Thailand seeks to prosecute ousted PM Thaksin in absentia in two graft cases

[webfact]

Thailand seeks to prosecute ousted PM Thaksin in absentia in two graft cases

 

FILE PHOTO - Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra leaves after an interview with Reuters in Singapore February 23, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand is seeking to prosecute ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for graft under a law that allows politicians to be tried in absentia, an official said on Tuesday, months after Thaksin's sister was sentenced to jail in her absence.

 

Thailand is divided broadly between those backing Thaksin and his sister, former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, whose government was removed in a 2014 coup, and the elite in the capital, Bangkok.

 

A former commerce minister and member of Yingluck's Puea Thai Party that was ousted in the coup said the planned prosecution of Thaksin was politically motivated.

 

The former telecommunications tycoon was ousted in a 2006 coup and has since lived in self-imposed exile to avoid a graft conviction in 2008 he says was politically motivated.

 

Separate cases against Thaksin, including graft cases in 2008 and 2012, had to be suspended until he returned to Thailand for trial.

 

But an amendment to the law in September makes it possible for politicians to be prosecuted in their absence.

 

The 2008 and 2012 cases involved Thaksin's alleged conflict of interest in a telecoms concession and suspected abuse of power.

 

"Public prosecutors put in a request to the supreme court today to proceed with the two cases without presence of the accused, in accordance with the new law," Wanchart Santikunchorn, a spokesman for the office of the attorney-general, told reporters.

 

Thaksin was not immediately available for comment.

 

Thaksin re-shaped Thai politics after building a business empire, winning staunch support with populist policies that raised living standards, especially among the rural poor, and propelled him or his loyalists to victory in every election since 2001.

 

Yingluck fled the country in August, ahead of a verdict in a negligence trial, but was eventually found guilty and handed down a five-year jail term in absentia in September.

 

Former commerce minister Watana Muangsook said the junta was damaging the country with politically motivated court cases.

 

"The law which allows court proceedings in absentia of the accused is aimed at destroying the regime's political opposition," Watana said in a statement to Reuters.

 

Wanchart denied the moves against the Shinawatra family were biased, saying they were in line with the newly amended law.

 

(Reporting by Aukkarapon Niyomyat; Additional reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Nick Macfie)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-21

[Samui Bodoh]

Just give it a rest!

 

Thaksin is gone and he is never coming back. What is the purpose of going through a trial where everyone knows that the verdict is preordained? Or does someone (ANYONE???) think he will be found not guilty?

 

Here's an idea; why not investigate and prosecute all the cases that have been swept under the carpet in the last three years? That would be a productive use of the time and resources.

 

Idiots.

 

[ramrod711]

39 minutes ago, webfact said:

But an amendment to the law in September makes it possible for politicians to be prosecuted in their absence.

This amendment is the best thing to happen in years. Prosecute the Red Bull heir in absentia and the flying monk and everyone else that thought the status quo would remain long enough for them to come back free as a bird when the statute of limitations expired. It may, I hope , lead to wealthy criminals thinking  before they act. I say wealthy because the poor don't have the option of jetting off to greener pastures.

[Oziex1]

48 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Just give it a rest!

 

Thaksin is gone and he is never coming back. What is the purpose of going through a trial where everyone knows that the verdict is preordained? Or does someone (ANYONE???) think he will be found not guilty?

 

Here's an idea; why not investigate and prosecute all the cases that have been swept under the carpet in the last three years? That would be a productive use of the time and resources.

 

Idiots.

 

It's a load of face saving nonsense. They made up a new law now they play with it. 

[sjaak327]

44 minutes ago, ramrod711 said:

This amendment is the best thing to happen in years. Prosecute the Red Bull heir in absentia and the flying monk and everyone else that thought the status quo would remain long enough for them to come back free as a bird when the statute of limitations expired. It may, I hope , lead to wealthy criminals thinking  before they act. I say wealthy because the poor don't have the option of jetting off to greener pastures.

