Former Thai PM Anand calls for mutual retreat, peace talks: Interview

[webfact]

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Anand calls for mutual retreat, peace talks

The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Anand Panyarachun speaks to Nation Multimedia Group's editor-in-chief Thepchai Yong. The interview was conducted in Thai and translated by The Nation. Here are some excerpts:

Q : Do you see a way out of the prevailing situation?

Suthep Thaugsuban as well as the government can best answer your question. They are direct parties to the conflict.

I am not informed enough about the situation, though I believe that we shouldn't be over-excited by what is happening on the streets.

Protest marches happen in other countries. During the racial struggle in the United States, millions of people marched in Washington DC demanding that then-president [John F] Kennedy issue a pledge for the civil-rights law.

This law came into effect in 1964, during the administration of president [Lyndon B] Johnson. Other countries, such as India, have also faced similar experiences. The march led by [Mahatma] Gandhi, if you remember, gave birth to civil disobedience.

Q : So, what is happening can be seen as normal in a democracy?

This is normal. In England, millions of people, including university students, marched to protest against what they saw as the country leaning too close to the US on the nuclear issue.

We should view this protest as normal and not an attempt to overthrow the political regime or not abiding by the rulebook.

England, the original model for Westminster democracy, or the US, as a model for the presidential system, have both experienced protest marches. France and Greece as well.

What I am pleased to note is that the prevailing Thai protest is unarmed. It may be noisy, caused by whistle-blowing or through musical entertainment or by other elements. But, in my opinion this is frivolous as long as the protest is peaceful and unarmed. I have to commend the government for not trying to do anything in the extreme.

Therefore, I see little chance for clashes to erupt. Of course, there will be exchanges of fiery words if you listen to statements made by either side of the conflict.

I still hope words do not lead to a breaking point, causing street fights.

As the situation stands, there seems to be no potential resolution involving the disputed parties.

But I hear some voices going in the right direction, such as proposals for reform. We have been preparing reports on reform for the past years and no one paid attention. Now everyone is interested in reform. The government as well as the Democrats have started speaking on the matter.

That is the next step but the immediate issue is how to resolve the tension.

If you can convince people to remain hopeful for a resolution, then the immediate tension will dissipate. It is important to set new agendas, which are not about dealing with existing feuds but diverting attention to national issues.

Some say the problem is Thaksin [shinawatra]. Others say it is Abhisit [Vejjajiva] or Suthep. Yet others say it is the yellow and red shirts. I think this will only lead to an endless argument.

You cannot speedily wipe out deep-rooted perceptions. You have to create a diversion to focus on other issues that have plagued the country.

There have been a lot of proposals to resolve the situation, such as each side taking a step back. But in practice, there is no tangible way to implement this. In your opinion, who should be held responsible for signalling the stepping back?

All sides should talk quietly in order to make a mutual retreat. The talk about stepping back raises the world's unsolved puzzle - which side will make the first move. The rivals should retreat at the same time.

Q : This means the rival camps should talk outside the glare of the media?

Before talking about reconciliation, you should touch on measures to dissipate tension or hatred. At present, a few television stations are seen as pro-reds. There also are those pro-blue and pro-yellow. A war of words is being carried out 24 hours a day.

Problems occur because some people fall prey to biased views. I think this rival broadcasting should cease.

Reconciliation can happen only after a quiet talk to work out the agreement on key issues, hence forging understanding and trust.

They need to engage in a dialogue before embarking on peace talks.

Q : As prime minister, Yingluck [shinawatra] cannot avoid the responsibility of solving the problems.

No, she can’t.

Q : What do you want to see the country's leader do at the moment to ease the situation. Maybe, at least some talks to find a solution and see if any is possible?

Yingluck must present more of her leadership as now there is doubt that Thailand's prime minister is Yingluck Shinawatra. They don't believe this. It's a question of perception versus reality.


-- The Nation 2013-11-29

[Thainy Tim]

It is impossible for all parties to sit down and discuss reform.

Thaksin, Yingluck and the PTP are too dug in. They will not move on anything and neither will the Dems, Suthep and the protesters.

The Dems know full well that any reform would be totally one sided and the current government will want to vote on every element of the reform issue, and that means Mr T, Yingluck and the PTP will get it all their own way.

The government needs to cease to exist before proper reform can be implemented. Thaksin is like a viscous computer trojan virus that uses the government as its back door to infect the entire system. the whole thing needs to be shut down, reset and restarted with a new hard drive, and a brand new custom built operating system.

[kingstonkid]

It is impossible for all parties to sit down and discuss reform.

Thaksin, Yingluck and the PTP are too dug in. They will not move on anything and neither will the Dems, Suthep and the protesters.

The Dems know full well that any reform would be totally one sided and the current government will want to vote on every element of the reform issue, and that means Mr T, Yingluck and the PTP will get it all their own way.

The government needs to cease to exist before proper reform can be implemented. Thaksin is like a viscous computer trojan virus that uses the government as its back door to infect the entire system. the whole thing needs to be shut down, reset and restarted with a new hard drive, and a brand new custom built operating system.

