Satish appeals to HM the King over Thai govt order to deport him

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POLITICS
Satish appeals to HM over govt order to deport him
The Nation


Arthit Sehgal, a brother of Indian-born businessman Satish Sehgal, files a petition with His Majesty the King through the Royal Household Bureau at the Grand Palace yesterday, seeking a royal pardon following an order to deport Satish.

BANGKOK: -- Attempts were under way yesterday to stall a deportation order against Indian-born businessman Satish Sehgal for joining the anti-government protests.

Satish, 70, yesterday petitioned His Majesty the King to intervene against the order by the government's Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO), which was signed on Wednesday by caretaker Labour Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung in his capacity as the CMPO director.

His lawyer would also seek a court injunction against the deportation order. Satish said he would need to rely on the court to ensure justice, adding "I believe in the Thai justice system."

He has seven days to petition the Civil Court.

Thaworn Senneam, a leader of the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), yesterday said that he was preparing to petition the Civil Court on whether the CMPO had violated a court order in seeking the deportation of Satish.

The court had earlier prohibited the CMPO from limiting the constitutional rights of the protesters.

Lawyer Sithichok Sricharoen said yesterday that Satish has the right to seek an injunction from the Civil Court against the deportation order.

Satish's brother, Arthit Sehgal, yesterday represented him in filing the petition at the Grand Palace because he said he worried about his safety. The King has the power to grant royal pardons.

Chalerm said yesterday that he had signed the deportation order because Satish had confessed to the authorities that he was involved in the seizure of five state agencies, including the Department of Civil Aviation, in the early days of the anti-government protests organised by the PDRC.

He said the order, which was signed on Wednesday, would next be forwarded to the Immigration Bureau to carry out the deportation.

"I have no other choice because this decision was made by the relevant authorities. I hold no personal grudge against Satish. We don't know each other," Chalerm said.

On February 22, the Interior Ministry's Immigration Commission resolved that Satish had violated the immigration law and therefore should be deported. The panel reversed its decision three days earlier that Satish had not committed any wrongdoing in this matter.

Satish yesterday insisted on his innocence and said he was unfairly treated. He said that he had never been summoned by the authorities to hear a formal charge against him and that he had never been formally notified.

Yesterday, he went to the PDRC's main protest site at Lumpini Park. "I am innocent and they should not have persecuted me. If I did anything wrong, I would have admitted to it," he said.

Satish, a former chairman of the Thai-Indian Business Association, said he has lived in Thailand for 65 years. His family emigrated from India and his younger brothers were all born in Thailand and have citizenship, while Satish holds a permanent residency.


-- The Nation 2014-03-07

[chooka]

This will set a precedence and the royal household could be flooded with all types of appeals in the future. They are going to be extremely busy.

[AoChalong]

Oh I see, as if there aren't already hundreds of appeals filed and pardons granted every year to prisoners in Thai jails convicted of every kind of crime.... except of course the "crime" of opposing the PTP and the Thaksin regime.

[MAJIC]

Normally I would have sympathy for this guy who has been in Thailand for around 50 years! but now I have no idea what point he was trying to make!

[Yunla]

Satish made a mistake and that is his problem now. He should not waste the time of such a truly wonderful person, who should not be dragged into these type of trivial and stressful personal mistakes, and '"put on the spot" in this way.

If you loved Thailand you would not pester such an illustrious person in his elderly frail condition, it is disrespectful.

Especially when Satish is simply receiving the justice promised him - all foreigners were clearly told to avoid protest sites and incendiary rhetoric, and Satish didn't.

[AoChalong]

Normally I would have sympathy for this guy who has been in Thailand for around 50 years! but now I have no idea what point he was trying to make!

...and so he should be deported because you don't understand his point?

[AoChalong]

Satish made a mistake and that is his problem now. He should not waste the time of such a truly wonderful person, who should not be dragged into these type of trivial and stressful personal mistakes, and '"put on the spot" in this way.

If you loved Thailand you would not pester such an illustrious person in his elderly frail condition, it is disrespectful.

Especially when Satish is simply receiving the justice promised him - all foreigners were clearly told to avoid protest sites and incendiary rhetoric, and Satish didn't.

Again the PTP apologists point out opposing the current Shinawatra government is an "unappealable" crime far worse than any other crimes that royal pardons are granted for every year...

[Somtamnication]

Maybe I need to travel and request help over the anti-family immigration laws for farang husbands.

[BirdsandBooze]

Maybe I need to travel and request help over the anti-family immigration laws for farang husbands.

You can add sexist immigration and citizenship laws for farang husbands as well.

[djhotsox]

Satish said he would need to rely on the court to ensure justice, adding "I believe in the Thai justice system."

