Thanathorn denies sedition charges

[geoffbezoz]

1 minute ago, pmh2009 said:

Should he be found guilty & a prison sentence pronounced and sent to prison!!!!!!! then he will become an opposition martyr!!! And then the country will be really divided and all sorts of anarchy will follow... just my ten cents!!! 

No , it won't happen unfortunately. Thais are basically unwilling to confront and certainly in any large numbers, which would be required to make a difference, a true leader would be required.  The problems in that; 1) There does not seem to be anyone who could fit that role as a leader and 2) more importantly, Thais are known not to follow rules or orders. A fact borne out by the national disgrace of contravening most laws and the acceptance that they don't apply to the rich anyway. Coupled with the fact history shows they can not be trusted in a confrontation. Which is why during the invasion of Iraq, of which Thailand sent a token force, they were confined to latrine cleaning and cooking duties. The latter of which they excel at but waving pots and pans and throwing somtam will not go far in expelling the current regime unfortunately.

[55Jay]

Good thing foreign embassy reps were there, lest he accidentally trip and fall down that flight of stairs. 

 

It's too bad Thais, including the Junta, are reluctant to follow examples from the 1st world.  Don't get your hands dirty directly.  Appoint a Special Counsel to investigate, and if you can't find anything good on the target, start taking down and jailing his buddies.  That's how you do it.

[BestB]

54 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

All good points however I suggest there's another factor involved in the overall current puzzle;  the pretty obvious current stand off / hatred between the PM and the over zealous Army chief, and it would not surprise me if the Army chief and his faction attempt another coup and it seems this faction is pretty powerful and has strong right wing attitudes about the role of the military.

 

Then ...

 

 

Precisely why I believe big joke fiasco was a message, but unsure message for whom 

[Artisi]

58 minutes ago, scorecard said:

And further, all he did (according to the police comments was he gave a person who was not under police restrictions etc., a ride home. How can that be illegal?

 

The young man he gave a ride to had been at the forefront of protests but surely it's his right to protest, and surely it's just common kindness to offer this young man (not a convicted criminal / not a criminal on bail or similar) a ride home. And if Thanathorn (I repeat if) did agree with the protestors stand, is that in itself a chargeable offense? 

 

Really clutching at straws. 

 

Rumpelstiltskin could turn straw into gold, maybe the dwarf leader and toady fancy they can do the same thing.....  

[metisdead]

Some posts containing disallowed references toward the current government have been removed. 

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, rooster59 said:

He said representatives of foreign embassies came to observe the situation because they want to know from police why the case would go to a military court.

 

The embassies' representatives also asked police why Thanathorn was summoned now, although the case dated back to 2015.

Bet the Junta weren't expecting them to be present !

[Eligius]

1 hour ago, pmh2009 said:

Should he be found guilty & a prison sentence pronounced and sent to prison!!!!!!! then he will become an opposition martyr!!! And then the country will be really divided and all sorts of anarchy will follow... just my ten cents!!! 

Even this junta are not THAT stupid as to imprison Thanathorn!

They will more likely indirectly urge that he leave the country or (amounts to the same thing, effectively) render him 'legally' unable to participate in Thai politics for around 5 years.

As I said, I would be astonished if they threw the man into jail for any protracted period of time. I know the junta are IQ-challenged, but even they are (surely?) not so totally devoid of grey matter as to perform such an asinine act!

 

[candide]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

 

All good points however I suggest there's another factor involved in the overall current puzzle;  the pretty obvious current stand off / hatred between the PM and the over zealous Army chief, and it would not surprise me if the Army chief and his faction attempt another coup and it seems this faction is pretty powerful and has strong right wing attitudes about the role of the military.

 

Then ...

 

 

That's certainly a possibility if things end up in a mess. However he will not be the actual decision maker.

[Eligius]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

 

All good points however I suggest there's another factor involved in the overall current puzzle;  the pretty obvious current stand off / hatred between the PM and the over zealous Army chief, and it would not surprise me if the Army chief and his faction attempt another coup and it seems this faction is pretty powerful and has strong right wing attitudes about the role of the military.

 

Then ...

 

 

Interesting thoughts, Scorecard. But I always understood (from what I have read) that the new top general and Prayut were good friends and have been so for years. 

However, in the world of Thai personal relationships (especially power relationships), things can change swiftly and dramatically (look at the unexpected sudden fall from grace of Biggest Joke) ...

 

 

[Nip]

6 hours ago, NanLaew said:

So you've already exhaustively read and excoriatingly dissected all the evidence presented by the 'competent authorities' as grounds for the respective charges against

 

A ) your favorite bogeyman and

 

B ) your new superhero?

 

Please consider who were the 'competent authorities' in both instances.

Its a wild guess. Was it you?

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, Eligius said:

Interesting thoughts, Scorecard. But I always understood (from what I have read) that the new top general and Prayut were good friends and have been so for years. 

However, in the world of Thai personal relationships (especially power relationships), things can change swiftly and dramatically (look at the unexpected sudden fall from grace of Biggest Joke) ...

 

 

 

Re prayut and the army chief, you may well be correct of course, my comment stems from a Thai female professor I know well and often have discussions with, she speaks perfect English, she's an astute lady always up to date with all of these subjects. Her comment is the opposite.

 

What's the totally correct analysis? Who knows.

 

In any event, all quite worrying.

 

[BestB]

6 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

Re prayut and the army chief, you may well be correct of course, my comment stems from a Thai female professor I know well and often have discussions with, she speaks perfect English, she's an astute lady always up to date with all of these subjects. Her comment is the opposite.

