UDD should go to negotiating table

[Flashermac]

Bangkok Post

23 Mar 2010

 

 

Another UDD mass rally this coming Saturday will not succeed in forcing the government to bow to its demand for a House dissolution. Instead, it will cause unnecessary hardship for innocent people as the roads again become clogged by a protest convoy.

 

The three co-leaders of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) should stop fooling themselves and be more realistic if they seriously hope to achieve anything substantive in their so-called final war against the Abhisit government.

 

This weekend's rally will not be the biggest ever, just as the March 14 “one million-man protest†remains just a pipe dream.

 

Nor will it succeed in forcing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve the House of Representatives, as they have persistently demanded. On the contrary, the protest may backfire on the UDD’s current campaign to seek sympathy and support from Bangkok’s middle-class people for their political cause.

 

[color:red]In the name of common sense, how can you expect other people to understand you and give you their support if you keep on causing them unnecessary hardship?[/color]

 

The UDD co-leaders, namely Veera Musikhapong, Natthawut Saikua and Jatuporn Prompan, should sit down at the negotiating table in a mature and reasonable manner – which means they should drop their demand for an immediate House dissolution, which will never be accepted by the government.

 

After all, they are not in such a strong bargaining position as to make such a demand in the first place.

 

In the meantime, no precondition should be raised by the government as it woulod only pose an obstacle to a dialogue between the two rival camps. Even ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra should not be excluded from the negotiating process since, in reality, he is in total command of the UDD, but without any preconditions either.

 

[color:red]The offer by Thaksin’s younger brother Payap to act as a go-between on the condition that the convicted former premier would not be arrested upon his return home and that he be allowed to freely leave the country again is clearly not acceptable to the government.[/color] Submitting to such a condition would make Thaksin a privileged person, while the government could be criticised for not enforcing the law as Thaksin is a fugitive.

 

[color:red]The UDD’s earlier demand for directly talks with Mr Abhisit on the grounds that the prime minister is the only person who can make the dissolution decision is also not realistic. The UDD leaders themselves are not the final arbiters, as they still take orders from Thaksin.[/color]

 

For a start, informal talks should be held by authorised representatives from both sides on issues to be on the agenda for discussion, such as a House dissolution and the right timing for the dissolution. The participation of a mediator acceptable to both sides would be helpful.

 

Meanwhile, the UDD can carry on with its protest, as it so wishes, provided that protest stays within the framework of the law.

 

 

[expat]

Wow, it's hard to believe such a badly written article would be published.

[Flashermac]

So you've never read the English language press in Thailand before, huh.