The Constitutional Tribunal Disbands Thai Rak Thai - Election cheating

[mumbu]

After some hesitation, I have decided to post this quite long article about khun Thaksin. The article, in my opinion,

provides quite objective picture and will help to object to a lot of absolute bulshit posted here by various Thaksin haters. It also shows a significant degree of controversy surronded his days in the office of PM.

<H1 class=firstHeading>Thaksin Shinawatra</H1><H3 id=siteSub>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</H3>Jump to: navigation, search“Thaksin” redirects here. For other uses, see Thaksin (disambiguation).Wikinews has news related to: Thaksin ShinawatraThaksin Shinawatra

ทักษิณ ชินวัตร

23rd

Prime Minister of ThailandIn office

9 February 2001 – 19 September 2006Preceded byChuan LeekpaiSucceeded bySurayud ChulanontBornJuly 26, 1949 (1949-07-26) (age 57)

San Kamphaeng, Chiang MaiNationalityThaiPolitical partyThai Rak Thai (formerly)^[1]SpousePotjaman ShinawatraReligionBuddhismThaksin Shinawatra (help·info) (Thai: ทักษิณ ชินวัตร, IPA: [tʰáksǐn tɕʰinnawát]; (Chinese: 丘達新; pinyin: Qiū Dáxīn), born July 26, 1949 in Chiang Mai, Thailand), Thai businessman and politician, is the deposed Prime Minister of Thailand and the former leader of the populist Thai Rak Thai party. He is married to Potjaman Shinawatra, and has one son, Panthongtae and two daughters, Pintongtha, Peathongtarn.

Thaksin started his career in the Thai Police, and later became a successful entrepreneur, establishing Shin Corporation and Advanced Info Service, the largest mobile phone operator in Thailand. He became one of the richest people in Thailand. Thaksin entered politics by joining the Phalang Dharma Party in 1994, and later founded the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party in 1998. After a landslide election victory in 2001, he became Prime Minister of Thailand.

Thaksin's distinctive economic, public health, education, energy, drug, politics, and international relations policies made him the first elected Prime Minister in Thai history to complete his term in office, and helped him win a landslide re-election in 2005. Thaksin's policies were particularly effective at alleviating rural poverty (poverty fell by half in 5 years) and at increasing access to affordable health care. His main support base has been the rural poor. Under his government, Thailand's standing on major indices of corruption improved substantially.^[2][3][4]

However, his government was frequently challenged with allegations of corruption, dictatorship, demagogy, treason, conflicts of interest, human rights offenses, acting undiplomatically, the use of legal loopholes and hostility towards a free press. A controversial leader, he was also the target of allegations of lèse-majesté, treason, selling domestic assets to international investors, and religious desecration.^[5][6] He has been subject to several alleged assassination attempts.

On 19 September 2006, a military junta overthrew his government in a bloodless coup. The junta warned him against returning to Thailand. His diplomatic passport was revoked after the junta accused him of engaging in political activities while in exile. Thai embassies were ordered not to facilitate his travels and all Thai media reporting his activities abroad were been banned or censored. Numerous pro-Thaksin and anti-coup websites were also blocked or shut down.^[7] His political future is uncertain.

Contents

[hide]

• <LI class=toclevel-1>

1 Family background <LI class=toclevel-1>2 Early life <LI class=toclevel-1>3 Police career <LI class=toclevel-1>4 Business career <LI class=toclevel-1>5 Entry into politics

• <LI class=toclevel-2>

5.1 Political debut as Foreign Minister in the first Chuan government <LI class=toclevel-2>5.2 PDP leader and Deputy Prime Minister in the Banharn government <LI class=toclevel-2>5.3 Fall of the PDP <LI class=toclevel-2>5.4 Deputy Prime Minister in the Chavalit government5.5 Formation of the Thai Rak Thai Party and the 2001 elections<LI class=toclevel-1>6 Prime Minister of Thailand

• <LI class=toclevel-2>

6.1 March 2001 airplane bomb <LI class=toclevel-2>6.2 Economic policies <LI class=toclevel-2>6.3 Healthcare policies <LI class=toclevel-2>6.4 Anti-drug policies <LI class=toclevel-2>6.5 Reducing corruption <LI class=toclevel-2>6.6 Education policies <LI class=toclevel-2>6.7 Energy policies <LI class=toclevel-2>6.8 South Thailand insurgency <LI class=toclevel-2>6.9 Administrative reform

• <LI class=toclevel-3>

6.9.1 Ministerial restructuring6.9.2 CEO-governors<LI class=toclevel-2>6.10 Foreign policies <LI class=toclevel-2>6.11 2005 re-election <LI class=toclevel-2>6.12 Suvarnabhumi Airport 6.13 Other criticisms<LI class=toclevel-1>7 Political crisis of 2005-2006

• <LI class=toclevel-2>

7.1 Accusations by Sondhi Limthongkul7.2 Sale of Shin Corporation<LI class=toclevel-1>8 Anti-Thaksin and pro-Thaksin rallies <LI class=toclevel-1>9 House dissolution and the April 2006 Legislative Election

• <LI class=toclevel-2>

9.1 House dissolution <LI class=toclevel-2>9.2 Anti-Thaksin protestors call for royal intervention <LI class=toclevel-2>9.3 Election results

• 9.3.1 By-elections
• 9.3.2 Invalidation of the April elections

<LI class=toclevel-1>10 After the April 2006 election

• <LI class=toclevel-2>

10.1 Thaksin proposes reconciliatory panel10.2 Break from politics<LI class=toclevel-1>11 "Finland Plan" controversy and the "charismatic individual" <LI class=toclevel-1>12 August 2006 car bomb <LI class=toclevel-1>13 September 2006 Coup <LI class=toclevel-1>14 Aftermath of the coup

• <LI class=toclevel-2>

14.1 Thai Rak Thai party <LI class=toclevel-2>14.2 2006 Bangkok New Year's Eve bombings <LI class=toclevel-2>14.3 Travels <LI class=toclevel-2>14.4 Legal charges14.5 Post-coup criticisms<LI class=toclevel-1>15 Post-coup actions

• <LI class=toclevel-2>

15.1 February 2007 statement on Australian television <LI class=toclevel-2>15.2 Professional Golf Association of Thailand leadership <LI class=toclevel-2>15.3 Bid to buy Manchester City Football Club <LI class=toclevel-2>15.4 May 2007 statement on Thai radio15.5 Dissolution of the Thai Rak Thai Party<LI class=toclevel-1>16 Miscellaneous <LI class=toclevel-1>17 See also <LI class=toclevel-1>18 Notes 19 External links//

[edit] Family background

Thaksin's great-grandfather Seng Sae Khu (surname 丘）was a Hakka Chinese immigrant from Meizhou, Guangdong who arrived in Siam in the 1860s and settled in Chiang Mai in 1908. His eldest son, Chiang Sae Khu, was born in Chanthaburi in 1890 and married a Thai woman, called Saeng Somna. Chiang's eldest son, Sak, adopted the Thai surname Shinawatra ("does good routinely") in 1938 because of the country's anti-Chinese movement and the rest of the family also adopted it.

Thaksin's father, Lert, was born in Chiang Mai in 1919 and married Yindi Ramingwong. In 1968, Lert Shinawatra entered politics and became an MP for Chiang Mai and deputy leader of the now-defunct Liberal party. Lert Shinawatra quit politics in 1976.^[8]

Thaksin's great-grandfather Seng Sae Khu made his fortune through tax farming and rackateering colecting protection money from gambling dens in China. The Khu/Shinawatra later founded Shinawatra Silks and then by moving into finance, construction and property development. Lert Shinawatra opened a coffee shop, grew oranges and flowers in Chiang Mai's San Kamphaeng district, and opened two movie theatres, a gas station, and a car and motorcycle dealership. By the time Thaksin was born, the Shinawatra family was one of the richest and most influential families in Chiang Mai.

[edit] Early life

Thaksin was born in San Kamphaeng, Chiang Mai. As a young boy, Thaksin helped his father brew and serve coffee. Thaksin grew up in the village of Sankamphaeng until he was 15, after which he moved to Chiang Mai city to study at Montfort College. At 16, he helped run one of his father's cinemas.^[9]

[edit] Police career

Thaksin attended the 10th class of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School.^[10] He then attended the Thai Police Cadet Academy and upon graduation, he joined the Royal Thai Police Department in 1973. He later went on to obtain a master's degree in criminal justice from Eastern Kentucky University in the United States, in 1975. In 1978 he received a doctorate in criminal justice at Sam Houston State University in Texas with a dissertation on "An Analysis of the Relationship Between the Criminal Justice Educational Process and the Attitude of the Student Toward the Rule of Law."^[11] Returning to Thailand, he reached the position of Deputy Superintendent of the Policy and Planning Sub-division, General Staff Division, Metropolitan Police Bureau. He married Potjaman Damapong, the daughter of a police general, in 1980.^[12] Thaksin quit the police force in 1987, having ascended to the rank of a Lieutenant-Colonel.

[edit] Business career

Thaksin and his wife ventured into several businesses while Thaksin was still in the police force. These included opening a silk shop, opening a movie theatre, and developing an apartment building. All of these ventures were failures, and left him over 50 million Baht in debt. He established ICSI in 1982, which leased computers to government agencies and was a modest success. However, later ventures in security systems (SOS) and public bus radio services (Bus Sound) were failures.^[13][14] In April 1986, he founded Advanced Info Service (AIS), which started off as a computer rental business.^[15]

In 1987, after resigning from the police force, he marketed a Thai romance drama called "Baan Sai Thong",^[16] which became a popular success in theaters.^[17] In 1988 he joined with Pacific Telesis to operate and market the PacLink pager service, which was a modest success, although Thaksin later sold out his stake in PacLink to establish his own paging company.^[13][18] In 1989 Thaksin launched IBC, a cable television company, which lost money and was later acquired by the CP Group's UTV.^[13][19] In 1989, Thaksin established a data networking service, Shinawatra DataCom, which was a failure.^[13] It is today known as Advanced Data Network, and is owned by AIS and the TOT.^[20]

In October 1990, Advanced Info Service launched analog mobile phone services after receiving a concession from the Telephone Organization of Thailand. AIS was listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in November 1991. AIS became the largest mobile phone operator in Thailand.

The Shinawatra Computer and Communications Group was founded in 1987 and listed in The Stock Exchange of Thailand in 1990.

In 1990, Thaksin founded Shinawatra Satellite, which has developed and operated a total of four Thaicom satellites.

In 2000, Thaksin acquired the ailing iTV television station from the Crown Property Bureau, Nation Multimedia Group, and Siam Commercial Bank.^[21][22]

[edit] Entry into politics

[edit] Political debut as Foreign Minister in the first Chuan government

Thaksin entered politics in late 1994 under the invitation of Chamlong Srimuang, who had just reclaimed the position of Palang Dharma Party (PDP) leader from Boonchu Rojanastien. In a subsequent purge of Boonchu-affiliated PDP Cabinet ministers, Thaksin was appointed Foreign Minister in December 1994, replacing Prasong Soonsiri.^[23][24]

The PDP soon withdrew from the government over the Sor Por Kor 4-01 land reform corruption scandal, causing the government of Chuan Leekpai to collapse.

[edit] PDP leader and Deputy Prime Minister in the Banharn government

Chamlong, strongly criticized for mishandling internal PDP politics in the last days of the Chuan-government, retired from politics and hand-picked Thaksin as new PDP leader. Thaksin ran for election for the first time in July 1995, winning a parliamentary seat from Bangkok. However, the weakened and internally divided PDP won only 23 seats, compared to 46 in the 1992 elections.

Thaksin joined the government of Banharn Silpa-acha and was appointed Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Bangkok traffic. In May 1996, Thaksin and 4 other PDP ministers quit the Banharn Cabinet (while retaining their MP seats) to protest widespread allegations of corruption, prompting a Cabinet reshuffle. Many have claimed that Thaksin's move was designed to help give Chamlong Srimuang a boost in the June 1996 Bangkok Governor elections, which Chamlong returned from retirement to contest.^[25] Chamlong lost the election - he and incumbent Governor former PDP-member Krisda Arunwongse na Ayudhya were defeated by Pichit Rattakul, an independent.

Chamlong's failure to buttress the PDP's failing power base in Bangkok amplified internal divisions in the PDP, particularly between Chamlong's "temple" faction and Thaksin's faction. Soon afterwards, Chamlong announced he was retiring again from politics.

Thaksin and the PDP pulled out of the Banharn-government in August 1996. In a subsequent no-confidence debate, the PDP gave evidence against the Banharn government. Soon afterwards, Banharn dissolved Parliament in September 1996.

[edit] Fall of the PDP

Thaksin announced that he would not run in the subsequent November 1996 elections, but would remain as leader of the PDP. He claimed that he wanted to devote his energies to campaigning for political reform and supporting other PDP candidates. Some speculated that Thaksin wanted to resign from the party leadership. The PDP suffered a fatal defeat in the elections, winning only 1 seat in Parliament. The PDP soon imploded, with most members resigning. However, the PDP is still in existence, with a different leadership and an insignificant presence in the political sphere.

Although there was much controversy about the root causes of the fall of the PDP, most agree that it was due to internal divisions in the party. Particularly divisive were conflicts between the Chamlong "temple" faction and subsequent generations of outsiders, including Thaksin.

[edit] Deputy Prime Minister in the Chavalit government

On 15 August 1997, Thaksin was invited to become Deputy Prime Minister in Chavalit Yongchaiyudh's government. This occurred soon after the Thai Baht was floated and devalued in 2 July 1997, sparking the Asian Financial Crisis. Thaksin held this position for only 3 months, leaving on November 14 after Chavalit resigned.

During an unsuccessful censure debate on 27 September 1997, Democrat Suthep Thaugsuban accused Thaksin of profiting on insider information about the government's decision to float the Baht.^[26] However, this accusation was not investigated during the subsequent Democrat or TRT governments^[27] During 1997, Thaksin's flagship company AIS suffered 1.8 billion THB in foreign exchange losses and saw its debt more than double due to the devaluation. However, critics have alleged that Thaksin's businesses suffered much less from the devaluation than rival companies.^[28]

[edit] Formation of the Thai Rak Thai Party and the 2001 elections

Thaksin founded the Thai Rak Thai ("Thais Love Thais" - TRT) party in 1998 along with Somkid Jatusripitak, PDP ally Sudarat Keyuraphan, Purachai Piumsombun,^[29] and 19 others.

With a populist platform often attributed to Somkid, TRT promised universal access to healthcare, a 3-year debt moratorium for farmers, and 1 million THB locally-managed development funds for all Thai villages.

