Playing cat and mouse with Thailand’s junta | New Mandala

Playing cat and mouse with Thailand’s junta | New Mandala
Nick Nostitz,  9 JUNE 2016 

Nick Nostitz captures the opening of the UDD Referendum Monitoring Center.

On June 5, 2016 the UDD brought itself back to the political map with their opening ceremony of their referendum monitoring center, which took place in their headquarters at the 5^th floor of the Imperial Lad Prao Department Store. In addition to the press conference with most UDD leaders in attendance, hundreds of their supporters in red shirts mingled there, among a strong presence of security forces, both in uniform and in plainclothes.

It was almost like in the old days – a market selling Red Shirt trinkets – coffee mugs with images of Thaksin and Yingluck, amulets minted to raise funds, freshly printed T-Shirts with the motto of their monitoring center: Do Not Cancel, Do Not Cheat, Do Not Be Embarrassed About Burma (in context of the high voter turnout in the Burmese elections). After the press conference, the UDD leaders and their supporters danced and sang songs in their recently opened coffee shop/library.

 

UDD leader Dr Weng Tojirakan insisted that their center is not aimed at disrupting the referendum, but to get as high a voter turnout as possible, saying also that boycotting the referendum, as proposed by some critics of the referendum, would only serve the government’s aim of passing the constitution, and would be against the law. He said that while the backbone of the monitoring center will be the UDD members and hierarchies it is open to all citizens of Thailand to volunteer, which is why the UDD leaders decided to wear black colored T-Shirts at the press conference – “Red is already in our hearts – we do not want to discriminate against anyone”.

He added that the UDD’s ideology is to create a democratic system, but they have to create new strategies, so that people will not get killed or jailed. “We have to walk delicately and carefully, one wrong step can get us imprisoned”, he warned.

Nick Nostitz is a photo-journalist and long-time contributor to New Mandala. All the photographs in this article are credited to him.

Court withdraws bail for Yossawaris | Bangkok Post

Court withdraws bail for Yossawaris | Bangkok Post
Bangkok Post, August 22, 2012

The Criminal Court on Wednesday revoked the bail of Yossawaris Chuklom, alias Jeng Dokchik, for violating bail conditions but 17 other red-shirt leaders, including Jatuporn Prompan and Veerakan Musikhapong, remain free pending trial on terrorism-related charges.

The court announced its decision came after examining three new witnesses for Mr Yossawaris.  They were Thanis Thienthong, a deputy interior minister; Pol Col Krailert Buakaew, deputy chief of Metropolitan Police Division 1; and Jarin Suankaew, chairman of the December 5 Maharat Foundation.

The decision covers only 18 of the 19 defendants. Phumkitti "Pichet" Sukchindathong, the 11th defendant, submitted a doctor's letter certifying that he was sick and unable to attend.
The court will consider the future of Mr Phumkitti's bail, together with the five Pheu Thai MPs who are protected by parliamentary immunity, on Nov 29.

The court said that Mr Yossawaris was the only one of the 17 defendants found to have violated any of the conditions set for bail.

Mr Jatuporn did use harsh and impolite words in his speech, but what he said did not insult or threaten Constitution Court judges.  So, he had not violated his bail conditions.

As for Mr Yossawaris, the court said the way he gave out the telephone numbers of the judges to the audience and told them to make threatening calls, and his gestures, could be construed as a threat and applying pressure on the judges.

Therefore, the court decided to revoke Mr Yossawaris' bail.

Those remaining free on bail were prohibited from going up on the stage to make any speeches and from travelling abroad.

After the court delivered its decision, United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship spokesman Worawut Wichaidit asked the red-shirt supporters gathered outside the court to stay calm and accept the court's ruling, adding that the UDD would re-apply for bail for Mr Yossawaris.

