Months of intractable and bloody political deadlock ended this morning peacefully with both sides declaring it was time to step away from the brink for the common good.
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder on a stage in Lumpini Park, Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and protester-in-chief Suthep Thaugsuban issued a joint statement promising an end to scorched-earth tactics, character assassinations and conspiracy to undermine the rule of law.
“I think it was about the fifth time I called for the final showdown between the forces of good and evil that I started having second thoughts,” Suthep said. “We have much more to lose than gain from these political knife fights.”
Yingluck said her administration’s tactics of denial and evasion had done little to instill confidence in the people. That is except for the majority who still totally love her, she added.
“As a Shinawatra, I can afford to learn something of humility,” she said, without breaking into tears at all. “Perhaps sober demonstrations of accountability can return some sense of trust to our institutions and public servants, and restore faith in the social contract we’ve worked so hard to eradicate.”
Wielding a pair of orange shears, the pair then symbolically severed a length of rope they said represented the various, mostly invisible forces pulling their strings from behind the scenes.
Afterward, Suthep confessed that despite his disappointment that months of subterfuge, provocation and demogoguery failed to achieve any measurable result, he held no grudge.
“I mean what else could we do? We followed the script and set the table for the military to step in to save Thailand again for the 12th time. What did they want, little lace doilies on that table?” he reounted, as his fists slowly re-clenched and reached skyward as in every photo for the past six months. “Instead they seemed genuinely intent on forcing us to figure shit out on our own. After all summer is here, and I’m puking at the thought of one more march from Chaeng Wattana to Sala Daeng.”
Relaxing his grip, he sighed and said, “But those days are past, and as Thais we’re going to have to go into unchartered territory to solve our problems together. After all … rule of law, an independent judiciary, unscrupulous law enforcement, justice for rich and poor alike, open dialogue and a rigorous education system … it’s not rocket science!”