After Prime Minister Chuan dissolved parliament in November 2000, TRT won a sweeping victory in the January 2001 elections, the first election held under the People's Constitution of 1997. It was called the most open, corruption-free election in Thai history.^[30] Thai Rak Thai won parliamentary 248 seats (more than any other party previously) and needed only 3 more seats to form a government. Nonetheless, Thaksin opted for a broad coalition with the Chart Thai Party (41 seats) and the New Aspiration Party (36 seats), while absorbing the smaller Seritham Party (14 seats).^[31]

[edit] Prime Minister of Thailand

As Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra initiated many distinctive policies affecting the economy, public health, education, energy, drugs, and international relations. He gained two landslide re-election victories.^[32] Thaksin's policies have been particularly effective at alleviating rural poverty^[33] and at providing affordable health coverage to the people. Because of this, his main support base has been the rural poor.^[34]

His Cabinet was packed with academics, former student leaders, and former leaders of the Phalang Dharma party, including Prommin Lertsuridej, Chaturon Chaisang, Prapat Panyachatraksa, Surapong Suebwonglee, Somkid Jatusripitak, Surakiart Sathirathai, and Sudarat Keyuraphan.

However, his government has been frequently challenged with allegations of dictatorship, demagogy, corruption, conflicts of interest, human rights offences, acting undiplomatically, the use of legal loopholes and hostility towards a free press. A controversial leader, he has also been the target of numerous allegations of lèse-majesté, treason, usurping religious and royal authority, selling assets to international investors, religious desecration, and siding with the forces of darkness.^[35][36]

[edit] March 2001 airplane bomb

On 3 March 2001, a semtex/white phosphorus bomb exploded on a Thai Airways International 737 jet minutes before new Thaksin was scheduled to board. The explosion caused a firestorm which consumed nearly the entire airplane on the ground, killing one airline staffer. At the time of the blast, Thaksin was walking with about 150 other passengers toward the plane at the start of a trip to attend a narcotics conference in Chiang Mai. Officials initially tried to attribute the explosion to a spontaneous explosion in the gas tank of the plane, but most observers saw it as an attempt to assassinate Thaksin.^{[37][38][39][40][41]}

[edit] Economic policies

see also: Policies of the Thaksin government#Economic and health policies and Thaksinomics. Thaksin's government had designed its policies to appeal to the rural majority, initiating programs like village-managed microcredit development funds, low-interest agricultural loans, direct injections of cash into village development funds (the SML scheme), infrastructure development, and the One Tambon One Product (OTOP) rural small and medium enterprise development program.

Together called Thaksinomics, many feel that these policies were responsible for bringing about Thailand's economic recovery from the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis and substantially reducing rural poverty. The GDP grew from THB 4.9 trillion to THB 7.1 trillion. Thailand repaid its debts to the International Monetary Fund 2 years ahead of schedule. Between 2000 and 2004, income in the poorest part of the country, the Northeast, rose 40 per cent while nation-wide poverty fell from 21.3 per cent to 11.3 per cent.^[42] The Stock Exchange of Thailand outperformed other markets in the region. After facing fiscal deficits in 2001 and 2002, Thaksin balanced the national budget, producing comfortable fiscal surpluses for 2003 to 2005. Despite a massive program of infrastructure investments, balanced budgets were projected for 2006 and 2007.^[43] Public sector debt fell from 57% of GDP in 2001 to 41% in September 2006.^[44][45] Foreign exchange reserves doubled from US$30 billion in 2001 to US$64 billion in 2006.^[46]

Critics claim that Thaksinomics is little more than a Keynesian-style economic stimulus policy re-branded as something new and revolutionary. Economists from the Thailand Development Research Institute argue that other factors, such as a revival in export demand, were the primary cause behind the economy's recovery.^[47] Others claimed that the policies got the rural poor "hooked on Thaksin's hand-outs."^[48] Critics also pointed out that Thaksin's OTOP program, which encouraged rural entrepreneurialism, was not aligned with King Bhumibol Adulyadej's advocacy for a rural self-sufficient economy.^[49] Thaksin's supporters have countered that no other democratically-elected Prime Minister has reduced poverty by as much as Thaksin.

Thaksin helped bring Thailand's massive underground lottery system into the legal fold by operating a successful numbers game (Thai: หวย) run by the Government Lottery Office. Lottery sales of approx. 70 billion THB (2 billion USD) are used for social projects, including the "One District, One Scholarship" program which provided one student from a low-income family in each district with a scholarship to study overseas. Soon after Thaksin was deposed, the junta banned the lottery, claiming it was a social vice, luring the poor to become addicted to gambling, instead of working. The scholarship program was also stopped.^{[50][51][52][53][54][55]} The junta also claimed that Thaksin used the mischievously spent the proceeds.^[56]

The Thaksin government reduced the state's control of the media by privatizing MCOT, a large television and radio broadcaster.^[57]

After the 2006 Thailand coup, the military junta rebranded Thaksin's SML scheme as the "sufficiency village development scheme." Villagers wishing to draw down funds from the scheme were required to draft projects based on the King's self-sufficient economy principles.^[58]

[edit] Healthcare policies

Thaksin initiated two key healthcare policies: subsidized universal health care and low-cost universal access to anti-retroviral HIV medication (ARVs). Thaksin's 30-baht/visit universal healthcare program won the applause of the general public, but was criticized by many doctors and officials.^[59][60] Prior to the program's introduction, a large portion of the population had no health insurance and limited access to healthcare. The program helped increase access to healthcare from 76% of the population to 96% of the population.^[61] The program also increased workloads for healthcare employees, and caused many doctors to switch to higher paying careers. It has been criticized for being underfunded. The program led some hospitals to seek alternative sources of income, leading to a boom in the medical tourism industry, with 1.3 million foreign patients earning Thailand 33 billion THB (approx. 800 million USD) in 2005.^[62][63]

Junta-appointed Public Health Minister Mongkol Na Songkhla called the 30-baht program a "marketing gimmick" and claimed that the government would "very soon" stop charging patients any fees for visits to state hospitals.^[64]

During the Thaksin government, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS as well as the overall prevalence rate noticeably declined.^[65] Although successful in expanding access to HIV medication, there have been concerns that a free trade agreement with the US could endanger Thailand's ability to produce generic HIV treatments.^[66]

Thaksin also initiated a radical shift in funding away from major urban hospitals in order to build up primary care in rural areas.^[67]

Thaksin allowed the estimated 2.3 million migrant workers in Thailand to register and seek health coverage under the Thai national healthcare system. They were also eligible for work permits at the end of the registration period, entitling them to full labor protection. Democrat Party Labour Group Committee Pongsak Plengsaeng criticized the move, claiming that it would lead to unemployment amongst Thais. Pongsak also claimed that alien workers in Thailand have a higher tendency to commit crimes. Thailand's unemployment rate at the time was 1.9%.^[68][69][70]

[edit] Anti-drug policies

See also: Policies of the Thaksin government#Anti-drug policies Thaksin initiated several highly controversial policies to counter a boom in the Thai drug market, particularly in methamphetamine. After earlier anti-drug policies like border blocking (most methamphetamine is produced in Myanmar), public education, sports, and promoting peer pressure against drug use proved ineffective, Thaksin launched a multi-pronged suppression campaign that aimed to eradicate methamphetamine use in 3 months. The policy consisted of changing the punishment policy for drug addicts, setting provincial arrest and seizure targets, awarding government officials for achieving targets, targeting dealers, and "ruthless" implementation.

Over the next seven weeks, press reports indicate that more than 2,700 people were killed.^[71] The Government claimed that only around 50 of the deaths were at the hands of the police. Human rights critics say a large number were extrajudicially executed.^[72] The government went out of its way to publicize the campaign, through daily announcements of arrest, seizure, and death statistics.

King Bhumibol, in his 2003 birthday speech, supported the approach, although he did request the commander of the police to categorize the deaths between those killed by police and those killed by fellow drug dealers.^[73] Interpretations of his speech differ. A Bangkok university poll conducted in February 2003 revealed 92% of respondents backed the approach. The same survey did show, however, that seven out of 10 people feared being shot by police themselves.^[74]

According to the Narcotics Control Board, the policy was effective in reducing drug consumption, especially in schools, at least until 2006.^[75] But a 2005 Assumption University opinion poll found that 62% percent believed that drug abuse had increased from 2004 to 2005 and that 68% did not trust the government to solve the drug problem.^[76]

[edit] Reducing corruption

Despite repeated allegations of corruption, the Thaksin government reportedly improved Thailand's ability to control corruption. A 2006 World Bank study from 2002-2005 found that Thailand's regulatory quality and ability to control corruption improved twice as much as it had during the 1996-2002 period.^[77]

Transparency International reported that Thailand's reputation for transparency among business executives improved during the years of the Thaksin government. In 2001, Thailand's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) was 3.2, whereas in 2005, the CPI was 3.8.^[78][79][80]

[edit] Education policies

See also: Policies of the Thaksin government#Education policies Thaksin implemented a series of educational reforms during his government. Chief among those reforms was school decentralization, as mandated by the 1997 People's Constitution.^[81] Decentralization would have delegated school management from the over-centralized and bureaucratized Ministry of Education to Tambon Administrative Organizations (TAOs). The plan met with massive widespread opposition from Thailand's 700,000 teachers, who would be deprived of their status as civil servants.^[82] There was also widespread fear from teachers that TAOs lack the skills and capabilities required to manage schools. In the face of massive teacher protests and several threats of school closure, Thaksin compromised and gave teachers whose schools were transferred to TAO management two years to transfer to other schools.^[83]

Other reforms included learning reform and related curricular decentralization, mostly through greater use of holistic education and less use of rote learning.^[84]

To increase access to universities for lower income people, Thaksin initiated the Student Loan Fund (SLF) and Income Contingency Loan (ICL) programs. The ICL granted loans regardless of financial status, and required recipients to start repayments when their salaries reach 16,000 Baht a month, with an interest rate equivalent to inflation from the day the loan was granted. The SLF had an eligibility limit on family income but carried interest of 1%, starting one year after graduation. The programs were merged and the income limit modified after Thaksin's government was overthrown.^[85]

Thaksin also initiated the controversial "One District, One Dream School" project, aimed at developing the quality of schools to ensure that every district has at least one high-quality school. The project was criticized, with some claiming that the only beneficiaries were Thaksin and companies selling computers and educational equipment. Many schools also fell deeply into debt in implementing the project, receiving less than adequate financial support from the central government.^[86][87]

In addition, Thaksin altered government state university entrance system. Whereas the former system relied exclusively on a series of nationally standardized exams, Thaksin pushed for a greater emphasis on senior high-school grades, claiming this would focus students on classroom learning rather than private entrance exam tutoring.

Thaksin initiated the Income Contingency Loan program to increase access to higher education. Under the program, needy students may secure a loan to support their studies from vocational to university levels. Thai banks had traditionally not given education loans. Thaksin made Thailand one of the first supporters of Nicholas Negroponte's One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project, with the Thai Ministry of Education committing to purchase 600,000 units.^[88]

[edit] Energy policies

See also:Policies of the Thaksin government#Energy policies and Energy Industry Liberalization and Privatization (Thailand) In energy policy, the Thaksin government continued the Chuan Leekpai government's privatization agenda, but with important changes. Whereas the Chuan government's post-Asian financial crisis policies sought economic efficiency through industry fragmentation and wholesale power pool competition,^[89] Thaksin's policies aimed to create national champions that could reliably support economic growth and become important players in regional energy markets.^[90] Elements of the Thaksin energy liberalization policy included:

• Privatization of the state-owned oil and gas company PTT
• Attempted privatization of the integrated state-owned electricity company EGAT, without separating the generating and transmission businesses
• Attempted establishment of an independent regulating agency (traditionally, EGAT had been both an operator and a regulator)

Thaksin also initiated a policy process to encourage renewable energy and energy conservation.

[edit] South Thailand insurgency

See also: South Thailand insurgency A resurgence in violence began in 2001 in the three southernmost provinces of Thailand, which all have a Muslim ethnic Malay majority. There is much controversy about the causes of this escalation of the decades long insurgency. Attacks after 2001 concentrated on police, the military, and schools, but civilians have also been targets. Thaksin has been widely criticized for his management of the situation, in particular the storming of the Krue Se Mosque, the deaths of civilian protestors at Tak Bai, and the unsolved kidnapping of Muslim-lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit.^[91] In October 2004, 84 Muslim human rights protesters were killed at Tak Bai when the Army broke up a peaceful protest concerning the mistreatment. ^[92] After receiving criticism from human rights groups, Thaksin announced escalation of military and police activity in the region.^[93] After the 2006 coup, the Army dropped all charges related to the Tak Bai incident. In July 2005, Thaksin enacted an Emergency Decree to manage the three troubled provinces. Several human rights organizations expressed their concerns that the decree might be used to violate civil liberties.^[94] However, the emergency decree was overwhelmingly popular with both Bangkokians and people in the three southernmost provinces.^[95]

In March 2005, Thaksin established the National Reconciliation Commission, chaired by former Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun to oversee efforts to bring peace to the troubled South. In its final report released in June 2006, the commission proposed introducing Islamic law and making Pattani-Malay (Yawi) an official language in the region. The Thaksin administration assigned a government committee to study the report, while Muslims urged the government to act faster in implementing the proposals.^[96] On the other hand, some elements of the proposals soon met with much criticism. The President of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's Privy Council, Prem Tinsulanonda, stated "We cannot accept that [proposal] as we are Thai. The country is Thai and the language is Thai. We have to be proud to be Thai and have the Thai language as the sole national language".^[97]

[edit] Administrative reform

[edit] Ministerial restructuring

One of the most visible of Thaksin's administrative reforms was the restructuring of government department and ministries, labeled the "big bang." It was hailed as a "historic breakthrough" and "the first major reorganization of ministries since King Chulalongkorn set up Thailand’s modern system of departmental government in 1897." Such a restructuring had been studied for years as a means of undermining the perceived rigidities and inertia of the old system, but was never implemented until the Thaksin government.

The restructuring was designed to streamline the bureaucracy and focus it on performance and results. New ministries were carved out in Social and Human Security Development, Tourism and Sports, Natural Resources and Environment, Information and Communication Technology, and Culture. The restructuring caused an unprecedented re-shuffling of senior bureaucrats and underwent intense scrutiny in parliamentary committees.

[edit] CEO-governors

Thaksin transformed the role of provincial governors from ceremonial supervisors of ministry officials to active managers of government policy. Historically, central government ministries operated in the provinces through field offices headed by senior officials, who reported back to Bangkok. The Ministry of Interior appointed provincial governors whose role was largely ceremonial.

A key component of Thaksin's administrative reform policy, "CEO-governors" epitomized Thaksin's "transformation of the operating style of the traditional bureaucracy into a more results-oriented instrument that would be responsive." Piloted in 2001 and introduced in all provinces in October 2003, CEO-governors were put in charge of planning and coordinating provincial development and became accountable for overall provincial affairs. The "CEO governors" were assisted by "provincial CFOs" from the Ministry of Finance who reported directly to each governor. The CEO-Governors were authorized to raise funds by issuing bonds and were given an intensive training course. CEO-governors no longer passively signed off state funds to local bodies, but also coordinated their use and ensured that they met explicitly-set performance agreements.^[98][99] After the coup, the junta reverted the role of governors.

