PM tells Thaksin, others in self-exile to return and have their day in court

By The Nation

 

 

Without naming him in person, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday effectively told fugitive ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra to return home to fight court cases against him if he believed in his innocence.

 

General Prayut said that people living in self-exile overseas and escaping from Thai law were just “second-class citizens” in their host countries.

 

He also criticised the media for presenting news about “someone who committed wrongdoing and fled the country to live overseas”.

 

“Why did you care about him? You would do better caring about someone who is working for the country now,” Prayut said, without naming anyone.

 

“Please don’t give credit to people who attack their own country. They were born Thai, but now live in another country as second-class citizens,” he said.

 

“They should come back and fight the legal cases against them. The justice system can ensure justice for them. If they believe in their innocence, they should come back,” he stressed.

 

Prayut, who also heads the ruling junta, the National Council for Peace and Order, added that he was not referring to anyone in particular in making these remarks.

 

He was speaking at Don Mueang military airport following his return from a trip to the United Kingdom and France, during which he met government leaders of the two European countries.

 

Thaksin, who has been in self-exile abroad since 2008, earlier criticised Prayut and his government. While Army chief, Prayut in 2014 led a coup to overthrow an elected government led by Thaksin’s younger sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, who is now in self-exile with Thaksin in London.

 

Prayut on Tuesday said he had received an “honourable welcome” from both the UK and France during his recent trip.

 

The PM also said he had seen both support and protest from separate groups of Thai expatriates in those countries, adding that he was not however angry at the protesters. 

 

“They may not understand me today, but in the future they may have a good understanding,” he said.

 

The premier also defended his post-coup government against criticism over its handling of the country’s economy. 

 

He said gross domestic product had expanded continuously to a growth rate of 4.8 per cent in the first quarter of this year, compared with just 0.9 per cent before his administration came to power.

 

He also disputed a claim by critics that only wealthy people benefited from his government’s economic policies. 

 

“All groups of people have benefited,” he insisted.

 

Prayut added that his government’s Thai Niyom development project was aimed at poorer people. “This government is serving everyone at all economic levels. Don’t accuse us of working for the rich only,” he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30348669

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-6-26

4 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

were just “second-class citizens” in their host countries.

a.k.a Farangs !

 

And were the law-enforcement and judicial systems in Thailand even close to being impartial and non-partisan, as they should be, I doubt either TS or YL would even be in exile now. But of course, loyalty in Thailand means loyalty to the landed gentry and their Totem.

 

Not wanting to start the shin-hater wars again, but if it were anyone else, there would be no argument from anyone with a brain.

 

 

Of course they will all come back....after the elections !!

This from a man who lacks the courage to throw his hat in the ring to contest his own rigged election.

If the person that ousted a democratically elected Government is ever charged with any sort of criminal activity, he will surely stay in the country and face the music rather than flee and be treated as a second class citizen.

Thaksin should reply that he'll come back if Prayut gives up his self imposed amnesty, and they can both take their chances.

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

I guess they are all booking their tickets right now.

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Prayut, who also heads the ruling junta, the National Council for Peace and Order, added that he was not referring to anyone in particular in making these remarks

Possibly realizing it could be him in the future.

Comments here are very one sided. The wrongdoing of thagsin seems forgotten.

And when will they stop talking about exile and call it what it is. A criminal who fled the law.

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

General Prayut said that people living in self-exile overseas and escaping from Thai law were just “second-class citizens” in their host countries.

Yes, I totally agree with him. On the other hand it must be way better than behaving like a second-hand citizen in his own country.

Edited June 26, 20188 yr by Get Real

I consider the accompanying photo sums up the report, hilarious!

24 minutes ago, PJPom said:

I consider the accompanying photo sums up the report, hilarious!

Yep , Prayuth is trying to illustrate the size of his membership and Thaksin is not buying it.

They arranged to let them go and now you want them back. Just another pissing in the wind comment by Prayut. 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

The justice system can ensure justice for them.

Is he talking about the same justice system that has sent protestors to jail for sedition after appearances in military courts? The one that sent a young man to jail for several years for sharing an article but leaving the other 3000 alone? Suddenly they are going to show impartiality? 

6 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

They arranged to let them go and now you want them back. Just another pissing in the wind comment by Prayut. 

 

Precisely true.

I am having a problem with the photo. Is that the real PM Prayut or is it the cardboard cut-out PM? Very difficult to tell sometimes.

Either way, they are both becoming more paranoid by the day.

Both seem to have the same inner qualities but maybe the cut-out version comes out in front by a small degree.

2 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

a.k.a Farangs !

 

Yes, my thoughts exactly. For those "Thaier than Thai" posters you got that straight from the PM's mouth. So if you love living in Thailand best do so in a way that maximises the benefits to you and minimises the costs. 

Not defending Thaksin or anyone else in exile, but is current PM ready to face independent court for an illegal coup and an over throw of elected government?

2 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

a.k.a Farangs !

Whoever told him they were second class citizens or that they are or were discriminated at any given time?

 

Most other countries welcome migrants who invest in economy and do not draw any social welfare benefits nor get charged double for being migrants

 

May be he was not aware, but most other countries do not treat migrants as second class citizens.

