TNT Bomb Discovered Near Thaksin's Residence

[sriracha john]

More bizarre news in the most bizarre story running at present

Thawatchai's family: We don't know the lawyer shown in the VCD

The family of the lone suspect in the assassination attempt said on Tuesday they did not know the lawyer whom the police claimed to represent the suspect in the VCD recorded during the police interview.

On Monday, police investigators showed a 13-minute VCD recording of the police questioning session in which the suspect said he did not know that the car he drove was loaded with explosive devices. He also apologised to the public and premier for causing a disturbance.

The suspect was seen sitting at a table, flanked by police officers. Police identified one of them as a lawyer representing the suspect.

Thawatchai's wife, Sangworn and his elder brother, Sgt Apipon, visited the suspect who is in custody at Crime Suppression Bureau. Sangworn refused to talk to the media, but the family distributed their second complaint, which Sangworn said would be submitted to Police Chief Pol Gen Kowit Watana.

In the complaint, they said there were three lawyers appointed by the family to represent Lt Thawatchai; Sirichai Pakdee, Nitikorn Nontasawat and Prapart Kongmuang.

"We do not know the lawyer in the VCD whom the police said was representing Thawatchai," read the complaint.

In a separate interview, the suspect's brother Sgt Apipon said that he talked to his brother during the visit, who denied he was at the Air Force terminal at Don Muang on August 9 and 10 as police claimed.

"My brother admitted that he had driven the bomb-laden Daewoo three days in a row near the premier's residence on August 22, 23 and 24 before being arrested on August 24," Apipon said.

Crime Suppression Division chief Police MajGeneral Winai Thongsong said after the release of the VCD that the suspect also said he was at the Air Force Airport on August 9 and 10, when the prime minister's motorcade visited there.

In the complaint, the suspect's family called for the police to conduct the investigation according to the law. In their first complaint distributed on Monday, they claimed police fabricated the evidence confiscated from the car.

The Nation

=======================================================

The obvious question is.... Does the lawyer in the video have a mole on his right cheek??!!

[Plus]

From Thainews:

"He ha also requested all sides to jointly condemn the ill-intentioned parties rather than blaming each other for creating a situation."

There is a mistake in this sentence. It should read:

He (ha!) also requested all sides to jointly condemn the ill-intentioned parties rather than blaming each other for creating a situation.

[kmart]

Looks like things are going to get quite exciting soon. Thaksins clearly off his trolley, but has been indulged and the Thais have let him get away with literally mass-murder already. So he thinks this will just go the same way for him. I hope he's wrong, but you never know.

[Tony Clifton]

If it is indeed the same guy, what's with the mole on his right cheek? It grew overnight?

More bizarre news in the most bizarre story running at present

Thawatchai's family: We don't know the lawyer shown in the VCD

The family of the lone suspect in the assassination attempt said on Tuesday they did not know the lawyer whom the police claimed to represent the suspect in the VCD recorded during the police interview.

The obvious question is.... Does the lawyer in the video have a mole on his right cheek??!!

I'm still trying to find more recent pictures of the lone suspect to compare with these.

[Plus]

From BP

Thaksin plans Isoc clean-up

.......

Mr Thaksin views the Isoc as a gathering place of retired military officers who ... may be up to no good. There are almost 7,000 officers working for the Isoc nationwide, of which over 5,000 don't really have any work to do...

What a shocking discovery.

[sriracha john]

If it is indeed the same guy, what's with the mole on his right cheek? It grew overnight?

< DELETED THE SINGLE, OFFENDING EXTRA LARGE SIZE JPG FILE

THAT DISTORTS THE WHOLE PAGE AND WARPS PEOPLE'S MINDS >

More bizarre news in the most bizarre story running at present

Thawatchai's family: We don't know the lawyer shown in the VCD

The family of the lone suspect in the assassination attempt said on Tuesday they did not know the lawyer whom the police claimed to represent the suspect in the VCD recorded during the police interview.

The obvious question is.... Does the lawyer in the video have a mole on his right cheek??!!

I'm still trying to find more recent pictures of the lone suspect to compare with these.

