Thailand Revokes Thaksin's Passport

[chrislarsson]

"The problem is that the constitutional court has been politicized. Do anybody believe that Abhisit will get dismissed if he appears in a cooking show? "

I really doubt that anybody would accept, in any country, the idea that the PM should be spending time in preparation of and filming a cooking show.

He broke logical and sensible laws.

That's quite a statement. Obama was a guest in Jay Leno's show just a few weeks ago for instance.

[astral]

What is the penalty for Treason - if found guilty?

as you likely know, most of Thai law is based on English law and treason was a capital offence

although hanging was abolished in 1965, treason remained on the statute as a hanging offence

i suspect it still may be, but i am not 100% sure

certainly its not been used as a punishment for treason for many years

i would guess its still on the thai statute.

In England the death penalty has not been abolished.

There is still a working gallows at Wandsworth jail.

And presumably there is still a hangman on a retainer.

The death penalty has been abolished for murder.

The death penalty is still there for treason.

I think. Please correct me if I am wrong.

I believe Treason and Arson in Her Majesty's shipyards still carry the death penalty, in the UK

[lounger]

So far none of Thailand's top security people have come out to admit that they failed to provide security for regional leaders and Thailand's guests.

Abhisit is known to have sought advice from a special unit, set up in haste under his command. As Thaksin played his cards one by one, the advisers countered each hand effectively until Thaksin lost his bet.

At this hour, with the power of the emergency decree in his hand, it is Abhisit - not the Army chief - who is the most powerful person in Thailand. He must use this occasion wisely by controlling the red shirts and dealing with the failure of the security apparatus, which has been undermining national interest and the government's stability.

We expect to see a reshuffle of top security and peacekeeping personnel soon.

However, if Abhisit resorts to his image of a timid Oxford graduate, he would be missing out on an opportunity to take the country forward. Now is the time for him to stand tall and be the prime minister of Thailand.

Source: The Nation - 15 April 2009

Nicely understated sentence " We expect to see a reshuffle of top security and peacekeeping personnel soon. " I would have thought the personnel in question are wondering whether they are criminally liable for failing to take action, and busily wondering whether they can effectively CTA. ( cover their <deleted>). I guess a reshuffle will be less explosive...

[monkfish]

Jai Dee

Thanks for that article, I enjoyed it.

I can only say that imho, Abhisit has played a complete masterstroke. I wonder if he was on the Oxford University Chess Team? Some things just don't add up as to why a group of very intelligent people allowed the ASEAN conference to run in the format that it did. We on this site could all see the potential problems, Abhisit must have seen them. I wouldn't be surprised if behind closed doors the first statement by him to the other ASEAN leaders was along the lines of 'guys we are expecting alot of trouble this week, we may have to postpone, I know its a ballsache but we will all be better off in the end'.

As much as the ASEAN leaders may have thought 'how weak' when the Thai government 'allowed' the protestors through to the conference, the message was quite clear, the Thais would avoid using force at all costs unless the situation was really bad. When force was used it became completely acceptab le and understood. Thaksins news interview disassters were scripted around the 'terrible continuing military oppression' of the Thai people, he had been desperate to engineer a confrontation in order that the Army stepped in, but it has backfired more than he (Thaksin) could ever have calculated. Thaksin has orchestrated his own very public downfall. Abhisit gave Thaksin enough rope to hang himself and he did just that. There is a post on here somewhere from a forum member saying that people in his very staunch redshirt town are now no longer wearing their redshirts or will even engage in discussion about Thaksin or what happened in Bangkok.

Abhisit I think you are a closet genius I tell you, Genius.

edited to add

jamesjdaly

Don't worry, what Offset said! I think if they get him back in this country they might just lose the keys. Inciting revolution could only be seen as the worst case of treason, Thaksin might be lucky to escape with his life if found guilty, and if he does I think he will be locked away and disappear into obscurity.

This is a brilliant analysis!! If Abhisit really planned his moves like that he is a true genius indeed!

