ความคิดเห็นที่ 14
Why thaksin is still going strong
By Tham Chen Fye, TODAY
daniel
This weekend, all eyes will be on Bangkok where anti-Thaksin protesters aim to stage the biggest demonstration against the Thai premier :-), ahead of the April 2 election.
Many observers feel that the opposition will not be able to gain more ground. This is not surprising.
The Thai opposition lacks strategy and focus in their campaign, offering no concrete solutions to the problems that exist in the current administration. Apart from demanding Mr Thaksin's resignation, they have failed to address the crucial questions on everyone's mind - what next, and who can succeed him?
The largest grouping, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), set up only on Feb 4 after a rally, is a loose coalition which includes teachers, state-enterprise officials, senators, academics, farmers, businessmen, students and journalists.
The PAD has been successful in staging some of the biggest demonstrations in the capital but the PAD platform has been used as a lobby for individual agendas. The confused public asks: What do they stand for?
Furthermore, the PAD's accusations differ according to the issue of the day. This can range from pork barrel politics to the misuse of power, to disenchantment over the sale of Mr Thaksin's family-owned Shin Corp to Singapore's Temasek Holdings in January for US$1.9 billion ($3.1 billion).
The current allegations include Mr Thaksin's constitutional violations, corruption and treason. The PAD campaign is seen as nothing but a fault finding mission.
Interestingly, opposition leaders Abhisit Vejjajiva (of the Democrat Party), Sanan Kachonprasat (Mahachon Party) and Banharn Silpa-Archa (Chart Thai Party) have distanced themselves from the PAD, preferring to hold their own separate protests. This has led many to question the credibility of the PAD.
But the weakening of the opposition can be traced back to the 1997 Asian financial crisis, even before Mr Thaksin's party, Thai Rak Thai (TRT), was formed. This was when untimely bankruptcies and unfortunate business ties put many opposition politicians in the red.
Mr Thaksin, who was the Deputy Premier in Mr Chavalit Yongchaiyudh's government in 1997, was unscathed by the crisis. He went on to form TRT and inaugurated an era of "big money politics".
He exploited the income divide between Bangkok and the countryside (which accounts for 60 per cent of the population) by implementing a raft of populist policies ranging from universal health coverage to debt suspension for farmers. He also promoted a visionary economic policy that targeted growth industries such as fashion and tourism, and carved out his own space on the international stage.
So, it is hard for many ordinary Thais to buy into the opposition's calls to reject Mr Thaksin on the grounds that he has abused power for his personal benefit and marginalised opposition and civil groups. He is preferred by the majority who see him as a populist leader who has addressed the long-neglected needs and grievances at rural grassroots level.
Now it seems that even middle-class Bangkok residents are getting tired of the opposition's rants.
An Assumption University poll of 1,500 people yesterday showed that only 28.1 per cent of respondents now want Mr Thaksin out, compared with 48.2 per cent on March 6. Meanwhile, those who want him to stay had risen to 47.2 per cent from 35.5 per cent, the survey found.
Eight out of 10 respondents said they wanted all rallies to end and nine out of 10 favoured a negotiated end to the impasse.
The ongoing turmoil has also unsettled King Bumibhol Adulyadej who has sent signals to both camps to resolve the crisis in an amicable manner.
This year, Thailand marks the 60th anniversary of the king's coronation. Perhaps the latest poll results show that Thais want to celebrate this auspicious year with more than seemingly-unending protests that lack direction.
The writer is a freelance journalist based in Thailand.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/analysis/view/199546/1/.html
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26 มี.ค. 49 07:57:25
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