** throwing the yellow card at tony's picture sizes **

...and selecting one of thaivisa's brand new smilies just recently added by huski

and available by clicking on "show all" at the "clickable smilies" box to the left .

For the typists within thaivisa, it's

: yellowcard : {with the spaces deleted}

It's appropriate on this post, cause it's a yellow card for this visual

distortion of viewing my monitor.

If I can get a warning from a mod today,

well then buddy, so can you, tony.

These new smilies allow the common member to issue a warning as well...

and thus, for that reason, are a great addition...

perhaps it's not as good as Jai Dee's favorite one, which is

and that's one in which I certainly endorse as a good one.

as for the latest addition to the "smilie bank", I think I will make

my own unique version of it by adding a gif of my own as a partner:

{ copyright 2006-property of SJ, Ltd. and registered as "A Sriracha Warning" }

=========================================================================

^^^^^^ my own personal favorite smilie, btw

Edited August 29, 2006 by sriracha john

[womble]

The person arrested in the car and the person in the police station both look very very similar. The eyebrows arch in the same way, the jaw looks similar and the hair looks the same at the back front and sideburns.

However there is definatley no mole on the guy who was arrested in that car. And it appears that whoever is now in custody has suddenly grown a mole.

&lt;deleted&gt;???????

I can't get my head round it, but these pictures are not lying. It's plain to see, guy in car has no mole, guy in police station has a big hairy one!!!

[sriracha john]

More bizarre developments... the story gets deeper and deeper...

THAWATCHAI VIDEO

Police slammed for rights violation

Law society says it portrayed him as guilty of attempt

Also... 'more arrests soon'

Relatives of car-bomb suspect Lieutenant Thawatchai Klinchana and the Law Society of Thailand yesterday cried foul over the release of a police video recording of him making a confusing confession, saying it violated his rights.

"It's unconstitutional. This is an abuse of the suspect's rights," said Somchai Homla-or, who heads the Law Society of Thailand's Human-Rights Committee. He described the release as an attempt by police to portray the suspect as guilty in the eyes of the public.

Caretaker Bangkok Senator Seri Suwanpanont also described the release as a breach of the Constitution, which says a suspect is innocent until proven guilty.

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and police have treated Thawatchai's case as a foiled plot to assassinate Thaksin in an explosion. Thawatchai was arrested last Thursday while getting into a parked Daewoo car that was loaded with explosive devices, not far from Thaksin's house.

Thaksin told a meeting at his Thai Rak Thai Party headquarters yesterday that more people behind the attempt on his life would soon be arrested.

but apparently won't discuss the matter with his own Defence Minister.??

At the same time, Staff Sergeant Apipon Klinchana and Sangworn Klinchana, the elder brother and wife of Thawatchai, publicly complained about the release of Thawatchai's confession.

"Please give my husband justice," Sangworn said yesterday, after visiting Thawatchai. She also distributed written complaints to reporters.

In the complaints, the family said a man in the recording whom police described as Thawatchai's lawyer is a complete stranger. They said Thawatchai thought police just wanted to talk to him, and did not know that it was a questioning session when he was being filmed.

Thawatchai appointed a lawyer on Sunday and, according to the law, his lawyer must be present when he is interrogated.

The complaints insist Thawatchai confessed only to getting into the Daewoo car, but not to anything further, as detailed by government officials.

During his six days in police custody, Thawatchai has not implicated anyone else. Currently, he is charged with one count of possessing explosives. He remains a suspect in the alleged foiled plot to blow up Thaksin, but no further charges have been laid.

Apipon yesterday said his brother stood by his only statement, that he got into the Daewoo car without knowing it contained bombs and that he drove the vehicle on August 22, 23 and 24 only.

Police have said the car aroused suspicion earlier this month when it appeared near Thaksin's motorcade.

Somchai of the Law Society said police are now seen as trying to portray Thawatchai as a culprit, and as someone trying to seek political gain.

"The release of the video recording reflects the fact that the Royal Thai Police are not adhering to normal investigation procedures now," he said. He pointed out the release defied a recent Royal Thai Police order that photos of suspects must not be made public.

