Death Threat To Thaksin Thickens Political Plot

[Jai Dee]

Death Threat to Thaksin Thickens Political Plot

A chat room on a popular Thai-language website is drawing visitors over a troubling question: Will ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra be assassinated when he returns home?

''I am concerned about Thaksin's security,'' writes one visitor to ‘Rajademnern,' the room for political dialogue and comments on the ‘Panthip.com' website. ‘'If he wants to come back to Thailand, he should not take (the national airline) Thai Airways. He should take another international airline.''

This buzz on the fate of Thaksin, who was driven out of power in a military coup last September, has grown since Wednesday. It has emerged in the wake of a comment made that day by Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the army chief and head of the junta, warning Thaksin from returning to the country.

‘'The majority of people still oppose him so if he came back now, in the middle of the crisis, it would put his life in danger,'' Sonthi told a Bangkok radio station. ‘'It would be very dangerous for him.''

Some Thaksin supporters have drawn parallels between this threat and what happened over two decades ago in the Philippines to Benigno Aquino, a popular opposition figure forced into exile during the years of the Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship. Aquino was shot dead at the Manila airport in 1983 on return from exile.

Thailand, however, has been spared such high-profile political assassinations since it became a constitutional monarchy in 1932. ‘'We have never had political assassinations where leading, national political figures have been targeted,'' Thanet Aphornsuvan, assistant professor of history at Bangkok's Thammasat University, said in an interview. ‘'The only political killings on record are at local and municipal level, involving the local contenders.''

The prospect of Thaksin returning from nine months in exile in London and other Asian cities has gathered pace after a committee appointed by the junta ordered local banks on Monday to freeze 1.5 billion US dollars worth of assets held in 21 domestic accounts by Thaksin and his wife.

A day later, the country's military-installed prime minister, Surayud Chulanont, told reporters that Thaksin's decision to return to ‘'fight the charges'' was hardly surprising. ‘'His reasons for wanting to return are understandable,'' Surayud, a former army chief himself, said. ‘'He does not have to seek permission (from the junta).''

The order by the Asset Examination Committee, which scrutinised the business deals Thaksin is alleged to have illegally profited from during his five years as prime minister, could not have come at a worse time. Barely two week earlier a special tribunal appointed by the junta delivered a ruling to disband the Thai Rak Thai (TRT- Thais Love Thai), the political party Thaksin started nine years ago, and bar from politics all its leaders for five years.

‘'It confirms that the new government is going the whole way against the TRT,'' Chanida Chanyapate, deputy director of Focus on the Global South, a Bangkok-based think tank, told IPS. ‘'They are doing so one by one to try and end Thaksin's party.''

Despite what Sonthi says, the TRT continues to have a huge following. The estimated 14 to 16 million supporters it had at the time of the September 2006 coup makes it the largest political party in this South-east Asian nation. This substantial vote base of TRT supporters lies in the poorer, rural provinces thanks to the benefits from Thaksin's pro-poor policies, like a universal health care scheme.

Thaksin, who was a billionaire telecommunications tycoon before becoming the country's leader in 2001, has earned two firsts to his name, denied to the 22 prime ministers who preceded him. He was the first premier in the country's history to finish a full four-year term and the first leader to be reelected to a consecutive term in office.

Since the coup, both he and his party have also become the first to stand up and fight the military that captured power through a coup --Thailand's 18th over the last seven decades. ‘'This is new for Thai politics, what Thaksin and his supporters are doing,'' says Thanet, the historian. ‘'The deposed prime minister is not going away after the coup unlike before, but has become a force; so, too, his party and its supporters.''

The past weekend reinforced this reality. Anti-coup demonstrators, many of them TRT loyalists, clashed with the police on Saturday night. The estimated 10,000 people who had gathered at a rally in an open field in the historic part of Bangkok ahead of the clash were the largest number on record since these anti-military and pro-TRT protests began.

No wonder, by Wednesday, Bangkok was rife with rumours arising from the recent swirl of events. They even forced some companies to send staff home early and caused the Thai stock market drop by 2.3 percent, reaching a two-week low.

The more widespread among them was the possibility of another coup as a response to the escalating tension. This fear spread late into the night despite repeated messages over the media by the military leaders for the public to ignore the scuttlebutt of a putsch.

