THAILAND'S SHATTERED IMAGE

By D. Arul Rajoo

PATTAYA, April 13 (Bernama) -- A security bill costing Bt100 million
(RM10.14 million) was incurred by the Thai Government for the 14th Asean Summit.

Unfortunately for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his government, the
returns were nothing short of a national embarassment leading to a shattered
image, with him labelling the Red Shirt protesters as 'Public Enemy'.

For the first time in the history of the 40-year-old Asean regional
grouping, its Summit with some of the world's most powerful nations were
cancelled even after 14 of the 16 leaders had already set foot in the Kingdom.

"Don't worry, they will come to paint the town red, have some good free food
and probably go back with some extra cash in hand," a senior editor with a
leading newspaper had told his foreign correspondent friends on April 7.

A day later, over 100,000 people swarmed the Government House, the seat of
the Prime Minister's Office, and paralysed the capital's traffic the following
day before a smaller crowd backed by taxi drivers headed to this resort city on
Friday and Saturday to bring what has now become a national embarassment.

With its front-page headline, 'SHATTERED', the Bangkok Post said Saturday's
chaos was a truly shameful day for the country, which had its international
image destroyed by the siege of the Asean+6 summit venue and the embarassing
postponement of the forum.

"As His Majesty the King has said: What is the use of claiming victory when
the nation is in ruins. In such a case, nobody triumphs, and it's only the
nation that has lost," the paper said, blaming ousted prime minister Thaksin
Shinawatra for the mayhem.

It even claimed that about Bt100 million was spent on the ludicrous security
measures to protect the venue from the Red Shirt protesters, including Bt37
million a day for food and accommodation for almost 8,000 police and soldiers
assigned to protect the meeting venue and the 16 leaders from Asean, China,
Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India.

Despite the major failure, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy
in-charge of security, Suthep Thaugsuban, refused to step down to take
responsibility.

Abhisit's spokesman Panithan Wattanayagorn said the premier still commanded
support from the majority of the people while Suthep said he had some work to
finish.

Ironically, the current Asean secretary-general is Surin Pitsuwan, a former
Thai foreign minister and ex-deputy leader of Democrat headed by Abhisit.

But the 44-year-old premier, who was accused of quietly supporting the
Yellow Shirt protesters -- who seized the Government House and Bangkok's two
major airports late last year that brought down two prime ministers alligned to
Thaksin -- vowed to take stern action to strengthen the rule of the law.


In an immediate response, the police arrested a former popular singer and
ex-lawmaker Arisamun Pongruengrong on Sunday, for leading the protest in
Pattaya.

With a battered image coming just five months after the airport closure
that stranded over 350,000 travellers, business and tourism leaders are fearing
the worst, on top of the world economy crisis and projection of one million job
losses this year.

Tourism Council of Thailand chairman Kongkrit Hiranyakit said the Kingdom's
tourism industry could lose at least Bt200 billion in revenue as a result of the
Summit cancellation, with impact already felt by the resort city where many
hotels reported cancellations, despite it being the long Songkran holiday
period.

The Royal Cliff Resorts where leaders were staying was almost deserted
Sunday,
as most of the Thai officials and foreign delegates left Saturday, some
evacuated by helicopters and boats to flee the angry crowd who were bent on
overthrowing Abhisit.

There were no x-ray machines to scan for weapons, or well-dressed security
personnel and shield and baton wielding soldiers. Instead, a handful of hotel
security guards were manning the gates as remaining officials and media
personnel packed their belongings and waited for transport to take them home.

Some of the officials, especially the women, rushed to their rooms when
the
protesters came running with sticks. I doubt the soldiers could have stopped
them from entering the hotel...I just cannot imagine this happening in other
countries," an Asean Secretariat official said, while waiting for a van to take
him to the Suvarnabhumi Airport.

"Business is very bad since the Red Shirts came to Pattaya on Friday. By
this
time last time, the city was packed by both local and farang (foreign) tourists
but the street is empty now," said Kassie, a waitress at an Italian pizza
restaurant in Jomtien beach, whose view was echoed by Tor, a foot masseur
operating besides her premises.

But the most frustrating people were officials from the Prime Minister's
Office and the Thai Foreign Ministry, who had sleepless nights since last
November's domestic political crisis beginning with the Yellow Shirt protesters
affecting every stage of their preparation for the 14th Asean Summit.

"First, the venue was Bangkok, then Chiang Mai but after the airports were
closed, we picked Hua Hin. But since China could not come, only Asean members
met there, and we have to work again to host another Summit in a space of just
two months, even then there were plans to go to Phuket first," said a foreign
ministry official who almost cried after seeing hundreds of Red Shirt protesters
breaking into the meeting venue and shattering the hard work put in place.

The failure of the security forces to prevent the protesters armed with
just
sticks and umbrella did not came as a surprise to many, with many blaming the
over-zealous emphasise on human rights, the right to assemble and lack of
protection for man in uniform.

In March, the National Anti-Corruption Commission ruled that former prime
minister and Thaksin's brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat, former deputy prime
minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and four senior police officers had abused their
authority during the Oct 7 demonstration in front of the Parliament which led to
two deaths and hundreds of injuries.

"Our hands are tied. We were told not to use force by government leaders.
They are more concerned with their image and underestimated the
protesters...it's too late now and wonder if any country wants to come for any
Summit in Thailand," a police official said.

The only solution, even if it's for a temporary period only, is for Abhisit
to dissolve parliament.

-- BERNAMA