I agree a great law. Of course for NEW cases, not old cases, that in itself has nothing to do with justice. They never learn, and the politically motivated label is fully justified. 

 

By the way the Red Bull idiot will still not be put on trial, as the new law only applies to political office holders, further confirming the politically motivated claim. How can someone still deny that claim ?

Edited November 21, 2017 by sjaak327

[ChrisY1]

A complete waste of public money!......all for saving the face of the generals!

[chainarong]

There must be a law in the Thai consitution that prosocutes personsons that over throw governments , try that one.

[robblok]

I agree a great law. Of course for NEW cases, not old cases, that in itself has nothing to do with justice. They never learn, and the politically motivated label is fully justified. 
 
By the way the Red Bull idiot will still not be put on trial, as the new law only applies to political office holders, further confirming the politically motivated claim. How can someone still deny that claim ?

So you think Thaksin should get away with his crimes ? He can pay for the best lawyers money can buy to contest his innocence.

Its true they will never get him extradited but it will shut all the defenders of Thaksin up if he is convicted in a few more substantial vases with good evidence. Then it gets harder to deny he is a criminal now they often cite that he is only convicted for a minor crime.

I have no pitty with guys like him he can use his money to defend himself from a distance. Others dont have that luxury.

I do not agree that this law is only for political office holders. It should apply to all, fleeing a country should not mean you get an advantage over those that dont flee or cant flee.



Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

[Chris Lawrence]

The real problem with all of this is the fast tracking of the legal proceedings that have a ready made verdict at the end. YL trial was extremely fast, and not all the evidence properly reported. 

 

This is a game of mirrors played by the unelected government; its a diversion to stop them being asked 'What is really going on'

 

There are a few stooges and professional ax grinders on TV that won't have a bar of logic in this matter, but what happened to the general's nephew, the law to stop asking where the government officials made their money or the Mad Monk and his Prime Minister.

 

Now what did Mr T do that this current regime hasn't done. I would say they are on par, but the general has the support of the elite. Everyone gets the chance of making the bread and butter, but the elites are now basking in getting their jam and cream. The sad thing is that they believe they are entitled to this due to who they are. What Mr T did was to syphon the tank dry leaving very little for scrapes so the elite could gorge on.

 

Blind Freddy can see this. People in the country areas love this guy. Why?

 

Look at the proposed developments going on in Thailand. All monuments to 'a mighty mouse'.

 

Time will tell if this current government is a "Puruhi" ( Maori Dictionary).

[Chris Lawrence]

15 minutes ago, robblok said:

So you think Thaksin should get away with his crimes ? He can pay for the best lawyers money can buy to contest his innocence.

Its true they will never get him extradited but it will shut all the defenders of Thaksin up if he is convicted in a few more substantial vases with good evidence. Then it gets harder to deny he is a criminal now they often cite that he is only convicted for a minor crime.

I have no pitty with guys like him he can use his money to defend himself from a distance. Others dont have that luxury.

I do not agree that this law is only for political office holders. It should apply to all, fleeing a country should not mean you get an advantage over those that dont flee or cant flee.



Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
 

It would be good if they designed a law for Red Bull. The poor dear has grown a pair of wings.

[Sid Celery]

19 minutes ago, robblok said:

So you think Thaksin should get away with his crimes ? He can pay for the best lawyers money can buy to contest his innocence.

Its true they will never get him extradited but it will shut all the defenders of Thaksin up if he is convicted in a few more substantial vases with good evidence. Then it gets harder to deny he is a criminal now they often cite that he is only convicted for a minor crime.

I have no pitty with guys like him he can use his money to defend himself from a distance. Others dont have that luxury.

I do not agree that this law is only for political office holders. It should apply to all, fleeing a country should not mean you get an advantage over those that dont flee or cant flee.



Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
 

I don't agree with any of that and I think you have money envy issues. This government will do anything short of committing mass suicide to get rid of the Shinawatras. Why? Because they know full well that its supporters only want to see agents of change disposed of in order to protect their own privilege. Prayuth has promised to see off the Shins and he hasn't been able to. Nor (I suspect) will he be able to. 

 

The sands of time are running very low for Mr Prayuth and he knows it, so he's becoming increasingly desperate. He wants to retrospectively convict Thaksin, not as a victory over Thaksin, but in the forlorn hope that his supporters will be disillusioned with Thaksin and think that the good general is, after all, a jolly good egg and worth voting for. Good luck with that buddy, the expression 'if it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck then its a duck' was made for Prayuth, only people don't think he's a duck.

 

I suppose we'll see if the strategy is successful or not but I suspect it won't be. I suspect the majority of people would just as soon see Prayuth dangling at the end of a rope as see Thaksin convicted without due process. As would I.

 

Edited November 21, 2017 by Sid Celery

[Artisi]

41 minutes ago, Chris Lawrence said:

The real problem with all of this is the fast tracking of the legal proceedings that have a ready made verdict at the end. YL trial was extremely fast, and not all the evidence properly reported. 

 

This is a game of mirrors played by the unelected government; its a diversion to stop them being asked 'What is really going on'

 

There are a few stooges and professional ax grinders on TV that won't have a bar of logic in this matter, but what happened to the general's nephew, the law to stop asking where the government officials made their money or the Mad Monk and his Prime Minister.

 

Now what did Mr T do that this current regime hasn't done. I would say they are on par, but the general has the support of the elite. Everyone gets the chance of making the bread and butter, but the elites are now basking in getting their jam and cream. The sad thing is that they believe they are entitled to this due to who they are. What Mr T did was to syphon the tank dry leaving very little for scrapes so the elite could gorge on.

 

Blind Freddy can see this. People in the country areas love this guy. Why?

 

Look at the proposed developments going on in Thailand. All monuments to 'a mighty mouse'.

 

Time will tell if this current government is a "Puruhi" ( Maori Dictionary).

So are you pukeha or hori ? 

[billd766]

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Just give it a rest!

 

Thaksin is gone and he is never coming back. What is the purpose of going through a trial where everyone knows that the verdict is preordained? Or does someone (ANYONE???) think he will be found not guilty?

 

Here's an idea; why not investigate and prosecute all the cases that have been swept under the carpet in the last three years? That would be a productive use of the time and resources.

 

Idiots.

 

 

Here is another idea.

 

Why not clear up all the oustanding cases from the past 20 years in chronological order and then the cases from the last 3 years will be done in turn.

[Becker]

3 hours ago, ramrod711 said:

This amendment is the best thing to happen in years. Prosecute the Red Bull heir in absentia and the flying monk and everyone else that thought the status quo would remain long enough for them to come back free as a bird when the statute of limitations expired. It may, I hope , lead to wealthy criminals thinking  before they act. I say wealthy because the poor don't have the option of jetting off to greener pastures.

And while they're at it why not make this law "immune" to any and all amnesties given, right?

[Baerboxer]

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Just give it a rest!

 

Thaksin is gone and he is never coming back. What is the purpose of going through a trial where everyone knows that the verdict is preordained? Or does someone (ANYONE???) think he will be found not guilty?

 

Here's an idea; why not investigate and prosecute all the cases that have been swept under the carpet in the last three years? That would be a productive use of the time and resources.

 

Idiots.

 

 

Seriously? Do you for one moment imagine he was innocent in either case? Read the cases.

 

If they really wanted him back things would've been done differently a long time ago. But they don't. This is all about progressing other cases to make the waiting prison terms longer and so ensure he has an even bigger reason to keep away. Their ideal solution is to expel the Shins from Thailand and the trough; and make sure Thaksin can't ever be in a position to do a "Hun Sen".

