PAD moneybags opposes elections

The Bangkok Post (20 April 2010) neglects some important information – deliberately perhaps? – when they interview Arthit Ourairat. The Post says Arthit is “Rangsit University rector and former speaker of the House.” They neglect to say that he is one of the People’s Alliance for Democracy’s main financial backers and was one of their key speakers at its Sunday rally. He’s worth listening to in order to understand the right-wing perspective on current events.

Arthit sheets home the current conflict to the red shirts and Thaksin Shinawatra. This exceptionally wealthy businessman says the “crisis stems primarily from people’s insatiable greed.” Not his, of course, but the nasty guys. He says there are “four groups of people contributing to the conflict. They have different agendas, although they share the common aim of overthrowing the government.” Compare his 4 groups with the 5 identified by royalist Prawase Wasi or by royalist and anti-Thaksin campaigner and propagandist Chirmsak Pinthong in his civil war article from 28 December 2009.

For Arthit, the “first group is made up of convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his supporters. Their ultimate aim is to seek an amnesty for Thaksin and to retrieve all of his assets seized by the state.” That has been the PAD and government chant. “The second group comprises radical leftists influenced by the ideas of the French Revolution and they hope to bring about a revolution in Thailand. They aim to abolish the current regime with the King as head of state.” Arthit presumably is railing against republican ideas such as liberty, equality and fraternity which are all hated by the ruling class. His “third group is made up of the poor majority of the country. They are exploited and unfairly treated and are led by the pro-Thaksin group into believing the present government serves only the elite and ignores the poor. This group wants to free itself from poverty and social injustice.” The 4th group is “comprised of soldiers who have broken ranks with the army to work for the pro-Thaksin elements. They expect more power and higher positions if they help Thaksin return to power.”

On the present government’s handling of the red shirts, Arthit wants it to do more, talking of winning the “hearts and minds” of the “grassroots” people and more anti-Thaksin propaganda. Like the government, Arthit thinks that all red shirts are simply misled because of their ignorance and lack of quality information. More rule of law against the protesters is another mantra.

A “dissolution of the House or the prime minister’s resignation” would not sort things out. Why? Because these are “short-term solutions.” An election would see “the old power clique led by Thaksin would return to power…”. It seems he accepts that the government would lose an election, so don’t have one until his side can win. If these Thaksin people came back to power, this would unleash “a new vicious circle with anti-Thaksin demonstrators back on the streets.” He means the people he funds and supports.

How to get “reform”? Arthit goes back to one of the initial PAD calls: use Article 7 of the constitution to get royal intervention “and waiving the invocation of some other sections of the charter…”. What does he mean here? Perhaps those requiring an election at the end of next year? This would allow the establishment of a “national assembly of ‘decent people’ made up of representatives of all sectors of society.” So PAD are back to this plan, where elections are seen as dangerous, so appoint people – by the king or some other undemocratic mechanism.Would this replace the current government?

This unelected assembly would then “work on the reform plan covering measures to eradicate poverty and improve access to education, among other things. The assembly must take urgent action to reform the agricultural sector and apply the welfare state concept to the country. These measures will present a long-term and sustainable solution to the problems.” Arthit says nothing about how long this unelected body would meet, how long it would stay.

This seems to be the plan for establishing a – let’s use the right term – dictatorship in Thailand. It would probably be built on the destruction of the red shirts. If people like Arthit get of the leash in Thailand, authoritarian principles will organize the country. The problem is that the Abhisit government is currently accepting of this position and is moving the process forward (a point PPT has made several times over the past year).