On 24 April 2012 former Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will address the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand. All of the details are available here.
Many New Mandala readers will, I know, be attending. So perhaps it is worth asking our readership for suggestions about possible questions.
What do you think the former Prime Minister should be asked?
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I would like to know if when the Royal Thai Army were protecting him while in power if he ever considered he was being intimidated into taking uninformed and biased decisions? If not what were the checks and balances he used to overcome being intimidated by the Royal Thai Army. Thank you.
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his week’s holiday after 10.04.2010 – it was a be “trapped” in the royal palace in Hua Hin so he tell nothing wrong to the people?
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Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, to which Thailand is a signatore, states:
“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
Today freedom of speech, or the freedom of expression, is understood as a multi-faceted right that includes not only the right to express, or disseminate, information and ideas via any medium, be it orally, written, in print, via the Internet or through art forms. This means that the protection of freedom of speech as a right includes not only the content, but also the means of expression via three distinct and specific aspects:
1. the right to seek information and ideas;
2. the right to receive information and ideas;
3. the right to impart information and ideas.
In the Bangkok Declaration adopted by Ministers of Asian states meeting in 1993, Asian governments reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They stated their view of the interdependence and indivisibility of human rights and stressed the need for universality, objectivity and non-selectivity of human rights.
However, they emphasized that the principles of sovereignty and noninterference called for greater emphasis on economic, social, and cultural rights, particularly the right to economic development, over civil and political rights.
My question is: IF FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION IS THE UNIVERSALLY RECOGNIZED STANDARD BY WHICH DEMOCRACIES EITHER STAND OR FAIL, IS THAILAND A DEMOCRACY?
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Did he think that 18 military coups belong to a democracy?
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Why is not Abisith resigned in order to show that he accepts responsibility for the happened?
Why he does to this day no responsibility for what had happened?
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“Who ranks higher – you (Abhisit) or Air Chief Marshall Poodle (aka Foo Foo)?”
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It is good if the military is above the elected representatives?
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How does it feel for an Oxford alumni, to be nicknamed the butcher of Bangkok ?
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This would be my question.
“I’ve spoken to a key and very senior advisor to your last government, someone with very close connections to Democrat Party ministers and who is also a member of the same Bangkok elite social milieu you hail from.
They told me that many people now consider you to have been a complete failure as leader and that you need to resign as you are damaging both Thailand and the Democrat Party.
When will you do the decent thing and resign?”
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1) Why does Thailand need article 112? – Dr Tul completely failed to explain this in February. Since Abhisit seems to be the second most fanatic proponent of the lese majesty he might be qualified to answer the question – apparently he wont be able to escape by pretending a selective loss of EN language skill as Tul.
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Two questions:
1. To what does Abhisit attribute the ‘teflon’ ability of his government to survive mass protests the likes of which no other government has been able to withstand in Thailand?
2. Now that Abhisit is no longer in government (and while Chumpol Silpa-archa is), and I’d like Abhisit to reveal the identity of the ‘special power’ referred to by Chumpol Silpa-archa as forcing the CP party to join the previous Democrat-led coalition government http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/241897/pm-rules-out-pecial-power-govt
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I also wonder if anybody there will have the courage to call the Butcher of Bangkok by the name on his birth certificate – the name he used to enrol at Oxford with and the name he used to place himself on the British register of voters.
“Khun Mark I have a question for you…. “
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The 2006 coup was a violation of the law and the Constitution of 1997?
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@Andrew Spooner # 12
> Did anybody ever got grilled at the FCCT?
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Thaksin was an PM ,elected from the majority of the people?
what was so diabolically on him that for years Thailand hadn´t a foreign minister only a Thaksin- hunter named Korn?
In all the years after Thaksin there is only one dubious court judgment against him – that make him a devil ?
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I shall attempt to be Abhisit and respond to some of these questions lol lol:
#3 Jim Coyne:
My question is: IF FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION IS THE UNIVERSALLY RECOGNIZED STANDARD BY WHICH DEMOCRACIES EITHER STAND OR FAIL, IS THAILAND A DEMOCRACY?