Yet he claims:

"I am innocent and they should not have persecuted me. If I did anything wrong, I would have admitted to it,

And that:

He said that he had never been summoned by the authorities to hear a formal charge against him and that he had never been formally notified.

And then he goes to the highest authority of all to request a pardon!

Doesn't sound to me like he believes in the Thai justice system.....

[sms747]

Doesn't sound to me like he believes in the Thai justice system.....

Why should he, nobody else does either

[Tatsujin]

Satish made a mistake and that is his problem now. He should not waste the time of such a truly wonderful person, who should not be dragged into these type of trivial and stressful personal mistakes, and '"put on the spot" in this way.

If you loved Thailand you would not pester such an illustrious person in his elderly frail condition, it is disrespectful.

Especially when Satish is simply receiving the justice promised him - all foreigners were clearly told to avoid protest sites and incendiary rhetoric, and Satish didn't.

So it's OK for me to commit murder here and then put in an appeal to His Majesty, but it's not OK to talk in public and then put in an appeal to His Majesty?

Personally, I would have thought what he did was (although illegal) very, very minor compared to what many here are arrested for. Seems to me like PT are simply vilifying someone who has contributed quite a lot to this country because it's "easy" for them to do so.

[thhMan]

Satish made a mistake and that is his problem now. He should not waste the time of such a truly wonderful person, who should not be dragged into these type of trivial and stressful personal mistakes, and '"put on the spot" in this way.

If you loved Thailand you would not pester such an illustrious person in his elderly frail condition, it is disrespectful.

Especially when Satish is simply receiving the justice promised him - all foreigners were clearly told to avoid protest sites and incendiary rhetoric, and Satish didn't.

As long as Thailand makes it very clear to the rest of the world that foreigners have no rights and even less than a Soi Dog, then I would agree with you.

[Prbkk]

Satish made a mistake and that is his problem now. He should not waste the time of such a truly wonderful person, who should not be dragged into these type of trivial and stressful personal mistakes, and '"put on the spot" in this way.

If you loved Thailand you would not pester such an illustrious person in his elderly frail condition, it is disrespectful.

Especially when Satish is simply receiving the justice promised him - all foreigners were clearly told to avoid protest sites and incendiary rhetoric, and Satish didn't.

So it's OK for me to commit murder here and then put in an appeal to His Majesty, but it's not OK to talk in public and then put in an appeal to His Majesty?

Personally, I would have thought what he did was (although illegal) very, very minor compared to what many here are arrested for. Seems to me like PT are simply vilifying someone who has contributed quite a lot to this country because it's "easy" for them to do so.

No. He knew that other channels of appeal were open to you and instead he chose to involve the monarchy ( something nobody on either side has sough to do in this conflict). My sympathy for him has gone.

[timewilltell]

Satish made a mistake and that is his problem now. He should not waste the time of such a truly wonderful person, who should not be dragged into these type of trivial and stressful personal mistakes, and '"put on the spot" in this way.

If you loved Thailand you would not pester such an illustrious person in his elderly frail condition, it is disrespectful.

Especially when Satish is simply receiving the justice promised him - all foreigners were clearly told to avoid protest sites and incendiary rhetoric, and Satish didn't.

Well is your point that the appeal for pardon system is wrong, in which case I think you should concern yourself with the thousands pardoned from the jails every year - or does overcrowding come in to it?

Or is your point that an illustrious elderly person should not be pestered with such minor matters, in which case I think you might be surprised to learn that most of those things would be handled by the Royal Staff.

Or perhaps you are miffed that not just the wonderful Thai people can avail themselves but those Alien foreigners are allowed to as well?

Or perhaps that you just do not like the guy because he believes Thailand would be better off without your precious corrupt and incompetent traitors in the PTP who have stolen from the treasury in huge sums and proven inept in about everything they touch!

[Tatsujin]

Satish made a mistake and that is his problem now. He should not waste the time of such a truly wonderful person, who should not be dragged into these type of trivial and stressful personal mistakes, and '"put on the spot" in this way.

If you loved Thailand you would not pester such an illustrious person in his elderly frail condition, it is disrespectful.

Especially when Satish is simply receiving the justice promised him - all foreigners were clearly told to avoid protest sites and incendiary rhetoric, and Satish didn't.

So it's OK for me to commit murder here and then put in an appeal to His Majesty, but it's not OK to talk in public and then put in an appeal to His Majesty?

Personally, I would have thought what he did was (although illegal) very, very minor compared to what many here are arrested for. Seems to me like PT are simply vilifying someone who has contributed quite a lot to this country because it's "easy" for them to do so.

No. He knew that other channels of appeal were open to you and instead he chose to involve the monarchy ( something nobody on either side has sough to do in this conflict). My sympathy for him has gone.

Given that he only has 7 days to make an appeal before he is kicked out, and that it appears the "administration" haven't exactly done things correctly by not calling him to hear charges etc, I think I would also go directly straight to the "top" if I was able to do so.

