Selasa, 27 Juli 2010

Anger Red Shirts

Almost two months Bangkok is a city divided. Tens of thousands of people spilled into the city in two colors, red and yellow. Red symbolizes the anti-government stance of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjaviva. And yellow is the opposite.
Red Shirts movement surprising. Since early April, they occupy an important business area in Bangkok: Ratchaprasong. Sebentang street in the heart of Bangkok is full of luxury shopping malls and five star hotels. The flow of the red shirts came, and a large stage set up there, then master the three square mile area.
One "Red City" was standing. At each point of entry, there are tire barricades, barbed wire, and thousands of bamboo spears. "Entrance" was guarded guards red shirt. On the stretch of road that now stood a tent, stage, complete with generators, emergency clinics, as well as a toilet. Mass flow, said government sources quoted by Bangkok Post page, up and down in the range of 100 thousand people.
"Most come from poor villages," said Prangtip Duoreng, freelance journalist, who resided in Bangkok to VIVAnews, Saturday, May 21, 2010. According to his observations, the greater force because of the poor in Bangkok also joined the ranks of anti-government.
The situation was getting hot when it paralyzed business in the region hit by intense mass action, every day during berpekan-week. Clashes with the officers burst. A number of malls and shops looted. Luxury mall that sells products of global brand cap. One estimate said the loss of all the stores in the region reached 300 million baht per day.
That's why, when the army swept the region last week, the Bangkok city turned into a frightening event of war. Tanks, bazookas, and the barrage of gunfire hit the masses. The cry hysterically, falling bodies covered with blood, nearly four dozen people listed as dead.
"Bangkok is now no different than Baghdad. Soldiers and demonstrators the same mass. They carried pistols, M-16 guns, grenades and bazookas, "wrote an executive of Thailand in Bangkok on his blog. Similar testimony emerged on the internet pages, and news media.
***
Red shirt, and their radical movement in the heart of Bangkok, is the episode that has not been completed from the post-Thaksin Thailand's chaotic politics.
In the history of modern Thailand, the country is frequently rocked by political conflict. Since 1932, at least 18 times already rocked Thailand's military coup. But this time the most serious disputes in the past 20 years.
Thailand is always tinged with unhealthy political intrigue since the military coup of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006. About a year under military control, the wheels of government are always undermined by the opposition camp so the mandate is returned to the civil power through the 2007 election.
Daily The Nation and Bangkok Post warned the tension on the streets between the government stronghold - with the support of the security forces - and the "Red Shirts" difficult to control, and could lead to the Civil War.
Since the wave of demonstrations began on March 12, 2010, about 40 people were killed in clashes with the government stronghold of red shirts. This group came from the urban poor and rural residents who joined the official name "United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship" (UDD).
The number of victims could continue to grow, if military action remained a mass beat demonstrators with force of arms. Red Shirts had been demanding the parliament, and the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva disbanded, and replaced through elections (elections). But stronghold Abhisit rejected that demand. Situation getting worse when the military intervened.
Military support Abhisit, less than one-half years in power. For most of the middle class and the well-established, Abhisit is the right leader, educated and young. But for the urban poor, and farmers in the village, Abhisit is the representative group of elite who do not care about the fate of the people. Abhisit more busy about intrigue, and pursue Thaksin's wealth rather than, for example, restore the social and economic life, especially for rural people in northern Thailand.
According to the UDD, Abhisit how government is formed, is as elegant with what they do in Bangkok today. Join in the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), mass supporters who bersimbol Abhisit "Yellow Shirt" was taken hostage two days in Bangkok's main airport, Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi, in 2008. Just as now, the action two years ago it made losses of the Thai economy.
Indeed, there is a successful PAD target. As a result of the action hostages airport in December 2008, the Constitutional Court declared the People Power Party (PPP) pro-Thaksin guilty of cheating in the elections of 2007. At the end of December 2007 elections, the Democrats pro Abhisit rake in 39.63 percent of the vote, almost equal to 39.60 percent of the vote the People Power Party, the party of "Red Shirts."