 

Why not investigate all the cases swept under the carpet this century - like Yingluck's perjury case brushed aside by Tarit; or the choice more recent cases simply dismissed out of hand. Because that might leave very few if any untouched. And that's not the way they play the game.

 

Too many "at it' but that doesn't excuse or make any less reprehensible the behavior of Thaksin.

[scorecard]

And Reuters trots out, word for word, it's usual phrases which are less than balanced, less then honest.

[scorecard]

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Just give it a rest!

 

Thaksin is gone and he is never coming back. What is the purpose of going through a trial where everyone knows that the verdict is preordained? Or does someone (ANYONE???) think he will be found not guilty?

 

Here's an idea; why not investigate and prosecute all the cases that have been swept under the carpet in the last three years? That would be a productive use of the time and resources.

 

Idiots.

 

 

"...What is the purpose of going through a trial where everyone knows that the verdict is preordained? Or does someone (ANYONE???) think he will be found not guilty?"

 

Of course he won't be found not guilty because the ere is ample evidence to show he is guilt, and you know it.

 

Given that their is ample evidence of guilt your nicely biased claim of preordained is just your bias showing.

 

 

[yellowboat]

The current criminals running the country are just going to show the last bunch of elected criminals were far and away better at governance. 

Edited November 21, 2017 by yellowboat

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, Sid Celery said:

 

 

1 hour ago, Chris Lawrence said:

The real problem with all of this is the fast tracking of the legal proceedings that have a ready made verdict at the end. YL trial was extremely fast, and not all the evidence properly reported. 

 

This is a game of mirrors played by the unelected government; its a diversion to stop them being asked 'What is really going on'

 

There are a few stooges and professional ax grinders on TV that won't have a bar of logic in this matter, but what happened to the general's nephew, the law to stop asking where the government officials made their money or the Mad Monk and his Prime Minister.

 

Now what did Mr T do that this current regime hasn't done. I would say they are on par, but the general has the support of the elite. Everyone gets the chance of making the bread and butter, but the elites are now basking in getting their jam and cream. The sad thing is that they believe they are entitled to this due to who they are. What Mr T did was to syphon the tank dry leaving very little for scrapes so the elite could gorge on.

 

Blind Freddy can see this. People in the country areas love this guy. Why?

 

Look at the proposed developments going on in Thailand. All monuments to 'a mighty mouse'.

 

Time will tell if this current government is a "Puruhi" ( Maori Dictionary).

I agree with you with the caveat that not so sure Thaksin and his family are so loved anymore. I think the shine went of those apples some time ago.

 

I seriously suggest that Thaksin's aim was to cement himself and his family into a similar position to that of his close buddy Hun Sen in Cambodia. His mentor was the late Mr. Lee who taught him that control of the media and making full use of the law to sue critics was the way to go. But unlike the Lees and Hun Sen, Thaksin could never get control of the military or the powerful old established elites and so couldn't maintain a tight grip. 

 

Those who don't want change let alone transformation now have the opportunity to tighten their grip - and by the look of it, that's the intention. 

 

The really sad thing is that you're right, it's six of one and half a dozen of the other, when it comes to the differences between the Shins and their elite opponents. None of which is of benefit to the people.

 

Edited November 21, 2017 by Baerboxer

[Samui Bodoh]

12 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Seriously? Do you for one moment imagine he was innocent in either case? Read the cases.

 

If they really wanted him back things would've been done differently a long time ago. But they don't. This is all about progressing other cases to make the waiting prison terms longer and so ensure he has an even bigger reason to keep away. Their ideal solution is to expel the Shins from Thailand and the trough; and make sure Thaksin can't ever be in a position to do a "Hun Sen".

 

Why not investigate all the cases swept under the carpet this century - like Yingluck's perjury case brushed aside by Tarit; or the choice more recent cases simply dismissed out of hand. Because that might leave very few if any untouched. And that's not the way they play the game.

 

Too many "at it' but that doesn't excuse or make any less reprehensible the behavior of Thaksin.

