MUSIC
UPSOT - Rallies
Blood on the streets of Bangkok…
Thailand’s demonstrators raising the stakes during the latest wave of mass protests to beset the country.
UPSOT:
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.
UPSOT:
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.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak
Political analyst
1:05:00 approx
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?
Nattakorn Devakula
Political aspirant
1:02:28 – 4:04
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.
UPSOT - Thaksin mobbed by supporters
SUPER: 2006
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.
UPSOT
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.
GRFX
I did politics without understanding the power structure of Thai society that much... I was very naïve in that. So I stumbled.
GRFX
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.
GRFX
They want to get rid of me because they say I am trying to turn Thailand into a republic and topple the monarchy.
Somporn Ajanpanya
1:03:39 –
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.
Somporn Ajanpanya
1:27:15 – 20
I would like to say this I do love the King, that’s all.
Q: You love him as much as your own father?
1:27:20 – 42
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.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva
1:00:52
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.
Somporn Ajanpanya
1:16:53 –
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.
Thawatchai Ajanpanya Thai
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.
English
1:41:20 –
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.
Korn Chatikavanij
Thai Finance Minister
English
1:02:31 – 3:17
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.
Korn Chatikavanij
Thai Finance Minister
A: 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.
Q: So the institution is greater than the man?
A: 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.
UPSOT – Nicolaides case
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.
Paul Handley
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.
Paul Handley
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.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva 1
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.
Karuna Buakamsri
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.
Karuna Buakamsri
1:08:14 – 8:54
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.
UPSOT – So I was invited to talk at the Press Club…
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 protest leader.
Some say the accusation was politically motivated.
Karuna Buakamsri
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
Q: And not for it to be abused?
A: Not to be abused.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva
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. 1:04:55
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.
PM Abhisist Vejjajiwa
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.
Abhisit insists the laws restricting discussion of the King aren’t having a negative effect on the country’s political processes.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva
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.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva
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.
UPSOT - Thaksin
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.
Nopadol Pattama
Thaksin Lawyer
1:07:54
Does he stand by those comments?
1:08:15 – 34
Actually, this is question is very sensitive and I think you please ask him.
What’s going on is a real fight over how succession goes down and what happens after succession. 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.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva 1:02:17 – 59
Q: How does the process work?
A: 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.
Q: How do we know if there is a designated heir, has that been said, is it..
A: well there is a Royal declaration bestowing the title of Crown Prince upon the Crown Prince.
Q: And so that suggests that it is him ?
A: 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.
Pics of Prince or King
Some fear that the succession period may see powerful individuals close to the Palace try to seize the advantage.
Nattakorn Devakula at Voice TV
1:32:37 – 33:56
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.
UPSOT – Nattakorm in newsroom
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.
UPSOT – TV show
Nattakorn doesn’t expect the lese majeste laws to change anytime soon, because of the political landscape.
Nattakorn Devakula at Voice TV
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.
Nattakorn Devakula at Voice TV
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.
PROTEST
UPSOT – Red Shirt Demo
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.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak
Political analyst
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.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak
Political analyst
1:05:30 approx
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.
Paul Handley
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.
UPSOT – protests
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.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak
Political analyst
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.
UPSOT:
We will fight on till we achieve our victory and we get our democracy.
END
Reporter – Ginny Stein
Made for SBS