Foreign man accuses PM of perjury

BANGKOK: -- An American businessman does "not hate" Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, despite a mostly bitter 21-year relationship, it was reported Sunday.

A Thai court will start hearings next month into allegations by William Monson, 63, the president of US-based Clearview Wireless, that Thaksin committed perjury during a previous hearing.

The proceedings will take place in the run up to a general election in October, with Thaksin already being attacked by the opposition as a self-serving carpetbagger.

Monson and Thaksin established a joint venture in 1985 that was to eventually become Thailand's first cable television station. The relationship turned sour in the late 1980s when, Monson alleges, Thaksin seized transmission equipment and filed false criminal charges against his staff.

Monson said he offered Thaksin a financial settlement several years ago but was rebuffed. "Thaksin has created his monsters. I will eat them," he told the newspaper.

The timing of the hearings - just before an election - was "providential," but not by design because he has been fighting the case for a long. Monson, who is married to a Thai woman, said, "I think a leader has to be honest."

Thaksin's early business history is a murky. He established his first computer company to sell computers to the police when he was an officer still on the police office.

Thaksin walked away from reporters last week when they asked him how he proposed to fight the allegations.

--DPA 2006-08-20

I know I'm naive but..

Any senior politician in Europe facing criminal charges

would resign until he cleared his name

but...

"Hey , this is Thailand ! "

Thaksin already being attacked by the opposition as a self-serving carpetbagger.

Accurate turn of phrase.

Thaksin's early business history is a murky. He established his first computer company to sell computers to the police when he was an officer still on the police office.

I do not believe he is a clever businessman - no matter how many people try and convince me of his intelligence.

Thaksin already being attacked by the opposition as a self-serving carpetbagger.

Accurate turn of phrase.

Thaksin's early business history is a murky. He established his first computer company to sell computers to the police when he was an officer still on the police office.

I do not believe he is a clever businessman - no matter how many people try and convince me of his intelligence.

Stu: 'Clever' or 'Smart' are different things than being intelligent; Mr. T is certainly clever, smart, shrewd or how anyone wishes to call it....

Intelligent? I don't know; never met him

LaoPo

Thaksin walked away from reporters last week when they asked him how he proposed to fight the allegations.

Its egg against stone for foreigner doing business in Thailand, once misstep or wrong connection will place you in disadvantages.

Its egg against stone for foreigner doing business in Thailand, once misstep or wrong connection will place you in disadvantages.

Didn't I read here somewhere that this guy already won

a civil case against Thaksin last year?

Now a criminal case for perjury has been accepted by a Thai court.

Wait and see.

Yes, you remembered correctly; http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail....;d_str=20060620

No, he was aquited of charges brought by Thaksin, and so he sues Thaksin for perjury.

From that link:

Thaksin sued Monson for embezzlement several years ago, and Monson countersued on grounds that Thaksin had falsely accused him of a criminal act

This case resurfacing shows that Tacky has lost his teflon veneer somewhat lately. Credit to this Monson guy for persuing him through the courts for so long. You think Tacky would have settled out of court by now, but,.... perhaps not; "This Is Thailand" and we can get away with anything.

Looks like the chickens are coming home to roost.

Thaksin did offer an out of court settlement but it was turned down on morality and all the other good things. (Read the first post) I suspect Thaksin knows little about morality and honesty other than they are words in the dictionary.

What goes around.......comes around.

You can't rely on courts ruling in favour of a foreigner here. The whole justice system here does not depend on laws but on people who can influence the judges one way or another.

Agreed that the foreigner has little chance of winning, however, if the court happens to be unhappy with Mr. T., they may take the case more seriously--and favorably for the foreign investor.

Also, it's good for Mr. T. to see that his arrogant manner can take him places he would rather not be.

Monson said he offered Thaksin a financial settlement several years ago but was rebuffed.

Thaksin did offer an out of court settlement but it was turned down on morality and all the other good things. (Read the first post)

the tide does seem to be turning on mr't' - will he be able to outrun it ?

Where's the article from. The English in it is terrible.

Where's the article from. The English in it is terrible.

I guess DPA stands for Deutsche Presse Agentur (German Press Agency), so chances are high that it was translated from german to english language but whoever I don't know. (By the way: Does "where" start a question and does it require a "?" at the end of the sentence/question?)