Still, I believe that Anupong and the Pattaya police chief duped the government by not taking the action they should have taken. The royal cliff is relatively easy to defend as it has only one access road. Anupong was not involved in the actions taken in Bangkok, a good hint that there went something wrong.

Yea a couple of hundred protesters make it through 2000 soldiers with 2 possible entry points.

I don't think you would need an Oxford Degree to work that one out! or am i wrong???

[monkfish]

If Thailand rebukes Thaksin's Passport there could be a revolution.

Thailand is not very famous for peaceful revolutions!

In which case you may consider leaving Bangkok!!

[TEFLMike]

What is the penalty for Treason - if found guilty?

as you likely know, most of Thai law is based on English law and treason was a capital offence

although hanging was abolished in 1965, treason remained on the statute as a hanging offence

i suspect it still may be, but i am not 100% sure

certainly its not been used as a punishment for treason for many years

i would guess its still on the thai statute.

No, the death penalty no longer exists in Europe. The Human Rights Act, ensured it was abolished.

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index...14080028AAmRCpH

In England the death penalty has not been abolished.

There is still a working gallows at Wandsworth jail.

And presumably there is still a hangman on a retainer.

The death penalty has been abolished for murder.

The death penalty is still there for treason.

I think. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[animatic]

See this video clip!!!!!! Local medias are not telling the truth!

Apparently, a downtown battle field sparked yesterday as the puppet government used the military troop by way of declaring the state of emergency over the area of Bangkok Metropolitan and its vicinities to specifically dissolve by force the Red-shirt protesters. Red-shirt protesters politically demand the puppet prime minister and government-entangling privy councilor head to resign.

In pictures, the troop brutally shot the Red-shirt protesters, who defended their barracks for political rally, to dead and got severe injuries, while the latter retaliated with no weapons. Not only the ordinary citizen, but also a few monks and a three years old child were also murdered by firing bullets. Most corpses were secretly hidden, taken away and destroyed by the troop to avert any physical evidence. Up to now, nearly one hundred people were registered dead and injured, being drastically and contradictorily contrast to the government report, as saying only two persons were dead.

Some pictures exhibited the Red-shirt women knelled themselves down with flowers in front of the soldiers while begging for their lives. Some pictures delineated the soldiers' shameful actions drawing on by dragging and yanking the hair of an unarmed woman protester.

The government also made image-smearing stories, lies and deceptions by hiring people to wear the red shirts and ordered them to create chaos and destroy public properties during the evening time in order to generate widespread civil disobedience, as if the Red-shirt protesters had done by themselves.

Come on THaksin - the jigs up - we know who you are - trying to hide behind that bad english post

move on - its over - the heads been cut off and the foot soldiers are arrested or being hunted down now.

This is right out of propaganda 101 :

Spin wildely when things go wrong.

Inuendo 101 :

Say anything to implicate the enemy something may stick.

I'd say nice try...

but it is inept and pathetic in any language.

Call it a day.

[OldenAtwoody]

Thailand revokes Thaksin's passport

BANGKOK: -- Thailand has revoked the passport of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra for allegedly inciting protests that disrupted a major Asian summit, a government spokesman said Wednesday.

Asian leaders were forced to flee the summit in the coastal resort of Pattaya by helicopter on Saturday after pro-Thaksin demonstrators stormed the venue in an international embarrassment for the government.

"The foreign ministry has cancelled his passport," government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told AFP. "The incident on the 11th is the reason."

"The decision to cancel his passport was based on passport issuing regulations, which state that the ministry can cancel or recall a passport if it can prove that a person has caused damage to the country," he said.

Thaksin was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and lives in exile to avoid a two-year jail term for a corruption conviction. He has made a series of speeches to his supporters in Thailand by videolink and phone in recent weeks.

A Thai court issued an arrest warrant for Thaksin and 12 of his key supporters on Tuesday over anti-government protests in Bangkok that left two people dead the previous day.

