Thailand's New Prime Minister Fails To Win Pardon For Fugitive Brother

[hyperdimension]

From the article:

Last year, 91 people were killed in Bangkok when Thailand's military clashed with Thaksin's supporter, called Red Shirts, who demanded that he be allowed to come home as a free man.

I thought the protests were about democracy! For those of us who actually witnessed the events of April and May 2010, there was almost no indication that it was about Thaksin. The protests were not at all about allowing Thaksin to come back as a free man as stated in the article.

Now after the election we can see the real strategy behind those events - engineer chaos and instability in order to discredit and bring down the government, then get elected into power via amazing policies and strong marketing and propaganda.

Edited November 25, 2011 by hyperdimension

[yoshiwara]

it would be accurate to report that this gov't has pledged to bring back Thaksin

Their repeated statement that they are not working for any individual in particular, which they have used since their election campaign, is now obviously untrue and people can now see right through it.

Simply mixing in Thaksin with thousands of others to make the statement appear techincally true is not going to work any more.

Indeed this cat is well out of the bag. But that is the story they have to run with.

[MAJIC]

Thaksin fled the country to avoid a two-year prison sentence

When did he flee the country to avoid the sentence? Wasn't he out of the country when he was tried in absentia?

Geez, you'd think the Wash. Post could get basic facts like these correct.

When did he flee the country to avoid the sentence? Wasn't he out of the country when he was tried in absentia?

And wasn't he out of the Country when the Coup took place,and no longer the PM? merely the Caretaker?

[animatic]

Thaksin fled the country to avoid a two-year prison sentence

When did he flee the country to avoid the sentence? Wasn't he out of the country when he was tried in absentia?

Geez, you'd think the Wash. Post could get basic facts like these correct.

When did he flee the country to avoid the sentence? Wasn't he out of the country when he was tried in absentia?

And wasn't he out of the Country when the Coup took place,and no longer the PM? merely the Caretaker?

1) He was 'resigned care taker PM' after the botched Snap Election,

2) and the timing out of his Caretaker Position.

3) He had gone to the palace with full bluster to be re confirmed.

It didn't happen and he returned dead silent till

4) resigning officially the next day.

5) A week later he UNILATERALLY took back the PM spot, and

6) never returned for constitutionally mandated confirmation of caretaker status at the palace.

7) Then came the false flag attempted assassination attempt, that no one believed, but was an clearly an attempt to create marshall law or an SOE with him as head. That failed.

8) He had a long standing appointment to speak at the UN as PM of Thailand,

9) but his ego insisted he go, even as many pointed out

10) he is going under false pretenses not even being care taker anymore.

11) He went anyway and then arrived the coup.

Likely this combination of incidents 5-6-7 precipitated the coup

12) He didn't return until a year+ later after the new constitution was voted yeah or nay in referendum.

13) and his Proxy PPP party won the following election, leaving him to think he could leverage the court trial away

14) Thaksin returned to Thailand a kissed the ground.

15) He was in country for the great majority of the trial.

16) Through 'Pastrygate'; trying to bribe off the court,

17) His wife's et al conviction for false assets declarations

18) until it was obvious he would be convicted for Rachada.,

19) Then they 'went to the Olympics' and never returned

20) Later, UK refused them a return entree to England

21) he started collecting citizenship in several small countries.

( lets not forget Potajamin leaving Thailand with

2 LARGE planes and over 170 pieces of heavy luggage...

like Imelda's shoe collection... I think not)

Edited November 25, 2011 by animatic

[bigbamboo]

So the wedding's off then?

[Buchholz]

.

Amusing comment from Pheu Thai Party Spokesman Prompong after the secret pardon ploy was exposed and failed and the resulting collective royal pardon list did not include Thaksin.

He announced that because Thaksin was not on the final pardon list, it proves that the Yingluck's government does not do things that benefit Thaksin.

It's easy to see why the Party chose this film actor to be their Spokesman. To say those sort of things with a straight face requires a great deal of acting ability.

.

