A Year Later ... Was It Worth It?

[Flashermac]

The night of October 31 last year saw Thailand's most effective "whistle blowers" unfurl their banner of revolt after a controversial amnesty bill aimed at favouring fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra was passed by the lower House just before dawn.

 

The rally against the then government's supposedly illegitimate act ignited public attention. Those who strongly opposed Thaksin came together and united with the banner of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) under the leadership of former Democrat Party MP Suthep Thaugsuban.

 

Their 204-day rally finally ended with a military coup. Although the PDRC's ambitions have not achieved in the way they planned, they still have hopes that the military would affect national reforms that would meet PDRC's goals.

 

PDRC spokesman Akanat Promphan said the military coup may have contradicted PDRC's original goal - a people's revolution - but both ambitions had something in common.

 

"There has never been a recorded peaceful protest that turned out successfully - but we [still] insisted we would protest peacefully. It turned out finally that the junta was a factor that helped accomplish the goal," Akanat said.

 

"The end may justify the means. Its [junta] goal was similar though not exactly the same as ours. If the people's revolution had succeeded we would have definitely impeached [corrupt politicians]," he said.

 

Akanat referred to an impeachment case against former Parliament president Somsak Kiatsuranon and his then-deputy Nikom Wairatpanich, who allegedly violated the 2007 charter by amending the composition of the Senate.

 

In response to a metaphor by a red-shirt leader comparing the PDRC to a genie, who seeks a magic carpet [metaphor for the military junta], Akanat said, "The giant or the genie can fly by himself, he does not need the magic carpet to fly."

 

However, Akanat said it was hard to sum up whether the coup was a price worth paying for the country because national reform is not over yet.

 

"I see some hope, even if it is just a dream that hasn't come true yet, but we have another year left to wait and see the outcome," he said.

 

Akanat recalled the amnesty bill as the highest level of dictatorship and a cause that forced people to come out on the streets.

 

However, he was not sure if the PDRC would have been born in the absence of the amnesty bill.

 

"It [the amnesty bill] was like an abscess in a wound full of bacteria that exploded," he said.

 

Another PDRC co-leader Tankhun Jitt-itsara said a year later that the PDRC has made people recognise democratic ideology and created a social awareness about illegitimate government actions.

 

At first, the PDRC was a small group of people who opposed the politicians and the government's abuse of power, which focused on opposing the amnesty for Thaksin bill. Later it showed the people would actually come forward to represent democracy.

 

He concluded that one of the PDRC's accomplishments was that right now the country was reforming in 11 areas and enlisting people's representatives to ensure scrutiny of the government.

 

During its rally, the PDRC was seen as siding with the military junta as conspirators in the coup. Akanat rejected this, saying "If we were really on the same side as the junta, why did they not stage a coup at the beginning of our rally? Why let our supporters be attacked to death?" he said.

 

Several people affiliated with the PDRC are now involved with the national reform process conducted by the junta, while a few red shirts are also taking part. Akanat argued it would not be fair to limit or curb them from joining in the reform. They joined our stage during the rally because they had the same idea as us and were fighting for the people.

 

Asked whether it was possible for the PDRC to gather again once martial law was lifted, he said there would certainly be more protests if there were to be any use of illegitimate authority or abuse of power.

 

However, he could not predict what would be the last straw or the cause for people to come out on the streets again to protest against the junta.

 

"It needs to be really justified [to gather again]. But I believe that their [the protesters] ideology and faith to fight against dictators still exists," he said.

 

The PDRC has now transformed its role from street protests to a "mass people" foundation. Its key leader Suthep became a monk in July, along with other leaders who will shortly join their leader in the peaceful world of religion.

 

Phra Suthep has shown no sign that he will leave the monkhood, according to Akanat. Suthep never mentioned it, but only said he would continue his monkhood until at least 204 days - equal to the time they started the rally, or around next February.

 

Akanat, who also entered the monkhood for around two weeks, still connects with his supporters. He is now an anchor of "Khor Chad Chad" programme on the Fah Wan Mai or former Blue Sky Channel, which broadcast the PDRC's activities during the protests. It is still an important source for PDRC supporters to monitor their people, although its rating is not as good as before.

 

Thakerng Somsab director of Fah Wan Mai channel, said its ratings could not be compared with the time when the PDRC was active and the channel was suspended for three months under the junta's order.

 

"The highest rating of Blue Sky channel was when we aired the PDRC protest and really grabbed the people's attention," said Thakerng.

 

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/A-year-later--was-it-worth-it-30246652.html