Commentary: There Was a Time When King Rama IX Used His Power to Bless

by Sam Sotha

I have read two articles on Bangkok Post on line, breaking news, published on April 19, 2010 entitled “Chavalit Seeking Audience with King”, another article in response to the above mentioned, on the following day on April 20, 2010 under the title “PM questions Chavalit’s motives”, and on the same topic in The Nation, published on April21, 2010 entitled “Chavalit, Somchai draw flak for seeking King’s intervention”.

I sympathize with the two former prime ministers: Gen.Chavalit Yongchaiyuth and Mr. Somchai Wongsawat, for both of them wanted to assist the current government to solve the growing political crisis, which has escalated and reached its climax with violent and deadly clashes between the Red protesters and the army on April 10, 2010 resulting in at least 24 deaths and more than 840 injured.

Personally, I find the current situation unacceptable, as it will end up with unavoidable violence, similar to the military crack down on protesters during the “Black May” period from May 17-19, 1992, when Gen. Suchinda Kraprayoon ordered the military to disperse demonstrators and to handcuff Mr. Chamlong Srimuang, the leader of the demonstration, a decision which triggered the violence to escalate gravely.

The clashes of these 3 days and nights resulted in at least 52 deaths, many disappearances, hundreds of injuries, and over 3,500 arrests. Many of those arrested were allegedly tortured.

The West views these episodes as social unrests. Similarly, when I closely monitor the situation in Thailand since early March 2010, I can understand the demands from the protesters and the responses from the government. There are several political camps, but could be grouped in two, the camp of the ruling Democratic Party led coalition government, and the camp of the oppositions led by the Peu Thai Party chaired by former Prime Minister Mr. Chavalit Yongchaiyuth and surrounded by many other core members, who were dispersed from Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT) and People’s Power Party (PPP).

The first camp is supported by the People’s Alliance for Democracy, the PAD, the second is supported by the United front for Democracy against Dictatorship, the UDD, and called themselves the “Red Shirts”, while the PAD called themselves the “Yellow Shirts”.

Most of the Red Shirt members are farmers and peasants from the countryside. They are overwhelmingly supportive of the TRT and the PPP, the parties which were dissolved by the Constitutional Court, respectively on May 30, 2007 and December 2, 2008 In my view, Thailand is still a borderline between developed and developing country. On the many occasions that I had met with several western country Ambassadors, he/she said “We ceased to provide grant aid (bilateral aid) to Thailand because she is now a developed country. In our judgment, Thailand is now a developed country which is providing grant aid to the neighboring countries”.

But in fact there is a wide disparity of distribution of wealth, between the rich and the poor, between the rural citizen and the urban citizen. On April 19, 2010, there was an article, written by a CNN reporter, Mr. Arwa Damon, entitled “Red Shirt supporters say they are willing to take risks in an attempt to secure change”.

He interviewed numerous poor supporters and found that: “despite the impact on their miserly income, they said they had to make a trip to Bangkok to take part in the Red Shirt demonstrations”. “They viewed Abhisit’s government as illegitimate, and they are calling them to step down”.

“They say that out there Thaksin is seen as a hero, the man who gave them a voice, fought for their rights, and eased their economic burdens”. After the clashes on April 10, many families in the countryside were called to return home, but the CNN reporter quoted these people as saying “We have to help our people win. We are not worried about our financial loss, but that it is a risk we are willing to take to fight for long term change.”

The word “illegitimate government”, for everyone understands, is used only by the opposing camp.

Since the protest started from mid of March, the protesters demands were consistent: “You, Prime Minister, you have to dissolve the Parliament and leave the country, that the general election be organized the soonest possible.

These demands, if you are driving backward to the period of 19 years ago during “Black May 1992” you will see that there is no material difference. On February 23, 1991, army chief General Suchinda Kraprayoon overthrew (Ret) Gen. Chatichai Choonhavan. The coup makers, who called themselves the National Peace-Keeping Council, appointed Mr. Anand Panyarachum as Prime Minister. Anand’s interim government established a new constitution and scheduled parliamentary elections for March 22, 1992.

A government coalition with 55% of the House of Representatives was formed and appointed General Suchinda as Prime Minister. Massive public protest immediately followed, as it became clear the government parties would not honour their word, thus plans went ahead for a strike on Sunday 17 May.

As General Chavalit had experienced and seen the situation repeated, he adopted the same tune as “Black May” and called upon former primer Somchai Wongsawat to join him in issuing a statement calling on the government to dissolve the House of Representatives and revoke the emergency decree.

To this end Gen. Chavalit tried to get an audience with His Majesty the King in a bit to end the growing political crisis, calling for royal intervention to resolve the political stand-off. In the articles from Bangkok Post and the Nation, I found reactions, particularly from Mr. Abhisit, the Prime Minister and the Democrat’s ruling partner namely Chart Thai de-facto leader Banharn Silapa-archa, said “the call could put undue pressure on His Majesty the King who is still recuperating at Siriraj Hospital.” Democrat chief advisor to Democratic Party and former prime minister, Mr. Chuan Leekpai echoed that ‘” the monarchy was above and beyond politics and it is inappropriate for Chavalit to invoke His Majesty the King in a political context.”

Both camps should remember His Majesty, on his birthday on December 5, 2009; “called on all parties to join hands in returning normalcy to the country and to set aside personal benefits for the sake of the public interest if you wanted to make me happy on my birthday”.

To prevent further bloodshed in my opinion it is time to reconcile with one another Follow the footstep of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej Rama IX who called Mr. Chamlong Srimuang and the Prime Minister on May 20, 1992 and demanded that the two men put an end the confrontation and work together through “Parliamentary procedure.”

Following the wisdom of their King, Suchinda released Chamlong and announced an amnesty for detained protesters. He also agreed on an amendment requiring the prime minister to be elected. Chamlong asked the demonstrators to disperse, which they did. On May 24, 1992; General Suchinda Kraprayoon resigned as Prime Minister of Thailand. In the same day Mr. Meechai Ruchuphan was appointed by royal decree as acting prime minister and resigned on June 10 to make way for Mr. Anand Panyarachun who was elected by the House of Representatives. Mr. Anand, the new prime minister then set September 13, 1992 as the date for the general election. The Democrats won a narrow majority and Mr. Chuan Leekpai was appointed on September 23, 1992 as 20^th

Prime Minister of Thailand. So, it is about time that all parties call upon King Rama IX to receive His Majesty’s blessing in the same way the King granted a private audience to Mr. Abhisit Vijjajiva on Monday, March 3, 2010 on the 14th floor of the Chalermphrakiat, Siriraj Hospital, for the King to receive a briefing on the situation in the country and on Abhisit’s decision to apply the Internal Security Act to metro Bangkok and assignment of 6,000 soldiers to duty.

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About the author: Mr. Sam Sotha is the author of the “In the Shade of A Quiet Killing Place”, His

Personal Memoir. About the book visit the www.heavenlakepress.com