‘'The situation now has grown very tense, specially after Thaksin's assets were frozen'' Laurent Malespine, who runs ‘Don't Blink', a Bangkok-based political research consultancy, told IPS. ‘'Right now there are people who want another coup to happen.''

In Thailand, there have been ‘'self-coups'' in the past or ‘'coups by the military leaders in power, launched against themselves to clear up a messy issue,'' he says. ‘'It is not a coup by an outside force.''

Source: IPS - 15 June 2007

[bkkandrew]

Death Threat to Thaksin Thickens Political Plot

In Thailand, there have been ‘'self-coups'' in the past or ‘'coups by the military leaders in power, launched against themselves to clear up a messy issue,'' he says. ‘'It is not a coup by an outside force.''

Source: IPS - 15 June 2007

You know, only in Thailand could there be so many varieties of Coup d'etat, all it seems with their own names, such as 'pattiwat', 'pattiroop', 'pattowang'.

If only they put as much effort into running a country as they do dreaming up (and giving nomenclature to) ways to have a Coup!

[thai_narak]

there were already 2 attemps on Thaksin's life when he was a PM (although one has rumoured to have been plotted by himself). anyway, now that he is not a PM anymore then what can you expect?

Edited June 15, 2007 by thai_narak

[A_Traveller]

there were already 2 attemps on Thaksin's life when he was a PM (although one has rumoured to have been plotted by himself). anyway, now that he is not a PM anymore then what can you expect?

If one of these was the airplane incident, my understanding was that this was shown to be a known problem with the aircraft type, and had occurred before. The correct procedure was that the aircon etc. should be switched off when the plane was at the stand {only run up just prior to boarding} but, perhaps because they wanted the plane to be cooler for the PM, the system was left running, and then the explosion occurred.

Regards

/edit mad typist strikes again//

Edited June 15, 2007 by A_Traveller

[Old Man River]

Let's be real. If he comes back, an assassination is highly likely. If not by the military then by someone wanting it to look like it was by the military. Even if he doesn't come back, the risk remains. To us outsiders, this is all interesting, but to the players these are life and death issues. Don't count anything out. These are tense times.

[John K]

Actually I am glad this thread started. Most of today I was trying to decide if it was Thaksin’s people trying to make it seem like it was too dangerous for Thaksin to return, of if there was a real threat.

I have concluded that it is Thaksin setting this up as an excuse to stay away.

Reason that I see are as follows;

If he was in that much danger, the same would apply for his family. They would be used as a hostage or just killed.

If someone wanted him dead, they would simply go to him and kill him in the UK. He is always in public from what it seems.

It does not seem to follow the pattern of Thais and Buddhism.

The fact Sonthi does not want him here is no secret because from all accounts if Thaksin is here, he will be that catalyst to chaos. Sonthi is just applying the power of suggestion “Can’t protect you” and so on. It clearly places the ball in Thaksin’s court as there is a clock ticking on the time he contest his frozen bank accounts. I am sure they will insist he be here in person to do that and via proxy. If thaksin skips I believe he forfeits.

So Next who want him dead and why?

[quiksilva]

No idea who but I can guess why. It would be a typical over reaction using a simplified solution to a perceived problem without any consideration given to potential consequences of their actions.

Edited June 15, 2007 by quiksilva

[Old Man River]

Actually I am glad this thread started. Most of today I was trying to decide if it was Thaksin’s people trying to make it seem like it was too dangerous for Thaksin to return, of if there was a real threat.

I have concluded that it is Thaksin setting this up as an excuse to stay away.

Reason that I see are as follows;

If he was in that much danger, the same would apply for his family. They would be used as a hostage or just killed.

If someone wanted him dead, they would simply go to him and kill him in the UK. He is always in public from what it seems.

It does not seem to follow the pattern of Thais and Buddhism.

The fact Sonthi does not want him here is no secret because from all accounts if Thaksin is here, he will be that catalyst to chaos. Sonthi is just applying the power of suggestion “Can’t protect you” and so on. It clearly places the ball in Thaksin’s court as there is a clock ticking on the time he contest his frozen bank accounts. I am sure they will insist he be here in person to do that and via proxy. If thaksin skips I believe he forfeits.

So Next who want him dead and why?

You are over analyzing this. Keep it simple. He was thrown out by the military. His family are not perceived threats. As long as he stays away it is good. If he returns or causes turmoil, that is not good.

