Surapong suggests Thai amnesty bill opponents turn to intl court

[webfact]

Foreign Minister suggests amnesty bill opponents turn to int’l court

BANGKOK, 5 November 2013 (NNT) - Foreign Minister Surapong Tovijakchaikul has urged people opposing the amnesty bill to petition the international court over the matter while suggesting that corruption cases of ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra be reopened following strong rejection of the amnesty bill.

Mr Surapong said the amnesty bill was lawful as it had been approved by the House of Representatives. Opponents of the legislation could sign a petition at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to request the International Criminal Court for help.

However, the court could only step in after the Thai judicial process ended, he said.

As for the corruption allegations against Mr Thaksin, Mr Surapong pointed out that all of his cases should be re-investigated from the beginning.

There are many groups of people who have taken to the streets to protest against the blanket amnesty bill. The protesters believe the legislation targets to whitewash the former premier who was sentenced to imprisonment on grounds of corruption.


-- NNT 2013-11-05

[klubex99]

Can this government get any more suicidal?

Urging the opposition to petition the International criminal court might just backfire on them.

This gets crazier by the day.

[kotsak]

And I guess this guy has already explained himself regarding the issuing of the passport to Mr. T?

Me thinks not! TIT

Edited November 4, 2013 by kotsak

[dru2]

Can this government get any more suicidal?

Urging the opposition to petition the International criminal court might just backfire on them.

This gets crazier by the day.

As for suicidal government:

Forbes Magazine has just published a long analysis on 'Why Thailand's Bubble Economy is heading for a 1997-type Crash':

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jessecolombo/2013/11/04/thailands-bubble-economy-is-heading-for-a-1997-style-crash/

I'm not usually a Forbes reader, but this might merit it's own topic?

[jaidam]

Is Surapong suggesting Thaksin's corruption cases be reopened back as far as the assets concealment when he hid billions in his driver, gardener and maid's names?, or does he favor a more recent cutoff point? Either way it doesn't bode well for his boss.

[whybother]

The cases don't need to be reinvestigated. All the evidence is there. They just need to be prosecuted in court. But Thaksin needs to come back for that to happen.

[klubex99]

If Thaksin can't be tried in Thailand because he has absconded, and used corrupt means to have his corruption charges and sentence quashed, then there would be no other option than to have him tried in the international criminal court.

Welcome to The Hague Mr T.

[Ricardo]

The FM is taking the piss ... by coming into work to issue Thaksin's new passport, at the height of the floods. he's shown his bias already.

And the suggestion of an international court is merely a feeble diversion, a petition at his own ministry, how far is that really going to be progressed by his civil-servants, eh ?

There's no need to reinvestigate anything, let the several other cases against Thaksin proceed in court, and let the judges decide on their merits or otherwise.

But, even with the usual lunchboxes, the former-PM seems curiously reluctant to trust the justice of the courts, not even after a couple of years of his sister being in-power, surely not because he suspects he might be found guilty, on the evidence which the prosecutors already have ?

[shawndoc]

Now, I'm no lawyer, but I'm pretty sure the ICC doesn't have standing to review an internal issue like this.

[Nickymaster]

So let's see what Thaksin's cousin is saying:

Mr Surapong said the amnesty bill was lawful as it had been approved by the House of Representatives

(approval by the HOR doesn't make it lawful).

Opponents of the legislation could sign a petition at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to request the International Criminal Court for help.

(In other words, you can ask me for help and I might then forward your request to the ICC...)

However, the court could only step in after the Thai judicial process ended, he said.

As for the corruption allegations against Mr Thaksin, Mr Surapong pointed out that all of his cases should be re-investigated from the beginning.

(That means all corruption cases in Thailand should be re-opened? Don't think that is possible)

Mr. Surapong, maybe it is time you start working for all the people of Thailand, not only for your cousin.

[tominbkk]

Can this government get any more suicidal?

Urging the opposition to petition the International criminal court might just backfire on them.

This gets crazier by the day.

