DSI backs down on threat to reveal 'backers'

[webfact]

ANTI-GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGNS
DSI backs down on threat to reveal 'backers'
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) has stepped back from its threat to reveal the identity of people funding the anti-government protest - amid fears that the move may backfire.

After saying on Monday that the authorities would release a list of names of businesspeople and groups providing financial support to the anti-government protests Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief Tarit Pengdith yesterday said only that the DSI had to act with caution.

Tarit had warned that some people may be charged with criminal acts, and that their assets and finances might be frozen.

But after a meeting on the matter yesterday, Tarit told reporters the authorities needed more evidence to prove their case and may face legal consequences after releasing the list of names.

"We have to be fair to all concerned parties," he said. Examination of evidence on money transactions might take time, as there were several government agencies involved, he said. These were the Anti-Money Laundering Office, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, the DSI, police and the Revenue Department, he said.

The CMPO, however, summoned executives of some five-star hotels such as the Dusit Thani and InterContinental where leaders of the protests allegedly stayed during rallies over recent weeks to give information on their roles in supporting the protest.

Pramon Sutivong, chairman of the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand (ACT), said officials must be careful before making decisions to publicise the list of protest supporters. Companies had the right to take legal action against the CMPO for damage to their reputation, he said.

"The authorities must make sure that they enforce the emergency decree properly," he said.

Sarasin Veeraphol, executive vice president of Charoen Pokphand Group (CP), said the CMPO just threatened but might not really release the list of protest financiers. The announcement could cause a negative impact for the government, he said.

"If there are as many companies as the authorities claimed, it could mean that more than half of the total companies in the country are against this government," he said.

The threat to freeze assets of private companies or block their money transaction might not be good for the government, he said.

The country badly needed an atmosphere of reconciliation, so the government should not create any further rifts, he said.

Pornsin Patcharintanakul, vice president of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the plan to release the list of protest supporters may be a preventive measure to try to stop private companies from providing funds to the protesters.

The CMPO should clarify any charges and what the grounds were for releasing such a list. He said if some companies were really giving funds to help feed the protesters, they should get a warning before assets are "frozen". If the authorities have evidence to prove such allegations, they should ask a court to decide on whether assets can be frozen.

"The country is deeply divided and peo ple are polarised. Businesses that were accused of taking sides would be seriously affected," he said.

Boonchai Chokewattana, president of Saha Pathanapibul (Sahapat), said the authorities and officials who released the list of companies accused of helping the protest may face legal consequences if the information they release is not true. False information on this matter would damage people's business, he said.


-- The Nation 2014-02-12

[TVGerry]

Oh Tarit! If Chalerm isn't in the news for one day to make us laugh, there's always you as a back up!

[bkkjames]

In other words - I have seen the light.

[NongKhaiKid]

Yet another example of the old doctrine of ' Opening Mouth Without Engaging Brain '.

[trogers]

"If there are as many companies as the authorities claimed, it could mean that more than half of the total companies in the country are against this government," he said.

[JoeThePoster]

Come on, at least give out their initials !

[Thait Spot]

These boys won't realise that the tide has turned until they feel the noose around their necks.

Tarit, for sure, will find his new found wealth under investigation

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[mightyatom]

Does the law in Thailand have an offence relating to 'wasting police time' like they do in the UK?

[Thai at Heart]

Haha.

Of course, names of companies mentioned in the article are purely coincidental.

What a joke of a legal system. They can pass the rules for reporting international money laundering but they can't trace domestic cash.

[millwall_fan]

They wont release the names because they don't want to end up at the bottom of the Chao Phraya. They are all playing with high stakes.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

If the authorities have evidence to prove such allegations, they should ask a court to decide on whether assets can be frozen.

One thing I haven't seen clarified through all this is whether the current government, under the SOE, has the authority to freeze and/or seize financial assets WITHOUT the requirement of obtaining court orders.

Also, why's the Narcotics Control board involved here? Does the government have some evidence that the funds going to the protesters are coming from the drug trade? I haven't heard or seen any allegation like that.

[tomyummer]

I think the list is already circulated on the net.

[sixfiftysevenmember]

Do the individual members of this crowd who call themselves the CMPO know what the others are doing? I ask because last night Khun Suthep announced that he had just received a flash message that Mr Ear Medicine (aka Kuhn Chalerm) had just announced the names of the companies and individuals who have been assisting the PDRC - one of the individuals apparently died March 2012 so perhaps it was his ghost - but from the list it appears to be many a the major players in Thailand. So perhaps Messrs Tarit and Chalerm should speak to each other and get their stories correct . They would do well to remember the old maxim 'engage brain before opening mouth'.

[chainarong]

Oh Tarit! If Chalerm isn't in the news for one day to make us laugh, there's always you as a back up! alt=biggrin.png width=20 height=20>

Both are proper idiots, but where would we get our entertainment from, unfortunately they can do a lot of damage , I 'm still waiting for DSI to arrest the culprits in the luxury car parts scam , looks like it's at the top of the establishment , so mum's the word.

[Bluespunk]

Yet another example of the old doctrine of ' Opening Mouth Without Engaging Brain '.

Nothing to engage.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

Looks like someone had enough brains to tell Tarit that releasing the names of the anti-government protest financiers would probably violate Thailand's defamation laws, exposing those behind the release to both civil and criminal sanctions.

Edited February 12, 2014 by zaphodbeeblebrox

[geriatrickid]

"If there are as many companies as the authorities claimed, it could mean that more than half of the total companies in the country are against this government," he said.

