The provincial authority and military have claimed they have been able to eliminate colour-coded conflict in Chiang Mai — the base of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).
Chiang Mai was the easiest place in Thailand to raise an instant demonstration in favour of Thaksin, the red shirts or the government - until the May 22 coup. (File photo)
"I can now say that Chiang Mai is free of [political] colours. There are no more reds or yellows, only green. It’s green season. I mean the natural green colour, not the military’s green,” said Chiang Mai governor Suriya Prasartbandit.
He said the conflicts have been wiped out thanks to National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) efforts to promote national unity in the northern province, he said.
Despite the upbeat message from the province's leader, a former red-shirt leader was wounded in a gun attack in San Kamphaeng district on Saturday night, in what police suggest stems from an internal spat with another red shirt group.
Undeterred, Mr Suriya said a key strategy behind the success was improving understanding among different political groups by allowing their leaders to speak openly and by ensuring equal justice for all. Past discord among northern people had stemmed from conflicts between powerful political groups, not conflict among ordinary people.
''Now that the conflicts at the upper level have ended, everyone here understands they have to work together to resolve social problems while moving forward to reform politics,'' said Mr Suriya.
He said one of the indicators that conflicts have ended in Chiang Mai was that former rivals in the province no longer used aggressive language when allowed to freely express opinions on the NCPO’s reform plans, according to Mr Suriya.
Maj Gen Sarayuth Rangsi, chief of the 33rd Military Circle, who serves as head of the military’s peace maintaining forces in the province, said the military had been working with Chiang Mai's administration to reach out to villagers.
Community relations teams have been sent into villages to build better understanding among political groups, he said.
After that, the groups were asked to cooperate with the military to improve national unity, which they did well, said Maj Gen Sarayuth.
“We, soldiers, have never forced or intimidated them into cooperating with us, but we spoke to group leaders with sincerity and allowed them to speak their minds,” he said.
These group leaders really understood what the military was attempting to achieve, said Maj Gen Sarayuth.
A red-shirt activist argued against the officials’ claims, however, saying the political situation has forced opposing groups to stop voicing their dissent.
“We are just waiting for the right opportunity. Free-willed people do not back away from democracy but they have to survive," said the Chiang Mai activist, who asked to remain anonymous.
Meanwhile, a former red-shirt leader was wounded in a gun attack in San Kamphaeng district on Saturday night.
Niyom Luangcharoen, alias DJ Lae, the founder of Daeng Isan Lanna Chiang Mai group, was shot in the arm and the leg when gunmen sprayed bullets at his house. Doctors said he was in a safe condition yesterday.
Chiang Mai police said Mr Niyom’s personal conflicts with certain leaders of the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group of red shirts, which he had left before establishing his own group, could be the motive behind the attack.
Pol Maj Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas, acting Chiang Mai provincial police chief, said about 20 spent shells from an AK assault rifle were found at the scene.
The attackers did not appear to be professional hitmen because they shot as many as 20 rounds from a very close range, but only two bulletts hit the target, said Pol Maj Gen Damrongsak.
Mr Niyom’s house was attacked by gunmen in the same manner three years ago, said the officer.