All due respect I disagree.

I think that if the people in these parties sit down as stated without the TV without the hype and without the crap that they can start on the means of establishing a solution to the problems.

However, there are going to have to be a number of things happen.

1. Yingluck must become the true prime Minister renounce her brother and state that she is going to stop globe trotting and stay active in the resoluton of the issues facing the country.

2. UDD must understand that they are a party representing the people not Thaksin and his agenda.

3. all Media in Thailand must stop printing anything about Thaksin in the media. Treat him as the fugitive he is. Give him no weight or platform.

4. For once and for all announce that Thaksin will no longer speak for the people of Thailand on an international platform and advise all countries that if they want to deal with Thailand they can only do so if they deal solely with the Thai government official representatives.

5. Absihit must put his beliefs and his thoughts as to what the Dem's stand for as well as any animosity aside. Remember you do not represent a few Thais but you represent all Thais

6. The anti corruption council must be expanded and look at all contracts and plans for the government much as the Auditor general in US UK and Canada does now. Anyone with a slight whiff of impropriety will be jailed and all assets of their family seized.

Now the hard part. Forget your party platforms! Forget your desire to please your backers! Do what is right for Thailand!

Edited November 29, 2013 by Rimmer
LM

[toybits]

To protest is a right. To disrupt government operations is another matter. Anand was not asked what he thought of that. Or it was edited out of the interview?

[mca]

In England, millions of people, including university students, marched to protest against what they saw as the country leaning too close to the US on the nuclear issue.

Not quite mate.

[chainarong]

Its doubtful if any peace will prevail even if peace talks are called , former PM Anand is taking the easy way out, the protesters want demands met , the time for talking was leading up to this white wash Amnesty bill ,that time has now passed, the PTP ignored the people , that was at their own peril , now what happens is at the mercy of the protesters, bearing in mind sixty five per-cent of Thai's need to back this push for change and to vote accordingly , otherwise it's the same old team with a few scores to settle, chose wisely my friends.

[worgeordie]

They should form a peoples Government with Anand in charge,

when he ran the country for a short time before,they passed more

laws than the previous 2 Governments,one important law for Farangs

was to enable kids of Farang fathers to be given Thai citizenship .

regards Worgeordie

[klauskunkel]

Q : As prime minister, Yingluck [shinawatra] cannot avoid the responsibility of solving the problems.

No, she can’t.

...really? Not even with a quick holiday abroad?

[PhilipCook]

commentary from a previous nominee about the nominee in power.

[tim armstrong]

As has been said - LOS - but which smile do you believe. I think many Thais don't want to fight anyone, even each other. But tradition, obedience to a feudal system, an education system that doesn't encourage thinking or criticism of anyone in authority, and the acceptance that corruption is normal, all contribute to the mess, in a society that desperately needs CHANGE. The empty rhetoric at the protests on both sides is just fluff, and has no purpose other than to agitate and entertain the crowds, who are really there for the excitement... they love it.

The dark side is that the crowds are easily manipulated by non stop ear bashing about how bad the 'others' are.Unfortunately a few extremists could easily turn the present situation into something nasty. This weekend will be interesting.

[diehard60]

ExPM Anand is truely a great person and has stepped in so many times here in Thailand. But this time I think he is wrong when he said It is not a take over or to over throw the government. This is exactly what suthep and his gang want to do.

[diehard60]

It is impossible for all parties to sit down and discuss reform.

Thaksin, Yingluck and the PTP are too dug in. They will not move on anything and neither will the Dems, Suthep and the protesters.

The Dems know full well that any reform would be totally one sided and the current government will want to vote on every element of the reform issue, and that means Mr T, Yingluck and the PTP will get it all their own way.

The government needs to cease to exist before proper reform can be implemented. Thaksin is like a viscous computer trojan virus that uses the government as its back door to infect the entire system. the whole thing needs to be shut down, reset and restarted with a new hard drive, and a brand new custom built operating system.

You are 100% wrong. The nut jobs that are protesting rightnow are the same ones that killed 90 people before and closed BOTH airports.

[Mudcrab]

It is impossible for all parties to sit down and discuss reform.

Thaksin, Yingluck and the PTP are too dug in. They will not move on anything and neither will the Dems, Suthep and the protesters.

The Dems know full well that any reform would be totally one sided and the current government will want to vote on every element of the reform issue, and that means Mr T, Yingluck and the PTP will get it all their own way.

The government needs to cease to exist before proper reform can be implemented. Thaksin is like a viscous computer trojan virus that uses the government as its back door to infect the entire system. the whole thing needs to be shut down, reset and restarted with a new hard drive, and a brand new custom built operating system.

All due respect I disagree.

I think that if the people in these parties sit down as stated without the TV without the hype and without the crap that they can start on the means of establishing a solution to the problems.

However, there are going to have to be a number of things happen.