Lawyer Apisan Yenboonsong said the Law Society of Thailand had assigned him to help with Thawatchai's case. "I don't think the suspect had any intention to assassinate the premier," he said.

An informed source disclosed yesterday that Thawatchai had his Thai Rak Thai membership card in his wallet when arrested. It belonged to the very first batch of Thai Rak Thai membership cards.

In a related development, police yesterday searched the apartment of another suspect in the foiled assassination plot. The suspect was identified as Staff Sergeant Chakrit Jantara, 31. Inside his apartment, a TV set was still on and witnesses said Chakrit appeared to have left the place in a hurry, just half an hour before police arrived.

Chakrit's pickup has been seized for checking. The pickup appeared on a route that was going to be used by Thaksin's motorcade on August 9.

After it left the scene, a Daewoo car - which is believed to have been the same vehicle as that found with explosives last Thursday - was found in the lot where the pickup had earlier been.

An informed source said police investigators are also keeping a close watch on a colonel who paid for the Daewoo car.

Crime Suppression Division chief, Maj-General Winai Thongsong, said yesterday he had spoken to Thawatchai about his family's complaints and Thawatchai had undertaken to talk to his family to help them achieve a better understanding of the situation. how?

The Nation

Edited August 29, 2006 by sriracha john

[John K]

From Post 172

Saddam Hussein convened an assembly of Ba'ath party leaders on July 22, 1979. During the assembly, which he ordered videotaped, Saddam claimed to have found spies and conspirators within the Ba'ath Party and read out the names of 68 members who he thought could oppose him. These members were labeled "disloyal" and were removed from the room one by one and taken into custody. After the list was read, Saddam congratulated those still seated in the room for their past and future loyalty. The 68 people arrested at the meeting were subsequently put on trial, and 22 were sentenced to execution for treason.

Possible scenarios:

1) Thaksin will get enough milage out of the fake bomb to declare the need for a state emergency. He will have developed evidence to support this action. Once that is done he will set about ending the legal process against himself one way or another.

2) The first bomb will sputter and the need for a second or more attempts will be orchestrated to add support to the claim for the need for a state of emergency. Once that is done he will set about ending the legal process against himself one way or another.

3) People will completely see this as nothing more than a desperate man trying to save himself from certain demise. It will accelerate his fall from power.

**

I see that scenario 2 seems to be the one that is taking the lead. Scenario 3 is out of the question as far as Thaksin is concerned.

I see the witch hunt is already underway, according to today’s Bangkok Post they are already searching other peoples apartments looking for a conspiracy.

Thaksin is stoking this fire with all he has not to say the acting is terrible. I feel this is all coming to a head very quickly. I would not doubt we see another fake threat inside a week. Then Thaksin would declare it happened because he was on the right track and they were trying to stop him from finding them. I suspect Thaksin is very familiar with the feeling of being hunted recently.

[Tony Clifton]

The farther they go crossing this river of lies, the stepping stones get more slippery and unstable with every move, hence the ridicule slowness of the investigation on a supposed PM assasination.

Let's see now what they come up with regarding the unknown lawyer on the VCD.

[sriracha john]

Hunt for new suspect

Police raid condo of another army man

Police yesterday tried to link Thursday's alleged bomb plot against caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra with earlier incidents also presented as conspiracies against his life. Crime Suppression Division police did so through reporting sightings on Aug 9 and 10 of the Daewoo sedan driven by suspect Lt Thawatchai Klinchana and tracing the vehicle's connection with another suspect whose condominium unit was raided yesterday. Sgt-Maj 1st Class Chakrit Chanthra, who left his condo on Popular road in Nonthaburi about 30 minutes before 20 CSD commandos arrived, was said to have picked up the Daewoo found with explosive materials on Aug 24 from a used car dealer after an army officer agreed to buy it. The CSD commandos confiscated a blue Nissan Big M pick-up truck found in front of Sgt-Maj Chakrit's condominum, as well as 20 rounds of ammunition and the barrel of an M-16 assault rifle. A CSD investigator said the pick-up truck had been spotted at the military airport on Aug 9 when Mr Thaksin returned from Roi Et province. The truck was then used as a marker, parked at a spot where Mr Thaksin's motorcade was expected to pass. Just as the motorcade passed, Sgt-Maj Chakkrit moved the truck away, and a Daewoo sedan suspected to have carried explosives, slotted in. On Aug 10, when Mr Thaksin was returning from his trip to Cambodia, the same Daewoo sedan was spotted again by Mr Thaksin's security team on Vibhavadi Rangsit road near Jeh Leng department store, said the investigator. For the regular cabinet meeting yesterday, Mr Thaksin arrived at Government House in a bullet-proof S600 Mercedez Benze sedan to chair the meeting.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/30Aug2006_news01.php

