Dear Editor,
Regarding your news report ‘Thai Opposition Party to boycott election’ (SN, Dec 22), it is clear from analyses of Thai politics that elections are unlikely to be held in February, and I would be surprised if the armed forces don’t take over the government very soon with the blessing of the monarchy, as usually happens when the interests of the wealthy are threatened. The army is the protector of the interests of the wealthy class and it does not like political instability which affects the economic interests of the armed forces – it has huge business interests. I visited Thailand several times and am well read on its politics. It is a fascinating place with interesting, complex politics.
The opposition Democratic Party (DP) (don’t be fooled by the name) does not play by the rules of democracy, as Gwenn Dyer and other reputed columnists said recently. It lost the last several elections and was unwilling to accept the outcome, instead calling its supporters out onto the streets to block the People’s Thai Party from governing and demanding that it governs instead through some back alley concept – like a People’s Council to replace an elected government, etc, which will be dominated by forces allied with the DP.
The ideological and class positions of the parties in Thailand will confuse any stranger. It is sort of similar to the parties in Jamaica where the JLP is supposed to be a working class party but represents wealthy interests and the PNP is supposed to represent wealthy interests but instead represents working class interests. In Thailand, the DP is supposed to be the party of the poor but has turned out to be a party of the wealthy, and funds the poor to stir up trouble whenever it loses an election to sabotage the government. The PTP is supposed to represent the interests of the wealthy but instead has been transformed into a party of the poor and attracts massive support. Ethnicity also plays a role in political conflict, especially between the Thai and Chinese and other minority groups. But the current conflict is, among other reasons, class related with the wealthy class angry at the ruling party’s populist policies benefiting the poor. The wealthy will have to pay more for the welfare policies. The ruling party also wishes to grant an amnesty to the wealthy backer, brother of the Prime Minister and himself a former PM, of the party living in exile. The DP fears his return because he is enormously popular and will be returned to power by the voters ‒ thus, the violence that will lead to army intervention.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram