DSI chief Tarit: 'We have right to freeze assets of protest leaders'

[webfact]

'We have right to freeze assets'
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- THE DEPARTMENT of Special Investigation had the authority to issue summons and freeze assets of 38 protest leaders, DSI chief Tarit Pengdith insisted yesterday.

Protesters had the right to demonstrate, but he said protest leaders had committed criminal offences, such as instigating work stoppages, encouraging people not to pay taxes, and laying siege to government offices and television stations. The Criminal Court had also ruled against revoking an arrest warrant for People's Democratic Reform Committee secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban.

The DSI, he said, needed to investigate the assets of 38 protest leaders to find out who was financing the protests. It had also resolved to press charges against lawyer Nitithorn Lamlua and major protest leaders for leading protesters to rally outside the US embassy, in an attempt to "oust" the US Ambassador.

Tarit said the agency would also issue arrest warrants on January 2-3 for 20 additional protest leaders on charges of violating Articles 116 and 215. He said that if they failed to show up at police stations and appeared instead on rally stages, they would immediately be arrested.

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit accused former Democrat MP Ongart Klampaiboon of putting pressure on an official, after his assets were frozen. He said Ongart allegedly threatened to sue Tarit.

Prompong also attacked Democrat adviser Chuan Leekpai for boycotting the election, saying he was disappointed with Chuan who always adhered to democratic principles.


-- The Nation 2013-12-23

[Nacho]

So now it's not ok to threaten to sue. Maybe Ongart should have given out Tarit's phone number instead...

[NongKhaiKid]

Suthep threatens to bring the country to a halt and prevent the election, even prevent registration.

Tarit and PTP make the law up as they go along.

Both side completely entrenched in thir own positions and many eyes are on the military.

Reform ? Gool luck with that.

[Bluespunk]

"'We have right to freeze assets'"

Because we are the govt, because we are strong, because we can, because we want to, because we don't like you and your views. These give us the right to do this, legally, well, that's another matter.

PT in a nutshell, we have the power to misuse the law as a weapon, stop us if you can.

[Scamper]

So apparently - according to Tarit - it's lawful to protest, but apparently unlawful to donate towards the cause of your choice ! Only in the world of Gilbert and Sullivan would such an idea be offered seriously, and even then solely as intentional wit. So we now have a potential 58 leaders of the protest movement under arrest, with their accounts frozen. And this is all done blissfully unaware that such actions of the clearest form of suppression will somehow look good to other countries. Well, it doesn't. It looks absolutely terrible. For a government that is apparently been more determined than ever to convince the world that Thaksin has nothing to do with the machinations of this administration, it seems that at long last - they've given up pretending.

[LuckyLew]

Yes they are allowed ..... Thaksin said so

[soi41]

"We have the rights to freeze assets"

But we all know, that the normal procedure for your agency is the give the offenders amble time to empty their accounts. Cases of the fake monk and the luxury car-scam springs to mind! (Cases that just died!!)

But when the order comes from Dubai, it is a different story!!

Edited December 23, 2013 by soi41

[jaidam]

Tarit has a whole world of hurt in store for him. Behind Taksin of Arabia and one or two others, Tarit has done more to destroy democracy, rule of law, and impartial application of justice than anybody. When the balance of power changes and the amart rouge lose their iron grip, payback will be brutal. It's fair to say he is as nervous as a kid in the Lostprophets recording studio.

[Nibbles48]

Tarit has a whole world of hurt in store for him. Behind Taksin of Arabia and one or two others, Tarit has done more to destroy democracy, rule of law, and impartial application of justice than anybody. When the balance of power changes and the amart rouge lose their iron grip, payback will be brutal. It's fair to say he is as nervous as a kid in the Lostprophets recording studio.

I wish I had a like for this post but I ran out of them.

But yes... Tarit is in for one hell of a backlash. He is messing with many highly influential and powerful people here, and i would not be surprised to wake up one morning and read that he has mysteriously dropped dead, or disappeared into thin air.

[Robby nz]

Of course he does, he has the right t do whatever Thaksin tells his to do.

But that's not all, as reported elsewhere :

The police have set up a special unit headed by none other than Police General Winai who is the husband of a niece of Thaksin ex wife, his offsider is a close aid of a former national police chief who is Thaksins brother in law.

They have a list of about 300 of the protesters who they call trouble makers that they will be targeting

They have 140 plain clothes cops some disguised as protesters (how to disguise themselves as protesters?) to mingle with the crowds, talk to them and take photos in an attempt to incriminate as many as possible.

[ramrod711]

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit accused former Democrat MP Ongart Klampaiboon of putting pressure on an official, after his assets were frozen. He said Ongart allegedly threatened to sue Tarit.

If it is against the law to sue, Chalerm, Thaksin and Prompong Nopparit should be the first ones to be arrested. As for Tarit, i agree with jaidam, he is going to think a house fell on him when Thaksin loses control, he may even want to sue someone.

[h90]

Yes they are allowed ..... Thaksin said so

And Thaksins bank accounts are not frozen in Thailand even he is on the run not only from a jail term, but also from many cases at court.

Why don't the reds complain about "double standards"?

[Lupatria]

he said protest leaders had committed criminal offences, such as instigating work stoppages, encouraging people not to pay taxes, and laying siege to government offices and television stations.

If this procedure- freezing the assets of people who committed criminal offences and crimes- would be enforced equally including hi-so heirs, corrupt politicians and cops, the number of beggars in the street would increase drastically.

[Spare]

If Mark or Suthep return to power, I am sure they will keep Tarit.

He is most useful to the ruling govt, which everyone one it might be.

[Skywalker69]

Tarit has a whole world of hurt in store for him. Behind Taksin of Arabia and one or two others, Tarit has done more to destroy democracy, rule of law, and impartial application of justice than anybody. When the balance of power changes and the amart rouge lose their iron grip, payback will be brutal. It's fair to say he is as nervous as a kid in the Lostprophets recording studio.

I wish I had a like for this post but I ran out of them.

But yes... Tarit is in for one hell of a backlash. He is messing with many highly influential and powerful people here, and i would not be surprised to wake up one morning and read that he has mysteriously dropped dead, or disappeared into thin air.

I wish I had a like for this post but I ran out of them.

Me too.

[Bluespunk]

If Mark or Suthep return to power, I am sure they will keep Tarit.

He is most useful to the ruling govt, which everyone one it might be.

Mark?

[diehard60]

"'We have right to freeze assets'"

Because we are the govt, because we are strong, because we can, because we want to, because we don't like you and your views. These give us the right to do this, legally, well, that's another matter.

PT in a nutshell, we have the power to misuse the law as a weapon, stop us if you can.

Well atleast they are not using guns, like the last appointed government did. Do we remember the snipers on the roof tops?????

[diehard60]

Yes they are allowed ..... Thaksin said so

And Thaksins bank accounts are not frozen in Thailand even he is on the run not only from a jail term, but also from many cases at court.

Why don't the reds complain about "double standards"?

they were frozen and they confiscated his money also.

[MMarlow]

So apparently - according to Tarit - it's lawful to protest, but apparently unlawful to donate towards the cause of your choice ! Only in the world of Gilbert and Sullivan would such an idea be offered seriously, and even then solely as intentional wit. So we now have a potential 58 leaders of the protest movement under arrest, with their accounts frozen. And this is all done blissfully unaware that such actions of the clearest form of suppression will somehow look good to other countries. Well, it doesn't. It looks absolutely terrible. For a government that is apparently been more determined than ever to convince the world that Thaksin has nothing to do with the machinations of this administration, it seems that at long last - they've given up pretending.

Read it again. He said it is lawful to protest but it is not lawful, obviously, to commit the criminal activities that he mentioned. Presumably it is also not lawful to finance those illegal activities.

[ChrisY1]

They seem to think they have a dictatorship operating now....and can do as they please.....

It all seems as though things are progressing very badly for Thailand amid all this....

[jaidam]

Yes they are allowed ..... Thaksin said so

And Thaksins bank accounts are not frozen in Thailand even he is on the run not only from a jail term, but also from many cases at court.

Why don't the reds complain about "double standards"?

they were frozen and they confiscated his money also.

It was frozen because it wasn't "his" money. It was money he was found to have stolen, through policy corruption, stealing companies from farang telecoms businessmen, and common or garden fraud and larceny. It was frozen and returned to the taxpayers, from whom he had nicked it from. Unfortunately as a non tax payer he didn't benefit from this.

[noitom]

Freezing assets of political protesters. They better watch out, the USA may fire up a threat to bomb pretty soon like they usually do when free political protest is repressed.

[outsider]

Suthep threatens to bring the country to a halt and prevent the election, even prevent registration.

Tarit and PTP make the law up as they go along.

Both side completely entrenched in thir own positions and many eyes are on the military.

Reform ? Gool luck with that.

Reborn, more like.

[Baerboxer]

Yes they are allowed ..... Thaksin said so

And Thaksins bank accounts are not frozen in Thailand even he is on the run not only from a jail term, but also from many cases at court.

Why don't the reds complain about "double standards"?

That's an interesting point. Why aren't all Thaksin's assets and bank accounts in Thailand frozen? Easy, same reason there isn't a formal extradition been lodged or revocation of his illegal Thai passport.

[Baerboxer]

So apparently - according to Tarit - it's lawful to protest, but apparently unlawful to donate towards the cause of your choice ! Only in the world of Gilbert and Sullivan would such an idea be offered seriously, and even then solely as intentional wit. So we now have a potential 58 leaders of the protest movement under arrest, with their accounts frozen. And this is all done blissfully unaware that such actions of the clearest form of suppression will somehow look good to other countries. Well, it doesn't. It looks absolutely terrible. For a government that is apparently been more determined than ever to convince the world that Thaksin has nothing to do with the machinations of this administration, it seems that at long last - they've given up pretending.

Read it again. He said it is lawful to protest but it is not lawful, obviously, to commit the criminal activities that he mentioned. Presumably it is also not lawful to finance those illegal activities.

Then the people who financed the 2010 insurgency should also be charged and arrested, no?

The senate have rebuffed Tarit for his abuse of power. He ignores this and continues. Prompom, who should be serving his sentence in prison by now, has the cheek to say that you can't sue Tarit, even if you believe he is acting illegally because he's an "official". Further proof that PTP see the law only applying to others - not themselves or their friends.

We have a very corrupt government, that ignores the law, openly refuses to obey it, and then tries to use it against its opponents and critics. Now they also say that their opponents cannot even try to use the law against them, it not allowed. What <deleted>!

PTP and the law -

[klauskunkel]

'We have right to freeze assets'

You also have the right to fart in public...

[antimuds]

Well, get arrested on the spot if they are on the rally stage? Hmm.. trying to get your policemen killed? Or trying to have a big riot again? Why must u wait until 2-3 jan to arrest? So 2013 4 died and hundreds injured, 2014 1000s dead and no injuries?

[djhotsox]

Am I right to assume that this is ANOTHER arrest warrant for Suthep? Making it two warrants out for his arrest?

[GeorgeO]

Tarit has a whole world of hurt in store for him. Behind Taksin of Arabia and one or two others, Tarit has done more to destroy democracy, rule of law, and impartial application of justice than anybody. When the balance of power changes and the amart rouge lose their iron grip, payback will be brutal. It's fair to say he is as nervous as a kid in the Lostprophets recording studio.

... and all of this despite a senate committee having already told him that it is not lawful to seize their assets.

Furthermore, what the hell is Prompong doing commenting on this matter. He has already been given a non-suspended prison sentence, so he should now be in jail, and certainly not in political office...!

[virtualtraveller]

Tarit lives in the la-la land where he imagines only one set of rules, applying to one set of people, totally oblivious to the fact that there is a parallel world of offenders guilty of exactly the same thing, only they belong to 'his camp'.

Part of the reform should be to disband the DSI and have strict penalties for those being used as tools.