Chaturon to detail 'gagging tactics'

[Lite Beer]

POLITICS
Chaturon to detail 'gagging tactics'
PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK,
NATTAPAT PROMKAEW
THE NATION

Chaturon

BANGKOK: -- FORMER education minister and senior Pheu Thai executive Chaturon Chaisang has vowed to detail what he claims are the various measures the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has employed to stop him criticising its leader, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, and the government.

Chaturon's three passports were revoked by the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday for what Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam described yesterday as punishment for Chaturon's repeated criticism of the government and the societal divisions it caused.

Chaturon posted on his Twitter account, which has more than 170,000 followers, that on Monday he would reveal all the tactics used by the military-led regime to gag him.

The National Reform Council votes on the draft constitution tomorrow. He said he would wait until after the NRC vote and then "I will reveal what measures have been used against me in order to prevent me from expressing any view, particularly not to criticise Prayut," he tweeted on Thursday night.

He told The Nation yesterday that he did not want to distract the public by talking about himself just before the NRC considers the draft charter.

"I'll do it after Sunday through Facebook," he said.

Deputy Government Spokesman Maj-General Weerachon Sukondhapatipak sought to allay concerns over the decision to revoke Chaturon's passports.

He said they were not cancelled because he criticised the government, which was permitted, but because of the intention harboured by Chaturon in doing so.

He said people must ask why Chaturon criticised the government - what was his intention and what impact did it have on society?

Weerachon said repeated requests for Chaturon to rein in his behaviour had been made in the past, including warnings being given.

Now is not the time to criticise the government in that way, he added, because it would cause divisions in society.

He said cooperating with the government should not be too difficult.

In response, Chaturon said no one who criticised the government deserved to have his or her passport revoked and the government did not have the authority to mete out such a punishment.

He labelled Weerachon's remarks as vague. "What does it mean? If the intention in criticising the government is not satisfactory to the government, can it just revoke the person's passport?"

When a reporter questioned Weerachon about the effectiveness of revoking the passports given that Chaturon can only travel abroad if permitted by the military court and the NCPO, Weerachon pointed to Chaturon's strong reaction as the measure of its impact.

Asked whether any criticism of the government would result in someone facing the same fate as Chaturon, and whether cancelling his passports was it a warning to others, like the Thai saying: "Slaughtering a chicken to set an example for monkeys."

Weerachon said no, clarifying that nobody was a "chicken" or a "monkey".

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Chaturon-to-detail-gagging-tactics-30268188.html

-- The Nation 2015-09-05

[smutcakes]

Why don't you give us the figures then on what was wasted, and how much?

[NanLaew]

Why don't you give us the figures then on what was wasted, and how much?

Not holding your breath there are you smutcakes?

[jayboy]

<deleted>

You have a difficult job ahead of you to substantiate your smears and lies.Chaturon is accepted even by his political opponents as an honourable and decent man.

[maoro2013]

Furthermore, the story has nothing to do with what this guy may or may not have done as education minister, it has to do with his 'gagging'

[scorecard]

You have a difficult job ahead of you to substantiate your smears and lies.Chaturon is accepted even by his political opponents as an honourable and decent man.

Just your opinion, nothing more.

Who, in terms of opponents, has made positive comments about this man?

You tell others to substantiate their comments, so please do the same.

By the way jayboy, can you list any valuable achievement this character has ever made to Thailand.

The massive textbook scams within the ministry were already well known, what did he do about that? (And yes other govt's also did nothing to challenge it / stop it.)

He was the minister of a very senior ranking ministry for quite some time, and during that time, and earlier / a lot earlier, there was already a lot of very serious criticism of the very poor state of education in Thailand. So what did this guy contribute to serious change in Thai education?

Edited September 5, 2015 by CharlieH

[yellowboat]

Revoking passports due to a political debate is just another example of the junta's recklessness. And they want to be trusted.

[MZurf]

You have a difficult job ahead of you to substantiate your smears and lies.Chaturon is accepted even by his political opponents as an honourable and decent man.

