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Thai Political Updates – August 2011

Foreign affairs

Thai-Cambodian relations Following the election of Yingluck Shinawatra as prime minister, Thai-Cambodian relations

smoothed and both sides seemed to agree on the need to develop cooperation rather than

competition. The foreign minister Surapong Towijakchaikul was assigned on August 16 to

review the previous government’s recommendation for Thailand to withdraw its membership

from the World Heritage Convention.

Cambodia on August 30 called for resumption of negotiations with the Thai government to

settle the dispute in an overlapping area in the Gulf of Thailand and jointly develop the

maritime resource in the Gulf of Thailand, believed to be rich in oil.

The deployment of Indonesian observers, agreed at a GBC meeting last February, was

postponed while both countries agreed to comply with last month’s International Court of

Justice ruling that the area of Preah Vihear be demilitarized.

Thaksin/Japan/Thailand During the electoral campaign, Thaksin Shinawatra was very present in the press, including

TV and newspapers. The issue of a possible amnesty to get him back to Thailand was one of

the journalists most preferred questions. Now, the fact that the newly appointed foreign

minister, Surapong Towijakchaikul, is a relative of Thaksin, came under strong criticism.

This choice of foreign minister disappointed part of the public and most of the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs civil servants and officials, according to the press, calling it nepotism and

personal interest. The press echoed this criticism to a very large extent. Criticism was even

more fed by the fact that the foreign minister asked Japan for an entry permit for Thaksin.

Finally Thaksin visited Japan from August 22 to 28.

It was reported that he said during his stay in Japan that he had no plan to return home nor to

interfere in the work of his sister. (Bangkok Post, 23/08/11) He however said the exact

opposite in an interview with the Times Magazine ―If people wish it, I'll return to lead again_

I owe them.‖(The Times Online, 24/08/11)

In early August, a German court released the Boeing 737 jet used by the Crown Prince after

the Thai government posted a surety of 38 million euros. The Thai government decided to

pay after the Prince declared that he was ready to personally pay the surety in order to solve

the problem (the surety got the airplane released, but does not resolve the underlying matter

of bankrupt cirm Walter Bau’s claim against the Thai state).

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Domestic politics

The new parliament opened on the 1st of August at the Royal Throne Hall. The ceremony was

presided over by the Crown prince on behalf of the King.

II.a the New Government : Appointments and nominations to political positions :

- Parliament positions

Pheua Thai Khon Kaen MP Somsak Kiatsuranont was nominated by the Pheua Thai Party to

be the new House speaker; Somsak is a veteran parliamentarian and former deputy speaker

with a bit of a reputation as a disciplinarian for having kept to tight time limits during

debates. Somsak was chosen instead of Col Apiwan Wiriyachai, who joined last year's anti-

government protests and was therefore seen as too ―red‖ implying violence.

Chaiyaphum MP Charoen Jankomol was chosen as the first deputy House speaker and

Phayao MP Wisuth Chainarun as the second deputy (both deputies were from Pheu Thai,

which upset some minor coalition partners).

Yingluck Shinawatra was elected prime minister by MPs on August 5 by a 296:3 with 197

abstentions. She was nominated by Pheu Thai MP Sanoh Thienthong for the job without

contest. Three MPs voted against her, all of them Democrats: Boonyod Sukthinthai,

Watchara Phetthong and Atthaporn Polabutr.

- Cabinet positions

Yingluck unveiled the Cabinet line-up.