[sriracha john]

Police 'wrong' in presenting Thawatchai as admitting plot

Police action in portraying a suspected military officer as if he was confessing to trying to take the life of caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was inappropriate, the Lawyers Council said yesterday. Deputy spokesman Surachai Liangboonlertchai said Lt Thawatchai Klinchana was presumed innocent until found guilty by the court. Police charges against him did not include attempted assassination of the prime minister, apparently because of lack of evidence. What Lt Thawatchai said on a video released by police could not be interpreted as a confession that he was guilty of having the explosives illegally in his possession. ''On hearing his taped testimony, there was nowhere to be found that Lt Thawatchai had confessed to the charge. ''The point is he insisted that the alleged bomb plot has something to do with the struggle for political power, which is probably the real reason the VCD was released,'' Mr Surachai said. The relatives of Lt Thawatchai could consider laying charges against the investigators who released the video.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/30Aug2006_news04.php

[Ricardo]

More news regarding the 'confession' VCD, from this morning's TV-News, here.

When the press commented that the sound-quality on those parts of the recording, where the driver 'confesses', was bad & unclear, the police response was that this was due to some of the reporters standing on the power-cable to their equipment.

I never knew electric-cables were so like water-hoses, before now.

The news also pointed-out how heavily-edited the VCD-recording appeared to be. No doubt this was also due to the press, or farangs, or anybody but themselves !

[sriracha john]

The Nation EDITORIAL

More questions than answers

The police investigation into the alleged assassination plot is riddled with inconsistency

Almost one week has passed, and the police investigation into the alleged plot to assassinate caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra with a powerful car bomb has failed to make any headway. And while the government has exerted itself to play up the botched attack, police have apparently been unable to identify those responsible. On Monday, police investigators released a videotaped interview of the lone suspect, Lt Thawatchai Klinchana, in which he again confessed to driving a car packed with powerful explosives, which he abandoned near the path that the prime minister's motorcade travelled on August 24.

In the interview, which police said Thawatchai gave freely, the suspect said he had no intention of implicating any co-conspirators or masterminds in the alleged attempt on Thaksin's life. The suspect also criticised both the government's supporters and detractors for the "vicious power struggle" that had led to his inadvertent involvement in the foiled assassination plot. Thawatchai insisted that he was not aware that the car's trunk had been packed with explosives until police told him following his arrest him on Thursday.

It is not clear what police investigators expected to achieve when they publicly released the copy of the supposed confession. If their intention was to dispel the doubt surrounding the case, it is obvious that they failed to make any headway with the sceptical public, which continues to cling to its widely held suspicion that the whole thing was fabricated. The political tension that has gripped this country for the past several months has only intensified since Thaksin claimed that he had "escaped" an attempt on his life. As soon as it was discovered that the suspect was an officer attached to the Internal Security Operation Command, the command's deputy director, General Pallop Pinmanee, was summarily fired.

Thaksin, referring to preliminary findings by police, said at least four other people, including military officers, were considered prime suspects in the plot. No charges have been levelled against Pallop, who publicly rejected the assassination plot as a "political ploy". No additional arrests have been made by police so far.

To date, police investigators have dispelled few of the doubts about motives, discrepancies in the list of bomb components recovered and other questionable circumstances surrounding the case. Above all, the lack of credibility on the part of the national police force, which has long been manipulated by politicians, does not inspire much public confidence in its ability to investigate the case in a straightforward manner. Thaksin and police investigators owe it to the public to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the alleged plot to assassinate Thaksin actually was real. There is no way the public will settle for the flimsy case being built by police investigators on the basis of Lt Thawatchai's "voluntary" admission of guilt. This is not sufficient proof to support Thaksin's conspiracy theory.

