The Life of Abhisit and His Oppositional Role

[Bossza007]

Sappaya-Sapasathan
0720 ICT (GMT +7)
October 26, 2004​

Meeting place of the National Assembly of Thailand and world's largest parliament building, Sappaya-Sapasathan​

As the morning rush hour resumed in Bangkok, the Sappaya-Sapasathan prepared for another day with over three thousand public servants ready to serve the Republic. On the ninth floor, inside the "Office of the Leader of the Opposition Abhisit Vejjajiva," a man was asleep at his desk in formal attire when a woman in her mid-twenties entered. "Mark! Why are you sleeping? Didn’t you go home last night?! Your wife was worried sick, calling me to check if you were dead! You have a TV speech at noon about the new legislative decree. Wake up!" shouted Pancake, Abhisit’s secretary. Outside, some passing employees giggled at the usual chaos in their workplace.

Abhisit groaned as he surfaced from a complex, confusing dream. He half-opened his eyes, squinting against the room's light and the sun streaming through the windows. "Just let me rest a bit more…" he murmured, stretching his arms forward and causing a few documents to fall to the floor. Pancake’s irritation grew. "What are you saying, Mark? You’re a 39-year-old opposition leader! Can’t you be more responsible for your well-being and our country? We’re still in cultural and arts month. You also have to attend the musical festival at Chatuchak Park at six!" She stood with her hands on her hips, clearly exasperated.

Abhisit sighed loudly as he lifted his head from the table. “Yes, yes, I hear you, Pancake.” He yawned and glanced at the digital clock. “Seven already? I also need to meet with Mr. Anton this afternoon. What a packed schedule.” He paused, noticing Pancake’s intense glare. “What is it? I’ve gotten up.” He leaned forward, realizing some documents were missing. “Where are the copies of the parliamentary decree?” he murmured before looking back at Pancake, whose stare could have pierced through him. “Would you please explain what the problem is, Pancake?” he asked, feeling hopeless.

With a long sigh, Pancake shook her head. “Stand up and pick up the documents in front of the table. Then go home and take a shower. I’m not here to babysit you. You’re fourteen years older than me.” She grumbled before leaving the room in silence. “And I still have to do his work!” she muttered loudly as she walked away. Several public servants stopped her to check if she was okay, concerned about her workload. Pancake replied, “No, it’s okay. I still work six hours a day as usual or until Mark’s work is done. The Prime Minister just passed a landmark legislative decree. You know how it is. I don’t think he can rally enough support to overturn the decree in a referendum or through the community assemblies. Also, Jennie, open a ballot for me to kick Mark out of the office and make him get some rest at home."

After about twenty minutes, Abhisit received an email informing him that his colleagues had voted for him to leave the office, take a rest, and return at ten. He nodded reluctantly, feeling he had rested enough, but he couldn't ignore the scientific evidence that he needed proper rest after staying overnight at his office. Standing up, he gathered his phone, watch, and glasses before leaving the room. The office space was still largely empty since it wasn’t yet eight o'clock. With the new law reducing standard work hours from eight to seven and a half, most people now arrived at nine.

As Abhisit made his way out of the world's largest parliamentary building, he was greeted by cleaning staff and parliamentary police. They informed him that the media had figured out he probably didn’t leave the National Assembly last night, so he should expect a few questions from the press. Thanking them, Abhisit continued toward the main entrance, where he saw about nine journalists, most sitting in the press room. One journalist noticed him and quickly rushed over, asking, “Mr. Opposition Leader, what is your opinion about the passing of the new parliamentary decree that is described as effectively ending the existence of private property in Thailand?” He was stunned for a brief moment, the gravity of the question contrasting sharply with the serene morning at the parliament building.

“It’s concerning that property relations are being radically redefined in Thailand after centuries of proven success by free market practices. However, the National Assembly has made this decision to reflect the will of the people, and there is currently no grassroots movement signaling opposition to such a drastic change. I urge everyone to celebrate this victory for democracy in Thailand while remaining critical of any policies proposed at the national level. Thank you.” He finished and walked away, noting that the journalist did not follow him.​

 

[Bossza007]

Sappaya-Sapasathan
1150 ICT (GMT +7)
October 26, 2004​

Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Leader of the Opposition of the Republic of Thailand and one of the most influential figures in Thai politics​

Within the main press conference room of the House of Representatives, Abhisit stood among his shadow cabinet as the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) conducted another assessment of their equipment. Beside Abhisit were Trairong Suwankiri, shadow finance minister, Chaovarat Chanweerakul, shadow interior minister, and Kasit Piromya, shadow foreign minister. They were engrossed in finalizing Abhisit’s televised speech when shadow justice minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga approached with a copy of the recent parliamentary decree. “The legal and ethical concerns are undeniable. I’ve analyzed it thoroughly. I’m worried about how the international community will view this landmark legislation. Kasit?” Pirapan asked, glancing at his colleague.

