Did Abhisit Text Himself Into More Trouble?

[webfact]

ASK THE EDITOR

Did Abhisit text himself into more trouble?

By Tulsathit Taptim

The Nation

It's easy to text your way to trouble. Ask Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. He might learn the hard way - yet again today - that no matter what you have done in the past, it will always come back to haunt you.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is set to announce its decision today on what looked like a completely harmless SMS that Abhisit sent out to 17 million Thais shortly after he became PM in late 2008. That SMS, in which he essentially declared himself Thailand's new prime minister who was ready to communicate with all citizens to find a way out for the country, may have violated a few laws, according to critics.

Abhisit, whose party is bracing for a possible dissolution ruling by the Constitution Court, has good old Ruengkrai Leekitwattana to thank for this new potential time bomb. The senator, along with some Pheu Thai MPs, have asked the NACC to see if those SMS were a "gift" given to Abhisit by telecom operators, in which case the prime minister will have violated the anti-corruption law prohibiting officials from accepting any present worth more than Bt3,000.

If the NACC decides that the complaint does have ground, then it will have to work with the public prosecutors to file a case against Abhisit and Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij with the Supreme Court's section for political office holders. If things go that far, Abhisit will have to be suspended from duty.

The key point here, of course, is whether the telecom operators were giving Abhisit a "gift" worth far more than Bt3,000, or whether he and the companies were only working together to advance a government campaign for public interest.

This question already surfaced at a no-confidence debate not long after Abhisit became prime minister, but at that time the attention it received was next to nothing.

The Pheu Thai Party insisted that this was not just the case of receiving a very expensive gift, but also an abuse of power. Three telecom companies, if they had indeed been promised tax waivers as alleged, could have been "bribed" to serve Abhisit's self interests. Or they could have been "forced" to help the new prime minister promote himself. Either way, the government was "wrong" in getting them involved.

Then there was the issue of invasion of privacy. The blanket SMS "bombardment" may have violated the rights of millions of Thais. Yet, considering the "Bid today for the cheapest laptop" or "Download the coolest ringtone" messages people receive every hour, this charge seems to hold the least water.

Abhisit will use the same defence he used at the censure. Thailand was deeply divided when he became prime minister, so he only wanted to open a new channel of communications to engage the public in a quest for reconciliation. The telecom operators took part in the campaign voluntarily and were neither bribed nor forced to cooperate.

Did the SMS "benefit" Abhisit? Yes, as it helped present a good image for a new prime minister.

Was it intended for public interest? Again, there seems to be strong argument for a "Yes". And also, political use of the short messaging service was nothing new when Abhisit came to power. The point of contention here is that the three telecom operators provided the service for free.

Reports yesterday indicated that Abhisit was likely to be let off the hook over this one. Yet there is no foolproof guarantee of political survival nowadays. The party dissolution case the Democrats are facing has been built around issues that Thai politicians would not have cared less for about a decade ago, so last night must have be another sleepless night for the prime minister.

-- The Nation 2010-07-16

[FarangCravings]

Almost as Pathetic as throwing a PM out for hosting a cooking show but HEY according to whakos on TV the law is the law I hope he goes down n in flames like his predecessors he is hunting for corruption

Corruption is Corruption no matter if you think you are doing good

[webfact]

NACC decides for additional probe into SMS case

By The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The NACC has decided to launch additional probe on SMS case involving Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij, NACC member Klanarong Chantik said on Friday.

Based on the prilimanry report, Abhisit and Korn formulated a policy to communicate with the people before the royal appointment of the prime minister on December 17, 2008, Klanarong said.

On December 16, 2008, Korn called a meeting of three mobile phone operators, AIS, Dtac and True Move, asking for their cooperation to provide short messaging services as a public service.

The SMS were sent out after the government came to power and all messages were screened and approved by Abhisit and Korn. The three operators signed off the SMS as sent by UR PM, an abbreviation for your prime minister.

The three confirmed they had cooperated in sending out SMS as the public service on several occasions in the past, such as the publicity related to Apec Summit in 2003, the royal ceremonies, The tsunami calamities, the power seizure and the Bangkok gunatorial race.