Thailand does have freedom of speech and expression. As you can see, Yingluck is being criticised every day by the yellow shirts, ASTV, and Manager. Do you see the freedom of speech? As for freedom of speech and expression in the context of Monarchy, you probably have to know that when it comes to the matter of national security, everyone must sacrifice their freedom of expression for the sake of the nation’s security. The Monarchy is in the heart of the Thai people and therefore any discussion about them affects national security. Therefore anyone who dares to criticise the Monarchy will be deemed as a threat to national security. This is why jailing them is justified.
#4 Bernd Weber:
Did he think that 18 military coups belong to a democracy?
As I explained above, when it comes to the Monarchy, we must all sacrifice our right to freedom of expression for the sake of the nation’s security. Therefore you should not ask this question because your question is damaging Thailand’s national security.
#5 Bernd Weber:
Why is not Abisith resigned in order to show that he accepts responsibility for the happened?
Killing the red shirt is justified because they are anti-Monarchy. Thus their action is undermining Thailand’s national security. Therefore there is no responsibility for me to admit. Thaksin should be the one who must accept responsibility because he is behind the red shirts.
#5 Bernd Weber
“Why he does to this day no responsibility for what had happened?”
I already told you that I did not do anything wrong. The Red Shirts do not support the Monarchy so they have to be killed. Killing them to preserve the Monarchy is a commendable act.
#6 Ah Beng
“Who ranks higher – you (Abhisit) or Air Chief Marshall Poodle (aka Foo Foo)?”
Foo Foo is considered the member of royal family. Therefore you should not ask this question because it will undermine Thailand’s
national security.
#7 Bernd Weber
“It is good if the military is above the elected representatives?”
The answer to this question kind of depends who you ask. The answer will vary. As the person who answers this question is me, I must say it is good for me that the military is above the elected representative because it was them who kicked out the elected government and place me as Thailand’s PM. If they didn’t do that I will never become the PM.
#8 Marat
“How does it feel for an Oxford alumni, to be nicknamed the butcher of Bangkok?”
My face is very thick. Thai people call it หน้าด้าน (Naa-Daan). So I don’t feel anything.
#9 Andrew Spooner
“Many people now consider you to have been a complete failure as leader and that you need to resign as you are damaging both Thailand and the Democrat Party.
When will you do the decent thing and resign?”
Until the Military give me all the money they confiscated from Thaksin. If I have all of his confiscated money I will resign and retire in pure luxury.
#HowLowCanWego #10
“Why does Thailand need article 112?”
Because Thailand belongs to the King and the King wants it. If you are not happy you are free to leave.
#Nganadeeleg #11
“To what does Abhisit attribute the ‘teflon’ ability of his government to survive mass protests the likes of which no other government has been able to withstand in Thailand?”
I have a holy animal which protects my government. This animal is the Blue Whale. It is a unique and very powerful animal. It makes its appearance rarely. Last time it made its appearance was at some funeral back in 2008. If you know about that funeral you will know how powerful the Blue Whale is.
#Nganadeeleg #11
“2. Now that Abhisit is no longer in government (and while Chumpol Silpa-archa is), and I’d like Abhisit to reveal the identity of the ‘special power’ referred to by Chumpol Silpa-archa as forcing the CP party to join the previous Democrat-led coalition government”
I don’t know what is the CP party. You may want to explain a little bit? lol
#Andrew Spooner #12
“I also wonder if anybody there will have the courage to call the Butcher of Bangkok by the name on his birth certificate – the name he used to enrol at Oxford with and the name he used to place himself on the British register of voters.”
So? Even the King has two citizenships: US and Thai, so why can’t I have dual citizenship, huh?
Bernd Weber #13
“The 2006 coup was a violation of the law and the Constitution of 1997?”
The law can be rewritten any time in Thailand if I want to, so can you point out to me the provision(s) which the coup violated, so I can advise my saviour, the Blue Whale, and rewrite those bits?
Any more questions let me know.
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I’d also like to know why he felt a holiday in the Maldives was appropriate given the islands are world famous for being the first to sink under the sea due to climate change, and that Bangkok was sinking under the flood waters? Was it schadenfreude for losing the election? Thais are fond of European weather that time of the year.