“With our current political clout, I doubt we’ll face any official condemnation, maybe just private expressions of concern from major powers,” Kasit replied, checking his watch. “We have eight minutes left. Most of our allies and trading partners aren’t ideologically rigid, so it’s unlikely this decree will harm our diplomatic network unless the government takes more aggressive actions. We need to assure both Thailand’s allies and the world that free market proponents still have a voice here. But I’m not the one to judge our internal economic policy, right, Trairong?” Kasit turned to the shadow finance minister.

“It’s debatable since we’re part of this economic system too. Decentralized planning was last prominent in Yugoslavia before Thailand adopted it,” Trairong said calmly. “The decree represents one of the most radical and transformative economic restructurings attempted by any modern nation. It's both a cause for concern and celebration, depending on your perspective. We’re entering uncharted territory that even the Soviet Union, Communist China, or Yugoslavia never hoped to achieve. Despite my expertise in economics, finance minister Korn is also studying and implementing this government experiment in real-time. Fascinatingly, our economic stability and growth suggest the government is defying conventional notions of socialism’s inefficiency. If this decree leads to further success, it will challenge our free-market arguments.” Trairong sighed, and Chaovarat interjected.

“Not to mention, we’re expelling all foreign private property owners and seizing private businesses without compensation. Interior minister Wiroj supports these hostile takeovers, though his economic stance seems more moderate than the Prime Minister’s.” Chaovarat paused as the broadcasting crew prepared. “Anyway, Abhisit, we’re at a point of no return. The People’s Front coalition, despite being a mix from center-left to far-left, is surprisingly unified. With Prime Minister Thaksin unable to run for another term, we need to reconsider our party platform for our party’s survival.” As Chaovarat finished, a crew member asked Abhisit to get into position as the broadcast was about to start.

Abhisit nodded and embraced his shadow cabinet before walking onto the platform toward the broadcasting camera. The backdrop highlighted the authority and significance of the legislature, underscoring its crucial role in Thailand's separation of powers. With a signal from the broadcasting director, Abhisit's image appeared on Thai PBS channels across the nation.

"Greetings, my fellow Thais," Abhisit began, addressing the approximately 35 million viewers tuned in. "It is an honor to speak to the free and just people of our nation once more, especially after the landmark legislative decree that has clearly divided the coalition government and opposition parties. This decree emerged from our robust democratic institutions, which allow for the unfettered expression of political opinions, whether supportive or oppositional. It is a victory for our democracy, a triumph of post-revolution Thailand, showing that the state listens to the people's desire for change." He paused thoughtfully.

"However, as the leader of the opposition, I cannot ignore the potential for mass disruption to our societal fabric and economic stability caused by this legislative decree. As the government continues to push for socialist goals, we must be wary of potential failures, as shown by various historical examples of failed socialist experiments. For instance, in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Soviet Union under Stalin embarked on a rapid and often brutal campaign to collectivize agriculture, leading to widespread resistance from peasants. During Josip Broz Tito’s rule in Yugoslavia, the country developed a unique form of socialism that combined central planning with market mechanisms. While this initially led to higher productivity and economic growth compared to other socialist states, it also caused disparities between different regions within Yugoslavia." Abhisit paused briefly.

“As our country shifts further to the left on the political spectrum, the role of a strong opposition within our current socialist framework is crucial for maintaining a healthy democracy. The Democrat Party and other opposition groups agree that, despite the current mechanisms empowering us, we need a constitutional amendment to redefine our role. Thailand cannot ignore the negative image of socialist states often linked with autocracy and authoritarianism. Therefore, the opposition will propose a constitutional amendment to the National Assembly to expand our role as a guarantor of democratic socialism’s principles.” Abhisit glanced at the camera and saw his secretary, Pancake, nodding in approval.

“I understand that such a drastic and unprecedented legislative decree raises concerns internationally. However, as the leader of the opposition, I am confident that the Republic Government will uphold its international obligations and partnerships. This includes our mutual defense agreements with the French Empire, the Kingdom of Poland, and the Kingdom of Sweden, as well as our comprehensive trade arrangements with Portugal and Spain. Thailand remains committed to ensuring the independence of the Asian continent, free from external interference. No foreign power should meddle in our regional affairs.” Abhisit spoke with conviction, and his shadow foreign minister nodded in agreement.

“It’s clear that the coalition government aims to balance individual freedom with collective well-being in their vision for our society. As a representative of liberal values within Thailand, I believe the opposition parties are the best advisors for this issue. We must ensure that small businesses, those with fewer than 50 employees, are respected not merely as profit-driven entities of the past but as personal ventures driven by individual passion. Our progress in collective and communal spirit must not overshadow the need to strengthen legal protections for our citizens.” Abhisit paused, adjusting his terminology to align with Thai law’s distinction between personal and private businesses.

“Now that I’ve taken enough of your valuable time, I want to stress the importance of maintaining national unity and engaging in open dialogue about Thailand’s future. While we may not all agree on the nation’s trajectory, we must remember that just seven years ago, we fought together to overthrow the monarchy and secure freedom for our people. As one of those who joined your cause during the revolution, I remember the phase, ‘Morning will come, victory is close.’ Thank you.” As Abhisit concluded and the broadcast ended, the room burst into applause.​