Announcement Number 13/2008
People’s Alliance for Democracy
Condemnation of Nominee Prime Minister
The People’s Alliance for Democracy had issued announcement number 12/2008 on May 31, 2008 on the PAD’s stance towards the government’s attempt to disperse its gathering.
The People’s Alliance for Democracy sees that nominee-Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej’s announcement, via television channel 11 of the Public Relations Department or NBT at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 31, 2008, that he will be decisive in ordering the military and police force to disperse the PAD rally on the same day reflects a criminal point of view. Furthermore, it is no different from his ruthlessness when he hosted a radio program and twisted the facts and information which led to the massacre of students and members of the public during the October 16, 1976 bloodshed.
Following nominee-Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej’s ruthless declaration, hundreds of thousands of Thais from all over traveled to join the PAD rally at the Makawan Bridge on Ratchadamnern Nok Avenue to protest against his declaration and purge the nominee government.
The power of the overwhelming number of Thais, who showed no fear at the threat issued by the government, as well as the support from domestic and foreign media to present news about the rally to the world, resulted in a failure of the nominee government’s declaration and evil plan to disperse the gathering.
Nominee-Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej had to appear again on television channel 11 of the Public Relations Department or NBT on Sunday, June 1, 2008, defending himself that he will negotiate with the protestors and if that fails, he will have state authorities move out equipments used in the gathering. In addition, he told reporters that he will order a dispersal of the gathering at a time when not many participants are there.
Moreover, nominee-Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej falsely alluded to the monarchy, attacking the protestors for being disloyal to the Crown by obstructing the route of royal convoys.
Therefore, the PAD would like to announce the following:
1. The PAD would like to thank the hundreds and thousands of Thais nationwide who came together to rally with it with determination, a strong heart, and bravery to protect the sacred objective of purging the Thaksin regime and chasing out the nominee government. The PAD would also like to thank both the domestic and foreign media for presenting the facts about the gathering which helped the rally overcome the threat on the use of force by the government to disperse it.
2. The PAD would like to condemn the actions of Samak Sundaravej that he has lost the legitimacy in being prime minister as he used words that reflect his desire to use force with the people who have been gathering peacefully and without violence or weapons according to the right granted by article 63 of the Constitution, the right granted by article 69 to protect the Constitution, and the right granted by article 70 to protect the nation, religion, and the monarchy, as well as the Constitutional Monarchy system. The PAD calls on Samak Sundaravej to show responsibility by resigning from the post of prime minister immediately.
3. The PAD would like to condemn nominee-Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej for falsely alluding to the monarchy to attack the protestors that they are disloyal to the Crown in obstructing the route for royal convoys. This is an evil action that may disturb the Crown and hurt the monarchy.
The PAD would like to inform Thais and the domestic and foreign media that the PAD’s gathering is intended to protect the monarchy from its enemies so it is impossible that rally participants are disloyal to the Crown as the prime minister has falsely accused them of.
The gathering at the Makawan Bridge had to occur because the police force under this administration blocked the gathering’s walk to Government House to protest there, as stated in announcement number 11/2008. The PAD, therefore, had to hold its gathering here. This means that the police chose this spot for the gathering to happen.
Moreover, if the PAD is informed of a royal convoy passing through the area, it is ready to open the route and have its participants welcome the royal convoy with the utmost loyalty as has happened during the PAD rally at the Misakawan intersection in 2006.
4. With the actions and point of view that reflects a criminal attitude of the nominee-prime minister, through falsely alluding to the monarchy to destroy a rally of loyalists to the Crown, the PAD would like to call on political parties in the ruling coalition to show responsibility to the people and the country by cutting support for Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and leaving the ruling coalition immediately.
5. Throughout the PAD rallies since the year 2006, it has been shown that the rally upholds peace, non-violence, and absence of weapons. Therefore, if there are any plans by the nominee government to use plainclothes officers or hired hooligans to infiltrate the gathering and create unrest or violence as an excuse to disperse the gathering, the resulting melee will have to be the sole responsibility of the government.
6. The determination of the rally participants throughout the eight days and nights in carrying out the sacred mission of the PAD is an action that should be honored throughout the world. Therefore, the PAD asks every Thai national to stay strong and remain determined in upholding the objective of purging the Thaksin regime and chasing out the nominee government.
With deepest respect,
People’s Alliance for Democracy
June 1, 2008
Announcement 12/2008 : Stance towards Government’s Move to Disperse Rally
Announcement 11/2008 : Purge of Thaksin Regime and the Nominee Government
