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Thai Leader Rejects Demands That She Quit Thai Leader Rejects Demands That She Quit
(about 3 hours later)
BANGKOK — Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Tuesday rejected demands by antigovernment protesters that she step aside before the country’s February elections.BANGKOK — Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Tuesday rejected demands by antigovernment protesters that she step aside before the country’s February elections.
“I cannot retreat any further,” Ms. Yingluck said on national television with a shaking voice and tear-filled eyes. “Please be fair to me.” “I cannot retreat any further,” Ms. Yingluck said in sometimes emotional remarks shown on national television. “Please be fair to me.”
There is no constitutional provision for Ms. Yingluck, who announced Monday that she would call fresh elections, to leave office before the elections. Thai law says that she and her cabinet must serve as caretakers until a new government is elected. There is no constitutional provision for Ms. Yingluck, who announced Monday that she would call fresh elections, to leave office before the vote. Thai law says that she and her cabinet must serve as caretakers until a new government is elected.
The protesters, who have massed tens of thousands of people in Bangkok in their campaign to banish Ms. Yingluck and her powerful family from the country, have demanded that she relinquish her post in favor of a royally appointed caretaker government.The protesters, who have massed tens of thousands of people in Bangkok in their campaign to banish Ms. Yingluck and her powerful family from the country, have demanded that she relinquish her post in favor of a royally appointed caretaker government.
The demands have been widely derided by scholars, even those who have long opposed Ms. Yingluck and her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister and the patriarch of the country’s most influential political clan.The demands have been widely derided by scholars, even those who have long opposed Ms. Yingluck and her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister and the patriarch of the country’s most influential political clan.
The United States State Department appeared to echo skepticism of the protesters’ demands when it issued a statement Tuesday that said Washington “strongly supports democratic institutions and the democratic process in Thailand.” The State Department appeared to echo skepticism of the protesters’ demands when it issued a statement on Tuesday saying said Washington “strongly supports democratic institutions and the democratic process in Thailand.”
Yet the protests in Bangkok, which have left five people dead and hundreds of injured over the last two weeks, are a reflection of the growing skepticism by one segment of Thailand’s population of the country’s winner-takes-all parliamentary system that has allowed Mr. Thaksin’s party to dominate the country’s politics. The policies of Mr. Thaksin’s party, including universal health care and guaranteed high prices for rice farmers, have cemented strong support in the populous northern and northeastern parts of the country, but created great resentment in Bangkok and other areas where the opposition has traditionally been strong. Yet the protests in Bangkok, which have left five people dead and hundreds injured over the last two weeks, are a reflection of the growing skepticism by one segment of Thailand’s population of the country’s winner-takes-all parliamentary system that has allowed Mr. Thaksin’s party to dominate the country’s politics.
The protests have created a crisis of legitimacy for Thailand’s democratic institutions, much as other countries in the region have been tested. In nearby Bangladesh, the main opposition party has blockaded major roads in the country and is boycotting elections scheduled for January; the country has been wracked by violent demonstrations that have left at least 60 people dead over the past two months. In Cambodia, the opposition, which led protest marches across Phnom Penh on Tuesday, has boycotted Parliament since elections in July that independent election monitors say had numerous irregularities. And in Myanmar’s nascent democracy the opposition has warned that elections scheduled for 2015 will be unfair unless there are changes to provisions in the Constitution that bar the opposition leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, from becoming president. The policies of Mr. Thaksin’s party, including universal health care and guaranteed high prices for rice farmers, have cemented strong support in the populous northern and northeastern parts of the country, but created great resentment in Bangkok and other areas where the opposition has traditionally been strong.
In Thailand, like in Bangladesh and Myanmar, there are lingering fears of military coups. The protests have created a crisis of legitimacy for Thailand’s democratic institutions, similar to how other countries in the region have been tested. In Bangladesh, the main opposition party has blockaded major roads in the country and is boycotting elections scheduled for January; the country has been wracked by violent demonstrations that have left at least 60 people dead over the past two months.
