Pm Thaksin Resigns

[warriors]

Maybe the PAD will keep the pressure on seeing the 60th party time is getting ever so closer. The PAD know the Thai people want to show the world how united all Thai people are:whistling:

PAD still have this Ace in there hand and will show it when needed to get Taxin out of Government for good.

[Hermano Lobo]

My first thought was impeach the bugger !

Often when things get complicated it is better to

restart with a fresh sheet of paper.

The best thing would be another election with the

Democrats, PAD & TRT all taking part. Quickly too,

there needs to be a properly elected Government before

His Royal Highness's celebrations of 60 years in office.

Edited April 4, 2006 by Hermano Lobo

[Plus]

Why did Thaksin rush to Hua Hin? He FLEW there and back.

What forced him to change his mind in such a haste?

Rumors about his imminent resignation spread in the afternoon.

[bulmercke]

on CNN and BBC...so I guess there must be credit to the report.

CNN (23.00 Thai time) had the Thaksin story as they're fourth.

Main news item: Saddam trial

Second: Bomb explosion in Sadri - Iraq - 10 killed - 25 injured

Third: Continuing French protests

Fourth: Thaksin

Report from Bangkok, but very brief and superficial - however the anchors described it as a sudden - shock development although they themselves were likewise just as ill informed.

The BBC have shown themselves to be much more clued into what is really goin' on over here.

I guess, most Americans don't care too much about South-East Asian politics.

[amarka]

hi..

it appears to me that Thaksin can do no right...

stay and he's wrong

resign and he's wrong....

seems like the same old ex pats just cant get it....

its nothing to do with you! this is a Thai issue and like it or not your votes will not be counted!

amarka

[inflammatory statement deleted. Please keep the debate civil. All opinions are worthy of consideration, if they are well thought out and presented. /Meadish]

[thebear]

other former PM's who take on advisory positions but in fact pull the strings from behind the scenes Such is the Thai Kriengjai, face saving respect system.

Greng jai has nothing to do with saving face.

Been here long enough to know that. Apologies for the grammatical error. Please read "Such is the Thai Kriengjai, and face saving, respect system" but the tranlated spelling is correct

[Plus]

its nothing to do with you! this is a Thai issue and like it or not your votes will not be counted!

We are quite ok with sharing opinions between each other even if we don't vote,

and they somehow had an infuence on you!

[cobra]

um, well this was unexpected,

[bulmercke]

[In-depth speculation deleted. My apologies, but this type of speculation is not allowed. Please leave the HM speculations out of the discussion. Thank you for understanding. /Meadish]

The facts speak for themselves.

A great day for democracy.

Foot note: As I mentioned on an earlier post - yesterday Thaksin was belligerent and defiant and questioned boldly why he should, indeed, have to step down. He was saying he would definitely be the new democratically elected PM. This was his stance.

How could he change his mind in such a short time, just a few hours?

This will probably be one of the great mysteries of Thai political history.

Also, perhaps it is presumptious of me to speculate on this matter - but I think it's worthy of consideration and discussion - just as other posters have been speculating on the implications and ramifications of Thaksin remaining in TRT as a member of parliament.

Edited April 5, 2006 by meadish_sweetball

[thebear]

other former PM's who take on advisory positions but in fact pull the strings from behind the scenes Such is the Thai Kriengjai, face saving respect system.

Greng jai has nothing to do with saving face.

Been here long enough to know that. Apologies for the grammatical error. Please read "Such is the Thai Kriengjai, and face saving, respect system" but the tranlated spelling is correct

[Jai Yen Yen]

Dear Toxin,

Please don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

[Old Man River]

[Speculative post deleted. It is unfortunately necessary to delete this type of speculations. Thank you for understanding. /Meadish]

[sriracha john]

hi..

it appears to me that Thaksin can do no right...

stay and he's wrong

resign and he's wrong....

seems like the same old ex pats just cant get it....

its nothing to do with you! this is a Thai issue and like it or not your your votes will not be counted!

amarka

Just have to look at things in a different light and be a little imaginative.

You might be surprised how some non-voters can have an impact:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...ndpost&p=701626

as a follow-up to that post, our voting district had a majority of "no votes"...

[britmaveric]

[You are right Brit, we cannot allow this type of speculation. Thank you for understanding. /Meadish]

[lung]

NOW it's to late...

--------

bloomberg

--------

Thaksin Resigns as Thailand's Prime Minister (Update3)

April 4 (Bloomberg) -- Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he will step down as premier after his declared victory in a weekend election failed to resolve a political standoff that crippled his government.