 

What's the totally correct analysis? Who knows.

 

In any event, all quite worrying.

 

I think she is spot on. Rift started about 6 months ago, if you recall Prayut called all heads of army to a meeting and no one showed up.

 

Prayut played it down to them being busy but highly unlikely.

 

Prayut kept all heads out of everything , ie cut them off from any and all perks.

 

Even though Prayut stepped down , he tried to retain his head of army control which naturally new army head does not like.

 

Notice lately army chief has been more vocal and rather irrational all over the place while Prayut has somewhat faded. 

 

 

[chickenslegs]

3 hours ago, 55Jay said:

Good thing foreign embassy reps were there, lest he accidentally trip and fall down that flight of stairs. 

 

Anybody know which foreign embassies sent representatives?

I can't find the answer in any of the reports I've read.

[scorecard]

12 minutes ago, BestB said:

I think she is spot on. Rift started about 6 months ago, if you recall Prayut called all heads of army to a meeting and no one showed up.

 

Prayut played it down to them being busy but highly unlikely.

 

Prayut kept all heads out of everything , ie cut them off from any and all perks.

 

Even though Prayut stepped down , he tried to retain his head of army control which naturally new army head does not like.

 

Notice lately army chief has been more vocal and rather irrational all over the place while Prayut has somewhat faded. 

 

 

And P seems to have (al least publically) not commented on most / all on the army chiefs statements, many of which are right wing, even frightening and smack of controlling the populace (his fathers' son). 

 

 

 

[Eligius]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

And P seems to have (al least publically) not commented on most / all on the army chiefs statements, many of which are right wing, even frightening and smack of controlling the populace (his fathers' son). 

 

 

 

The general whom you reference (and indeed P.) are way, way beyond 'right wing' (although I know what you mean): they are a word we are not allowed to mention here - and then some!

[wildewillie89]

6 hours ago, Eligius said:

Interesting thoughts, Scorecard. But I always understood (from what I have read) that the new top general and Prayut were good friends and have been so for years. 

However, in the world of Thai personal relationships (especially power relationships), things can change swiftly and dramatically (look at the unexpected sudden fall from grace of Biggest Joke) ...

 

 

I think people sometimes get the wrong impression of the the two factions. They are not necessarily at each other's throats like they seem to be in theory. Members of each faction have served with each other for years at various posts and have formed close friendships. They go out for dinner together, they attend different anniversary functions and drink together, phone each other socially etc etc. 

You are correct. The General proved his loyalty, and the PM smartly has returned that loyalty. However, being Thailand it would not take much for things to kick off. 

Joke should have kept blinkers on.

[ChrisY1]

Was quoted yesterday, a military court will preside the sedition charge.....if so, then he's done and dusted.

The civil court would struggle to make any case and would be up against the best lawyers defending Thanathorn.....the junta knows this and thus the reason for the military court.

[DrTuner]

8 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

Was quoted yesterday, a military court will preside the sedition charge.....if so, then he's done and dusted.

The civil court would struggle to make any case and would be up against the best lawyers defending Thanathorn.....the junta knows this and thus the reason for the military court.

Thanathorn, the Mandela of Thailand. Unless they really get rid of him in a permanent way, he'll eventually surface again and probably stronger. The junta is making a fatal mistake.

[mommysboy]

17 hours ago, BestB said:

The fact that some embassies were there is something junta did not foresee. The fact that case is from 2015 also does not help their cause.

 

while all is possible , I do not see this case working out well for junta one way or another

Probably the very best boost his cause could receive.  At the very least he will be a folk hero. Allegedly Violating Article 189 of the Criminal Code by helping a student activist flee from an arrest will aid him enormously.

[sjaak327]

20 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Police said the case was delayed because officers in charge had retired and the case had to be handed over to new officers.

5555 what a load of <deleted>, the case was put on hold and now conveniently reinstated on orders from the NCPO, nothing more and nothing less. As I said before, the first thing the police and the justice system need to do, is file charges against all members of the NCPO. And only THEN can we consider and take other criminal cases seriously. 

[Donutz]

39 minutes ago, sjaak327 said:

5555 what a load of <deleted>, the case was put on hold and now conveniently reinstated on orders from the NCPO, nothing more and nothing less. As I said before, the first thing the police and the justice system need to do, is file charges against all members of the NCPO. And only THEN can we consider and take other criminal cases seriously. 

But under the law at that time this would mean life in prison or capital punishment for what Prayut & friends did. Not gonna happen.  Those high up always got away no matter what law they broke or how much blood there is on their hands.

[Donutz]

10 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

Anybody know which foreign embassies sent representatives?

I can't find the answer in any of the reports I've read.

Bangkok Post reports "diplomats from the US, Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, as well as UN officials". 

 

See: https://m.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/1657764/thanathorn-grilled-by-police

[chama]

On 4/6/2019 at 7:31 PM, Longcut said:

He will now become more popular than ever to the young voters. 

If they continue turning him into a martyr this could really backfire. 

[DrTuner]

21 hours ago, Donutz said:

Bangkok Post reports "diplomats from the US, Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, as well as UN officials". 

Also know as "The People formerly know as Quality Tourists".

 

Wonder where the Chinese and Indians diplomats were, eh?

[BuckBee]

FFP will be dispanded or at least that junta current idea .

Unbelievable low blow but what you expect in this cheating cheaters toilet of a country .

One can only hope he gets support he deserves but somehow doubt west put much if any pressure on .

Junta showing true colours & they sure ain't yellow ...