Edited December 5, 2011 by Buchholz

[nurofiend]

"The country's new prime minister apparently failed in her first attempt to win a pardon for her fugitive brother, after his political opponents threatened legal action and demonstrations if his name appeared on a list of criminals eligible for a royal amnesty."

what i find amazing is how people think that the worry of the opposition taking legal action and the planned pad protests made any difference to the outcome!!

do people not understand that this reaction is inevitable no matter when and no matter how? ... and that the PTP have (obviously) always been aware of this?

strange how people really think they were 'thwarted'

[whybother]

"The country's new prime minister apparently failed in her first attempt to win a pardon for her fugitive brother, after his political opponents threatened legal action and demonstrations if his name appeared on a list of criminals eligible for a royal amnesty."

what i find amazing is how people think that the worry of the opposition taking legal action and the planned pad protests made any difference to the outcome!!

do people not understand that this reaction is inevitable no matter when and no matter how? ... and that the PTP have (obviously) always been aware of this?

strange how people really think they were 'thwarted'

Then why would they change their mind?

[nurofiend]

"The country's new prime minister apparently failed in her first attempt to win a pardon for her fugitive brother, after his political opponents threatened legal action and demonstrations if his name appeared on a list of criminals eligible for a royal amnesty."

what i find amazing is how people think that the worry of the opposition taking legal action and the planned pad protests made any difference to the outcome!!

do people not understand that this reaction is inevitable no matter when and no matter how? ... and that the PTP have (obviously) always been aware of this?

strange how people really think they were 'thwarted'

Then why would they change their mind?

how do you know they did?

[whybother]

Then why would they change their mind?

how do you know they did?

Why would they say that Thaksin was going to be included on the pardon list?

[nurofiend]

Then why would they change their mind?

how do you know they did?

Why would they say that Thaksin was going to be included on the pardon list?

you'll have to refresh my memory, who particularly said this?

[whybother]

Then why would they change their mind?

how do you know they did?

Why would they say that Thaksin was going to be included on the pardon list?

you'll have to refresh my memory, who particularly said this?

It was "leaked" from the secret cabinet meeting. Yingluck even rebuked a few MPs for the leak. There are a number of threads discussing it if you need some more information.

[nurofiend]

It was "leaked" from the secret cabinet meeting. Yingluck even rebuked a few MPs for the leak. There are a number of threads discussing it if you need some more information.

yeah, so you don't know that his name was on the list then... the point i was getting at.

was his name being considered by ptp? of course it was.

is the chance that it could backfire legally and cause civil unrest a factor in their hesitation? of course it is and always will be.

did they do a complete u-turn and scribble out his name once they heard that the opposition would seek legal action and the pad were going to protest? c'mon think logically... i would suggest no, they will always expect and accept this as a reality.

so, to me, it's a case of them biding their time to do it when they feel it's the time to do it... while the oppositions would be legal action and the would be protests are obviously not irrelevant to the whole scenario, they are irrelevant to when ptp decide to pull the trigger as the reaction will always be assumed and expected.

the ball is in their hands

if you might misinterpret what i've been saying as an argument stating it's not on their agenda, then you'd be wrong...

[whybother]

It was "leaked" from the secret cabinet meeting. Yingluck even rebuked a few MPs for the leak. There are a number of threads discussing it if you need some more information.

yeah, so you don't know that his name was on the list then... the point i was getting at.

was his name being considered by ptp? of course it was.

is the chance that it could backfire legally and cause civil unrest a factor in their hesitation? of course it is and always will be.

did they do a complete u-turn and scribble out his name once they heard that the opposition would seek legal action and the pad were going to protest? c'mon think logically... i would suggest no, they will always expect and accept this as a reality.

so, to me, it's a case of them biding their time to do it when they feel it's the time to do it... while the oppositions would be legal action and the would be protests are obviously not irrelevant to the whole scenario, they are irrelevant to when ptp decide to pull the trigger as the reaction will always be assumed and expected.

the ball is in their hands

if you might misinterpret what i've been saying as an argument stating it's not on their agenda, then you'd be wrong...