PPP leaders banned from politics for five years. This penalty also applies to the party leader, who is also Prime Minister of Thailand at the time, Somchai Wongsawat. He is also Thaksin's relatives.
As a result the Supreme Court decision, the stronghold of PAD eligible to appear at the top of the power to replace the PPP. They bring up a candidate who lost the 2007 elections, Abhisit Vejjajiva as new prime minister.
Action PAD is caused heartache among the followers of Thaksin. They then form a united front known as the UDD it. His followers assess Abhisit and his supporters seized the reins of leadership in a way unfair. Title at top of power was considered "gifts" for the overthrow of the Thaksin regime cs, and not achieved through democratic means. That is why, UDD requesting the election be held again.
Unfortunately, both sides of this conflict - outside military intervention and the influence of the king - had a relatively balanced influence and power. For Thailand, the democracy adheres to the principle of one person one vote, the situation was very disturbing.
Thaksin Sinawatra - who was ousted from power through a bloodless military coup in 2006 - recognize and utilize the balance of power. She felt humiliated by his political opponents - especially in the stronghold Abhisit - which makes him now fugitives.
According to The Economist, the decision of the court in Bangkok on February 26, 2010, which freezes Thaksin's assets worth U.S. $ 1.4 billion, making him more angry. Two years earlier he was found guilty in corruption and abuse of office related purchases of land, a case that also entrap his wife. Thaksin declared a prisoner.
But Thaksin's supporters in pedasaan wrath. It's known, they never forget how Thaksin menghidupkanm them in the rural economy over the past five years as prime minister (2001-2006). Thaksin is also the most enthusiastic campaigning in elections. For supporters of the Red Shirts, Thaksin is a grassroots defense conglomerate.
Conversely, pro-government politicians had red shirts as a mass menudeing Thaksin paid. They deliberately create chaotic situation, and do not represent the people most. Thus, the demands of accelerated elections is unrealistic request. For supporters of the government stronghold, Thaksin was the culprit of this conflict.
Local efforts to overcome the crisis still has not brought results. A number of organizations, and community leaders in Thailand trying to reconcile the government camp and the Red Shirts in a single table. But those efforts failed to get a bright spot, especially to determine when the parliament and government can be replaced.
Red Shirts demanding deadlines: the elections must take place within the next 30 days. Conversely, stronghold Abhisit wants new elections happen next nine months. This is the rock wedge in the settlement of political crisis in Thailand.
Then, where the role of the king?
***
The two sides clashed and the people who actually wish there was a neutral intervention of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. In the history of politics in Thailand, the king did not intervene in the government, but its intervention is needed as the country in a precarious state.
During still fit, Bhumibol had repeatedly act as "Father of the Nation" that is able to intervene "children" of his argument. For the people of Thailand, the king's decision was the voice of god that is difficult argue. Now that King Bhumibol was old and sickly. At age 82, he was often hospitalized for respiratory problems. Apparently, the king can no longer be disturbed by the political crisis in his kingdom.
Crisis due to Thailand's added weight must be prepared to change their king. Having ruled for more than 60 years, and his health condition has declined, King Bhumibol is feared could not survive in the near future.
The problem is, the crown prince Prince Vajiralongkorn still do not have a place in the hearts of the people. In fact, he feared his father's hard to emulate the good qualities - as a devout Buddhist, only one wife, and donors - that makes people afraid.

Even rumors Vajiralongkorn appear to play in this political crisis. To the Economist, a source at the court expressed the eldest son of Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit is known to be close to Thaksin, who for the last two years in exile.
The relationship was not liked by people close to the king, one Prem Tinsulanonda, the trusted advisor. Maybe that's why Thaksin was dropped. Prem did not like conglomerates.
That's why, when an interview with British media some time ago, Thaksin gave enthusiastic expression Vajiralongkorn someday emerge as the new king of Thailand.

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