 

 

Sure in the next few years someone will be saying exactly the same to him.

1 hour ago, sweatalot said:

Comments here are very one sided. The wrongdoing of thagsin seems forgotten.

And when will they stop talking about exile and call it what it is. A criminal who fled the law.

Wrongs not recognised by the 25 million people who voted for him and who are not allowed to campaign against the regime.

2 hours ago, sweatalot said:

Comments here are very one sided. The wrongdoing of thagsin seems forgotten.

And when will they stop talking about exile and call it what it is. A criminal who fled the law.

Pretty much all Thai i have spoken to now all say the same thing, Yes Thaksin was corrupt and stole a lot of money, but at least he let us make some money also. Current regime  on the other hand has even taken this away from us.

Not much class wherever they go.

 

Thanks for the laugh. A guy that committed high treason is talking about others having to face justice it always comes in handy if you can avoid justice by giving yourself an amnesty.

He is the last person that should talk about facing justice...

Sent from my SM-J730GM using Tapatalk

Exiles should return, face music: PM

By THE NATION

 

 

WITHOUT NAMING him in person, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday effectively told fugitive ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra to return home to fight court cases against him if he believed in his innocence.

 

Prayut said that people living in self-exile overseas and escaping from Thai law were just “second-class citizens” in their host countries.

 

He also criticised the media for presenting news about “someone who committed wrongdoing and fled the country to live overseas”.

 

“Why do you care about him? You would do better caring about someone who is working for the country now,” Prayut said, without naming anyone.

 

“Please don’t give credit to people who attack their own country. They were born Thai, but now live in another country as second-class citizens,” he said.

 

“They should come back and fight the legal cases against them. The justice system can ensure justice for them. If they believe in their innocence, they should come back,” he said.

 

Prayut, who also heads the ruling junta, the National Council for Peace and Order, added that he was not referring to anyone in particular in making the remarks.

 

He was speaking at Don Mueang |military airport following his return from a trip to the United Kingdom and |France, during which he met government leaders of both countries.

 

Thaksin, who has been in self-exile abroad since 2008, earlier criticised Prayut and his government. While Army chief, Prayut in 2014 led a coup to overthrow the elected government led by Thaksin’s younger sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, who is now in self-exile with Thaksin in London.

 

Prayut said yesterday that he had received an “honourable welcome” from both the UK and France during his recent trip.

 

The PM also said he had seen both support and protests from separate groups of Thai expatriates in those countries, adding that he was not angry at the protesters. 

 

“They may not understand me today, but in the future they may have a good understanding,” he said.

 

The premier also defended his post-coup government against criticism over its handling of the country’s economy. 

 

He said gross domestic product had expanded continuously to a growth rate of 4.8 per cent in the first quarter of this year, compared with just 0.9 per cent before his administration took power.

 

He also disputed a claim by critics that only wealthy people benefited from his government’s economic policies. “All groups of people have benefited,” he insisted.

 

Prayut added that his government’s Thai Niyom development project was aimed at poorer people. “This government is serving everyone at all economic levels. Don’t accuse us of working for the rich only,” he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30348689

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-27

Comments here are very one sided. The wrongdoing of thagsin seems forgotten.
And when will they stop talking about exile and call it what it is. A criminal who fled the law.

Sure, another criminal, the one calling for others to face justice, avoided even being charged because he arranged a nice little amnesty, possible by the barrel of his guns. Compared to him, Thaksin is a Saint..

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It takes a small, little man to state that others should face the law when they have given themselves immunity from prosecution. A General should be a leader; why don't you go first and give up your immunity? Lead by example? Or, is he afraid?

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

He also criticised the media for presenting news about “someone who committed wrongdoing and fled the country to live overseas”.

 

“Why do you care about him? You would do better caring about someone who is working for the country now,” Prayut said, without naming anyone.

Boo Hoo! The media writes a few stories about Thaksin and Yingluck, and that makes him sad... Boo Hoo! 

 

This is a ridiculous situation, but as I try to find something positive in it all, I see two points;

 

First, no matter what the General does, he will always be compared to Thaksin and/or Yingluck. And no matter how hard he tries, he (and all of Thailand) knows that he cannot accomplish a clean rise to power as they did; he will always be seen as someone who cheated and wasn't as good as either Thaksin or Yingluck.

 

Second, I imagine the almost daily comparisons to Thaksin and/or Yingluck just eats away at his insides and gives him ulcers. 

 

The list of faults of the Shin family is long, but they attained leadership in a proper manner.

 

And, he didn't.

 

And, he knows it.

 

All of Thailand knows it.

 

 

Edited June 26, 20188 yr by Samui Bodoh

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The justice system can ensure justice for them.

the justice system here is politicized, even the current dim-wit number 1 knows that; it serves whomever is in power at the time; more bs from him; the wrong guy for the job

1 hour ago, webfact said:

“Please don’t give credit to people who attack their own country. They were born Thai, but now live in another country as second-class citizens,” he said.

First class travel, five star hotels, Michelin star restaurants... Yeah, real second class citizens.

But no, they should return to your squalid tyranny where you have the power to do anything you want with them. Does that really strike you as likely?