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You said you’d resign if you lost the election, why didn’t you.
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Who ordered the use of live fire ordanance to disperse the red shirts? Who followed the orders?
What were the officers told?
What were the NCOs told?
What was the Chain of command?
Why were the perpetrators of the use of military weapons in Bangkok rather than riot control methods promoted? Who ordered the promotions? Who Agreed to these promotions?
Why was he seuestered in a military base for the duration? Was he scared? Why?
What specifically did he tell the CinC or the the CinC tell him how it was going to play out?
Does he have any regrets for boycotting the elections in 2005 the move that ultimately resonsible for the loss of democracy in Thailand? Elaborate!
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Given Pinochet’s experience on his last visit to Britain is he reluctant to return to the land of his birth? If he’s confused by the question then he could either look at this link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusto_Pinochet's_arrest_and_trial
or ask one of his well placed old Etonian friends whether they would be happy to see him visit the old school and its famous playing fields again. Perhaps you should remind Khun Mark that the Lords ruling was very clear on the subject of crimes committed after 1988. And as a supplementary question perhaps you could ask him if he believes that he has nothing to fear while his chums are in power?
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You were locked in a dark dungeon from 11.04.2010 – 17.04.2010 in the palace of Hua Hin or were you allowed to walk in the garden some times ?
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There is no point asking Billy Liar any questions so I’ll pass on this one.
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Inquirer
Brilliant and 100% appropriate questions.
Mark will, however, be facing the kind of foreign “journalists” who are unlikely to ask any of those kinds of questions.
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My question for Khun Abhisit will be, what does he think about his party popularity declining since he became the party leader? If he agrees that his party does have declining popularity, can he address the causes of this and/or what is his plan to increasing his votes?
If he doesn’t agree, what is the point??
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My question to the FCCT is: Why have the puppet along rather than the boss?
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Rewind to before the final crackdown.
What happened to the specially trained riot police when red-shirt protesters moved into central Bangkok?
What happened to the police chain of command?
Did the police have a mind of their own and act independently of civilian control?
When after turning Bangkok into an unlivable bomb-infested protest carnival and it finally came time to remove them from central Bangkok, did the military have a mind of their own and act independently of civilian control?
It all certainly evokes memories of another ill-fated crackdown, namely General Pallop Pinmanee พัลลภ ปิ่นมณี at Krue Sae Mosque under the nominal command of Thaksin Shinawatra.
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Are you still buddies with Newin Chidchob?
And if so, can you let us know the thinking behind his Songkran celebrations? What’s up with the Japanese porn star?
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What was your immediate reaction to the death of Seh Daeng?
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The propaganda banners after the massacre “Together We Can” were turned around too quickly to be conceptually created, graphically designed, screen printed, distributed and erected unless the printing banner company worked around the clock.
How many days before the massacre were they planned? Days or weeks?
Which company created them?
Does that company have a workflow of the order? When it was placed, who came up with the concept, when screen printing commenced and which employees worked the overtime to create them?
Were they the same company that created the “Live Firing Zone” banners a week or two before the massacre?
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“What was your immediate reaction to the death of Seh Daeng?”
Will Abhisit dare to respond by saying, “I job well done!.”
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Inquirer #17
“Does he have any regrets for boycotting the elections in 2005 the move that ultimately resonsible for the loss of democracy in Thailand? Elaborate!”
That was in 2006. My additional question would be, “Would you be willing to make the transcript of the decisive and fateful six-hour ‘heated debate’ of the Democrat Party’s executive board on February 24, 2006 available to the public?”
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Why did you tell the Thai parliament that you didn’t use your British citizenship to enrol at Oxford university and now you say you can’t remember?
Do you think you will ever win a Thai general election?
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What is his view on the potential aims for Thailand of the globalist institutions of:
Council on Foreign Relations, Brooking Institute, Chatham House, International Crisis Group and the Trilateral Commission?
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Why is the US State Department, Amnesty International and even the Royal Thai Army still unclear who is doing the killing down South and what their political strategy and objectives are?