[edit] Foreign policies

Thaksin was fiercely attacked for tasking diplomats with supporting domestic economic programs, e.g., promoting OTOP products. Surapong Jayanama, former ambassador to Vietnam claiming that Thaksin's policies were "demeaning" and would do little to enhance Thailand's international stature.^[100]

Thaksin also initiated negotiations for several free trade agreements with China, Australia, Bahrain, India, and the US. This policy was also criticized, with claims that high-cost Thai industries could be wiped out.^[101]

However, the FTAs may have had a major role in the fast growth of Thai exports. Exports to Australia, Eastern Europe, China and Latin America increased 27-30% in 2006.^[102]

Thailand joined George W. Bush's multinational coalition in the invasion of Iraq, sending a 423-strong humanitarian contingent. It withdrew its troops on 10 September 2004. Two Thai soldiers died in Iraq in an insurgent attack.

Thaksin has also announced that Thailand would forsake foreign aid, and work with donor countries to assist in the development of neighbors in the Greater Mekong Sub-region.^[103]

Thaksin has also been attacked by influential former diplomats for acting undiplomatically with foreign leaders. Kasit Pirom, former Thai ambassador to Japan and the United States, noted at an anti-Thaksin rally "When Khun Thaksin went to the United Nations to attend a joint UN-Asean session, he did not behave properly when addressing the session, which was co-chaired by the UN secretary-general and the Malaysian premier. In his address Thaksin did not mention the name of the Malaysian premier".^[104]

Thaksin has also been attacked for his support of Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai's campaign to become UN Secretary General.^{[105][106][107][108]}

[edit] 2005 re-election

Under the slogans "Four Years of Repair — Four years of Reconstruction" and "Building Opportunities", Thaksin and the TRT won landslide victories in the February 2005 elections, sweeping 374 out of 500 seats in Parliament. The election had the highest voter turnout in Thai history and was noted for the marked reduction in vote-buying compared to previous elections.^{[109][110][111]}

[edit] Suvarnabhumi Airport

After 40 years of planning and debate, the Thaksin government completed the construction of the new Suvarnabhumi Airport. The airport was officially opened a week after a military junta overthrew the government. At the time of completion, it was one of the world's largest airports.

Some members of Thaksin's government were accused of corruption while overseeing the construction of Suvarnabhumi Airport. However, no accusations were directly made at Thaksin, and to-date, no Thai government, US government, police, or Auditor-General in the investigation has shown any corruption or collusion in the project. The junta attempted to use allegedly shoddy construction at the airport as one of the justifications for its coup.^[112] However, a junta-appointed panel of engineers assigned to inspect the airport noted that damage to the airport was "minute", and "common." This was contrary to accusations made by the junta that the airport was seriously damaged after only 4 months of operations. A spokesman for British Airways, also said that "Everything is normal", and that "We haven't heard any complaints from the staff."^[113] Other international airline representatives have also maintained that they are confident in Suvarnabhumi's safety. A two-week investigation led by Tortrakul Yomnak, a chief engineer for Airports of Thailand and prominent supporter of the anti-Thaksin movement, found that the runway was safe, and that cracks could be repaired in as little as a few hours.^[114] At the beginning of the investigation, Tortrakul had warned that the airport might need to be closed for three years.^[115] Other investigations found that the cost of fixing every identified problem at the airport would be less than 1% of the total airline cost, and that 70% of the problems would be fixed within 2007. 20 of the 60 problems were successfully fixed by February 2007.^[116]

Critics noted that junta-led investigations were unlikely to reveal an impartial picture of the airport's shortcomings. "Problems are normal for any new airport. In our case it's made more complex because everybody wants to run down the former prime minister," noted Sumet Jumsai, a leading Thai architect.^[117] Other leading engineers were sharply divided over the root causes of problems faced by the new airport.^[118]

[edit] Other criticisms

There have also been complaints that Thaksin appointed relatives to senior positions in the civil service and independent commissions, for example by elevating his cousin, General Chaiyasit Shinawatra, to Army commander-in-chief. In August 2002, he was promoted from Deputy Commander of the Armed Forces Development Command to become Deputy Army Chief. Both General Chaiyasit and Defense Minister General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh denied charges of nepotism at the time. General Chaiyasit replaced General Somthad Attanan as Army commander-in-chief.^[119] However, General Chaiyasit was replaced by General Prawit Wongsuwan in August 2004, after only a year in office. His replacement was in response to an escalation of violence in southern Thailand. Prawit was succeeded by Sonthi Boonyaratglin in 2005.^[120][121]

Thaksin was also accused of interference after the Senate appointed Wisut Montriwat (former Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance) to the position of Auditor General, replacing Jaruvan Maintaka. The Constitutional Court has earlier found Jaruvan's nomination illegal and unconstitutional;^[122] however, she refused to acknowledge her ouster without a direct order from the King. Her refusal was highly controversial and sparked a public debate into the role of the King in Thai politics. The Constitutional Court, Senate and State Audit Commission are technically independent and non-partisan bodies.

Respected former Thai ambassador to the UN Asda Jayanama, in an anti-Thaksin rally, claimed that Thaksin's two state visits to India were made in order to negotiate a satellite deal for Thaksin's family-owned Shin Corporation. The accusation was countered by Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon.^[123]

Thaksin's government has been accused of exerting political influence in its crackdown on unlicensed community radio stations.^[124]

Thaksin has also been accused of being superstitious. His supporters have countered that he is in fact jestful.^[125]

Thaksin often faced harsh comparisons. Social critic Prawase Wasi compared him to AIDS, Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda and Senator Banjerd Singkaneti compared him to Hitler, Democrat spokesman Ong-art Klampaibul compared him to Saddam Hussein, and the newspaper The Nation compared him to Pol Pot.^{[126][127][128]}

Thaksin has been engaged in a series of lawsuits against American businessman William L Monson regarding a cable-television joint venture the two partnered in during the 1980s.

[edit] Political crisis of 2005-2006

See also: Thailand political crisis 2005-2006

[edit] Accusations by Sondhi Limthongkul

The political crisis was catalyzed by several accusations published by media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul, a former Thaksin supporter. These included accusations that Thaksin:

• Committed lèse-majesté against the King
• Usurped the Royal powers of the King (see Temple of the Emerald Buddha incident)
• Restricted press freedom by suing Sondhi after Sondhi printed a sermon by a controversial monk (see Luang Ta Maha Bua incident)
• Masterminded the desecration of the Erawan shrine (see Phra Phrom Erawan Shrine incident)

[edit] Sale of Shin Corporation

Main article: Sale of Shin Corporation to Temasek HoldingsOn January 23, 2006, the Shinawatra family sold their entire stake in Shin Corporation to Temasek Holdings. The Shinawatra and Damapong families netted about 73 billion baht (about US$1.88 billion) tax-free from the sale, using a regulation that individuals who sell shares on the stock exchange pay no capital gains tax.^[129]

The Thailand Securities and Exchange Commission investigated the transaction. "The investigation concluded that Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his daughter Pinthongta are clear from all wrongdoing", said SEC secretary-general Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala on February 23, 2006.^[130] However, the SEC did find that Thaksin's son, Panthongtae, committed minor infractions with regard to information disclosure and public tender offers in transactions between 2000 and 2002. He was fined 6 million THB (about 150,000USD).^[131] Allegations of insider trading by other Shinawatra family members, Shin Corporation Corp executives, and major shareholders were also investigated. No irregularities were found. In 2006, Revenue Department director-general Sirot Sawadpanish testified to the military junta Assets Examination Committee that the sale was not taxable.^[132]

The transaction made the Prime Minister the target of accusations that he was selling an asset of national importance to a foreign entity, and hence selling out his nation. The Democrat party spokesman compared him to Saddam Hussein: "Saddam, though a brutal tyrant, still fought the superpower for the Iraqi motherland".^[133]

Supporters, however, counter that Thailand's mobile phone industry is highly competitive, and that little criticism was raised when the Norwegian firm Telenor acquired the country's second largest mobile operator. There was also no criticism when Temasek-owned DBS bought a large stake in Siam Commercial Bank (majority owned by King Bhumibol Adulyadej). Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva had earlier criticized Thaksin for not sufficiently opening up the Thai telecom sector to foreigners. Democrat Party deputy leader Korn Chatikavanij noted "I have always said Shin [Corporation] was safer in Singapore hands than in Thaksin's hands".^[134] Supporters further counter that the complete sale of Shin Corporation by the Shinawatra-Damapong families had been a long-standing demand of some public groups,^[135] as it would allow Thaksin to undertake his duties as Prime Minister without accusation of conflicts of interest.

[edit] Anti-Thaksin and pro-Thaksin rallies

See also: Thailand political crisis 2005-2006 Thaksin faced pressure to resign following the sale of Shin Corporation to Temasek Holdings.

Anti-Thaksin protestors, led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), consisted mainly of middle-class Bangkokians. They also included prominent socialites (dubbed the "Blue Blood Jet Set" by the Bangkok Post) and members of the Thai royal family.^[136]

Media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul was a prominent leader of the protests. These were joined by academics, students, supporters of the controversial Santi Asoke Buddhist sect (led by Thaksin's former mentor Chamlong Srimuang) and followers of the controversial monk Luang Ta Maha Bua. State enterprise employees opposed to privatization followed, even though most EGAT employees had supported privatization in early 2005. Protestors camped out for months outside Government House.

The protests were divisive. The controversial Dharmakaya Buddhist sect came out in support of Thaksin. Massive pro-Thaksin rallies were held in Bangkok and several provinces, including a Bangkok rally where an estimated 200,000 attended.^[137]

King Bhumibol's Privy Council President asked protestors to seek a peaceful resolution to the situation.^[138] In response to Sondhi Limthongkul's "We Fight For the King" battle-cry, Supreme Commander General Ruengroj Mahasaranond said "Rivals should not involve the monarch in their quarrels".^[139]

On 14 January 2006, hundreds of protestors headed by Sondhi Limthongkul, former senator Pratin Santiprapop, Klanarong Chantik, and Democrat MP Kalaya Sophonpanich stormed into Government House at half past midnight, overwhelming security forces. They occupied the building for twenty minutes before regrouping outside and continuing their protest.^[140]

On 4 February 2006, Thaksin said in an interview that if the King even whispered for him to resign, he would. That very evening, Sondhi spoke at an anti-Thaksin rally, saying, "Where is the army? This talk is enough to bring Thaksin to the execution post." At 9pm that evening, Sondhi visited the Bureau of the Royal Household to petition Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda to remove Thaksin from the position of Prime Minister. The Bureau's offices were still open to receive his petition.^[141]

[edit] House dissolution and the April 2006 Legislative Election

Main article: Thailand legislative election, April 2006

[edit] House dissolution

Thaksin announced a House dissolution on 24 February 2006, in a bid to end the political crisis. General elections were scheduled for 2 April. In his weekly radio address following the announcement of his decision, the prime minister promised a series of new populist measures, including an increase in the minimum wage and debt relief for farmers.^[142] The opposition Democrat, Chart Thai and Mahachon parties announced a boycott of the election on 27 February.

Thaksin was criticized for calling the snap elections. In an editorial, The Nation noted that the election "fails to take into consideration a major fallacy of the concept [of democracy], particularly in a less-developed democracy like ours, in which the impoverished, poorly informed masses are easily manipulated by people of his ilk. And Thaksin's manipulation has been well documented.."^[143]

[edit] Anti-Thaksin protestors call for royal intervention

On March 24, 2006 in front of a rally of 50,000,^[144] Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva demanded that Thaksin resign and asked for the King Bhumibol to appoint a replacement.^[144] The People's Alliance for Democracy's (PAD), the Law Society of Thailand, and the Press Council of Thailand also called for royal intervention.^[145][146]

The King himself on 26 April dismissed the notion, saying that such an action would be unconstitutional. "Asking for a Royally appointed prime minister is undemocratic. It is, pardon me, a mess. It is irrational."^[147]

[edit] Election results

Thaksin's TRT Party won a victory in the boycotted elections, with 462 seats in Parliament with ratio of voters to no-voters of 16-10.^[148]

However, by-elections were needed for 40 TRT candidates (mostly from the Democrat-dominated south) who failed to win the minimum required 20% in an uncontested vote.^[149][150] The Democrat Party refused to contest the by-elections^[149] and, along with the People's Alliance for Democracy, petitioned the Central Administrative Court to cancel them.^[151] Chamlong Srimuang declared that the PAD would ignore the elections and "go on rallying until Thaksin resigns and Thailand gets a royally-appointed prime minister".^[152]

[edit] By-elections

Boycotted by-elections in 40 constituencies on 25 April resulted in the TRT winning 25 of the constituencies and losing in 2 constituencies. Yet another round of by-elections on 29 April was scheduled for 13 constituencies. The Thai Rak Thai Party was later accused of hiring smaller parties to contest the election, while the Democrat Party was later accused of hiring smaller parties to not contest the election. According to the 1997 Constitution, uncontested election winners must win at least 20% of registered voters. These by-elections were suspended by the Constitution Court while it deliberated whether or not to disqualify the elections.

[edit] Invalidation of the April elections

In a speech on 25 April, King Bhumibol urged the judiciary to find a way out of the political crisis. In 8 May 2006, the Constitutional Court ruled 8-6 to invalidate the April elections based on the awkward positioning of voting booths. The ruling was called a landmark case in judicial activism.^[153]The Democrat Party, which had boycotted the April elections, said they were now ready to contest a October election.^[154]

A new election was ordered, later set for 15 October. The Court pressured the Election Commissioners to resign. However, when they did not, the Court found them guilty of malfeance in their management of the April election and jailed them. The 15 October election was cancelled when the military seized power on 19 September.

[edit] After the April 2006 election

[edit] Thaksin proposes reconciliatory panel

On 3 April 2006, Thaksin Shinawatra appeared on television to declare victory in the 2006 election, propose a government of national unity, and proposed the creation of an independent reconciliatory commission to decide whether he should remain Prime Minister.^[155][156] The Democrat Party and the PAD immediately rejected the reconciliation panel. "It's too late for national reconciliation", said Chamlong Srimuang.^[157]

[edit] Break from politics

After an audience with King Bhumipol, Thaksin announced on April 4, 2006 that he would not accept the post of Prime Minister after the Parliament reconvenes, but would continue as Caretaker Prime Minister until then.^[158]

"My main reason for not accepting the post of prime minister is because this year is an auspicious year for the king, whose 60th anniversary on the throne is just 60 days away...I want all Thais to reunite", said Thaksin in a nationally televised speech.^[159]

He then delegated his functions to Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Wannasathit, moved out of Government House, and went on vacation.

Thaksin's announcement provoked mixed reactions. A Bangkok poll taken 3 weeks after Thaksin's announcement found that TRT policies were still overwhelmingly popular in Bangkok, with 54% preferring TRT policies versus 8% for the Democrats.^[160]

However, a poll conducted in late May found that only 43% percent of Bangkokians wanted Thaksin back as premier while 57% percent believed Thaksin should not return as prime minister. But in the other 20 provinces surveyed in the same poll, 55% percent of respondents favored Thaksin's return as prime minister while 45% percent were opposed.^[161]

The Democrat Party at first welcomed the decision and promised to cooperate to resolve the political crisis. However, they continued their boycott of the April 2006 by-elections. In a celebration on 7 April, PAD leaders announced their new goal was the eradication of the "Thaksin regime".^[162][163] and subsequently formed the Mass Party.^[164] The Law Society of Thailand filed a suit with the Supreme Administrative Court, later rejected, alleging that Thaksin's leave was illegal^{[165][166][167]}

Thaksin returned to work on 19 May 2006, in the wake of the Constitutional Court's nullification of the April elections and catastrophic flooding in the North.^[168] However, political tension remained high. On 22 May, Pairoj Vongvipanon, former dean of the Faculty of Economics, Chulalongkorn University, warned Thaksin of assassination: "Thaksin must be careful or else he might be killed. Don't think that assassinations cannot occur in Thailand."^[169]

[edit] "Finland Plan" controversy and the "charismatic individual"

Main article: Finland PlotOn the eve of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 60th anniversary celebrations, the Manager newspaper and website published several articles on the "Finland Plan",^{[170][171][172][173]} an alleged conspiracy designed by Thaksin and other Thai Rak Thai co-founders aimed at overthrowing the King and seizing control of the country.^{[174][175][176]} Evidence substantiating the existence of such a conspiracy has never been presented in public. After seizing power, the military junta refused to investigate any of the claims.

Democrat Party deputy secretary-general Thaworn Senniam (Thai: ถาวร เสนเนียม) commented that the Finland Plan was "obviously true".^[177] In retaliation, Thaksin and the TRT sued the owner of the Manager daily Sondhi Limthongkul, its editor, a columnist and two executives for libel.^[178] The Finland Plan accusations were strongly criticized by some in the media for baselessly inflaming hatred.^[179]

On 29 June 2006, Thaksin noted that the political crisis was aggravated "because charismatic people and some organisations outside those sanctioned by the Constitution are trying to overthrow the government, rules and laws, Constitution and democracy."^[180] This prompted speculation that the unnamed "charismatic individual" he was referring to was either royal Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda or King Bhumibol Adulyadej.^[181] Any criticism of the King is illegal and highly frowned upon by the Thai public. Thaksin refused to clarify his remarks, provoking fierce criticism.

[edit] August 2006 car bomb

On 24 August 2006, a car containing 67 kilograms of explosives was stopped near Thaksin's residence in Thonburi. Metropolitan Police Bureau Commissioner Lt-General Wiroj Jantharangsee noted that the explosives in the car were completely assembled, equipped with a remote unit sensor and ready to be detonated, and would have a blast radius of around one kilometre.^[182] Pol Major Kamthorn Ooycharoen, head of the police bomb-disposal squad at the scene, also noted that the bomb was live and ready for detonation.^[183] The bomb was composed of sticks TNT, M-8 military fuses, TNT, C4 plastic explosives, a remote control unit, and nine plastic containers containing ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO).^[184][185] The car was driven by Lieutenant Thawatchai Klinchana, former personal chauffeur of Pallop Pinmanee, Deputy Director of Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC). Police found that the car had left ISOC headquarters earlier that morning.^[186] Thawatchai was immediately arrested and Pallop was released from his position.

Pallop denied all involvement, noting that "If had wanted to do it, I would have done it more subtly...In my career, I have lead death squads. If I had wanted to kill him, the Prime Minister would not have escaped."^{[187][188][189]} He also claimed that "the explosives were being transported, they were not assembled to be detonated."^[190] Government critics claimed that the car bomb was a government conspiracy.^[191] Five army officers were later arrested for their role in the plot.^[192] Three officers, including Thawatchai, were released after the military overthrew the Thaksin government.^[193]

[edit] September 2006 Coup

Main article: 2006 Thailand coup d'étatIn the evening of 19 September 2006, while Thaksin was visiting New York City, USA to attend a United Nations summit and to speak at the Council on Foreign Relations, a military junta took control of Bangkok. Inside Government House, close to 50 soldiers ordered approximately 220 policemen in the complex to lay down their weapons. Troops also surrounded the Thaicom satellite receiving station and state-run television station Channel 11. By the morning of 20 September, tanks and military vehicles armed with machine guns were stationed at Government House, the Royal Plaza and government units along Rajdamnoen Avenue.^[194]

Troops participating in the coup were from the 1st and 3rd Army Regions, the Internal Security Operations Command, the Special Warfare Centre and Army units in Nakhon Ratchasima and Prachin Buri provinces and sections of the Navy.^[195] According to coup leader Army Commander General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the coup leaders had arrested Deputy Prime Minister Chitchai Wannasathit and Defense Minister Thammarak Isaragura na Ayuthaya.^[196] Troops who refused to take part in the coup took mainly a neutral stance and did nothing to prevent the coup.

The military, originally calling itself the Council for Democratic Reform under the Constitutional Monarch (CDRM), issued a statement citing the government's alleged lèse majesté, corruption, interference with state agencies, and creation of social divisions as reasons for the coup.^[197] It declared the king of Thailand the head of state, and said elections will be held soon to return democracy to the country. Shinawatra later arrived in Britain, where he has family and are currently staying at the Dorchester Hotel in London.

[edit] Aftermath of the coup

After the coup, Thaksin remained a controversial figure. Despite being in exile and having all mention of him censored by all television stations, he still retained significant popularity among the public. All websites showing any support for Thaksin were shut down or blocked by the junta.^[198] A public opinion poll released by Bangkok University on 26 December 2006 showed he was ranked as the third most admired person in Thailand, behind General Sonthi Boonyaratglin and Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont.^[199]

[edit] Thai Rak Thai party

Many Thai Rak Thai party members were reported to have resigned from the party in the aftermath of the coup. These included Somsak Thepsuthin and 100 members of the Wang Nam Yom faction. It was not clear whether Suriya Jungrungreangkit, another influential member of the faction would also resign. Sonthaya Kunplome also was reported to have led 20 members of the Chonburi faction in resigning from the party. Fear that the party would be dissolved by the junta and its members banned from politics fueled the defections.^[200][201]

On 2 October 2006 Thaksin Shinawatra and his former deputy Somkid Jatusipitak resigned from the Thai Rak Thai Party.^[202][203] Chaturon Chaisang took over as party head. Chaturon later claimed that Thaksin called him and told him that he would stop his political activities.^[204] On 2 February, junta-chief Sonthi Boonyaratkalin noted that the TRT would probably be dissolved.^[205]

Meanwhile, court cases against the Thai Rak Thai and Democrat parties regarding election fraud in the April 2006 elections continued. In February 2007 witnesses in the case told the Constitution Tribunal that Election Commission investigators forced them to frame the TRT. Boonchoo Soonsuwan, an MP candidate for the Thai Ground Party, testified that he didn't personally know Trairong Intaratat and Phadungsak Klansanoh (both figures close to TRT leaders) but EC panel members, including Police Captain Manoon Wichiennit, told him to say they did and promised they would protect him. Fandy Pasu, another candidate for the Thai Ground Party, also testified that the EC forced him to lie. Both men had previously told the EC that Trairong and Phadungsak hired to run in the April 2006 legislative election.^[206]

[<A title="Edit section: 2006 Bangkok New Year's Eve bombings" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thaksin_Shinawatra&action=edit&section=45">edit] 2006 Bangkok New Year's Eve bombings

Main article: 2006 Bangkok bombingsOn 31 December 2006 and 1 January 2007, several bombs exploded in Bangkok. Thaksin later went on CNN to deny any involvement in the bombings.^[207]

[edit] Travels

The junta repeatedly warned Thaksin from returning to Thailand.^[208] Thaksin travelled to China and attempted to meet military-appointed Premier Surayud Chulanont, who was in China for the ASEAN-China Summit. However, Surayud refused to meet him.^[209] Surayud later denied Thaksin the opportunity to return to Thailand to contest in elections, and said that the appropriate time for him to return would be "after a year", when a newly elected government was already in place.^[210] In April 2007, during an interview where reporters asked Premier Surayud what he would say to Thaksin if he could meet him in person, Surayud responded, "I would say please don't ever come back."^[211]

Thaksin was assaulted while eating at a Thai restaurant in London. A Thai woman threw a glass at him - it was not known whether he was injured.^[212]

His diplomatic passport was revoked in 31 December 2006 after the junta accused him of engaging in political activities while in exile. Thai embassies were ordered not to facilitate his travels. Traditionally, all former prime ministers and foreign ministers of Thailand were permitted to hold on to their diplomatic passport for life.^[213]

In a subsequent trip to Russia to receive an honourary degree in science from the Plehanov Academy of Economics, Thaksin's passport and suitcase were stolen when he was eating at a McDonalds. The Thai Embassy in Moscow was willing to provide him a new travel document.^[214]

In January, Thaksin visited Singapore and had a personal meeting with S. Jayakumar, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister. The Singapore government claimed the meeting was purely social and private. However, the Thai military government withdrew an invitation to Singapore's foreign minister to visit Thailand, cancelled a civil servant exchange program, and reviewed Singapore's use of Thai territory for military training exercises. Junta-head Sonthi later announced that the mobile phone calls of junta leaders were being bugged by the Singapore government.^[215] During the Singapore trip, Thaksin also gave an interview to CNN, in which he announced that he was quiting politics. He also denied the junta's accusation that he was behind the 2006 Bangkok bombings. The interview was censored in Thailand, as were interviews with the Asian Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, The Economist, and Time.^[216] Junta leader Sonthi Boonyaratkalin claimed to the Thai public that Thaksin insulted and was disrespectful to King Bhumibol and the royal family in his interviews.^[217][218]

Speaking before a group of 1,000 local politicians and government officials in February, junta assistant secretary general Saprang Kalayanamitr noted, "The traitor is slated to be banished to live forever in the jungle because there is no place in society for a deceitful politician." Although he did not mention Thaksin's name, the media assumed he was referring to Thaksin.^[219]

[edit] Legal charges

The junta established several bodies to investigate criminal charges against Thaksin and members of his deposed government. As of November 2006, none of the bodies had concluded their investigations or found substantial evidence of corruption, despite offers of immunity for potential witnesses.^[220] As of March 2007, the bodies failed to reveal evidence of wrongdoing to the public, although they did cite findings from initial investigations that concluded that Thaksin violated the law.^[221] All charges of lèse majesté against Thaksin were dropped by public prosecuters.^[222]

In January 2007, the Financial Institutions Development Fund complied with an Assets Examination Committee request to file a charge against Thaksin and his wife over their purchase of four 772 million baht plots of land from the FIDF in 2003. The charge was based on alleged violation of Article 100 of the National Counter Corruption Act, which specificies that government officials and their spouses are prohibited from entering into or having interests in contracts made with state agencies under their authorisation. However, Article 4 of the Act indicates that persons committing malfeasance must be direct supervisors of the damaged party - in this case, the FIDF. At the time, Bank of Thailand Governor Pridiyathorn Devakula directly supervised the FIDF, not Thaksin.^[223] Article 29 of the Bank of Thailand Act of 1942 stated that the Prime Minister did not have jurisdiction to oversee the FIDF, because those managing the fund had sole authority for policies, control, oversight and regulations governing the agency.^[224] Pridiyathorn's testimony to the court occurred in secret - Thaksin's legal team was not allowed in the room. The FIDF later noted that the land was sold to the Shinawatras at a price greater than its appraised value.^[225]

The Assets Examination Committee also accused Thaksin of issuing an unlawful cabinet resolution approving the spending of state funds to buy rubber saplings. However, it did not accuse him of corruption.^[221]

In March 2007, the Office of the Attorney-General charged Thaksin's wife and brother-in-law of conspiring to evade taxes of 546 million baht (US$15.6 million) in a 1997 transfer of Shin Corp shares. At the time, the Shinawatra family had asked for advice from the Revenue Department on the matter and were told that they were not liable for taxes. The advice was given by tax official Bencha Louischaroen, and was repeated two top colleagues testifying before a Senate investigation panel as well as department head Sirot Sawasdipanich. The junta found Sirot guilty of malfeasance.^[226]

The Assets Examination Committee rule that Thaksiin was guilty of malfeasance for obstructing competition by passing an executive decree that imposed an excise tax for telecom operators. Thaksin's Cabinet approved an executive decree in 2003 that forced telecom operators to pay an excise tax of 10% on revenues for mobile phone operations, and 2% for fixed-line operations. Amounts paid in excise taxes could be deducted from concession fees that the operators had to pay to state-owned telecom operators. Most operators had to pay a concession fee of 25% of revenues; however, the 1997 Constitution stipulated that Thaksin-founded Advanced Info Services was exempted from the concession fee because it was founded before the 1997 Constitution was promulgated. The AEC ruled that the executive decree obstructed free competition in the telecom sector. ^[227]

[edit] Post-coup criticisms

Thaksin came under harsh criticism from a variety of fronts in the months after the coup. In April 2007, it was revealed that the junta had paid several politicians and academics to discredit the deposed premier. The chief contractor of the campaign was Chienchuang Kalayanamitr, brother of vocal Thaksin critic General Saprang Kalayanamitr. Politicians hired to criticize Thaksin included Chat Pattana party leader Korn Dabbaransi, Democrats Korn Chatikavanij, Alongkorn Palabutr and Korbsak Sabavasu, Prapat Panya-chatraksa, a key Thai Rak Thai member who defected to the Chat Thai party, plus ex-senator Kraisak Choonhavan. Academics hired by the CNS included Wuttipong Piebjriya-wat, Sophon Supapong, Narong Phet-prasert, and Somkiat Osotspa.^[228]

After a bomb was exploded outside of Chitrlada Palace in early May 2007, junta leader Sonthi Boonratkalin claimed that the "old power group", a common euphamisn for the Thaksin-government, was behind it.^[229]

[edit] Post-coup actions

[edit] February 2007 statement on Australian television

Thaksin gave an interview during a brief visit to Australia. It was broadcast on Australia's public broadcaster ABC on 13 February 2007 during the program "Foreign Correspondent"^[230]. Thaksin has been travelling the world, playing golf, shopping, hiring a public relations firm, and investing in real estate.

Thaksin stated that he is not planning to return to Thailand in the near future. "I’m not considering going back yet because I have to worry about my safety and I also should not add any more confusion to the situation in Thailand now."

Thaksin insisted that he is not engaged in international lobbying against the military junta running Thailand. And though he wants the country to return to democracy, he’s finished with politics forever. "You will not see me in politics, not just the next generation, but for life. I want to devote myself to charitable activities and some kind of research."

Mr Thaksin says the military have no reason to fear him and he struck a distinctly conciliatory tone with the men who tossed him out of power. "I would urge everybody concerned not to worry about me. I’m not going to create any problems as a former PM. I’m mature enough, I have to be very constructive for my country. I have to be sure that anything I say might have an impact on my own country."

