Bangkok, Srettha Thavisin premier on the day of return of Thaksin Shinawatra
The real estate tycoon, candidate of Pheu Thai, gains the confidence of the military in Parliament by sending the opposition Move Forward, the anti-establishment party winner of the elections. The former leader of the red shirts taken to the medical wing of the prison to serve his 8-year sentence for corruption (but he will immediately ask for a pardon). He promised a "more democratic" constitution but without touching the crime of lese-majeste. Pita Limjaroenrat: "They have united to stop the change, but this government will not be able to give anything to the Thais".
Bangkok (AsiaNews) - On the day of Thaksin Shinawatra's return to Thailand after 15 years of self-exile, the candidate of his Pheu Thai party, Srettha Thavisin, becomes the country's new prime minister, thanks to the support of yesterday's enemies, the parties close to military who with the coup d'état of 2006 made him leave the scene.
There could not have been a more symbolic coincidence between the two events that marked today's day in Bangkok, closing with the 74-year-old former populist red shirts leader beginning his sentence in a single room of the medical wing of the Klong Prem prison sentence of eight years in prison for corruption which the Supreme Court upheld in a hearing held immediately after his arrival this morning on a private jet at the international airport.
But also with a more than probable request for a pardon which will be immediately presented by Thaksin to King Rama X (to whose portrait the former prime minister has conspicuously paid homage as soon as he arrived in Bangkok) and which will be able to enjoy the support of the new led government, which will be led by 60-year-old real estate tycoon Sretta Thavisin, his trusted ally.
Thailand's establishment - therefore - in two moves today chose the hitherto unthinkable alliance between Pheu Thai and the military in order to block the way to Move Forward, the party led by Pita Limjaroenrat who came out as a surprise winner in the May 14 elections last. Pita had attempted the path of alliance with Pheu Thai, appearing twice in Parliament to garner confidence.
But despite being able to count on the majority of elected parliamentarians, he had had to come up against some legal technicalities and (above all) with the veto of the senators appointed by the military, unwilling to question, as Move Forward requests, the infamous lese-majeste law, which provides for up to to 15 years in prison and has often been used in Thailand to target political opponents.
The clash around the figure of Pita has reopened the game with Pheu Thai - second party in the elections, placed immediately behind Move Forward - which has nominated Sretta Thavisin and (abandoned by Pita) has built an alliance of 11 parties in parliament which also includes the Palang Parachat Party (always close to the army) and the United Thai Nation Party, the party founded by the former general-premier Prayut Chan-oca.
Once again, the coalition of elected MPs could theoretically count on only 314 votes, 61 fewer than the required majority.
But this time - unlike what happened with Pita - a large number of senators voted for the Pheu Thai candidate who was thus able to collect 482 votes in favor and 81 abstentions, with just 165 votes against (practically the only deputies from Move Forward).
Thailand thus emerges from the political stalemate that has been going on for weeks now, but with a maneuver that goes in the opposite direction to the outcome of the May vote.
Just a few hours ago, an opinion poll by the National Institute of Development Administration had registered the opposition of 65% of Thais to the alliance between the Shinawatra family's party and the military.
In presenting the government coalition on the eve of the vote, the leaders of Pheu Thai had promised compliance with their program starting with the minimum daily wage of 600 baht (about 15 euros) and the increase in agricultural prices.
They also evoked the establishment of a constituent assembly which will have the task of making the constitution "more democratic", but without touching the crime of lese-majeste. The response to criticism of the alliance with parties close to the military (which will also be represented within the government) was: "We will join forces to work effectively".
For her part, Pita Limjaroenrat responded with a long post on social networks to the trust granted by Parliament to Shretta Thavasin, promising a tough opposition: "In the last 3 months - she wrote - all the political forces have united to shut down the change to the point of giving life to a transversal government against the feelings of the brothers and sisters of the Thai people. There will not be a day when this government can make a difference in giving people well-being and dignity. Ours is not a crazy policy. We just want to be honest, direct and keep our words as normal should be."
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21/01/2014
