He has said that “he suspected the rumours had originated from overseas.” Sathit added that the “people spreading these rumours were malicious and might have the ulterior motive of creating political chaos by fabricating stories about His Majesty’s health.
Meanwhile, Army chief General Anupong Paochinda said he considered such rumours “inappropriate and inauspicious.” He said: “Thai citizens should refrain from making such inauspicious remarks and unite to condemn such gossip…”.
After coming to office preaching reconciliation, the Democrat Party is now seeing the world in us and them terms, with all of them identified as traitors.
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