February 7, 2010...1:50 am
Red shirt debates
When the People's Alliance for Democracy was cranking up in 2005 there was an ever so brief brief moment when a broad coalition of anti-Thaksin Shinawatra groups seemed like a movement for democracy. PAD was soon taken over by the ego-driven Sondhi Limthongkul, a failed but resurrected media tycoon. His ethnic Chinese slogans, hyper-nationalism and wild black magic beliefs were soon on display as he linked with military, palace and security figures on the right.
The red shirts, so long lampooned by their opponents as little more than Thaksin acolytes, appear to have hit upon strategies with some broad traction – anti-coup, highlighting double standards. They also have a couple of recent victories against the military leadership and Privy Councilor Surayud Chulanont. Their smaller demonstrations have been highly effective. But for a while this week they seemed in danger of being shanghaied by the strange ideas of a couple of dangerous men.
The more democratic strategists amongst the red shirts have long cringed at being associated with General Panlop Pinmanee and Khattiya Sawasdipol (Seh Daeng). The unreformed right-wing military men are associated with some of the most evil elements of the post-Cold War Thai army. Vicious, manipulative and seemingly unprincipled nak leng, their antics of the past couple of days risk having the red shirt movement seen in the same light. (For readers unaware of the background of Panlop and Seh Daeng, just Google about a bit and prepare to be startled by their claims of political murder and so on.)
The Nation (5 February 2010) reports that both men recently met with Thaksin. On Wednesday, Panlop is reported to have said that an "armed offshoot" of the red shirts would be formed and that General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh "would lead the red shirts to victory." Seh Daeng reportedly added that "the organisational structure of the opposition movement was now complete with Pheu Thai as the party, the red shirts as its front and the armed units."
Other reports don't refer to "arms" but to a "people's army for democracy" or, as The Nation has it, bizarrely, a "People's Army for Democracy under His Majesty the King." PPT suspects that some of the mainstream media are beating the story up. Certainly, the yellow-shirt media has been strong in seeing a "people's army" communism at work. As examples, see the remarkable bleating of Thanong Khanthong in The Nation (February 5, 2010) and of Boonlert Changyai in Matichon, summarized here.
As a footnote, Boonlert states that the real political competition is "between the Thaksin-backed Puea Thai Party and his red-shirt supporters on one side and Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda and the Abhisit Vejjajiva government on the other…".
But back to Panlop and Khattiya. They demanded that the government "negotiate a settlement with Thaksin or risk facing an eruption of violence in which even Thaksin would not be able to control what the red shirts would do."
That doesn't sound like a "people's army." In fact, in a later story, Panlop "insisted that the 'people's army' would not be armed. However, it would be an effective people's army which had clear policies and adhered to peaceful struggle. It should be able to draw more people to join it in a larger number than sympathisers of the red shirts…" (Bangkok Post, 6 February 2010). Perhaps, but the damage to the image of the red shirts has been significant.
Chavalit was forced to deny the claims, saying in The Nation, "I resumed my political activities because I aspire to bring about social unity, and peace by peaceful means…". He added that "he was in complete agreement with ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who he believes is an advocate for peaceful means," considering himself a "part of the movement to advance justice and democracy but not in a violent way."
Red-shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan also "said his movement would not resort to violence and insisted its members would fight through peaceful means" (The Nation, 5 February 2010) for whom the civil war has begun.
Despite the backtracking Panlop and Seh Daeng have allowed the government and the military to engage in scare tactics, recall the Songkhran Uprising and to make preparations for violence, with (Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban saying that the "people's army" statement is a "threat to national security."
Panlop has now said that he has left the red shirts (Bangkok Post, 6 February 2010). Claiming that Jatuporn said he "did not represent the views of the red shirts," Panlop explained that he "would end his participation in the UDD. If any serious incidents took place in February, it should be clear that he had anything to do with them…".
Here's the issue for the red shirt movement. Panlop and Seh Daeng might have their uses, but allowing them to have a high profile risks allowing the far right to take over the movement. That happened to PAD as the democratic and anti-royal groups were sidelined by a right wing led by Sonthi, Chamlong Srimuang and Prasong Soonsiri, in cahoots with the palace. A rightist takeover of the red shirts would doom it to a clash between rightist forces or worse, a deal amongst rightists. That's bad for democracy and bad for human rights.
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