Leading Social Critic Urges Pm To Stop Corrupt Practices

[george]

Leading social critic urges PM to stop corrupt practices

BANGKOK: -- Thirayuth Boonmee, well-known government critic and a lecturer at Bangkok's Thammasat University, said today that Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra should stop boasting that he was voted into office by 19 million voters in the last general election because he could be toppled if corrupt practices continue in the country.

The lecturer, one of several prominent leaders in the 1973 Student Uprising, called on the prime minister to face the issue of alleged corruption in his cabinet and not to hide behind the popular vote that carried him into his second term in office.

The major reason which could lead to Mr. Thaksin being thrown out of office is not that he had gained 19 million votes but rampant corruption practices, according to Mr. Thirayuth.

"The Thai people can't stand those who are corrupt -- and several corrupt leaders who had abused their power were toppled in the past, Mr. Thirayuth said, suggesting that if he continues to provide protection to those in his government who are believed to be corrupt, he can lose office himself.

The former student activist helped throw out the military regime headed by former military strongman Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn and Air Chief Marshal Prapat Charusathien during the student-led uprising in October 1973.

Corruption as practiced at the top, Mr. Thirayuth said, is not just seen in one family but in some ten families.

They are being closely monitored by middle-class people, he said, adding that the movement demanding that Mr. Thaksin leave his post may not yet be "ripe" but can be interpreted as the tip of an iceberg. The government should not be reckless and speed on without solving the problem, he said.

In his Saturday radio broadcast to the nation, Prime Minister Thaksin spoke angrily after the Government House compound intruders that "these people have been opposing me for some time. They're acting like an elite group with privileges over the 19 million people who voted for me in the last general election. It's just a joke."

If Mr. Thaksin intends to steal even one baht of government revenue the 19 million votes still cannot protect him, and he must leave the prime ministership, charged Mr. Thirayuth.

It was not proper to raise the amount of votes he received from the general election every time so that he could violate the law.

Mr. Thirayuth said the government should be more lenient with the protestors arrested after intruding on Government House grounds late Friday and, if possible, not take protesting leaders into custody, as that would make the situation worse.

Pol. Gen. Pratin Santiprapop, former national police chief and ex-senator, and Sondhi Limthongkul, organiser of Friday's rally criticising Mr. Thaksin and his cabinet at Lumpini Park in Bangkok, were the most prominent protestors. The situation could worsen if they are arrested, he said.

Some 40 protestors who were apprehended by police after storming into Government House were released late Saturday.

--TNA 2006-01-15