Following its debate on Thursday, the NACC found insufficient factual information to rule on the cause of guilt.

The complaint against Abhisit and Korn included the legal and tax issues for granting income tax exception from revenues generated by the SMS.

Unlike other short messages sent out as the public service which had no replies, the people responded by replying to SMS sent out by Abhisit and Korn, Each reply generated a Bt3 revnue for the operators.

Korn, after assuming office, ruled to exempt income tax on the revenue from SMS he deemed as public service.

The NACC ruled to collect additional evidence on whether Korn had abused his office on the tax exemption.

After completing the additional probe on the tax issue, the NACC will then proceed to rule whether launch the impeachment proceedings against Abhisit and Korn.

-- The Nation 2010-07-16

[onnut]

What a load of Cods Wollop!!!

Leave the guy alone to do his job.

How can they expect to move forward by bringing up bullshite like this all the time?

[Captain Haddock]

If the telecom comapnies benefitted financially in any way, which they certainly did, then there is corruption afoot... but will anyone pay?

[kuffki]

Man you got to love PT love for its people.

All PM did was introduced himself, which is a nice change, yet here they are looking for corruption and abuse of power.

What and how exactly did PM gain financially from sending sms?

[animatic]

It's a ridiculous charge in the 1st place.

The airwaves are a licensed public utility,

and communicating to the public, using public access mechanism,

via using the public airwaves is part of the brief for any government.

Just more idiocies from PT to win back power.

What is the percentage of PTP charges that actually are actionable?

A startlingly minuscule percentage. Why can't they be charged for

spurious / frivolous lawsuits?

If the NCCC goes along with this,

then I suspect some one has gotten to them...

[chuang]

What and how exactly did PM gain financially from sending sms?

..Well said....."What and how exactly did the former PM Samak gain financially from hosting a cooking show..

[DerringDo]

What a pathetic load of rubbish.

There are always some looking to rock the boat for personal gain

[animatic]

What and how exactly did PM gain financially from sending sms?

..Well said....."What and how exactly did the former PM Samak gain financially from hosting a cooking show..

He was paid 5,000 baht per trip. Which HE gave to his chauffeur. The limit is 3,000 baht.

Smak was also GIVEN FREE political airtime worth 100's of thousands of baht

to talk HIS politics, incidentally while cooking.

His own lawyers told him to drop the job, and he ignored them.

And then he lied about it in court. And got caught.

Abhisit didn't gain financially from, send this request for feed back from people with phones.

And the the privacy argument is utter BS, because we get dozens of SPAM SMS messages we can't shut off weekly.

Edited July 16, 2010 by animatic

[Tigs]

I find this all more than a little staggering that when some MP's have been/are involved in corruption cases in the Billions of Baht, the opposition party are trying to bring down a PM for an infringement of a 3000 Bht rule. The PM was clearly not benefiting from the texts as he was already declared PM. The MP's should all be knuckling down and working for the people of this country, and accept that until the PM has finished his current legal term of office. At that point they can put boxing gloves on and beat each other up for all I care, but not now, the people deserve a chance.

My understanding of the current case against the government is that during election campaigns, money is given to them for advertising on billboards amongst other forms of media. The adverts must be of a particular size, it transpires that some of the adverts were either a few centimeters to small or too big, therefore the opposition claim that the government must be dissolved. There is no hope for this country and the people whilst this sort of public schoolboy jockying goes on. I thought behaviour of MPs in the UK was abysmal but they take it to a new level here.

[NCFC]

Cooking show - sms - double standards anybody??

[NCFC]

Animatic, you're wriggling like a worm on a hook. Ha Ha Ha!

[animatic]

NCFC... not hardly.

[hoaker]

The wonderfulness of thai politics. They are all in parliament to find flaws and oust each other. SMS, Cooking, shooting up international satellites rather than national for personal gain. WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP AT THE EXPENSE OF THE THAIS. When tha hel_l are they really going to talk about policies and the poor in this country?

