Thai Cabinet Endorses Thaksin Amnesty Plan: Reports

[ETatBKK]

anything new, any surprise, just expected, just a matter of time and occasion

yet, smart though - it is Cabinet approved royal amnesty decree ! no one has authority to say no.

a pre-Christmas jingle - 'Thaksin is coming to town' !

[Kernow86]

Seems like the plot from a recent Wizard movie to me...

He who can not be named will return...

[Buchholz]

I'm not exactly a fan of both sides and I think that bringing Thaksin back will not be in anyway beneficial to Thailand. It's a start of another crisis.

As a guest of the country and unable to vote I think it wise that Farangs should keep their views to themselves Big Brother is watching YOU !!!!

Barely veiled threat?

not the least bit reassuring with the nick ID posting it

[sparebox2]

A military source said yesterday the Mi-17 helicopter was actually equipped with radar and could fly at night. Ms Yingluck's delegation also could have had another helicopter for her return on Monday night, which the military was ready to provide.

The source said the prime minister's delegation seemed to intentionally extend her trip in Sing Buri because they boarded the helicopter nearly an hour later than scheduled.

Corruption on top of corruption and so transparent.

The military done a nice little bit of stiring. I wonder is another coup iminent? Or more riots perhaps? Or will it be Mai-bpen-rai?

Made me mad reading the article and I'm not Thai.

jb1

"equipped", but is it "working"

The Black Hawk have radar too. And it still clash in day-light.

I wouldn't take the risk, would you? Honestly.

[ingvar]

Uhm what is the Parliament and Senate for? do they even have a function in the government?

[Insight]

Wow this is unbelievable. Millions still affected by the flood and now we see where this government's priorities lie. The country can be in shambles but they don't care as long as they can bring their beloved leader back. Shameful!

what's shameful is the man who did more positive things for thailand than anyone in recent history was couped out of office and forced into exile.

EXACTLY!! Finally a voice of reason on here.

Everyone seems to forget how things were ticking along nicely a few years ago. Look where we are now and how things have gone since 2006/2007..!!

You're forgetting how much money has been spent by somebody ensuring things don't go smoothly. Some people done very well out of those red rallies - specifically the leaders.

[animatic]

It's the way they did it that sums this mafia up.

Yingluck sneaks off to Singburi and states that "Oh it's dark now, my helicopter can't fly in the dark because it has no radar so I can't return for my cabinet meeting"

Army says "of course that model has radar and so does the other helicopter that is on standby"

Chalerm the magnificent holds the meeting kicking out all but a select few cronies. Meeting is "secret" - well all know why. Meeting agrees to this amnestty.

When cabinet is asked about the meeting the outcome is silence, no comment or Plodprasop "I can't say, it's a secret"

Yingluck, when asked, says "Don't ask me what they did - I wasn't there"

Absolute disgrace.

3 army helicopters clash in a single week, all flying in day-light. Including the most expensive US made black hawk with radar.

And you you say it is OK to fly at night?

If they can't put all the best parts in two choppers to ferry the PM then they might as well just go pick rice. The 3 crashes were not top level divisions units, but ones out there in cheapo, back country rank n file army land.

Amazing. You call the almost brand new US made Black Hawk a "CHEAPO"

You must be glad I am not American.

I was talking about limited maintenance budgets and spare parts allocations.

THAT should have been obvious.

Edited November 16, 2011 by animatic

[animatic]

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is Thaksin's younger sister, has yet to confirm or comment on a move that already attracted harsh criticism from the opposition.

Yingluck said she did not know the Cabinet had discussed the amnesty decree.

She didn't attend her Cabinet meeting and, as is her now long-standing habit, had someone else attend and take charge in her place. In this instance, it was Chalerm.

Right, she doesn't have a cellphone and no one told here what her cabinet was talking about...

Implausible deniability...not working.

Edited November 16, 2011 by animatic

[jackr]

As a guest of the country and unable to vote I think it wise that Farangs should keep their views to themselves Big Brother is watching YOU !!!!

Yep, my sentiments entirely. Cant help thinking news like this should be locked. These threads always go the same way and if the wrong person starts reading these comments and has a bee in their bonnet, wouldn't take much for TV (at least this domain) to be nobbled here and ole George sent back to Christmas tree land.

Edited November 16, 2011 by jackr

[Buchholz]

"convicts who are at least 60 years old and are sentenced to under three years in jail"

That's not even the least subtle...!!!!

at least they didn't include.... and those with a cuboid cranium.

.

