Former Bangkok Governor Sentenced To 2 Years In Prison

[hammered]

If I were being conspiratorial I would say it couldnt possibly be an attempt to influence the PPP leadership selection. Now what were they saying on Thai Insider about Chavalit being the stealth candidate of the main wing of the Junta?

[Plus]

What?

[Plus]

Seriously,

Do you mean the junta will put Chavalit in charge of PP and wrestle control away from pro-Thaksin elements?

Excellent move. The old fart will be pleased, his MPs will defect to other ex TRT parties, and Thaksin will either have to pay for it all or cease and desist.

[jbowman1993]

Auditors insist Samak charges substantiated, not political

The state audit office says its recommendation that criminal charges be laid against former Bangkok governor Samak Sundaravej for alleged bidding collusion is based on solid evidence and not politically motivated. Deputy Auditor-General Pisit Leelavachiropas, who made the recommendation to the National Counter Corruption Commission and the police on Friday, said it followed a well-rounded investigation. ''The Office of the Auditor General has no intention to defame the accused,'' he said. ''However, it is not unexpected that the affected people should be upset.'' The auditors accused Mr Samak and four other senior BMA officials of corruption and abuse of power in connection with three garbage management deals the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration signed in 2003. Mr Samak has recently emerged as the front-runner for leadership of the People's Power party. The little-known party has been taken over by former members of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai party. Mr Samak has denied all charges, saying the project was legally approved. ''This is a bid to destroy my political credibility,'' he said yesterday.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/22Aug2007_news13.php

I for one hope it completely destroys his political credibility. Everything about that guy feels dirty. He's the guy who is neck deep in the fire truck scandel, and he should go the way of the Dodo, imo.

[hammered]

Seriously,

Do you mean the junta will put Chavalit in charge of PP and wrestle control away from pro-Thaksin elements?

Excellent move. The old fart will be pleased, his MPs will defect to other ex TRT parties, and Thaksin will either have to pay for it all or cease and desist.

Chavalit and Prem are very close. It is speculated that Chavalit will enter the PPP and deliver the MPs he controls. Some PPP want Samak (anti-Prem) as leader of PPP. Some want Chavalit as leader. Right now Samak seems a shoe-in as he supposedly has the backing of Thaksin who is not so sure, probably with good grounds, he can trust Chavalit.

The Junta cannot choose who will be PPP leader, but if Samak fell it could easily end up being Chavalit by default. The military except for Saprang probably wouldnt mind that with his links to Prem. Pure specualtion and unlikely to happen but dont think there are not all manner of games being played now that we are back to politics.

Thai insider has seen specualtion of how the Junta will now turn from a more confrontational approach in dealing with the ex-TRT and moving towards a more political one. It is worth reading from time to time if you can read Thai or find a translator.

Right now Chavalit lacks any real power but dont underestimate the desire of some of these old leaders to want to come back and be the unifying hero for the sake of the country as they see it. Chavalit is definitely in this group. That is why Thaksin will be wary of him while at the same time wanting to keep him in the main PPP ex-TRT group as he could crumble away some Isaan support if he went somewhere else.

Already the Junta seem to have links to most of the other ex-TRT factions, and they will not worry about the old opposition. They will do everything they can to both reduce popularity of the PPP while also covering their butts by trying to do a deal with a few inside the PPP just in case. Talking to Chavalit is an obvious start.

I am not saying there is some outright plan but that things are getting interesting and in all likelihood what we get to see on the telly and read in the newspapers is not necessarily that close to what is really happening. These are quite interesting times, which may end up not being so good for us.

[Tony Clifton]

And let me guess, like happened with so many contracts during the construction of the airport, the accused BMA officials split the contracts under companies with no previous experience whatsoever in waste management and 500 baht in newly opened bank accounts.

[sriracha john]

And let me guess, like happened with so many contracts during the construction of the airport, the accused BMA officials split the contracts under companies with no previous experience whatsoever in waste management and 500 baht in newly opened bank accounts.

.....and with the obligatory gardener assigned as CEO of each of these individual corporations.

[Plus]

Chavalit and Prem are very close. It is speculated that Chavalit will enter the PPP and deliver the MPs he controls...

Chavalit will certainly accept junta's request to take charge of PPP, indeed he will feel honoured. Whether exTRT executives will want him as well is another matter. MPs won't mind either way.

It doesn't solve all the problems, however. Someone has to be in opposition, they can't just all be in the government. At most MPs can be cooperative and hope that the ruling coalition will divert some finds their way, too. Will they settle for that?

