30 August 2008
Dear Praying Friends ,
The Lord is always in control over all the issues in Thailand. Allow us to draw your attention to the current political crisis. The purpose of this of this article is to give out information for prayer and not taking sides.
Thank you for your prayer for Thailand.
The name “People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD)” has been the talk of the town since February 8, 2006. It is a coalition of protesters against former Prime Minster, Thaksin Shinawatra. On September 21, 2006, two days after the military coup led by General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the PAD announced that it had ceased activities as its goal to see Thaksin's regime toppled had been accomplished. The PAD, however, added a warning by indicating that should the need arises, the PAD would reestablish itself.
The PAD has been re-established on March 28, 2008 at Thammasat University auditorium. Several issues were raised by the PAD, including the Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej acting like Thaksin Shinawatra's sockpuppet to protect his interests, People's Power Party being Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai party sockpuppet, and their attempt to amend the 2007 Constitution.
Among the amendment proposed was removal of Article 237 which would dissolve a political party if one of the executives was involved in vote buying. Mr. Yongyuth Tiyapairat, People's Power Party executive who was also the Parliament president after the election, was being tried for vote buying. Mr. Yongyuth was later found guilty by the Supreme Court on July 8, 2008.
Simply put, the goal for the PAD is removal of the Samak government from office.
Some of the moves of PAD-led protests include:
1. Demonstration started on May 25, 2008 at Democracy Monument on Ratchadamnoen Road to protest the proposal for constitution amendment. The rally attracted ten thousand supporters.
2. The seizing of the Government House and other government agencies.
3. Trespassing and damaging property at NBT, the state-run television station.
4. Vital Gateway Airports at Phuket, Hat Yai and Krabi in the South have been blocked. All flights to and from Phuket, Hat Yai and Krabi international airports were cancelled and the airports will be closed indefinitely. It was reported that more police officers are dispatched to Chiang Mai Airport.
Railway workers stopped most trains nationwide on Friday (29 Sep.) in sympathy with anti-government protesters in Bangkok. Thai Airways International staff threatened to join the anti-government strike as they strongly disagreed with the government's use of force against peaceful demonstrators.
The Samak government regards the PAD's core leaders as traitors against the state. It has acquired arrest warrants from the Criminal Court to put these dissidents behind bars. PM Samak has moved more prudently, by using all legal means available to deal with the PAD. This is aimed at showing that the government is playing by the rules. First, authorities have put 84 members of PAD, including the Srivichai Warriors, behind bars for having trespassing and damaging property at NBT, the state-run television station. Second, the government has sought and acquired arrest warrants from the court for PAD's core leaders. Third, the government has asked the Civil Court to issue an order for the protesters to leave Government House immediately.
The problem now is how to implement the court orders. If authorities storm Government House to implement the court orders, physical clashes and casualties would result. The government would lose this battle immediately. It will have to resort to negotiations to achieve the optimal result.
Meanwhile, the PAD has taken a big step in taking over Government House. But Government House has posed logistical problems. It is very difficult to control people from moving in and out. Once you're inside, you're locked up until the next day. Holding the ground for the next three days will be rather tiresome, depending on whether new protesters add their support by joining in.
Chamlong Srimuang, one of PAD's core leaders, has made the movement's position clear. First, the PAD demands that the politicians leave the Constitution alone. Second, the Samak government must step down unconditionally because it has lost all legitimacy. Third, the PAD does not support a military coup.
If the PAD's disapproval of a coup is to be believed, then its call for PM Samak to step down means that it would like Parliament to pick a new prime minister. Since the PAD would not approve of any candidate from the People Power Party to serve as the new prime minister, it must want an outsider. For all political parties to vote an outsider in as prime minister would mean a "national government" for Thailand if the PAD wins this political battle. We do not know the result yet. If the government loses this battle, it will have to resign. If the PAD loses the battle, its members will have to face a severe jail term. But there is beauty in the tolerance exercised by both the PAD and the Samak government at this critical juncture.Sources: The Nations, The Bangkok Post, Wikipedia, Journalist Thanong Khanthong, For more updated news: Go to www.bangkokpost.com and www.nationmultimedia.com
PRAYER POINTS :
1. “Way out” for both sides without bloodshed and a good outcome of the crisis
2. God to work freely in hearts and lives of the Thai during this crisis bringing them unto salvation. The Body of Christ will take this great opportunity to encourage and witness.
3. Pray that the Lord of the Harvest would send workers out for the fields are white with the harvest.
4. Thai believers are to be part of reforming our spheres of influence to be in alignment with the Kingdom of heaven.
5. God would shift the government in a new way. His Fire would purge that which is not ruling the way that HE longs for HIS RULE to occur.
6. God would give us answers and that HE would raise up leaders that will be in unity and will not fight one another. Thailand will be refined and cleansed.
Dear Praying Friends ,
The Lord is always in control over all the issues in Thailand. Allow us to draw your attention to the current political crisis. The purpose of this of this article is to give out information for prayer and not taking sides.
Thank you for your prayer for Thailand.
The name “People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD)” has been the talk of the town since February 8, 2006. It is a coalition of protesters against former Prime Minster, Thaksin Shinawatra. On September 21, 2006, two days after the military coup led by General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the PAD announced that it had ceased activities as its goal to see Thaksin's regime toppled had been accomplished. The PAD, however, added a warning by indicating that should the need arises, the PAD would reestablish itself.
The PAD has been re-established on March 28, 2008 at Thammasat University auditorium. Several issues were raised by the PAD, including the Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej acting like Thaksin Shinawatra's sockpuppet to protect his interests, People's Power Party being Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai party sockpuppet, and their attempt to amend the 2007 Constitution.
Among the amendment proposed was removal of Article 237 which would dissolve a political party if one of the executives was involved in vote buying. Mr. Yongyuth Tiyapairat, People's Power Party executive who was also the Parliament president after the election, was being tried for vote buying. Mr. Yongyuth was later found guilty by the Supreme Court on July 8, 2008.
Simply put, the goal for the PAD is removal of the Samak government from office.
Some of the moves of PAD-led protests include:
1. Demonstration started on May 25, 2008 at Democracy Monument on Ratchadamnoen Road to protest the proposal for constitution amendment. The rally attracted ten thousand supporters.
2. The seizing of the Government House and other government agencies.
3. Trespassing and damaging property at NBT, the state-run television station.
4. Vital Gateway Airports at Phuket, Hat Yai and Krabi in the South have been blocked. All flights to and from Phuket, Hat Yai and Krabi international airports were cancelled and the airports will be closed indefinitely. It was reported that more police officers are dispatched to Chiang Mai Airport.
Railway workers stopped most trains nationwide on Friday (29 Sep.) in sympathy with anti-government protesters in Bangkok. Thai Airways International staff threatened to join the anti-government strike as they strongly disagreed with the government's use of force against peaceful demonstrators.
The Samak government regards the PAD's core leaders as traitors against the state. It has acquired arrest warrants from the Criminal Court to put these dissidents behind bars. PM Samak has moved more prudently, by using all legal means available to deal with the PAD. This is aimed at showing that the government is playing by the rules. First, authorities have put 84 members of PAD, including the Srivichai Warriors, behind bars for having trespassing and damaging property at NBT, the state-run television station. Second, the government has sought and acquired arrest warrants from the court for PAD's core leaders. Third, the government has asked the Civil Court to issue an order for the protesters to leave Government House immediately.
The problem now is how to implement the court orders. If authorities storm Government House to implement the court orders, physical clashes and casualties would result. The government would lose this battle immediately. It will have to resort to negotiations to achieve the optimal result.
Meanwhile, the PAD has taken a big step in taking over Government House. But Government House has posed logistical problems. It is very difficult to control people from moving in and out. Once you're inside, you're locked up until the next day. Holding the ground for the next three days will be rather tiresome, depending on whether new protesters add their support by joining in.
Chamlong Srimuang, one of PAD's core leaders, has made the movement's position clear. First, the PAD demands that the politicians leave the Constitution alone. Second, the Samak government must step down unconditionally because it has lost all legitimacy. Third, the PAD does not support a military coup.
If the PAD's disapproval of a coup is to be believed, then its call for PM Samak to step down means that it would like Parliament to pick a new prime minister. Since the PAD would not approve of any candidate from the People Power Party to serve as the new prime minister, it must want an outsider. For all political parties to vote an outsider in as prime minister would mean a "national government" for Thailand if the PAD wins this political battle. We do not know the result yet. If the government loses this battle, it will have to resign. If the PAD loses the battle, its members will have to face a severe jail term. But there is beauty in the tolerance exercised by both the PAD and the Samak government at this critical juncture.Sources: The Nations, The Bangkok Post, Wikipedia, Journalist Thanong Khanthong, For more updated news: Go to www.bangkokpost.com and www.nationmultimedia.com
PRAYER POINTS :
1. “Way out” for both sides without bloodshed and a good outcome of the crisis
2. God to work freely in hearts and lives of the Thai during this crisis bringing them unto salvation. The Body of Christ will take this great opportunity to encourage and witness.
3. Pray that the Lord of the Harvest would send workers out for the fields are white with the harvest.
4. Thai believers are to be part of reforming our spheres of influence to be in alignment with the Kingdom of heaven.
5. God would shift the government in a new way. His Fire would purge that which is not ruling the way that HE longs for HIS RULE to occur.
6. God would give us answers and that HE would raise up leaders that will be in unity and will not fight one another. Thailand will be refined and cleansed.
posted by Don and Kathy Williams at 7:51 PM
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