Clemency Bid For Thaksin Shinawatra

[Plus]

It's not illegal until the courts rule on the complaints (filed by PAD and Democrats).

[sriracha john]

He said an official of the Royal Household Bureau will wait at the Wiset Chaisri gate of the Grand Palace, the location of the bureau, and red shirt demonstrators will not be allowed through the gate to reach the Bureau.

I have 2 questions in all of this is;

1. If the petition is illegal / not valid / not in accordance with protocol etc. as some are saying, then why is the governemnt asking people to remove their names from it should they feel the need to do so and why is the Royal Household prepared to accept it at the gate of the Palace?

2. Why isn't it being ignored as it should be if it is illegal / not valid / not in accordance with protocol etc?

Any simple explanations please.

The article didn't specifically say they would "accept" the petition from whomever presents it.

Additionally, from another thread in which Chavalit declined Thaksin's offer to be the presenter...

The source said the UDD was lobbying a former military leader or a senior bureaucrat to act as its representative following a report that the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary would not allow the UDD to hand over the petition at the office premises.

Edited August 15, 2009 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

General Chavalit won’t join petitioning

Lt Gen Phirat Sawaphirat, a close aide of former prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyuth denied as groundless the report that General Chavalit would be one of the eight representatives of the red-shirts to present the petition for a Royal Pardon for fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Monday.

"It is not possible for General Chavalit to do so. The ex-premier is duty-bound to protect the monarchy, not to create any problem to the high institution”, Lt Gen Phirat said on Saturday, adding that he personally considered the petition for Thaksin pardon by leaders of the United front for Democracy against Dictatorship is inappropriate.

Maj Gen Sornchai Montriwat, another close aide of General Chavalit took the same tone. He said General Chavalit will never do that as he has been sticking to his “middle ring” policy and thus he will not take sides. UDD leaders plan to present the petition to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary inside the Grand Palace at about 1.00pm on Monday amidst

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/15...oin-petitioning

-- Bangkok Post 2009-08-15

[Samuian]

............edited......

during the day, they will parade 75 big national flags to symbolise the year when absolute monarchy turned into constitutional monarchy (BE 2475).

-- The Nation 2009-08-14

Does everyone understand in what direction this is pointing?

...is the fugitive a reincarnation of a historic figure

with a rather similiar name.....will he finally have a

gain to face a similiar fate?

[animatic]

Due south!

Will Taksin the Great, and Thaksin the Prat,

meet similar fates for similar reasons?

I wonder if Jim Thompson's is on retainer for official "Silk Sacks" yet?

Edited August 15, 2009 by animatic

[sriracha john]

Thaksin petition will be thrown out: PM

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday that the petition by supporters of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra to seek Royal clemency for him would be rejected as it did not conform to legal criteria.

Abhisit said Thaksin himself or his family must be the petitioners.

He said normally the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary would seek the government's opinion about the petition and if the government believed the petition did not conform to the criteria, it could dismiss it on the grounds of legality.

He said that if the red shirts filed a general-complaint petition, the government would look into the matter but a political petition was another matter.

The prime minister said he had instructed caretaker national police chief General Wichian Pojphosri to try to prevent clashes between two political rival groups with events expected to take place close to each other tomorrow.

One event is the verdict in the rubber-sapling case to be read at the Supreme Court's Political Division for Political Office Holders.

The PM urged the red shirts to rally within the frame of the law after a report that they planned to stage a protest outside Government House. "The country is moving forward: do not let it trip,'' he said.

Meanwhile the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will send 200 municipal police to check CCTVs installed at significant spots around Sanam Luang yesterday night to ensure that they work properly, and security officials will stand by at some spots to prevent anyone from damaging the CCTVs. Mobile medical units will also be sent to the area tomorrow morning.

Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Thanathip Sawangsaeng said the military was ready to help police if they needed its support to keep the peace in the capital.

Veera Musikapong, a leader of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship, said the red-shirt rally would start in the morning at Sanam Luang with Thaksin phoning in to thank his supporters, who would move to the Bureau of the Royal Household at 1pm. They will sing the royal anthem before dispersing at 2pm, he said.

He said there would not be any clash, even if the red shirts were provoked.

Special Branch Police Bureau commissioner Lt-General Theeradet Rodpothong said police expected about 20,000 red shirts from 50 provinces would come to Bangkok to attend the rally.

