THAILAND POLITICAL UPDATE: MORE CALLS FOR

UNCLAS BANGKOK 001445

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV TH SNAP
SUBJECT: THAILAND POLITICAL UPDATE: MORE CALLS FOR
THAKSIN'S RESIGNATION

REF: BANGKOK 1408 AND PREVIOUS


1. (U) Summary: The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD)
has threatened to call a boycott of Singapore goods if the
Singapore government does not scrap the takeover of Shin Corp
by Temasek Holdings. A prominent Monk has issued a strong
call for Thaksin to resign while the National Police
Spokesman has suggested that Thaksin should leave the scene.
The latest ABAC poll shows that close to half of those polled
in Bangkok want Thaksin out. End summary.

PAD WANTS SINGAPORE INVESTMENT FIRM TO BACK OUT


2. (SBU) The People's Alliance for Democracy yesterday
called on the Singapore government to scrap the Shin Corp
deal or face a boycott of Singapore products in Thailand.
The group's leadership has reportedly submitted a letter to
the Singapore Embassy demanding that Prime Minister Lee
cancel the takeover of Shin Corp by Temasek Holdings, an
investment arm of the Singapore government, by March 9. The
letter claims that the deal was seen as threat to Thailand's
security as it would allow Singapore to control several
important sectors of Thailand's infrastructure, including
mobile phone and television networks, satellite
communications and airlines. It also said that if the
Singapore government failed to do as requested, Singapore
would face boycott of its products and would be seen as
interfering with security of Thailand. One of the PAD
leaders, announced that on March 9, thousands of
demonstrators would march to the Singapore Embassy to step up
pressure on the Singapore government to scrap the Shin Corp
deal. (Comment: There does not seem to be any chance of this
happening. End comment.)
WELL-KNOWN MONK CALLS FOR THAKSIN'S RESIGNATION

3. (U) Mincing no words in an address at a temple in
northeastern Thailand on March 7, popular monk Lungta Maha
Bua called on Thaksin to resign. Lungta told his audience
that Thaksin has become "absolutely tainted...his rotten body
being unable to do anything else but breathing." He appealed
for Thaksin to step down, saying that "the country has
suffered enough" under his administration. A former supporter
of the PM from a TRT region, this monk was one of the early
defectors from Thaksin's camp last year.

NO COINCIDENCE THAT THAKSIN CABINET APPROVES PAYOUTS TO
VICTIMS OF THE OCTOBER 1973 UPRISING

4. (SBU) In a thinly-veiled bid for support, Thaksin has
compared himself to victims of the October 1973 uprising. The
cabinet on March 7 approved compensation for the victims and
relatives of the October 1973 student uprising -- over 30
years after the fact. At a meeting afterwards with
representatives of the uprising victims, Thaksin said that
"These people have fought for democracy at the cost of their
life. As the product of democracy, I really recognize their
value." Thaksin told the group that "What I,m fighting for
today is to maintain the democracy that you all have created
at the cost of your life. I can,t bear seeing a group of
people trying to destroy it. Me too, I,m ready to uphold
democracy at the cost of my life."

POLICE SPOKESMAN BREAKS RANKS -- CALLS FOR THAKSIN TO STEP
ASIDE

5. (U) Police Department Spokesman Pol. Gen. Achirawit
Suwanphesat, after having earlier complained about effects
the constant demonstrating was having on the police, called
for both sides to reconsider their stances. He said that for
the sake of national unity Thaksin should temporarily
withdraw from politics and that the opposition should
participate in the April general election. Achirawit also
called the general public to turn on their cars, headlights
during the daytime to support his demand.

BANGKOK POLL NOT FAVORABLE TO THAKSIN

6. (U) According to an ABAC poll, some 48 percent of those
polled in Bangkok want Thaksin to resign and 35 percent want
him to stay on. The poll of 2,175 Bangkok residents was
published on March 7. According to the survey, 46 percent
would be in favor of a royally-appointed Prime Minister.
Suan Dusit Poll on the other hand, has announced its
suspension of polling activities, claiming that political
opinions are so sharply drawn that conducting a poll would be
dangerously divisive.



BOYCE