Somsak: Delaying charter, unity debates was my idea

“Only we have the privilege to hear what I am about to say. Even the MPs have not heard this. Of everyone, I’ve talked most often with the person living far away.

 

“When I asked not to go ahead with the third reading [of the charter-amendment bills] he wouldn’t listen. He didn’t yell, but he wouldn’t listen. So I told him that for all the time that we have known one another, I have analysed various political issues and was there any issue that didn’t turn out the way I analysed? He became quiet and listened.

 

“But he tried to change the subject when I was explaining. And when I finished speaking, he gave no response. Do you know what my most important line was? It was when I told him that Pheu Thai’s direction – as it always has been – is right. The strategy is not to play the king [in a chess match] unless it is required. We need to keep the premier out of [difficult situations].

 

“The prime minister has stressed that everything is the Parliament’s business. The Constitution is a matter for the Parliament, and so is the reconciliation bill and the third-reading process.

 

“The premier did the right thing. It was correct to pass the hot potato to me. What were they thinking, yanking the hot potato from my hand? What was he thinking, I asked?

 

“He was quiet. So I proposed that we talk among our people first. I phoned Khun Daeng Yaowapa [Wongsawat, Thaksin’s sister]. Earlier, I spoke to former premier Somchai [Wongsawat]. I convinced him and he finally concurred. Two hours later, former premier Somchai called to say the party was holding its strategy committee and that Thaksin would skype into the meeting.

 

“At the meeting the following day, the person far away did all the talking and used the reasons I gave him to influence the members before deciding whether the third reading should go ahead. To this minute, the Pheu Thai Party’s strategy has followed those rationales.

 

“The next task is to avoid deliberating the reconciliation bills in Parliament. I have repeated this ten thousand times to the person far away. I said to him that he has had to endure so much over five years, what does another three to six months mean? On August 1, the reconciliation bill should be withdrawn and put up for public deliberation in every square inch of this nation. The state-run media outlets will publicise it and the population will be the shield protecting us. It will take three to six months, then the reconciliation bills will be returned to Parliament. Let our opponent declare war; that’s not our doing. We should keep in our hands the power to run the state and proceed cautiously.

 

“Red shirts criticised me as being a coward for not pushing for the third reading [of the charter-amendment bills]. If I am a coward I would have done that, but I volunteered to hold the hot potato and not hand it over to the premier.
Those who don’t look deeply into politics think I am a coward; if I am I would push for the third reading and that’s it. Comfortable, I could just walk comfortably into Parliament. But will the prime minister manage to enter Government House? That’s the point of the matter.

 

“Let me stress – the heart of Pheu Thai is to sustainably manage its victory. Why be in a rush? You want to visit Rajprasong [Intersection to protest] again? How can a fist fight against M16 [rifles]? If the chessboard is overturned this time, we won’t have a country to stay in. And Thaksin won’t be able to return [to Thailand].”