You must understand that thesetat2013 has been told it is so. Irrefutable evidence, indeed!

[Anthony5]

This guy needs to be behind bars. As minister of education he wasted billions in ridiculous schemes. It would not surprise me if charges are eventually filed against him. I am told at his meetings education was rarely discussed and instead their agenda was how to spend the budget. Trips and parties and such. Being that the education ministry has the second largest budget of all perhaps some of you can grasp just how much was wasted away.

I am told at his meetings education was rarely discussed and instead their agenda was how to spend the budget

Wow, you take the TVF member knowledge of what happens at the government house behind closed doors really to a new level.

[Jon Wetherall]

This guy needs to be behind bars. As minister of education he wasted billions in ridiculous schemes. It would not surprise me if charges are eventually filed against him. I am told at his meetings education was rarely discussed and instead their agenda was how to spend the budget. Trips and parties and such. Being that the education ministry has the second largest budget of all perhaps some of you can grasp just how much was wasted away.

"I am told..."

Oh please...

"This guy needs to be behind bars."

if you have support for an outrageous statement like this, then please tell us TVF readers so we can all know and perhaps come to share your opinion. This is the function of discussion, to share knowledge, not to spread unsupported personal bias.

We all have a right to an opinion and to express it, but smart people are usually wary of expressing opinions based only on prejudice lest our inner bigot be rendered visible to all.

Long and more civilized way of saying 'put up or shut up' I suppose.

[Jon Wetherall]

Revoking passports due to a political debate is just another example of the junta's recklessness. And they want to be trusted.

Regrettably (for them), their spitefulness, apparently unsupported by law or reasonableness, is becoming increasingly visible and Prayuth is becoming increasingly frightened that the Thai people can see straight through him.

My personal opinion is that he is right. I see a long one-way oversees trip in his future. Not today, not tomorrow, probably not even this year, but its is already clearly visible.

Edited September 5, 2015 by Jon Wetherall

[Anthony5]

I think Chaturon't main sin was the following

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaturon_Chaisang

In the 1970s, Chaturon was one of the leaders of the leftist, pro-democracy students movement that initiated the October 1973 popular uprising against military dictatorship.

You know that doesn't go down well with the elite.

[jayboy]

I think Chaturon't main sin was the following

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaturon_Chaisang

In the 1970s, Chaturon was one of the leaders of the leftist, pro-democracy students movement that initiated the October 1973 popular uprising against military dictatorship.

You know that doesn't go down well with the elite.

Good observation.Interesting also that Veera Prateepchaikul a former editor of the BP and top league Shin hater is appalled by the treatment of Chaturon.See today's BP along with his trenchant criticisms of other disgusting abuses.

It seems that perceptive Thai Shin haters have increasingly become aware of the Frankenstein they have unleashed and perhaps a dawning awareness that the dreadful current government is in fact far worse than its predecessors.It's out of the frying pan into the fire with a veangence.

No sign of that with the little band of Juntaphile foreigners on our forum.

[Jon Wetherall]

I think Chaturon't main sin was the following

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaturon_Chaisang

In the 1970s, Chaturon was one of the leaders of the leftist, pro-democracy students movement that initiated the October 1973 popular uprising against military dictatorship.

You know that doesn't go down well with the elite.

Good observation.Interesting also that Veera Prateepchaikul a former editor of the BP and top league Shin hater is appalled by the treatment of Chaturon.See today's BP along with his trenchant criticisms of other disgusting abuses.

It seems that perceptive Thai Shin haters have increasingly become aware of the Frankenstein they have unleashed and perhaps a dawning awareness that the dreadful current government is in fact far worse than its predecessors.It's out of the frying pan into the fire with a veangence.

No sign of that with the little band of Juntaphile foreigners on our forum.

Amen. And the revenge of the Gods will be to eat their parents. The writing is already on the wall for these people. Even if they are capable of rational or moral moments it won't help them much.

