For over seven weeks about 100,000 poor farmers – calling themselves the Red Shirts – held Thailand practically hostage. They barricaded themselves in encampments in the middle of downtown Bangkok where they held daily rallies demanding dissolution of parliament, early elections, and a battery of democratic reforms. And most of them were clearly motivated by their abiding support for former PM Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted in a bloodless coup in 2006.
Comparisons between their protests and those of the protesters who encamped in Tiananmen Square two decades ago were unavoidable. Of course these Thai protesters were hoping to succeed where their Chinese comrades failed so spectacularly. However, Thailand’s government was just as determined as the Chinese government to squash their democratic ambitions.
And so it came as no surprise on Wednesday when the Thai army launched a Tiananmen Square-like crackdown on the Red Shirts, ending the protests with dispatch while, remarkably enough, killing only 14. For the record, though, reports are that 74 were killed and nearly 1,800 wounded in sporadic skirmishes since the protests began in Mid-March.
Unfortunately, just like the democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square, the protesters in Bangkok ended up with none of the demands they sought.
However, the Red Shirts could be forgiven for thinking they would have their way. After all, similar protests in recent years resulted in the ouster of two prime ministers. In fact, here, in part, is how I commented on the most recent of them:
After months of protests – growing so formidable in size and nihilistic determination that not even the country’s vaunted military could squash them – the court ruled yesterday, again somewhat expediently (not to mention belatedly), that PM Somchai’s governing coalition committed electoral fraud. Then, affirming mob rule, the court banned him from politics.
So here’s to hoping that Thailand’s third prime minister this year can prove beyond all doubt not only that he thoroughly hates Thaksin but also that he is completely loyal to the king. Otherwise the protesters are bound to return to the streets and to the airports [where protesters barricaded themselves on this occasion]….
(“Thailand suffers another coup – this time by an angry mob,” The iPINIONS Journal, December 3, 2008)
As this quote indicates, these past protesters – calling themselves the Yellow Shirts – were clearly motivated by their abiding opposition to former PM Thaksin. No doubt this is why the government held such a hard line against the Red Shirts, knowing full well that it could summon just as many Yellow Shirts into the streets in a show of support. This means, however, that Thailand is on an inexorable course towards a civil clash between the Red Shirts and Yellow Shirts….
What is also troubling is that these protests have exposed long-simmering resentment over the fact that so much of the country’s wealth is held by so few. This is probably why the protesters (aided to be sure by criminal opportunists) torched so many commercial buildings in downtown Bangkok as they retreated on Wednesday, including Thailand’s stock exchange, the main power company, banks, a movie theater and one of Asia’s largest shopping malls.
Moreover, given this tortured legacy of protests, it’s only a matter of time before fractious Thais take to the streets again. This now seems a never-ending mess, which poses irreparable harm to Thailand’s international reputation as one of Asia’s most stable and tourist-friendly countries.
In the meantime, notwithstanding the Tiananmen precedent, this has to be a bad omen for China. Because close to one billion poor farmers have been engaging in similar protests in the countryside for years. And it’s only a matter of time before they emulate their Thai comrades by taking their protests to the new glittering metropolises that have popped up all over China in recent years.
Related commentaries:
Thailand suffers another coup…
Gap between rich and poor in China sowing seeds of resentment…
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.