Why has nobody even got a cosmetic answer for this that makes sense?
Are there outside forces of manipulation?
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Next round of questions can go like this: “Have you read ‘The King Never Smiles’? What are your opinions of the book? In case you haven’t then why not? How about the work of Andrew MacGregor Marshall on the King Bhumibol? Do you believe of Darunee Charnchoensilpakul deserves to be jailed for so many years? How about Ampon Tangnoppakul? Somyot Prueksakasemsuk? Surachai Danwatthananusorn? How about the others? How about your disdain of Giles Ji Ungpakorn? Is your silence worthy of Eton College and University of Oxford graduate?”
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Khun Abphisit, why dont you think the Democrats have won an election in Thailand since 1992?
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An LSE PhD in Economics is now just another commodity to be bought and sold by political families as we learned with the arrest of Gadaffi’s son.
The reputation for the Oxford PPE is going the same way with current holders such as Abhisit and Cameron representing the educated elite. Can he reassure the Thai electorate that it wasn’t just another purchased elite education certificate by explaining the difference between Athenian Democracy and Thai Democracy.
This is a basic question that any authentic PPE holder would be able to0 explain and indeed have an interesting political viewpoint on.
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Charles, just some quick points. Gaddafi’s PhD wasn’t in economics. And also, since when does a degree, famous or otherwise, attribute the holder with virtue? Plenty of very intelligent people are morally bankrupt. What you’ve written mostly seems like a diatribe against those institutions because you resent not being in the mix with power!
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Is it true the M79 round that killed the army Colonel and soldiers was actually an accidental discharge of the M79 weapon by a soldier in that group? The video on youtube confirms this: if so, is this the reason the “black shirts” have never been arrested and subsequent enquires have never been made public?
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Roger,
Would you please post a link to the Youtube video?
It seems that anyone wanting to establish credibility by citing a video is doing themselves an enormous disservice by making it so difficult for others to track down said video.
The one you cite sounds particularly interesting.
Thanks.
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3 Questions.
Have you ever thought of developing a true democratic party in Thailand, or if there was such a party would you be for it or against it?
Do you think you will ever be Prime minister again without the help of the military?
Do you think Thailand will still be a monarchy in 10 years time?
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http://www.dailynews.co.th/politics/22526
A spokesman for your party is making coup threats. What part of democracy don’t they understand?
You say you believe in rule of law and that all persons should be equal before that law. Why then haven’t you insisted an MP of your party, Kanchit, answers police questions regarding his possible involvement in the murder of a Pheu Thai supporter? Why haven’t you even demanded Kanchit be expelled from your party for refusing to answer police questions? Or is it ok to murder people in the Democrat Party?
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@Leah Hoyt,
The anser to your first question: “Would you please post a link to the Youtube video”? is now no.
The reason is in your second paragraph in which you try to blackmail me into doing so by saying I must establish my credibility.
If you are so interested in it, look for yourself, or contact any Military Attache who was in Bangkok at the time. Or, as the clip was aired at the Military Attache’s briefing shortly after the incident and former Deputy Prime Minister Suthep refused to answer the same question then, I thought it would be appropriate to ask the former Prime Minister now.
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Perhaps Abhisit would like to explain what he thinks angered the Cluster Munition Coalition and the international community when he gave an explanation about Thailand cluster bombing Cambodia.
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Jon Fernquest
“It all certainly evokes memories of another ill-fated crackdown, namely General Pallop Pinmanee พัลลภ ปิ่นมณี at Krue Sae Mosque under the nominal command of Thaksin Shinawatra.”
Except that Pinmanee was ordered by Chavalit on orders of Thaksin NOT to attack Krue Sae.
I don’t mind a proper critique of Thaksin and he certainly deserves that and certainly needs to answer on the WoD but lying about stuff just doesn’t help anything.
Abhisit was in Camp 11 giving direct orders to the army to attack the UDD.
Thaksin was 1000s of KM anyway ordering troops NOT to attack.
Comparing the two events as having some kind of equivalence is just pure PAD propaganda.
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New Mandala readers following this discussion of questions for former Prime Minister Abhisit will want to see the responses it is drawing in the Thai language Internet.