Until all of the perpetrators and masterminds of the alleged assassination plot are accounted for and successfully prosecuted, Thaksin and the national police force will be put to the ultimate test in the court of public opinion. It may seem unfair, but their actions will inevitably be judged on their far-from-impressive track record of credibility, honesty and public accountability.

Among the worst suspicions harboured toward the embattled Thaksin is that the alleged assassination plot could have been "staged" to drum up sympathy while at the same time diverting attention away from the potentially explosive scandal involving allegations that a Commerce Ministry committee is withholding its findings on Kularb Kaew, a nominee of Singapore's Temasek in the controversial sale of the Shinawatra family's controlling stake in Shin Corp Plc. If Kularb Kaew is found to be in breach of regulations governing the use of nominees, the controversial deal, from which Thaksin and his family received Bt73 billion in tax-free proceeds, will become null and void.

If it turns out that the alleged plot is fake, someone could be charged with treason. As things stand, the stakes are high for both Thaksin and anyone who cares about democracy in this country, especially now that any chance for reconciliation or the forging of a political compromise may have passed.

========================================

Succint and very well-written. All I can say is:

OUCH!

[cobalto]

'Fake bomb' at Thai leader's home

A Thai policeman holding the fake bomb

Police said the objects could not have exploded

Police in Thailand have found a fake bomb near the residence of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Objects including an alarm clock, some wire and an abusive note were found in a bag near the compound, police said.

The discovery comes days after police defused explosives found in a car near Mr Thaksin's home.

The Thai leader has accused military officers of plotting to kill him, but some Thai analysts suggest the incident was a stunt to bolster his support.

The fake bomb was discovered near the back entrance of Mr Thaksin's compound, police Colonel Sathorn Sasomboon said.

"It is a hoax by someone who wants to see the country in a mess," the French news agency AFP quoted him as saying. "This kind of stuff could not have exploded."

Speculation

Defence Minister General Thammarak Isarangkun said last week that the police had exposed a plot to kill Mr Thaksin.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (file photo)

Mr Thaksin believes someone was trying to assassinate him

A former army officer was arrested shortly after the car carrying explosives was found, and Mr Thaksin also sacked the head of Thailand's main counter-insurgency operation, General Panlop Pinmanee.

Mr Thaksin said "three to four" military officers were involved in the plot, and added that further arrests would be made.

But there has been widespread speculation in the Thai media that the alleged plot was a stunt aimed at boosting Mr Thaksin's ratings ahead of the general election re-run on 15 October.

A Bangkok University poll of residents in the capital showed that only 20% of respondents believed in a plot against the premier. Almost 50% said they thought it was a political stunt.

Polls in April were annulled after the main opposition Democract party decided to boycott them.

The country has remained in political limbo since, with tensions running high between supporters of each side.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5291984.stm

[womble]

More news regarding the 'confession' VCD, from this morning's TV-News, here.

When the press commented that the sound-quality on those parts of the recording, where the driver 'confesses', was bad & unclear, the police response was that this was due to some of the reporters standing on the power-cable to their equipment.

I never knew electric-cables were so like water-hoses, before now.

The news also pointed-out how heavily-edited the VCD-recording appeared to be. No doubt this was also due to the press, or farangs, or anybody but themselves !

The full version can be seen on the nation website, the quality of picture and sound is terrible, I can't believe they released it, it looks extremely suspicious to say the least.

This case is getting more bizzare by the minute, why would they release a VCD so heavily edited and such bad quality, it makes no sense.

As for stepping on the cable, does this fool now anything about electrical equipment?

Why oh why can people never be held accountable for anything in Thailand no matter now ridiculous the things they say are??????????

If he said there were aliens in the room and their presence distorted the picture, could he be held accountable for that???

I doubt it.