Those other channels ARE also being explored by his lawyers by the way.

[8OA8]

Seven days to submit the appeal to the Civil Court, lots of dragging out of the case, his unable to appear in court to give evidence due to poor health and needing to visit hospital on the day's of the appeal hearing.... he should manage to drag it out for a few years.

[Prbkk]

Satish made a mistake and that is his problem now. He should not waste the time of such a truly wonderful person, who should not be dragged into these type of trivial and stressful personal mistakes, and '"put on the spot" in this way.

If you loved Thailand you would not pester such an illustrious person in his elderly frail condition, it is disrespectful.

Especially when Satish is simply receiving the justice promised him - all foreigners were clearly told to avoid protest sites and incendiary rhetoric, and Satish didn't.

Well is your point that the appeal for pardon system is wrong, in which case I think you should concern yourself with the thousands pardoned from the jails every year - or does overcrowding come in to it?

Or is your point that an illustrious elderly person should not be pestered with such minor matters, in which case I think you might be surprised to learn that most of those things would be handled by the Royal Staff.

Or perhaps you are miffed that not just the wonderful Thai people can avail themselves but those Alien foreigners are allowed to as well?

Or perhaps that you just do not like the guy because he believes Thailand would be better off without your precious corrupt and incompetent traitors in the PTP who have stolen from the treasury in huge sums and proven inept in about everything they touch!

Of course everyone understands that royal household staff will handle this. It doesn't matter: this is a blatant attempt to politicize that institution and this matter should have been handled through the appropriate appeal mechanisms. This is a big error of judgement

[geriatrickid]

Oh I see, as if there aren't already hundreds of appeals filed and pardons granted every year to prisoners in Thai jails convicted of every kind of crime.... except of course the "crime" of opposing the PTP and the Thaksin regime.

Many of those appeals are rejected at filing. I don't know if you are aware, but there is a protocol and strict formality that must be followed.

The request has to be written in Royal Thai format (ราชาศัพท์). There is a strict format. Deviate from it, and the chances are, the clerk reading it, won't pass it along. The success of an appeal is also based upon the effort beforehand that encourages the submission of the request.

[rickirs]

First I read Satish has lived in Thailand for 50 years. Now it's 65 years. When it becomes 150 years I'm going to start disbelieveing his position.

[smileydude]

I can understand the frustration and desperation but involving the monarchy at such a fragile moment in Thailand's history is not exactly the best idea.

[rickirs]

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Seven days to submit the appeal to the Civil Court, lots of dragging out of the case, his unable to appear in court to give evidence due to poor health and needing to visit hospital on the day's of the appeal hearing.... he should manage to drag it out for a few years.

Now that's a lot of Redbull.

[anon467367354]

again this is the ignorant Thai government raising it's ugly head and stating to all "you are not one of us"

You do not have the same rights as us.

You are not free to express yourself or opinions.

It doesn't matter how long you've been here or what you've contributed to the country you can always leave.

You do not have those inalienable rights that developed countries have, we are a third world country with third world views.

If you are not Thai you will always be a second class citizen or less.

We are not America though we spew "democracy" whenever we can but we don't know what it means.

You stay too long and can go home even if you don't have one.

[h90]

Normally I would have sympathy for this guy who has been in Thailand for around 50 years! but now I have no idea what point he was trying to make!

...and so he should be deported because you don't understand his point?

Not only deported, also banned from any entry for 5 years and so banned to see his sick mother he take care off.

[Thai at Heart]

again this is the ignorant Thai government raising it's ugly head and stating to all "you are not one of us"

You do not have the same rights as us.

You are not free to express yourself or opinions.

It doesn't matter how long you've been here or what you've contributed to the country you can always leave.

You do not have those inalienable rights that developed countries have, we are a third world country with third world views.

If you are not Thai you will always be a second class citizen or less.

We are not America though we spew "democracy" whenever we can but we don't know what it means.

You stay too long and can go home even if you don't have one.

What a load of nonsense.

As visitor, tourists or whatever you are not afforded the same rights of abode and protection as a citizen. This is largely universal.

Break the law and there can be consequences.

[ukrules]

Normally I would have sympathy for this guy who has been in Thailand for around 50 years! but now I have no idea what point he was trying to make!

If 50 years in the country counts for nothing then I don't know what to stay.

I will take this case and it's outcome into consideration when making decisions about Thailand in future.

I can understand a rabble rousing tourist being deported but someone who's been here for 50 years is a whole different thing.

If he's deported for this it will damage the credibility of Thailand even more.

By the way I fully expect him to be deported and this appeal will mean nothing.

[smileydude]

Satish made a mistake and that is his problem now. He should not waste the time of such a truly wonderful person, who should not be dragged into these type of trivial and stressful personal mistakes, and '"put on the spot" in this way.

