Blood on the streets of Bangkok...Thailand's demonstrators raising the stakes during the
latest wave of mass protests to beset the country.
This blood, poured at the gate of parliament... If Mr Abhisit wants to be prime minister, cross this blood.
Thankfully, this time the blood had all been
donated by the protestors for a symbolic show of determination.
Rise up! Go Red Go! Just 2 weeks ago, tens of thousands of people
had poured into Bangkok... blockading the parliament and Prime Minister's residence,
and calling for the government's resignation. We are a failing democracy. The ultimate question
we have to address is can we have a strong democracy when we have a very strong traditional
state?
What the reds are trying to achieve down the road is to lessen the power of the forces
which are close to the palace. Most of these 'red shirts', as they're known,
come from Thailand's rural north and east and are supporters of the former Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatr.
There is no more controversial figure in Thailand than Thaksin... the billionaire telecommunications
mogul who went on to lead the country.He was hugely popular amongst the rural poor... and
is the only Prime Minister ever to serve a full term in office, and be re-elected.
But after months of corruption allegations, and protests by the royalist 'yellow shirts'...
Thaksin was finally ousted in a military coup four years ago.He is currently living in exile
in Dubai, and in a recent interview with the Times of London, he reflected on his mistakes.
I did politics without understanding the power structure of Thai society that much... I was
very naïve in that. So I stumbled. The former leader made other comments pointing
to the vulnerability of Thailand's democracy and its links to Royal approval. He went on
to name palace insiders as being behind the coup that forced him from office.
They want to get rid of me because they say I am trying to turn Thailand into a republic
and topple the monarchy.
I love this one, because he is not like the God, he is like a human, he love his mother,
But toppling the monarchy is unthinkable to most Thais.28-year old Somporn Ajanpanya's
earliest memories are of these photos on the walls of her family home.Even with the massive
people power of the red shirt demonstrations thronging through Bangkok, Somporn is a staunch
example of how Thailand's royal family dominates thought and behaviour here.
I would like to say this I do love the King, that's all.You love him as much as your own
father?It's quite different, The feeling to the father is like he is my beloved father,
but for the King, he is like my beloved model, beloved inspiration, beloved godfather, something
like that. There is no denying the real, unconditional
love felt for King Bhumipol Aduyadej ... from the humblest Thai families, all the way up
to the Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. I think that is something that is very hard
to find anywhere in the world. It is I think a product of over sixty years of dedication
and devotion to the people by His Majesty.
Today, the Ajanpanya's are on a rare family
outing... to celebrate King Bhumipol's birthday. Tonight is closing ceremony. I think I am
so lucky that I can join the trip to this closing ceremony.
The ten day event late last year drew millions of well wishers for His Majesty... who inherited
the throne back in 1946 after his older brother died from a pistol shot to the head in mysterious
circumstances.Now 82 years old, King Bhumipol is the world's longest serving living monarch.
The single medal sets I sold for 2000 baht. But they're sold out.
But in recent years, the King's been in uncertain health... and he's now been hospitalised for
many months, much to the concern of an anxious public.
Long live the King and hope that he will be in good health to be our beloved King for as long as...forever
While his likeness was everywhere, the King
himself was too unwell to make it to the celebrations.
And with Thaksin Shinawatr lurking in the
shadows of Thai politics, questions are emerging over how the country will one day cope without
the immensely influential monarch.It's a deep worry given Thailand has been stumbling through
years of division, at least 16 constitutions, 11 coups, and 27 prime ministers.
When it comes to reverence for His Majesty the King there is no division, The outpouring
of emotion and pure love for the King has just been frankly overwhelming.
With His Majesty plagued by uncertain health, you might expect discussion of the royal succession
to be everywhere.But instead it can't be openly discussed, not even by the Finance Minister,
Korn Chatikavanij. It doesn't need to be. The issue is our support
and respect for the Royal institution and the institution is robust, there are rules
and regulations related to every aspect of the Royal institution so there is no need
to be concerned.So the institution is greater than the man? I'm just saying that the institution
is robust. The reason for the careful choice of words
is Thailand's strict laws of lese majeste, which make it illegal to insult the King,
his immediate family, or even past monarchs.
Last year, Melbourne man, Harry Nicolaides was sentenced to three years in jail for publishing
twelve lines about a fictitious Crown Prince in a book that sold just seven copies.
The King later pardoned Nicolaides, but at least fifteen other people are currently facing
charges of Lese Majeste. I would most likely or certainly I would face
arrest under lese majeste law if I went back to Thailand.
Former Thailand correspondent Paul Handley now lives in Saudi Arabia.He's the author
of a critically acclaimed history of the monarchy, but his book was banned in Thailand before
it was even published. In a lot of ways the laws are essential for
the monarchy, monarchy is based on the myth, upon a story that tells people that this is
why this family, this person who is not elected, who is not chosen by the people is the king
is the leader. And they need that to justify the monarchy being handed down by blood line,
by family line. Well I would just point out that other people
are also protected by the law against defamation and slander. And surely we don't want a case
where the monarchy would have to bring charges against people because the monarchy is above
all conflicts. But at this time of pivotal change in Thailand,
some say the laws that protect the monarchy are stifling political debate...Lese majeste
charges can be filed by any ordinary citizen. I think the problem of this
law is people abusing it. Karuna Buakamsri is a TV presenter who grew
up in rural Thailand.As a girl she was stunned to learn the King wasn't a heavenly being.