As for suicidal government:

Forbes Magazine has just published a long analysis on 'Why Thailand's Bubble Economy is heading for a 1997-type Crash':

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jessecolombo/2013/11/04/thailands-bubble-economy-is-heading-for-a-1997-style-crash/

I'm not usually a Forbes reader, but this might merit it's own topic?

Here's a snippet:

"Spending increased significantly in 2012 as the government ran its problematic $2.5 billion first car tax rebate program as well as a failed rice subsidy scheme that caused the government to lose 136 billion baht or $4.4 billion despite being promoted as cost-neutral. The original goal of the rice subsidy scheme was to buy local rice harvests for nearly 50 percent above market rates and withhold rice supplies from the global market in hopes of driving prices higher, which is when Thailand’s government would have sold its supply. Unsurprisingly, the scheme failed when other rice exporting nations – primarily India and Vietnam – rushed to fill the shortfall, which caused Thai rice exports to plunge by 37 percent and allowed India to become the world’s leading rice exporter. Though Thailand’s government is now sitting on 17 million tons of excess rice that is starting to go bad, it will continue its rice subsidy in 2014 to buy 11 million more tons of rice, which will cost approximately 270 billion baht or $8.6 billion."

[Artisi]

Can this government get any more suicidal?

Urging the opposition to petition the International criminal court might just backfire on them.

This gets crazier by the day.

As for suicidal government:

Forbes Magazine has just published a long analysis on 'Why Thailand's Bubble Economy is heading for a 1997-type Crash':

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jessecolombo/2013/11/04/thailands-bubble-economy-is-heading-for-a-1997-style-crash/

I'm not usually a Forbes reader, but this might merit it's own topic?

Here's a snippet:

"Spending increased significantly in 2012 as the government ran its problematic $2.5 billion first car tax rebate program as well as a failed rice subsidy scheme that caused the government to lose 136 billion baht or $4.4 billion despite being promoted as cost-neutral. The original goal of the rice subsidy scheme was to buy local rice harvests for nearly 50 percent above market rates and withhold rice supplies from the global market in hopes of driving prices higher, which is when Thailand’s government would have sold its supply. Unsurprisingly, the scheme failed when other rice exporting nations – primarily India and Vietnam – rushed to fill the shortfall, which caused Thai rice exports to plunge by 37 percent and allowed India to become the world’s leading rice exporter. Though Thailand’s government is now sitting on 17 million tons of excess rice that is starting to go bad, it will continue its rice subsidy in 2014 to buy 11 million more tons of rice, which will cost approximately 270 billion baht or $8.6 billion."

Forbes who? anyway what would they know, we, the Thai Government ably assisted by our fearless fugitive leader, the worlds centre for all that counts are in full control of everything that matters in Thailand, such as rice schemes, flood control, law making, rule of law, fairness to all citizens without favour (especially if you are born with the right pedigree), so they can go bite their big fat bums as it has nothing to do with them.

[tragickingdom]

Amnesty bills including all those 17 passed to protect military strongmen after a coup are in general a bad idea. It is embarrassing to see Suthep on stage shouting like a salesman on a fish market while he knows very well that he is as protected as Thaksin. Suthep and his shoeshine boy Abhisit should also face the courts for ordering mass murder in the streets of Bangkok. Suthep is counting his electoral gains a bit too loudly. It is a matter of time before the red-shirts are doing it alone wiping out all of the Thaksin crony parties and by doing so fish salesman Suthep will be in jail faster than he can accuse Thaksin.

[steveromagnino]

He's suggesting it, to add legitimacy to the cases to be heard that Surapong and his allies want to press against Aphisit - the moment you charge Thaksin in an international court, you add legitimacy to the case against the Democrats in international court.

Even a 5 year old could see how their childlike plan works. He really does think we are stupid.

[waza]

What great advice, accept the amnesty bill and rely on court that has no standing in Thailand to hear your complaints.

