Witch-hunt of Yingluck Shinawatra spells end for Thailand’s political freedom

By Dan Kosky, CEO Kosky Communications

Yingluck Shinawatra (pictured) has led a strange existence since General Prayuth Chan-ocha seized power from her in May of last year. Thailand’s democratically elected prime minister has found herself not only turfed out of office, but banned from politics with multiple spurious charges hanging over her head. Yet at the same time, she has been permitted to live a quiet life in the country and if her social media posts are correct, Yingluck has seemingly enjoyed the simple pleasures of rural living. Hardly the life of a repressed victim of a brutal coup you might think. However, it appears to be very much the calm before the storm.

The military junta has stalked its prey for long enough and is now seemingly ready to launch a determined attack on Yingluck. But the junta’s offensive is designed to reverberate way beyond Shinawatra and her family, to send a clear warning to all those who oppose its’ dictates. The military generals hope that the public demonization of Yingluck will strike fear into its opponents, in effect quashing Thailand’s political opposition. 

The junta’s legal manoeuvring is gathering pace. The Supreme Court recently gave Yingluck until 31 August to provide evidence and witnesses in her defence over charges of negligence related to a rice-subsidy scheme which she introduced as prime minister in 2011. If found guilty, Yingluck could face up to 10 years behind bars. However, this is not the only direction from which the junta is hounding her.

Yingluck has also been accused of the seemingly innocuous act of reinstating her brother Thaksin’s passport in 2011, during her time in office. Interestingly, both cases focus on episodes and decisions taken several years ago, a political eternity away.It points strongly to a determined effort to besmirch Yingluck, to cast the net far enough back into her past in order to triumphantly uncover some, any hint of controversy, however tenuous it may be. In other words, the wave of allegations and legal posturing aimed at Yingluck is nothing more than pure political opportunism. Yingluck and her elder brother Thaksin have won each of Thailand’s elections since 2001. In 2011, Yingluck’s Pneu Thai Party secured almost 50 per cent of the vote. They retain a strong base of support, especially in Thailand’s rural heartlands. The Shinawatras represent the most potent political threat to Bangkok’s coterie of military men. With Thaksin already in exile, it is no wonder that Yingluck is now in their crosshairs.  

But what is perhaps even more shocking is the lengths to which the generals will go to orchestrate Yingluck’s demise, wholly abusing the foundations of government and democracy in order to achieve their goals. Incredibly, Yingluck has been charged with “abuse of authority” regarding the rice pricing accusations against her. With Thailand the world’s leading rice exporter at the time, Yingluck’s government agreed to pay above market prices to local rice farmers in an attempt to raise the global price and eventually boost the Thai economy. The plan didn’t work as exports decreased. It may well have been an error of judgement on Yingluck’s behalf, but surely the freedom to take bold decisions is the essence of healthy democratic politics. No crime was committed by any stretch of the imagination. It was a policy agreed by an elected government and approved via a legislature chosen by the people. The very idea that such adherence to the legislative process could be deemed ‘abusive’ or ‘illegal’ is an affront to the rule of law. And in the meantime, Yingluck’s defence has inexplicably had a request to add 72 pieces of evidence to the case turned down. It seems that the trial itself, as well as the case’s premise will prove to be farcical.

Although Yingluck may eventually avoid charges of unlawfully reinstating her brother’s passport, the episode is instructive. The country’s laws on defaming the revered royal family are rarely applied. Yet, Thaksin Shinawatra’s claim in the South Korean media that privy counsellors may have approved General Prayuth’s coup last year was enough to find him accused of this apparently grievous crime. He faces a possible prison sentence and has had his passport revoked. Sensing an opportunity to weaken Yingluck, she was subsequently accused of wrongfully reinstating Thaksin’s passport while in office. It remains unclear exactly how the law may have been contravened. No matter to the junta though, which enthusiastically seized the opportunity to beat the anti-Yingluck drum once again.

For those who have closely followed General Prayuth’s rule, the vendetta against the Shinawatra family comes as no surprise. His is a regime which has arrested at least 166 people for daring to express anti-government sentiments. Freedom of assembly has been curtailed too, with political gatherings of more than 5 people banned. Meanwhile, Prayuth is attempting to railroad through a new constitution including Article 44, dubbed the ‘dictator law,’ which would grant him unfettered control of government, law and order. In this context, the junta’s obsessive pursuit of Yingluck makes sense. Should she be convicted of any of the specious charges against her, it would be a stern warning to remaining opponents and a final nail in the coffin for political freedom in Thailand.    

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