Chamlong arrested
Written by changthai11 on Monday, October 6th, 2008
Chamlong arrested
A tactical move to end the stand-off?
POST REPORTERS
The arrest of Chamlong Srimuang, the founder of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), is widely seen as a tactical move which could lead to the collapse of the pending political truce negotiations.
The PAD leader was arrested when he went to a polling station at the Setsathien school in Dusit district yesterday and was quickly whisked away to Pathum Thani after casting his vote in the election for Bangkok governor.
Maj-Gen Chamlong left a note with instructions that it should be read out to PAD supporters after 9am. He left the Government House compound to cast the ballot at about 7am.
His pre-written letter has raised speculation that Maj-Gen Chamlong anticipated his arrest, or intended to be arrested. In his letter, Maj-Gen Chamlong said the PAD’s demonstration was a national duty.
“It’s the duty of all Thais. No matter what happens, remember that the duty of Thais is to serve the country, religion and King. We are all born with that duty, of repaying what we owe to the country,” he said.
PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila lambasted police for saying Maj-Gen Chamlong intended to be arrested.
“He wanted to exercise his rights. He is a former Bangkok governor,” he said, adding that Maj-Gen Chamlong also instructed the PAD not to leave Government House and not to continue talks with the government after his arrest.
Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat yesterday denied the government was behind the arrest of Maj-Gen Chamlong, saying the police were duty bound to take action. He said dialogue with the PAD was still possible and that the arrest and the talks were separate issues and the success of the talks depended on negotiators.
“Whether the talks will be good depends on the negotiators. We have to separate the issues. Talks are still possible, even though this has happened,” he said.
He said he talked to Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh after Maj-Gen Chamlong’s arrest. The talks were not about the arrest, he added.
Gen Panlop Pinmanee, a classmate of Maj-Gen Chamlong at military school, said he suspected the PAD was no longer interested in dialogue with the government.
“The arrest could be intended to draw more people to join the rally,” he said.
Democrat list MP Kraisak Choonhavan yesterday suggested Maj-Gen Chamlong’s arrest was part of a plot to resolve the prolonged political turmoil.
He said Mr Somchai would likely come up with an offer which would clear the way for an end to the protest. Mr Kraisak said the nine PAD leaders might see the insurrection charges against them dropped and could face less serious charges of intruding on government property.
The PAD leaders have been accused of trying to overthrow the government when they led thousands of supporters to seize Government House in late August.
The Democrat MP also played down speculation that the arrest would lead to violence, saying the government showed clear signs of conciliation.
Thammasat University rector and law academic Surapol Nitikraipoj, however, considered Maj-Gen Chamlong’s arrest as a catalyst for violent confrontation, saying it would complicate efforts to end the strife between the government and the PAD. He said the arrest could push Maj-Gen Chamlong’s sympathisers to join the protest.
Political scientist Nakharin Mektrairat, of Thammasat University, was sceptical of the arrest. He said the charges the PAD leaders faced were political and their arrests would not resolve the conflict.
“My question is what is happening and who is playing the game. Don’t police know the implications of this arrest?” he said. Narong Boonsuayfan, of Walailak University, said the PAD and Maj-Gen Chamlong’s arrest could be part of a deal struck between the government and the PAD, which most people would not know about.
“Maj-Gen Chamlong is the PAD’s strategist. It is far-fetched to think he would walk out of there so he could be caught, unless it was part of some kind of a pre-conceived condition,” he said.
He said the arrest was a humiliation for Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit, who has been assigned to mediate with the PAD.