Oh, I am sure that he is guilty. So what? He is gone and ain't ever coming back. That's his punishment.

 

"Too many "at it' but that doesn't excuse or make any less reprehensible the behavior of Thaksin."

 

I find your words deeply offensive. When you prosecute one person and ignore all the others who do the same, you make justice a perverse concept; it is degraded to the rule of the powerful/mighty and is on the level of animals. 

 

Civilized people follow a concept of justice, and for justice to exist it must apply to all equally.

 

 

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, Sid Celery said:

I don't agree with any of that and I think you have money envy issues. This government will do anything short of committing mass suicide to get rid of the Shinawatras. Why? Because they know full well that its supporters only want to see agents of change disposed of in order to protect their own privilege. Prayuth has promised to see off the Shins and he hasn't been able to. Nor (I suspect) will he be able to. 

 

The sands of time are running very low for Mr Prayuth and he knows it, so he's becoming increasingly desperate. He wants to retrospectively convict Thaksin, not as a victory over Thaksin, but in the forlorn hope that his supporters will be disillusioned with Thaksin and think that the good general is, after all, a jolly good egg and worth voting for. Good luck with that buddy, the expression 'if it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck then its a duck' was made for Prayuth, only people don't think he's a duck.

 

I suppose we'll see if the strategy is successful or not but I suspect it won't be. I suspect the majority of people would just as soon see Prayuth dangling at the end of a rope as see Thaksin convicted without due process. As would I.

 

 

You should research on the amount of justice systems that use trials in absentia. 

 

The facts of these cases are pretty straight forward. That's why Thaksin really fled. The previous conviction could have been appealed all the way to the Supreme Court. If not overturned the sentence may have been suspended. But then he'd have been here and had to face these much more serious charges. In the Krungthai Bank Fraud case some co-accused have already been convicted and sentenced to 17/18 years in prison. Serious prison time. He couldn't risk that unless he knew the courts would accept the odd pastry box!

[Baerboxer]

2 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Oh, I am sure that he is guilty. So what? He is gone and ain't ever coming back. That's his punishment.

 

"Too many "at it' but that doesn't excuse or make any less reprehensible the behavior of Thaksin."

 

I find your words deeply offensive. When you prosecute one person and ignore all the others who do the same, you make justice a perverse concept; it is degraded to the rule of the powerful/mighty and is on the level of animals. 

 

Civilized people follow a concept of justice, and for justice to exist it must apply to all equally.

 

 

 

I really couldn't give a fig about your sensitivities, especially when you interpret things as you wish. That's just the way it is. And in a great many countries too.

 

Perhaps you think no one should be prosecuted for speeding as the cameras/patrol officers can only catch a few?

 

The reality is the law seeks to punish offenders where it can and for that punishment to act as a deterrent.

 

Thaksin either directly or through stooges has been in control for most of this century. And the track record seems to have been a kleptocracy. So yep, there will be many cases. In future years others may be brought to book.

 

Justice should apply equally, fairly, and without bias and favor to all. It doesn't. Not in any country I've lived in. And certainly not here. 

 

 

[Samui Bodoh]

5 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

I really couldn't give a fig about your sensitivities, especially when you interpret things as you wish. That's just the way it is. And in a great many countries too.

 

Perhaps you think no one should be prosecuted for speeding as the cameras/patrol officers can only catch a few?

 

The reality is the law seeks to punish offenders where it can and for that punishment to act as a deterrent.

 

Thaksin either directly or through stooges has been in control for most of this century. And the track record seems to have been a kleptocracy. So yep, there will be many cases. In future years others may be brought to book.

 

Justice should apply equally, fairly, and without bias and favor to all. It doesn't. Not in any country I've lived in. And certainly not here. 

 

 

 

"Justice should apply equally, fairly, and without bias and favor to all. It doesn't. Not in any country I've lived in. And certainly not here."

 

Agreed. 

 

So tell me again why there needs to be a new trial(s)?

