Here in Thailand there are protests taking place in the capital city of Bangkok. The People’s Alliance for Democracy or PAD wants the current prime minister and his government out of politics. They are angry as they believe that Samak Sundaravej is a puppet for ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who lost power in a military coup on September 19th 2006. He was very popular with the poor people of Thailand and the coup wasn’t popular in the north of Thailand

The cartoon above in the picture shows, Thaksin sitting atop a Samak’s head modeled after the demon named Rahoo that causes eclipses. On either side of Samak’s head are government politicians.

Thaksin sits on Samak’s head and says: Lots of fun!
Under the Samak head: Thailand belongs to me.
On the red flag: Thief state get out.
To the left of the Samak head: Stop selling the nation.
On the foot on the left: Farmer
On the hand on the left: Laborer
On the hand on the right: Intellectual people
On the foot on the right: Poor people
On the hand on the right at the bottom: Students

The PAD people want Samak and his government to resign from power, so they have been staging a sit in protest that is disrupting traffic and causing problems for Bangkok Thais.

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej in this news interview said he would crack down on mounting anti-government protests that had ignited fears of a military coup. This just outraged the protesters and made them more defiant. There have been some clashes between government supporters and the protesters which caused some minor injuries. Eventually the prime minister backed off his harsh stance.

Now the government’s Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung has said that the broadcasting channel ASTV which broadcasts through cable TV networks nationwide cannot show the PAD protesting in Bangkok, they must cease. If they fail to adhere to this order the cable TV operators have been threatened with up to 6 months in jail.

Obviously the new policy drew strong opposition from various groups, including cable TV operators, senators and ASTV owner and PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul. They said it violated the basic rights recognised by Constitution, especially the right to receive information and freedom of expression. Lawyers and Alumni from institutions have been stating articles in the Thai constitution that this policy is breaking.

I believe both sides are wrong. The current government is wrong in trying to stop people expressing their opinions in a democratic country; they are trying to muzzle the press. What about freedom of press?

The PAD protesters need to take stock of what they are doing and remember no matter what, this government is a people elected government. The Thai people of Thailand voted this government into power; the allegations of vote buying and other supposed illegal activities need to be sorted out by the courts of law. The opposition needs to swallow its medicine. It needs to represent its supporters in parliament and fight for what they believe is right. The childish way they are going about it now is not the answer.

There are whispers of another coup; it has even come from the prime minister’s mouth. I just wish these selfish, self centred people would think of their country and their people who they represent. Stop the kindergarten tactics and act like grown men and women.

(Photo courtesy of 2Bangkok.com)