Tens of thousands of people take to the streets of the Thai capital with a common purpose
- to oust Thailand's longest serving leader from office.
The political fortunes of Thaksin Shinawatra, one of Thailand's richest men, have plummeted in the past year.
Just 12 months ago he was considered the man responsible for restoring the nation's economic
health and stability. But a string of political and financial scandals have turned many who
once voted for him against him.
At first I thought he looked like a quite a nice guy. A nice guy...But then he started
to....He's shown us his true colours. No sincerity, no disclosure of truth.
At the core of this growing dissent is the sale of shares in the Thaksin family's telecommunication
company, Shin Corp, to the Singaporean Government - A US$2 billion tax-free deal.
In short he lacks an ethical sense. Ethics are beyond laws, rules and regulations. Thais
are concerned about this. Without ethics, one can't be a leader.
Veteran politician Major General Chamlong Srimuang, a devout Buddhist, introduced Thaksin
Shinawatra to politics, mentoring him at the start. Now he's urging his one-time protege
to stand down. The sale of Shin Corp the final straw.
He's made mistakes, he's caused so much damage to our country. We can not allow that, especially
when he sold Shin Corp shares to Singapore.
In an attempt to silence this urban uprising, Prime Minister Thaksin has called an early
election, three years ahead of schedule. Today he's in the rural heartland, amongst his most
ardent supporters.
He is the hardest working PM ever, he understands us ordinary people, the grass roots, and they
are the majority of Thailand's population.
But despite the campaign trail fanfare, this election looks like its turning into a political
farce, for Thailand's three main opposition parties have announced they are boycotting
the snap poll. Boycotting the election may turn out to be a clever move because under
Thailand's rules a new government can not be formed unless all 500 party list seats
are filled. And the government needs to gain at least 20% of the vote to win each uncontested
seat and this looks unlikely, given its unpopularity in the south.
The opposition Democrat Party says that far from being undemocratic, it was their only
choice.
Why boycott it?
Because we don't want to lend him the legitimacy. We don't think that the elections could be
about whether he has done things legally. We think that the elections could not replace
the courts. We think that it is more appropriate that we let the public see the Thaksin regime
for what it really is.
The government admits to being taken by surprise by the opposition parties' tactical manoeuvre.
We don't expect to have this situation but we have to go on. Even if we have one major
party to run in the election, the others are small parties, but to protect the democratic
rule, is our duty to go on and try and bring the election on April 2 to be very transparent,
very fair to everyone.
Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva says the boycott is driven by the lack of means to
remove a Prime Minister who acts above the law.
Well I am sure that in many mature democracies there are mechanisms to deal with the wrong
doings of leaders. In America you allow an elected president to be impeached. In many
parliamentary democracies it is very normal for people to demand a resignation of elected
leaders. Leaders who are elected have to be accountable and responsible for their actions.
They cannot evade, they cannot remain above the law.
But it is not just political foes or former supporters who are shouting for the Prime
Minister's resignation.
My beloved people, you have all hardly slept, you came at your own expense,
you are not here for fun,
you are here to drive an evil monster out of Thailand.
Media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul once praised the Prime Minister's economic acumen. But
that was before the Prime Minister tried to shut down a popular talk show he hosted after
he criticised government oppression. The gloves are now off.
He's actually a demagogue. He's not very sincere about democracy. He's using democracy as a
means to get power. And then once he gain power, with all the means that he has done,
he always come and claim "I have 19 million votes so you shut up. I'll do anything I want to"
Since the Shin Corp scandal hit the headlines, the Prime Minister's approval rating has plummeted
from 78% to 34% and new financial deals, favouring the first family, have been revealed.
The look of the deal doesn't pass the test. You can go through the list - tax waivers
for Shin Satellite, concession revenue reduction for AIS, the mobile phone operator. Again,
concession revenue reduction for ITV, the TV station. The list just goes on. Loan guarantees
to neighbouring governments who want to buy Shin Corp products.
That's the problem and that is the culmination of, what we call, policy corruption, that
has directly led to the increased value of Shin Corp over the years.
Political economist Dr Pasuk Pongpaichit says the size of the profit on the US$2 billion
Shin deal should not be underestimated.
This Shin deal, which valued about 1% of Thailand GDP, happened without the family paying a
cent as taxation.
She says there are concerns that more than 10 laws may have been breached in brokering
that deal.
For the illegality and the bending of the rules that he did over this Shin deal, in
advanced democratic country it is enough for such a person to step down. And I think the
people who are demonstrating against him wanted to create a new political culture for Thailand
to pressure him to step down, to be responsible and accountable for what he did in the same
way that this can happen in a developed country.
I'll devote myself to serving the government that never tires, the government that works
with integrity and honesty. In this now deeply divided nation, Thaksin
is pushing his appeal to the rural poor, where his economic credentials count for more than
the alleged corruption exciting the city dwellers.
This is Thaksin, who serves his motherland with gratitude. He has lifted Thai people out of debt
He never gives up, despite the slander of others. Persevere, keep fighting....You're
the man to serve our land.
There is no doubt that many Thais from the country have done well under Thaksin. Since
he came to power, rural incomes have risen, and the number of people below the poverty
line has almost halved.
This PM has done very well for our country. He has looked after the ordinary people like us
Pow Masontiat came to Bangkok in search of work. He's just bought a brand-new taxi.
They started a program to help taxi drivers buy their own cars, thanks to this government
and the Thai Rak Thai Party I now have my own taxi. So I am very glad the government
has helped me.
On the outskirts of Bangkok, about 8,000 farmers have gathered. They've been on the road for
almost a month. Their journey supported by the Prime Minister's party faithful who have
travelled out from the city to help feed them.
He's done a good job for the north and the northeast, he's never abandoned his people,
he's a good Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister's rural supporters want to declare their allegiance but, for now,
they remain outside Bangkok to prevent possible violence. They are accused of being paid to
be here - a charge this group's leader, Kumta Kanboonchan, denies.
We farmers can't be bought, we swear that on our honours. We're here to restore harmony
and end the conflict in our society. We're here because we love our Prime MinisterThaksin.
Thailand is now headed into uncharted territory. If an election goes ahead and a new government
can't be formed, a constitutional crisis looms because Thaksin has already dissolved the
parliament. Historically, political change has not come to Thailand without bloodshed.
Thailand's revered monarch has, so far, stayed out of this political fight, although this
television footage, of the last time he intervened, following bloodshed in 1992 - was recently
broadcast again. Back in 1992, the king forced the warring politicians into an agreement
after protests turned deadly.
I think that the footage that has been shown on television, about the events in 1992, is
the sign for everyone in Thailand that we have to talk to each other. We should not
have any confront again in order to prevent any conflict or any bloodshed.
There's now talk of the election being delayed but the opposition line now appears more firmly
drawn.
It is not going to change our decision. Just the date is not going to change our decision,
because our point is that we need reforms and we need to restore the spirit of the people's
constitution through democracy here.
The Prime Minister has made one concession. If he wins the election, but gains less votes
than those who abstain or vote against him, he will step aside.
So that is a concession he is willing to make?
Yes.
That is as far as he is willing to go?
Yes.
Thailand's Prime Minister has shown he's prepared to fight, but his options also appear to be
running out. In Bangkok, for a meeting, the media waited, but he was in no mood to speak.
Lunchtime. Hungry.
How hungry his appetite is to remain in power may decide the course of events. His opponents
remain convinced there is only one way to go.
As, the day goes by, it becomes increasingly obvious that Thaksin will have to step down
in some way. The longer he left it, the narrower his options were always going to become.