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Thai PM to protesters: The Thai people are fed up

By thomascrampton ⋅ January 31, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

Summary - in text - below video.

By Thomas Crampton

DAVOS, Jan 31: Abhisit Vejajiva, Thai Prime minister, today warned protesters gathering on the streets of Bangkok that they should not further upset the Thai situation.

Speaking with a blogger on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Abhisit also urged former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to return to Thailand and fight the charges against him.

As the supporters of Thaksin - so-called red shirts - gather on the streets of Bangkok, they should keep in mind that the majority of Thai people do not offer support, Abhisit said.

“The country cannot afford to slip back into conflicts and violence and into almost a standstill,” Abhisit said. “People have been fed up with the divisions in politics that have kept the country’s progress back.”

Thaksin, now living in self-imposed exile due to actions against him in Thai courts, would face fair treatment if he returned to Thailand, Abhisit said.

“The Thai government must prove that our country will enforce the law in a non-discriminatory way,” Abhisit said. “It is our clear policy and every intention to do just that.”

ENDSsssss (Full transcript below video)

On a personal note: I was extremely honored that Prime Minister Abhisit recognized my blog (largely due to my interview with Thaksin).

FULL TRANSCRIPT:

Protesters are back on the streets today is Thailand headed back into the chaos of previous months?

In the last month the country has made tremendous progress from a situation where we had a barely functioning government. The last month has seen a new government that has begun a lot of hard work and also been able to produce key results.

- Confirmation of the hosting of the ASEAN summit in late February
- All the agreements that need to be signed and passed by parliament
- An economic stimulus package already approved by the cabinet
- The mid-year budget already past the first reading of parliament

I think the country really is moving forward and the people really want this to happen. People have been fed up with the divisions in politics that have kept the country’s progress back. They are now willing for the country to move beyond the old conflicts and the old politics.

What is your message to Red Shirts now gathering on the streets of Bangkok?

I can understand that people have political differences, that I hear their voice and I will try to incorporate the reasonable demands and invite their participation in the future political reform process.

But also, they should be aware that the majority of Thai people and the country cannot afford to let the country slip back into conflicts and violence and into almost a standstill.

What are your views on the future role and influence of former PM Thaksin on Thai politics?

I think it time he came back to Thailand to fight his cases in court, to accept the consequences of the law and sanctions and not to have the country progress kept in check by his own interests.

Is Thaksin still a force in Thailand?

He still has influence, he still has supporters, but the Thai government must prove that our country will enforce the law in a non-discriminatory way.

I can assure him that he will get a fair treatment. It is our clear policy and every intention to do just that.

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Comments for “Thai PM to protesters: The Thai people are fed up”

  • mister N
    One more thing to add, urging of the red shirts to stop their movement is a double standard practice, and it is not a stage of democracy. When the yellow shirt (PAD) has seized the government building compound and then international airport in 2008. Abhisit at that time a Democrat party leader has given a flower to PAD leader Sonthi Limthongkul admired him as a true leader to fight for democracy. When UDD (redshirts) rising up, Abhisit now as the Prime Minister said not agree with this movement. When he talked to the foreign press, all good things came under his british accent english. But if you can read all document and news in Thailand, it could be an another story. So poor that Thailand has only two english newspapers, which both of them are not support Thaksin Shinnawatra!
  • mister N
    It is always easy to claim "fair legal treatment" for Thai jurisdiction. When after the coup d'etat in 2006, new authorities have been founded to set up against Thaksin Shinnawatra. The same legal justice now has been used, claimed, and enforced, just to find a good reason to find a mistake of his and his family business. Frozen of his asset is one of the good example. Before enter the politics, his assets declared in 2001 was around 40 billion baht. In 2006 his assets (most was under his family company's stock) increased to around 76 billion baht. It was not a surprise when take a look at the market cap in 2004 was at 1600 billion baht, and it has been increased to around 5,000 billion baht in 2006, or around 200% incresed. His assets increased only 90% considered very normal in this kind of curcumstance. Unfortunately, the "fair legal treatment" has been announced before the verdict that his all "76 billions" (including his assets before becoming PM) will be all frozen, and then later to be seized as a state property. Don't you think is fair and acceptable for him? and also a good example for Thai people to learn "how is Thailand running their government under fair legal systems"?
  • white-Shirts
    Cock and bull story
    Red-Shirts most of Thail people

    Alink ,Democrat party 0f Thai PM. Number two Vote for Thai people
    But, Abhisit Vejajiva assume his Democrat party Number one of Thal people Vote.

    Cock and bull story for Thai PM.
  • This is so interested! Where can I find more like this?
  • Sad one
    More Taksin been destroyed More Thailand been destroyed too
    It's rule of sin
    Red shirt are wise people who don't beleive everything without thinking, checking,
    analysis
    Thailand is covered by dark fog, everything is misrepresented to blind Thai people to see dark to white, white to dark
    None can help Thailand as it's rule of sin which will damage everybody and ruin the
    country.
  • Wan
    The PM is absolutely right. Thai people are fed up with the protestors and Thaksin should go back to face his trials. It's a coward way for Thaksin to use his dirty money to buy uneducated people to do his dirty job.
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Thomas Crampton was a correspondent for the International Herald Tribune and The New York Times for more than a decade, reporting from five continents, writing a column on Asia and covering Asian politics, economics and culture. Currently based in Hong Kong, he writes here about China, the Internet and New Media seen from Asia, while also advising companies on digital communication strategies. For more information click here...