Thai PM Vows not to Quit
Following yesterday’s anti-government rally in Bangkok, the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have claimed victory after protesters forced their way past police blockades and set up camp outside Government House. The demonstrators say they will not leave until PM Samak and his government step down from office.
Thailand’s newspapers say the PAD supporters have ‘laid siege to Government House.’ There were a few minor scuffles as marchers confronted police and some police officers were injured, but in general it was a peaceful rally. Television pictures showed some demonstrators trying to cut through barriers, but mostly it appeared to be a case of police backing off and allowing protesters through to avoid confrontation. PM Samak is reported to be angry at how the police handled the situation and the ease in which the protesters got through the blockades.
So, what happens now? Today’s Bangkok Post suggests that the chief of the army has advised Samak that the best way out of the crisis is to dissolve parliament, although for technical reasons that isn’t possible at the moment. Samak will speak about the situation on Sunday morning during his weekly TV show, ‘Speaking in Samak’s Style.’ He has already reiterated his intention not to stop down and to be at work at Government House on Monday. However, it looks likely that he will face a no confidence vote this week.
The most pertinent comment I’ve seen today was from Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute for Strategic and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University. Khun Thitinan summed the situation up perfectly when he said, ‘It bodes ill for Thai democracy that a limited and narrow street-based movement has the upper hand in overthrowing an elected government.’