[hammered]

Actually I am glad this thread started. Most of today I was trying to decide if it was Thaksin’s people trying to make it seem like it was too dangerous for Thaksin to return, of if there was a real threat.

I have concluded that it is Thaksin setting this up as an excuse to stay away.

Reason that I see are as follows;

If he was in that much danger, the same would apply for his family. They would be used as a hostage or just killed.

If someone wanted him dead, they would simply go to him and kill him in the UK. He is always in public from what it seems.

It does not seem to follow the pattern of Thais and Buddhism.

The fact Sonthi does not want him here is no secret because from all accounts if Thaksin is here, he will be that catalyst to chaos. Sonthi is just applying the power of suggestion “Can’t protect you” and so on. It clearly places the ball in Thaksin’s court as there is a clock ticking on the time he contest his frozen bank accounts. I am sure they will insist he be here in person to do that and via proxy. If thaksin skips I believe he forfeits.

So Next who want him dead and why?

Eh certain members of the military probably not including Gen. Sonthi

Eh any poliitcal opportunist in the TRT/PTV who may see the blame shifted to the army and hence giving a boost to a currently stagnated political career.

Eh anybody who T has the dirt on.

Eh lots of people down my local market

Eh that equates to quite a few people when extrapolated out

Persoanlly I think Gen. Sonthis statement was quite accurate: lots of people hate T. It would be impossible to guarantee his Safety. Of course T will play this up as he is good at PR stuff but there is certainly truth in him being at risk of assasination on return. imho

[steveromagnino]

Eh certain members of the military probably not including Gen. Sonthi

Eh any poliitcal opportunist in the TRT/PTV who may see the blame shifted to the army and hence giving a boost to a currently stagnated political career.

Eh anybody who T has the dirt on.

Eh lots of people down my local market

Eh that equates to quite a few people when extrapolated out

Persoanlly I think Gen. Sonthis statement was quite accurate: lots of people hate T. It would be impossible to guarantee his Safety. Of course T will play this up as he is good at PR stuff but there is certainly truth in him being at risk of assasination on return. imho

Also would add people who were promised the world e.g. King Power, and delivered an atlas.

[thai_narak]

Eh certain members of the military probably not including Gen. Sonthi

Eh any poliitcal opportunist in the TRT/PTV who may see the blame shifted to the army and hence giving a boost to a currently stagnated political career.

Eh anybody who T has the dirt on.

Eh lots of people down my local market

Eh that equates to quite a few people when extrapolated out

Persoanlly I think Gen. Sonthis statement was quite accurate: lots of people hate T. It would be impossible to guarantee his Safety. Of course T will play this up as he is good at PR stuff but there is certainly truth in him being at risk of assasination on return. imho

Also would add people who were promised the world e.g. King Power, and delivered an atlas.

don't forget the people who got abused in the Tak bai incident. they will kill him for sure...

[Backpack_thailand]

‘'The majority of people still oppose him so if he came back now, in the middle of the crisis, it would put his life in danger,'' Sonthi told a Bangkok radio station. ‘'It would be very dangerous for him.''

Absolute garbage! Speak to any regular Thai and they all say Thaksin is OK. This has just been a witch hunt from day one.

I still don't know exactly what he's done wrong. A lot of the members on here who have been in Thailand for 5 mins all jump on the band wagon. Those who've been here a bit longer remember the pre-Thaksin days.

Anybody want Chuan and the Democrats to come back...???

He may not been perfect but this country was ticking along nicely when Thaksin was in charge. The top officials had their corruption payments stopped an all got the gripes, hence the witch hunt!

This country is slowly killing itself internationally from within.

"Backpack, News At Ten, Kanchanaburi"

[lannarebirth]

Just speculating, but I believe there is a reason that the government has not gone after Thaksins chief leiutenants. I think they have/will cut a deal with the underlings, who became awfully rich, to clean up the Thaksin mess themselves. In exchange they will escape intensive scrutiny of their own activities under the banner of "national reconcilliation". Thaksin I'm sure is finding harder and harde to find people he can trust. Only people who will be happy to take his money.

[hammered]

‘'The majority of people still oppose him so if he came back now, in the middle of the crisis, it would put his life in danger,'' Sonthi told a Bangkok radio station. ‘'It would be very dangerous for him.''