Position Name Party

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra PT

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Deputy Prime

Minister

Yongyuth Wichaidit

PT

Deputy Prime

Minister

Chalerm Yubamrung

PT

Deputy Prime

Minister

Kowit Wattana PT

Deputy Prime

Minister

Kittirat Na-Ranong

PT

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Deputy Prime

Minister

Chumphon Silpa-acha Chart

Thai

Pattana

Minister of the

Office of the Prime

Minister

Surawit Khonsomboon PT

Minister of the

Office of the Prime

Minister

Krissana Silak PT

Minister of Interior

Yuttasak Sasiprapha PT

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Finance Minister Thirachai

Phuvanatnaranuban

Deputy Finance

Minister

Boonsong Teriyapirom PT

Deputy Finance

Minister

Veerul Techapaibul PT

Foreign Minister Surapong Towichaichaikul PT

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Minister of

Tourism and Sport

Chumphol Silpa-Acha Chart

Thai

Pattana

Minister of Social

Development and

Human Security

Santi Prompat PT

Minister of

Agriculture and

Cooperatives

Teera Wongsamuth Chart

Thai

Pattana

Deputy Minister of

Agriculture and

Cooperatives

Pornsak Charoenprasert PT

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Minister of

Communication

Sukampon Suwannatat

Deputy Minister of

Communication

Chach Khundilok PT

Deputy Minister of

Communication

Kittisak Hattasongkroh PT

Minister of Natural

Resources and the

Environment

Preecha Raengsomboonsuk

PT

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Minister of

Information and

Communication

Technology

Anudith Nakhonthan PT

Minister of Labour Peechai Nariptaphan PT

Minister of

Commerce

Kittirak Na Ranong

Deputy Minister of

Commerce

Phum Saraphon

PT

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Deputy Minister of

Commerce

Siriwath Kachonprasat

Chart

Thai

Pattana

Minister of Interior Yongyuth Wichaidith PT

Deputy Minister of

Interior

Chuchat Haisavat PT

Deputy Minister of

Interior

Thanit Thienthong

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Justice Minister Pracha Promnok PT

Minister of Labour Pademchai Sasomsap

PT

Minister of Culture Sukhumon Khunpleum Palang

Chon

Minister of Science

and Technology

Plotprasop Suraswadi

PT

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Minister of

Education

Worawat Euaaphinyakul PT

Deputy Minister of

Education

Bunreun Srithareth PT

Deputy Minister of

Education

Surapong Ingaphonweelay PT

Minister of Public

Health

Wittaya Booranasiri PT

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Deputy Minister of

Public Health

Tophong Chaisan PT

Minister of

Industry

Wannarat Chainukhun Chart

Pattana

Pheua

Pendin

In the end, no red-shirts were appointed to the Cabinet. They were however rewarded for

their persistent and efficient support of the Pheua Thai party since its formation and during

the electoral campaign with other political posts, like advisors to ministers. As a significant

example of the ―joint‖ campaign of UDD and Pheua Thai, the last and biggest Pheua Thai

rally at Ramkhamhaeng the Friday before the election, where Yingluck presented her ―2020

vision for Thailand‖ featured Nattawaut Saikua as her best ally, the first and last speaker on

stage. Placement of redshirts in assistant and advisor positions, however, left fewer such posts

for minor coalition partner MPs, who were said to have complained and demanded a greater-

than-usual share of posts in parliamentary committees.

- Advisors and other positions

The party whip committee, in charge of giving instructions to its MPs with regards to voting

behaviours within the parliament, will be composed of 37 members. Ayutthaya MP Witthaya

Buranasiri was appointed Pheua Thai party’s chief whip. Phaichit Srivorakan, Peerapan

Palusuk and Noppakhun Ratphathai were reportedly appointed deputies to the chief whip.

- Women’s political empowerment

Out of 35 positions, the new Cabinet only features three women, including Yingluck. Though

little, there is some undeniable progress with regards to the progress of women’s political role

and visibility. The government’s spokespersons team is composed of two women and one

man, with Ms.Thitima Chaisang, a former Pheu Thai MP for Chachoengsao as the

spokeswoman for the prime minister’s office and Anusorn Iamsa-at and Anuttama

Amornwiwat as deputy spokesman and spokeswoman, respectively. One of the very

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appealing policies promised by Yingluck during her electoral campaign was the set up of a

100 million fund for women’s empowerment for each province.

-Government’s policy statement

Yinluck Shinawatra announced and debated its programme in parliament on 23-24th

of

August.

The programme, as presented by Yingluck, focuses on three objectives:

Improve Thai quality of life

Advance reconciliation

Get prepared for entering the ASEAN Community by 2015

1. Urgent issues to be tackled in the first year

1. Achieve reconciliation through enhanced support to the Truth and Reconciliation

Commission (TRC)

2. Suppress drugs as a ―national mandate‖ through a focus on curative methods for drug

addicts and even more repression for drug dealers

3. Prevent and suppress corruption and misconduct in the public system by emphasizing good

governance and transparency

4. Improve water management systems to prevent problems of flooding and drought and

expand irrigation networks

5. Restore peace in the three southernmost provinces of Thailand through decentralization

6. Restore and tighten foreign relations including neighbouring countries in preparation of the

entry into the three ASEAN communities namely the economic, social and security

communities.

