Thailand Crisis

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said he has been folding paper cranes while listening to House debates since he was young.

During his live talk programme on NBT channel, Samak said he would like to tell his critics that there was nothing wrong with the paper crane folding because he concentrated on hearing the debates while folding the papers. (Nation)

This is the quintessence of the cheap rethoric thai politicians love to use, believing that they will subdue their audience.

Let me rephrase, so you can understand better : “I’ve been picking my nose while listening to House debate since I was young ! So you can’t accuse me for picking my nose now. I didn’t change. Therefore you’re wrong“.

In a way, that’s why Samak is fascinating : he’s a pig and he’s extremely proud of it.

Former deputy prime minister Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin pulls Chaiyasit Shinawatra, a cousin of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, to post for picture with him and his son at the wedding reception of Sonthi’s son at Hotel Athenee Saturday. (Nation)

No, no… Sonthi was first the… Coup leader of september 2006, and then Junta’s chief, and then… at the end of Surayud gvt Deputy PM… Nation is way too shy.

It’s good to see that family matters soften political divisions, isn’t it ?

Even though Sonthi had to “pull” Thaksin’s cousin by the arm.

Anyway, this picture gives us another good news : Sonthi is still alive ! Many people were afraid… after the victory of the PPP in december, Sonthi totally disappeared.

As they say, all the wounds heal with time.

Our best wishes to the young couple.

It’s huge. A Democrat MP, a doctor, attacked Samak wednesday during the second day of the censure debate. This woman is courageous !

Democrat MP Malinee Sukvejworakij, who is a doctor of medicine, told the House that Mr Samak showed symptoms of a mental deficiency and behaviour disorder. He should take leave and get treatment for the sake of the country, she said.

Dr Malinee said there was medical evidence to confirm that his glaring at reporters and ordering cake and red cordial drinks like a child reflected a low IQ and low emotional quotient.

She referred to Mr Samak’s moody look prior to a luncheon with coalition partners early this month.

”A leader needs both mental and physical strength. Mr Samak should take a break to seek medical help,’‘ she said. (Bangkok Post)

It’s a classic. A thai classic. What ? The famous “Third Party”.

If you are a general, a police officer, a minister, or any other official lunatic and that you don’t know what to do or what to say to journalists… you shall use the “Third Party” concept.

The point is : you know of course who is the “Third Party”. But you won’t tell. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fun, right ?

So here is the “Third Party of The Day”.

Deputy national police chief Jongrak Juthanont admitted Tuesday he has received reports that a third party plans to stir unrest around the Government House, where anti-government group rallies.

Pol Lt Gen Jongrak, however, refused to go into detail who they are. (Bangkok Post)

This deputy police chief is nothing but a clown. A childish clown who lacks self confidence and who probably suffered from a lack of maternal love during his childhood, therefore he needs to feel important, he needs to draw public attention to him.

The “Third Party” theory is the perfect mean.

Anyway his boss, the Interior Minister Chalerm, suffers from exactly the same disease (with even more serious symptoms).

“Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung states that he has received a report on a possible attack by an ill-will group, wishing to interfere with the People’s Alliance for Democracy rally and worsen the current conflict.“

And this group was “the same gang responsible for the New Year’s bomb attack in nine areas throughout the metropolitan“.

He said that on may 30.

Of course you understand that because we still don’t know who was behind this terrorist attack (the case is of course unsolved and never will be) it fits totally the “Third Party” concept.

[if you wish to go deeper into the "Third Party" theory, check this out : the Prime Minister Samak uses it, but with... some nice variations]

Caption (pointless to comment further) : “Despite facing no-confidence debate in the Parliament, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej shows his skill of making paper bird. (Nation)”

There is a debate today at the Senate “to question the performance of the government“.

Under high pressure (protests and media hysteria), Prime Minister Samak delivered some answers… very rich from a rethorical point of view.

“Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej Monday responded to senators who criticised him during the debate that they could attack and burn the entire family of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra but he would not tolerate with their criticisms.

“Don’t mess with a man called Samak,” the prime minister said angrily when responding to questions of senators.

He strongly criticised the senators who attacked him of being inexperienced in politics and its system.” (Nation)

Samak must be surprised. He’s certainly not used to be “grilled”… That must be new for him.

After :

-”the gang of New Year bombings could attack“
-”ASTV’s presentation of the rally is against the law as the protest is illegal in its obstruction of traffic“

… here is the “lunacy of the day” from the Interior Minister. Ready ?

Interior Minister Chalerm Yubamrung said arms are being smuggled into the city, which are expected to be used to stir unrest in Bangkok around the end of the week.

Mr Chalerm said he received this information from a reliable source who graduated from Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy.

His statement came after People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) set Friday as D-Day to hold a major rally at the Government House.

The minister also accused the PAD of using people who have been trained to use special arms to use as the guards stationing at Makkhawan Rangsit bridge where the group supporters gather.

