Country walks a tightrope over impeachment

Whether former prime minister Yingluck Shinwatra is found guilty and impeached over alleged dereliction of duty and corruption related to the rice-pledging scheme or not, the outcome will mark a crucial political juncture with possible unnerving ramifications.
Some say the National Legislative Assembly proceedings tomorrow must go ahead fairly and squarely no matter what the consequences might be, however.
A guilty verdict by the junta-appointed NLA will certainly galvanised pro-Thaksin/Yingluck Shinawatra red shirts and Pheu Thai Party supporters, who would almost automatically see it as an unfair political vendetta.
A non-guilty verdict would leave the anti-Thaksin/Yingluck People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) feeling cheated and make them think that their months of street protests were all for nothing.
The reality is that there is very little room for persuasion, as all seem to have made up their minds as to whether Yingluck is guilty.
“The Yingluck impeachment case is a political tool to ban her from politics for five years,” said Sirote Klampaiboon, a red shirt-leaning political scientist.
Sirote said the attempt by a certain power group to root out Thaksin’s influence from Thai politics had begun a long time ago, dating back to 2006.
On the contrary, PDRC spokesperson Akanat Promphan said the impeachment case against the former PM was a legal issue and should not be treated as political, hence the decision should be based on legal principles.
“The NLA should not use the reconciliation issue as an excuse to forgive Yingluck,” Akanat said, adding that NLA members “must not be afraid” of political consequences, because it is impossible for them to come up with a decision that would please everyone, anyhow.
Echoing Akanat’s sentiment is Chulalongkorn University political scientist Trakoon Meechai.
Trakoon said members of the NLA who were not willing to make a decision based on what was right should simply resign, and any worries about possible repercussions should not be the driving factor in determining what happens tomorrow.
“On Yingluck’s case, we can’t worry as to what will happen [after the verdict]. If the country’s [former] administrator is guilty, then the person must be punished no matter whether any group would come out to oppose it or not. “The matter must proceed without fear, but if she is not guilty, then she must not be made guilty. Those who dare not make the decision, should just resign,” he said, acknowledging however that it would fuse further political pressure.
Akanat pointed to the attempt by the then-ruling Pheu Thai Party to push through a ‘blanket’ amnesty bill as an example of an action which “lacked legal principle” and that had led to dreadful consequences the mass protest in November 2013 that eventually ended with the May 22 military coup last year.
It is hard to conceive how typical pro-Yingluck red shirts could ever accept a decision against Yingluck by the NLA, as they oppose the military coup and the junta that handpicked the assembly members. A guilty decision by the NLA would almost inevitably be regarded as unjust.
Red-shirt co-leader and former Pheu Thai MP, Weng Tojirakarn, warned that any decision to impeach the former PM would lead to long-term dissent. He said the red shirts were unlikely to organise a massive political protest due to the imposition of martial law. However, he is convinced that such a guilty finding would fuel the anger of many people, and  would erupt into some form of dissent.
Worachai Hema, another red-shirt co-leader and former Pheu Thai MP, confirmed yesterday that there will be no gathering of red shirts to offer moral support to Yingluck at Parliament tomorrow, but people could go there of their own will.
As for Sirote, he also warned that should the NLA decide to impeach Yingluck, it would be proof of the assembly’s political partiality, deepen the political divide and setback the junta’s efforts for peace and reconciliation. “There will certainly be demonstration and contempt, although it is not clear how they are going to be expressed,” he added.
Yingluck’s lawyer, Norawit Lalang, said the participation of the general public was important.
The former PM will explain and defend herself in regard to the accusations made in advance by the National Anti-Corruption Comm-ission. In a related development, NLA member Admiral Sitthawat Wongsuwan yesterday said it would be difficult to attain the three-fifths of the votes – 132 votes – needed to impeach Yingluck.