Meanwhile, Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Political Sciences Dean Charat Suwanmala lectured yesterday on petitioning for clemency, saying laws in most countries opposes amnesty for politicians convicted of conflict of interest.

"If politicians are sentenced to jail and a government siding with them legislates to grant amnesty, the justice system is under the influence of lawmakers and the government, and the balance of power is disrupted,'' he said.

-- The Nation 2009-08-16

[sriracha john]

5 monks, 10 red-shirt supporters to submit petition next Monday

BANGKOK, 15 August 2009 (NNT) – Five monks and other 10 red-shirt supporters will submit their petition to seek the royal pardon for the ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra next Monday.

Veera Musikkaphong, one of the core leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), said the petition would be submitted at Wiset Chaisi Gate of the Grand Palace, where officials from the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary would accept the petition.

Veera said the former premier would phone-in around 10.00 am on the same day in order to greet and express his appreciation to his supporters prior to the submission of the petition. He added the former premier’s speech in his phone-in would exclude political subjects.

Veera said 1,000 monks and another 1,000 red-shirt supporters would march from Thammasat University to Wiset Chaisi Gate of the Grand palace, but only five monks and other 10 red-shirt supporters amongst them will be representatives to submit their petition.

-- NNT 2009-08-15

[sriracha john]

5 monks, 10 red-shirt supporters to submit petition next Monday

BANGKOK, 15 August 2009 (NNT) – Five monks and other 10 red-shirt supporters will submit their petition to seek the royal pardon for the ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra next Monday.

Each petition has three pages with one signature at the bottom of the third page.

10,000 petitions is 30,000 sheets of paper, or 66.6 stacks of regular A4 paper(450 sheets), and it would weigh 130kg, if they use 70 g/m2 paper.

Multiplied up to equal 6,000,000 petitions means quite a bit of a heavy load for just 15 people to carry.

Or will they be driving 15 fork lifts?

[animatic]

Gonna be a lot heavier if it rains too...

But I guess they will think of little red raincoats for the petition.

What, no respected person, or General, or Ex. PM...???

Looks like that idea was pretty much stillborn.

So many ACTUALLY respected people have weighed in on the

inappropriateness, illegality and distastefulness of this whole game

no one in their right mind wants to risk reputation giving a patina of legitamcy

to this.

Shining up a giant turd till it gleams in the sun, doesn't make it anything but a turd.

Thaksin has a PR company; they sometimes use 'Food Wranglers to make food

look even better on camera. I wonder if Thaksin's PR weenies have turd wranglers to?

Edited August 16, 2009 by animatic

[sriracha john]

Poll: UDD´s royal pardon is politically-motivated

BANGKOK, 16 August 2009 (NNT) - The majority of the respondents of the recent survey of the Suan Dusit Rajabhat University agreed that the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship's (UDD) royal pardon was politically-motivated.

The Suan Dusit poll conducted a survey among people on their viewpoints toward the ongoing amnesty petition for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The poll showed that majority of respondents or 37.17 said the matter was a political game to win the rivalry by dragging the royal institution into politics; 28.93% said their actions might cause social chaos; 20.43% viewed that the people were used as a political tool and the remaining 13.47% stated that the petitioners should abide by the law rather than seek for royal pardon.

In addition, the survey indicated that majority of respondents or 27.54% voiced concerns over the possible violence between two groups while urging all sides not to pressure the royal institution.

The respondents also felt pity on the people who were exploited as political tools. 36.07% of respondents believed that the royal pardon would not end with bloodshed while urging all sides to avoid clashes.

-- NNT 2009-08-16

[sriracha john]

Wichien: Only 50 UDD supporters allowed to file amnesty petition tomorrow

BANGKOK, 16 August 2009 (NNT) – Acting National Police Chief Police General Wichien Pojphosri announced that only 50 supporters of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) would be allowed to present the Royal Pardon petition with the Bureau of the Royal Household tomorrow.

Police General Wichien stated that he had convened with related sectors to adopt measures to curb the situation during the UDD rally to petition for a Royal Pardon for fugitive ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on 17 August.

The Acting National Police Chief assured that 1,500 officers would be deployed at Sanam Luang while Na Phra Lan Road would be closed from Thammasat University to Wiset Chaisi Gate of the Royal Palace.

Police General Wichien insisted that only a group of 50 UDD supporters would be allowed to file the petition and boxes of related documents at Wiset Chaisi Gate.