7. Alleviate the burden due to the high cost of living through fuel price cuts and the issuance

of credit cards

8. Increase quality of life (debt relief schemes, minimum daily wage increase to 300 THB,

entry-level salary for Bachelor degree graduates increase to 15,000 THB a month, pension

retirement scheme increase to 600 THB a month for 60-69 year-old, 700 THB a month for

70-79 year-old, 800 for 80-89 year-old and 1,000 for 90 year-old and above, decrease taxes

for purchase of the first home and car)

9. Decrease corporate income tax to 23 percent in 2012 and 20 percent in 2013 to improve

Thai firms’ competitiveness

10.Increase people’s access to development funds (increase village development funds by 1

million THB, create a development fund for women, allocate a budget (300,000 THB to

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600,000THB) for capacity-building of villages and communities according to sufficiency

economy principles to implement self-development)

11. Increase the price of agricultural products and strengthen access to agriculture

development funds

12. Increase income from tourism industry and make the 2012-2013 years the ―Thailand

Miracle‖ year)

13. Support handicrafts and community specialty products to promote local identity and

specialty

14. Develop the health insurance system (continue the 30-THB health care scheme)

15. Provide each schoolchild with a computer tablet (the policy will be tested on pilot

schools before full implementation)

16. Push forward a political reform to deepen participatory democracy through constitutional

revision to be approved by referendum.

2. National security

- protect and promote the monarchy

- develop and build capacity of the army and the national defense system

- develop international cooperation

- develop the disaster prevention and crisis management systems to be ready to handle both

natural disasters and new threats including terrorism and transnational crime.

- suppress drugs and crime including tackling the issue of illegal immigrants

3.Economic policy

- macroeconomic policy: improve and develop mechanisms of crisis prevention and financial

risk management, reform the fiscal system to make it fairer and to improve Thai private

sector’s competitiveness, guarantee financial discipline, and improve local administrations

revenues to make them less dependent on the central administration subsidies.

- income generation: double the income from domestic and international tourism within the

next 5 years, make Thailand a core market for advance sales of agricultural products like rice

and sugar, build Thai petroleum companies reliance on the domestic market, develop

handicrafts and community products to make them gain access to international markets,

encourage foreign investment conducive to transfer of technologies to Thai people and new

public infrastructures.

- adjustment of economic structures: (i) in the agriculture sector: modernize the agriculture,

standardize animal-raising regulate the fishing activity, introduce and improve quality

checks, develop research and disseminate knowledge about agriculture techniques (including

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a TV programme), and get prepared to confront another food crisis (ii) in the industry:

increase productivity, decrease production costs and encourage the private sector to invest in

research and development to promote innovations both in production techniques and design,

so as to create a Thai brand, push for the development of technology-intensive industries

instead of labour-intensive ones, like the film industry, the sports industry, the tourism

industry, the design industry and the agro-processing industry, promote small and medium

enterprises, setting quality standards (to be common standards for ASEAN countries),

promote renewable energy, create an industry that is responsible/accountable to society

especially when it comes to pollution through increased community participation (iii) in the

tourism and sports sector: encourage the private sector and local administrations to invest in

tourism, look after norms and standards of tourism , and become an international center for

international summits and exhibits, healthcare and spa tourism, shooting spot for international

films, as well as invest in capacity-building, encourage the private sector and local

administrations to participate in the strategic planning and communication processes ,

develop sports including the building of related infrastructures as well as capacity of athletes

through funds, loans and special programmes

- investment, trade and market: promote the liberal market economy programme and focus on

protection of intellectual property, build confidence of investors

Yingluck also presented social policies, land, natural resources and environment

policies, research, technology, and science policies, foreign policy and international

economic policy, and good governance.

