 The king of Thailand rarely speaks, but when he does everyone listens -- and obeys. Even the country's powerful prime minister. A few words of royal rebuke against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra have been enough to send tremors through the political arena, already shaken by growing criticism of Thaksin's government. Some analysts say this rare intervention by the revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej may even signal the beginning of the end for the prime minister, who enjoyed an overwhelming re-election victory just 10 months ago.
| I'd say he was toast, myself... |
In his annual birthday speech last weekend, the Boston-born king whose name means "Strength of the Land," merely referred to what critics have long said -- Thaksin seeks to crush all who dare oppose him. Most recently, Thaksin filed half a dozen lawsuits against his most strident opponent -- publishing mogul Sondhi Limthongkul who has been drawing thousands to weekly anti-Thaksin rallies where among other things he claims Thaksin has dishonored the monarchy. "Lawyers teach the PM that he should sue and punish. I must tell the PM: Do not punish them when people tell you to do so. Punishment is not good," advised the 78-year-old king. Thaksin immediately dropped legal action against Sondhi.
| I think the king's seen enough hardball politix in his time. |
Thaksin has also come under fire for mishandling of the country's most serious crisis, the Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand where more than 1,100 have died over the past two years. He is also accused of stifling what was once one of Asia's freest media and of allowing his business and political cronies to reap enormous gains from corrupt policies. "We are only second to Russia, where stock prices of businessmen-turned-politicians have increased dramatically over the past five years," economist Pasuk Pongphaichit said at a recent seminar on the subject.
The seriousness of the situation may have been reflected by the king's speech. Rarely has he entered the political sphere in his 60 years on the throne. But when he has the results have proved decisive. One reason the king retains such moral authority -- and political power -- is his sparing use of it, Although a constitutional monarch with limited powers, the king is also held in reverence by almost all Thais because of a lifelong dedication to helping the country's have-nots. Regarded as almost semi-divine by some, the king spent decades mingling with common folk in backwater villages where he seeded hundreds of development projects. Thus when in 1973, the king sheltered pro-democracy demonstrators from the military dictators they were seeking to overthrow, the generals who were in power knew it was time to exit. In 1976, when the king showed sympathy to the forces of the establishment who believed that students and other liberal forces were leading the country into chaos, the military took the reins of power again. Military maneuvering to cling to power in 1992 ended when the king went on television to chastise the bickering parties whose feud led to bloodshed in the streets of Bangkok. As the nation watched spellbound, one of the tough-talking generals sat at the king's feet, listening to his words like a scolded schoolboy. |