He elaborated that representatives of the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary would come to receive the petition, and the police would carry all the documents into the Bureau of the Royal Household accordingly.

-- NNT 2009-08-16

[sriracha john]

Fears of clashes loom

Reds present petition today; Newin supporters to gather outside court

Two gripping political dramas reach their climaxes today - the lodging of a petition to His Majesty the King seeking clemency for former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, and the reading of the Supreme Court's verdict in the rubber-sapling case against Bhum Jai Thai Party core leader Newin Chidchob.

The red-shirted supporters of Thaksin will march to the Grand Palace, where at Wiset Chaisri Gate they will hand the appeal to a representative from the Office of His Majesty's Private Secretary.

At the same time, the blue-shirted devotees of Newin will turn up at the Supreme Court's Political Division for Political Office Holders, which is located near Sanam Luang.

Since the two activities will take place very close by, authorities are afraid there could be clashes between the red shirts and blue shirts if they do not get the political results they want.

The red shirts will converge at Sanam Luang in the morning and Thaksin will phone in to their rally at about 10am.

The verdict in the rubber case against 44 defendants, including Newin, will be read out at 2pm.

Suriyasai Katasila, coordinator for the People's Alliance for Democracy, warned of a possible political twist if a third party took the opportunity to create a scene for its own benefit.

He questioned the impassive stance by military leaders, saying they will be the key factor wielding influence over the situation.

"It is very strange that they have kept very quiet, giving no comment,'' he said. Thaksin left a message on Facebook and Twitter that he was composing a speech to address to the gathering of his supporters.

He said it was what had been on his mind, that he wanted to speak out long ago, but he had not found a more suitable opportunity than today to do so.

Jatuporn Promphan, a core leader of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship, said Thaksin would call in twice - before the filing of the petition and afterwards. Veera Musikapong would lead the representatives to present the petition, then the gathering would be disbanded before 2pm.

He said he had learned that people were hired for Bt1,000 to provoke the red shirts. He warned the blue-shirt leaders that the red shirts were prepared for such a scenario and were determined to bring the plotters of turmoil to justice.

He said the red shirts would not move to the courthouse and he was told that there had been a plan to make the court postpone the verdict for one month by having some defendants not show up.

Two large tents were put up at Sanam Luang as a makeshift stage, equipped with loudspeakers and tables for more signatures from Thaksin's supporters. The red shirts will start arriving at 1 in the morning.

The petitioning procession will be headed by bearers of Thai flags and Dhammachak flags, representing religion, followed by a group of monks, holders of the petition and the general public. It will move from Sanam Luang to Wiset Chaisri Gate of the Grand Palace to submit the petition to representatives.

A Royal Household Bureau source said the 15 red-shirt representatives would not be allowed to enter the palace as requested by their leaders to prevent possible disturbances and to keep peace and order within the palace.

Traffic will be blocked off at Na Phralan and Na Phrathat roads to prevent any confrontation between the red and blue shirts.

Panithan Wattanayakorn, PM's deputy secretary-general and acting government spokesman, downplayed fears of scuffles between the two rival political groups, saying he believes the red shirts only intended to file the petition and resort to peaceful means.

-- The Nation 2009-08-17

[sriracha john]

Thaksin calls on Govt not to block his petition

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra Sunday called on the government not to block the red-shirt people from petition His Majesty the King for a royal pardon from him.

Thaksin made the call during his phone-in to address some 10,000 red-shirt people who gathered at the stadium of Prachanukroh School in Nakhon Sawan's Muang district at 9:10 pm.

He said the people planned to submit the petition because they thought they had suffering so they wanted to seek help from His Majesty the King.

-- The Nation 2009-08-17

[sriracha john]

Some 10,000 red-shirt people descend on Sanam Luang

Some 10,000 red-shirt people from many provinces arrived at Sanam Luang at about 5 am Monday.

They arrived on buses and other vehicles from northern, northeastern and central provinces, such as Chiang Mai, Lampang, Nakhon Sawan, Udon Thani, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram and Bangkok's satellite provinces.

The rally ground was surrounded by some 500 guards of the red-shirt movement who wore black clothes.

-- The Nation 2009-08-17

[animatic]

So the only way Thaksin can see the highest office could help them

is to give Thaksin a come home free pass. What a rampaging ego.

This is not about helping the average citizen in tough times.

Thaksin would do no better dealing with this world economic plunge

as anyone else.