Thaksin, 56, speaking in a live television broadcast at a press conference in Bangkok tonight, said he will stay on as interim prime minister until a new leader is chosen. He met with the country's King Bhumibol Adulyadej this afternoon.

``I'm convinced that what I've done as prime minister was the best I could do,'' Thaksin said. Quoting words King Bhumibol Adulyadej has said in the past, he said: ``If we keep competing with each other at the end the loser is the country.''

Thaksin, Thailand's most popular prime minister since the country started electing its leaders in 1932, called snap polls three years early to secure his mandate amid mounting protests against his rule in the capital, Bangkok. Criticism of his rule grew after his family made a tax-free $1.9 billion selling its stake in telecommunications group Shin Corp. on Jan. 23. Thaksin last night declared victory with some 60 percent of the vote and vowed to do ``whatever it takes,'' including resign, to resolve the crisis.

He thanked the 16 million who voted for him in snap polls last weekend and apologized to them. He said it was time for all to show unity.

Protest Letter

Thaksin said the People's Alliance for Democracy, which has organized regular protests against Thaksin in the capital, Bangkok, since late January, said in a letter delivered to him this afternoon they would end their demonstrations if he quit.

Elected prime minister in January 2001, Thaksin was the only leader to have completed a four-year term since the abolition of the kingdom's absolute monarchy in 1932. He won a second term in February last year when his party captured a record 375 seats out of 500 in the lower house of parliament, delivering the first absolute majority in the country's history.

The premier said last night that if he stepped down, he would be replaced by another member of his party, naming his deputy Bhokin Bhalakula, Speaker of the House in the recently dissolved parliament, and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak as two of four potential leaders. He did not name any successor tonight.

Government Scholarship

The son of a coffee shop owner and one of 10 children, Thaksin grew up in a village near Chiang Mai, Thailand's second- largest city.

He won a government scholarship to study in the U.S. in 1974, emerging with a master's and doctorate in criminal justice from Eastern Kentucky University in Lexington, Kentucky, and Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, respectively.

Returning to Thailand in 1980 as a high-ranking police officer, he started several small businesses and came close to bankruptcy. He accumulated his first fortune through Shinawatra Computer Co., which supplied International Business Machines Corp. mainframes to government departments.

In 1990, Thaksin won one of two mobile-phone concessions and the following year was awarded an exclusive satellite franchise. From there, he built the country's largest business conglomerate, with communications, banking, transport and real estate units.

A lawmaker since 1994, Thaksin served under different governments as foreign affairs minister and a deputy prime minister responsible for traffic and transportation. He set up his own party in 1998 -- Thai Rak Thai, or Thais Love Thais -- winning office three years later.

---------------

he look's soo...

[asd]

"I won't accept the premiership in a selection process when the House of Representatives convenes its first session after the general election,"

Thaksin is stepping down but he can be the PM in the next election.

I do not want to see him as the PM in the future.

--------------------------------------------------

Thx for no vote in this election.

[amarka]

hi...

my apoligies if i upset anyone and of course we are all entitled to our opinion.

i am not anti farang.. i am farang....but i think the thai government deserves more respect. i am though, anti "skeptics" cant stand them!

i am just a little annoyed at the constant criticism of the ex premier... whatever he does is wrong in the eyes of some people. He has obviously discussed his decision with the king of Thailand and Thailand is calling for unity now. Depsite achieving a majority is the recent elections he resigned for the good of the country.

it seems seems to me that some ex pats just want to ravvage him.. i dont think that that is right.

the point i was trying to make is that "we" dont vote, therefore we dont count. i could have perhaps phrased it a little better.

opinions are something else.

sorry.

amarka

Hi there,

Just as this web forum does not tolerate anti-Thai posts, we do not tolerate anti-farang posts either. To suggest to our expat membership that their opinions are "worthless" is rather insulting. Please keep the discussion civil in the future.

Thank you for your understanding.

Meadish

[meadish_sweetball]

Thank you for the clarification amarka. No hard feelings.

[amarka]

hi...

this post is just an example...of what i originally meant.

is this not anti thai and totally disrespectful?

come on guys you can do better than that - show some respect.

amarka

Dear Toxin,

Please don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

[taxexile]

he probably resigned on the advice (orders) of his wife.

she is the power behind him.

he does what she says.

despite everything else , he is a family man , and probably doesnt want to see his family publicly vilified any more.

the visit to the king was ,i believe , just a formality , the monarch must be told first.

corruption will not change or lessen with his departure , all officials from the lowest kamnan to the highest politician in this country enrich themselves once in office.

thailand is a recent democracy , and westerners should not be so personally outraged at the corruption and underhand deeds here , democracies take hundreds of years to mature. openess and disclosure are new here. it all takes time.

if thailand really want to become a westernised society with an organised westernised government then something midway between democracy and a benign dictatorship is needed.

but that does not sit well with the easy going shambolic ways here

and of course the people would never stand for it.