Absolute garbage! Speak to any regular Thai and they all say Thaksin is OK. This has just been a witch hunt from day one.

I still don't know exactly what he's done wrong. A lot of the members on here who have been in Thailand for 5 mins all jump on the band wagon. Those who've been here a bit longer remember the pre-Thaksin days.

Anybody want Chuan and the Democrats to come back...???

He may not been perfect but this country was ticking along nicely when Thaksin was in charge. The top officials had their corruption payments stopped an all got the gripes, hence the witch hunt!

This country is slowly killing itself internationally from within.

"Backpack, News At Ten, Kanchanaburi"

A few members who have been in Thailand for a bit longer than 5 minutes remember the 2500 extra judicial deaths under Thaksin. Quite how this fits in with the country ticking along nicely is a bit beyond me.

[soundman]

Taksin getting assassinated would be the worst posible thing that could happen. Almost all powerful in real life - as a marttyre???

No thanks,

Soundman.

[hammered]

Just speculating, but I believe there is a reason that the government has not gone after Thaksins chief leiutenants. I think they have/will cut a deal with the underlings, who became awfully rich, to clean up the Thaksin mess themselves. In exchange they will escape intensive scrutiny of their own activities under the banner of "national reconcilliation". Thaksin I'm sure is finding harder and harde to find people he can trust. Only people who will be happy to take his money.

Judging from statements eminating from some of his top ex-lieutenants you could well be on to something. I am also sure the Junta dont want to fight so many powerful politicains soon. It probably limits T to the PTV group and its off shoots and the linked 100 MPs.

[younghusband]

Actually I am glad this thread started. Most of today I was trying to decide if it was Thaksin’s people trying to make it seem like it was too dangerous for Thaksin to return, of if there was a real threat.

I have concluded that it is Thaksin setting this up as an excuse to stay away.

Reason that I see are as follows;

If he was in that much danger, the same would apply for his family. They would be used as a hostage or just killed.

If someone wanted him dead, they would simply go to him and kill him in the UK. He is always in public from what it seems.

It does not seem to follow the pattern of Thais and Buddhism.

The fact Sonthi does not want him here is no secret because from all accounts if Thaksin is here, he will be that catalyst to chaos. Sonthi is just applying the power of suggestion “Can’t protect you” and so on. It clearly places the ball in Thaksin’s court as there is a clock ticking on the time he contest his frozen bank accounts. I am sure they will insist he be here in person to do that and via proxy. If thaksin skips I believe he forfeits.

So Next who want him dead and why?

I was wondering which genius would be the first to come up with the thought that Thaksin set this up himself.No surprises given the source really but what caught my attention was Sondhi's reported view that Thaksin was a catalyst to chaos.I don't suppose the poster caught the rich irony in that statement.

[soundman]

I was wondering which genius would be the first to come up with the thought that Thaksin set this up himself.No surprises given the source really but what caught my attention was Sondhi's reported view that Thaksin was a catalyst to chaos.I don't suppose the poster caught the rich irony in that statement.

Wouldn't be surprised at all, & as with previous "assassination" attempts on Taksin's life, the Thai people that I have spoken to on this subject all seem to point the fingure directly at his wife being the person responsible for the idea. Easy way to gain public / supporter sympathy.

Cheers,

Soundman.

[wolfmanjack]

‘'The majority of people still oppose him so if he came back now, in the middle of the crisis, it would put his life in danger,'' Sonthi told a Bangkok radio station. ‘'It would be very dangerous for him.''

Absolute garbage! Speak to any regular Thai and they all say Thaksin is OK. This has just been a witch hunt from day one.

I still don't know exactly what he's done wrong. A lot of the members on here who have been in Thailand for 5 mins all jump on the band wagon. Those who've been here a bit longer remember the pre-Thaksin days.

Anybody want Chuan and the Democrats to come back...???

He may not been perfect but this country was ticking along nicely when Thaksin was in charge. The top officials had their corruption payments stopped an all got the gripes, hence the witch hunt!

This country is slowly killing itself internationally from within.

"Backpack, News At Ten, Kanchanaburi"

I was here when Chuan was in office. I would rather have him than toxsin.

[hammered]

A planned public self immolation this weekend? Wow!

