Further debate at:

http://asiancorrespondent.com/bangkok-pundit-blog/just-a-battle-of-elites#comments

Key points:

1. “People on both sides of Thailand’s political divide with knowledge of the negotiations say that Mr. Thaksin’s interventions – which they say included a number of new demands that ended up slowing the talks intended to end the political standoff – delayed an agreement for new elections that would have enabled the protesters to call off their months-long rally. His machinations prompted the most senior opposition red shirt negotiator to quit in frustration, according to these people.”

2. “But in recent weeks Mr. Thaksin has kept in close contact with rogue military officers training a paramilitary “people’s army” to attack troops and turn Bangkok’s streets into a war zone, according to opposition members involved in the conflict.”

3. “At a luxury hotel near the red shirts’ camp in central Bangkok, a team of Mr. Thaksin’s lawyers and advisers regularly conferred with protest leaders and other negotiators to ensure that Mr. Thaksin was kept in the loop over the past several weeks.”

4. “People involved in both government and opposition camps say Mr. Thaksin urged hardliners to come up with fresh demands that stalled the process, ultimately leading to the talks’ collapse. They say red shirt leader Veera Musikapong quit the negotiations in disgust.

“He was questioning why they were bothering to talk when Mr. Thaksin was delaying any progress,” says one person involved in the mediations. Mr. Veera is in army custody and couldn’t be reached for comment.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704852004575257790134925082.html?mod=WSJ_World_LeadStory