PARIS, 19 September 2016
10 Years of Thailand under military's coups!
19 กันยา 2559
พบกันที่กรุงปารีส
Topic: Causes and Consequence of the Crisis.
Speakers:
Giles Ji Ungpakorn
Janya Yimprasert
Dr. Oliver Pye
Andrew MacGregor Marshall
Topic: Ten years later, reaching an impasse.
Speakers:
Dr. Somsak Jeamteerasakul,
Dr. Pavin Chachavalpongpun
Dr. Piyabutre Saengkanokkul
Moderator: Eugénie Merieau
......
Project for Seminar on 10 Years of politico-social crisis in Thailand’
1. Rational
A deep political crisis has developed in Thailand over the last 10 years. This crisis is not only relevant in the context of Thai history but also in the context of a wider world history. Several unique events will be reviewed and potential outcomes discussed.
To understand the political situation during the last 10 years we need to go back to the previous coup d’état on September 2006 .That coup was the 11th coup in Thailand, since the democratic revolution in June 1932 changed Thailand from an absolute monarchy to the constitutional one. Most importantly is that this coup d’état overthrew a very popular elected government, led by PM Thaksin Shinnawatra. The majority of the people who had given this government a mandate were dissatisfied and this lead to conflicts and division in Thai society. Thai people roughly divided into two sides prodemocracy / anti-coup and anti-democracy / pro-coup, with both sides having their own colour symbols (Red shirts and Yellow shirts). This division exist everywhere across the country and has deeply affected both communities and families. The political struggle between these two camps has caused a serial political crisis to continue to this day.
In the last decade, the yellow shirts overthrew 4 elected governments, cooperated with two coups d’etat and blocked 3 general elections. The yellow shirts and aristocratic camp composed of, upper class, some middle class, most state apparatus (such as army, constitutional court, administrative court and justice court) and most media’s, adhere to fanatically protect the monarchy regardless of the consequences. Their activities include seizing the PMs Office for 3 months and also closing the international Suwannaphum airport. An advantage of judicial support means that yellow shirts are rarely held accountable for their activities
whereas the red shirts are jailed for minor infractions.
While the red shirt movement emerged from supporting an elected government and Thaksin Shinnawatra, they have grown into a large prodemocracy anti-coup group. They became the biggest people’s movement supporting democracy and campaigned against the undemocratic government of Abhiisit Vejajiva (as it was installed by the military regime). Even though the red shirts suffered from the loss of many lives, at the hands of the military, they continued to support prodemocracy (and pro Thaksin) parties and as a result Yingluck Shinnawatra became Thailand’s first female PM. Her government tried to conduct business as usual and implement policies that were mandated as part of the election campaign but they were hampered from the start and eventually paralyzed by the yellow shirts campaign of occupation and disruption.
The 2014 coup d’état established yet another dictatorial military regime, deja vu. The National Committee for Peace and Order (NCPO) not only violated the human rights of the Thai people but is also attempting to destroy the main political party and prodemocracy politicians and people’s movements. The NCPO created the motto “Bring back the happiness to the people and protect nation, religion, and king” and planned to establish the new regime which would permit the military to control the country and take the role of politicians away. The people have become only subjects not the citizens. The NCPO try to invent the unique dictatorial regime that matches to the Thai society, such as Thai democracy with sufficient economy, and demonstrate to the world that Thai junta is not a dictatorship. Then, the Thai people have no rights and liberty to express political opinions especially the critics against the junta and monarchy with this new oppressive regime.
That is why the human rights issues in Thailand are rated as very bad due to the increase of the political prisoners. Before the coup d’état, there were approximately 276 people who were arrested with the article 112 (lese majeste laws). It manifests clearly that there is a bigger movement against the monarchy by some red shirts’ groups which has been continuously suppressed by the aristrocratic camps for the past decade.
Therefore, the goal of this junta government is to devastate the progressive movement against the monarchy and dictatorship. Many of the Thai rebellions began to start the “Republican” movement to liberate Thailand from the Thai monarchy. That idea is the most sensitive issue that the junta doesn’t want anyone discuss so as not to degrade the stability of the monarchy. Then after the coup, they arrested more people including some student activists and they issued arrest warrants for many intellectuals, professors, activists, and some rural villagers who support democracy.
In conclusion the military dictatorship of NCPO is still strong ,the politico-social crisis still continue that no one know know the end.
Thus on September 2016 which is the 10th anniversary of the coup d'état we will organize a seminar on Thailand’s crisis at CCFD and Sciences Politiques in Paris.
2. The title of the conference
“10 years of Politico-Social crisis in Thailand”
3. Panel Discussions
Time: - 09.00 - 12.30
Topic: - Causes and Consequence of the Crisis.
Venue: - CCFD 4 Rue Jean-Lantier 75001
Speakers:
Giles Ji Ungpakorn
Janya Yimprasert
Dr.Oliver Pye
Andrew MacGregor Marshall
Time: - 16.00-1900
Topic: - Ten years later, reaching an impasse.
Venue: - Sciences Politiques 56 Rue Jacop 75006
Speakers:
Dr. Somsak Jeamteerasakul,
Dr.Pavin Chachavalpongpun
Dr.Piyabutre Saengkanokkul
Moderator: Eugénie Merieau
4 , Outcome
- We hope that the European Community will realize and understand the gravity of the crisis in Thailand and will consider initiating more diplomatic intervention against the ruling dictatorship regime.
-Thai people who love democracy both in the Country and in Europe will understand the cause of the crisis.
