Red-shirt leaders reunite, but times have changed

On June 2 at the Thunder Dome, Muangthong Thani, a major political show will return to the stage. The “Truth Today” programme will come back with its three leading stars – Jatuporn Prompan, Natthawut Saikua and Veera Musikapong. It will be the first such event to be held under a pro-Thaksin government, and this has sparked all kind of speculation.

The upcoming event was announced after Thaksin Shinawatra on May 19 virtually urged the red shirts to be less aggressive in order to facilitate reconciliation. His statement created widespread discontent among the extremists within the red shirt movement. With Jatuporn, Natthawut and Veera known as Thaksin’s front-line soldiers, it is believed that the renewed show must be some kind of damage control rather than an attempt to undermine the big boss.

Then there was the controversial issue of reduced compensation for “political victims”. The announcement that the promised Bt7.5 million would be cut down to just over Bt400,000 must have upset many. Again, if there are any red shirt leaders who could calm an uproar down, they must be those who fought along side other protesters during the 2010 political turbulence.

The three men have gone on separate paths. Natthawut has joined the Yingluck Cabinet, whereas Jatuporn’s parliamentary star has waned after being recently disqualified as an MP. Veera has been promoting a “red shirt noodle” franchise and hosting some lesser red shirt TV programmes.

Thai politics is now quite different from three years ago, when whatever the three said was greeted with roars of chest-thumping acceptance. Today, the “enemies” are less powerful and the Thaksin camp is governing the country, making decisions on such things as compensation or amnesty.

Three years ago, Veera, Jatuporn and Natthawut could blame anything on “the other side”, and that was always accepted without question. Certainly, they cannot do the same now. Natthawut will likely be asked why he has been rewarded with a Cabinet post while many red shirts were still shackled with legal trouble. Jatuporn’s road in conventional politics has been bumpier than Natthawut’s, but the beloved red-shirt leader would also have a lot to answer for if he is to be given a ministerial position. Veera used to draw loud cheers with his satires of Thaksin’s enemies, but it’s highly doubtful he will whip up red shirt frenzy on June 2 by lambasting Abhisit Vejjajiva or Prem Tinsulanonda.

The June 2 event could be just a show of force. Coming after Thaksin has begged for peaceful behaviour, however, it may raise some questions. If the idea is to have Veera, Jatuporn and Natthawut help calm things down, the three will have to walk a tightrope. Resentment against Thaksin’s last video-link speech is an unheard of phenomenon as far as his relationship with the red shirts goes.

The trio used to guide or manipulate red-shirt sentiment thanks to their charisma and sharp tongues. Whether they can still do that on June 2 is a question mark. Three years ago, Thaksin, Veera, Natthawut, Jatuporn and the red shirts were one. Now, they are anything but. It is Thaksin himself who has changed the script all of a sudden. Fight for me, he told the red shirts before, during and in the immediate aftermath of their uprising. It was the message Veera, Natthawut and Jatuporn conveyed time and again at their protest site back in 2010. On May 19, Thaksin virtually told the red shirts he would not be able to return home if they continued to fight their enemies. 

What will the trio tell the red shirts now? That Thaksin still needs their help? That he no longer needs their help? Either way, it’s a potentially explosive message to convey.