Mr Yossawaris was taken to Bangkok Remand Prison after hearing the court's decision.
UDD lawyer Winyat Chartmontree said he would submit a new bail application, but did not say when.  After re-applying for bail, he would also seek Mr Yossawaris' transfer from Bangkok Remand Prison to a temporary detention centre for defendants in political cases at Bang Khen.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Nattawut Saikuar, one of the five MPs due to attend the court's bail hearing on Nov 29, said UDD core members must be more careful in making public speeches.

Thai red shirt files petition to impeach judges | Bangkok Post

Thai red shirt files petition to impeach judges | Bangkok Post
Bangkok Post, June 7, 2012

he United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) on Thursday submitted a petition to the Senate heralding its intention to seek the impeachment and removal of seven Constitution Court judges.

The red-shirt group filed the petition with Pornthip Chanrattanapreeda, the second Senate deputy speaker, after gathering signatures to support it.

The petition shows the UDD's intention to seek the impeachment of the seven Constitution Court judges who voted to accept the petition against the charter amendment bill for consideration. One judge voted against it.

The court then issued an injunction ordering the parliament to suspend the third reading vote on the bill.

Mrs Pornthip accepted the petition. She said the UDD has 180 days to gather 20,000 names to support the petition.

A large number of red-shirts gathered outside parliament on Uthong Nai road on Thursday to show their dissatisfaction with the Constitution Court's action.

Red-shirt leaders including UDD chair Tida Thawornseth and Weng Tojirakan went on the stage to attack the court and Democrat Party MPs for causing the melee in parliament on May 30 and 31.

Ms Tida said that after submitting the impeachment petition the UDD would continue to gather up to one million names to show the court bench it had been rejected by the people.
It was reported that the UDD would rally until midnight.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said UDD former chairman Veerakan Musikhapong should not have commented publicly in a way that can be construed as trying to intimidate the Constitution Court.

Mr Veerakan said on Wednesday that if the charter amendment bill's deliberation by parliament was aborted there might be civil war, which could be more violent than the situation in 2010.

If this happened the Constitution Court would be seen clearly by the people as lacking legitimacy, he said.

Mr Veera said the Constitution Court, in ordering parliament to delay the third reading of the charter amendment bill, concluded in its imagination that the amendment was intended to abolish the constitutional monarchy, even though it was agreed beforehand that the chapter on the monarchy would not be touched.

Mr Abhisit, in a telephone interview with the Blue Sky TV Channel of the Democrat Party, said Mr Veerakan's comments could be seen as trying to intimidate the court, as if the country was without the rule of law.

On House secretary-general Pithoon Poomhiran's conclusion that it was not necessary for parliament to heed the court's order and it was not legally binding on it, Mr Abhisit said he was surprised to hear this.

The former prime minister said the court, in making the order, was following normal practice to prevent possible damage.

The court acted as it was empowered to do by a provision of the Civil Procedures Code.
"Whoever disagrees with the court can seek its removal, but mobilisation of the masses against the court, or intimidation of it, should not happen," Mr Abhisit said.
The Democrat Party and opposition leader foresaw no problems during the joint sitting of parliament on Friday.

He said that if the charter amendment bill was taken up for the third reading on Friday and passed, the parliament president would face a problem in forwarding the legislation for His Majesty the King's endorsement because the Constitution Court had already ordered parliament to delay the third reading.

"I know the man who is staying abroad has given the order to 'go'.  It is now time to see whether the government, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Pheu Thai MPs will listen to an order from just one person," Mr Abhisit said.

Debate on 'unity bills' rescheduled for next week | Bangkok Post

Debate on 'unity bills' rescheduled for next week | Bangkok Post 
Bangkok Post, June 1, 2012

House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont on Friday adjourned deliberation of the reconciliation bills, scheduling the resumed debate for June 6 and 7, House of Representatives secretary-general Pithoon Phumhiran said.

The meeting on June 6 was scheduled to start at 1.30pm and at 10am on June 7, Mr Pithoon said late Friday afternoon.