Hmmmmmm F&%KING NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Robby nz]

Was wondering if PTP has ever done anything constructive in this term?

Seems to me everything they do is designed to either hurt the Dems or the country.

Their MP's were elected by their constituncies to be part of a parliament that is there to run the country for the good of the people.

Just because they are called the opposition doesnt mean they have to oppose anything and everything.

They should be working for the good of the country, sitting on comitties, supporting good legislation, trying to improve bad and if it cant be improved then opposing it.

They appear to be hunting for any small excuse to disrupt the country and prevent it moving forward.

I suppose their platform for the coming by-election says it all when the only real policy they have is bring back Khun T.

[philw]

Was wondering if PTP has ever done anything constructive in this term?

Seems to me everything they do is designed to either hurt the Dems or the country.

Their MP's were elected by their constituncies to be part of a parliament that is there to run the country for the good of the people.

Just because they are called the opposition doesnt mean they have to oppose anything and everything.

They should be working for the good of the country, sitting on comitties, supporting good legislation, trying to improve bad and if it cant be improved then opposing it.

They appear to be hunting for any small excuse to disrupt the country and prevent it moving forward.

I suppose their platform for the coming by-election says it all when the only real policy they have is bring back Khun T.

Pretty similar tactics to the Dems a few years ago.

Remember the unopposed election ???

What's good for the gander etc......

[dasy]

The wonderfulness of thai politics. They are all in parliament to find flaws and oust each other. SMS, Cooking, shooting up international satellites rather than national for personal gain. WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP AT THE EXPENSE OF THE THAIS. When tha hel_l are they really going to talk about policies and the poor in this country?

Hmmmmmm F&%KING NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thailand never ceases to amaze!!!

[mazeltov]

Almost as Pathetic as throwing a PM out for hosting a cooking show but HEY according to whakos on TV the law is the law I hope he goes down n in flames like his predecessors he is hunting for corruption

Corruption is Corruption no matter if you think you are doing good

The law is the the law and nobody can be above the law, you are right. That is Abhisits gospel.

PM Abhisit will sue you and you will get 6 month or one year jail term if you claim that Abhisit is unusual rich or if you dare to say that Abhisit had improperly behaved during an audience, he will bring you to the criminal court too.

[Robby nz]

The law is the the law and nobody can be above the law, you are right. That is Abhisits gospel.

PM Abhisit will sue you and you will get 6 month or one year jail term if you claim that Abhisit is unusual rich or if you dare to say that Abhisit had improperly behaved during an audience, he will bring you to the criminal court too.

As you bring up the subject of sueing people Maz you might like to tell us about your friend Juthaporn's threats on that one.

Could be a long post.

[Just1Voice]

Ok, here's how I look at it. This same committee made rulings within a few WEEKS in regards to Samak and the cooking show, as well as against Somchi Wongsawat in regards to the Preah Vihear agreement endorsement. To me, both of those were nonsensical and hardly worth removing a PM for.

So now we have another nonsensical case, but in this instance, it has dragged on for over a year. Klanarong Chanthik, a commissioner with NACC said they hadn't been able to make a ruling yet, which is very important because it concerns the removal of a PM and Finance Minister, and require careful consideration. Doesn't sound like they took that "careful consideration" into account against the two former PM's, and were able to give decisions within weeks, but have now taken over a year to reach a decision for this one.

Sorry, but it doesn't take over a year to figure out if someone is guilty or not on this case, and it seriously sounds like nothing more than a bid to buy more time for the Democrats.

If the law can't be applied equally to everyone, then those applying it need to be replaced with those who can and will.

Edited July 16, 2010 by Just1Voice

[SomTumTiger]

NCCC just dropped most of these stupid complaints - filed by the good for nothing PT Party. It is funny watching them run around like cockroaches every time I flip on the light though. hahahaah

[mazeltov]

What and how exactly did PM gain financially from sending sms?

..Well said....."What and how exactly did the former PM Samak gain financially from hosting a cooking show..