It is not unusual for a large company to literally have hundreds of subcompanies. They can be separate operating units, or set up for licensing or taxation purposes etc. It is especially common in the real estate business. It would not be out of the ordinary to see one company with an interest in 5% of the total registered companies in Thailand. It's a lot like wealth where 10% of the population can hold in excess of 75% of the nation's wealth.

[GentlemanJim]

Look Tarit, your job is to uphold the law. These companies and people have either broken the law or they have not, your job is to apply the law, not worry about the effects on the Government, you are supposed to be a neutral employee of the people and which ever Government is in power. So, if they have broken the law then name them, if they have not then what the hell are you doing harassing them?

[LomSak27]

The Dems have always been able to claim they are less corrupt because they get their money from business and the wealthy, they don';t have to pillage the goverment as much as other parties.. That is who funds them, juices their vote buying.Putting out a laundry list of who funds Sondhi's retirment for services rendered and who is funding the protests and Sondhi's retirment for services renderd would cause a wholesale revolt of the Thai business community.

Too bad because I think we would all benifit from the information

oh well back to the massive protests .... truck up some southern rubber plantation workers and give them a vacation!!

[GentlemanJim]

The Dems have always been able to claim they are less corrupt because they get their money from business and the wealthy, they don';t have to pillage the goverment as much as other parties.. That is who funds them, juices their vote buying.Putting out a laundry list of who funds Sondhi's retirment for services rendered and who is funding the protests and Sondhi's retirment for services renderd would cause a wholesale revolt of the Thai business community.

Too bad because I think we would all benifit from the information

oh well back to the massive protests .... truck up some southern rubber plantation workers and give them a vacation!!

The Southern Rubber plantation workers are far too busy to take a vacation. They are all taking advantage of the epic weather down here and cutting, tapping, processing their little hearts out. So until we get some decent rain here Sutheps crowds will have to be on the light side.

[virtualtraveller]

Truth of the matter is that many of these companies sponsor both major political forces. They hedge their bets. Out one and you may lose an ally. Tarit didn't think of that one but Thaksin likely did and must have had a word. Who says the elite are batting for one particular side.

[outsider]

Saw a ghost did ya, Tarit?

[siampolee]

Here Mr Tarit is the answer to your quandry. The Shinwatra family motto.

[Scamper]

Another sterling example of this shoot-from-the-hip administration. Last Friday, Tarit had a list of 136 businesses or individuals to be released to the public on Monday. Two days later, the list was whittled down to 58. Monday came and went. On Tuesday, complete capitulation. There was not enough evidence, you see. ( As if there was any to begin with )

" Tarit told reporters the authorities needed more evidence to prove their case and may face legal consequences after releasing the list of names. "

This was nothing more than an intimation tactic - a complete bluff - that if carried out - would have resulted in an exodus of over half the companies invested in Thailand, if Veeraphol's estimation is correct. The " shoot now - look second " motto of Pheu Thai has now been changed to " shoot your own foot first - then look down ".

[Thait Spot]

It seems the list has now been leaked........

I guess Tarit will be sued

Hopefully as an individual

[ratcatcher]

The names of the companies and associated individuals in the CMPO witchhunt are there on the website of "The Big Paper whose name we are not allowed to mention"

The list was "leaked" to the media. Some seriously heavy hitters are not going to be too pleased with these nitwits at CMPO.

[rubl]

BTW did we already get the names of the five foreign leaders of the PDRC ? Didn't the DSI, CAPO or CMPO promise us that info a while ago?

[pipkins]

BTW did we already get the names of the five foreign leaders of the PDRC ? Didn't the DSI, CAPO or CMPO promise us that info a while ago?

We got the Indian guy so that leave 4

then the 2 French army guys were pictured, but have gone to ground. A canadian was caught working as security on the march,

Still a bit up in the air, but they have got some foreigners already.

Got a lot more Army and Navy involved, and that is starting to really come out into the open this week.

All in all, they picking them off, and the backers will be getting the shi1ts this week as well.

Slowly slowly. Don't want a big arrest with Tear Gas etc or shooting as this pays into PDRC's desperate hands. We've seen from the leaked list what we knew. Some big business in the Asoke Central area are backing.... BUT. oh happy day, are now seeing their business start to tank!!

Singha were so worried that they made one of their clan change her name, so the pressure does pile on and it does work.

[rogerdee123]

In other words - I have seen the light.

no kidding ! ... it's the on-coming train

[rubl]

BTW did we already get the names of the five foreign leaders of the PDRC ? Didn't the DSI, CAPO or CMPO promise us that info a while ago?

We got the Indian guy so that leave 4

then the 2 French army guys were pictured, but have gone to ground. A canadian was caught working as security on the march,

Still a bit up in the air, but they have got some foreigners already.

Got a lot more Army and Navy involved, and that is starting to really come out into the open this week.

All in all, they picking them off, and the backers will be getting the shi1ts this week as well.

Slowly slowly. Don't want a big arrest with Tear Gas etc or shooting as this pays into PDRC's desperate hands. We've seen from the leaked list what we knew. Some big business in the Asoke Central area are backing.... BUT. oh happy day, are now seeing their business start to tank!!

Singha were so worried that they made one of their clan change her name, so the pressure does pile on and it does work.

So, no 'foreign' 'leaders' are named yet it would seem.

"Singha were so worried that they made one of their clan change her name, so the pressure does pile on and it does work."

From a forum or did you find this in a respectable news source?

Edited February 12, 2014 by rubl