As a part of a deal with junta Chavalit will make sure they don't play hardball and that Thaksin won't attempt a comeback under his watch. That's all generals really need from him.

Isan power brokers will have two choices - confrontation with junta and future ruling coalition (under current PPP leadership) or reconciliation under Chavalit. Not really a tough choice.

It's getting rid of the troublesome TRT rump that is proving to be difficult. They have a lot of money to offer before the elections and lots of good memories - it's tempting for everyone.

[Payboy]

chavalit for pm....

[sriracha john]

As a great admirer of the arts, funding for such fields as dance and theater will surely increase under his premiership.

[Payboy]

As a great admirer of the arts, funding for such fields as dance and theater will surely increase under his premiership.

here's a pic from his younger days circa 1997

Edited August 23, 2007 by Payboy

[Plus]

There's a lot of stuff about Chavalit in the Nation today. He really wants to be the PM again.

Former premier Chavalit Yongchaiyudh gives a lecture at Ramkhamhaeng University on Wednesday. He rejected speculation he would lead a new political party taken over by former MPs from ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra's disbanded Thai Rak Thai party

There's also this:

"In regard to Chavalit, there are a number of reasons why the 75-year-old politician remains attractive to political groups.

First, he is experienced. Second is his connection with the military. He is respected among politicians and he is popular in the Northeast, the region that could decide the general election.

His former New Aspiration Party won the election in 1996. His party won most votes in the Northeast. Also, Chavalit is widely believed to have manipulated "no" votes in the region during last Sunday's referendum on the new constitution.

Chavalit's Nakhon Phanom stronghold delivered the most votes against the charter.

So if Chavalit does end up taking the helm for Matchima-Ruam Jai Thai his chances of becoming prime minister would receive a major boost."

And finally there's an interview:

http://nationmultimedia.com/2007/08/23/pol...cs_30046149.php

Edited August 23, 2007 by Plus

[John K]

This once again brings up the question, where is the new blood? How many times will they recycle these old politicians?

[Sanpatong]

Indefinitely.

Look at the history of Thai 'Democracy'. You see the same names / same families / same clans come back again and again. They simply take turns at the trough. The only thing that changes are the party names and who is in what party. Politicians change parties like football players switch teams. Heck, clans/parties BUY politicians and 'power brokers' just like football teams buy players. One of the reaons why I thought owning a Premier League club was such a good match for Thaksin, he's very used to the environment.

It is indeed as I feared since the coup.. back to unstable coalitions of self-centered mafia clans. Only difference is that outside the South nobody trusts the Democrats anymore, making it even more unstable.

Edited August 27, 2007 by Sanpatong

[Plus]

Well, Democrats is still the only party that doesn't rely on clans or mafias and that adheres to its ideology, the only party you can actually trust.

They will probably take Bangkok and urban centers in the coming elections and get a bit more than 100 seats they got in 2005.

[lazeeboy]

Well, Democrats is still the only party that doesn't rely on clans or mafias and that adheres to its ideology, the only party you can actually trust.

They will probably take Bangkok and urban centers in the coming elections and get a bit more than 100 seats they got in 2005.

but they wont win

[LomSak27]

"Well, Democrats is still the only party that doesn't rely on clans or mafias and that adheres to its ideology, the only party you can actually trust."

You're a newbie here right? And hey, there is nothing wrong with that. The Democratic party has always been associated with big city, big business, power politics and corruption ... let me say that again CORRUPTION.

It is that very public perception and disgust of the Democratic party which ennabled Thaksin to claim he was something different when he started TRT. In fact the big excuse for Thaksins corruption was he gave something to the have nots; 30 baht med scheme, 1P1 Tambon etc. and he was corrupt

The other guys (Democrats) gave nothing to the half nots and were, hold your breath here, corrupt.

I assume you follow the news enough to know that the interm g and the Democrats are trying every way top descredit Thaksin except one - a substantive investigation of corruption. If they did Thaksin would surely be toast. Unfortunatly so would they and the bureacracies that ennable whoever holds power to extract the lucre. This is why no real substantive corruption investigations will be allowed ... defamation, slander, Lese majeste are the charges that will be used. anything else is far to risky

But don't believe me, just watch.

[Payboy]

"Well, Democrats is still the only party that doesn't rely on clans or mafias and that adheres to its ideology, the only party you can actually trust."

You're a newbie here right? And hey, there is nothing wrong with that. The Democratic party has always been associated with big city, big business, power politics and corruption ... let me say that again CORRUPTION.