If you loved Thailand you would not pester such an illustrious person in his elderly frail condition, it is disrespectful.

Especially when Satish is simply receiving the justice promised him - all foreigners were clearly told to avoid protest sites and incendiary rhetoric, and Satish didn't.

Well is your point that the appeal for pardon system is wrong, in which case I think you should concern yourself with the thousands pardoned from the jails every year - or does overcrowding come in to it?

Or is your point that an illustrious elderly person should not be pestered with such minor matters, in which case I think you might be surprised to learn that most of those things would be handled by the Royal Staff.

Or perhaps you are miffed that not just the wonderful Thai people can avail themselves but those Alien foreigners are allowed to as well?

Or perhaps that you just do not like the guy because he believes Thailand would be better off without your precious corrupt and incompetent traitors in the PTP who have stolen from the treasury in huge sums and proven inept in about everything they touch!

I believe its none of the above.

Its just pure respect and love for his Majesty and what he has done for the country.

This is not the time to get the monarchy involved in politics. There is actually no time to do so.

Thai's have to solve the problem among themselves instead of behaving like spoiled children when they don't get their own way go crying to their parents asking them to take sides.

Edited March 7, 2014 by smileydude

[Thai at Heart]

Normally I would have sympathy for this guy who has been in Thailand for around 50 years! but now I have no idea what point he was trying to make!

If 50 years in the country counts for nothing then I don't know what to stay.

I will take this case and it's outcome into consideration when making decisions about Thailand in future.

I can understand a rabble rousing tourist being deported but someone who's been here for 50 years is a whole different thing.

If he's deported for this it will damage the credibility of Thailand even more.

By the way I fully expect him to be deported and this appeal will mean nothing.

If this was a thai immigrant in the uk campaigning to overthrow the uk government, who had stupidly never bothered to get citizenship would you say the same thing.

You can't campaign to overthrow a government that isn't yours. He's a visitor like you or me. He thinks he's a very big man. Well he's just been put in his place. Arrogant Wally.

Simple really.

[Yunla]

receiving the justice promised him - all foreigners were clearly told to avoid protest sites and incendiary rhetoric, and Satish didn't.

Well is your point that the appeal for pardon system is wrong, in which case I think you should concern yourself with the thousands pardoned from the jails every year - or does overcrowding come in to it?

Or is your point that an illustrious elderly person should not be pestered with such minor matters, in which case I think you might be surprised to learn that most of those things would be handled by the Royal Staff.

Or perhaps you are miffed that not just the wonderful Thai people can avail themselves but those Alien foreigners are allowed to as well?

Or perhaps that you just do not like the guy because he believes Thailand would be better off without your precious corrupt and incompetent traitors in the PTP who have stolen from the treasury in huge sums and proven inept in about everything they touch!

I am not pro PTP. I have referred to Thaksin as a dune-loon and a massmurderer etc. for many many years. I wouldn't trust Yingluck to clean my windows, much less run a nation.

Re; foreigners' rights - does not come into it. We were ordered to avoid protests etc. in order to prevent the situation escalating, to prevent us being killed in potential factional violence, and for the simple reason that it is NOT our business. It really is not. We who are neither citizens nor state-members have no say in this as this conflict is a citizen-state issue. We can tweet and chat about it, but we can not take to the streets as part of an armed overthrow movement.

Re; Royal Staff dealing with the missives. Obviously. But don't think that a certain important person is not made aware of things that even you and I are reading in the newspapers. This adds extra stress to him. I condemn this to the utmost.

Also it is highly disrespectful to believe that after you knowingly made a stupid error, somebody who is as a deity to many should come down to your level and clean up your mess. I personally couldn't even speak to one such as this, or speak of them, except in utmost humility and hushed tones. If this great person decided to intervene, this is of course different. But to demand his attention on this political factionalism issue, an issue we were all clearly instructed to avoid on pain of deportation, is arrogant and disrespectful behaviour towards such an illustrious and noble person.

[Tatsujin]

again this is the ignorant Thai government raising it's ugly head and stating to all "you are not one of us"

You do not have the same rights as us.

You are not free to express yourself or opinions.

It doesn't matter how long you've been here or what you've contributed to the country you can always leave.

You do not have those inalienable rights that developed countries have, we are a third world country with third world views.

If you are not Thai you will always be a second class citizen or less.

We are not America though we spew "democracy" whenever we can but we don't know what it means.

You stay too long and can go home even if you don't have one.

What a load of nonsense.

As visitor, tourists or whatever you are not afforded the same rights of abode and protection as a citizen. This is largely universal.

Break the law and there can be consequences.

Ah, but here's the rub . . . he's not a visitor OR a tourist, he "had" Permanent Residence status which has now been revoked.