[amarka]

hi..

it appears to me that Thaksin can do no right...

stay and he's wrong

resign and he's wrong....

seems like the same old ex pats just cant get it....

its nothing to do with you! this is a Thai issue and like it or not your your votes will not be counted!

amarka

Just have to look at things in a different light and be a little imaginative.

You might be surprised how some non-voters can have an impact:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...ndpost&p=701626

as a follow-up to that post, our voting district had a majority of "no votes"...

hi..

ok yes you may have changed a couple of votes and yes some ex pats would have influenced a few people....

but not the majority and i dont think it had a majr impact..

amarka

[pjallittle]

Prob a temp measure - could this be a shrewd ploy to get the protests to stop then changes his mind at a later date?

I don't think that he'd have any credibility were he to do as you suggest. I hope for the sake of the people that this doesn't turn out to be a BE CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU WISH FOR scenario when all is said and done. It is one thing to have him step down but another thing to know that his replacement will do a better job.

[bulmercke]

Nice of him to use the King as an excuse. Didn't he know this on sunday or monday.

Talk about attempting to save face. He's an embaresment for doing it in such a manner.

I agree with those who feel it was His Majesty who requested he step down. Ony His Majesty had the power to demand his resignation.

I would be shocked if His Majesty The King summoned the PM to the Hua Hin Palace and asked the PM to step down in light of the comments made just a few days ago by the Privy Councilors that The Palace would not get involved in politics. The Privy Councilors would not have made such comments without consulting The King first. Hence, it can be surmised that stepping down was the PM's idea, and he then very appropriately notified His Majesty The King prior to announcing it publicly.

You've got to remember that this still very much an evolving democracy and often things aren't done by the book - when on the surface they appear to be. There are lots of X-factors to consider, which themselves affect events. Things and opinions can change rapidly - as recent events have shown only too well!

The Privy Councelors, a few days ago, were just echoing what they were expected to say under the circumstances - things can change quickly in politics.

(Don't mean to sound too patronising.)

[konangrit]

The Nation:

"Thaksin quits

"My reason for not accepting the post of prime minister is because this year is an auspicious year for the King, whose 60th anniversary on the throne is just 60 days away. I want all Thais to reunite."

Thaksin Shinawatra finally caved in. In a televised address that began at 8:30pm last night he announced his decision not to seek another term as prime minister.

The country, politically divided and unsure of its future following Sunday's election, was stunned.

During the address from Government House, Thaksin contained his emotions and asked for national reconciliation so the country could enjoy the 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King's ascension to the throne.

Thaksin's change of heart came after an audience with HM the King at about 5:30pm at Klai Kangwon Palace in Hua Hin.

Few observers expected a significant announcement after the meeting because Prommin Lertsuridej, the prime minister's secretary, hinted that it was simply a routine meeting between Thaksin and His Majesty.

But a Thai Rak Thai source said tersely that it was a "special audience" with the King.

Tension had spread across the country following the uncertain outcome of Sunday's election and Thaksin's insistence that he would continue to serve as prime minister, despite facing the apparent opposition of about half the electorate.

Sondhi Limthongkul, one of the core leader of the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) said the alliance will still hold a demonstration on Friday but will then pause on the condition that the Thaksin system that the care taker premier himself presided over be dismantled.

"I'm still worried," said Sondhi, after meeting four other PAD leaders. "The party is the same. They'll still meet at [his] home and it's not different from Thaksin still being the prime minister."

Sondhi warned, however, that the protest might continue if the government continued to intimidate the media and curb people's rights to information, or if Thaksin tried to cling to power after this month.

On Monday, during an interview on Channel 11, Thaksin's tone bordered on belligerent and provocative.

However, yesterday he was composed and persuasive in his calls for national reconciliation.

With the opposition's electoral boycott, Thai Rak Thai won the election with 16 million votes, yet there were 10 million "no votes" and almost two million spoiled ballots, which represented protest votes.

The result has been seen by many as a demonstration that Thaksin and his party have failed to gain the necessary mandate to govern.

At Sanam Pao yesterday afternoon, before taking a helicopter to Hua Hin, Thaksin was greeted by a group military friends who wished him well amid rumours of a military reshuffle.