 

[stephen tracy]

41 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Seriously? Do you for one moment imagine he was innocent in either case? Read the cases.

 

If they really wanted him back things would've been done differently a long time ago. But they don't. This is all about progressing other cases to make the waiting prison terms longer and so ensure he has an even bigger reason to keep away. Their ideal solution is to expel the Shins from Thailand and the trough; and make sure Thaksin can't ever be in a position to do a "Hun Sen".

 

Why not investigate all the cases swept under the carpet this century - like Yingluck's perjury case brushed aside by Tarit; or the choice more recent cases simply dismissed out of hand. Because that might leave very few if any untouched. And that's not the way they play the game.

 

Too many "at it' but that doesn't excuse or make any less reprehensible the behavior of Thaksin.

We already have a budding Hun Sen in the form of Prayut. The corrupt prosecuting the corrupt is devoid of credibility and quite farcical. 

[RichardColeman]

Probably a not well thought out plan by a foolish super duper committee somewhere in an effort to fool him into coming back to defend himself

[stephen tracy]

40 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

"...What is the purpose of going through a trial where everyone knows that the verdict is preordained? Or does someone (ANYONE???) think he will be found not guilty?"

 

Of course he won't be found not guilty because the ere is ample evidence to show he is guilt, and you know it.

 

Given that their is ample evidence of guilt your nicely biased claim of preordained is just your bias showing.

 

 

You're the last person to be accusing others of bias.  And when a news agency like Reuters reports something that offends your biasness, just claim it's fake news. Convenient. 

[scorecard]

29 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Oh, I am sure that he is guilty. So what? He is gone and ain't ever coming back. That's his punishment.

 

"Too many "at it' but that doesn't excuse or make any less reprehensible the behavior of Thaksin."

 

I find your words deeply offensive. When you prosecute one person and ignore all the others who do the same, you make justice a perverse concept; it is degraded to the rule of the powerful/mighty and is on the level of animals. 

 

Civilized people follow a concept of justice, and for justice to exist it must apply to all equally.

 

 

 

"I find your words deeply offensive".

 

I find your comment the most laughable, most ironic statement of the century.

[Baerboxer]

1 minute ago, stephen tracy said:

We already have a budding Hun Sen in the form of Prayut. The corrupt prosecuting the corrupt is devoid of credibility and quite farcical. 

 

It's neither.

 

Many justice systems now support the use of trial in absentia. (I can send you a pdf if you'd like to read more about it).

 

However, as with all laws and their implementation here, there is selectivity. It's the selectivity which is unpalatable not the concept. 

 

Prayut is no where near Hun Sen and his controllers would never permit him to be. 

[stephen tracy]

1 minute ago, Baerboxer said:

 

It's neither.

 

Many justice systems now support the use of trial in absentia. (I can send you a pdf if you'd like to read more about it).

 

However, as with all laws and their implementation here, there is selectivity. It's the selectivity which is unpalatable not the concept. 

 

Prayut is no where near Hun Sen and his controllers would never permit him to be. 

Prayut is a thief protecting thieves.  Go tell the people rotting in jail or those summoned for AA for speech crime that Prayut is nothing like Hun Sen.  Give it time.  Go ask Prayut why no one can question his "unusual wealth" or face jail time for defamation. 

[Baerboxer]

4 minutes ago, stephen tracy said:

You're the last person to be accusing others of bias.  And when a news agency like Reuters reports something that offends your biasness, just claim it's fake news. Convenient. 

 

There is no doubt that the two BKK based Reuters reporters usually put a favorable bias on their reports regarding anything to do with the Shins. I doubt anyone withing Reuters pays too much attention to it. AFP and the BBC (not always) do this too. 

Just little things, leaving out some detail, choosing certain words, can present a desired picture in the minds of those who aren't too familiar with the detail.

 

It isn't fake and neither is he claiming it is as such. Just presented to give one impression rather than another.