1. Yingluck must become the true prime Minister renounce her brother and state that she is going to stop globe trotting and stay active in the resoluton of the issues facing the country.

2. UDD must understand that they are a party representing the people not Thaksin and his agenda.

3. all Media in Thailand must stop printing anything about Thaksin in the media. Treat him as the fugitive he is. Give him no weight or platform.

4. For once and for all announce that Thaksin will no longer speak for the people of Thailand on an international platform and advise all countries that if they want to deal with Thailand they can only do so if they deal solely with the Thai government official representatives.

5. Absihit must put his beliefs and his thoughts as to what the Dem's stand for as well as any animosity aside. Remember you do not represent a few Thais but you represent all Thais

6. The anti corruption council must be expanded and look at all contracts and plans for the government much as the Auditor general in US UK and Canada does now. Anyone with a slight whiff of impropriety will be jailed and all assets of their family seized.

Now the hard part. Forget your party platforms! Forget your desire to please your backers! Do what is right for Thailand!

7. Cancel Mr T's passport

8. Issue an order for Mr T's arrest and return to Thailand.

[mca]

Issue an order for Mr T's arrest and return to Thailand.

2 flaws in your plan mate.

1) He's escaped to the LA underworld

2) He ain't getting on no plane.

[laocowboy2]

They should form a peoples Government with Anand in charge,

when he ran the country for a short time before,they passed more

laws than the previous 2 Governments,one important law for Farangs

was to enable kids of Farang fathers to be given Thai citizenship .

regards Worgeordie

This would be a way out.

YT to step down in favour of Anand for a (say) 12-18 month period. Parliament to continue as is but elections to be held in mid-2015 (neither side is ready for elections at this point). Anand to choose his own cabinet - which would probably include some of the better people from both sides plus some technocrats - and with all big-budget miinistries held by technocrats.

This would allow the PT to retreat from the rice scheme without losing face. It would also allow all the contracts for the big infrastructure projects to have a chance of being properly awarded and with less corruption.

[laocowboy2]

ExPM Anand is truely a great person and has stepped in so many times here in Thailand. But this time I think he is wrong when he said It is not a take over or to over throw the government. This is exactly what suthep and his gang want to do.

He is being diplomatic - very old-school Thai. What he might say away from the press and over a G&T at the RBSC might well be a little more pointed. Why he was so successful the last time(s) he was called in to sort out a confrontational mess is that he has (usually well concealed) contempt for the hotheads on both sides.

[Yunla]

The march led by [Mahatma] Gandhi, if you remember, gave birth to civil disobedience

He was also very upset when protesters attacked buildings.

He went on hunger strike when protests went beyond peaceful means.

His entire philosophy was about resisting without the use of force.

I don't see the parallel with Suthep and Gandhi myself.

In the words of the great man himself;

"What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy."

[millwall_fan]

Anand!!!!! that's all we need: another former PM who came to power in a military coup and was never elected by the Thai people to lead them in anything . He never stood up to the military whilst in power and presided over land grabs of peasant land in protected forests and never stood up to army's corrupt practices. He is just like Prem and all the other apparatchiks who have governed this country on behalf of the ruling elite and whose only legitimacy was provided by a gun and whose one aim was to keep the majority Thais suppressed.

[plachon]

In England, millions of people, including university students, marched to protest against what they saw as the country leaning too close to the US on the nuclear issue.

Not quite mate.

Maybe he was confused about the near million person march against Bush and Blair's illegal war in Iraq. Anand is smart, fair and a good diplomat, but I suspect his grasp on the history of the West is not as good as it should be and probably not as good as it was when he was the Thai ambassador to Washington. However, given the lack of respected and respectable leaders stepping forward at this time, I think he would make a good candidate for leading negotiations for the opposing sides, before they step over the edge. For that reason, I hope the protagonists heed his words and work out a political solution to this mess soon.

[plachon]

Anand!!!!! that's all we need: another former PM who came to power in a military coup and was never elected by the Thai people to lead them in anything . He never stood up to the military whilst in power and presided over land grabs of peasant land in protected forests and never stood up to army's corrupt practices. He is just like Prem and all the other apparatchiks who have governed this country on behalf of the ruling elite and whose only legitimacy was provided by a gun and whose one aim was to keep the majority Thais suppressed.

Nonsense - you show here how little you know and understand of past Thai PMs and Thai history in general. In fact, he did stand up to the army during his two short terms of tenure, quickly put elections in place and started a political reform process that directly led to the 1997 People's Constitution. He is a quite different personality and type of leader to Prem, not hiding behind the protection of the military and monarchy when things got tough, but has showed an admirable commitment to the rule of law and democracy over many years. He was also a key player in working out a reconciliation process for the South, which the Thaksin regime promptly ignored and carried on trashing human rights down there. As Thaksin's proxy PM's have done ever since then.

[Thai at Heart]

The essence of the issue is corruption. You are either corrupt or you aren't, and this lot are corrupt.

Discuss what? They should be locked up!