The above picture is the cover image of this week’s Matichon Sudsapda (aka Matichon Weekly). The caption reads: “Thais are lucky to have Abhisit as Prime Minister”. The rest of the cover depicts a row of coffins painted in red as a small crowd of red-shirted protesters at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument look on.

The caption is, I believe, a reference to General Prem’s initial reaction to Abhisit assuming the premiership in 2008 (see here and here). As The Nation reported back then:

Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda said Sunday that Thailand is lucky to have Abhisit Vejjajiva as its prime minister.

He said he is confident that Abhisit will be able to solve the country’s problems with cooperation from all Thais.

“I am glad to have the prime minister named Abhisit. I think other Thais are also glad. But Thais are still frightened. We will wait and see what the prime minister can give them in the time to come,” Prem said.

h/t Thanr

Related posts (automatically generated):

1. Abhisit Faces Foreign Diplomats
2. “When Abhisit Looks in the Mirror, He Will See Thaksin.”
3. Korbsak, Abhisit and Ministerial Responsibility

Bangkok Post’s Atiya Achakulwisut is on form again. Below are key excerpts of her op-ed in response to Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, the 2006 coup leader, assuming the leadership of the Matubhum Party:

I am sure Gen Sonthi has his reasons for coming out of retirement and making a U-turn to join the process of democracy he toppled. I am also sure other people have their reasons why he shouldn’t have. I myself have many reasons why the old soldier should just fade away. No matter what good or bad intentions he has, Gen Sonthi should stay in his retirement and stop bothering with our state of politics. His presence in “democracy” will likely achieve nothing but disgrace – for him, for us, for the “motherland” he has adopted as the name of his party.

[...]

The plain truth, which surprisingly the daring general has failed to grasp, is there is no room in democracy for a coup-maker. The two things are antithetical. If you believe in democracy, then you don’t stage a coup, and vice versa.

[...]

There is no place for him in the coming election. His only viable future is to fade away.

Does anyone have the same impression as mine that Atiya may secretly be fed up not only with Gen Sonthi but also with other prominent ‘old soldiers’ such as Gen Chavalit and, of course, Gen Prem?

Political Prisoners in Thailand has more on this subject. Readers may also want to see my earlier post on Gen Sonthi’s initial announcement that he wanted to enter politics.

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1. Coup Maker to Enter Politics… the Proper Way
2. ‘Watermelon’ Soldiers
3. Coups and Elections: Honduras’s Parallels with Thailand

As veteran actor Sombat Methanee and actress Siriam Pakdeedamrongrit (pictured above) are reported to have joined or be on the verge of joining the Peua Thai Party (see ASTV-Manager and Thai Rath - both links are in Thai), I wonder whether they are aware of the potential consequence of doing so.

According to Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda, anyone who dares join the Peua Thai Party risks being called a ‘traitor to the nation’. Yes, becoming a PTP member is now considered a treacherous act. You do not have to kill anyone. You do not have to sell the country’s secrets to our enemies. All you have to do to be a traitor nowadays is to side with ‘the evil one’.

Sombat and Siriam are not the only names expected to be added to General Prem’s list of ‘traitors’, however. The elder statesman must have been fuming when General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh came out of hiatus and re-joined the Thaksin side three weeks ago, an event that provoked Prem to come up with the word ‘traitor’ in the first place. Furthermore, the PTP welcomed around 50 retired military men and former classmates of Thaksin into the party earlier this week. The PTP spokesman even boasted that some Democrat Party MPs are considering switching sides as well.

At this point one question needs to be asked: has Prem ever accuse the generals who took away people’s democratic rights in 2006 of being traitors to the Thai constitution?

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1. More Red-Shirt Infighting: Jatuporn vs Panlop
2. Old Soldiers Should Just Fade Away
3. Thaksin ‘Does Not Trust Chavalit’ – PAD Spokesman