Thaksin relaxed at his resort home in Cha-am before he met HM the King.

As soon as Thaksin's meeting with the Monarch ended, rumours that a major announcement would be made began circulating. Thaksin's wife, Pojaman, and their two daughters, Pinthongta and Paetongtarn, went to greet him after his return from Hua Hin.

In his address carried through TV pool, Thaksin appeared ashen.

Before announcing he would not be able to serve as prime minister he apologised to the 16 million people who voted for his party.

"The situation in the country is precarious and we need to make haste to find reconciliation. In a conflict, one party may lose and the other may win. But the reality is that the whole nation will lose from this conflict," he said.

He added that this was an auspicious year, marking 60 years of the King's reign, when the world's royalty will attend the grand event in June.

"We have fewer than 60 days to prepare for this important ceremony. It does not bode well for the country if we can't end the conflict," Thaksin said.

Thaksin will serve as caretaker prime minister until Parliament chooses a replacement.

This leaves the date when he will finally step down a mystery because Sunday's election did not produce the 500 MPs required by the Constitution for Parliament to be convened.

Before his televised address Thaksin told his Cabinet: "I have to step down because otherwise Parliament cannot be convened."

"People will make a case out of [his remaining in power] to stop the House from convening," he said, referring to his opponents.

His decision left many of his supporters in tears.

But Thaksin insisted he would not disappear from the political scene and said he would remain as an MP and Thai Rak Thai leader.

He will continue to push for the implementation of new policies and protect key initiatives, such as the Bt30 healthcare scheme, the war against drugs, the campaign to eradicate poverty and the introduction of a mass transport system.

On Monday, Thaksin told the TV talk show he would fight on as prime minister. Although he did make some placatory remarks about national reconciliation, the premier insisted he would had to serve the 16 million voters who backed him.

Over the past three months, Thailand has been teetering on the edge of political disaster with the People's Alliance for Democracy campaigning for his exit from political life on allegations of corruption, cronyism and abuse of power.

Thousands have taken to the streets to demand his resignation and the country has been pushed to the limit in a climate of intense political polarisation. "

[sriracha john]

hi...

this post is just an example...of what i originally meant.

is this not anti thai and totally disrespectful?

come on guys you can do better than that - show some respect.

amarka

Dear Toxin,

Please don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Respect is something to be earned.

I don't see the comment as anti-Thai at all.... it's anti-Thaksin.

To clarify things more easily, here's an example of something anti-Thai:

Tak Bai, 2004

[Sandstone Art]

Search the house and you will be able to see racks and racks of mobile phones instead of shoes

That will put that crying lady in the league of Mrs Marcos with her shoes collection

Toxin will not be happy just being a MP. He is such a person who does not take his face value lightly.

But controlling behind the curtains is some form of protection for him. That will give him some assurance that in the event of any investigation, he will be safe! He knows which string and lease to pull.

All those crocodile tears !

He must still cling to be the head of TRT . All his party members are not up to his standard. It's time to groom his son to succeed him !

Can you imagine the outcome of his son being the head of TRT ???

TOXIN should not be given any slightest chance to be back..... but then again, anything can happen with all his kind of money!

[konangrit]

Some news on the results from The nation too:

"Initial count puts TRT's return at 54%

The Thai Rak Thai Party won just over half of the votes in Sunday's general election, poll officials said yesterday, citing incomplete results.

An unofficial count shows that candidates from Thai Rak Thai received a combined 15.1 million votes, or about 54 per cent, in 399 of the 400 constituencies they contested, according to the Election Commission (EC). That was against 9.3 million abstention votes.

Ballots have been officially counted in more than two thirds of the constituencies.

In the last general election in February 2005, Thai Rak Thai won 14.4 million votes in 400 constituencies.

No candidates contested in Nonthaburi's Constituency 3, as all of those who registered were disqualified by the EC.

The national voter turnout was 65 per cent, said Election Commissioner Prinya Nakchudtree yesterday, down from 72.5 per cent in the last election.

The EC said it had verified the vote count in 286 constituencies, but that a complete count might not be ready until the end of the week.

The partial count put the protest vote at about 46 per cent.

No candidates were elected in 39 constituencies, including the one in Nonthaburi. Unchallenged candidates in the other 38 constituencies failed to win the necessary 20 per cent to confirm their victories.

In Bangkok, Thai Rak Thai swept all 36 House seats up for grabs but only nine of its candidates managed to beat the unusually high "no vote" count.

The "no votes" outnumbered those for Thai Rak Thai candidates in 27 of the city's constituencies."

