PAD urges mass defiance campaign

By David Ogan

20 July 2006

In what can be perceived as their harshest condemnation of the so-called Thaksin regime, leaders of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) yesterday called upon all citizens and public servants to openly defy the caretaker administration of caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

They also described the caretaker government as a rogue regime, saying it had remained in power beyond constitutional time limits.

As the caretaker government signalled that a major reshuffle of high-ranking pubic servants is in the works after Thaksin announced to nearly 100,000 local administration officials on Tuesday night that he was staying put, the PAD leadership said that the country has to get rid of him in order to preserve democracy with His Majesty the King as Head of State.

Four of the five PAD core leaders, Sondhi Limthongkul, Pipob Thongchai, Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang and Somsak Kosaisuk, met yesterday to discuss recent political developments, then announced five measures that they urged the public to take up to expedite the departure of Thaksin, whom they condemn as the seed of all troubles the country faces today.

Suriyasai Katasila, the PAD spokesman, read out a communique calling on all citizens and public servants to unite against the caretaker government.

“We urge the public and all civil servants to stand up to preserve the democracy with King as Head of State,” Suriyasai read. “We also urge all civil servants, especially bureaucrats, police, and the military to prevent the Thaksin regime from swallowing up or toppling any institutions of the country.”

“Thaksin and his regime is the gravest crisis faced by all citizens, the religious institutions and the monarchy,” he said.

Summing up several alleged crimes against the country, Suriyasai accused Thaksin of trying to transform Thailand into a colony of western countries through Free Trade Agreements, reaping profits from selling off state enterprises, corruption through policies, trying to reduce the status of the monarchy, and turning citizens and civil servants into slaves of the regime.

PAD’s plan calls for the public to prevent Thaksin from insulting the monarchy, to push ahead for the general election on October 15, and to prevent the appointment of high ranking officials by the caretaker government that infringe upon the royal prerogative.

Other than urging public servants to stop acting as tools for the caretaker government, the PAD also warned foreign governments against entering into any commitments with Thaksin’s administration because it no longer represents the Thai people.

“After 135 days since the last election, the caretaker government is staying in power beyond the legal stipulations in the Constitution,” Suriyasai said.

“The political crisis we face today exists solely because of the illegitimacy of the Thaksin government,” he added. “Ridding [politics] of him is the most important priority.”

Pipob said that other than urging the public and civil servants to engage in a more aggressive form of civil disobedience, PAD will trigger a new round of anti-Thaksin protests, but only after His Majesty the King has completely recovered from his operation.

“Thaksin has shown no remorse in struggling to remain in power and is willing to destroy all social elements such as the courts that are under mandate of the King to resolve the turmoil,” he said.

Maj-Gen Chamlong said Thaksin’s call for reconciliation was a political game that served only his interests.

“There is only one way for reconciliation now, that is the resignation of Thaksin,” he said.

Thai Day