[sriracha john]

Fallout from the bomb hoax... not everyone knows it as one OR they consider it more deeply and are concerned about growing division between Army and Police. Either way, these events are shaping Thailand's current events with repercussions in the key areas of tourism and world-wide perceptions of the happenings in Thailand:

US jazz pianist cancels Bangkok concert over "security concerns"

An American jazz band has cancelled a scheduled performance in Bangkok because of "security concerns" following last week's alleged assassination attempt on caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, organisers of the event told Deutsch Press Agentur (DPA) on Wednesday.

Brad Mehldau, who heads the Brad Mehldau Trio jazz group, cancelled his show scheduled for September 8 at the Siam Paragon because of trepidation over "a destabilising and unpredictable atmosphere in the country," said AMI Events, the organiser.

"Their decision is based on news reports regarding the recent assassination attempt on Thailand's PM," said the company in a press statement.

Last Thursday police foiled an alleged attempt to blow up Thaksin with with a car bomb.

The alleged assassination attempt has been greeted with a great deal of skepticism by the Thai press and Bangkok denizens, nearly 50 per cent of whom, according to opinion polls, believe the bomb attempt was a set-up designed to improve Thaksin's dwindling popularity as his Thai Rak Thai Party gears up for a general election planned on October 15.

- The Nation

[sriracha john]

"Dr." T has headed for Issan...

Tight security for PM

A security officer scans wreaths for hidden explosives at Wat Supatanaram Voraviharn, in Ubon Ratchathani, before caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's arrived yesterday for the funeral of Col Sutthisak Prasertsri, head of the 1st special task force, who was killed in Yala on Saturday. BP

*edit*: Channel 11 Newsline reported the murdered Colonel had been posthumously promoted to the rank of General following his death. The General was blown up by a bomb.

Edited August 30, 2006 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Premier’s security reaches highest level

Security for caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was raised to full alert yesterday after the government revealed that the premier had survived two previous attempts on his life earlier this month.

During yesterday’s weekly Cabinet meeting, Thaksin recounted his “near death” experience at length to his ministers in which he described the alleged assassination attempt as unbelievable.

After he survived an alleged assassination attempt last Thursday when a car rigged with several types of explosives was found parked on a route he takes between his residence and Government House, Thaksin’s security reached its highest level yesterday.

Like during his previous visits to the restive South, Thaksin was transported in a black bullet-proof Mercedes-Benz, while another identical car was also present in his motorcade as a decoy.

Caretaker Government Spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee announced after the Cabinet meeting that Thaksin had expressed his disbelief to the Cabinet that such an incident had occurred in the country and recounted the incident in detail.

“The prime minister told the Cabinet that he could not believe that such an incident had occurred in Thailand,” he said.

Surapong also said Thaksin had remarked that the media had not comprehensively reported or distorted reports on certain elements of the alleged attempt, in which a sole suspect, Lt Thawatchai Klinchana, was arrested, and that efforts must be made to bring the matter to light for both the local and international media.

“Thaksin instructed all government agencies responsible, such as the Foreign Ministry, to compile comprehensive reports on the incident to be distributed overseas,” he said.

However, Surapong stated that Thaksin did not comment on the growing public doubt over whether the incident was a set-up as certain military bomb experts have asserted.

Furthermore, Surapong denied that Thaksin had interfered with the investigation to instruct the police that it was an assassination attempt.

Surapong then announced that, prior to the failed bomb attack on Thaksin last Thursday, there were two previous attempts to end the premier’s life this month.

“On August 9, an unidentified car was spotted near Air Force Wing 6 airbase, but the security team was able to direct it to another path,” he said.

“Then on August 10 when the prime minister traveled to Cambodia, there was another suspicious vehicle found along the path, but there was an accident and efforts to apprehend the vehicle failed.”

- ThaiDay

[sriracha john]

TRT Member: General Pallop sacked because he betrayed Thai Rak Thai

Kuthep Saikrajang, a member of Thai Rak Thai Party, said Wednesday that Gen Pallop Pinmanee was sacked as deputy director of the Internal Security Operations Command for having betrayed the Thai Rak Thai.

Kuthep said Pallop, a former Thai Rak Thai member, had earned trust from Thaksin who appointed him to the key ISOC position, but Pallop betrayed him by siding with the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

Thai Rak Thai deputy spokesman Jatuporn Promphan said Pallop should have resigned himself instead of waiting for Thaksin to sack him on Thursday.

