All the standards of Thai politics are coming into play. From politically fatal moves being self inflicted, to dragging of feet to slow down the process that will carry out said fatal moves.
Court days have arrived and few expect the Thaksin proxy Pheu Thai Party (PTP) lead government to survive the court. With the PTP blindly following Thaksin’s instructions, coupled with Thaksin’s inability to respect the law, the eventual outcome was foreseen even before the King endorsed the PTP Government when they were elected.
The People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) helped contribute to the demise of the PTP, but lacked the strength to deliver a decisive blow. Their efforts to bring in a neutral Government to install very tough anti corruption laws and penalties has wide spread support with the majority of Thais, and totally despised by the corrupt minded politicians.
The Red Shirts for the most part are looking foolish and uneducated. The process of democracy and the process of law go hand and hand and are not necessarily one when it comes to criminal actions. But the Red Shirts would have you believe that the process of convicting politicians who violated the law is a judicial coup. All they need do is turn their eyes to the USA who first modeled democracy to see one corrupt politician after another being removed from office and sentenced to jail.
The Red Shirts planned action to create problems if the Government is removed by the court, simply lacks any sense of logic and will have profound negative effects on what little respect they have left. For a country that is so focused on pride and saving face, their actions will have the opposite effect.
Then there is Thaksin himself who used people to do his bidding. He stays beyond the reach of the leash and the chain of Thai laws while sending in people who will eventually suffer personal losses ranging from financial to hard jail time.
What will happen next is hard to say. Much depends on how the court rules and how many politicians are taken out. With Thaksin looking to now cut deals, that translates to wholesale house cleaning by the court as several if not all members of the cabinet are removed from office. Keeping in mind it was actions to support Thaksin and not put the Thai people first that brought things to this point.
Connecting the Dots wishes to reserve our prediction at this point. Is seems several people are starting to change sides or starting to consider it and support the PDRC. These are typical behaviors when it seems a power shift is underway or about to happen. The biggest example is the Thai Police, they simply fall behind who is the boss no matter what ideology the boss has.
Much of what happens next may be governed by the King through article 7 of the Constitution. Article 7 is a one size fits all spandex article to be used if nothing else fits.
Section 7. Whenever no provision under this Constitution is applicable to any case, it shall be decided in accordance with the constitutional convention in the democratic regime of government with the King as Head of State.