Constitution change One of the tasks the government assigned itself is to rewrite the 2007 Constitution. Some

parts are seen as undemocratic by the Pheua Thai (especially the Senate’s appointment). As

As summarized in the Bangkok Post―The party believes the charter is dictatorial, as it was a

product of the Sept 19, 2006 coup that ousted from power Thaksin Shinawatra, the drafters

of the constitution were selected with the blessing of the coup makers, so the charter itself

must be tainted.‖ (Bangkok Post, 25/08/11)

Constitutional change has often been at the top of the agenda for new governments. Division

over the 1997 ―people’s constitution‖ and the 2007 ―army’s constitution‖ has been for the last

couple of years one of the main polarizing factors in Thai politics.

The ―hot‖ issue lies in the mode of election of both houses as well as the regulations applying

to political parties, especially dissolution of political parties and amnesties. Critics say that

the main objective of the Thai Rak Thai’s successors, Phalang Prachachon and Pheua Thai,

has always been to amend the part on amnesties and dissolution of political parties for vote-

buying so as to allow Thaksin and many other executives of former Thai Rak Thai party to

come back to politics.

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Despite the new government’s renewed affirmations that such constitutional change has no

hidden agenda related to Thaksin, it is very likely that constitution changes would affect

Thaksin’s situation in one way or another, and then intensification of the political conflict

after a few months of calm would, in all likelihood, occur. An ABAC poll released on August

21 showed that the majority of Thai people were worried by ―a move by the Pheu Thai Party

to amend the constitution, saying it could cause a new round of conflict‖.

With regards to the drafting process, the deputy prime minister Chalerm Yubamrung

announced it would be a ―participatory process‖. The government would first amend article

291 (governing the way to amend the constitution) to allow the creation of a Constitution

Drafting Assembly composed of 99 members. 77 members would be from elections, one each

from the 77 provinces, and 22 others who would be selected from respected persons in

various fields (law, political sciences).Then it would be adopted by referendum. There is

speculation about the possible removal of article 309, granting amnesty, protection and

legitimacy to the coup-makers.

II.b Court cases and the justice system

Court cases: red-shirts

Many red-shirts were granted bail during the new government’s first month in office. This

was obtained through coordinated efforts of Pheu Thai MPs and the United Front for

Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) who launched a campaign to seek bail for red shirt

detainees nationwide. UDD chairwoman Tida Tawornseth, Pheu Thai list MPs and core red

shirt leaders, including Natthawut Saikua and Weng Tojirakarn, appeared in court to seek bail

for co-red-shirts and provided 500,000 to one million THB and their parliamentary status as

collateral.

It started with the release on bail of MP Jatuporn Prompan and Nisit Sinthuprai on the 2nd

of

August. Both red-shirts had been detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison since M23 ay

12.

In Udon Thani, 22 red-shirts were released on bail on August 16. Five others were released in

the following days in Minburi. On the 22, four red-shirts charged with arson of the provincial

hall and NBT television were granted bail in Khon Khaen.

However the Criminal Court refused to grant bail to two high-profile red-shirts detained for

lese majeste. They are Surachai Danwattananusorn, a labour activist and Somyos

Prueksakasemsuk, the editor of Voice of Thaksin Magazine.

Also, at the end of the month, 12 red-shirts were given jail sentences ranging from eight

months to 34 years for arson of the provincial hall of Ubon Ratchathani in May last year.

One of them, Thanusil Thanuthong, had been wrongfully arrested and detained at a Ubon

Ratchathani jail for more than a year. He was acquitted. Pheua Thai MPs tried to bail them

out almost immediately, but their demand was rejected.

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On the 25th

, in Prakhanong provincial court, three red-shirt supporters were acquitted

(Narumon Warunroongroj, Surachai Nilsopha and Chatree Srijinda on illegal possession of

war weapons)

Meanwhile, the UDD has been pressing the government for justice for the relatives of the 92

protesters who passed away last year during the crackdown on red-shirts. UDD demands

included bringing the perpetrators to justice as well as the payment of 10 million baht

compensation to the families of each of the 92 victims. Justice Minister Pracha Promnok

committed to set up a committee to consider the UDD’s demand. Besides the dead, there are

also ―disappeared‖ red-shirts from last year’s crackdown whose bodies have not yet been

found. No progress has been made on their cases since they have disappeared more than a

year ago. That might explain why, when 169 unidentified bodies were found buried in

Rayong’s temples, families of the disappeared jumped to the conclusion they were the

missing red-shirts, which they apparently are not.

