Terms for Thaksin talks always end in stalemate
Talk of reconciliation to coincide with Valentines Day appears to have faded with the passing of the day itself, Thai Rath newspaper says.
The proposal does tell something about the current political stalemate though, the article entitled “Who has the real power?’’ said.
Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha turned down a proposal that he hold talks with former PM Thaksin Shinawatra because Thaksin is a wanted fugitive.
“If we deconstruct the PM’s words, he could be saying negotiations are possible if Thaksin agrees to serve his time in jail first,” the story said.
That would correspond with an idea that Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) chairman Borwornsak Uwanno floated in Udon Thani last week.
During a public hearing, Mr Bowornsak said a pardon could pave the way for reconciliation better than an amnesty.
“If we interpret this statement, it should mean a convicted person should face the justice process, then he will be pardoned,” the article said.
Army chief Gen Udomdej Sitabutr appeared to reconfirm that when he said everything must proceed according to the justice process.
“For the powers-that-be, an opportunity is open for former PM Thaksin and his supporters including former PM Yingluck Shinawatra to go through the justice process before getting a pardon,” the article said.
Yet these are the same terms that have led to a political staltemate between Thaksin forces and his opponents for years.
Thaksin has said he wants to come home in a “cool” way, without having to be prosecuted.
He insists he has done nothing wrong, and that all the cases against him are politically motivated.
This is opposite to the long-standing demand by anti-Thaksin groups that the ousted premier return to the country, serve his jail term and fight his other cases in court.
“This same plot has been played out before, from the days of the People’s Power Party to Pheu Thai. Some of the actors and nominees may change but the story stays the same. It is because the terms of the standoff have never changed,” the story said.
At this point, one new factor that could tip the equation is the fact that all the warring camps are now exhausted after years of fighting.
People close to Thaksin insist the former premier is desperate for talks but no-one has approached him.
“The thing is, the anti-Thaksin camp probably does not know who can be his negotiating partner either,” the story said.
Even Gen Prayut, who is at the helm of power, has distanced himself from the talks.
“So, who is the real leader who will be able to negotiate a truce with Thaksin? Once there is an answer to that, maybe we can hope for an end to the war,” the article said.
In the name of art
Does artwork have to cost the life of a tree? An artist’s use of a 143-yearold tree to make a piece of installation art has stirred up debate online.
Facebook user Akradej Chakjinda brought up the issue yesterday when he posted photos of a large mahad tree in Krabi province being felled so its trunk could be turned into artwork.
“Do we have to go this far for art?” Mr Akradej wrote. He said it’s sad that a love of art would persuade people to kill a tree.
Mr Akradej said there was not much that he could do except vent his disappointment online as the tree was growing on private land. The land owner gave permission for the artist to fell the tree.
According to news reports, the tree trunk was used to carve a piece of installation art displayed at the Andaman Art Festival.
Mr Akradej’s post has attracted many comments. It was also carried by many news websites.
Many users said an artwork should not be created by destroying nature. Some also said the artwork does not look as good as the standing tree.
Krabi governor Kiratisak Phukaoluan wrote on his Facebook page the 143-year-old mahad tree was donated to Muang Krabi municipality by its owner Suwan Mutura.
The governor said the tree trunk was to be carved into five sculptures to be placed around the province.
It’s all too much effort
Thais are generous but they don’t like reading. This sentence seems to pair two unrelated phrases and not to make sense.
But if anyone sees the pictures of suggestion boxes posted on pantip.com recently, they might understand it.
Cybermax shared a photo of a complaint/ suggestion box at a Metropolitan Electricity Authority office, which contained banknotes and coins, left by kind-hearted visitors. There is not one letter of complant or suggestion in the box.
Other users agreed with the poster, saying Thais in general don’t pay attention to public signs and must have assumed it was a donation box.
Nin Mungdee doubted if Thais are generous. He said some may regard small coins as useless and toss them in the box merely to get rid of them.
He also said it happens in many places and suggested the Finance Ministry stop minting small coins as nobody wants them anyway.
Kriangsak Kittichutchawarl said the shape and colour of the box is misleading. Most people think a clear container is a donations box. But others said the point is most Thais don’t read and just drop coins into the box, after seeing others have done the same.
Chu Ishi said some boxes at supermarkets are stuffed with customer receipts, without any money in them.
Another user, named In Darkness, shared photos taken from another supermarket. A box placed for raffle tickets contained small coins, while a donation box was filled with raffle tickets.
Nanjaow said those who drop money and raffle tickets in the wrong boxes must be “foreigners” as many won’t be able to read Thai.