[deckape]

Chaturon to detail 'gagging tactics'

Ah yes, 'Gagging Tactics'. One of my favorite...erm, movies. Does the job every time.

[yimlitnoy]

Now out of any official government position, why did he have 3 passports among them one diplomatic passport and why he did not hand them over himself when deposed? Does all the former Pheua Thai government politicians have a diplomatic passport?

[Baerboxer]

You have a difficult job ahead of you to substantiate your smears and lies.Chaturon is accepted even by his political opponents as an honourable and decent man.

You must understand that thesetat2013 has been told it is so. Irrefutable evidence, indeed!

Whereas Jayboy's declarations of his opinion should be accepted at absolute fact, without anything to substantiate them.

[Baerboxer]

This guy needs to be behind bars. As minister of education he wasted billions in ridiculous schemes. It would not surprise me if charges are eventually filed against him. I am told at his meetings education was rarely discussed and instead their agenda was how to spend the budget. Trips and parties and such. Being that the education ministry has the second largest budget of all perhaps some of you can grasp just how much was wasted away.

"I am told..."

Oh please...

"This guy needs to be behind bars."

if you have support for an outrageous statement like this, then please tell us TVF readers so we can all know and perhaps come to share your opinion. This is the function of discussion, to share knowledge, not to spread unsupported personal bias.

We all have a right to an opinion and to express it, but smart people are usually wary of expressing opinions based only on prejudice lest our inner bigot be rendered visible to all.

Long and more civilized way of saying 'put up or shut up' I suppose.

Indeed. And we can see from your few but increasing numbers of posts that you don't always win that fight against the inner bigot too.

[khunken]

You have a difficult job ahead of you to substantiate your smears and lies.Chaturon is accepted even by his political opponents as an honourable and decent man.

You must understand that thesetat2013 has been told it is so. Irrefutable evidence, indeed!

Whereas Jayboy's declarations of his opinion should be accepted at absolute fact, without anything to substantiate them.

I'm not in any sense a fan of Jayboy's posts & I've had quite a few arguments with him.

But this time Jayboy is right (& he never claimed his opinion as a fact) , Charuron was one of the few honourable members of Thaksin's parties (& a red shirt supporter too). He actually has an ideology - a rarity with Thaksin appointed ministers - and he once said, not all that long ago, that the red shirts needed to divorce themselves from Thaksin.

It's pure vindictiveness because he hasn't been cooperative with, not just opposing, the Junta.

[Alwyn]

And who told you that? A bloke down the pub? Yingluck? Suthep? pfft!

[Jon Wetherall]

This guy needs to be behind bars. As minister of education he wasted billions in ridiculous schemes. It would not surprise me if charges are eventually filed against him. I am told at his meetings education was rarely discussed and instead their agenda was how to spend the budget. Trips and parties and such. Being that the education ministry has the second largest budget of all perhaps some of you can grasp just how much was wasted away.

"I am told..."

Oh please...

"This guy needs to be behind bars."

if you have support for an outrageous statement like this, then please tell us TVF readers so we can all know and perhaps come to share your opinion. This is the function of discussion, to share knowledge, not to spread unsupported personal bias.

We all have a right to an opinion and to express it, but smart people are usually wary of expressing opinions based only on prejudice lest our inner bigot be rendered visible to all.

Long and more civilized way of saying 'put up or shut up' I suppose.

Indeed. And we can see from your few but increasing numbers of posts that you don't always win that fight against the inner bigot too.

Everyone's a bigot at heart - part of the human condition, You, me, everyone. But I doubt you can point to any comment from me where I allow bigotry to take precedence over critical observatiion and common-sense.

But then, that's not what you mean. What you mean is "I don't agree with what you think".

Which is a bit of bad luck really. I know I really should give a damn but...

