By Xinhua,
Beijing : The protracted anti-government rally in Thailand’s capital manifests the deepening political rift between pro- and anti-Thaksin camps and may lead to more turmoil if tension continues to heighten, analysts have warned.
The rally led by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) began on May 25 in protest against Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej’s drive to amend the military-installed constitution.
Despite the resignation of Prime Minister’s Office Minister Jakrapob Penkair, who reportedly insulted the country’s revered king in his speech, PAD leaders remained unwavering from their determination to oust the Samak government.
STANDOFF RAISES FEAR OF INTENSIFIED TURMOIL
The Samak-led People Power party (PPP) secured victory in the post-coup general election last December before forming in January a coalition government with five minor parties.
The Samak government has been accused by the PAD of being a nominee of Thaksin and trying to change the military-backed constitution for political gain and to spare Thaksin from facing corruption-related charges.
The military ousted Thaksin in a coup in 2006 following months of protests staged by the PAD and its allies who charged the then prime minister with corruption and cronyism. Thaksin returned to Bangkok earlier this year after months in exile.
The divisive ex-prime minister, however, retained great popularity among the kingdom’s vast rural population for introducing during his tenure a slew of social welfare programs, including the 30-baht medical care scheme for the poor.
Observers said that those allied against the government ultimately aim to root out the residue of Thaksin as his fingerprints are left everywhere in Thai politics.
The tension will stay and manifest itself in different forms if the PAD sticks to its intention to overthrow the ruling government.
A clear-cut battle line has been drawn between the camp of the Bangkok elite along with the royalist groups and elements of the military and that of the Samak government together with the rural masses.
POSSIBILITY OF A COUP
As the street protests rumbled on, speculations over military intervention and even another coup started to grow.
The army commander General Anupong Paojinda and police chief Police General Patcharawat Wongsuwan said Monday they were against any crackdown on the anti-government rally and preferred other solutions to end the political conflict, an army source reported.
General Anupong assured that he would not stage a coup and stressed the need to handle the situation strictly according to the law.
Samak threatened Saturday to break up the PAD protest by force but softened his stance Sunday to urge protestors to move to another site that did not block the road. As of Thursday, protesters had blocked several Bangkok streets for 12 days.
Analysts noted that with narrowed Bangkok middle-class support, the demonstrations will not evolve into full-scale riots, giving a pretext for the military to move in.
Furthermore, the army may be not willing to replay the coup scenario since the one in 2006 failed to purge Thaksin and his brand of CEO-rule from the Thai political arena.
ECONOMY HOBBLED
Finance Minister Surapong Subwonglee said earlier this week that the ongoing street rallies were harming the Thai economy, which has already been stung by high inflation, a strong baht and spiraling oil and food prices.
“I admitted that the protests over the past week affected the economy and investor confidence,” Subwonglee told media Monday
Thailand’s annual inflation rate accelerated to near a decade high in May on soaring oil and food prices and foreign investors dumped a net 425 million of Thai shares in the first five months of this year.
The minister ruled out the outbreak of further unrest or a coup, citing the remarks by the army commander.