The demonstrators abandoned a three-week vigil outside Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's offices on Tuesday to avoid a threatened military crackdown.

- AFP 2009-04-15

This is the last straw.

Sooner or later, he will be trapped in one of the very few countries that might allow him to stay, assuming he bribes their leaders, and they aren't particularly interested in maintaining relations with Thailand.

Marcos, the Shah, Duvalier – Thaksin just joined their ranks, and it’s just a matter of time.

Patience, my friends.

[animatic]

Jai Dee

Thanks for that article, I enjoyed it.

I can only say that imho, Abhisit has played a complete masterstroke. I wonder if he was on the Oxford University Chess Team? Some things just don't add up as to why a group of very intelligent people allowed the ASEAN conference to run in the format that it did. We on this site could all see the potential problems, Abhisit must have seen them. I wouldn't be surprised if behind closed doors the first statement by him to the other ASEAN leaders was along the lines of 'guys we are expecting alot of trouble this week, we may have to postpone, I know its a ballsache but we will all be better off in the end'.

As much as the ASEAN leaders may have thought 'how weak' when the Thai government 'allowed' the protestors through to the conference, the message was quite clear, the Thais would avoid using force at all costs unless the situation was really bad. When force was used it became completely acceptab le and understood. Thaksins news interview disassters were scripted around the 'terrible continuing military oppression' of the Thai people, he had been desperate to engineer a confrontation in order that the Army stepped in, but it has backfired more than he (Thaksin) could ever have calculated. Thaksin has orchestrated his own very public downfall. Abhisit gave Thaksin enough rope to hang himself and he did just that. There is a post on here somewhere from a forum member saying that people in his very staunch redshirt town are now no longer wearing their redshirts or will even engage in discussion about Thaksin or what happened in Bangkok.

Abhisit I think you are a closet genius I tell you, Genius.

edited to add

jamesjdaly

Don't worry, what Offset said! I think if they get him back in this country they might just lose the keys. Inciting revolution could only be seen as the worst case of treason, Thaksin might be lucky to escape with his life if found guilty, and if he does I think he will be locked away and disappear into obscurity.

This is a brilliant analysis!! If Abhisit really planned his moves like that he is a true genius indeed!

Still, I believe that Anupong and the Pattaya police chief duped the government by not taking the action they should have taken. The royal cliff is relatively easy to defend as it has only one access road. Anupong was not involved in the actions taken in Bangkok, a good hint that there went something wrong.

Yea a couple of hundred protesters make it through 2000 soldiers with 2 possible entry points.

I don't think you would need an Oxford Degree to work that one out! or am i wrong???

Abhisit gave them enough rope to hang themselves and they took the bait.

It was a matter of time as Thaksin escalated, and when he sent the kids and EX-wife out

it was clearly time, and yet the A Team Anupong and Abhisit STILL laid back,

and let the Reds show their real faces on the world stage in full glare of cameras.

I suspect the 'escape from Pattaya' was well in place and well orchestrated

by ALL leaders security cordons in concert with Abhisit's.

Basically while LOOKING whimpy Abhisit has lured Thaksin into irrevocable mistakes,

that were done on the international stage in full view,

even if some editors like at BBC, have yet to read past their stock file footage

and grasp the facts.

Yeah this cat played some chess,

and read books that Thaksin only paid others to read and synopsis for him.

Without the rable rousing rats nest of talking heads, with direct lines to Thaksin in play, this can now cool.

The guys who ran the street show are now not inciting and organizing....

cooler times, less focused aggression, even if laten anger lingers.

Less Dear Leader blather too, less control of a enraged mob,

now a cowed mob without direction.

Thaksin over-reached yet again, as he has done so many times in the past,

and made irrational decisions when under pressure,

as he has done so many times in the past.

It was this same juxtaposition of his character flaws

that no doubt was observed by those around him,

and gave rise to his original ouster in 2006.

