Thaksin Scandal: Justice Minister Refuses to Weigh in on Charges

[webfact]

 

Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong remained tight-lipped regarding the controversial lese majeste charge against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

 

The case, which has captivated the nation, saw Tawee insist the Justice Ministry would remain hands-off, stating it was the purview of the attorney general, while Thaksin retained the right to petition for fair treatment.

 

Reporters sought Tawee’s reaction following the revelation by the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) that Thaksin’s lawyers had lodged a second petition for fairness. This new petition follows the first, submitted on January 17 while Thaksin was still at the Police General Hospital, just before his early parole release in February.

 

Despite this effort, Attorney-General Amnat Jetcharoenrakl proceeded with the indictment related to the 74-year-old premier’s 2015 interview in South Korea.

 

The OAG recently announced that Thaksin would face an indictment hearing next Tuesday, June 18. Thaksin’s second petition alleges interference in the police investigation by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) junta, which took power after the 2014 coup, asserting that investigators were intimidated by the NCPO.

 

Over the weekend, Thaksin vehemently denied the charges, describing them as “poison fruit from the poison tree” of the 2014 coup.

 

Although Tawee is known for his close ties with the Shinawatra family, his current role as justice minister in the Pheu Thai-led government, a successor of Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai Party, did not influence his stance. Tawee firmly stated that the Justice Ministry had no jurisdiction over Thaksin’s legal case.

 

“The attorney-general will have the final say.”

 

When pressed on whether the lese majesty and computer crime charges were justified, he declined to comment, reiterating that Thaksin had the right to contest the charges through legal channels.

 

Thaksin faces these charges for allegedly accusing members of the Privy Council, advisors to the monarch, of orchestrating the 2014 coup that overthrew his sister Yingluck’s administration.

 

Pol.Col. Thawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice. File photo

 

-- 2024-06-12

 

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[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

t Thaksin’s lawyers had lodged a second petition for fairness. This new petition follows the first, submitted on January 17 while Thaksin was still at the Police General Hospital, just before his early parole release in February.

Fairness?

Was his treatment fair when he was a couple of weeks in hospital instead of years in jail?

Was he telling the truth when he said he would retire from politics (again) and only care about his grandchildren?

They should treat him with fairness? Then lock him up! 

[sammieuk1]

Poison fruit, from the poison tree, in the poison forest, of the poison swamp, to be correct Tony 🤔

[SABloke]

Would be great if any of these articles alluded to what he actually said in that interview. 🤔

[2baht]

8 minutes ago, SABloke said:

Would be great if any of these articles alluded to what he actually said in that interview. 🤔

That would lead to a similar charge ! It's a subject best left alone!

[Red Forever]

9 minutes ago, SABloke said:

Would be great if any of these articles alluded to what he actually said in that interview. 🤔

The Mr T hate mob never let the truth get in the way of their obsession.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Fairness?

Was his treatment fair when he was a couple of weeks in hospital instead of years in jail?

Was he telling the truth when he said he would retire from politics (again) and only care about his grandchildren?

They should treat him with fairness? Then lock him up! 

Shinawatra family have very selective memories.

[TheFishman1]

He’s like the Teflon Don nothing’s gonna happen to him. He knows where to put the money and who to pay TT.

[nobodysfriend]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Thaksin’s lawyers had lodged a second petition for fairness.

 

What Thaksin thinks would be fair to him , differs a lot from what other people think about fairness in this case ...

Fairness for him may seem unfair to all the ones imprisoned for less ...

 

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Despite this effort, Attorney-General Amnat Jetcharoenrakl proceeded with the indictment

 

Time to prepare Thaksin's private jet ...

I would be happy to see him leave Thailand for good ... everything here became worse after his return .

I do not think he would choose prison over a return to Dubai ...?

May be it is time for another ' secret deal ' ?

[dinsdale]

20 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

 

What Thaksin thinks would be fair to him , differs a lot from what other people think about fairness in this case ...

Fairness for him may seem unfair to all the ones imprisoned for less ...

 

 

 

Time to prepare Thaksin's private jet ...

I would be happy to see him leave Thailand for good ... everything here became worse after his return .

I do not think he would choose prison over a return to Dubai ...?

May be it is time for another ' secret deal ' ?

He ain't goin nowhere. The military need him here to help destabalise Parliament and further to their case for another coup.

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Shinawatra family have very selective memories.

Yeah. But to be fair, the same is true with many people all over the world.

[Pouatchee]

2 hours ago, SABloke said:

Would be great if any of these articles alluded to what he actually said in that interview. 🤔

 

 

 

from what i gather ,if anyone watches, it seems to start around 7.10 minutes...  his english sucks, he gesticulates too much and meaninglessly and he talks nonsense

[jippytum]

I will be forever grateful to the Junta  and senate if the current charges result in proper jail time for Thaksin

[greeneking]

1 hour ago, jippytum said:

I will be forever grateful to the Junta  and senate if the current charges result in proper jail time for Thaksin

It seems a lot of folk here support the use of 112 if it's used against someone they don't like.

Surely we should be against it in all circumstances.

[edwinchester]

5 hours ago, SABloke said:

Would be great if any of these articles alluded to what he actually said in that interview. 🤔

It's easily found on Google just not within Thai news because of it's 'sensitivity'.

[digger70]

6 hours ago, SABloke said:

Would be great if any of these articles alluded to what he actually said in that interview. 🤔

What did Thaksin say?

The latest charges against Thaksin stem from a remark he allegedly made in an interview with a media outlet in Seoul, South Korea in 2015. He accused the Privy Council of Thailand of being involved in protests that preceded the 2014 military coup in the kingdom.

[SABloke]

7 hours ago, 2baht said:

That would lead to a similar charge ! It's a subject best left alone!

I've heard that theory many times over the past 15 years, but it doesn't really hold true. People charged with 112 often have an allusion in the article to what the charge was about e.g. Move Forward charge

[Heavy Metal]

7 hours ago, Red Forever said:

The Mr T hate mob never let the truth get in the way of their obsession.

Mr T makes sure he always buys only the Best Truths, for himself. 

[oustaristocrats]

8 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Poison fruit, from the poison tree, in the poison forest, of the poison swamp, to be correct Tony 🤔

 

We talk about this particular case of Thaksin, but I feel sad that nobody is talking about the underlying issue itself. Not only Thaksin, also Pita is dealing with the same issue. Why everybody is dodging the real question ? 

I mean, for example there are countries where journalist are not allowed to report freely, their findings are subjected to severe sensor ship.

Now suppose one politician questions the justification of these limits on freedom of speech. Should we then discuss his breaching of the rule because he made a public statement or should we question the justification of the rule itself ?

 

[Encore]

6 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

 

 

 

from what i gather ,if anyone watches, it seems to start around 7.10 minutes...  his english sucks, he gesticulates too much and meaninglessly and he talks nonsense

 

Thank you for this which puts the supposed LM comments into perspective.  Not having an axe to grind and not being a legal eagle, I cannot see what the fuss is about unless it is simply to find any excuse to try and stitch him up.  Perhaps the 'establishment' he talks about remain worried that he may be able to galvanise the electorate although everyone must know that he has lost a great deal of grass roots support for a variety of reasons.