It is that very public perception and disgust of the Democratic party which ennabled Thaksin to claim he was something different when he started TRT. In fact the big excuse for Thaksins corruption was he gave something to the have nots; 30 baht med scheme, 1P1 Tambon etc. and he was corrupt

The other guys (Democrats) gave nothing to the half nots and were, hold your breath here, corrupt.

I assume you follow the news enough to know that the interm g and the Democrats are trying every way top descredit Thaksin except one - a substantive investigation of corruption. If they did Thaksin would surely be toast. Unfortunatly so would they and the bureacracies that ennable whoever holds power to extract the lucre. This is why no real substantive corruption investigations will be allowed ... defamation, slander, Lese majeste are the charges that will be used. anything else is far to risky

But don't believe me, just watch.

great post lomsak! unfortunately, the democrats will be back in power - whether they earn a majority or not - because they can always form a coaltion with vultures like banharn and co...after all it is now their turn at the cookie jar.....

[Old Man River]

"Well, Democrats is still the only party that doesn't rely on clans or mafias and that adheres to its ideology, the only party you can actually trust."

You're a newbie here right? And hey, there is nothing wrong with that. The Democratic party has always been associated with big city, big business, power politics and corruption ... let me say that again CORRUPTION.

It is that very public perception and disgust of the Democratic party which ennabled Thaksin to claim he was something different when he started TRT. In fact the big excuse for Thaksins corruption was he gave something to the have nots; 30 baht med scheme, 1P1 Tambon etc. and he was corrupt

The other guys (Democrats) gave nothing to the half nots and were, hold your breath here, corrupt.

I assume you follow the news enough to know that the interm g and the Democrats are trying every way top descredit Thaksin except one - a substantive investigation of corruption. If they did Thaksin would surely be toast. Unfortunatly so would they and the bureacracies that ennable whoever holds power to extract the lucre. This is why no real substantive corruption investigations will be allowed ... defamation, slander, Lese majeste are the charges that will be used. anything else is far to risky

But don't believe me, just watch.

great post lomsak! unfortunately, the democrats will be back in power - whether they earn a majority or not - because they can always form a coaltion with vultures like banharn and co...after all it is now their turn at the cookie jar.....

Corruption is a way of life here, but there are different degrees of corruption. For example, the Democrats, as a group, are multiples less corrupt than the previous government. It is all relative.

OK, you don't like the Democrats. No loss to the Democrats because you can't vote. However, for arguments sake if you could vote who would you vote for?

[Plus]

"Well, Democrats is still the only party that doesn't rely on clans or mafias and that adheres to its ideology, the only party you can actually trust."

You're a newbie here right? And hey, there is nothing wrong with that. The Democratic party has always been associated with big city, big business, power politics and corruption ... let me say that again CORRUPTION.

Not as much as Chavalit, Banharn, and especially Choonhavan before them. Under Democrats their own secretary-general was busted, as well as one of the government ministers. That's quite an achievement by Thai standards.

It is that very public perception and disgust of the Democratic party which ennabled Thaksin to claim he was something different when he started TRT. In fact the big excuse for Thaksins corruption was he gave something to the have nots; 30 baht med scheme, 1P1 Tambon etc. and he was corrupt

The other guys (Democrats) gave nothing to the half nots and were, hold your breath here, corrupt.

Democrats took the country through the crisis and had no mercy for big business and no money for poor farmers. Both groups turned against them and became backbone of Thaksin's success. Democrats haven't lost any of their traditional support, they haven't lost the majority - they never had enough numbers to form a government on their own. They took over when Chavalit resigned, remember?

I assume you follow the news enough to know that the interm g and the Democrats are trying every way top descredit Thaksin except one - a substantive investigation of corruption. If they did Thaksin would surely be toast. Unfortunatly so would they and the bureacracies that ennable whoever holds power to extract the lucre. This is why no real substantive corruption investigations will be allowed ... defamation, slander, Lese majeste are the charges that will be used. anything else is far to risky

How more substantive do you expect it to be? I lost count on how many cases are in various stages of preparation. Two arrest warrants are already out. No defamation, no slander, no lese majeste among those.

[hardy1943]

Acording to a survey from BLOOMBERG LOS is the most corrupt country in 2007 in Asia

during the Thaksin years it rated #6 most corrupt.If everyone would be jail that is corrupt

there be only a few people left in BKK.

[Plus]

How about the rest of the country? There's no corruption there?