Edited April 15, 2009 by animatic

[OldenAtwoody]

Thepthai: Dubai accepted negotiation on Thaksin's extradition pact

Personal Spokesperson of Democrat Party Leader Thepthai Senpong divulged that negotiations between Thailand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) about Mr. Thaksin's extradition was now being made.

Mr. Thepthai revealed that Thailand and UAE had already started the negotiations on Mr. Thaksin's extradition. He said Dubai agreed to coordinate with Thailand in dealing with the former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had filed documents to the Embassies to explain Mr. Thaksin's behavior and the allegations against him.

Moreover, he said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also sought coordination from the International Police or Interpol to bring Mr. Thaksin back to Thailand to stand trial in the Thai juridical procedures.

Source: National News Bureau of Thailand - 15 April 2009

Ummm, would that have anything to do with the massive air travel between Dubai and Bangkok that occurs numerous times a day with Emirates and Etihad?

[faranginexile]

This is the best news I've heard in a long time. Doomed to roam the world on a Nicaraguan passport!! WELL DONE ABHISIT!!

But it would be a big mistake to extradite him back to Thailand. Even if he did spend time in (a luxury) jail, he would soon be free to wreak havoc and spiteful vengeance and tear this country apart on his release.

Would be better to ban him forever.

Agreed. Better he should never return - or at least not until he (and his extended family) are completely broke, and thus, de-balled.

A supreme irony here is that if Thaksin had just taken his lumps like a man and gone to jail for a few months, he would have emerged from the whole ordeal with his integrity not merely intact (since, let's face it, "integrity" isn't the first word that came to mind with then-PM Thaksin) , but vastly improved. I had completely missed that his entire sentence was only two years; surely he would have served but a fraction of that. One can imagine the spectacle that would have surrounded his release from whatever mild form of incarceration he would have been subject to, which would then have served as a launching pad for Thaksin, Part III (or whatever).

Instead, he fled, only confirming his guilt in the eyes of many, including some erstwhile supporters. Rather than recognizing his Mandela moment, he revealed himself to be no better than a hopped-up BMTA driver in the wake of a nasty accident. Thank goodness for small favors.

[endure]

What is the penalty for Treason - if found guilty?

as you likely know, most of Thai law is based on English law and treason was a capital offence

although hanging was abolished in 1965, treason remained on the statute as a hanging offence

i suspect it still may be, but i am not 100% sure

certainly its not been used as a punishment for treason for many years

i would guess its still on the thai statute.

In England the death penalty has not been abolished.

There is still a working gallows at Wandsworth jail.

And presumably there is still a hangman on a retainer.

The death penalty has been abolished for murder.

The death penalty is still there for treason.

I think. Please correct me if I am wrong.

I believe Treason and Arson in Her Majesty's shipyards still carry the death penalty, in the UK

On 10th October 2003 the UK government acceded to the 13th protocol of the European Convention on Human Rights which abolished the death penalty completely in the UK. There are no crimes which carry the death penalty in the UK any more. The last working gallows (in HMP Wandsworth) was dismantled in 1992 and moved to the 'Galleries of Justice' museum in Nottingham.

[v2drinkers]

"The problem is that the constitutional court has been politicized. Do anybody believe that Abhisit will get dismissed if he appears in a cooking show? "

I really doubt that anybody would accept, in any country, the idea that the PM should be spending time in preparation of and filming a cooking show.

He broke logical and sensible laws.

That's quite a statement. Obama was a guest in Jay Leno's show just a few weeks ago for instance.

And Tony Blair did a comedy sketch whilst still in power

[OldenAtwoody]

Yesterday or before yesterday a Muslim community wrote a letter to the King of UAE, asking for help as the red shirts damaged their mosque. Maybe that also helps a little bit.

There is no such person as the King of UAE, or of Dubai - The Ruler of Dubai is His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the vice-president and prime minister of United Arab Emirates (UAE), a federation of seven Gulf emirates.