If Thaksin ordered PTP to work with the government in a constructive

rather than obstructionist way, great good could come of it for all Thais.

But that DOESN'T help THAKSIN does it?

This is about getting him off the hook, nothing more nothing less.

[sriracha john]

Red-shirts people submit petition

Red-shirts people submitted the Thaksin pardon petition to officials of the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary Monday afternoon.

The red-shirt people arrived at the Wiset Chaisri Gate at 12:25 pm.

They submitted the petition at about 1 pm to Injun Buraphan, deputy private secretary of His Majesty the King.

-- The Nation 2009-08-17

[sriracha john]

Previous article expanded...

Red shirts submits royal petition

Will today end peacefully or will there be untoward incidents? Follow the developments as they happen.

We hope today will not end in any manner that belies the red shirts' much-proclaimed intention. They are supposed to seek forgiveness, or mercy, or whatever they want to call it, so let's hope the purportedly humble nature of their campaign stays that way throughout the day and beyound.

I will update key developments as they happen and give some analyses if necessary. In my opinion, Thaksin Shinawatra's supporters have the right to seek royal petition for him, as long as they respect whatever judgement or decision of HM the King afterwards. This doesn't mean I agree with claims in the petition that Thaksin's conviction was unfair. The Ratchadapisek land deal is a simple, straightforward case, and, with or without the coup, it broke the law.

10 am: Veera Musigapong, a red-shirted leader, said members of the movement will soon march to a gate of the Grand Palace, singing "Sadudee Maha Raja" (Love Live the Great King) along the way. There they will meet a royal representative.

One highlight is that Thaksin will sing along from his overseas hideout.

10.45 am: Thaksin has given a message through video link watched by his supporters gathering at Sanam Luang. Still adamant that his conviction was "a joke", he said seeking help from the monarch was his last resort. "We need to rely on His Majesty in order to bring back justice and peace" to Thailand, he said.

"It's funny how the owners, the buyers and the sellers were all acquitted while I was the only one who was convicted," he said.

Thaksin, I need to remind you, was convicted for giving consent to his then-spouse Pojaman to buy the lucrative Ratchapisek piece of land, thus breaking a law that prohibits such practice.

Wearing a red shirt, Thaksin said he wished HM the King to have a long life like Phra Anond. According to Buddhist history, Lord Buddha's closest aide passed away when he was 120 years old.

When he finished his speech, Thaksin turned and bowed to the portraits of Their Majesties the King and the Queen behind him.

11.30 am: The red parade had been taking peaceful shape. Veera wore a white shirt with a red necktie. In front of the parade were monks and students carrying Thai flags and HM the King's portraits. According to the plan, only about 15 red representatives will meet their royal counterparts around 1 pm. Afterwards, it has been said, all the petitioners will disperse.

The red-shirt movement insisted that the petition was endorsed by more than 5 million signatures. The signed papers are contained in more than 500 boxes wrapped with red clothes. Each box reportedly contains 10,000 signed papers.

1 pm: The submission ceremony has begun in front of the Wiset Chaisri gate of the Grand Palace.

The petition has been submitted. It is Veera Musigapong who reads from the petition to Injun Buraphan, deputy private secretary of His Majesty the King, during the submission ceremony.

1:03 pm: It has been very peaceful so far.

-- The Nation 2009-08-17

[TAWP]

10.45 am: Thaksin has given a message through video link watched by his supporters gathering at Sanam Luang. Still adamant that his conviction was "a joke", he said seeking help from the monarch was his last resort. "We need to rely on His Majesty in order to bring back justice and peace" to Thailand, he said.

"It's funny how the owners, the buyers and the sellers were all acquitted while I was the only one who was convicted," he said.

Thaksin, I need to remind you, was convicted for giving consent to his then-spouse Pojaman to buy the lucrative Ratchapisek piece of land, thus breaking a law that prohibits such practice.

A person that mocks the courts ruling and shows no remorse can never be pardoned by His Majesty.

[sriracha john]

600 red boxes of petition-related documents

Bangkok Post / 2009-08-17

[sriracha john]

Dr Panithan clarifies process for royal pardon

BANGKOK, 17 August 2009 (NNT) – A petition seeking a royal pardon for ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra will be reviewed by the government and the Ministry of Justice before it reaches His Majesty the King, according to acting Government Spokesman Dr Panithan Wattanayagorn.

