Another fine mess you got us into

No, not the one who was very chummy with Hun Sen and was his financial adviser but Surayud Chulanont, the military dictator who followed up accusations of corruption against Thaksin by doing nothing about it. Now Yingluck is saying we must be friends with Cambodia. And why not? Thailand and Cambodia should jointly agree to hand their disputed territory to Asean when the community is integrated in 2015. (I would have a lot of difficulty selling this idea in Thailand.)

As far as amnesty is concerned, the legislation is on holiday for six months – and never to return, if we believe Yingluck. The amnesty appeared to have three elements. First, everybody wanted the rank-and-file protesters to get amnesty. Why not? They knew not what they did. Second, nobody asked for amnesty for the former Democrat government leaders or the Army. When proposed, it raised the red-shirt rank and file against the bill. 

Third, amnesty for Thaksin and the red-shirt leaders was a nonsense in the first place. Raising an insurrection against the state for financial gain and self-aggrandisement in office are criminal rather than political acts, so no amnesty applies. As it is, those that everyone agreed should be given amnesty have been deprived of their freedom for at least another six months – for the sake of one man’s interests.

The legislation should have been sent back as a financial bill. That would have tested Yingluck’s mettle. What will she tell her disappointed followers?

Richard Bowler

Bangkok