Constitutional Court

Chat Cholawon, president of the Constitutional Court, resigned at the beginning of the month.

The remaining 8 members and Chat Cholawon, who despite resigning as a President still

remains a judge of the Constitutional Court, elected his successor among themselves on

August 24.

Court cases: the Shinawatras

The Appeals Court on Wednesday 24 acquitted Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra', ex-wife of

former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, in a famous tax evasion case, overturning the

lower court's three-year jail term verdict.

II.c Development of political actors

Democrat Party’s overhaul

Abhisit Vejjajiva was reelected as leader of the main opposition Democrat Party on August 6

with 96 percent of the Democrat votes . Chalermchai Sri-on was chosen as party secretary-

general with 72.2% of the vote. No other candidates were nominated for either post. Abhisit

proposed 6 candidates for the post of deputy party leader. Three of them _ Withoon Nambutr,

Korn Chatikavanij and Teera Slukpetch _ withdrew and the three others were elected. They

are Apirak Kosayodhin, Chamni Sakdiseth and Juti Krairiksh, who were elected with 95%,

92.5% and 91.5%, respectively.

Year Democrat Party Thai Rak Thai

People Power’s Party

Pheua Thai

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Leader Votes Leader Votes

2001 Chuan Leekpai 7 million Thaksin Shinawatra 15 million

2005 Banyat Bantadtan 7 million Thaksin Shinawatra 19 million

2007 AbhisitVejjajiya 11 million Samak Sundaravej 11 million

(100,000 more)

2011 Abhisit Vejjajiya 11 million Yingluck

Shinawatra

15 million

Meanwhile the Democrat Party announced it will set up its shadow Cabinet to monitor the

work of the Pheua Thai.

The yellow-shirts, who used to be such a great support for the Democrat Party, suffered an

ideological split at the occasion of the July 3 elections, the extremist wing calling for massive

―No-votes‖ to lead to an appointed authoritarian leader and the other one split between

calling to vote for the Democrats or the New Politics Party.

Like the Democrats, the yellow-shirts have lost a lot of support since the end of 2008. This

was shown in the poor electoral results of the New Politics Party, the political wing of the

PAD, even in Bangkok. Now facing the urgent need to change their discourse and attitudes,

considered by many of their former supporters as too extreme and conservative, 10 former

executives of the New Politics Party have decided to form ―The Green Politics group‖ to

oppose Pheu Thai's move to rewrite the charter and adopt an ecologist agenda. The motto

―against a Constitution tailored to help Thaksin‖ will likely be a powerful mobilizing tool to

oppose the government.

In late August, following a scandal over Bangkok gambling dens (sparked by a presentation

to parliament made by opposition MP Chuwit Kamolvisit), Deputy Prime Minister Pol Cpt

Chalerm Yubamrung spoke to the media, painting a picture of rampant illegal gambling

protected by kickbacks to police; the move was seen as part of preparations to remove nation

police chief Pol Gen Wichean Potephosree from office (deputy national police chief Pol Gen

Priewpan Damapong, elder brother of Thaksin’s ex-wife, is seen as the likely replacement).

Prime Minsiter Yingluck Shinawatra briefly presided over the Police Commission that day

before turning the meeting over to Chalerm; Yingluck reportedly said the matter of a

reshuffle, including the national police chief post, would be handled by Chalerm.

II.d Security and human rights

Press freedom

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During the government’s policy address to parliament and subsequent debate, a group of

redshirts reportedly assaulted two people who came to lay a wreath bearing the message ―To

Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont who is sitting in the heart of Thaksin – from the Democratic

Student Group‖ in protest of the Speaker’s performance in the course of debate on the

government’s policy statement; A Democrat MP also complained that redshirts put a sticker

advocating reform of lese majeste on his car and deflated his tires. At about the same time, a

group of journalists printed an open letter to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawata complaining

of intimidation at the hands of redshirt Pheu Thai supporters; the journalists complained after

seeing alleged redshirt emails that expressed dissatisfaction with the reporting of a certain

Channel 7 reporter, and the directive to ―take care of her when you see her‖; redshirts felt that

the reporter had been aggressive and disrespectful in questions addressed to Yingluck. There

were also reports that redshirts surrounded and intimidated a reporter from China’s CCTV;

the reporter apparently wore yellow as she tried to report on the redshirt gathering.

