ID :
20768
Tue, 09/23/2008 - 15:54
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/20768
The shortlink copeid
OVERTHROWING ELECTED GOVERNMENT WILL DEAL SEVERE BLOW TO THAILAND
BANGKOK, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- Overthrowing the elected government, either
by
a coup or by street demonstrations, would be a severe blow to Thailand's
democracy and would do nothing to resolve the deep political polarisation that
is tearing the country apart, the International Crisis Group (ICG) said Tuesday.
Instead, the kingdom urgently needed a peaceful and democratic solution if
it wanted to step back from its political crisis, Rungrawee Chalermsripinyorat,
ICG's Thailand analyst said in the group's "Thailand: Calming the Political
Turmoil," report released Tuesday.
Citing the ongoing demonstration by the People's Alliance for Democracy
(PAD) which continued to demand that the government resign and remained inside
the Government House that they seized on Aug 26, ICG said every day the standoff
continuesd political divisions became more intractable, and another coup became
more likely.
ICG said the crisis in Bangkok was crippling the economy, diverting
attention from key issues such as the insurgency in the South and undermining
Thailand's chairmanship of Asean.
John Virgoe, ICG's Southeast Asia Project Director, said Thailand was often
a bell-wether for the state of democracy in the region, and the international
community should be deeply concerned about a return to military or elite
rule.
He said Thailand's partners, and especially Asean countries, should convey
a
clear message that another coup would be unacceptable.
The report also said that the replacement of Samak Sundaravej with Somchai
Wongsawat, brother-in-law of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, as the country's
26th prime minister was unlikely to defuse tensions. The Constitutional Court
disqualified Samak from office on Sept 9.
ICG said the immediate need was to restore the rule of law and authority of
the government -- not because it is perfect, but for the sake of stability and
democracy.
"Senior establishment and army figures should cease sending mixed signals
and make clear their support for Thailand's elected government and the rule of
law. The PAD should respect the rule of law and cease its illegal occupation of
Government House, and the nine PAD leaders for whom arrest warrants have been
issued should surrender," it said.
ICG said complaints of government incompetence or malpractice could and
should be pursued through democratic and constitutional means, including the
courts and parliament, but condemned PAD's proposals for a "new politics", which
essentially is a reversion to government by the elite, with only 30 per cent of
parliamentarians elected.
The group said that even the current constitutional settlement, imposed by
the military government last year, gave the courts and bureaucracy too much
power to thwart and undermine an elected government for relatively minor
failings, citing Samak's television cooking programmes that saw him being
disqualified, a trivial offence in most countries.
by
a coup or by street demonstrations, would be a severe blow to Thailand's
democracy and would do nothing to resolve the deep political polarisation that
is tearing the country apart, the International Crisis Group (ICG) said Tuesday.
Instead, the kingdom urgently needed a peaceful and democratic solution if
it wanted to step back from its political crisis, Rungrawee Chalermsripinyorat,
ICG's Thailand analyst said in the group's "Thailand: Calming the Political
Turmoil," report released Tuesday.
Citing the ongoing demonstration by the People's Alliance for Democracy
(PAD) which continued to demand that the government resign and remained inside
the Government House that they seized on Aug 26, ICG said every day the standoff
continuesd political divisions became more intractable, and another coup became
more likely.
ICG said the crisis in Bangkok was crippling the economy, diverting
attention from key issues such as the insurgency in the South and undermining
Thailand's chairmanship of Asean.
John Virgoe, ICG's Southeast Asia Project Director, said Thailand was often
a bell-wether for the state of democracy in the region, and the international
community should be deeply concerned about a return to military or elite
rule.
He said Thailand's partners, and especially Asean countries, should convey
a
clear message that another coup would be unacceptable.
The report also said that the replacement of Samak Sundaravej with Somchai
Wongsawat, brother-in-law of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, as the country's
26th prime minister was unlikely to defuse tensions. The Constitutional Court
disqualified Samak from office on Sept 9.
ICG said the immediate need was to restore the rule of law and authority of
the government -- not because it is perfect, but for the sake of stability and
democracy.
"Senior establishment and army figures should cease sending mixed signals
and make clear their support for Thailand's elected government and the rule of
law. The PAD should respect the rule of law and cease its illegal occupation of
Government House, and the nine PAD leaders for whom arrest warrants have been
issued should surrender," it said.
ICG said complaints of government incompetence or malpractice could and
should be pursued through democratic and constitutional means, including the
courts and parliament, but condemned PAD's proposals for a "new politics", which
essentially is a reversion to government by the elite, with only 30 per cent of
parliamentarians elected.
The group said that even the current constitutional settlement, imposed by
the military government last year, gave the courts and bureaucracy too much
power to thwart and undermine an elected government for relatively minor
failings, citing Samak's television cooking programmes that saw him being
disqualified, a trivial offence in most countries.
