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Blood on the streets

Tensions soar and violence flares as Thailand's political protests intensify

The story

Violent anti-government protests in Thailand left two dead, more than 450 injured, and the country's democratic prospects in jeopardy as opposition leaders struck another blow to the government. The worst political violence in 16 years kicked off when the People's Alliance for Democracy, a group of royalist academics, activists and businesspeople, laid siege to parliament. Riot police were sent in to disperse the thousands of demonstrators, firing volleys of tear gas into the crowds. Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's brother-in-law, was forced to flee Parliament House by helicopter. The PAD supporters were trying to stop the inauguration of a government they claim is a puppet for Thaksin. The PAD wants the current leaders to step down, and the constitution amended, replacing the one man, one vote scheme with a 30 percent elected, 70 percent appointed system. It argues that the system is susceptible to vote buying and the rural majority, Thaksin's power base, is not sophisticated enough to vote responsibly.

A day before the riots, opposition leader Chamlong Srimuang was arrested. Deputy prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, the government's chief negotiator with the demonstrators, resigned after the violence, saying the police had failed to exercise sufficient restraint. Seven leaders of the protests surrendered to police on Thursday after insurrection charges against them were dropped. But PAD spokesman Suriyasai Katasila told Agence France-Presse that "we will continue our fight." 

What's being said

Gone is "respect for equality, civil society and all other good values of democracy" as the country reaches "the verge of civil war," laments The Nation. All parties should take responsibility for their actions, and Somchai must order a "fair investigation into the clashes." "Dialogue, not violence" is the way to end the standoff peacefully. But it won't be easy, warns Larry Jagan in Asia Sentinel. Thai society has "never been so divided," and there appears to be "no way out of the current deadlock. "Ensuring that violence doesn't erupt again will be "a tall order," says Pavin Chachavalpongpun in The Japan Times. Especially because so little is known about the

"PAD's position, its political dogma and why it persists in its opposition" to the People Power Party. The PAD is "a threat to Thai democracy," comparable to the communists of yesteryear, who shared PAD's goal of legitimizing "minority rule." Still, ordinary citizens should "take heart," says Sanitsuda Ekachai in the Bangkok Post. The fact that people have access to information from both sides of the conflict shows that "ours is now a much more open society" than in the past. Previous efforts to "end autocracy" have not been in vain.

What's next

The situation looks set to get worse before it gets better. While Somchai met with foreign diplomats, assuring them he was still fit to govern, protesters vowed to avenge those killed. Some experts say the PAD will push until the military stages yet another coup. "There is no end game in sight," political scientist Ji Ungpakorn told The Associated Press.

 

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