Lese majeste The Pheua Thai government announced his willingness to safeguard the institution of the

monarchy, mainly through censorship like former governments did(using article 112 of the

penal code as well as the 2007 Computer Crimes Act), making it a priority of its political

programme. The deputy prime minister, Chalerm Yubamrung, announced the creation of a

war room to monitor lese majeste content on websites and blogs. As reported in the Bangkok

Post on August 28, the number of legal cases related to lese majeste rose from 28 in 2008 to

76 in 2010.The trial of Ms. Chiranuch Premchaiporn, executive director of the

Prachathai.com website, for not deleting comments deemed offensive to the monarchy on her

website, is ongoing. She faces possible sentences of up to 50 years. She said ―There's strong

evidence that, with the political conflict, this law has been abused.‖. A rally asking for release

of people imprisoned under the lese majeste law , and especially Somyos Prueksakasemsuk,

core red-shirt leader, was held on August 22 in front of Government House. Some observers

predict the government’s position on lese majeste will be a source of tension between it and

red-shirt supporters,--

Southernmost provinces Violence in the three southernmost provinces of Thailand, namely Yala, Pattani and

Narathiwat continued unabated throughout the month. Since it flared up in 2004, more than

5,000 people have been killed, mostly in drive-by shootings and ambushes. The population,

who in majority, did vote for the Democrats, is urging the Pheua Thai party to keep his

promise to create a special administrative zone for the area which, they hope, would give

them more autonomy vis a vis the central administration. Possible models include the special

administrative zone of Bangkok (with an elected Governor, unlike in other provinces of

Thailand) or Pattaya. Defence Minsiter Gen Yutthasak Sasiprapa declared that he would not

move forward on the Pheu Thai campaign promise of a special administrative zone in the

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South, until he can hear from various concerned parties in region, including the army and

certain special organizations, as well as local leaders.

Economy and society

Telecoms In the 3G- saga, the resolution of the legal void concerning the lack of a commission with the

mandate to handle telecom bidding processes seems to get closer. Indeed, on August 8, the

Senate voted 123:6 to set up a panel to scrutinise the profiles of the 44 nominees for the 11-

member National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission. Complications,

however, remain. The Department of Special Investigation said that its preliminary

investigation indicates that the process of selecting candidates for the 11 seats on the National

Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission appears to be unlawful, and that some

members of the selection panel have close relations with some of the final 44 candidates. The

Senate was considering the qualifications of the final 44 candidates, and was scheduled to

make its final selection on 5 September. The Administrative Court then threw out a challenge

to the NBTC member selection process, filed by Suranan Wongwitthayakamchon, who failed

to make the candidate shortlist by one place, but then was not called upon when a shortlisted

candidate was later disqualified. Suranan said he would appeal. At least four other legal

challenges remained.

Energy policy In late August, the government ordered that contributions to the State Oil Fund, and value-

added tax on fuel be cut immediately; pump prices of 95 and 91 octane petrol dropped

sharply, so much so that consumers began favoring them over highly promoted and

subsidized, but now only marginally less expensive, gasohol blends. Diesel price also fell. Oil

Fund revenues are used to subsidize gasohol and cooking gas.

Flooding Flooding continued, with the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department by 20 August

declaring 28 provinces as disaster areas—at the time the situation had improved in 16 of the

provinces, but 12 provinces remained in critical condition. Damage was said to be in the

hundreds of millions of baht. By 21 August, the death toll reached 37 people. Prime Minster

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Yingluck Shinawatra held an emergency video conference with governors of Sukhothai,

Nakhon Sawan, Ayutthaya and Mukdahan, and ordered emergency measures, apparently

including building more embankments and more pumping to drain flooded areas. Water

drained slowly, and continuing heavy rainfall continued to swell rivers. Flood relief efforts

became politicized, with the government and the now-opposition Democrat Party trading

blame for shortcomings in official response (and funding for response) to the situation.