Pm Unfazed By Opposition Plans To Impeach Him

[churchill]

BANGKOK, Aug 1 (TNA) -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Saturday he was not concerned by a plan by members of the opposition Puea Thai Party to attempt to impeach him over accusations that he is intervening in the senior police officers annual reshuffle which takes effect October 1.

Stressing that he has violated neither the law not the Constitution, Mr Abhisit said he has done nothing wrong, despite charges to the contrary from Puea Thai members.

Political activist Sondhi Limthongkul warned the ruling Democrats they could be in for political trouble if the prime minister ‘remains idle’ regarding the post of national police chief held by the current occupant Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwan, who must vacate the position on reaching the compulsory retirement age of 60.

Mr Abhisit said his duty is to facilitate the overall police investigation of the attempted assassination of Mr Sondhi and that the country’s administration will not be damaged by altering the timetable of annual transfers.

Police are investigating the April 17 ambush of Mr Sondhi, top leader of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD). Both the man and his movement played a central role in campaigning to oust prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, culminating in the coup of September 2006.

Mr Sondhi received serious wounds in the ambush.

Gen Patcharawat has announced his decision to take 10 days’ leave for a mission overseas, expected to start next week, possibly to be extended by another 30 days, paving the way for a possibly unhindered further investigation of the Sondhi incident and the annual senior police officers reshuffle.

Mr Abhisit declined to say who would be appointed acting chief while Gen Patcharawat is absent.

The premier asserts that he has no conflict with the country’s top police officer, but that he believed that some groups wanted to manipulate the issue for their political gain.

Mr Abhisit said he had met with Deputy National Police Chief Pol Gen Thani Somboonsap and Assistant Police Chief Pol Lt-Gen Assawin Kwanmuang to discuss the investigation of the morning rush hour violence, which both me said was posing no difficulty.

The prime minister said he has ordered the officers to find the culprits because the public is “watching and criticising.” (TNA)

http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=11095

-- TNA 01/08/09

[webfact]

Thaksin confident he can return to Thailand in 6 months: Kwanchai

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is confident that he can return to Thailand in six months, Kwanchai Praiphana, chairman of the Udon Thani Loving Club, said Saturday.

Kwanchai said he met Thaksin in Dubai and he expressed the confidence that the political situation would change and the Democrat-led government would collapse so he would be able to return in six months.

Kwanchai said Thaksin also promised that he would return to serve the people by returning to politics.

-- The Nation 2009/08/01