[edit] Professional Golf Association of Thailand leadership

On 30 April 2007, the Professional Golf Association of Thailand (PGAT) elected Thaksin to be the new president of the organization. Outgoing president Pongsak Ruktapongpisal, who had met Thaksin while he was visiting Beijing, noted that Thaksin had two messages for PGAT members. "First, he intends to wash his hands of politics. Second, he plans to use some of his money from the Thai Com Foundation, which has approximately Bt2 billion in its coffers, to help improve education and sports," said Pongsak. When asked how Thaksin would run the association while in exile, Pongsak said a team would be set up on Thaksin's behalf to run his policies.^[231]

[edit] Bid to buy Manchester City Football Club

In early May 2007, there were widespread reports that Thaksin was on the verge of taking over Manchester City Football Club. The People cited a possible purchase price of 100 million pounds, while The Sunday Mirror reported a price of 130 million pounds. The Sunday Mirror also reported that Thaksin planned to approach to Parma coach Claudio Ranieri to replace Stuart Pearce. Pearce's leadership had led to poor performances by the team during the 2006-07 season, where it had scored only 10 home goals, a record low in top flight English football history.^[232][233]

[edit] May 2007 statement on Thai radio

Thaksin made his first post-coup statement on Thai broadcast media when he called in to a Bangkok community radio station on 16 May 2007. The interview was relayed to Confidante Radio, Saturday Voice against Dictatorship and Taxi Driver Community Radio. In the unannounced 15 minute call, Thaksin urged quick elections and said the junta did not have to worry about him as he would not travel near the region. He also expressed concern over the scaling down of government scholarships and urged needy children to contact the Thaicom Foundation. He also enquired after people's well being after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake was felt earlier in the day. "They (The junta) get scared all the time, although I have done everything as an ordinary citizen. I just want to tell them that they don't need to be paranoid. The best way to win people's trust is to come up with good work. The more they are paranoid, the more they will lose," he said.

In January 2007, the junta had issued a specific warning to Thai broadcasters not to carry statements by Thaksin.^[234] The day after Thaksin's phone call, officials from the junta, the Public Relations Department (PRD), and the Internal Security Operations Command raided the community radio station. The station then went off the air. Bavorn Techa-in, chief of the National Broadcasting Commission, said the station had been set up unlawfully, but denied to the Bangkok Post that there was any order to shut down the station. However, The Nation reported that Bavorn told the station director to go off the air. PRD Director-General Pramote Ratvinij said in an interview that he ordered his officials to "punish" the station for undermining national security. Two station employees were arrested and charged with operating without a licence, a crime that carried a maximum sentence of five years in jail and/or a 100,000 baht (US$2,860) fine.^{[235][236][237][238]} The day after the shutdown, the junta launched a crackdown on some 3,000 community radio stations across the kingdom. "The Public Relations Department is checking content on every community radio station to see whether it violates our national security," noted the PRD Deputy Director General.^[239] The crackdown silenced every broadcaster found to be criticising the government, and was the the biggest censorship blitz since the September 2006 coup.^[240][241] Numerous anti-junta and anit-coup websites were also shut down.^[242]

[edit] Dissolution of the Thai Rak Thai Party

On 30 May 2007, a junta-appointed Constitutional Tribunal dissolved the Thai Rak Thai Party and banned over 100 of its executives, including Thaksin, from politics for 5 years. The ruling was based on charges that two Thai Rak Thai party executives (Defense Minister Thammarak Issarangkura na Ayudhya and Pongsak Raktapongpaisarn) bribed a smaller party to stand in the April 2006 election. One of the judges was quoted as saying the Tribunal would “apply the spirit ” of the coup-makers in making their rulings. The Tribunal ruled unanimously on the guilt of the two, despite the fact that it found that the alleged amount of money paid was so small it didn't make sense, video evidence had been edited, and that there was no evidence that anyone actually received the money. The Tribunal admitted that circumstantial evidence was key to determine whether the party's guilt. The party was banned for breaching sections 66(2) and section 66(3) of the 1998 Organic Act on Political Parties, namely "an act which may be adverse to the democratic regime of government with the King as Head of the State under the Constitution" and "an act which may endanger the security of the State, or may be contrary to law or public order or good morals or democratic regime of government." Applying a junta ruling declared after the April 2006 election, the Tribunal handed down a 6-3 verdict banning the entire TRT executive team from politics for five years.^{[243][244][245][246]}

In the letter read to the public by his lawyer in Bangkok, Thaksin wrote, "I, as the founder and leader of the party up until the coup, apologise to all party members, executives and supporters that met with this unexpected fate... As party leader, I humbly accept the ruling and I want to urge the CNS and government to hold general elections as soon as possible."^[247][248] However, the junta's Internal Security Operations Command claimed that more than 5,000 Thai Rak Thai supporters were expected to rally at Sanam Luang on the afternoon of the 31st.^[249] Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva criticized the ban, saying, “If that actually happens, I believe the elections will be somewhat meaningless. Politically, it is a bad idea. You are depriving people of choice.”^[250]

Commentators were mostly critical of the ruling. "The verdict on Wednesday was the conclusion of the two-year battle for political power. If the 19 September coup d'etat was aimed at toppling Thaksin, then the last chapter the coup makers," said political historian Thamrongsak Petchlert-anan. Pitch Pongsawat, of Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Political Science, said the ruling was "rule by law" - rather than the "rule of law". Law professor Prasit Piva-vatthanapanich, of Thammasat University, said that five-year ban was "too much" and doubted if the rule of law existed in Thailand as the judgement was based on the order issued by the Council for National Security. However, scholar Chaiyan Chaiyaporn defended the ruling, saying, "I don't think the coup totally destroyed democracy."^[251] Political scientist Thitinan Pongsudhirak noted of the verdict, "It appears as though the law in Thailand is more about political configurations and power dynamics rather than justice. Justice just depends on who has the power."^[252] The verdict was criticized by the Asian Human Rights Commission, which called it a "farce" which "caused immense damage to already diminished judicial institutions, with far-reaching consequences."^[253] On the morning of the Tribunal's ruling, junta leader Sonthi Boonyaratklin met with Tribunal judge Ackaratorn Chularat. Sonthi later denied that he lobbied the Constitution Tribunal to ban the Thai Rak Thai executive team.^[254]

[edit] Miscellaneous

• In January 2006, Thaksin staged Back Stage Show: The Prime Minister, a reality show about his work on solving poverty in Amphoe At Samat, Roi Et Province.
• Thaksin is commonly referred to by the press and his critics as "Na Liam" (Thai: หน้าเหลี่ยม - "square face") and "Maeo" (Thai: แม้ว - a derogatory term for the Hmong people).
• In Chinese-language media, Thaksin's name is given either as Qiu Daxin (丘达新; pinyin: Qiū Dáxīn), or Taxin (他信). Qiu is the surname of Thaksin's great grandfather and Daxin is a transliteration of Thaksin. The Chinese Wikipedia article on Thaksin uses the name "塔信·欽那瓦", which is a direct transliteration of Thaksin's Thai name.
• During his tenure as a doctoral student at Sam Houston State University between 1975-78, Thaksin worked at Burger King and got up every morning at 3 a.m. to deliver the Houston Chronicle newspaper.^[255]

[edit] See also

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Thaksin Shinawatra

• List of Prime Ministers of Thailand
• Thailand political crisis 2005-2006
• Thaksin Get Out
• Thaksinomics
• Sondhi Limthongkul
• People's Alliance for Democracy
• Constitution of Thailand