Edited September 5, 2015 by Jon Wetherall

[Blackfalds]

This guy needs to be behind bars. As minister of education he wasted billions in ridiculous schemes. It would not surprise me if charges are eventually filed against him. I am told at his meetings education was rarely discussed and instead their agenda was how to spend the budget. Trips and parties and such. Being that the education ministry has the second largest budget of all perhaps some of you can grasp just how much was wasted away.

You have a difficult job ahead of you to substantiate your smears and lies.Chaturon is accepted even by his political opponents as an honourable and decent man.

Just your opinion, nothing more.

Who, in terms of opponents, has made positive comments about this man?

You tell others to substantiate their comments, so please do the same.

By the way jayboy, can you list any valuable achievement this character has ever made to Thailand.

The massive textbook scams within the ministry were already well known, what did he do about that? (And yes other govt's also did nothing to challenge it / stop it.)

He was the minister of a very senior ranking ministry for quite some time, and during that time, and earlier / a lot earlier, there was already a lot of very serious criticism of the very poor state of education in Thailand. So what did this guy contribute to serious change in Thai education?

Who, in terms of opponents, has made positive comments about this man?

He was probably thinking of me, who among others mentioned that Chaturon is an articulate critic, in both English and Thai, and they want to silence him in the run up to the constitution referendum. They fear he will criticize the draft constitution they are forcing.

Edited September 5, 2015 by Blackfalds

[rubl]

And who told you that? A bloke down the pub? Yingluck? Suthep? pfft!

Chaturon was only MoE for two short periods. Seems he tried some reorganisation, but failed. At times a fervent pro-democracy person, but at times very uncompromising. Maybe part of his former Communist Party membership, or just from having fled the country to be educated abroad. Interesting person.

Try wiki for a starter

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaturon_Chaisang

[EnglishJohn]

He voted 'Yes' to the amnesty bill therefore he is a dirty crony.

He should be in jail already for abuse of power along with the 309 other dirty cronies.

[LannaGuy]

He is a man of principal and integrity and Thailand desperately needs more like him

[Jon Wetherall]

He voted 'Yes' to the amnesty bill therefore he is a dirty crony.

He should be in jail already for abuse of power along with the 309 other dirty cronies.

Ooh. The Shin-haters put in a subtle and persuasive intellectual argument.

Perhaps a leg came off the bar-stool and falling down woke him up?

[MZurf]

You have a difficult job ahead of you to substantiate your smears and lies.Chaturon is accepted even by his political opponents as an honourable and decent man.

You must understand that thesetat2013 has been told it is so. Irrefutable evidence, indeed!

Whereas Jayboy's declarations of his opinion should be accepted at absolute fact, without anything to substantiate them.

I guess "I am told..." is enough to convince you of the validity of an argument. Good for you.

[Linky]

This thread has nothing to do with the ex minister or what he has done.?it is about the junta gagging him.

When you start criticizing him for his politics you have lost the agument immediately. His policies are not for this thread.

But I guess the junta supporters are just too dumb to understand that.

[Jon Wetherall]

As I understand it, Chaturon wanted to improve the education of rural Thais. Since the feudal barons didn't want that (they still wanted cheap labour as maids, road sweepers, buiding labourers, petrol pump attendants asnd prostitutes/mia-noys), they set about getting rid of him

Since Thaksin still thought he could make the feudal barons love him because he was Sino-Thai just like him, Chaturon was toast. Thaiksin's always been a bit wimpy, just like now.

As least, that's what the scuttlebutt says. And as they say, the truth doesn't matter, what people think or will believe is the truth is what matters. Just ask that Winthai character.

Edited September 5, 2015 by Jon Wetherall

[Just1Voice]

This thread has nothing to do with the ex minister or what he has done.?it is about the junta gagging him.

When you start criticizing him for his politics you have lost the agument immediately. His policies are not for this thread.

But I guess the junta supporters are just too dumb to understand that.

But I guess the junta supporters are just too dumb to understand that.

Nah, they just think that anyone who opposes the Junta, for ANY reason, is fair game for whatever they can think of to throw at them.