Thai Constitution Court President Chat Doesn't Fear 'Dark Influences'

[webfact]

Chat says he won't step down and doesn't fear of 'dark influences'

By The Nation on Sunday

Constitution Court president Chat Chonlaworn said yesterday he would not step down from his post as a result of the video-clip scandal and reports of assassination threats against the court's judges.

Chat said he would carry out his post without fear of any "dark influence" and pressure, adding that he had not received any phone death threats as some judges had.

Asked to respond to Chaturon Chaisang, former Thai Rak Thai Party caretaker leader's call for him to step down to take responsibility over the controversial clip surrounding the Democrat Party dissolution case, Chat said he did not need to resign as he carried out his duty independently and the clips would not have any effect on judges' decision.

He dismissed Pasit Sakdanarong, the secretary to the Constitution Court chairman, because he misbehaved by holding talks with a litigant.

Chat denied reports that he ordered the arrest of Pasit, saying the man was not a suspect and the fact-finding panel would probe who should be responsible for production of the clips.

Meanwhile, Thepthai Senpong, spokesman to the Democrat Party leader, said he did not believe that there were enough grounds for Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit to seek to impeach Democrat Party chief adviser Chuan Leekpai and Democrat Party Ranong MP Wirat Romyen.

He said Prompong's action was politically motivated to link the two to the controversy even though Wirat earlier said the party was not involved with what he did.

Thepthai said he believed Pheu Thai Party and the red shirts were behind phone threats against judges because they wanted some judges or the whole panel to quit so that they could use them as a reason to stage political rallies.

Pheu Thai Party deputy leader Plodprasob Suraswadi said the public wanted to know if the Democrat Party lobbied the court over the dissolution case and not if Pheu Thai Party committed offences or not.

"For example, a thief breaks into the house next door. As a neighbour we record the clip as evidence to the police for use in arresting the suspect. Liken this to the court clips, a case in which police should arrest the thief not the people who recorded the burglary," he said.

He dismissed as "insincere" the Democrat Party's move to probe Wirat over the clip scandal, saying the Department of Special Investigation was hunting the people who recorded the clips.

He said police should find answers to the following questions:

How many times had Pasit and Wirat met and what did they discuss? Did Wirat try to lobby the court? If he did, what else did he do after that? And were Wirat or Pasit guilty of a crime?

Wirat said the Democrat Party's legal team was working on writing a closing statement for the party dissolution case and would complete the draft on Tuesday and submit it to the court next week.

He said there had been efforts to interfere with the court's judgement by claiming that more clips against judges would be released to discredit the country's justice system. Whoever was responsible for the production of the clips had also tried to link Privy Council chief General Prem Tinsulanonda to the scandal in a move to destroy the institution aside from the justice system.

-- The Nation 2010-10-24

[princejohnjay]

Pheu Thai Party deputy leader Plodprasob Suraswadi said the public wanted to know if the Democrat Party lobbied the court over the dissolution case and not if Pheu Thai Party committed offences or not.

"For example, a thief breaks into the house next door. As a neighbour we record the clip as evidence to the police for use in arresting the suspect. Liken this to the court clips, a case in which police should arrest the thief not the people who recorded the burglary," he said.

He dismissed as "insincere" the Democrat Party's move to probe Wirat over the clip scandal, saying the Department of Special Investigation was hunting the people who recorded the clips.

He said police should find answers to the following questions:

How many times had Pasit and Wirat met and what did they discuss? Did Wirat try to lobby the court? If he did, what else did he do after that? And were Wirat or Pasit guilty of a crime?

Now that's what's up. we should be asking if the democrats did lobbied the court and how many times have they had this secret meetings and what they had discussed...if the democrats are clean then they should be able to defend it...Hunting for people who made the clips is just insane, rather they should be awarded for letting the public know that the people we call saints are actually the ones destroying this country...

[whybother]

<snip>

Now that's what's up. we should be asking if the democrats did lobbied the court and how many times have they had this secret meetings and what they had discussed...if the democrats are clean then they should be able to defend it...Hunting for people who made the clips is just insane, rather they should be awarded for letting the public know that the people we call saints are actually the ones destroying this country...