Sam:

Thanks for this important clarification. Readers may want to note that His Highness Sheik Mohammed OWNS the Emirates Group, including the airline, i.e. "In 2006, Al Maktoum will become the Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE, and the ruler of the emirate of Dubai. In 2007, his wealth will be estimated at $16 billion.".

Edited April 15, 2009 by OldenAtwoody

[Trouble]

After browsing through pages of comments it appears that most of the posters here are so vehemently opposed to Taksin and the Red Shirts that they readily praise Abhisit and the Yellow Shirts despite the fact that they basically seized power through the same means that the Red Shirts tried to use. Doesn't seem to me that either side really has any legitimate right to run the country. It appears that at some point the Yellow Shirts (if nothing worse happens) will re-write the constitution and call for elections. Let's wait and see how that Constitution allows them to control the voting in Thailand to favor themselves. If you want to call that reconciliation, so be it. If the Red Shirts had used the military and police to stop the Yellow Shirts at the airport people here would people here be saying? Seems like it just depends on whose side one is on whether the tactics are fair or not. Seems to be little impartial thought presented here. Maybe Taksin is a bad guy and had to go but the means used to do it were undemocratic and unlawful and once done there was no attempt for all parties to reconcile and work toward something better. It just turned in to a grab for power once again. There is little chance that the people of Thailand will see any improvement in the way the government represents them as it has been forgotten that they are their to represent the people and work for the betterment of ALL constituencies. How anyone defends either the Red Shirts and Taksin or the Yellow Shirts and Abhisit is beyond me. Seems depending on whose side one is on the end justifies the means where constitutional and lawful or not.

Edited April 15, 2009 by Trouble

[monkfish]

Lets have a go at predicting the future.

In 4 years there will be an election the Reds will win.

There will be another coup based on corruption charges

No conviction of treason of course for the Coup as usual. Must be good to be untouchable

The opposition will be banned from politics just to make sure there is no competition.

There will be new elections, Reds win again! lol, ousted again for corruption (or may be cooking), well we know every politician has something so shouldn't be too difficult to do.

The opposition won't have enough seats to establish a government so politicians will have to be convinced somehow probably by Military leaders to change sides.

Hey presto!! New PM. Elite in control again!

That's democracy in Thailans

[baht&sold]

Reality check:

"You say you want democracy and you want the un-elected PM to step down, but then you'll replace him with another un-elected PM... that just doesn't make sense"

Al Jazeera reporter comment to flustered Puea Thai MP and red co-leader Jatuporn after his comments acknowledging Mr Thaksin would likely be arrested if he returned now. (next best red 'hope'is a PM Chalerm then?)

Chok dee

[henryalleman]

And now what. If worst comes to worst, he will flee to Uganda or Burundi and be able to live quite comfortably in the presidential palace there with his billions.

Uganda, Burundi comfortable,

have you ever been there,

[shawndoc]

With his money, he can buy a citizenship of many countries, but this cannot protect him from arrest and extradition if the Thai Government wants to get really heavy... Inciting a revolution, which is what he tried to do, is certainly a treasonable offense, and the damage he caused to Thailand is inconceivable. Surely there are charges that would warrant hi arrest anywhere and his extraditioin to Thailand.

And I hope they don't try to force him to come back. If he gets extradited to Thailand, expect a lot of violence. The yellows will take to the streets demanding he be convicted, the reds will hit the streets demanding he be freed, and when the two collide it will get ugly. Not only will you have those two sides at each others throats, there's plenty of gangsters and others who will help incite the violence on both sides for their own gain.

Once the violence starts to get ugly, expect the military to take over again in the name of restoring order.

Leaving Thaksin essentially "exiled" is probably the best thing for Thailand right now.

"The problem is that the constitutional court has been politicized. Do anybody believe that Abhisit will get dismissed if he appears in a cooking show? "

I really doubt that anybody would accept, in any country, the idea that the PM should be spending time in preparation of and filming a cooking show.

He broke logical and sensible laws.

That's quite a statement. Obama was a guest in Jay Leno's show just a few weeks ago for instance.