Dr Panithan said the petition, created by the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), will be reviewed by the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary and then forwarded to the government.

Once the administration has overlooked the petition, it will be submitted to the Department of Corrections for revision and the Minister of Justice for approval.

Finally, it will be returned through the Office of the Prime Minister's Secretary-General to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary, the acting spokesman said.

The Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary will have the final say as to whether or not the petition will be presented to His Majesty the King.

-- NNT 2009-08-17

[sriracha john]

Once the administration has overlooked the petition, it will be submitted to the

I believe our friends at the NNT actually mean....

once the administration has looked over the petition, it will be submitted to the

[sriracha john]

Thaksin supporters present petition seeking pardon

BANGKOK, Aug 17 (TNA) – Representatives of the 'Red Shirt' United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) movement on Monday presented five million collected signatures and their petition seeking a royal pardon for ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to His Majesty the King’s Deputy Principal Private Secretary.

Earlier Thaksin had telephoned his supporters, saying he was a ‘victim of injustice’.

The self-exiled ousted prime minister complained to his supporters gathering at Sanam Luang, thanking them for petitioning on his behalf to seek a royal pardon for him, saying he was a victim of injustice and a so-called double standard.

Thaksin telephoned his supporters at 11am before they were due to submit the petition to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary at the Grand Palace at 1pm.

"I was the victim of a smear campaign and that led my brothers to gather to seek His Majesty's clemency,” said Thaksin.

The ousted premier said he did not want to see divisiveness in the country as Thais are divided into two groups, the Red Shirt group of his supporters and the Yellow Shirt group, which opposes him.

"We want to see unity and reconciliation in our country. No matter what colour we wear, don’t let people who are indulged with power to make us fight each other. We must cling to unity for the King, so he won’t be worried,” Thaksin said.

He then took an oath that he and his family would be loyal to the King and the royal family until the last day of his life and led his supporters to sing a song in honour of the King.

About 1,500 police provided security at the capital’s Sanam Luang royal ceremonial ground as tens of thousands of the anti-government ‘Red Shirts’ from upcountry added numbers to the gathering.

Thaksin, ousted in a coup in 2006, was sentenced in absentia last October by a Bangkok court to two years imprisonment for abuse of power by helping his then wife acquiring a parcel of prime Bangkok commercial property at a price far below the market the market value.

-- TNA 2009-08-17

[brahmburgers]

Shinawatra to Sinatra, just take away the h and wa. but please don't let him take the mike and start singing ".... I did it my way."

Interesting news unfolding for Thais.

10.45 am: Thaksin has given a message through video link watched by his supporters gathering at Sanam Luang. Still adamant that his conviction was "a joke", he said seeking help from the monarch was his last resort. "We need to rely on His Majesty in order to bring back justice and peace" to Thailand, he said.

if T was honest, he should have said "We need to rely on His Majesty in order to bring back the justice and peace which I've worked so hard to eradicate these past several years."

[animatic]

600 red boxes of petition-related documents

Bangkok Post / 2009-08-17

Well there are the 600 little red raincoats!

Or red rubbers, maybe giant ego sized dental dams?

Red Rum. Red Rum.

Here's Johnny

[animatic]

Once the administration has overlooked the petition, it will be submitted to the

I believe our friends at the NNT actually mean....

once the administration has looked over the petition, it will be submitted to the

Oh, I suspect they will overlook that for sometime, before looking at it and giving thumbs down.

I LOVE a great Freudian slip.

[sriracha john]

Justice Ministry to examine petition

The government will assign the Justice Ministry to examine the pardon petition for Thaksin Shinawatra filed by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship to see if it meets all criteria, said acting government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn on Monday.

He said the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary, on receiving the petition from the UDD, has passed it to the government for examination.

The next step is for the Justice Ministry to go through all details including verification of the names of those who signed to support the petition to see if all criteria for making a petition are met before sending a report to the Prime Minister's Office with recommendations. After that the government will forward its opinion on the petition to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/15...xamine-petition

-- Bangkok Post 2009-08-17

[brahmburgers]

The next step is for the Justice Ministry to go through all details including verification of the names of those who signed to support the petition to see if all criteria for making a petition are met......

ummm let's see, 5,000,000 names at an average of thirty seconds per name, that's over 40,000 hours. in a 40 hour work week, that's 1,000 weeks. Suppose they had 250 workers working efficiently, it would still take four weeks to do the verification - and who's going to pay for those roughly 40,000 government hours of bureaucratic work?