I thought they had already said that they didn't lobby the court. They also said that they didn't organise the meeting that Pasit taped.

[asiawatcher]

All much to do about nothing and in usual mixed up Thai way of thinking they will continue the smoke screen to cover the facts. No point even wasting time trying to fathom out and in the end, who cares? The dissolution and elections will sweep all under the rug to be forever forgotten.

[OzMick]

"For example, a thief breaks into the house next door. As a neighbour we record the clip as evidence to the police for use in arresting the suspect. Liken this to the court clips, a case in which police should arrest the thief not the people who recorded the burglary," he said.

I'm afraid this analogy breaks down when you are the one who sent an invitation to the thief.

[Buchholz]

Hunting for people who made the clips is just insane, rather they should be awarded for letting the public know

I think Pasit, whenever he returns to Thailand, will be "awarded" a lengthy prison term on multiple counts of illegally taping private discussions amongst court judges.

I disagree that hunting for criminals who flee the country after perpetrating criminal acts is "insane".

Edited October 24, 2010 by Buchholz

[OzMick]

It seems chat thinks that he is a big wheel; really he's just small potatoes.

[chantorn]

"For example, a thief breaks into the house next door. As a neighbour we record the clip as evidence to the police for use in arresting the suspect. Liken this to the court clips, a case in which police should arrest the thief not the people who recorded the burglary," he said.

I'm afraid this analogy breaks down when you are the one who sent an invitation to the thief.

Just hang the whistle blower. This is Thailand.

[SergeiY]

<snip>

Now that's what's up. we should be asking if the democrats did lobbied the court and how many times have they had this secret meetings and what they had discussed...if the democrats are clean then they should be able to defend it...Hunting for people who made the clips is just insane, rather they should be awarded for letting the public know that the people we call saints are actually the ones destroying this country...

I thought they had already said that they didn't lobby the court. They also said that they didn't organise the meeting that Pasit taped.

pfff. And you believe that? What you expect them to say? Of course they deny it, as always.

Thailand needs a law that protects whistleblowers and more leaked videos like that that expose the corrupt. princejohnjay is right.

[animatic]

ROTFLOL.

You really do stretch the envelope of credible commentary.

Situational ethics at it's worst.

[whybother]

<snip>

Now that's what's up. we should be asking if the democrats did lobbied the court and how many times have they had this secret meetings and what they had discussed...if the democrats are clean then they should be able to defend it...Hunting for people who made the clips is just insane, rather they should be awarded for letting the public know that the people we call saints are actually the ones destroying this country...

I thought they had already said that they didn't lobby the court. They also said that they didn't organise the meeting that Pasit taped.

pfff. And you believe that? What you expect them to say? Of course they deny it, as always.

Thailand needs a law that protects whistleblowers and more leaked videos like that that expose the corrupt. princejohnjay is right.

The Dems were asked and they answered. Whether I believe it, in this case, is irrelevant. There is an investigation now ongoing, but the"whistle blower" is off shopping and unable to provide any more information.

At the moment all we have is the taping of a meeting, supposedly organised by the "whistle blower", and videos of other related AND UNRELATED events with unrelated and made up commentary, all just aimed at putting doubt in the red shirts minds when the decision goes for the Democrats, which it is likely to do.

[whybother]

double post

Edited October 24, 2010 by whybother

[Bagwan]

These shopping trips get my goat. Doesn't TAT blurb about what a wonderful shopping experience Thailand can provide? Why do these phu yais, well anybody worldwide, have to go abroad to shop? I nip around the corner to Friendship on Pattaya Tai to buy a tin of sardines in tomato sauce and don't feel the need to sashay off to Chiang Rai to make such a purchase. 

These people must be demented to feel the need to fly thousands of miles and accord a simple everyday activity such making purchases such importance that it takes precedence over assisting the RTP or legal processes. I do hope that Thai Airways have taken note that excess baggage charges will probably accrue and that the Customs mafia have their calculators at hand to determine import duties. There seems to be a need for Judges and senior policemen to say to those of such contemptuous behaviour "Get  your sorry ass here - or else."