Asked if this week's protests in and outside parliament and subsquent adjournment of the debate were likely to be repeated next week, Mr Pithoon said that was a matter of the future. He insisted that the meeting venue would still be the parliament.

Earlier this afternoon, second Deputy House Speaker Wisut Chainarun ordered the indefinite postponement of the deliberation of the reconciliation bills, after the House meeting was unable to convene. Mr Somsak later  rescheduled the  debate.

The order followed a meeting between Mr Wisut and government chief whip Udomdej Rattanasathian.

The postponement, following a meeting of Pheu Thai MPs at the House No 111 Foundation  office,  was intended to prevent the situation from escalating to political violence, said Mr Wisut.

Multi-colour group protesters led by Tul Sitthisomwong on Friday morning closed the Karn Ruan intersection on Ratchawithee road, blocking the route to the parliament’s Prasartthevarit gate, the only gate open for entry and exit.

The other gates were closed by police after the  yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD)  moved their protest from Royal Plaza to the parliament  complex on Wednesday.

On Friday, the new blockade resulted in Pheu Thai Party MPs not being able to enter the House of Representatives to attend the scheduled session to deliberate the four proposed reconciliation bills, which had been moved to the top of the agenda by government majority on Thursday.

Reports said that only Democrat and other opposition MPs were allowed access to the parliament.

Red-shirt co-leader Jatuporn Prompan on Friday afternoon accused the PAD of trying to incite violence to pave the way for another military coup,

At a press conference to explain the stance of the red-shirt United front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) held at Imperial Lat Phrao shopping centre, Mr Jatuporn claimed that the yellow-shirts planned to create conditions for a coup, as happened on Sep 19, 2006.

UDD chairwoman Tida Tawornseth and other UDD co-leaders were also at the news conference.

The yellow-shirts had obstructed Pheu Thai MPs from entering parliament to prevent them from attending a meeting to deliberate the four reconciliation bills, even though the process of creating national unity was in line with the democratic system, Mr Jatuporn said.
Mtr Jatuporn called on the red-shirts to stay cool, stay put and closely follow the political situation.

In the event of a coup, red-shirts in all provinces must travel to Bangkok and join forces at the Democracy Monument, which would be the centre for the fight against the coup, said Mr Jatuporn.

He told the red-shirts to wait for a signal from Mrs Tida, Nattawut Saikuar or himself before moving on the capital. Without an order from one of these three leaders, the red-shirts must stay put in their respective provinces.

Mr Jatuporn sought to reassure all soldiers that the red-shirts have no thought of toppling the high institution, as alleged, and that they would fight against only those trying to destroy democracy.

Mr Nattawut, the agriculture and cooperatives deputy minister, took the same tone.
He said the disruption of the parliamentary sitting over the past two days by the Democrats seemed like a signal for a power outside parliament to topple the government.

The Democrats and the "outside power" planned to topple the government by using the reconciliation bills as a justification.

He called on Abhisit Vejjajiva to resign as leader of the Democrat Party, saying he had failed to show responsibility for the House brawling caused by his party members.

Mr Abhisit had not tried to stop the Democrats from inciting chaos in the House of Representatives, he said.

Thailand: UDD to press for charter rewrite

Thailand: UDD to press for charter rewrite
Bangkok Post, December 21, 2011

The red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) will continue its campaign to gather 50,000 signatures to support a petition to amend the constitution immediately after the New Year festival, a spokesman said on Wednsday.

No matter what the Pheu Thai Party-led government’s stance on calls for amendments to the 2007 constitution, the UDD would campaign to drum up support for its bid to amend the charter right after the New Year holiday, d UDD spokesman Worawut Wichaidit said.

UDD chairwoman Thida Thavornseth said the UDD was not sure what Pheu Thai would do next about the charter amendment, having vowed during its election campaign that charter amendment would be a priority if won government.

As for the UDD, she said, its task would never end until the 2007 charter is amended.