People's Democratic Reform Committee

People's Democratic Reform Committee
คณะกรรมการประชาชนเพื่อการเปลี่ยนแปลงประเทศไทยให้เป็นประชาธิปไตยที่สมบูรณ์ อันมีพระมหากษัตริย์ทรงเป็นประมุข
AbbreviationPDRC; กปปส.
Formation31 October 2013 (2013-10-31)
29 November 2013 (2013-11-29) (formed officially)[1]
Dissolved22 May 2014 (2014-05-22)
Legal statusDefunct[2]
PurposeRemoval of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's influence on Thai politics
Political reform (before election)
Location
Region served
Thailand
Membership
  • Former members of the Democrat Party[3]
  • Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand (NPRST)[4]
  • The PAD rebranded as the "People's Movement to Overthrow the Thaksin Regime" (PMOTR)[5]
  • Dharma Army [6]
Secretary-General
Suthep Thaugsuban
Budget
>10 million Thai Baht daily (January 2014 estimate)[7]

The People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) or People's Committee for Absolute Democracy with the King as Head of State (PCAD)[note 1] was a reactionary[citation needed] umbrella political pressure group in Thailand.[9] Its aim was to remove the influence of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra from Thai politics by deposing the incumbent Pheu Thai government of Yingluck Shinawatra and creating an unelected "People's Council" to oversee political reforms.[10][11] The group played a key role in the 2013–14 Thai political crisis and the lead up to the 2014 Thai coup d'état, organising large-scale protests within Bangkok and disrupting voting in the 2014 Thai general election in order to prevent a predicted victory by Pheu Thai.

The group was formed on 29 November 2013 by Suthep Thaugsuban, who resigned from his post as Democrat Party secretary-general and MP, and appointed himself as PDRC secretary-general.[11] Although much of the movement's message revolved around anti-politics,[12] the PDRC was a diverse coalition united by little more than opposition to the government of Yingluck Shinawatra;[13] it was made up of members of the opposition Democrat Party, the People's Alliance for Democracy (a coalition opposed to Thaksin known as "Yellow Shirts"), student activist groups, state workers' unions and pro-military groups.[5] The PDRC's support stemmed mostly from affluent Bangkokians and Southerners.[14] Whistle-blowing was a central symbol of the protests.[15]

By accusing the government of lacking legitimacy, Suthep Thaugsuban announced the intention of the People's Democratic Reform Committee to take back power from the government and proceed with national reform through a non-elected royalist council, in order to "eradicate" the "Thaksin regime".[16][17] Suthep outlined plans for the council to "act as a legislative body, amend laws and regulations, as well as carry out a reform plan in the country".[18] He also explained the council would have 400 members, 300 of whom would be representatives from various professions. The remaining 100 would be selected by the PDRC from scholars and well-respected senior citizens.[19][20]

The ultimate goal of the PDRC was to have the prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra resign as the head of the caretaker government[21] in order to create a power vacuum,[22] then invoke articles 3[note 2] and article 7[note 3] of the 2007 Constitution.[23] This would have allowed the head of the senate to appoint a new premier. Yingluck and nine other senior ministers were removed from office by Constitutional Court on 7 May 2014. The military then seized power in a coup d'état on 22 May, a move which was applauded by many PDRC protesters.[24] The PDRC was disbanded shortly after the coup.[2]

  1. ^ "'สุเทพ'เปิดตัว กปปส. ดีเดย์ 1ธ.ค. ยึดทำเนียบ-ทุกส่วนราชการ". Thairath (in Thai). 29 November 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Suthep freed, charged with rebellion". Bangkok Post. 26 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Thai Opposition Party Supports Protests Seeking PM Ouster". Bloomberg News. 28 November 2013. Archived from the original on 29 November 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference nsprt1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Aim Sinpeng (30 November 2013). "Who's who in Thailand's anti-government forces?". New Mandala. Australian National University (ANU). Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  6. ^ "Suthep declares 'people's revolt'". Bangkok Post. 30 November 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  7. ^ Hataikarn, Treesuwan (17 January 2014). "PDRC spending more than Bt10 million a day". The Nation. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  8. ^ "Khaosod English's Note On Translation Of Anti-Govt Leadership". Khaosod English. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  9. ^ von Feigenblatt, Dr. Otto F. (4 March 2014). "The Thai Political Paradox". Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences. 5 (4). SSRN Electronic Journal: 782. doi:10.2139/ssrn.2435900. [The PDRC is] a coalition of reactionary elements attempting to stop socio-economic progress so as to protect their interests.
  10. ^ "The show must go on". The Economist. 29 January 2014.
  11. ^ a b "Suthep declares 'people's revolt'". Bangkok Post. 30 November 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  12. ^ Can Thailand ever move forward? Bangkok Post. 2021-04-28
  13. ^ McCargo, Duncan; Thabchumpon, Naruemon (2021). "Plural Partisans: Thailand's People's Democratic Reform Committee Protesters". Contemporary Southeast Asia. 43 (1): 125–150. doi:10.1355/cs43-1c. ISSN 0129-797X. JSTOR 27035530.
  14. ^ Galache, Carlos (17 January 2014). "No end in sight to Thailand turmoil". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  15. ^ Nopparat Chaichalearmmongkol (7 November 2013). "Whistle Blowers Call Time Out on Amnesty Bill". The Wall Street Journal Southeast Asia Real Time. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  16. ^ "Suthep again targets 'Thaksin regime'". Bangkok Post. 25 November 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  17. ^ Charlie, Campbell (28 November 2013). "Thailand's Democrat Party Is Hilariously Misnamed". Time. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  18. ^ "Thai protest leader explains demand for 'people's council'". English.news.cn. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  19. ^ "Special Report: A nation at the crossroads". Phuket Gazette. 5 January 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  20. ^ "Supreme commander agrees to meet Suthep". Bangkok Post. 13 December 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  21. ^ The Associated Press (9 December 2013). "Thailand PM Yingluck Shinawatra won't resign before elections". CBC news. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  22. ^ "Thai premier dissolves parliament, protests continue". London South East. 9 December 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  23. ^ Pakorn, Peungnetr (6 December 2013). "Article 7 'can work'". The Nation. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  24. ^ กปปส. เฮเสียงนกหวีดลั่น-แกนนำอุบเงียบรอ "สุเทพ"-ทหารคุมตัว "เหวง" ให้ม็อบ นปช. กลับบ้าน [PDRC applauds the coup - their leaders remain quiet, waiting for Suthep's orders - Weng detained by military - Red Shirts return home] (in Thai). Manager. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014.


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