Pro-Thaksin rally plans to stage self-demolition : intelligence source

Pro-Thaksin demonstrators plan to "stage" a self-demolition in front the headquarters Council for National security or Gen Prem Tinsulanonda, according to informed intelligence sources.

The sources told The Nation that this plan was mapped out to impress the

media, both local and abroad, which will cover the demonstration this

weekend.

"Whoever wants to burn himself will cover himself with wax to

protect his body to escape immediate harms," said an intelligence source who is familiar with the tactics. The tactic was used during the Chatichai government from 1988-1990.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/06/15...es_30036963.php

[A_Traveller]

A planned public self immolation this weekend? Wow!

"Whoever wants to burn himself will cover himself with wax to protect his body to escape immediate harms," said an intelligence source who is familiar with the tactics. The tactic was used during the Chatichai government from 1988-1990.

So immolation as show not reality.

Regards

[hammered]

A planned public self immolation this weekend? Wow!

"Whoever wants to burn himself will cover himself with wax to protect his body to escape immediate harms," said an intelligence source who is familiar with the tactics. The tactic was used during the Chatichai government from 1988-1990.

So immolation as show not reality.

Regards

But still a risky pursuit. If anyone is actually encoraging anyone to perform this sick and dangerous publicity stunt, they should be be ashamed of themselves. I cant actually see the odious little Jatuporn imolating himself even covered in wax, so hopefully his group will not encourage any poor fool to do it.

[John K]

Well we will know more later when Thaksin addresses the rally. I hope it is not to messy tonight, I plan to go out for a while.

[hammered]

Well we will know more later when Thaksin addresses the rally. I hope it is not to messy tonight, I plan to go out for a while.

This may be a weekend to stay close to home

[John K]

A planned public self immolation this weekend? Wow!

"Whoever wants to burn himself will cover himself with wax to protect his body to escape immediate harms," said an intelligence source who is familiar with the tactics. The tactic was used during the Chatichai government from 1988-1990.

So immolation as show not reality.

Regards

But still a risky pursuit. If anyone is actually encoraging anyone to perform this sick and dangerous publicity stunt, they should be be ashamed of themselves. I cant actually see the odious little Jatuporn imolating himself even covered in wax, so hopefully his group will not encourage any poor fool to do it.

Oh there filming Jackass here tonight did you say?

[A_Traveller]

Sorry John, think that's uncalled for. I would be worried that someone with influence would even consider persuading some poor soul to run this risk.

Regards

[hammered]

Sorry John, think that's uncalled for. I would be worried that someone with influence would even consider persuading some poor soul to run this risk.

Regards

Hopefully the information is inaccurate. If PTV and their allied groups would stoop so low as this then one wonders what is beyond them in their blind quest to restore dear leader.

[Shah Jahan]

Actually to just shoot Dr. Taskin would not get the point across, his opponents would much rather destroy the man.

first they exile him (what it must be like to be kept out of LOS)

then they kill his political party.....

then they take his money....

next will be a public embarrassment that will turn the ignorant masses against him

after that maybe an accident that leaves him alive but broken

by this point all of his power will be gone and he will go live his days broken in hong kong

if he stris up more trouble, they can put him in a rice sack and beat him with sandlewood clubs like they did the last Takin (look in the history books... guy with almost the same name doing the same shit)

believe in karma...

and if he seizes power and upstages them before this can happen, then they will just shoot him.

better for him to stay quiet. he should know, he used to be a cop.....

[chinthee]

Actually to just shoot Dr. Taskin would not get the point across, his opponents would much rather destroy the man.

first they exile him (what it must be like to be kept out of LOS)

then they kill his political party.....

then they take his money....

next will be a public embarrassment that will turn the ignorant masses against him

after that maybe an accident that leaves him alive but broken

by this point all of his power will be gone and he will go live his days broken in hong kong

if he stris up more trouble, they can put him in a rice sack and beat him with sandlewood clubs like they did the last Takin (look in the history books... guy with almost the same name doing the same shit)

believe in karma...

and if he seizes power and upstages them before this can happen, then they will just shoot him.

better for him to stay quiet. he should know, he used to be a cop.....

Words of wisdom indeed. However, the sticky part is turning the ignorant masses. Not an easy task when he's greased the wheels so cleverly and thoroughly.

[stumonster]

beware the philippino security guard - don't let mr 't' sing 'my way'