Last I checked Obama wasn't paid for his appearance nor did he lie and try to hide the payments. The law he broke was no secret, and is put in place to prevent influence peddling and the laundering of illegal campaign contributions. Most countries have similar laws.

[Trouble]

Lets have a go at predicting the future.

In 4 years there will be an election the Reds will win.

There will be another coup based on corruption charges

No conviction of treason of course for the Coup as usual. Must be good to be untouchable

The opposition will be banned from politics just to make sure there is no competition.

There will be new elections, Reds win again! lol, ousted again for corruption (or may be cooking), well we know every politician has something so shouldn't be too difficult to do.

The opposition won't have enough seats to establish a government so politicians will have to be convinced somehow probably by Military leaders to change sides.

Hey presto!! New PM. Elite in control again!

That's democracy in Thailans

Best prediction for the future I have seen yet!

[henryalleman]

Jai Dee

Abhisit I think you are a closet genius I tell you, Genius.

I agree with you. I was very surprised to see the way he dealt with the chaos provoking protesters. The international community should learn a lot from him. He is a genius right now! Completely Agree!

In tempore non suspecto

(henryalleman @ 2009-04-11 14:33:55)

IMHO Abhisit is playing the game very intelligent not using violence yet, more and more the red's are loosing credibility with the Thai population. Because lets face facts, there is no general support from the Thai people to the red's.

The pattaya situation will give him the opportunity to let some heads role from senior police and army officers, and maybe even a reshuffle of his cabinet.

I think he study Sun Tze very well.

[BigBikeBKK]

Apisit should be executed with the military who killed people.

There are no reason at all to use real gun, real tanks and real bullets shot over to innocent people and children. Where is the human rights and have all medias lying to make them look good and made some bad stories to Red shirts which they are tons of people.

Is this a communists country, Reds have no right to protest the government and all Reds's sources of medias, they are to shut down.

They put the dead bodies into the truck and destroyed the evidences!! professional killers!!!!

Why don't do this to the South of Thailand.... may be no ability to overcome that!!!

Stop it already! In an amazing display of restraint the Thai military killed no one. Foreign and domestic media were present throughout the Red Shirt terrorist riots and you have not provided a single picture or video to corroborate your insane accusations.

Communist country?! The Prime Minister has been very clear that peaceful protest was and is welcome. However, violent mobs like Toxin's Red Shirts are absolutely unacceptable. The Red Shirt Terrorists got of very lightly IMHO.

[monkfish]

We all have to read and use our brain matter to figure out the truth!

This has happened before in Thailand i.e. people killed and just vanish i.e Thammasat University I believe so we can not rule it out,

It may however not be the case which I really hope to be true.

One thing I couldn't work out in the crackdown is why Soldiers were shooting prone! Really no need with paper bullets???

Thai media don't help in the matter by not reporting the whole truth, this only leads to rumors and many Thai people already

believe it was a cover up! They claim not to have used live bullets but there is video evidence from UK TV they did.

Anyway not 1 person slightly injured from M16??? is very hard to believe considering.

[henryalleman]

This is still Thailand and no matter what you are found guilty of, he still has enough cash to buy anything he wants; including his freedom. We should never forget that.

WRONG! Thaksin is not a very rich guy compared to other business people here in Thailand.

Now the entire world will watch that legal procedure arround Thaksin and an "elephant can't be covered with a lotus leaf" !

/edit typing error

Who are you trying to kid? 'not a very rich guy! Ha Ha!

He was reported to have spent c.$1.5 billion on a private jet just last month.

JUST who are these business people people you are comparing him too. Is there an equivalent of the Forbes listing here in Thailand or do you have other sources? Seriously.

one name on the Forbes list can't be mentioned.

[erikr_]

What is the penalty for Treason - if found guilty?

What happened to the passports of the yellow leaders that ruined the country long before this week?

Pot and kettle.

I don't care anymore about who has the power, they are all the same corrupt bunch anyway

[henryalleman]

In England the death penalty has not been abolished.