The Nation

Edited August 30, 2006 by sriracha john

[John K]

TRT Member: General Pallop sacked because he betrayed Thai Rak Thai

Kuthep Saikrajang, a member of Thai Rak Thai Party, said Wednesday that Gen Pallop Pinmanee was sacked as deputy director of the Internal Security Operations Command for having betrayed the Thai Rak Thai.

Kuthep said Pallop, a former Thai Rak Thai member, had earned trust from Thaksin who appointed him to the key ISOC position, but Pallop betrayed him by siding with the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

Thai Rak Thai deputy spokesman Jatuporn Promphan said Pallop should have resigned himself instead of waiting for Thaksin to sack him on Thursday.

The Nation

Punishment for sanity?

[womble]

Can you believe that Caretaker Government Spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee is now claiming there have been three other attempts on the premiers life, including the accident involving Thaksins motorcade.

They're really milking this one!!!!!

I don't think anyone is gonna believe that.

[John K]

Hallucinations???

Well this is a twist, seeing as more fake bombs will be self defeating saying there were previous attempts on his life.

Please take note here, Thaksin is losing touch with reality. His comments and remarks are totally off the cuff fabrications. The fact that a 6 year old could pick them apart is a sign he has cracked, or nearly cracked.

The is sure to cause deep rifts in what remains of the TRT. Do we follow a mad man who’s only goals are self serving, or do we save ourselves.

One other point here is Thaksin knows fully well that this is the last time he will be elected. His own admissions and that of the TRT party know time is against them, that is why they are rushing the elections for October 15. If Thailand does elect him you can expect a police state to emerge in short order. It will be the only way Thaksin can stay in power. Based on the present rate of popularity drop Thaksin would have a near zero popularity rating in for years. With the police and the military under his control, it will be difficult to remove him.

[Thaising]

Premier’s security reaches highest level

Security for caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was raised to full alert yesterday after the government revealed that the premier had survived two previous attempts on his life earlier this month.

No wondered he was given a nickname MEOW The Cat by the press.

[veteran]

Seen it before,TIT

[Plus]

Can Gen Cods Wallop sue for wrongful dismissal? If he was a civil servant that should have been pretty straightforward.

>>>>>>>>.

Re. Surapong's initiative - Will there be a poll afterwards - how many foreign embassies believe the government version of a story? Imagine headlines - 49.7% of ambassodors think that the alleged plot was fake and that the government is insincere.

How can they allow to represent the whole country by these idiots in such a way? The Nation's editorial mentioned "treason" in connection with fabrications of an assassination plot. Is it what they talk about behind Thaksin's back?

[womble]

Actually this is very interesting.....

should it later be proved that the bomb was set up by the governement and they sent official letters to foriegn governments claiming it was someone else this could be very serious.

I would imagine this would be a crime against the country.

does anyone know?

[farangsay]

TRT Member: General Pallop sacked because he betrayed Thai Rak Thai

Kuthep Saikrajang, a member of Thai Rak Thai Party, said Wednesday that Gen Pallop Pinmanee was sacked as deputy director of the Internal Security Operations Command for having betrayed the Thai Rak Thai.

Kuthep said Pallop, a former Thai Rak Thai member, had earned trust from Thaksin who appointed him to the key ISOC position, but Pallop betrayed him by siding with the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

Thai Rak Thai deputy spokesman Jatuporn Promphan said Pallop should have resigned himself instead of waiting for Thaksin to sack him on Thursday.

The Nation

Is that supposed to be a "political" position ? Sounds military to me.

Such people should be apolitical , no?

[womble]

interesting point but, should he be allowed to provide army security to PAD, I thought the army was for protecting the country not individuals.

If PAD want security surely they should hire a private security firm if police wont do it (which they should but obviously wont).

[John K]

Apparently loyalty to the TRT and loyalty to the country are two conflicting things according to Thaksin’s actions with him.

Thaksin apparently requires total submission of all his subordinates. That is so demoralizing to the people who side with Thaksin. I wonder how it must feel to be right down there with buffalo in Thaksin’s eyes.