Thailand’s government took another step closer to a coup in the last 24 hours. This gathering of bad boys has once again shown that they are only concerned about themselves and not the country. Of the people polled, Prime Minister Samak’s popularity ratings, compared to the 45.4% of support from the people he garnered in February, that figure has now dropped to 21.4% in May.
The main issue at hand is the ruling party faces dissolution for irregularities in the December elections. Under the new charter that was given teeth to keep the bad boy politicians under control, a party can be dissolved if a party executive is involved in fraudulent election practices. So now the ruling party is doing it’s best to pull the teeth from the charter so they can stay in power. Needless to say this is a formula for a coup.
Picking up from the May 7 post “Fast track to a coup” there have been some exciting events in Thailand. Prime Minister’s Office Minister Jakrapob Penkair is under fire for remarks made about the King of Thailand. Thailand has lese majeste laws that protect the royal family and it appears Jakrapob may have stepped over the line. He is also under attack for moves to clamp down on freedom of the press only allowing pro comments on the ruling party to be aired.
The country once again has become polarized to the state it was prior to the September 19, 2006 coup. The people polled also feel there is a 60% chance of a coup.
Groups like “The People’s Alliance for Democracy” (PAD) have once again become active because of the actions of the government. A PAD rally is planned for this weekend.
If you step back and ask how this bunch of thugs go into office you need to understand the Thai education system. Simply put they have a no fail policy installed by the government several years ago. A student can sleep in the back of the class all day every day and still pass. Being young many fall to temptation. Because of the largely uneducated rural area, and the significant population found there, tricking them or buying there votes is the deal. There is a very clear line that showns the higher the education, the less the ruling party is liked. Simply put, the under educated Thais put the thugs in office.
Behind all of this it the former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who is known to be the puppet master of the ruling party. Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted by the September 19, 2006 bloodless coup and is working at regaining his power. If that were to ever happen Thailand would suddenly look more like it’s neighbor to the west Burma. Thaksin had dismantled nearly all of the government and was only hours away from controlling the military before the coup. Essentially Thaksin was near dictator status as he had consolidated all power under him. If he was successful in controlling the military, the prediction was people that opposed Thaksin would start to disappear. Because of that the coup was welcome with open arms and yellow ribbons. The next coup looks not to be bloodless as once again Thaksin through his puppet government has stated placing his people in key military posts. The people in Thailand are not talking if there will be a coup, but when.