There is still a working gallows at Wandsworth jail.

And presumably there is still a hangman on a retainer.

The death penalty has been abolished for murder.

The death penalty is still there for treason.

I think. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[/quote

I think you wrong, By EU law even a verdict of death penalty is not allowed, needless to say that therefore the death penalty don't exist any more in any EU member state, Abolish the death penalty is a Conditio sine qua non to become an EU member state.

That's why many, if not all EU member states never extradite an alien to a country where the risk exist he will get the death penalty. Normally they make an gentleman's agreement first about it, before they extradite.

[monkfish]

May be a little off topic but about passports, did you know Abhisit has 2 Passports?

I guess he will have to give one up as its against the constitution to be dual nationality?

Conflict of interest and all that red tape stuff.

Unless he changes the law of course.

[Merangue]

Jai Dee

Abhisit I think you are a closet genius I tell you, Genius.

I agree with you. I was very surprised to see the way he dealt with the chaos provoking protesters. The international community should learn a lot from him. He is a genius right now! Completely Agree!

In tempore non suspecto

(henryalleman @ 2009-04-11 14:33:55)

IMHO Abhisit is playing the game very intelligent not using violence yet, more and more the red's are loosing credibility with the Thai population. Because lets face facts, there is no general support from the Thai people to the red's.

The pattaya situation will give him the opportunity to let some heads role from senior police and army officers, and maybe even a reshuffle of his cabinet.

I think he study Sun Tze very well.

Err i think you may well be utterly wrong there. A hel_l of a lot of Thai's outside of Bangkok are fully behind the Red's. Simple fact is that a lot of Thai's are also scared of the Army and of getting killed, maimed, arrested or hurt in some other way.

Just because some of the Reds are thugs does not detract from the fact that a lot of Thais feel that they have been cheated and that the government in power right now is not legitimate.

There is a difference between not condoning Violence and not believing in the call for new and free elections.

[henryalleman]

This is still Thailand and no matter what you are found guilty of, he still has enough cash to buy anything he wants; including his freedom. We should never forget that.

WRONG! Thaksin is not a very rich guy compared to other business people here in Thailand.

Now the entire world will watch that legal procedure arround Thaksin and an "elephant can't be covered with a lotus leaf" !

/edit typing error

Who are you trying to kid? 'not a very rich guy! Ha Ha!

He was reported to have spent c.$1.5 billion on a private jet just last month.

JUST who are these business people people you are comparing him too. Is there an equivalent of the Forbes listing here in Thailand or do you have other sources? Seriously.

By the way here is a list fo the to 40 wealthiest in Thailand:

http://www.forbes.com/2008/07/09/richest-t...9thai_land.html

Thailand is currently number 16 with $400 million dollars, about 10 percent compared to the richest one.

The richest one in Thailand have an asset of 35 billion $.

[BigBikeBKK]

We all have to read and use our brain matter to figure out the truth!

This has happened before in Thailand i.e. people killed and just vanish i.e Thammasat University I believe so we can not rule it out,

It may however not be the case which I really hope to be true.

One thing I couldn't work out in the crackdown is why Soldiers were shooting prone! Really no need with paper bullets???

Thai media don't help in the matter by not reporting the whole truth, this only leads to rumors and many Thai people already

believe it was a cover up! They claim not to have used live bullets but there is video evidence from UK TV they did.

Anyway not 1 person slightly injured from M16??? is very hard to believe considering.

Rubbish- Besides the media, how many Thais do you know that don't have a camera phone? If anyone was shot by the Thai military there would be hundreds of pictures and video clips. I'm amazed the Reds didn't shoot a couple of their own members purely for propaganda points. There were many injured during these riots, but no evidence of anyone being shot by an M16.

All of the pictures and videos to date show that the violence was instigated and perpetrated by the armed Red Shirt Terrorists while the Thai police did nothing and the Thai military showed amazing discipline and restraint.