United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) co-leader Jatuporn Prompan yesterday launched a scathing attack on the government, accusing it of letting the red shirts down.
Jatuporn: ‘Favours not returned’
He warned the Pheu Thai government is in danger of losing the red shirts' support if it does not prove itself worthy of their backing.
"So far the red shirts have not received what is expected from the government they have fought for and made sacrifices for," he said.
He said the Yingluck Shinawatra administration has obligations to fulfil if it expects the red shirts to rise in its defence again.
Mr Jatuporn said an anti-government campaign is gaining momentum and may turn into a popular uprising.
Three elements of the campaign _ the Thai Spring movement, the Democrat Party and "V for Thailand" _ are seeking to justify attempts to topple the government, he said.
If the government wants the red shirts to help it resist these attacks, the administration must steer clear of corruption, refrain from abuse of authority and keep its promises to push for an amnesty and other related laws, he said.
"The government has backed off from the third reading of the charter amendment bill, failed to grant the World Court jurisdiction and delayed an amnesty for red-shirt demonstrators," he said.
Mr Jatuporn was referring to the UDD's demands that the government proceed with the third reading of a charter rewrite bill, which is currently stalled before the House, and grant the International Criminal Court jurisdiction to investigate the 2010 clashes between security forces and red-shirt protesters.
"I hope the government will provide the red shirts with a gesture of goodwill so they can fight for the government again," he said.
Political observers say Mr Jatuporn is upset at not receiving a post in the latest Yingluck cabinet reshuffle, despite several rejigs which have seen UDD co-leader Nattawut Saikuar swap his deputy agriculture minister post to become deputy commerce minister.
Mr Jatuporn, however, said he did not bear any grudges against the government for overlooking him in the recent cabinet reshuffle.
Leading UDD members have nominated him as chairman to replace Tida Tawornseth, apparently as a gesture of moral support after his failure to bag a ministerial post.
However, Mr Jatuporn denied he had been nominated as chairman in the UDD executive meeting yesterday, saying he was not ready for such a role because of health problems.
Mr Jatuporn said the government's priority seems to be the 2-trillion-baht loan bill. He questioned whether the administration would be able to spend that money if it faces an uprising.
"Don't forsake the red shirts for money. [An amnesty] doesn't just help those behind bars, but will boost the morale of more than 10 million red shirts," he said.
He said it would not be fair for the government to call on the red shirts to stand up for the government when it has failed to keep its end of the bargain.