[petedk]

Yingluck late Tuesday denied knowledge of what happened at the Cabinet meeting, asking reporters to ask Chalerm directly. Chalerm refused to comment

If I was CEO of a company and the board of directors or whatever held a meeting deciding something that could effect the fate of the company in my absence, I would certainly want to know what happened and was said at that meeting.

[renaissanc]

I don't think that things will turn out as Thaksin thinks it will.

I don't know about you, but I'm always losing things, and sometimes when I find them, they are not in their original condition. It's so frustrating!

Edited November 16, 2011 by renaissanc

[DocN]

everyone knew this was coming>>> no surprise here

+1

What is all the fuss about?

Yep...it's not right! Yep...there will be blood! Yep...the point in time is...well picked!

But PUUUULEASE don't act surprised y'all!

[WhisperingJack]

I hope that the Thai people can now see what this man's (no he is not a man he is a despicable individual) and the PTP's priorities are.

The worst flood in 50 years and do they try to assist the people who are affected?

No! Thier number 1 priority is to get amnesty for a convicted criminal.

Shame! Shame! Shame!

[ETatBKK]

The needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many.

Turbulent times ahead.

I must say, BIG SHOWS will start soon ! just more than a turbulence !

THAILAND will be continuously on international news headlines for many other years :-(

[petedk]

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is Thaksin's younger sister, has yet to confirm or comment on a move that already attracted harsh criticism from the opposition.

Yingluck said she did not know the Cabinet had discussed the amnesty decree.

She didn't attend her Cabinet meeting and, as is her now long-standing habit, had someone else attend and take charge in her place. In this instance, it was Chalerm.

.

The ONLY thing that Yinluck is good at is lieing!!! She is also becoming an expert at lieing about not lieing!! Now where I wonder has she picked this trait up from???:jap:.

Give her credit where credit is due. She's also good at running away from responsibility.

[steveromagnino]

Useful article by here:

http://asiancorrespondent.com/69633/did-the-thai-cabinet-discuss-a-collective-pardon/

Since we are less than 3 weeks away from the Kings Birthday I assume we are going to get some conformation fairly quickly on what has been agreed - particularly since there seems to be a stipulation that anyone granted a pardon has to be in the country when it is given.

That's like referencing my facebook posts as a source of information; guaranteed bias inbuilt into every sentence.

That said,we have so far seen:

- introduction of flawed popularist policies in a haphazard manner (partial success in introduction, unknown result)

- removal of several key policies on which they were elected (fail)

- attempt to muzzle the media (fail)

- attempt to manage the flood without declaring a SOE (epic fail)

- widespread participation in government matters by BANNED politicians locally (Sudarat) and abroad (TS) (fail)

- widespread intimidation and manipulation of donations channeling to red shirt and PT supporters, or renamed donations (not only personally observed but also almost every major aid and corporate making donations upcountry I know has related stories to me on this) (fail)

- now an attempt to push through a pardon (TBD)

- next....attempt to make BKK Governor post a political posting, not an elected one, following discussion on how to get rid of him legally without going to the polls (subversion of democracy, result TBD)

The interesting thing is the WAY in which they operate. Far from being bastions of democracy, we have a closed door meeting denying The People their right to transparent government, which typically is reserved solely for matters of security. We have the PM capable of attending (142km by road, helicopters available) but LYING to avoid attending which means she knew what would be discussed. We have a DPM chairing the meeting who showed complete disrespect to the legal system when he aided and abetted his son who alledgedly shot a policeman in the face in the Club 20 murder, then ran abroad from the law until the case could be tidied up with no witnesses remaining (eerily similar to a deposed convicted fugitive former PM who also showed his cahones by running from the law because he's not man enough to spend a couple of years in jail, which would have been over by now anyhow).

While the waters are still rising in some areas of southern, eastern and western Bangkok as the waters continue to flow; while we have some areas now 4 MONTHS flooded in septic foul water....they have had time to discuss how to muzzle the media, how to grant a pardon specifically worded to ensure their banned leader can return.

What I can only hope is that the remaining charges are heard and he faces his day in court LIKE A MAN WITH SOME HONOUR rather than using a popularity contest to pervert justice again by trying to make the process illegal rather than a battle based on the FACTS. Knowing his character, perhaps we can expect again a manipulation of the judiciary as he previously did in his asset concealment case in 2000 when he lied about his assets, but then used popularity to lean on the judiciary to ensure his so called 'honest mistake' was without punishment.

Thaksin is the Thai Berlusconi. Let's hope we discover his flaws at a faster rate than the Italians.

[petedk]

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is Thaksin's younger sister, has yet to confirm or comment on a move that already attracted harsh criticism from the opposition.

Yingluck said she did not know the Cabinet had discussed the amnesty decree.