They might be biding their time, but they are also testing the waters. If they didn't get the huge negative reaction to giving him a pardon, he would have been on the list for sure.

[nurofiend]

It was "leaked" from the secret cabinet meeting. Yingluck even rebuked a few MPs for the leak. There are a number of threads discussing it if you need some more information.

yeah, so you don't know that his name was on the list then... the point i was getting at.

was his name being considered by ptp? of course it was.

is the chance that it could backfire legally and cause civil unrest a factor in their hesitation? of course it is and always will be.

did they do a complete u-turn and scribble out his name once they heard that the opposition would seek legal action and the pad were going to protest? c'mon think logically... i would suggest no, they will always expect and accept this as a reality.

so, to me, it's a case of them biding their time to do it when they feel it's the time to do it... while the oppositions would be legal action and the would be protests are obviously not irrelevant to the whole scenario, they are irrelevant to when ptp decide to pull the trigger as the reaction will always be assumed and expected.

the ball is in their hands

if you might misinterpret what i've been saying as an argument stating it's not on their agenda, then you'd be wrong...

They might be biding their time, but they are also testing the waters. If they didn't get the huge negative reaction to giving him a pardon, he would have been on the list for sure.

but who gave them the huge negative reaction? they will always get this reaction whether testing the waters or not.

at the end of the day until it's proven that his name was or wasn't on the list then there is no point claiming either to be true, it can only be opinion for now.

[whybother]

but who gave them the huge negative reaction? they will always get this reaction whether testing the waters or not.

at the end of the day until it's proven that his name was or wasn't on the list then there is no point claiming either to be true, it can only be opinion for now.

Whether it was on the list or not, someone within the government wanted people to believe it was.

[Buchholz]

It was "leaked" from the secret cabinet meeting. Yingluck even rebuked a few MPs for the leak. There are a number of threads discussing it if you need some more information.

Mentioned by both Yingluck...

Not long ago he said, I be back in december. What happend?

Did little sister and PTP <removed> up?

Yes, they let someone they trusted attend the secret Cabinet meeting and he/she later spilled the beans about the pardon.

Coincidentally, this morning's other paper has Yingluck castigating her four cabinet ministers who leaked the secret pardon plans to the media, decrying their revelations as damaging to her government.

and Chalerm...

RT @tulsathit: Chalerm condemns as "soulless" Cabinet source who leaked what was discussed at closed door meeting to reporters.

http://twitter.com/#!/georgebkk/status/136709849332453376

.

[nurofiend]

but who gave them the huge negative reaction? they will always get this reaction whether testing the waters or not.

at the end of the day until it's proven that his name was or wasn't on the list then there is no point claiming either to be true, it can only be opinion for now.

Whether it was on the list or not, someone within the government wanted people to believe it was.

but isn't that unproven rumour too?

[maidu]

Yingluck, Chalerm, the PM, the PT party, Reds and Thaksin himself are all manically driven to get his buns back to Thailand. They will keep plugging away, fersure.Ironically, he could just get a plane ticket and show up in Thailand. No one will have the cojones to arrest him. Can you imagine an airport security guard going up to T with handcuffs, and slapping them on the old guy?

Of course, demonstrations and all heck would then break loose in the streets, but hey, that's what Thaksin feeds on. He'll keep funneling millions of baht to the Reds' riot machine, and sit back with a grin and watch the fireworks on TV.

P.S. Would sure be fun to know what was in those 170 large heavy suitcases that Pojaman and her kids spirited out of Thailand - right after the coup. Of course, no customs officials dared touch any of them.

[whybother]

but who gave them the huge negative reaction? they will always get this reaction whether testing the waters or not.

at the end of the day until it's proven that his name was or wasn't on the list then there is no point claiming either to be true, it can only be opinion for now.

Whether it was on the list or not, someone within the government wanted people to believe it was.

but isn't that unproven rumour too?

A secret meeting. MPs castigated and condemned for leaking information. Lots of wishy-washy statements not denying it.

