Alongkorn's amnesty idea goes down like a lead balloon

While his party campaigned against an amnesty bill, Alongkorn last week proposed drafting his own amnesty bill, but the party refrained from doing so. 

This is not the first time one of his ideas has been opposed by the party. Back in March, he suggested a party reform plan. His reform blueprint created wide criticism and talk of rifts among the Democrats. Democrat chief adviser Chuan Leekpai even issued a direct warning to him to stop discussing certain issues publicly.

Alongkorn may have had good intentions, but his role could also backfire for the party.

The deputy’s role and intentions were discussed in an informal meeting of key leaders last week. Some were suspicious about Alongkorn’s motives and asked questions about this.

“Why does Alongkorn always create conflicts inside the party whenever the government is in trouble and the Democrats’ popularity is increasing?” a source from the meeting revealed.

In their discussion, fears were voiced that Alongkorn could fall into a trap laid by the party’s rivals. Some Democrats believe someone from the rival camp may be penning a script for Alongkorn – and that he may not be aware he was being used as a tool to destroy his party, the source said.

One party member, who asked not to be named, believed there is a conspiracy, and noted that former premier Thaksin Shinawatra appeared to have employed people who know his enemies well, so he knows how to deal with them.

For example, Thaksin appointed people from the South as red-shirt leaders because the South is the Democrats’ political stronghold.

The ex-premier also kept Tarit Pengdith as director-general of the DSI (Department of Special Investigation). Tarit was also part of the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation, the body set up to manage the red-shirt political protests in 2010, yet he was enlisted to pursue murder charges against former premier Abhisit Vejjajiva and former deputy premier Suthep Thaugsuban. The two were charged with ordering the killing of red-shirt demonstrators in 2010. 

For Alongkorn, it is similar, the source believed. Thaksin’s goal was to discredit the Democrats, the source said.

However, some of those who attended the meeting had a different view. They believe Alongkorn had no intention to destroy the party but just wanted to act as a “glue” or coordinator to reduce political conflicts between the Democrats and the ruling party. 

However, that would not be an easy task, if it was his intention. While he may be sincere in wanting to create harmony and many people may support him doing that, if other Democrat MPs oppose the idea, it would be impossible to achieve such a goal.

So, the conclusion of the informal meeting was that everyone should keep quiet, as they need to maintain party discipline and avoid creating internal conflict between party MPs.

Moreover, the meeting agreed they should ignore Alongkorn’s idea or any proposals from him. 

“If he wants to be a hero, let him walk alone,” a key leader was quoted as saying in the meeting.

That could be the best way to deal with a man making contentious proposals.