She didn't attend her Cabinet meeting and, as is her now long-standing habit, had someone else attend and take charge in her place. In this instance, it was Chalerm.

Right, she doesn't have a cellphone and no one told here what her cabinet was talking about...

Implausible deniability...not working.

I bet they had Skype up and running though.

[Orac]

Useful article by here:

http://asiancorrespo...lective-pardon/

Since we are less than 3 weeks away from the Kings Birthday I assume we are going to get some conformation fairly quickly on what has been agreed - particularly since there seems to be a stipulation that anyone granted a pardon has to be in the country when it is given.

So if he comes back and sets foot on Thai soil can the police whisk him away to serve his 2 year sentence????

Ohhh I forgot, the police are his appointee's aren't they - are the army allowed to do this????? If they are, you can guarantee that his first step as he disembarks the plane will be assisted by a uniformed man taking hold of his arm and guiding him to his destination (it might not be the same as Thaksin's intended destination though)!!!

I would have thought that they would have a plan in place for this. There were rumours a couple of months back that the Special Branch detention cells at Bang Khen police school were being recommissioned for unknown reasons - one theory was for looking after a special prisoner???

[MaxOz]

I think this is great news. Just another example of why the developed world laughs at Thailand. Bring him back ASAP.

[Buchholz]

It's the way they did it that sums this mafia up.

Yingluck sneaks off to Singburi and states that "Oh it's dark now, my helicopter can't fly in the dark because it has no radar so I can't return for my cabinet meeting"

Army says "of course that model has radar and so does the other helicopter that is on standby"

Chalerm the magnificent holds the meeting kicking out all but a select few cronies. Meeting is "secret" - well all know why. Meeting agrees to this amnesty.

When cabinet is asked about the meeting the outcome is silence, no comment or Plodprasop "I can't say, it's a secret"

Yingluck, when asked, says "Don't ask me what they did - I wasn't there"

Absolute disgrace.

Excellent summation.

.

[tfbpa]

Of course just as everybody else here, I don't know the full story, but it seems that it is a collective pardon by Royal Decree, which was already drafted last year by the government of Abhisit.

That draft from last year already had the 60+ years and 3 year jail sentence in it, so that part has nothing to do with Taksin whatsoever.

It seems that the only thing that changed is that they now added a clause which excludes “corruption” convicts from getting amnesty.

Of course, if that is true, it still means it is in favor of Taksin, but since the collective pardon by Royal Decree was already drafted last year by the Abhisit government, there is really no point in falling out to the current government about the 60+ years and 3 year jail sentence.

If only we would receive impartial information from this website and newspapers...

Most information comes from http://asiancorrespondent.com/69633/did-the-thai-cabinet-discuss-a-collective-pardon/ which was provided by another member here in this thread.

[ETatBKK]

Yingluck late Tuesday denied knowledge of what happened at the Cabinet meeting, asking reporters to ask Chalerm directly. Chalerm refused to comment

If I was CEO of a company and the board of directors or whatever held a meeting deciding something that could effect the fate of the company in my absence, I would certainly want to know what happened and was said at that meeting.

first, this CEO considered that it is a PROSPECT of 'this company'

secondly, this is already pre-agreeeeed by 'this CEO'.

well, in such crisis situation, would visisting refugees is more important than chairing a Cabinet meeting. I am not a CEO, I have no comment too !

[metisdead]

Our patience is wearing a bit thin and any more will incur a posting suspension.

Thanks.

2) Not to express disrespect of the King of Thailand or anyone else in the Thai royal family, whether living or deceased, nor to criticize the monarchy as an institution. Speculation, comments and discussion of either a political or personal nature are not allowed when discussing HM The King or the Royal family. Discussion of the lese majeste law or lese majeste cases is permitted on the forum, providing no comment or speculation is made referencing the royal family. To breach this rule will result in immediate ban.

Just a reminder that posts using derogatory nicknames or intentional misspelling of people’s names will be deleted. If you don’t want your post to be deleted, spell people’s names correctly.

[lujanit]

Wow this is unbelievable. Millions still affected by the flood and now we see where this government's priorities lie. The country can be in shambles but they don't care as long as they can bring their beloved leader back. Shameful!

what's shameful is the man who did more positive things for thailand than anyone in recent history was couped out of office and forced into exile.

This is satire right? Tell the 2500 families who lost loved ones to extra-judicial killings during the so called war on drugs Thaksin was the best thing that ever happened to Thailand. What about the blatant corruption for which he was convicted.

This government has no shame. Absolutely disgusting.

