Politics Sondhi and Jatuporn Join Forces Against Thaksin's Legacy

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of Facebook คาราโอเกะชั้นใต้ดิน

 

Former major protest leaders Sondhi Limthongkul and Jatuporn Prompan – who were once on opposite sides regarding former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra – made a public show of unity in their efforts to target the father of Thailand's current prime minister.

 

In 2005, Mr Sondhi used his ASTV satellite television channel to launch a public crusade against Thaksin. He became a leader of the yellow-shirt People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) movement, which mobilised tens of thousands of protesters against Thaksin’s government in mid-2006.

 

On Sept 19, 2006, then army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin staged a coup and seized power from Thaksin.

 

Jatuporn Prompan, leader of the People’s Unity Group, is a former leader of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) and a key political ally of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, now led by Thaksin’s daughter and Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

 

Sondhi and Jatuporn appeared together and confirmed their partnership at the former’s discussion event at Thammasat University in Bangkok on Sunday.

 

Jatuporn was not what he used to be and he suffered from what he used to believe, Sondhi said.

 

Jatuporn had worked for Thaksin but at present was fighting against Thaksin and ready to work for the public interest, Mr Sondhi said. He said he invited Jatuporn to support his movement.

 

Mr Sondhi earlier threatened to hold street protests unless the government scraps the 2001 memorandum of understanding (MoU) on maritime claims in the Gulf of Thailand.

 

He previously said the MoU had created an overlapping claims area (OCA) covering 26,000 square kilometres, mainly benefiting Cambodia. The OCA is believed to be rich in fossil energy resources.

 

Signed with Cambodia during the Thaksin Shinawatra administration, the MoU allowed Cambodia to draw the boundary of its territorial waters within Thai maritime territory as declared by King Rama IX in 1973, based on international law, Mr Sondhi said.

 

Critics worry a loss of sovereignty will result.

 

On Sunday Mr Jatuporn said Thaksin had admitted to law violations but had not been imprisoned for a single day. People were opposing Thaksin due to the issues of privileges and double standards, he said.

 

It was time for the country to make a restart while adhering to the strength of its main institutions and its people, Mr Jatuporn said.

 

   Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-05-26

 

 

 

[Pouatchee]

anything to get him out... guys, just do it right and once and for all... please

[ozz1]

I love the smell of a coup in the morning

[edwinchester]

Opportunist hypocrites the pair of them serving nothing but their own self interests.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, ozz1 said:

I love the smell of a coup in the morning

Something is brewing for sure, Thaksin has overstepped the line after his return and is skating on thin ice.

He has two important court cases coming up, maybe he will abdicate again?

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Opportunist hypocrites the pair of them serving nothing but their own self interests.

A bit like the Shin clan ?

[klauskunkel]

Thaksin just brings out the best in people, makes Sondhi and Jatuporn grab each others asses.

 

[edwinchester]

47 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

A bit like the Shin clan ?

All as bad as each other. Exactly what is wrong with the establishment politics in Thailand.

[hotchilli]

1 minute ago, edwinchester said:

Exactly what is wrong with the establishment politics in Thailand.

Everything.... corruption being top of the list

[scorecard]

17 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

All as bad as each other. Exactly what is wrong with the establishment politics in Thailand.

 

It's alive and well and credible and wins large numbers of seats and has many election winners who would make very excellent value added ministers; sorely needed.

 

But.... 

[GarryP]

Sondhi is a former Thaksin psycophant. He invested a lot through his Manager media group in promoting and supporting Thaksin. His press was full of obsequious platitudes, bullcrapery, and fluff pieces. Sondhi was seen all the time with Thaksin too. They were seen together so often it was a bit cringey, sort of like bosom buddies to the extreme. But then Sonteen (sp) would have rimmed Thacky to get the return he thought he was going to get. Unfortunately, when Thaksin got into power, Sondhi did not get the returns he expected (perhaps even promised?), and Thaksin turned his back on him. That's when things got nasty and the hate campaign started and has continued ever since. 

 

As to Jatuporn, he has been blowing his own trumpet since the red shirt movement. He is in it for himself and wants to feel important/relevant, but is about as trustworthy as as a scorpion on a frog's back, and as reliable as a punctured condom.

 

These two were probably made for each other. 

[bannork]

I was glad to see Jatuporn turn his back on Thaksin and finally admit Thaksin never gave a monkey's for democracy, but to join hands with Sonthi, a right wing firebrand?

A bit like Diane Abbot joining hands with Farage.

Pass the sick bag, Alice.

[crazykopite]

The private jet is on standby unless he was hidden in a diplomats case when his daughter visited London and Monaco 

[jippytum]

7 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Opportunist hypocrites the pair of them serving nothing but their own self interests.

 No more so thanThaksin and his family 

[edwinchester]

5 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Everything.... corruption being top of the list

Agree with you entirely. My post was unclear and should have read  "They're all as bad as each other and exactly what is wrong with the establishment politics in Thailand."

[unblocktheplanet]

Thaksin had 'his' police carry out 3,000 killings for 'drugs', but it was mostly about police corruption.

 

Then he brought in the 30-baht health scheme. Maybe the idea was to garner votes but it turned out to be what ordinary Thai people needed, right to this day.

 

Thaksin also started Internet censorship in 2005, revved up to full power under Prayuth's coup govt at more than half a million webpages.

 

Sondhi started the yellowshirts (yellow being Rama IX's b'day colour) in Lumpini Park. This geared up into Shut Down Bangkok, blocking major city intersections for what felt like months.

 

Jatuporn's redshirts followed on and also blocked traffic. While the yellows were perceived as middle-class, the reds were seen as the poor, peasants, farmers, workers. Which meant the result was a massacre. They also suffered some false flag incidents such as the explosion & fire on the top floor of Zen dept store.

 

Yes, it's all corrupt. At least we got healthcare.

[billd766]

23 hours ago, hotchilli said:

A bit like the Shin clan ?

Not really.

 

Neither of them has ever stood in election and won.

 

Just a pair of opportunists, trying to appear relevant and failing miserably.

 

I would not trust either of them any further than I could throw Government House one handed.