[konangrit]

"Speculation rife over who'll fill PM's post

Speculation about Thaksin Shinawatra's possible successor bubbled over following his televised vow yesterday that he would not seek the post of premier in the next government.

Three key members of his Thai Rak Thai Party have stood out as candidates to replace him and lead the new government during a transition dominated by political reform.

They are party-list contenders Bhokin Bhalakula, Somkid Jatu-sripitak and Sudarat Keyuraphan.

Former Parliament President Bhokin is the top contender, ac-cording to a Thai Rak Thai source who said Thaksin's wife Pojaman had thrown her full support behind him. Bhokin is a constitutional expert.

Bhokin took a prominent role as Thaksin's key legal adviser as the leadership crisis deepened. Bhokin has been examining all possible legal channels in the Constitution that could help Thai Rak Thai form the new government.

He has advised Thaksin on how to handle political reform after the election and argued against all those who sought a "royally sponsored prime minister".

However, Bhokin is unpopular with the party's MPs and its leading executives, as he is seen as being interested only in legal issues. His critics worry that he will be an ineffective manager of the economy.

Thaksin and Bhokin have been close since 1997 when they were in the administration of then Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.

Deputy PM and Commerce Minister Somkid is considered by many outsiders to be the best choice to succeed Thaksin.

Business leaders have been quite vocal about their support for him, as they are worried about the fallout from political turmoil on economic growth. They believe Somkid is best suited to allaying their concerns. As a finance minister in the first term of the Thaksin government, Somkid succeeded in winning the confidence of business leaders and economists.

Thaksin has praised Somkid for his economic management. Som-kid is the author of the Thai Rak Thai's economic platform and the populist policies that have helped it win elections.

Throughout five years in power, however, Somkid has demonstrated strong leadership, a trait needed at a critical time when Thaksin and his party face pressure from all sides.

Key party members are said to doubt that Somkid will be able to protect Thaksin from those seeking to scrutinise allegations involving the controversial sale of Shin Corp.

Thaksin appears to trust Bhokin more than Somkid as the former is more responsive to Thaksin's instructions. Somkid has had "breaks" with Thaksin and has been accused of "disobedience", party sources say.

Sudarat, however, is seen as having the least chance of the three.

The close aide of Thaksin is considered a last-resort to be selected only if the others refused to take the "temporary top job".

Her appeal has plunged as the party's Bangkok's candidates fell short of the "no vote" ticks in nearly 30 of 36 constituencies.

Although party executives will name his successor, Thaksin will have the final say.

Political Desk

The Nation"

[bulmercke]

Thaksin was in a corner - with no apparent escape -

He's stepped aside - and IMHO will be out of politics sometime soon, particularly if the PAD continue their protests - which this evening they have signalled -

Give him an escape route and allow him some dignity and the ability to save face.

It's the Thai way!

[konangrit]

"EC denies it is siding with TRT in by-elections

The Election Commission yesterday ruled to let all political parties field either failed or new MP candidates in the by-elections for 39 constituencies, set to be held on April 23.

Commission chairman Vasana Puemlarp rejected criticism that the EC had made the decision in order to help Thai Rak Thai Party candidates, who may otherwise have to stand as lone candidates again. He said the EC had made the decision to prevent the scenario that by-elections would be held too many times if voters did not have other candidates to vote for.

When reporters insisted that the EC's decision would be met with strong opposition as it ruled in favour of the Thai Rak Thai Party, Vasana became angry.

"How do you know there will be other candidates applying in these constituencies? If there were [qualified] people, they would have applied in the first round,'' he heatedly told reporters.

The Democrat Party yesterday met to discuss whether the EC's ruling violated the Constitution, and was considering a move to stop the candidacy registration of new MP candidates, said party spokes-man Ong-art Klampaiboon.

EC member Prinya Nakchudtree said the intention of Article 74 of the Election Act was for new, not failed candidates, but the agency believed that depriving the right of failed candidates to stand again was wrong.

"We extensively discussed this point. The legal team advised that even if we allow the failed candidate to run in the by-election, they may not get at least 20 per cent [of total eligible voters], so we decided to let all run in the election."

Thai Rak Thai Party candidates ran in the election as lone candidates in 278 of the total 400 constituencies. Of the 278, candidates in 38 constituencies did not gain 20 per cent of the total eligible votes required by the Constitution.

Meanwhile, Vasana said he had ordered the EC secretary and deputy secretary-general to survey public opinion as to whether the arrangement of polling booths needs improvement.

The survey must be completed within three days so that the

EC can use the study as a guideline for the senatorial elections on April 19."

The Nation