I thought he was like in the sky or clouds somewhere and one day we got TV at home and
he was there and I said, Dad, is he just like driving in the car like that? And he said
yes, he's in Bangkok. And I said wow. Ha ha.
Recently Karuna was on the board of Thailand's Foreign Correspondent's Club when accusations
were filed against her and 8 others over a speech given at the club by a red shirt supporter,
and a former spokesmen for Thaksin.Some say the accusation was politically motivated.
I think with the law itself it should be amended to make it more, like clear and specific.
And in order to protect what people shouldn't say about him And not for it to be abused?
Not to be abused. I think there are people who can abuse it.
We try to close the loop holes that allow those abuses to take place and I can certainly
tell you that none of these charges are initiated by the government for political motivations,
with political motivations. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva came to power
following the yellow shirt protests against Thaksin, and today he's paying his respects
to the King in hospital. Well I am here actually to bring what His
Majesty had said on the fifth about how he would like to see the country be stable and prosper.
The Prime Minister insists the laws restricting discussion
of the King aren't having a negative effect on the country's political processes.
Look people can have discussions so long as they do not violate the law, but it's a culture
of a society, in terms of what we feel is appropriate to be discussed openly or not.
The Prime Minister also denies Thaksin's allegation that palace insiders had plotted to force
him from power.But once again, those in power must choose their words carefully.
I think there were confirmations about a dinner that took place between influential people
in different circles. It is not unusual, what has not been confirmed, is what was discussed.
And I don't believe that that dinner actually had discussions about plotting a coup.
After making those allegations, Thaksin too was accused of lese majeste, and has given
no further interviews despite repeated requests... including from Dateline.
Thaksin's Bangkok lawyer agreed to speak for him... but not, as it turned out, on this topic.
Does he stand by those comments?Actually,
this is question is very sensitive and I think you please ask him.
The palace got very afraid over Thaksin's power in 2004 and 2005. He was becoming a
rival in image to the King and that is what they thought and a number of people in the
palace and in the military saw Thaksin as potentially trying to usurp the throne.
Those fears are still very much alive among Thailand's ruling elite and royalist supporters.
For now, the prospect of life after King Bhumipol is something few Thais will contemplate.Exactly
who will reign over them next has not been made clear and is rarely discussed... but
the Prime Minister agreed to speak on the issue.
How does the process work?Well if there is a designated heir then that heir succeeds
the throne should time come and if not there is a process set out in the constitution.How
do we know if there is a designated heir, has that been said, is it.. well there is
a Royal declaration bestowing the title of Crown Prince upon the Crown Prince.And so
that suggests that it is him ?yes. Discussion of the Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn
is also heavily circumscribed by the laws of lese majeste.
What we can say is the 57-year-old graduated from the Duntroon Royal Military College in
Canberra, and is a qualified fighter jet pilot. He's made a number of state visits to Australia
over the years, including this one in 1999. The Crown Prince has acknowledged he has
problems with his image and is the subject of rumour and gossip.
This is where the divide or the battle between the red and the yellow will climax.
Some fear that the succession period may see powerful individuals close to the Palace try
to seize the advantage. You could have an attempted hijacking during
succession whereby there is uncertainty as to who would take the throne. During that
time there could be potential war games being played by members of the Privy Council.
Members of the armed forces and members of the judiciary branch.
Nattakorn Devakula comes from good political stock... his father was a finance minister
under Thaksin Shinawatr.
Nattakorn is waiting for his chance to enter
the political realm, and in the meantime he's working on his profile at a new television
station owned by Thaksin's son.
Nattakorn doesn't expect the lese majeste laws to change anytime soon, because of the
political landscape. The problem is you have a particular administration,
now the democrat party administration, that is not in favour of making these changes because
they are a political party that benefits from these abuses. So they are not going to institute
changes that would lessen the punishment of Lese Majeste.
And with public support for the monarchy so strong, even opposition figures like Thaksin
Shinawatr don't dare go far in their battle with palace insiders.
If khun Thaksin was to make himself an anti-monarchist he would never politically survive in Thailand.
So in a way he is not an ideologue, he is a politician and politicians will succumb
to the order of the day to survive. This is how it is.
As the recent demonstrations showed, Thaksin Shinawatr is determined to survive, and equally
determined to regain power. Some believe the political struggle could have disastrous consequences
for the nation. He won't go down by himself, he will drag
his enemies down with him and in the process Thailand down with him. The establishment,
his opponents should have seen him as a wake up call.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak is a political analyst at one of Thailand's leading universities.He
says many people are now asking whether democracy is compatible with Thailand's traditional
institutions. And so far the answer in our country is that,
no, they are not compatible. If you want to have strong democratic institutions the bureaucracy,
the military the monarchy will have to adjust accordingly.
That's why the military and the palace don't want to see Thaksin come back. They know that
when the King passes they don't want anyone out there powerful enough to challenge them,
to stick there hand into what the palace and the military think is there business.
With the succession day drawing ever closer, the red tide that's just swept through Bangkok
is only a hint of the growing political pressure Thailand is under.
The water is just piling up. There's no allowance for leakage, for release. So the dam gates
one day are going to come under immense pressure. And then we may have the dam gates bursting
and that's what we don't want for Thailand. We will fight on till we achieve our victory
and we get our democracy.