another photo for Samak

Earlier this year, Samak claimed that, despite photographic evidence to the contrary, only one person was killed during the 1976 massacre at Thammasat University.

Now, in today's Bangkok Post, Samak is quoted thus: "I have never seen anyone coming out to protest against the charter of the coup-makers". Although the coup-makers suppressed many demonstrators who protested against the military constitution, there were still numerous public demonstrations. The photograph above shows a demonstration calling for a 'no' vote outside Siam Center in Bangkok, in case Samak's memory needs jogging.

Samak is pretending not to remember any opposition to the current constitution because he wants to claim a mandate to amend certain parts of it as soon as possible. Specifically, article 309 legitimises all actions of the CNS (including the criminal investigation into Thaksin's finances), and article 237 calls for the dissolution of any political party whose executive members engage in poll fraud. Samak is well aware that the EC case against Yongyuth could result in the dissolution of the PPP, and is attempting to remove article 237 before the final verdict in the Yongyuth case is announced.

Personally, I'd be only too pleased to see article 309 dropped from the constitution, because its legitimisation of the coup was one of the reasons why I was against the 2007 constitution in the first place. Also, if only one party executive is corrupt and the rest of the party is genuinely innocent, perhaps the dissolution of the entire party as required by article 237 is too strong. But blatantly rushing through these changes merely in order to save the PPP's skin is not the way to go about it.