He added that the group might try all it can to stir unrest and to pressure or hurt government officials, but said he is certain that authorities will be able to control the situation.

Chalerm lives in his small world, far, far away in another galaxy. Chalerm is a clown. A dangerous one.

Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobumrung has ordered governors in all provinces to prosecute local cable TV networks that broadcasts ASTV’s signal.

The interior minister says ASTV’s presentation of the rally is against the law as the protest is illegal in its obstruction of traffic.

The interior minister claims that under article 85, local cable TV companies that broadcast live footage of the rally could, therefore, receive up to six months prison penalty.

He says the People’s Alliance for Democracy rally at Makawan Bridge is violating articles 215 and article 216 as it is interrupting the nation’s peace. (TOC)

Chalerm says he knows who killed 3 people and wounded 38 during the New Year bombings… he likes to hunt “wrong” websites too… his youngest son was charged for the murder of a… police officer in a nightclub (he fled to Malaysia… but then was acquitted)… ! … This man, ladies and gentleman, is the current Interior Minister of Thailand…

He’s probably more dangerous and lunatic than the Prime Minister Samak…

“interrupting the nation’s peace“… “ASTV’s presentation of the rally is against the law as the protest is illegal in its obstruction of traffic“… It’s hilarious !

You understand that with such low level ministers… the country can’t go forward.

In his speech given to newly appointed judges on the Constitution Court on Wednesday, His Majesty the King said: “The Constitution is a pillar needed in running the country.”

“With the pillar, the governance and people determined to follow the principles, the country will function well,” he added.

The nine judges, led by Court Chief Justice Chat Chollaworn, were sworn in by His Majesty.

“The Constitution is a vital factor for the country, because with it as a pillar in running the country, governance will go well,” the King said.

In another speech made later with Administrative Court judges, led by Akkarathorn Chularat, HM the King told them to “act in accordance with the Constitution.” (Nation)

This seems to be a clear… message.

Remember that the one of the biggest blocking points since a few weeks in the country, is the will from the government to amend/change/rewrite the Constitution (with a referendum…).

I’m not usually a big fan of Bangkok Post’s editorials… But I like this one.

It’s a very good portrait of the infamous Samak, the current “Prime Minister”.

Indeed, this man is a symbol of the past, a bad past. Anyway, at 72 years old, and because of the current situation, he’s likely to be quickly forgotten… and to finish into the history’s… garbages.

Where, surely, he belongs…

[to read his infamous statements : burmese dicators are good budhists, "killings are normal", only 1 dead in 1976, "if they were innocent why were they killed", Aung San Suu Kyi is married to a foreigner so..., his grotesque lunacies, his seizures of memory losses alzheimer type... his obsession with thai flags... his pathetic self illusion of grandeur, etc. The guy is a champion. World class... ]

What I found revealing was how the PM spent most of his speech blasting the opposition leader for suffering the insolence of youth in making an inquiry into an event that occurred when he was only a child and in daring to question him, who was much older and now a phuyai in the seat of power.

Obviously not wanting to have to deign to answer Mr Abhisit’s questions, the 72-year-old PM reproached: “These days, it is probably considered chic and cool for kids to show disrespect towards elders, to openly question their wisdom and action.”

That somehow summarised how PM Samak’s logic works and that’s about all he cares - conformity to the phuyai-ruled and phuyai-knows-best norms.

PM Samak has the kind of mindset and attitude that belongs in the past, in the older, more tradition-bound version of Thailand which no longer exists. Today, merit is becoming as important, or even more so, than seniority.

You get by in your job not because you are old enough, but because you are proven to be good at it. PM Samak won’t get this. He will find the notion unbearably arrogant.

The single fact that PM Samak is behind the times and cannot keep up with the realities of the ever-changing world of today, has manifest itself in the many failures, mistakes and gaffes that he has managed to make during a relatively short time: Praising the Burmese junta as good Buddhists; the many insults to members of the press corps and the tendency to blame them for whatever goes wrong; freelancing as host of commercial TV cooking shows while the country’s more pressing problems remain unsolved; the out-of-place and irresponsible remark about two banks being in trouble which caused a small run on one bank… The embarrassing list is long and sure to grow even longer. [to read the whole article, click here]

Jonathan Head, the BBB correspondent accused of lese-majeste (read about this insane story here), wrote another good piece about the political stalemate in Thailand.

So Thailand is stuck in a stalemate again. There is widespread expectation that the outspoken Mr Samak will lose control of his coalition, and possibly his party.

The threat of dissolution worries many of his MPs, who may prefer a more accommodating approach to their political rivals in the hope of forestalling such an outcome.

No parties can afford the expense of another election. Instead Thailand is likely to end up with a caretaker prime minister, presiding over a weak, re-constituted coalition.

That might be exactly the result the traditionalists, those who supported the military coup, would like.

But it would offer no clear leadership to a country which has been without it ever since Thaksin Shinawatra’s fall from power.