PAD fiercely attack PM for charter amendments

Hundreds of supporters of the People’s Alliance for Democracy came out to protest against charter amendments in front of Parliament.  Sondhi Limthongkul demanded a referendum prior to any amendments, while Praphan Koonmee said outright that he wished for a coup today, and without a coup Abhisit would never have become Prime Minister.

‘We [PAD] have always insisted that we have no problems with charter amendments, but we ask that a referendum should be held.  Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva himself has said that he would not amend the charter, but, as time passes, he shows that he doesn’t act the way he talks.  He changes his mind and goes for the amendments, without caring for the 14.7 million people who voted for this charter,’ Sondhi told the yellow-shirt crowd in front of Parliament through an amplified system on a truck.

He said that early this year Democrat Party MPs had voted 74 to 48 against the amendments, but Abhisit brought them to the Cabinet and then to the Party’s meeting yesterday.  He learned that only 30 Democrat Party MPs out of a total of 176 supported the amendments.

He claimed that Chuan Leekpai, Banyat Bantadtan, Niphon Wisityuttasat, Niphon Bunyamani and other senior figures of the Party had walked out of the meeting.  He said that Abhisit wanted to please the coalition parties at the risk of breaking up his own party, due to his ambition.

‘The 2007 Constitution has been protected through the great struggles of the people and the loss of their lives.  How can we let a boy who only wishes to cling to the Prime Minister’s chair amend it and harm the country?  If this happens, the country will not survive.  The amendments are only to please the coalition parties.  I even wish that parliamentarians would adopt [red-shirt] Dr Weng Tojirakan’s version of the amendments, so that Prime Minister Abhisit would be branded as someone who harms the monarchy and the people, only to serve his ambition to hold on to power,’ Sondhi said.

The same proposal to hold a referendum for charter amendments by the late former Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej was dismissed by the PAD in 2008, who at that time were campaigning against the amendments.

Another PAD leader Praphan Koonmee then took the stage and said that if he was Army Chief, he would stage a coup today, and dared anybody to arrest him.

‘Those who wish to have a coup wish to see changes to the country, to get rid of bad politicians from the country.  If a coup really happens, you will only run scared with your tail between your legs.  Is it true that you have contacted universities abroad to find a teaching job after you fall from power?’ Praphan asked, referring to the PM.

‘What is wrong if I want a coup?  Without the coup, Abhisit would have still been a new boy.  Without the coup in 2006, Abhisit would never have become PM.  Without the PAD, Abhisit would never have become PM.  How come he talks in such an ungrateful manner to the people?’ he said, referring to Abhisit’s recent remarks that the PAD came out to protest the charter amendments this time in order to pave the way for another coup.

Praphan went on to attack the PM as being a fake advocate of democracy, not in touch with the people, still wearing a suit and a tie when visiting flooded areas, and violating the rights and freedoms of the people the most.  The evil of Thaksin Shinawatra with his extra-judicial killings and interference with constitutional independent bodies and so on was a well-known fact, but Abhisit was the only PM who declared the Emergency Decree and sat on it for months to suppress all groups of people, he said.

He said that if Abhisit were a true advocate of democracy, he would not have tolerated the burning of the city [Bangkok] and would have purged the armed [red-shirt] militia already.

‘A true advocate of democracy must not bow to anarchy, and must protect good people and get rid of bad people.  Even George Bush kept chasing Bin Laden.  But even after [the red shirts] burned the city, [Abhisit] still shook hands with them and even bailed them out.  Don’t dare to claim to be an advocate of democracy,’ he said.            

Source: 
<p>http://www.prachatai3.info/journal/2010/11/32016</p>

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