Thailand Turmoil 2008 - Thai PM dodges protesters for first key speech

Based on the Yahoo.com news today (31 December 2008): "Thai PM dodges protesters for first key speech" (Adopted from Yahoo.com news http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ap/20081231/tap-as-thailand-political-unrest-7934085.html)

Basically how long all the unrest will continue in Thailand? This had been a never-ending saga that began since early of 2008 with street protest and demonstration to demand for the resignation of the Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on that time. Eventually on 26 August 2008 when the protesters laid siege to and has occupied the Government House, the Prime handled over the resignation.

After the resignation of Samak Sundaravej on September 2008, Somchai Wongsawat was appointed as the new Prime Minister. However People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) continue to protest on the appointment of Somchai due to the relationship with ex-Prime Thaksin Shinawatra. On 25 November 2008, PAD staged the protest and siege Suvarnabhumi International Airport that caused a lot of problem for travelers in and out of Thailand and eventually affect the tourism industry in Thailand. On 2 December, finally Somchai Wongsawat resigned in order to re-store the unrest in the country and his parties People's Power Party (PPP) had been banned and the members also banned from politics.

Then on 15 December 2008, Abhisit Vejjajiva, the PAD leader was appointed as the new Prime Minister of Thailand. He vowed to restore the country from unrest and the economy by pumping more money on the tourism industry. However, due to his appointment, another kind of protesters that support PPP are demonstration on the street and the latest at the Parliament entrance that prevent the Prime and the minister from leaving or going to the Parliament. I totally didn't understand when this going to be end. It seems like all the politic personnel want to be Prime Minister. Nobody can be fully satisfied with the outcome, when a party won the election and being appointed as ruling party of the government, the opposition party will demonstrate as a protest and demand of the resignation. When the party really gives up the government power, the opposition party being elected, then the party will demonstrate again. This process is going in circle. The first step by Prime Samak should considered as a wrong step by resigning because of the demonstration, it had giving more power to the protester and make them feel that by demonstrating, the government will give way to them.

Just take for example, Malaysia, the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had been taken a lot of pressure from the within the government party and from the public and even street demonstration. However he still refused to resigned, he only agreed that he transfer his power to the deputy when his term is out. This eventually shows to the protester that no matter what you said or do, he won't give way to them. Just like the Americans that never will negotiate or dealing with the terrorist.

Actually for the protesters, what are the benefits they get from all this protest? Eventually they didn't understand the effect for Thailand if this continues. The politic stability being affected, the people plus economy also affected by the demonstration. With Thailand economy mostly depend on tourism industry, if the country is unrest, the traveler number will reduce and it eventually affected all the tourism area business and of course the local trader.