[animatic]

The next step is for the Justice Ministry to go through all details including verification of the names of those who signed to support the petition to see if all criteria for making a petition are met......

ummm let's see, 5,000,000 names at an average of thirty seconds per name, that's over 40,000 hours. in a 40 hour work week, that's 1,000 weeks. Suppose they had 250 workers working efficiently, it would still take four weeks to do the verification - and who's going to pay for those roughly 40,000 government hours of bureaucratic work?

10,000 Red shirts on the work farm making license plates?

PAD, grannies knitting yarmulkes?

Yawowapa's sewing circle doily franchise?

Thaksin' accountants and spokesman Noppadon?

1 baht extra charged by every working boy and girl in Nana, Cowboy and Patpong?

Reselling heroin confiscated a Swampy?

The National Police Force?

The Afgani Judo team, if given enough time here?

Every living Thai who pays taxes?

Pick one.

Edited August 17, 2009 by animatic

[sriracha john]

Ex-PM pleads with His Majesty, teary over devoted red shirts

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, with tears in his eyes, pleaded with His Majesty the King to grant him royal amnesty and thanked his red-shirted supporters for submitting the petition on his behalf.

During a video link-up, watched by thousands in Sanam Luang yesterday, he said: "I, Thaksin Shinawatra, and my family will be loyal to the King and the monarchy forever."

More than 20,000 red shirts marched to the Grand Palace yesterday to submit the petition for clemency. Before the group started marching, they gathered in Sanam Luang to hear the song "Deeka Dub Thook Thang Paendin" (A Petition to End the Suffering of the Nation) blaring out of the speakers and listen to Thakin's address.

The former PM, who has been on the run for about a year now, spoke from an undisclosed location abroad, and said that he was turning to His Majesty as a last resort. "We need to rely on His Majesty to bring back justice and peace to Thailand," he said.

Wearing a red shirt, the colour favoured by his supporters, Thaksin said he hoped His Majesty would live a long, healthy life like Phra Anond, Buddha's close confidant who passed away at the age of 120, according to Buddhist belief.

"We are here to inform the father of every Thai that we want to see unity and harmony. We want to see the return of right, freedom and dignity to Thailand. We want happiness return to the country through reconciliation," Thaksin said.

He continued to be adamant that his conviction over the Ratchadaphisek land-purchase deal was "a joke".

"It's funny how the owners, the buyers and the sellers were all acquitted, while I was the only one convicted," he said.

Thaksin was sentenced last August to two years in jail after he was found guilty of abuse of power for allowing his wife to successfully bid on a plot of prime Bangkok property in a public auction in 2003.

After completing his message, the tycoon turned around to bow before the portraits of Their Majesties, before leading a rendition of "Sadudee Maha Raja" (Love Live the Great King) and chanting "Long Live the King" three times.

Once the petition was submitted, Thaksin returned on the link-up to announce that the event had brought tears to his eyes.

He said his family was also touched by the fact that so many people loved him. Thaksin went on to thank the country's citizens for being merciful and for their moves to restore peace, unity and prosperity in the country. He said he had watched the petition being submitted on People's Channel.

According to Thaksin, during one of his "around the world" trips, his plane was flying close to Thailand and his pilot asked if it was wise to enter Thai airspace because it could lead to a lot of trouble if there was ever a need for an emergency landing. Thaksin said he told the pilot |to fly through Thai airspace regardless.

"During those 20 minutes I meditated. I prayed to all things holy and said that if I was really a bad person, I should not be allowed to return, but that if I was a truly honest person, then I should be able to come back," he said.

"If I am given a chance to return, the first thing I will do is pay obeisance to you all," he said, adding that he will wait for a miracle and hoped that peace would bring him victory.

Natthawut Saikua, one of the organisers, then had the song "Chan Ja Klub Ma" (I Will Return) blaring from the speakers and asked Thaksin to sing along.

Thaksin then declared he had always believed that he will return one day.

"Although I'm being harassed, I will be patient and wait to return," he said, before he singing the royal anthem and then chanted "Chai Yo" three times.

The organisers then turned on the song about the petition to close the event, before the red shirts peacefully dispersed.

-- The Nation 2009-08-18

[Artisi]

Trust the petitions are not on red paper, bleaching it white to make toilet tissue will make it an uneconomical proposition.