It's obviously unproven, but it seems pretty likely that it was at least on their mind.

[nurofiend]

but who gave them the huge negative reaction? they will always get this reaction whether testing the waters or not.

at the end of the day until it's proven that his name was or wasn't on the list then there is no point claiming either to be true, it can only be opinion for now.

Whether it was on the list or not, someone within the government wanted people to believe it was.

but isn't that unproven rumour too?

A secret meeting. MPs castigated and condemned for leaking information. Lots of wishy-washy statements not denying it.

It's obviously unproven, but it seems pretty likely that it was at least on their mind.

it most definitely was on their mind.. that i agree with completely, and obviously it would have came up.

what i don't agree with is that they had his name on the list and it was all ready to go ahead but they suddenly ditched the plan when, shock horror, they heard the dems would take legal action and the yellow shirts would protest... that's the way a lot of articles make it out.

[whybother]

it most definitely was on their mind.. that i agree with completely, and obviously it would have came up.

what i don't agree with is that they had his name on the list and it was all ready to go ahead but they suddenly ditched the plan when, shock horror, they heard the dems would take legal action and the yellow shirts would protest... that's the way a lot of articles make it out.

Whether it was on the list or not, someone within the government wanted people to believe it was.

[nurofiend]

it most definitely was on their mind.. that i agree with completely, and obviously it would have came up.

what i don't agree with is that they had his name on the list and it was all ready to go ahead but they suddenly ditched the plan when, shock horror, they heard the dems would take legal action and the yellow shirts would protest... that's the way a lot of articles make it out.

Whether it was on the list or not, someone within the government wanted people to believe it was.

yeah i read that, thanks.

i don't see how that's meant to be an answer or reply to what i've said

[dominique355]

Thaksin's name was not on the list. In fact, no names at all were on the list, only conditions. The department of Correction would have to fill in the names.

But contrary to previous Royal Pardon decrees, where people convicted for corruption and fugitives where explicitly excluded from pardon, the first government list had scrapped these conditions. Now you may say this has nothing to do with Thaksin, but then you are probably the only one to believe that.

Now the government and Chalerm claim that they did only what all previous governments had done, which is of course a total distortion of the fact.

Just ask yourself, why the secrecy? What did they try to hide? Why was the PM absent with a paltry excuse?

[phiphidon]

Key words in the Washington Times article ?

"apparently"

"reportedly"

"according to news reports"

"reportedly"

This is not news reporting ! This is at best a weak attempt at sensationalizing opinion.

A trait that "The Nation" can be accused of as well, unfortunately.

[Buchholz]

but who gave them the huge negative reaction? they will always get this reaction whether testing the waters or not.

at the end of the day until it's proven that his name was or wasn't on the list then there is no point claiming either to be true, it can only be opinion for now.

Whether it was on the list or not, someone within the government wanted people to believe it was.

but isn't that unproven rumour too?

A secret meeting. MPs castigated and condemned for leaking information. Lots of wishy-washy statements not denying it.

It's obviously unproven, but it seems pretty likely that it was at least on their mind.

He was "on the list", by virtue of the altered conditions, as much as any one else meeting those conditions was "on the list."

As said, it was the conditions that were changed that would have included him. The literal written roster of actual names would have come later in the process.

The Yingluck and Chalerm consternations directed at the Benedict Arnold Cabinet Ministers that spilled the beans about these conditions which revealed the Thaksin inclusion on the collective royal pardon list provided the evidence for the foiled plot.

It was the publicity arising from that leaked discussion that changed them back to the original conditions and back off their unprecedented maneuverings. The whistle-blowers inside PTP was the deal-breaker.

It was the outcry raised by various groups including the media, Dems, PAD, social networks, and others that was the impetus for the PTP to eventually retract the secret Cabinet meeting decision that initially was answered with denials, obfuscation, and clumsy retorts from Chalerm as well as prompting the rushed scribbled letter from Dubai.

.

Edited December 5, 2011 by Buchholz