Unity efforts could backfire

Unity efforts could backfire
Reconciliation with amnesties is so badly sought it could spark new turmoil - Yongyuth Tiyapairat may bounce back into politics, but he fears his wife may be bounced out - The hottest guessing game in town is who in House No.111 will be welcomed back into the fold

Published: 19/05/2012 at 03:31 AM

National reconciliation may soon be set in law, which could spell renewed political tension.As the country recovers from the fallout from the street protests two years ago, fears of another confrontation with dire consequences loom large on the horizon.

The ongoing legislative moves toward amending the charter has heightened concerns in some quarters that the relative calm on the political front could be a short-lived phenomenon.

However, the process, which aims to rid the current charter of its flaws and forge national unity, is expected to be too long for some ''stakeholders'' in the reconciliation efforts.

Charter amendment is still a long way off. The constitution drafting assembly has yet to be created and any amendments will be subject to a referendum.

An amended charter is not likely to materialise for at least another year.

For the ''stakeholders'', who include those blamed for sowing the seeds of social division and at the same time potentially holding the key to a solution, mending a nation shattered by years of conflict cannot wait for the new charter.

King Prajadhipok's Institute (KPI) was earlier approached by the House of Representatives to conduct research on potential solutions to national reconciliation.

The research, however, took a controversial spin by recommending an amnesty for political offenders and that corruption charges lodged by the now-dissolved Assets Scrutiny Committee against the Thaksin Shinawatra administration be dropped.

Despite the controversy, some political experts believe politicians impatient for the amnesty may hold out hope that the research will hurry reconciliation along.

The experts speculate parts of the research may form the basis of a draft bill on national reconciliation to be pushed through parliament.

The main feature of the draft bill could mirror what the KPI research has recommended _ a blanket amnesty of political offenders since the Sept 19, 2006 coup which toppled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

A decisive difference, however, is that the draft is expected to achieve ''reconciliation'' faster than amendment of the charter could.

A political source said Pheu Thai Party list-MP Wattana Muangsuk has been in contact with key figures deemed as parties to the past political violence and tried to strike a deal with them to accept the reconciliation draft bill.

The source said it was agreed Pheu Thai must not initiate the draft bill itself because it is also considered a party to the conflict.

The Bhumjaithai Party has been approached to submit the bill to parliament, at a date to be set later, the source added.

The Democrat Party has declared it does not want to be the beneficiary of the reconciliation law. The party insists the bill is meant to whitewash wrongdoers and it did not wish to be part of that.

Opponents call the bill a cosmetic excuse to twist the law through an amnesty. They vowed to converge on the streets to resist the bill.

The source said the next several months could very well see the start of a new political flare-up.


Chiang Rai sees titanic new battle
Former mover and shaker in the defunct Thai Rak Thai Party, Yongyuth Tiyapairat, is wrestling with a few more concerns than just how bright his star is shining as he comes to the end of his five-year political ban.

He may not have fully reclaimed his role in politics; however during his absence from the scene, the former Thai Rak Thai MP has gained recognition as a prominent contributor to the boom in cross-border investments with neighbouring countries to the north.


Mr Yongyuth has learned well while sitting at the knee of his master, ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who enjoys rapturous praise from his supporters as the maestro of trade dealings.

Although trade and commerce occupy a lot of Mr Yongyuth's time these days, he is also weighed down by concerns for his family's political future, a source close to Mr Yongyuth says.

His wife, Salakjit, is competing against long-time rival Rattana Jongsutthanamanee for chair of the Chiang Rai provincial administration organisation. Ms Rattana, the outgoing PAO chair who is seeking re-election, and Ms Salakjit are regarded as two titans from Chiang Rai's most widely known political dynasties. They square off on May 27.

The Tiyapairats have not been able to completely take over the province as Ms Rattana retains solid support from large sections of the electorate.

Ms Salakjit needs all the help she can muster to boost her chances at the poll. Unfortunately for her, the race is not limited to the two women.

The red shirt faction has put up a candidate and that does not bode well for either woman.

The red shirts and the Pheu Thai Party, under whose banner Ms Salakjit is contesting the election, will share the same pool of voters. The red shirt candidate, therefore, can expect to take a cut of the votes which otherwise would go to Ms Salakjit.

The source said Mr Yongyuth is far from pleased to see Pheu Thai and the red shirts turning their backs on one another in the election.

It's his belief that the party and the movement should be united if they are to stand any chance of beating Ms Rattana and shaking off the influence on local politics that her family has wielded for years.

The source said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and leading executives of Pheu Thai must openly declare their support for Ms Salakjit since her husband is one of Thaksin's truest friends.

If, in the worst-case scenario, Ms Salakjit suffers a defeat in the poll, the support from Pheu Thai stalwarts could keep the margin of the loss as narrow as possible to save Mr Yongyuth's face.

The source said Mr Yongyuth does not have to move mountains to get help from Pheu Thai. Many Pheu Thai members listen to Mr Yongyuth, who has teamed up with the powerful Wang Bua Barn faction in the party controlled by Thaksin's younger sister, Yaowapa Wongsawat.

Three 'returnees' catch Thaksin's eye
Less than two weeks from now, members of the so-called ''House No.111'' will be free to get involved in the affairs of state after five long years in political shackles.

Already, some of the once high-flying former executives of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party have announced plans to return to active politics.


Many are undecided or uncertain about what the future holds for them.

Three of the ''cream'' of the 111 politicians have picked up encouraging signals sent all the way from the big boss in Dubai welcoming them ''back home''.

Suwat Liptapanlop, leader of the Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party, as well as Phinij Jarusombat and Preecha Laohapongchana of the ''2Ps'' political faction have been tipped to make a comeback with the blessing of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who is widely viewed as the de facto leader of the ruling Pheu Thai Party.

A source among the 111 politicians said Thaksin has made known his wish for Mr Suwat to assist the government in dealing with economic woes and advancing the cause of national reconciliation.

Mr Suwat, a seasoned politician with unrivalled coordination skills, has emerged as Thaksin's choice of minister if and when there is another cabinet reshuffle _ speculated to take place as early as July.

The source said Thaksin has confidence in Mr Suwat's ability to fully and effectively deliver tasks assigned him.

However, despite the bright prospects ahead, Mr Suwat is taking time to think it through. He prefers contesting a general election and winning an MP seat before assuming a political post.

According to a source, Mr Suwat is also pondering the fate of Chart Pattana Puea Pandin if he defects to Pheu Thai. How he fits into the ruling party in the future is another story.

Thaksin has also turned his eye on Mr Phinij and Mr Preecha as the main conduit in a strategy to further solidify Pheu Thai's foothold in the Northeast, the party's traditional bastion, the source said.

Both Mr Phinij and Mr Preecha jointly lead the 2Ps faction whose members hold strong voter following.

The faction was previously known as the 3Ps, with the inclusion of Pairoj Suwannachawee. The group later shrank with the passing away of Pairoj, whose political turf was chiefly based in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Like Mr Suwat, Mr Phinij and Mr Preecha are mindful of what they could win or lose if they join the government or become part of Pheu Thai.

They have to predict how the political situation will unfold after the ban against the 111 former executives expires.

Since there is no telling how long the government will last, the best both men can do now is wait and see.



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