[edit] Notes

1. <LI id=_note-0>

^ "Deposed Thai PM quits party role", CNN, October 3, 2006. <LI id=_note-1>^ The World Bank, Thailand Economic Monitor, November 2005 <LI id=_note-2>^ Protesters Jam Bangkok, but Rural Thais Love the Leader. The New York Times, 6 March 2006 <LI id=_note-3>^ Formation of a Single-Party Government (February 6, 2006). <LI id=_note-4>^ The Star, Dreaded day dawns – despite lies and dark forces, 2 April 2006 <LI id=_note-5>^ The Nation, Vandal's dad distraught, 23 March 2006 <LI id=_note-6>^ The Nation, FM cancel ousted premier and wife's diplomatic passports, 10 January 2007 <LI id=_note-7>^ On the Road to Politics. Dr.Thaksin Shinawatra’s official website (2000). Retrieved on [[September 19, 2006]]. <LI id=_note-8>^ BBC News, Billionaire hopes to score Liverpool deal, 18 May 2004 <LI id=_note-9>^ Bangkok Post, Thaksin's classmates close ranks behind him on his 57th birthday, 27 July 2006 <LI id=_note-10>^ ProQuest-Dissertation Database <LI id=_note-11>^ Pasuk Phongpaichit & Chris Baker, "The Only Good Populist is a Rich Populist: Thaksin Shinawatra and Thailand's Democracy, October 2002 <LI id=_note-TranscriptInterview>^ ^{a b c d} Transcript of an interview between Thaksin Shinawatra and Cheeptham Khamwisit (Thai: ชีพธรรม คำวิเศษณ์) on the Thaiventure.com program on FM 102 radio station <LI id=_note-12>^ Personal background from personal website <LI id=_note-13>^ Google Cache of a JobTopGun profile of AIS's corporate milestones <LI id=_note-14>^ "Thaksin Shinawatra-a biography", Bangkok Post, unknown. <LI id=_note-15>^ "Thai govt pins border hopes on soaps", The Nation, May 25, 2002. <LI id=_note-16>^ [1] <LI id=_note-17>^ UBC 2004 Annual Report, page 8 <LI id=_note-18>^ List of subsidiaries from the AIS website <LI id=_note-19>^ [2] <LI id=_note-20>^ [3] <LI id=_note-21>^ [4] <LI id=_note-22>^ Asia Times, Grumbles, revelations of a Thai coup maker, 22 December 2006 <LI id=_note-23>^ [5] <LI id=_note-24>^ [6] <LI id=_note-25>^ Pasuk Phongpaichit & Chris Baker, Thaksin: The Business of Politics in Thailand (Chiang Mai, Thailand: Silkworm Books, 2004), pp. 57-59. <LI id=_note-26>^ Pasuk & Baker (2004), p. 58. <LI id=_note-27>^ [7] <LI id=_note-28>^ Robert B. Albritton and Thawilwadee Bureekul, Developing Democracy under a New Constitution in Thailand, National Taiwan University and Academia Sinica Asian Barometer Project Office Working Paper Series No. 28, 2004 <LI id=_note-29>^ Aurel Croissant and Jörn Dosch, Old Wine in New Bottlenecks? Elections in Thailand under the 1997 Constitution. Leeds East Asia Papers no. 63 (Leeds: University of Leeds, 2001), page 16 <LI id=_note-30>^ [8] <LI id=_note-31>^ The World Bank, Thailand Economic Monitor, November 2005 <LI id=_note-32>^ Protesters Jam Bangkok, but Rural Thais Love the Leader. The New York Times, 6 March 2006 <LI id=_note-33>^ The Star, Dreaded day dawns – despite lies and dark forces, 2 April 2006 <LI id=_note-34>^ The Nation, Vandal's dad distraught, 23 March 2006 <LI id=_note-35>^ 2Bangkok.com, Fact File: Notable terrorist incidents in Thailand - 1970-present <LI id=_note-36>^ Richard S. Ehrlich, The Phosphorus Bomb Aboard Thai Air, City Times, 12 March 2001 <LI id=_note-37>^ BBC News, Bomb responsible for Thai Airways fire, 4 March 2001 <LI id=_note-38>^ Kyodo, Thailand's air force, police and Thai Airways International have all set up separate teams to probe, 12 March 2007 <LI id=_note-39>^ IHT, Thai Leader Narrowly Escapes Jet Explosion, 5 March 2007 <LI id=_note-40>^ The World Bank, Thailand Economic Monitor, November 2005 <LI id=_note-41>^ Asian Development Bank, Asian Development Outlook 2006: Thailand <LI id=_note-42>^ The Nation, Public debt end-Sept falls to 41.28% of GDP, 17 November 2006 <LI id=_note-43>^ World Bank, Thailand Economic Monitor, October 2003 <LI id=_note-44>^ The Nation, Black Tuesday: Did the BOT overreact?, 25 December 2006 <LI id=_note-45>^ TDRI ECONOMISTS: Thaksinomics 'not a driver of growth' - Wichit Chaitrong, The Nation, March 30, 2006 <LI id=_note-46>^ The Nation, Forget the apologies, let the PM rebuild democracy, 5 October 2006 <LI id=_note-47>^ Colum Murphy, "A Tug of War for Thailand’s Soul", Far Eastern Economic Review, September 2006 <LI id=_note-48>^ The Nation, Ministry suspends lottery sales, 18 November 2006 <LI id=_note-49>^ "Studying Abroad: Students find Germany challenging", The Nation, July 20, 2005. <LI id=_note-50>^ "Thaksin to visit students when he is unemployed", July 17, 2006. <LI id=_note-51>^ [9] <LI id=_note-52>^ [10] <LI id=_note-53>^ The Nation, Justice permanent secretary to seek abolition of jackpot price of Govt lottery, 5 October 2006 <LI id=_note-54>^ The Nation, Lotteries move lacks understanding, 3 May 2007 <LI id=_note-55>^ The Nation, Activists call for MCOT delisting, 24 November 2006 <LI id=_note-56>^ Bangkok Post, Cabinet replaces Thaksin's SML policy, 13 February 2007 <LI id=_note-57>^ "Dual-track system", Bangkok Post, Unknown. <LI id=_note-58>^ "Bt30 health scheme still lacks funds, says official", The Nation, July 14, 2006. <LI id=_note-59>^ "Thaksin lauds his own achievements", Bangkok Post, Unknown. <LI id=_note-60>^ [11] <LI id=_note-61>^ [12] <LI id=_note-62>^ The Nation, Bt30 health fee may be scrapped, 14 October 2006 <LI id=_note-63>^ [13] <LI id=_note-64>^ Public Health at Risk: A US Free Trade Agreement could threaten access to medicines in Thailand. The Oxford Committee for Famine Relief (Oxfam). <LI id=_note-BMJ>^ Adrian Towse, Anne Mills, Viroj Tangcharoensathien, Learning from Thailand’s health reforms, British Medical Journal Vol 328, 10 January 2004 <LI id=_note-65>^ Public Relations Department, Democrat party labour group casts doubts on extension for foreign laboureres, 8 December 2006 <LI id=_note-66>^ The Irrawaddy, Restrictions Eased for Migrant Workers in Thailand, 21 July 2004 <LI id=_note-67>^ Thai jobless lowest in world, 7 December 2006 <LI id=_note-68>^ The War on Drugs, HIV/AIDS, and Violations of Human Rights in Thailand. Human Rights Watch. <LI id=_note-69>^ Thailand: Grave Developments - Killings and Other Abuses. Amnesty International: Thailand. <LI id=_note-70>^ (Thai) Royal Jubilee Network, 2003 Birthday Speech of King Bhumibol Adulyadej <LI id=_note-71>^ "Thai drugs war attacked", BBC, February 24, 2003. <LI id=_note-72>^ [14] <LI id=_note-73>^ [15] <LI id=_note-74>^ "World Bank, Governance Matters, 2006: Worldwide Governance Indicators report", cited by Bangkok Post, Thailand slipping on World Bank score table, 18 September 2006 <LI id=_note-75>^ Thai Public Relations Department, Thailand’s Image on Transparency, 26 October 2004 <LI id=_note-76>^ Transparency International TI 2005 Corruption Perceptions Index <LI id=_note-77>^ Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index 2001 <LI id=_note-78>^ Thaksin Government 2001 Policy Statement, Section 11.1 <LI id=_note-79>^ [16] <LI id=_note-80>^ [17] <LI id=_note-81>^ Thai News Agency, Rote learning to be eliminated from schools, says PM, 21 January 2006 <LI id=_note-82>^ The Nation, New student loan scheme to have higher family-income limit, 13 November 2006 <LI id=_note-83>^ "Suicide puts spotlight on model schools’ money woes", The Nation, September 15, 2005. <LI id=_note-84>^ "THAI TALK: Nightmares haunt dream-school project", The Nation, October 13, 2005. <LI id=_note-85>^ The Nation, "CROSSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE: Sipa hopes for equal access for all children nationwide", 15 August 2005 <LI id=_note-86>^ Far Eastern Economic Review, "Power Politics Trump Reform", 27 September 2001 <LI id=_note-87>^ Post, "Raising sector efficiency `crucial': Utility's B140bn debt strains public purse" <LI id=_note-88>^ The New York Times, U.N. Criticizes Emergency Powers, Warren Hoge, July 22, 2005 <LI id=_note-89>^ http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2004/838/ <LI id=_note-90>^ Somchai Phatharathananunth "Civil Society and Democratization" p.222 <LI id=_note-91>^ Emergency Decree Violates Thai Constitution and Laws. Human Rights Watch (August 4, 2005). <LI id=_note-92>^ [18] <LI id=_note-93>^ "Government shrugs off NRC final report", The Nation, June 7, 2006. <LI id=_note-94>^ "Prem disagrees with proposed use of Malay as official language", The Nation, June 25, 2006. <LI id=_note-95>^ Managerial Reform and Political Control: the Case of Thaksin and the Thai Bureaucracy. Department of Public and Social Administration, City University of Hong Kong. <LI id=_note-96>^ CEO governors mini-premiers, says PM: Can issue bonds, use management methods. Kellogg School of Management (August 17, 2003). <LI id=_note-97>^ "Ex-envoy castigates Thaksin's diplomacy:Foreign policy for domestic consumption 'was demeaning'", The Nation, March 19, 2006. <LI id=_note-98>^ [19] <LI id=_note-99>^ The Nation, Minister says exports on track, 4 February 2007 <LI id=_note-100>^ Thaksin's Chance for Leading Role in the Region. Straits Times (March 10, 2004). <LI id=_note-101>^ "Ex-envoys tell of 'multi-tasking' premier", The Nation, March 17, 2006. <LI id=_note-102>^ "Ex-envoys slam foreign policy", The Nation, March 16, 2006. <LI id=_note-103>^ "Ex-envoy slam foreign policy", The Nation, March 16, 2006. <LI id=_note-104>^ "French leader’s visit time to reconsider Surakiart’s UN bid", The Nation, February 17, 2006. <LI id=_note-105>^ Eye on UNESCAP. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (February 17, 2006). <LI id=_note-106>^ Pongsudhirak Thitinan, "Victory places Thaksin at crossroads", Bangkok Post, February 9, 2005 <LI id=_note-107>^ "Unprecedented 72% turnout for latest poll", The Nation, February 10, 2005. <LI id=_note-QuoVadis>^ Aurel Croissant and Daniel J. Pojar, Jr., Quo Vadis Thailand? Thai Politics after the 2005 Parliamentary Election, Strategic Insights, Volume IV, Issue 6 (June 2005) <LI id=_note-108>^ International Herald Tribune, Thailand's airport imbroglio grows, 2 February 2007 <LI id=_note-109>^ Bangkok Post, Suvarnabhumi: No cracks, minor damage, 2 February 2007 <LI id=_note-110>^ The Nation, Competent pilot wanted, 15 February 2007 <LI id=_note-111>^ Bangkok Post, Suvarnabhumi runway declared safe, 12 February 2007 <LI id=_note-112>^ Bangkok Post, B1bn needed to fix terminal problems over four to five years, 16 February 2007 <LI id=_note-113>^ Asian Times Online, Cracks appear in Thai aviation-hub hopes, 7 February 2007 <LI id=_note-114>^ The Nation, Engineers unable to agree on root cause of airport cracks, 10 February 2007 <LI id=_note-115>^ "WATCHDOG: In Chaiyasit, PM’s power base more solid than ever", The Nation, August 31, 2003. <LI id=_note-116>^ "Military Re-shuffle: Chaisit out, Prawit ascends", The Nation, August 24, 2004. <LI id=_note-117>^ Army Commanders of Thailand. Royal Thai Army. <LI id=_note-118>^ Thai Rak Thai party no better than a 'prison', vows to fight abuse of sovereign power. Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia (ARDA). <LI id=_note-119>^ "Kantathi slams diplomats for accusations", The Nation, March 18, 2006. <LI id=_note-120>^ "Community-radio crackdown panned", The Nation, June 1, 2005. <LI id=_note-121>^ The Nation, Press still in limbo; TRT MPs are now silenced too, 22 November 2006 <LI id=_note-122>^ The Nation, Thailand has its 'Hitlers', 5 October 2006 <LI id=_note-123>^ Matichon, รุกเปิดเจ้าของ"แอมเพิลริช" จี้"แม้ว"ตอบ ยุแก้ลำเลิกใช้มือถือ"เอไอเอส", 30 January 2006 <LI id=_note-124>^ The Nation, Real war has just begun, 16 February 2006 <LI id=_note-125>^ "Complex transaction a model for avoiding tax, ownership law", The Nation, January 27, 2006. <LI id=_note-126>^ "Thai PM's son violated disclosure laws: SEC", Yahoo News, February 24, 2006. <LI id=_note-127>^ "Panthongtae escapes with a relatively light penalty", The Nation, March 11, 2006. <LI id=_note-128>^ The Nation, Shinawatra siblings to take fight to top court, 27 November 2006 <LI id=_note-129>^ [20] <LI id=_note-130>^ "After Thaksin", Forbes, April 24, 2006. <LI id=_note-131>^ "Thaksin Goes For Jugular in Libel Case", Inter Press Service News Agency (IPS), June 23, 2004. <LI id=_note-132>^ "Social 'elite' call on King to appoint PM", Bangkok Post, March 5, 2006. <LI id=_note-133>^ "Thaksin on warpath", The Nation, March 8, 2006. <LI id=_note-134>^ "Prem's impatient plea", The Nation, March 16, 2006. <LI id=_note-135>^ "Military Warning: A not so veiled threat for Sondhi", The Nation, November 19, 2005. <LI id=_note-136>^ The Nation, Thousands of protesters lay siege to Government House, 14 January 2007 <LI id=_note-137>^ The Nation, A searing indictment of the coup, 5 March 2007 <LI id=_note-138>^ "Thair premier unveils new policies", BBC, February 25, 2006. <LI id=_note-139>^ "Democracy put to the ultimate test", The Nation, March 21, 2006. <LI id=_note-NationSilent>^ ^{a b} "Prem stays silent on Democrats' latest call", The Nation, March 27, 2006. <LI id=_note-140>^ "King the only hope for end to deadlock, say PAD protesters", The Nation, March 27, 2006. <LI id=_note-141>^ "Replace PM, professionals urge Palace", The Nation, March 19, 2006. <LI id=_note-142>^ "HM the King's April 26 speeches (unofficial translation)", The Nation, April 17, 2006. <LI id=_note-143>^ "Thai Rak Thai win 16 million votes: Thaksin", The Nation, October 5, 2006. <LI id=_note-NationSecond>^ ^{a b} "38 one-horse candidates fail", The Nation, April 4, 2006. <LI id=_note-144>^ "Second round of elections be held on April 23", The Nation, October 5, 2006. <LI id=_note-145>^ "Democrat asks court to cancel 2nd round of election", The Nation, October 5, 2006. <LI id=_note-146>^ "PAD ignores vote results", The Nation, October 5, 2006. <LI id=_note-147>^ "End of the beginning in Thailand's crisis May 19, 2006", Bangkok Post. <LI id=_note-148>^ "Constitution Court invalidate the April election and order new election", The Nation, April 8, 2006. <LI id=_note-149>^ "Thaksin's 'victory' declaration", The Nation, April 4, 2006. <LI id=_note-150>^ "Thai leader claims victory", CNN, April 3, 2006. <LI id=_note-151>^ "Thai PM Thaksin says he'll step down", Channel NewsAsia, April 4, 2006. <LI id=_note-152>^ "Thai PM Thaksin says he'll stop down", Channel NewsAsia, April 4, 2006. <LI id=_note-153>^ "I will not accept post of premier in the next government: Thaksin", The Nation, April 4, 2006. <LI id=_note-154>^ "Bangkokians believe in courts: survey", The Nation, April 30, 2006. <LI id=_note-155>^ "Poll: Doubts over 'large party", The Nation, June 11, 2006. <LI id=_note-156>^ "PAD leaders swear to fight on to eradicate Thaksin regime", The Nation, October 5, 2006. <LI id=_note-157>^ "Thai rally toasts Thaksin's exit", CNN, April 7, 2006. <LI id=_note-158>^ "New parties sprouting already", The Nation, May 17, 2006. <LI id=_note-159>^ "Thanksin's leave illegal: lawyers", The Nation, May 16, 20006. <LI id=_note-160>^ "Lawyer asks Supreme Administrative Court to accept suit against Thaksin", The Nation, June 28, 2006. <LI id=_note-161>^ "Top court reaffirms ruling on PM case", The Nation, September 2, 2006. <LI id=_note-162>^ "Thaksin back from "leave"", The Nation, May 19, 2006. <LI id=_note-163>^ (Thai) Khom Chad Luek newspaper, "Academic warns Thaksin that politics has reached boiling point. Beware of assassinations." (นักวิชาการเตือน"ทักษิณ" การเมืองระอุระวังลอบฆ่า), 22 May 2006 <LI id=_note-164>^ "ปฏิญญาฟินแลนด์ ยุทธศาสตร์ทักษิณ (Finland Plan - Thaksin's Strategy)", Manager Online, May 15, 2006. <LI id=_note-165>^ "ชาติ ศาสนา พระมหากษัตริย์และ...ปฏิญญาฟินแลนด์ (Nation, Religion, the Monarchy, and .... the Finland Plan)", Manager Online, May 8, 2006. <LI id=_note-166>^ "ยุทธศาสตร์ฟินแลนด์:แผนเปลี่ยนการปกครองไทย? (The Finland Strategy: A plan to change the system of Thai government?)", Manager Online, May 18, 2006. <LI id=_note-167>^ "ยุทธการท้าทายอำนาจ (Strategy to challenge power)", Thailand Insider, May 19, 2006. <LI id=_note-168>^ "Thaksin clearly wanted republic, critics charge", The Nation, May 25, 2006. <LI id=_note-169>^ "THAILAND: Sondhi expands on 'Finland Plan'", AsiaMedia, May 21, 2006. <LI id=_note-170>^ "TRT goes on offensive over 'Finland Plan'", Bangkok Post, May 22, 2006. <LI id=_note-171>^ "ปชป.เชื่อปฏิญญาฟินแลนด์มีจริง จี้ ทรท.ตอบคำถามสังคม", Manager online, Unknown. <LI id=_note-172>^ "THAILAND: Manager sued for articles on 'Finland plot'", AsiaMedia, May 31, 2006. <LI id=_note-173>^ "Hatred debases public discourse", The Nation, May 27, 2006. <LI id=_note-174>^ "Sondhi files complaint over PM's ouster claim", The Nation, July 4, 2006. <LI id=_note-175>^ "Group of women of royal descent calls on Thaksin to name "charismatic figure"", The Nation, July 4, 2006. <LI id=_note-176>^ The Nation, 'Bomb plot to kill Thaksin foiled', questions linger, 25 August 2006 <LI id=_note-177>^ The Nation, "Explosives 'live and ready for detonation'", 26 August 2006 <LI id=_note-178>^ Bangkok Post, "A controversial figure", 25 August 2006 <LI id=_note-179>^ The Nation, "Explosives 'live and ready for detonation'", 26 August 2006 <LI id=_note-180>^ The Nation, It is not a hoax : police spokesman, 25 August 2006 <LI id=_note-181>^ http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/08/25/nat...al_30011902.php The Nation, 'If I was behind it, PM would be dead', 25 August 2006, Retrieved 25 August 2006 <LI id=_note-182>^ Bangkok Post, "Thaksin escapes bomb, fires Gen Panlop", 25 August 2006 <LI id=_note-183>^ The Nation, "Army officer arrested in alleged car bomb attempt is Pallop's driver: police", 25 August 2006 <LI id=_note-184>^ The Nation, "'If I was behind it, PM would be dead'", 25 August 2006 <LI id=_note-185>^ The Nation, 'Car bomb' a govt ploy, ex-security chief alleges, 25 August 2006 <LI id=_note-186>^ BBC, Thai arrests over Thaksin 'plot', 7 September 2006 <LI id=_note-187>^ The Nation, Car-bomb suspects get bail, 30 September 2006 <LI id=_note-188>^ "Thai armed forces seize Bangkok", Reuters, September 19, 2006. <LI id=_note-189>^ "Caretaker PM tries to fight back", The Nation, September 20, 2006. <LI id=_note-190>^ One night in Bangkok, 19 September 2006 <LI id=_note-191>^ "Statement from the military reformist", The Nation, September 20, 2006. <LI id=_note-192>^ Bangkok Post, ICT Ministry blocks pro-Thaksin website, 15 March 2007 <LI id=_note-193>^ The Nation, Stronger leadership needed from the top, 27 December 2006 <LI id=_note-194>^ "Sonthaya leads 20 members out of Thai Rak Thai", The Nation, October 3, 2006. <LI id=_note-195>^ "Somsak leads 100 members to resign from Thai Rak Thai", The Nation, October 3, 2006. <LI id=_note-196>^ "Thaksin resigns from Thai Rak Thai", The Nation, October 2, 2006. <LI id=_note-197>^ "Somkid resigns from Thai Rak Thai Party", The Nation, October 2, 2006. <LI id=_note-198>^ The Nation, Thaksin vows to quit politics - Chaturon, 14 November 2006 <LI id=_note-199>^ The Nation, TRT will probably be dissolved: Sonthi, 2 February 2007 <LI id=_note-200>^ The Nation, Witnesses deny earlier evidence, 21 February 2007 <LI id=_note-201>^ The Nation, Surayud suspects "power losers", January 1, 2007 <LI id=_note-202>^ The Nation, Thaksin advised to stay abroad for a long time, 17 October 2006 <LI id=_note-203>^ The Nation, Deposed PM's in China to meet Surayud : Gen Sonthi, 2 November 2006 <LI id=_note-204>^ The Nation, PM quashes Thaksin return, 13 November 2006 <LI id=_note-205>^ The Nation, I want to tell Thaksin "don't ever come back," : PM, 26 April 2007 <LI id=_note-206>^ The Nation, Compelling non-political reasons for Thaksin to stay put, 14 November 2006 <LI id=_note-207>^ The Nation, FM cancel ousted premier and wife's diplomatic passports, 10 January 2007 <LI id=_note-208>^ The Nation, Ousted Thaksin applies for a new passport after his suitcase was stolen in Russia, 24 May 2007 <LI id=_note-209>^ Asia Sentinel, Thailand's Singapore Problem, 19 January 2007 <LI id=_note-210>^ Bangkok Post, Govt assessing Thaksin's visit to Singapore; CNN censored, 15 January 2007 <LI id=_note-211>^ The Nation, The saga of Thaksin is nearing end, says Sonthi, 6 February 2007 <LI id=_note-212>^ The Nation, Thaksin impolite to King: Sonthi, 4 March 2007 <LI id=_note-213>^ The Nation, Deposed PM crticised for attacking sufficiency economy, 7 February 2007 <LI id=_note-214>^ Bangkok Post, Investigator seeks evidence of corruption by Thaksin govt, 5 November 2006 <LI id=_note-AEC>^ ^{a b} Bangkok Post, The clock ticks on Thaksin investigations, 5 March 2007 <LI id=_note-215>^ Bangkok Post, Thaksin lese majeste charges dropped, 10 April 2007 <LI id=_note-216>^ The Nation, FIDF to sue ousted premier, Pojaman, 16 January 2007 <LI id=_note-217>^ The Nation, Pridiyathorn speaks up for Pojaman, 19 April 2007 <LI id=_note-218>^ The Nation, Fund 'was not aware' it sold land plot for loss, 24 January 2007 <LI id=_note-219>^ Bangkok Post, Tax officials work in fear of losing jobs, 16 April 2007 <LI id=_note-220>^ Bangkok Post, Ousted PM 'destroyed' free market, 9 May 2007 <LI id=_note-221>^ The Nation, Saprang's cousin given PR work 'because of experience', 11 April 2007 <LI id=_note-222>^ ผู้จัดการออนไลน์, “สนธิ” ย้ำเหตุบึ้มไม่ใช่ฝีมือกองทัพ - โบ้ยถามหมอดูพีทีวี, 6 พฤษภาคม 2550 <LI id=_note-223>^ ABC Foreign Correspondent Interview with Thaksin Shinawatra <LI id=_note-224>^ The Nation, Thaksin becomes Thai golf president, 1 May 2007 <LI id=_note-225>^ Man City sacking: Football365.com website. Accessed May 14, 2007. <LI id=_note-226>^ Bangkok Post, Thaksin poised to buy Man City, May 2007 <LI id=_note-227>^ The Nation, Ousted PM calls Bangkok radio show, 17 May 2007 <LI id=_note-228>^ The Nation, Two men arrested for running community radio station without license, 19 May 2007 <LI id=_note-229>^ Bangkok Post, After Thaksin calls, officials drop by, May 2007 <LI id=_note-230>^ The Nation, Radio station told to shut down, 18 May 2007 <LI id=_note-231>^ Bangkok Post, FM station raided and shut down, 18 May 2007 <LI id=_note-232>^ Brisbane Times, Thailand launches media crackdown, 18 May 2007 <LI id=_note-233>^ Bangkok Post, Community radio stations under siege, May 2007 <LI id=_note-234>^ The Nation, Government falls for Thaksin's trap, 19 May 2007 <LI id=_note-235>^ Bangkok Post, Two more Internet sites chopped, 28 May 2007 <LI id=_note-236>^ TRT DISSOLVED, 31 May 2007 <LI id=_note-237>^ [www.ect.go.th/english/files/forum/Organic%20law%20on%20Political%20Parties.pdf Organic Law on Political Parties] <LI id=_note-238>^ Constitutional Tribunal ruling <LI id=_note-239>^ The Economist, The Party is Over, 31 May 2007 <LI id=_note-240>^ Bangkok Post, Letter from London: 'I'm so sorry', 31 May 2007 <LI id=_note-241>^ Bangkok Post, Thaksin urges supporters accept ruling, 31 May 2007 <LI id=_note-242>^ Bangkok Post, Thaksin's supporters plan to protest, 31 May 2007 <LI id=_note-243>^ New York Times, [21], 30 May 2007 <LI id=_note-244>^ The Nation, [22], 1 June 2007 <LI id=_note-245>^ Channel NewsAsia, Thai verdicts have realigned the political landscape: analyst, 3 June 2007 <LI id=_note-246>^ AHRC, THAILAND: The judiciary is the real loser, 31 May 2007 <LI id=_note-247>^ Bangkok Post, Sonthi denies influencing Tribunal, 2 June 2007 ^ Houston Chronicle, Texas start for ousted Thai leader, 22 September 2006

