PAD|People’s Alliance for Democracy – Our Hope for Thailand

Translated and amended from 10 คำถามยอดฮิต พันธมิตรฯ เบื่อตอบ! by Panthep Puapongpan. (Comments for the translation are welcome)

Question 1: Why do PAD’s goals keep changing?

Answer: In fact, we have never changed our stand, and we have announced so many times. The goals of our campaigns are [1] To protect the constitution to prevent it from being used as a tool in laundering the wrongdoings of Thaksin Shinawatra and his associates [2] To eradicate the Thaksin regime, to chase out the proxy government, [3] And to pave the way for new politics in the Kingdom of Thailand, so rotten political problems will not re-happen again

Chamlong Srimuang

When Chamlong Srimuang wants PAD to be reminded that they come together to “Do duties, Pay back the land, and Make merit“, what does they mean? The answers are described in the announcement 14/2551(2008)

“Come to do duties” means to do what is described by Section 70 in the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand 2550(2007) that every person shall have a duty to uphold the nation, religions, the King and the democratic regime of government with the King as Head of State under this Constitution, and by Section 69, and Section 63 that PAD can enjoy the liberty to assemble peacefully and without arms to resist peacefully an act committed for the acquisition of the power to rule the country by a means which is not in accordance with the modes provided in this Constitution.

“Pay back to the land” means that since we are born to be Thais, everyone must owe to the land, so when the nation faces severe crisis like in the present, Thai citizen must come out to pay back to the land.

“And make merit” means that we come to react to His Majesty King Bhumipol’s speech given in June 2530(1987) that “To create usefulness is to make merit”

Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat

Question 2: Samak Sundaravej has resigned, and Somchai Wongsawat wants to harmonize, but why doesn’t PAD pull back by pulling off from the government office? (one step back one step each)

Answer: PAD has never changed the mission, but if Somchai Wongsawat is still behaving as a Thaksin Shinawatra’s puppet, we still have to oust him according to Goal No.2 “To eradicate the Thaksin regime, to chase out the proxy government”. If you have read the announcement no. 21/2551(2008), you should have known that a puppet can’t do what PAD has demanded, e.g. to confirm not to amend the constitution for oneself, to clear up all lawsuits and guilts committed by Thaksin and his associates including Samak and his government as to ensure justice in all sectors of society, and spell out a stand to reform Thailand politics for the establishment of New Politics

Therefore, the demands are not about an individual, but it is about the goal to resolve the nation’s crisis. And when “there is no progress in action”, people who assemble can’t back off

Question 3: PAD’s demands seem to contradict – one side to protect the constitution, but on the other side the New Politics needs constitution amendments, doesn’t it?

Answer: You should have read the announcement no. 21/2551(2008), so you know that to protect the Constitution and to build New Politics are in different time periods and contexts. To protect the constitution means that [1] not to amend it for laundering wrongdoing of Thaksin Shinawatra and his associates, [2] not to amend it to support any conflict of interests for any politicians, and [3] not to amend it to lessen the power of the monarchy for absolute control by politicians.

New Politics will emerge after we have eradicated the evilness of Thaksinocracy, and any proxy governments, so we have a chance to build “New Politics” for a society.

Question 4: PAD’s campaign damanges the country, and what did the country get?

Answer: Consider whether a corrupt government cause any damages to the country? And many benefits from PAD’s campaign have come about. – [1] PAD has prevented constitution amendment to launder guilts of Thaksin and his associates from happening, that is why many corruption lawsuits and corrupted election lawsuits are now under progress, [2] PAD continuous protesting push the parliament to open a general debate and a general debate for the purpose of passing a vote of no-confidence, and [3] PAD exercises the laws to prevent any government illegal activities – one obvious illegal activity is signing of the Thai-Cambodia joint communique on the Preah Vihear that might cause Thailand to lose sovereign over the land surrounding the site. Thailand Administrative court issue injunction against the action on June 28 and them found the agreement to be unconstitutional on July 8, 2008

Anti-PAD Gangsters

Question 5: Why does PAD possess many golf clubs, staffs, and baseball bats? Aren’t they weapon?

Answer: PAD protesters were attacked by gangsters which were believed to be supported by the government and some police officers since the first day of protesting. Lots of people can’t bear with this and have donated them for defence only. Although PAD’s campaign is non-violence, but we have the right to protect ourselves. Till now, there are still many cases that government officers haven’t done anything to those gangsters at all.

Question 6: Isn’t PAD that saying we respect the process of laws? Why the leaders don’t surrender themselves to a police? Why are they acting like Thaksin Shinawattra?

Answer: No, they are different. Because PAD protesters and many academics have commented that the rebel charge is non-sense, and police officers are trying to persecute PAD who stand out for the country. PAD leaders then use a legal right to appeal the charge, which is now currently under court’s consideration. But for Thaksin, he has fled to UK and clearly released an announcement for jumping bell.

Question 7: Why did PAD invade NBT with arms and drugs?

Answer: On 26 August 2551(2008), PAD gathered together at several troublesome government offices. It was the symbolic action against corruption in those offices. The accuse is one way and still needed more proofs, despite many suspicions – e.g. where were those arms and drugs in the video clip from? whom did they belong to? Especially, many people are in doubt about how a whole scene was filmed. Could it be set up to frame PAD?

PAD at the Government House

Question 8: Why does PAD has to seize the government house?

Answer: Because Thai government is unlawful by violating the Constitution, as ruled by the Constitution Court, gave the land to an out-lander, avoided an act of a justice process, and tried to amend the constitution for oneself and associates, so the government is not legitimate to run the country anymore. This is why people has the right to gather at the government house which is a public property for opposing the unjust government.

Question 9: New Politics is not democratic? Right or wrong?

Answer: Wrong! New Politics is true democracy under a Constitutional Monarchy. It admires and protects a royal institution, supports good people to manage the country, politicians are 100% elected from constituencies, and all sectors, such as representatives can be elected from different vocations and groups, so that people will share a political power more than ever and pull down any patronizing systems and amount of money spent to only transform a politician into an electing man/investor

Question 10: When to stop?

Answer: The PAD leaders have never talked about this. Never talked about how to end the protest because the missions still not accomplished. Chamlong Srimuang used to say “We do according to changes in a situation.”

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