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Apr. 13 – The situation in Thailand, following the cancellation of the ASEAN conference on Saturday has worsened, as troops have now been ordered in to clear away protesters, and protesters themselves blocking main access roads and refusing to obey government and military orders. Governments internationally are now warning against traveling to the country in what appears to be a confrontation heading for increasing violence. Since Saturday, 70 people have been admitted to hospital, 23 of them soldiers.
The anti-government protesters belong to the “red shirt” faction of Thai politics, which has now completely divided the nation. The red shirts oppose the current prime minister and government on the basis that it was not directly elected, and are supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was deposed in a 2006 military coup. He is currently living in exile in Dubai, is wanted on charges of corruption, and is believed to be in daily contact with his supporters in Thailand and to be funding what is rapidly amounting to becoming an insurgency. The current government is Thailand’s fourth in 18 months, and was elected following a vote in parliament, rather than by a national election.
Current Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who was due to host the weekends ASEAN conference, has had any remaining confidence in his ability to govern the country undermined, and right in front of the noses of senior regional government leaders who had flown in for the event. Several, it is understood, had to be emergency airlifted out via helicopter for their own safety, and the nation at least for now, seems to have descended partially into mob rule. The military have now been instructed to act, and to clear out protesters from the streets. Tanks have been called in, and armed guards and personnel carriers now protect key government offices following the ransacking of the Interior Ministry two days ago. Thaksin is said to be ready to return to lead the country if charges against him are dropped, however, this is unlikely to sit well either with the Monarchy or his opponents, who accuse him of mass corruption. Thaksin was ejected from the United Kindom last year, where he had been in exile; following investigations by the UK home office as to his political asylum status and requests by the Thai government to extradite him for trial on corruption charges. He was also forced to sell his stake in Manchester City FC, a Premier League Club, after inquiries were due to be instigated as to his “fit and proper person” capabilities. He sold the club before an investigation began.
Thaksin’s political support is garnered from the poorer, rural population of Thailand, and his policies have deeply divided the country. Unifying power lies solely with the King, however he has been ill and there are problems with the issue of succession. Thaksin’s goal appears to be to seek power at the expense of a weakened monarchy and politically divided nation. Accordingly it may be the Military who have the final say, however with many officers and soldiers from the poorer areas of Thailand, support among them for Thaksin is likely to be high. Political lobbying in the corridors of collapsing power in Bangkok and the royal palace are sure to be intense at this moment, with the King, who is 81, potentially forced to display his political affiliations in a move that could also alienate him from his subjects.
Whether or not Thaksin is ultimately seen as a savior or hindrance to Thailand is at this point open to question, however there seems no doubt that in this particular struggle for power, the efforts of both sides are rapidly bringing the country for the first time into a new class in Southeast Asia as a failed state, with potentially dangerous repercussions for the region as a whole.
Further reading:
ASEAN Summit in Bangkok Disrupted for Third Time
Protests Grind Bangkok to a Halt Again