[edit] External links

• Thaksin Shinawatra’s official website, in Thai
• Short biography at the website of the Thai embassy to the USA
• Thaksinomics
• Screenshots of Thaksin in Back Stage Show, a reality show
• High tension in Thailand - a chronology of events in the political crisis of 2005-2006
• (English) NewMandala, some good up-to-date commentary on Thaksin and the coup.
• Thaksin's 15 January 2007 interview on CNN, censored by the military junta
• Satire: "Mr T" interview

Preceded by

Chuan LeekpaiPrime Minister of Thailand

2001–2006Succeeded by

Surayud Chulanont

[sriracha john]

Seems like there's been a lot of misinformation getting passed around over this issue of amnesty. Need to go back and trace these articles from their source as Sonthi never initiated the proposals and says he was misquoted in reports attributing the idea to him. Instead, it came from various NLA members.

"Gen Sonthi, according to a source, said a certain individual, whom he refused to name, had recommended the amnesty idea to him. Could the amnesty idea be the CNS' response to a verdict which defied its expectations?" BKKPost

"For the sake of national reconciliation, I support the idea of giving them amnesty," Sonthi said. "The CNS as a whole agrees with the idea," Sonthi said, referring to the Council for National Security, as the coup leaders call themselves." Channel 11 television Interview

"Surayud said Council for National Security's chief Gen Sonthi Bunyaratglin raised the idea with him during a meeting on Saturday morning.

"He asked me whether it is ok if he told the public about it. I told him that it is fine because it is still an idea and his own idea," Surayud said in a news talk television program.

I went back and traced.... Sounds to me like it was General S who initiated the idea or possibly after someone who he would not name whispered it to him. He came out with it on TV11 in an interview, it's hard to be misquoted when they have it on tape.

Welcome to Thailand news... where things can be translated in any number of ways. What precisely was said on the television interview?

With Thailand news, things are countlessly attributed entirely to "a source," which, if you reread your first reference, is a prime example.

Your second reference is actually from some other source as Channel 11 doesn't produce English-translated online news.

[sriracha john]

What everyone forgets is that the 2 verdicts set major precedents that will guide all future cases. The first one allowed an outside group not officially running in the election TO actively campaign against the election process. Prior to the Democrat acquittal that was against the EC rules but now with the new precedent it's an open battlefield next time. Lets see if 111 pi**ed off banned politicians will use the same tactic in the next election, they can expend any amount of capital as they do not have to meet the EC maximum requirements, in fact they don't have to meet any EC requirements now as long as they don't slander anyone. Maybe they will mount a "NO Vote campaign" now that it's Officially Legal to do so and the merry-go-round can start all over with no quorum, no government and no hope of filling in the political divide.

What differs Thailand's judicial system from the Canadian and other Western judicial systems is that the concept of precedent is not nearly as strong. Very often, court rulings are made entirely independent and irregardless of whatever a previous court ruling decided. Court rulings often do NOT guide future cases.. much less "all" future cases.

[sriracha john]

Snipped for brevity

Thank you for that.

Alternatively, you could type:

See:

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Thaksin_Shinawatra

Edited June 4, 2007 by Jai Dee
Entire quoted post snipped for brevity and better forum readability

[Flysiam]

After some hesitation, I have decided to post this quite long article about khun Thaksin. The article, in my opinion,

Thank you for that.

Alternatively, you could type:

See:

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Thaksin_Shinawatra

What is ridiculous is some one that wll waste space posting such a long post when a link would do .... and what is even more assinine is someone that that will duplicate it - and then give the link. Par

[sriracha john]

An article that won't break people's mouse scroller:

TRT scrambles to be refloated

Without us next election will be a one-horse race, Chaturon warns

The former head of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai Party believes it will be prohibited from reregistering under its old name or contesting the general election scheduled for December.

Chaturon Chaisang said rumours were flying that the former ruling party was completely finished, adding that most recent rumours involving the party had tended to be true, including of its total disappearance.

"We suspect there will be attempts to make these rumours come true, like the others about us," he said, citing the nullification of the April 2006 election and the September coup.

The party was ordered to be dissolved by a Constitution Tribunal ruling last Wednesday that found it guilty of committing electoral fraud by paying smaller parties to run in that election.

The ruling also barred 111 party executives from the electoral process for five years. They have since asked the government and the Council for National Security (CNS) to overturn the ban by repealing some articles of the interim constitution.

"The government and the CNS must show sincerity that they do not intend to have a one-horse race but a fair election in which all parties are allowed to participate,'' Chaturon said.

The Election Commission expects to take six months winding up the affairs of Thai Rak Thai. Chaturon said that timetable effectively meant it would not be allowed to reregister until the end of November.

"If there is an attempt to hold an election earlier than December, Thai Rak Thai [as a new entity] will not be able to run in it,'' he said.

He revealed Thai Rak Thai members were told ahead of Wednesday's ruling their electoral-process rights would not be withdrawn if they resigned from the party beforehand.

"We didn't believe this as we did not think the junta orders [affecting dissolved parties] would be applied retroactively,'' he said.

Chaturon said he had heard rumours the next government would be formed by parties previously in opposition and some former Thai Rak Thai members might defect to join them.

- The Nation

[John K]

I must say I enjoy how they describe court rulings as rumors.

Edited June 4, 2007 by John K

[Jai Dee]

Mr Chaturon urges Govt. and CNS to lift CDR’s announcements

President of the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Group Chaturon Chaisaeng requests the government and the Council for National Security (CNS) to revoke the 15th and 27th announcements of the Council for Democratic Reform (CDR) in order to drive politics. Mr Chaturon, the president of the group and former acting leader of the disbanded TRT party, says he is not concerned if the general election takes place sooner.

Mr Chaturon adds that he questions CNS’s intention in proposing amnesty for the executives of the TRT party. He says the lift of the two announcements, which ban political parties from arranging political activities, will allow the set up of new parties and affirms his request for the revocation of the two announcements is made for the sake of all Thais.

As for the rumor of the sooner general election, Mr Chaturon expresses no concern over the matter which might affect the registration of new political parties. He says he is more concerned over a possible delay of the election as he claims that the coup makers are trying to pass on power and creating political heirs.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 04 June 2007

[Jai Dee]

New Aspiration Party Leader admits he has asked Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh to return to politics

The leader of the New Aspiration Party admitted that he has been in contact withh Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh (ชวลิต ยงใจยุทธ).

New Aspiration Party Leader Chingchai Mongkoltham (ชิงชัย มงคลธรรม) revealed that the Constitutional Court's decision to dissolve political parties and revoke the political rights of party members for 5 years has set new standards from the nation, and may be considered a historical turning point in Thailand's politics. Mr. Chingchai said that the court's decision is a new opportunity for remaining political parites to conduct activities according to their ideals.

Mr. Chingchai said that his party remained committed to democratic ideology, and to creating a strong and stable nation on principles of self-sufficiency and reconciliation. The New Aspiration Party Leader admits that he has been keeping touch with Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh (ชวลิต ยงใจยุทธ) and has requested that the general return to politics to strengthen the New Aspiration Party.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 04 June 2007

[Jai Dee]

Campaign for Popular Democracy advises against amnesty for TRT members at present

The Campaign for Popular Democracy (CPD) is calling on the Chairman of the Council for National Security to re-evaluate the appropriateness of amnesty laws.

The Secretary General of the Campaign for Popular Democracry (CPD), Mr. Suriyasai Katasila (สุริยะใส กตะศิลา ), is calling on the Chairman of the Council for National Security Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin to rule against proposals to implement amnesty laws for 111 executive members of the Thai Rak Thai Party, following the party's dissolution by the Constitutional Court. Mr. Suriyasai believes that the time is not right to declare amnesty laws for these political figures, and that the Thai Rak Thai members need to show their responsibility to society before they can be forgiven.

The CPD Secretary General said that despite the sincerity of the Council for National Security in proposing amnesty laws, members of the public may accuse them of seeking to perpetuate their influence through political means. Mr. Suriyasai expressed concern that providing amnesty to newly condemned figures may affect the sanctity and image of the court and the constitution.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 04 June 2007

[John K]

The TRT is like a weed that just simply refuses to go away. They are banned as a party so they arrogantly now call themselves as a group. Now from what I am reading several of them attended the PTV rally even that they said they would not attend. Apparently their word still means nothing or they are starting to take on more characteristics of their founder Thaksin.

As I see it they still care nothing for the rule of law, so apparently this punishment was not sever enough for them.

A while back I said that it may take putting them in the Bangkok Hilton to stop them from trying to divide the country. I wonder when someone will decide they are in contempt of court and do just that.

[Jai Dee]

CNS Chairman says political party dissolution only the start of true democratic reform

The Army Commander in Chief and Chairman of the Council for National Security afifrms that the nation has achieved considerabel success in its dissolution of political parties, but further effort will be required to achieve true democratic reform, including asking former Thai Rak Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra to return to Thailand to face the court's mercy.

Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin conducted a taped broacast in which he affirmed that despite the dissolution of the Thai Rak Thai Party by the Consitutional Court, Thailand has not yet achieved success in its democratic reform due to the need for free elections. The CNS Chairman said that he was personally ready to allow former Thai Rak Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra to return to Thailand to face charges in court.

Gen Sonthi affirmed that Mr.Thaksin will be given protection from political figures. He added that he has no regrets over his retirement in October, and will continue in his duties as Chairman of the Council for National Security.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 04 June 2007

[nick2k]

After some hesitation, I have decided to post this quite long article about khun Thaksin. The article, in my opinion,

Thank you for that.

