COMMENTARY

Where have all Pa Prem's 'sons' gone?

Veera Prateepchaikul

Someone wondered aloud the other day about where all the so-called look pa, those beloved ''sons'' of Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda, have gone these days.

Why didn't they come out publicly to defend their benevolent patron at a time when he was badly in need of their moral support?

Gen Prem is facing an accusation by the little-known No To Coup Saturday Group that he pulled the strings behind the Sept 19 military coup.

The group has also launched a campaign to seek his removal as Privy Council president.

If Pa Prem has hurt feelings because of all the no-shows among the look pa, many who made great advances in their military and civil service careers due to his support, then he did not show it.

Known as a man of few words, Pa Prem has so far remained mum about the accusation.

Even without the support of all those look pa, the grand old man should feel relieved that he still remains the darling of many people of Songkhla, his birthplace, and in Nakhon Ratchasima where he spent most of his military career.

On Thursday, about 1,000 Songkhla residents rallied in front of his alma mater, Maha Vajiravudh, to give him moral support. Meanwhile, a similar rally was held in Nakhon Ratchasima.

His supporters have threatened to descend on Bangkok if the Saturday Group went ahead with its campaign to remove Pa Prem from the Privy Council.

If none of the look pa have the courage to confront his detractors head-on, then Pa Prem should at least be encouraged that someone totally unknown to him and unconnected to him, except that they both hail from Songkhla, volunteered to come to his rescue.

Yossak Kosaikanon, a law lecturer at Thammasat University, has lodged a complaint with the Royal Thai Police Office calling for legal action to be taken against those behind a website soliciting support from the public to join the Saturday Group's signature campaign to remove Pa Prem.

Mr Yossak is no stranger to anti-Thaksin protests. He joined the protests last year and is known as the person who slashed his hand, spilling blood on the ground as a gesture of protest against the former prime minister.

As defiant as ever, the No To Coup Saturday Group vowed to go ahead with its campaign to seek Pa Prem's dismissal. The plan is divided into three steps.

The first step, if they manage to collect 30,000 signatures, will be to serve a warning to Pa Prem to be aware of his political role.

Then, if 50,000 signatures are collected, they will ask Pa Prem to step aside.

Finally, if 100,000 signatures are collected, they will petition His Majesty the King to remove Pa Prem.

That the group plotted its campaign in three stages clearly shows the group's strategy is to test the government's will on a step-by-step basis. That is, if its first step is not blocked or stopped by the government, it will move forward to the second and eventually the final step.

Some might wonder how the group dares to challenge such a highly respected and influential figure as Pa Prem. Who are their backers? In particular, who finances them? There have already been suspicions expressed that the group might have received funding from certain elements in the old power clique. Another explanation is that the government is just too weak and incompetent to deal with such a protest.

CNS chairman Sonthi Boonyaratkalin is said to be unhappy with the group's actions and also the government's inaction to deal with the group. The general intends to bring the prime minister to visit Pa Prem some time this week.

It remains to be seen how the ''old ginger'' government will shake off its complacency and start to act to deal with the Saturday Group.

Failing that, the government may face protests from Pa Prem's supporters in Songkhla and Nakhon Ratchasima. More worrisome is that its already strained relationship with the CNS is likely to deteriorate.

Veera Prateepchaikul is Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Post Publishing Co Ltd.

Bangkok Post

Monday April 09, 2007