[sriracha john]

CITY HALL DEAL CLINCHED DURING SAMAK'S TERM

Inquiry ordered into garbage disposal contracts

Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayodhin has ordered an inquiry into the controversial garbage disposal contracts the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration had sealed during the tenure of his predecessor Samak Sundaravej, now the leader of the People's Power party. Mr Apirak gave the order yesterday after the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) agreed in its report the contracts, worth 9.5 billion baht, may have resulted from a bidding collusion. It also suspects the contracts were split to keep the value of each below one billion baht to avoid in-depth scrutiny under the Public-Private Joint Venture Act.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/29Aug2007_news12.php

[Tony Clifton]

Samak definitely won't make it to the election. The PPP will have to find a new leader while others might say Thaksin will have to find a new puppet. Great start huh? Any sane political party would have kept their distance from Samak but, I guees in times of desperation...

From the article mentioned above:

"The panels will have 90 days to complete their assignments. Also, they must keep the OAG updated on the progress of their inquiries regularly."

Edited August 29, 2007 by Tony Clifton

[Payboy]

Samak definitely won't make it to the election. The PPP will have to find a new leader while others might say Thaksin will have to find a new puppet.

we could always call him in....

[Tony Clifton]

Samak definitely won't make it to the election. The PPP will have to find a new leader while others might say Thaksin will have to find a new puppet.

we could always call him in....

Too late, here comes Chavalit joining the "Dinosaur Waltz".

People Power to offer first place on party list to Chavalit

The People Power Party is planning to offer the first place on its party-list MP candidate for former prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.

Nakhon Panom former MP Paichit Sriworakhan of the People Power Party expressed confidence that Chavalit would finally join the party.

He was speaking after a meeting with Chavalit.

He said he already invited Chavalit to be the party's senior advisor.

Currently, seasoned politician Samak Sundaravej heads the People Power Party. His policy is to restore the honour of ouster premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The Nation

Funny how the party now doesn't mention Samak's name as if he had never existed. Chavalit will go from senior advisor to party leader in record time.

Edited August 29, 2007 by Tony Clifton

[Payboy]

Too late, here comes Chavalit joining the "Dinosaur Waltz".

well he's definitely not one who could be manipulated.....

[hammered]

Samak definitely won't make it to the election. The PPP will have to find a new leader while others might say Thaksin will have to find a new puppet.

we could always call him in....

Too late, here comes Chavalit joining the "Dinosaur Waltz".

People Power to offer first place on party list to Chavalit

The People Power Party is planning to offer the first place on its party-list MP candidate for former prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.

Nakhon Panom former MP Paichit Sriworakhan of the People Power Party expressed confidence that Chavalit would finally join the party.

He was speaking after a meeting with Chavalit.

He said he already invited Chavalit to be the party's senior advisor.

Currently, seasoned politician Samak Sundaravej heads the People Power Party. His policy is to restore the honour of ouster premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The Nation

Funny how the party now doesn't mention Samak's name as if he had never existed. Chavalit will go from senior advisor to party leader in record time.

I wonder how much it will cost to pplace the hero of ban rom khlao at the head of the list to insure no PPP upsets in the Isaan if he were to head elsewhere? This is going to be the most expensive election ever in terms of buying the political prostitutes and the feudal masters who can deliver the rural areas. At least that has not changed.

[Tony Clifton]

Looking at the direction the country has taken since the last attempt at an election, making it the most expensive election regarding vote buying may also make it the one election where record numbers of prostituting candidates will be taken out of the race because of their own usual greed.

Expect the PPP and smaller parties, made from salvaged parts, to lose quite a few nuts and bolts along the way.

[slimdog]

I wonder how much it will cost to place the hero of ban rom khlao at the head of the list to insure no PPP upsets in the Isaan if he were to head elsewhere? This is going to be the most expensive election ever in terms of buying the political prostitutes and the feudal masters who can deliver the rural areas. At least that has not changed.

Whilst I am not certain how many regions there will be in the next election, (The first draft mentioned 4, suggestions later mentioned 8) this will mean that each political party is going to have to come up with at least 4 different party lists, one for each region. For PPP, this will be easy for the North, Issan and Central but they also need some names for the south. If it is 4 regions then they only need 5% to get a seat.

Likewise the Democrats will need lists to cover both Issan and the North. People who might previous have been 40 - 50 on the party list, will all of a sudden become No 1 or 2 on the regional list...

If the regions are split into 8, then it is going to be very interesting in the central Region which covers Bangkok. Regardless of how the region is split, there is going to be massive pressure on parties to get the top 3 - 4 spots, as anything lower than this will in no way guarantee a seat.