PAD moves protest to north

Since 2006 the rift between the public has grown over the matter of "Love or Hate Thaksin Shinawatra".

People took to the streets to back or oust the most controversial government leader in the history of modern Thai politics.

For his supporters, he revived this country from the economic crisis and advanced it towards international prestige, which none of his predecessors achieved.

For his opponents, though, he is corrupt and abused power to benefit only his family members and close friends. Nepotism is the right word to apply to Thaksin, they said.

Before anyone knew what the truth was, came the coup of September 2006. Thaksin was forced to live in exile abroad for a year and a half.  But the love-or-hate sentiment lived on.

A good side of the story is that, at least the antagonists did not cross the line - the  one which would lead to violence. No lives have been lost despite the tension between both camps.

However, the PAD's new round of attacks against Thaksin's clout over the government of Samak Sundaravej is writing a new chapter of the struggle.

As its rallies in downtown Bangkok failed to oust the government, the PAD has launched a series of mini-protests in the provinces, including "surprise greetings" of PM Samak and Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung when they visited the areas.

This was too much for anti-PAD members and Thaksin's admirers. So things have turned nasty in the last few weeks.

The anti-PAD alliance across the North and the Northeast - the stronghold of the ruling People Power Party - declared the region a "no PAD's land".

In Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Phanom, Kalasin, Nakhon Ratchasima and Chiang Mai, the PAD rallies have encountered opponents numbering from a hundred to a thousand.

Both sides showed hostility through words and "tools" in their hands. Only a line of police officers separated them.

The Sunday clash in Chiang Mai injured a score of PAD supporters, either punched or hit by stones.

As the PAD keeps running the mini-rally campaign and its opponents are getting serious about their "solution", incidents like the Chiang Mai clash are expected to occur somewhere during this coming weekend.

An activist said last week, real people's politics will never take root as long as rifts between them are not cured.

When we are at war, no one will win.  

weerayut@nationgroup.com