You can start here and here.
Best wishes to all,
Nich
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Roger: I’d like a link for the video as well.
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My dear Abhisit: Is it true that Oxford means “cattle crossing”, and what does this imply for Oxford students?
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To what degree do you owe your political career to the fact that members of the Vejjajiva family are partners and directors of 46 partnerships and companies with a combined registered capital of 34 billion baht, and sit on boards of directors of 10 corporations with a total capitalization of 204 billion baht?
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Roger (c39) – I’d also welcome a link to the video you have in mind.
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Roger,
Please do not punish New Mandala’s readers for an un intended slight from me that I will be happy to retract. Actually, I had only intended for the first and last sentences in my comment to be directed at you.
The middle part was really intended to help perpetuate the internet best practice of linking to easily linkable sources, which I do think is a great thing to do. So with that said, please accept the text below as a replacement for my offending comment above:
Roger,
Would you please post a link to the Youtube video?
It sounds particularly interesting.
Thanks.
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If Yingluck is unable to keep her twitter account safe and thus unable to properly protect the country, what are you doing to ensure the safety of your own twitter account?
Funny enough, with reference to Yingluck’s ability, this question was asked to (and by) Chulalongkorn University students in an inter-faculty night late last year.
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re #49 A Littlebird.
“combined registered capital of 34 billion baht”…? Small beer, I’d say. It wouldn’t even come close to paying of the 46 billion confiscated from Thaksin.
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New Mandala readers following these discussions will likely want to digest the Thai language responses over at Pantip.com. They are preoccupied with the idea of “the butcher of Bangkok”. You can read the discussion here.
My favourite line:
ส่วนตัวรู้จักฝรั่งพอสมควร ไม่คิดว่าฝรั่งจะสนใจการเมืองไทยมากเพียงพอที่จะวิจารณ์แดกดันมาร์คหรอกค่ะ
Best wishes to all,
Nich
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I tried to find the first use of this term “Butcher of Bangkok” for Abhisit and it seems that it was Political Prisoners of Thailand (11 April 2010 – http://thaipoliticalprisoners.wordpress.com/2010/04/11/the-butcher-of-bangkok/). Was there an earlier use? How about in Thai?
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For the funny’s sake;
” My favourite line:
ส่วนตัวรู้จักฝรั่งพอสมควร ไม่คิดว่าฝรั่งจะสนใจการเมืองไทยมากเพียงพอที่จะวิจารณ์แดกดันมาร์คหรอกค่ะ ”
This is a typical “Thai Salim” (who embarce coup d’etat and also love democracy LOL), may I translate:
“I’m quite accustomed to Farangs and don’t think that they
actually know deeply about Thailand’s political problems enought to call Abhisit Vejjajiva ‘The Butcher of Bangkok’.
What a poor Salim girl, you know Farangs a lot but don’t you think that many Farangs may also know ‘you’ a lot in return?
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#56
You might be interested to know that the Prince of Songkhla University in Hat Yai has invited Abhisit to give a key note address at their 4th International Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences. Abhisit will speak about “Humanities and Social Sciences: Research Trends on ASEAN Community and Beyond.”
So, it seems that even to many social science academics in Thailand, Abhisit remains a person sufficiently respectible to invite him for a keynote address (would they have also invited Thanom or Suchinda, one wonders). To them, he is not at all the “Butcher of Bangkok,” who would need to be subjected to social sanction. Maybe, this is a Thai case of ไม่สนใจการเมืองไทยมากเพียงพอที่จะวิจารณ์แดกดันมาร์คหรอกค่ะ.
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#57
In the end, Abhisit did not turn up, because he had to be in parliament to debate the constitutional amendments, thus forcing the organizers on very short notice to reorganized the entire one-day conference. The audience was treated to a single key note address by a foreign professor, who delivered an hour-long sermon about how humankind had devised a way of life that was not environmentally sustainable. There was no trace of an analysis of this situation, i.e. no attempt at understanding/explaining it (mentioning Beck’s book on risk society did not help). Instead, he seemed to put his hope into a broad and global value change…
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