In Bangkok
A NEW Prime Minister, a new government, but for the Thais, it's same-old, same-old.
The anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) are still camped out at the Government House - three weeks and counting. They still say they're not going to budge until they get their way. And so the political soap opera still plays on.
For the Thais I meet, it's very much a case of "I told you so".
Many of them had already questioned the legitimacy of PAD's original demands when I was first in town two weeks ago. At that time, PAD said they won't negotiate unless then-prime minister Samak Sundaravej steps down.
"But then what? When the PPP elects someone new, the PAD are just going to reject the new person too," one shop assistant told me.
And voila, it has not surprisingly come true.
After getting their way with Samak, the PAD hardened their stance, saying that they won't accept any other PM candidate from the PPP either. They have already labelled new prime minister Somchai Wongsawat as "just a new leader of a group of bandits" and refused to budge from the grassy - now muddy - lawns of Government House.
I think Thaksin echoed the sentiments of many Thais when he recently remarked: "(The PAD) can say whatever they want. From now on, anything on earth you want to do, you will have to get permission from the PAD before you can do it."
Indeed, the PAD's actions don't go down well with many locals, since the alliance:
- don't want a democracy (they say rural folks aren't educated enough to vote wisely);
- don't allow any room for negotiation; and
- don't seem to care two hoots that the economy is going down the drain because of their actions
In fact, some have told me that PAD's "My-way-or-the-highway" attitude have turned them from neutrals into PPP supporters (although they aren't camping anywhere - yet).
Frustrated as they are, there appears to be little change on the horizon. The military refused to use force during the state of emergency, which has since been lifted.
Now the new Government have meekly decided to set up shop at the old Don Muang international airport, since their old offices are now a camping ground.
As the ruling party of an elected government, the fact that the PPP chose Somchai, the brother-in-law of Thaksin, means that they are obviously not out to appease the protesters - yet they appear unsure how to go forward vis-a-vis the PAD.
One analyst told me that this uncompromising stand-off can only lead to one of two things: The PAD will get their way. Or the Government will finally decide to crackdown on the protesters.
For the sake of this country, I hope that it won't have to come down to either.