In Cambodia, the opposition, which led protest marches across Phnom Penh on Tuesday, has boycotted Parliament since elections in July that independent election monitors say had numerous irregularities. And in Myanmar’s nascent democracy, the opposition has warned that elections scheduled for 2015 will be unfair unless there are changes to provisions in the Constitution that bar the opposition leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, from becoming president.
In Thailand, as in Bangladesh and Myanmar, there are lingering fears of military coups.
The leaders of Thailand’s protests say they have little faith that Ms. Yingluck will not abuse the power of her incumbency in the run-up to the Feb. 2 elections. Protest leaders cite the appointment of senior civil servants friendly to the government and the tacit sympathies of the police toward the government.The leaders of Thailand’s protests say they have little faith that Ms. Yingluck will not abuse the power of her incumbency in the run-up to the Feb. 2 elections. Protest leaders cite the appointment of senior civil servants friendly to the government and the tacit sympathies of the police toward the government.
Yet among its troubled neighbors, Thailand’s opposition may have the weakest case in alleging that the system is stacked against them. Yet among its troubled neighbors, Thailand’s opposition may have the weakest case in asserting that the system is stacked against them.
Two of the most powerful institutions in the country — the courts and the military — have often been hostile toward Mr. Thaksin and his allies. Mr. Thaksin was removed from office in a military coup in 2006 and his party was twice dissolved by the courts. Two of the most powerful institutions in the country — the courts and the military — have often been hostile toward Mr. Thaksin and his allies. Mr. Thaksin was removed from office in a military coup in 2006 and his party was twice dissolved by the courts. His party returned to power in 2011 largely because of the overwhelming electoral support in the north and northeast.
Mr. Thaksin’s party returned to power in 2011 largely because of the overwhelming electoral support in the north and northeast. The proposal by antigovernment protesters to bypass the Constitution and set up an unelected council to run the country has been widely interpreted in Thailand as an attempt by Mr. Thaksin’s critics to avoid another stinging loss in the February elections. The opposition Democrat Party, which has not clearly stated whether it will contest the elections, has not won a national election in the country since the 1990s.
The proposal by anti-government protesters to bypass the Constitution and set up an unelected council to run the country has been widely interpreted in Thailand as an attempt by Mr. Thaksin’s critics to avoid another stinging loss in the February elections. The opposition Democrat Party, which has not clearly stated whether it will contest the elections, has not won a national election in the country since the 1990s. With thousands of protesters still camping out near the prime minister’s office on Tuesday, the country remains unsettled and the way forward is unclear.
With thousands of protesters still camping out near the prime minister’s office Tuesday, the country remains considerably unsettled and the way forward is unclear.
Although Thailand’s king issued a decree on Monday making the election date official, one of the country’s five election commissioners, Sodsri Satayathum, appeared to cast doubt on the process.Although Thailand’s king issued a decree on Monday making the election date official, one of the country’s five election commissioners, Sodsri Satayathum, appeared to cast doubt on the process.
“The election commission is ready to hold elections but I’m not sure whether the political groups want to hold it or not,” Ms. Sodsri said on a nationally televised news program. “The election commission is ready to hold elections, but I’m not sure whether the political groups want to hold it or not,” Ms. Sodsri said on a nationally televised news program.
“If the political groups are not ready for an election, there’s no use for the election commission to do it,” she said.“If the political groups are not ready for an election, there’s no use for the election commission to do it,” she said.

Poypiti Amatatham contributed reporting.

Poypiti Amatatham contributed reporting.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
Correction: December 10, 2013Correction: December 10, 2013

An earlier version of this article referred incorrectly to the dissolution of Mr. Thaksin’s political party.  It was dissolved in 2006 and in 2008 — not twice in 2008.

An earlier version of this article referred incorrectly to the dissolution of Mr. Thaksin’s political party.  It was dissolved in 2006 and in 2008 — not twice in 2008.