[ratcatcher]

Amnesty bills including all those 17 passed to protect military strongmen after a coup are in general a bad idea. It is embarrassing to see Suthep on stage shouting like a salesman on a fish market while he knows very well that he is as protected as Thaksin. Suthep and his shoeshine boy Abhisit should also face the courts for ordering mass murder in the streets of Bangkok. Suthep is counting his electoral gains a bit too loudly. It is a matter of time before the red-shirts are doing it alone wiping out all of the Thaksin crony parties and by doing so fish salesman Suthep will be in jail faster than he can accuse Thaksin.

Why isn't Thaksin on his own stage shouting like a fish market salesman?

"Ordering mass murder in the streets of Bangkok"

Have another beer and keep dreaming. .

[Nickymaster]

What great advice, accept the amnesty bill and rely on court that has no standing in Thailand to hear your complaints.

Yes great advice from Thaksin's cousin indeed: accept the bill first and then ask me to forward your complain to the ICC.....

Edited November 5, 2013 by Nickymaster

[Robby nz]

Amnesty bills including all those 17 passed to protect military strongmen after a coup are in general a bad idea. It is embarrassing to see Suthep on stage shouting like a salesman on a fish market while he knows very well that he is as protected as Thaksin. Suthep and his shoeshine boy Abhisit should also face the courts for ordering mass murder in the streets of Bangkok. Suthep is counting his electoral gains a bit too loudly. It is a matter of time before the red-shirts are doing it alone wiping out all of the Thaksin crony parties and by doing so fish salesman Suthep will be in jail faster than he can accuse Thaksin.

See the quotes from the red book right through that post

Can you not understand that Abhisit and Suthep are asking, demanding even, that they be allowed to go to court to prove their innocence.

Should this amnesty bill pass into law it will prevent that and they will forever have the stupid accusations of murder hanging over them to be repeated time and again by the likes of poster above.

If they were guilty do you really think they would be opposing something that would get them off?

On the other the guilty are supporting the bill.

[ggold]

Is Surapong suggesting Thaksin's corruption cases be reopened back as far as the assets concealment when he hid billions in his driver, gardener and maid's names?, or does he favor a more recent cutoff point? Either way it doesn't bode well for his boss.

I think you'll find that the intent is to whitewash those charges by reopening the case, and claiming nothing was don't illegally! If you can run roughshod over the constitution you can run roughshod over the the judicial system also.

[ggold]

He's suggesting it, to add legitimacy to the cases to be heard that Surapong and his allies want to press against Aphisit - the moment you charge Thaksin in an international court, you add legitimacy to the case against the Democrats in international court.

Even a 5 year old could see how their childlike plan works. He really does think we are stupid.

I think it's a red herring! would the international court get involved in domestic political disputes? I don't think so. It could be a pointer to people to wait and see what the ICJ decide about Preah Vihear! He might even be taking the P**s

[tingtongteesood]

Thailand should try the fugitive's outstanding cases in absentia and then issue deportation requests to any country he ever goes to. He can come back and fight his side from his prison cell till he rots;....

[rubl]

BTW how is this parliament progressing with the 'one-off acceptance' bill to let the ICC judge the 2010 March-May riots as far as red-shirt deaths and Abhisit/Suthep are concerned? A suggestion made a while ago by Pheu Thai party list MP and UDD leader Dr. weng ig I remember correctly.

[waza]

BTW how is this parliament progressing with the 'one-off acceptance' bill to let the ICC judge the 2010 March-May riots as far as red-shirt deaths and Abhisit/Suthep are concerned? A suggestion made a while ago by Pheu Thai party list MP and UDD leader Dr. weng ig I remember correctly.

Topically Surapong answers..........

30 Nov 2012 : "Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, who chaired a meeting to determine whether to accept ICC jurisdiction, said the meeting could not come to a decision."

[bigbamboo]

I didn't realise Thailand was a signed up member of the ICC?

[whybother]

I didn't realise Thailand was a signed up member of the ICC?

Signed but not ratified.