He was paid 5,000 baht per trip. Which HE gave to his chauffeur. The limit is 3,000 baht.

Smak was also GIVEN FREE political airtime worth 100's of thousands of baht

to talk HIS politics, incidentally while cooking.

His own lawyers told him to drop the job, and he ignored them.

And then he lied about it in court. And got caught.

Abhisit didn't gain financially from, send this request for feed back from people with phones.

And the the privacy argument is utter BS, because we get dozens of SPAM SMS messages we can't shut off weekly.

That Samak misused the cooking show for his politics was never part of the court case against him. That is you your propaganda agitation.

A TV channel you just can switch, you don't had to watch a cooking show with Samak, but is difficult to avoid a spam SMS. And this particular SMS didn't contain something useful information as some fusion food recipes, extraordinaire, like pork leg stewed in coca-cola.

If i send a SMS, i will have to pay for it. How big would my telephone bill for 17 million SMS?

I got that Spam SMS too, that was a while ago, cant remember what he wrote exactly, something like. 'Greetings, it is me, Your PM, and i promise everything will be well soon and back too normalcy. send a SMS to me if you wanna know more'.

It smelled fishy like your usual scam sale spam message you can get in e-mail. but i never get something like that on the phone before. It was on a post paid number, so i registered it with my passport and maybe even with my wp, but i never apply for a service to get messages from Abhisit, nor gave him otherwise my number. He should had actually knew that i am just a migrant with a wp and not a thai citizen. Anyway i hope he don't get 5 years jail now for trying to drag foreigners into issues of Thai domestic politics, that would be a little bit over the top.

But if that SMS violates the Thai law, he has to face the consequences. Don't matter if he is the PM or had only 'good intentions'.

[richieudon]

TiT

[shrekroma]

If the law can't be applied equally to everyone, then those applying it need to be replaced with those who can and will.

If those are a group of small people. Then your theory is right.

But in Thailand, the entire system is collapsing.

Double standard is everywhere - every single aspect in Thai society.

Rich vs Poor. Elites vs Common people. These things do exist.

There is so much trouble that most of people believe the law can be abused to serve one in power - whichever side it is.

I see no positive sign no matter what result this case will turn out.

It'll eventually spin to political turmoil and just make one side more angry.

[charmonman]

Ok, here's how I look at it. This same committee made rulings within a few WEEKS in regards to Samak and the cooking show, as well as against Somchi Wongsawat in regards to the Preah Vihear agreement endorsement. To me, both of those were nonsensical and hardly worth removing a PM for.

So now we have another nonsensical case, but in this instance, it has dragged on for over a year. Klanarong Chanthik, a commissioner with NACC said they hadn't been able to make a ruling yet, which is very important because it concerns the removal of a PM and Finance Minister, and require careful consideration. Doesn't sound like they took that "careful consideration" into account against the two former PM's, and were able to give decisions within weeks, but have now taken over a year to reach a decision for this one.

Sorry, but it doesn't take over a year to figure out if someone is guilty or not on this case, and it seriously sounds like nothing more than a bid to buy more time for the Democrats.

If the law can't be applied equally to everyone, then those applying it need to be replaced with those who can and will.

If NACC was really as biased towards the Democrats as you imply then they would have just declared Abhisit innocent by now instead of dragging him through this nonsense, wouldn't they? Perhaps the reason they haven't ruled as quickly on this one is that it is not as clear cut. Samak was directly paid by for his TV show in which he also apparently propagandized for his own political position. That seems a little more straightforward than this SMS BS.

As for replacing those applying the law with those who can apply it equally to everyone - exactly who do you suggest? The Thaksin camp has a pretty poor record on that one, don't you think?