Alternatively, you could type:

See:

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Thaksin_Shinawatra

What is ridiculous is some one that wll waste space posting such a long post when a link would do .... and what is even more assinine is someone that that will duplicate it - and then give the link. Par

I thought it was very informative, and positioned properly to emphasize the history of this whole affair.

[nick2k]

The TRT is like a weed that just simply refuses to go away. They are banned as a party so they arrogantly now call themselves as a group. Now from what I am reading several of them attended the PTV rally even that they said they would not attend. Apparently their word still means nothing or they are starting to take on more characteristics of their founder Thaksin.

As I see it they still care nothing for the rule of law, so apparently this punishment was not sever enough for them.

A while back I said that it may take putting them in the Bangkok Hilton to stop them from trying to divide the country. I wonder when someone will decide they are in contempt of court and do just that.

"divide the country"? from what I read, TRT represents a "majority" of the country, right?

if you keep talking like that, the poor people may start to understand - if they don't know already - that the ruling party doesn't give a sh#t about them.

[jdinasia]

What everyone forgets is that the 2 verdicts set major precedents that will guide all future cases. The first one allowed an outside group not officially running in the election TO actively campaign against the election process. Prior to the Democrat acquittal that was against the EC rules but now with the new precedent it's an open battlefield next time. Lets see if 111 pi**ed off banned politicians will use the same tactic in the next election, they can expend any amount of capital as they do not have to meet the EC maximum requirements, in fact they don't have to meet any EC requirements now as long as they don't slander anyone. Maybe they will mount a "NO Vote campaign" now that it's Officially Legal to do so and the merry-go-round can start all over with no quorum, no government and no hope of filling in the political divide.

a little bitter are we?

The results were predictable at least in the case of the Democrats They didn't break the law ... but some people are so highly pro-thaksin they kinds missed that pont!

Not fielding a slate of candidates is not the same as paying parties to field candidates

[sriracha john]

Thaksin's Thai party plots return

Thailand's Thai Rak Thai party may have been dissolved and its senior members barred from politics, but its leaders have no plans to let the party languish in the political wilderness. Days after senior Thai judges found ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai Rak Thai (TRT) guilty of electoral fraud during polls in April 2006, its leaders are already plotting the party's re-emergence.

"We have already set up the new Thai Rak Thai Group with almost 300 members, including those already banned from politics and former party MPs who quit the party earlier," said Chaturon Chaisang, TRT's acting leader.

Chris Baker, a historian and co-author of several books on Thai politics, said that the banned members could not be stopped from forming a non-political group, while some 250 former TRT MPs were still eligible to form a new party. But, he added, the situation remained "very muddy and uncertain".

Chusak Sirinil, a legal expert with TRT, said that factions which split from the party after the coup could rejoin the fold. Other options are that the banned members could simply put forward their wives or other relatives to stand in their place, Baker said, following in a long tradition of dynastic political families here.

The biggest stumbling blocks, however, are logistical. The junta imposed a ban on all political activity, hampering efforts to register a new party. Even if the ban is lifted - which Sonthi has promised to do soon - the process of setting up a political party takes time. "We are not confident that the new Thai Rak Thai party would be ready to contest the new election," Chaturon told AFP.

But Michael Nelson, a political analyst at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, said that so-called party "shells" which were registered before the ban probably existed, were ready for new TRT leaders to slip into.

What role Thaksin might play in any new party remains murky. He has insisted he wants a break from politics, a stance repeated by Chaturon. "I can say that Thaksin will not have an up-front role or a behind-the-scenes role in the new party to be formed," Chaturon said.

But such statements are unlikely to stop the rumours that Thaksin, a wealthy businessman, is funnelling money to a new party and pulling the strings from his self-imposed exile in London.

- AFP

[hammered]

What everyone forgets is that the 2 verdicts set major precedents that will guide all future cases. The first one allowed an outside group not officially running in the election TO actively campaign against the election process. Prior to the Democrat acquittal that was against the EC rules but now with the new precedent it's an open battlefield next time. Lets see if 111 pi**ed off banned politicians will use the same tactic in the next election, they can expend any amount of capital as they do not have to meet the EC maximum requirements, in fact they don't have to meet any EC requirements now as long as they don't slander anyone. Maybe they will mount a "NO Vote campaign" now that it's Officially Legal to do so and the merry-go-round can start all over with no quorum, no government and no hope of filling in the political divide.

Will there be a constitution with a minimal requirement for the next election? By the way the Dems didnt capaign against the election they campaigned for a none of the above. That was on the ballot, protected in the constitution and therefore could not be illegal. To call for people not to vote would have been illegal. The Dems encouraged people to vote but to vote for the constitutionally protected no - even if it was a tad hard to find on the ballot paper;)

I seriously doubt that the 111 are united right now especially now the Matchma group has announced it will stay out of TRT and will field it non-banned members with local politicians in the upcoming election. They also made sattements about seeking support for an amnesty from the Democrats after the next election. That was befor everyone got carried away with Gen. Sonthi's statements.

I would guess that either there will be no 20% requirement or that through the Dems, Matchima, Chat Thai and mahachon there will be at least 2 candidates in every constituency. Then of course the successor to TRT will almost certasinly run in the election as if they dont they face two problems: 1. fomer MPs moving to other parties so they can run - many MPs want or need the power even if only in opposition. 2. They will fade from the limelight as a new government holds power for up to 4 years. No doubt a new election would be called just before the 5 year time frame ran out if no amnesty was issued.

[younghusband]

What everyone forgets is that the 2 verdicts set major precedents that will guide all future cases. The first one allowed an outside group not officially running in the election TO actively campaign against the election process. Prior to the Democrat acquittal that was against the EC rules but now with the new precedent it's an open battlefield next time. Lets see if 111 pi**ed off banned politicians will use the same tactic in the next election, they can expend any amount of capital as they do not have to meet the EC maximum requirements, in fact they don't have to meet any EC requirements now as long as they don't slander anyone. Maybe they will mount a "NO Vote campaign" now that it's Officially Legal to do so and the merry-go-round can start all over with no quorum, no government and no hope of filling in the political divide.

a little bitter are we?

The results were predictable at least in the case of the Democrats They didn't break the law ... but some people are so highly pro-thaksin they kinds missed that pont!

Not fielding a slate of candidates is not the same as paying parties to field candidates

When it comes to missing the point,it seems that there are are still some who believe that those who criticise the junta and are concerned at the damage being done to the country are "pro-Thaksin"

I'm not condoning electoral fraud but let's be clear.The Democrats, by not fielding candidates, were acting profoundly undemocratically and showing their contempt for the judgement of the majority of Thai people and this led directly to the irregularities (for which the recent grotesquely disproportionate penalties were recently imposed.I agree the success of the Democrats' strategy and I'm an admirer of Abhisit, Korn and even Chuan.But let's not kid ourselves.The Democrats behaviour was fairly disgraceful,sabotaging elections they knew they would lose, and was widely condemned by international opinion at the time......oh I nearly forgot.International opinion doesn't understand Thailand.

[Jai Dee]

EC is responsible for holding the general election says CNS Chairman

CNS Chairman indicates the EC will decide whether the general election will be held sooner or not.

In response to the news concerning whether elections should be held earlier than schedules, Army chief and CNS Chairman Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratklin says it is all depend on the Election Committee (EC) discretion. He shrugs off rumours concerning the possibility of a military political party, adding that most army officials lack experience in politics. He says a politician should be well-rounded, with clear visions and ideology, pledges allegiance to the country and the constitutional monarchy.

In addition, Gen Sonthi mentions the second coup is merely propaganda by groups with ill-intentions.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 04 June 2007

[Jai Dee]

Metropol Police keeps close watch on demonstrations

The Metropolitan Police Bureau affirms that they will keep a close watch on rallies staged by various political groups in line with reconciliation means.

Commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Pol.Lt.Gen.Adisorn Nonsee (อดิศร นนทรีย์) speaks of security measures for ongoing political demonstrations that he has assessed them by himself in order to deploy appropriate police forces and give the officers moral support.

As for negotiations with leaders of the demonstration groups, Pol.Lt.Gen.Adisorn says he has instructed the deputy commander of the bureau to talk to them and he has been reported that the demonstrators affirms they do not want neither chaos nor violent situation to take place. However, they do want the government to fulfill their demands.

Pol.Lt.Gen.Adisorn adds that the officers will stick to reconciliation means and are banned to carry guns when safeguarding the demonstrators.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 04 June 2007

[Mid]

apologies for sounding like a broken record .......................

all this current talk of elections , early or not is a red herring ,

there's a referendum first .

[Mid]

are banned to carry guns when safeguarding the demonstrators

amazing Thailand .........................................

[soundman]

apologies for sounding like a broken record .......................

all this current talk of elections , early or not is a red herring ,

there's a referendum first .

And there lies the problem - Whatever is agreed to in the referendum won't be supported by everybody - there will be more political unrest - back to square one - & CNS will still be pulling the strings.

BTW - poll in BKK Post today suggests that most Thai people think politicians in thailand will never change their ways.

Soundman.

[jdinasia]

What everyone forgets is that the 2 verdicts set major precedents that will guide all future cases. The first one allowed an outside group not officially running in the election TO actively campaign against the election process. Prior to the Democrat acquittal that was against the EC rules but now with the new precedent it's an open battlefield next time. Lets see if 111 pi**ed off banned politicians will use the same tactic in the next election, they can expend any amount of capital as they do not have to meet the EC maximum requirements, in fact they don't have to meet any EC requirements now as long as they don't slander anyone. Maybe they will mount a "NO Vote campaign" now that it's Officially Legal to do so and the merry-go-round can start all over with no quorum, no government and no hope of filling in the political divide.

a little bitter are we?

The results were predictable at least in the case of the Democrats They didn't break the law ... but some people are so highly pro-thaksin they kinds missed that pont!

Not fielding a slate of candidates is not the same as paying parties to field candidates

When it comes to missing the point,it seems that there are are still some who believe that those who criticise the junta and are concerned at the damage being done to the country are "pro-Thaksin"

I'm not condoning electoral fraud but let's be clear.The Democrats, by not fielding candidates, were acting profoundly undemocratically and showing their contempt for the judgement of the majority of Thai people and this led directly to the irregularities (for which the recent grotesquely disproportionate penalties were recently imposed.I agree the success of the Democrats' strategy and I'm an admirer of Abhisit, Korn and even Chuan.But let's not kid ourselves.The Democrats behaviour was fairly disgraceful,sabotaging elections they knew they would lose, and was widely condemned by international opinion at the time......oh I nearly forgot.International opinion doesn't understand Thailand.

Did I mention the Junta?

The Democrats were SMART ... when faced by a one party system that used vote buying on an illegal small scale and an entirely legal but incredibly damaging large populist scale. They did what any smart opposition would do in a democracy! They reminded the other players that an opposition was mandatory That with no opposition TRT could not seat a government at all! Meaning that if another election HAD been held there would have had to have been a way to censure Thaksin .... because without that it was just an elected dictatorship anyways

but again ,,, did I mention the Junta?

[chanchao]

Interesting.

It's encouraging to see everyone hard at work at establishing a new party and not accept defeat to the military junta.

In any constitution and election that's fair, the North & North East are huge blocks, regardless of what TRT did wrong; right now that's a lot of 'homeless' voters ready to be snapped up. And yes they are disgruntled.. If a clear successor is found/established to the TRT legacy then expect another landslide.. However it may just as easily result in internal feuding among the various TRT factions. A pretty 50-50 chance.

I thought the suggestion of letting MP's wives run was particularly hilarious, as it demonstrates Thai politics very well. Remember Sanoh who pulled something similar earlier, shoehorning his wife into the cabinet. Chances are a loop-hole will be found, it's just a matter of logistics and if the new constitution will be acceptable / get accepted and if there will be fair and open elections at all.

Completely agree with Younghusband:

The Democrats, by not fielding candidates, were acting profoundly undemocratically and showing their contempt for the judgement of the majority of Thai people and this led directly to the irregularities (for which the recent grotesquely disproportionate penalties were recently imposed.I agree the success of the Democrats' strategy and I'm an admirer of Abhisit, Korn and even Chuan.But let's not kid ourselves.The Democrats behaviour was fairly disgraceful,sabotaging elections they knew they would lose, and was widely condemned by international opinion at the time.

I too would say that I'm an admirer of Chuan, but mostly as a person, not so much as a leader. Indeed I'd much rather have dinner with Chuan than Thaksin. When running a company or the country however, Chuan is just not very effective no matter how much you like him.

Edited June 4, 2007 by chanchao

[soundman]

Chances are a loop-hole will be found, it's just a matter of logistics and if the new constitution will be acceptable / get accepted and if there will be fair and open elections at all.

Having observed two general elections, one complete farce of a general election & being closely involved with an election at local level (an uncle ran for office at OBT level or whatever thats called, spent 3.5mil & ran second), I am absolutley convinced there will NEVER be free & fair elections in Thailand.

Soundman.

[sriracha john]

The Democrats behaviour was fairly disgraceful,sabotaging elections they knew they would lose, and was widely condemned by international opinion at the time.

Would you happen to have some examples where the Democrats actions were widely condemned by international opinion? I'm having difficulty locating any references that state that.

[younghusband]

Did I mention the Junta?

but again ,,, did I mention the Junta?

If one believes that the verdict of the Constitutional Court was largely politically motivated, then the junta is by definition involved whether you mentioned them in your post or not.

If one believes on the other hand the Constitutional Court was administering blind justice strictly according to the law and without any political considerations, then the junta by definition was not involved.

I am sure there a number of ten year old children who believe the latter proposition.

[soundman]

The Democrats behaviour was fairly disgraceful,sabotaging elections they knew they would lose, and was widely condemned by international opinion at the time.

Would you happen to have some examples where the Democrats actions were widely condemned by international opinion? I'm having difficulty locating any references that state that.

Politics is dog eat dog. The democrats had no way of matching the finances of TRT. They tried to copy some of TRT's populist policies in the 2005 election. That didn't work. In short they had no way of winning another election. Best political move they could have sone was to force a stalemate & let TRT shoot themselves in the foot.

If they hadn't done this or something similar - they, the Democrats were finished as a political force. Very smart if you ask me.

Soundman.

[younghusband]

The Democrats behaviour was fairly disgraceful,sabotaging elections they knew they would lose, and was widely condemned by international opinion at the time.

Would you happen to have some examples where the Democrats actions were widely condemned by international opinion? I'm having difficulty locating any references that state that.

Politics is dog eat dog. The democrats had no way of matching the finances of TRT. They tried to copy some of TRT's populist policies in the 2005 election. That didn't work. In short they had no way of winning another election. Best political move they could have sone was to force a stalemate & let TRT shoot themselves in the foot.

If they hadn't done this or something similar - they, the Democrats were finished as a political force. Very smart if you ask me.

Soundman.

I didn't say the Dems weren't being smart and in fact I'm reasonably sympathetic to the all's fair in love,politics and war argument.Politics is a tough old game in every country and no place for shrinking violets.My point really was that the Democrats have very little claim to the moral high ground