[renaissanc]

Yingluck overheard talking to the richest Drivers and Maids in Thailand: "I'm only the Prime Minister. How am I supposed to know what goes on in Cabinet meetings and what laws are passed? ... I missed the meeting because the Army can't even give me a helicopter with radar! I mean ... I'm the Prime Minister! Don't I deserve a helicopter with radar? ... And what's that about Chalerm changing the Amnesty Law for my brother? That's the first I've heard of it! Do you know anything about it?"

[animatic]

Useful article by here:

http://asiancorrespo...lective-pardon/

Since we are less than 3 weeks away from the Kings Birthday I assume we are going to get some conformation fairly quickly on what has been agreed - particularly since there seems to be a stipulation that anyone granted a pardon has to be in the country when it is given.

That's like referencing my facebook posts as a source of information; guaranteed bias inbuilt into every sentence.

That said,we have so far seen:

- introduction of flawed popularist policies in a haphazard manner (partial success in introduction, unknown result)

- removal of several key policies on which they were elected (fail)

- attempt to muzzle the media (fail)

- attempt to manage the flood without declaring a SOE (epic fail)

- widespread participation in government matters by BANNED politicians locally (Sudarat) and abroad (TS) (fail)

- widespread intimidation and manipulation of donations channeling to red shirt and PT supporters, or renamed donations (not only personally observed but also almost every major aid and corporate making donations upcountry I know has related stories to me on this) (fail)

- now an attempt to push through a pardon (TBD)

- next....attempt to make BKK Governor post a political posting, not an elected one, following discussion on how to get rid of him legally without going to the polls (subversion of democracy, result TBD)

The interesting thing is the WAY in which they operate. Far from being bastions of democracy, we have a closed door meeting denying The People their right to transparent government, which typically is reserved solely for matters of security. We have the PM capable of attending (142km by road, helicopters available) but LYING to avoid attending which means she knew what would be discussed. We have a DPM chairing the meeting who showed complete disrespect to the legal system when he aided and abetted his son who alledgedly shot a policeman in the face in the Club 20 murder, then ran abroad from the law until the case could be tidied up with no witnesses remaining (eerily similar to a deposed convicted fugitive former PM who also showed his cahones by running from the law because he's not man enough to spend a couple of years in jail, which would have been over by now anyhow).

While the waters are still rising in some areas of southern, eastern and western Bangkok as the waters continue to flow; while we have some areas now 4 MONTHS flooded in septic foul water....they have had time to discuss how to muzzle the media, how to grant a pardon specifically worded to ensure their banned leader can return.

What I can only hope is that the remaining charges are heard and he faces his day in court LIKE A MAN WITH SOME HONOUR rather than using a popularity contest to pervert justice again by trying to make the process illegal rather than a battle based on the FACTS. Knowing his character, perhaps we can expect again a manipulation of the judiciary as he previously did in his asset concealment case in 2000 when he lied about his assets, but then used popularity to lean on the judiciary to ensure his so called 'honest mistake' was without punishment.

Thaksin is the Thai Berlusconi. Let's hope we discover his flaws at a faster rate than the Italians.

Great analysis.

Lets hope the can successfully prosecute him for his flaws at a MUCH faster rate than the Italians.

[Buchholz]

Yingluck spent Monday night in Singburi, citing travel difficulties at night and did not come to the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, assigning Chalerm, who she had tasked with looking into political amnesty, to chair the Cabinet meeting.

And "looking into it" he has been doing since September.

Chalerm vows to help get Thaksin pardoned

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung yesterday vowed to rectify the conviction of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, though he said he was not quite what action he would take.

"This is a big issue and I need time to think things through," he said.

Sept. 9, 2011

[eezergood]

Pefect timing! Spend a few token days in "jail", then day release for his daughters wedding! :jap:

[animatic]

Useful article by here:

http://asiancorrespo...lective-pardon/

Since we are less than 3 weeks away from the Kings Birthday I assume we are going to get some conformation fairly quickly on what has been agreed - particularly since there seems to be a stipulation that anyone granted a pardon has to be in the country when it is given.

So if he comes back and sets foot on Thai soil can the police whisk him away to serve his 2 year sentence????

Ohhh I forgot, the police are his appointee's aren't they - are the army allowed to do this????? If they are, you can guarantee that his first step as he disembarks the plane will be assisted by a uniformed man taking hold of his arm and guiding him to his destination (it might not be the same as Thaksin's intended destination though)!!!

I would have thought that they would have a plan in place for this. There were rumours a couple of months back that the Special Branch detention cells at Bang Khen police school were being recommissioned for unknown reasons - one theory was for looking after a special prisoner???

The Immigration Department is the first line of defense against Border Crossing absconded criminals... who controls them?