[TheBarbarian]

I seldom receive any SMS message for the cheapest laptop believe  me. The operator who send me one single message without my written permission will have a big problem. So neither DTAC or AIS will send me SMS messages that I have no subscribed too. Therefore it is absolutely an invasion of privacy. There must be a very big twist in letting the people believe that companies sending 17 million messages promoting a prime minister do that for the good of the public. Unfortunately the Nation owners are not yet in jail too after the then NCC raided their offices, because they twisted news and received money for the good of the country. <div><br></div><div>This is not a democratic country, Thailand is a banana republic in which police, prosecutors and judges are corrupted to the bone. Even web masters are willing to give details of posters without a warrant. Still the very same argument is used every time. Let's hope that there are a few judges with balls left in thailand that get rid of the old clique of politicians on both sides of the isle for once and forever. From Abhisit, to Sanan and from Sanoh to Chavalit. From Banharn to Suthep and from Thaksin to Newin. They have all one thing in common. They do everything for the good of the country and for the better of their bank accounts. They all have ego's that can explode any minute. A 5 year ban is not enough. The guillotine should it be.</div>

[Just1Voice]

Ok, here's how I look at it. This same committee made rulings within a few WEEKS in regards to Samak and the cooking show, as well as against Somchi Wongsawat in regards to the Preah Vihear agreement endorsement. To me, both of those were nonsensical and hardly worth removing a PM for.

So now we have another nonsensical case, but in this instance, it has dragged on for over a year. Klanarong Chanthik, a commissioner with NACC said they hadn't been able to make a ruling yet, which is very important because it concerns the removal of a PM and Finance Minister, and require careful consideration. Doesn't sound like they took that "careful consideration" into account against the two former PM's, and were able to give decisions within weeks, but have now taken over a year to reach a decision for this one.

Sorry, but it doesn't take over a year to figure out if someone is guilty or not on this case, and it seriously sounds like nothing more than a bid to buy more time for the Democrats.

If the law can't be applied equally to everyone, then those applying it need to be replaced with those who can and will.

If NACC was really as biased towards the Democrats as you imply then they would have just declared Abhisit innocent by now instead of dragging him through this nonsense, wouldn't they? Perhaps the reason they haven't ruled as quickly on this one is that it is not as clear cut. Samak was directly paid by for his TV show in which he also apparently propagandized for his own political position. That seems a little more straightforward than this SMS BS.

As for replacing those applying the law with those who can apply it equally to everyone - exactly who do you suggest? The Thaksin camp has a pretty poor record on that one, don't you think?

Gee, when I pointed out the expediency in which guilt was found against two former MP's for their actions, I don't remember saying whether I thought they were guilty or not, merely that I thought the cases were "nonsensical", by which I mean "very petty", and not really worth dismissing a PM for. I also stated that I thought this case against the current PM is also "nonsensical", making no reference to his guilt or innocence in the matter, but merely pointed out that it has taken over a year to make a decision which, IMHO, is merely "foot dragging" on something that should be relative simple to investigate and decide.

However, I should have realized that any comment I make which can be interpreted, or should I say "misinterpreted" by a Yellow PAD Democrat, is going to immediately draw their flack. Try reading the post with an OPEN mind and understanding what it says, instead of interpreting it to say what you want.

[mazeltov]

NCCC just dropped most of these stupid complaints - filed by the good for nothing PT Party. It is funny watching them run around like cockroaches every time I flip on the light though. hahahaah

FYI:

This case was filed by Senator Ruangkrai Leekitwattana. The senator is not affiliated to any political party (like all active Thai senators are not members of a political party) nor targets he only the Democrats with his complaints. Senator Ruangkrai filed also a couple of complaints against the PPP government and the PMs of this time.

Ruangkrai Leekitwattana most famous successful complaint was the lawsuit against Samak for hosting two cooking shows despite taking office.

It is funny to watch the usual suspects and TV board leading fanbois of Abhisit, how they always blame Thaksin/red shirts/PTP and stick to that meme. Not that they unable to admit that their beloved Abhisit isn't that perfect at all, but they also come up with their comments and conclusions with a significant lack of knowledge on the details in thai politics. 555555

[FarangCravings]

Man you got to love PT love for its people.

All PM did was introduced himself, which is a nice change, yet here they are looking for corruption and abuse of power.

What and how exactly did PM gain financially from sending sms?

Because he did not have to pay for them himself so he made a huge savings