Thaksin Resigns As Thai Rak Thai Leader

[deminister]

At least he has his hands free to establish a new party without the rats. Now we will have to see if the people who claimed to have bought senators like Sanoh will be punished too. if not, we hope to welcome Thaksin back as a new leader soon!

[skorchio]

Right now a lot of the activists are pointing out potential problems. They have already succeeded in having the anti-coruption group changed and getting the withdrawl of certain potential constitution writers. Now they are pointing out the TRT resignations could be to avoid the 5-year ban, or more to the point a stealth back door for the return of the Thaksin people. The 5-year ban could be legally questionable anyway as to work on TRT executives whether in the party or not it would have to be retroactive as the offence was several months ago. It may well prove to be the case that even if TRT is disolved many executives will not be punished or on appeal will have it overturned. However, it would still be possible to deal Mr. Thaksin and some other critical memebers of the previous government out by finding them guilty of other charges. A simple ban on offenders from holding politcal office in a new constitution would be effective in this.

Good words; something needs to be put in place to prevent a resurgance in the TRT hardcore, in the event of charges never being proven. I think there is a likelyhood that some will slip the net of the corruption busters, possibly by way of more of the same...

[sriracha john]

OMG!!.... how close was I with the above photo????

UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION OF THAKSIN'S LETTER

Thaksin: I'll quit

London, The United Kingdom, 2nd October 2006 Subject Resignation from the Thai Rak Thai Party leader

Dear Thai Rak Thai executive committee and party members,

As I was elected as the Thai Rak Thai party leader ever since the party was established, I would like to express my gratitude to all the party members as well as the executive committee and the party staff members who have joined hands in building the Thai Rak Thai party as a true political party for the people, with more than 14 millions members. The party received the overwhelming votes in the general elections and was able to form the government twice.

Of all these times, I have dedicated myself working with the ambition in preserving the country's and people's interests and stick have always been true to my oath that "(I) will be loyal to the king as well as follow the constitution of Thailand in every way."

There were several and heavy criticisms as well as protest against the government after the general election in 2005. I have been patient and tried every possible way to avoid violence so much so that I dissolved the parliament in February 2006 to let the Thai people made another decision. I had to take the job as the caretaker premiere according to the constitution in order to prepare the jobs transfer to the new government.

However, the delay as well as conflicts with the anti-government groups had risen sharply. Government was not able to implement the law that it was supposed to do. And so the coup took place on September 19, as you all are very well aware of.

According to the norm of political party in the democracy regime, when such political change took place, I believed that the party leader and every executive member should sacrifice by resigning from the posts. Such move will allow party members to elect a new executive committee to run the party when the law allows it to.

For those who wish to change their political or personal path, they will also be given such an opportunity.

As for me, after a careful consideration, I believe I have to sacrifice by resigning from the post of Thai Rak Thai Party leader, with an immediate effect.

I would like to send my best regards to all executive committee, the party staff members and the party members. Once again, thank you very much for your dedication in building this party together as well as your thoughtfulness for myself and my family.

Finally, I would like to apologise to the party members and Thai people who wish to see me remaining as the party leader. I would to emphasise that I have no choice. because the new environment forced me to choose to preserve our pride and the future of those who love our party.

Your truly,

Thaksin Shinawatra

- The Nation

-------------------------------

of course the content is the highly expected water buffalo manure....

[tangoll]

Those of you Brits on this forum who still have a voice with House of Commons delegates or Gov't ministers should write to them and query them on what conditions attach to Thaksin's stay and property in the UK. In any event, he and his immediate family should be prevented from owning any land in the UK, using nominee companies to own land/assets, and staying more than 90 days in any 180 day period. What's fair is fair, right?

[sriracha john]

Those of you Brits on this forum who still have a voice with House of Commons delegates or Gov't ministers should write to them and query them on what conditions attach to Thaksin's stay and property in the UK. In any event, he and his immediate family should be prevented from owning any land in the UK, using nominee companies to own land/assets, and staying more than 90 days in any 180 day period. What's fair is fair, right?

Isn't he there on the basis of his Brit Elite Card??

[skippybangkok]

Read the bottom of the letter carefully !

p.s. Will the last one to leave please turn off the lights"

[Huckenfell]

Does he now have to run down to the Welsh border to get his passport stamped ?

[andyc2006]

He never stops posturing does he. Ordinarily his resignation from the TRT would be viewed as a good thing by his detractors, but now it looks like he is just trying to beat the 5 year ban. Why would this be important to him?

because all the TRT members are his buddies... economic and political allies. by resigning, he gives them a chance to survive, and potentially re-form his team at a later date, or at least what power they'll still have in thailand to his advantage.

[sriracha john]

He never stops posturing does he. Ordinarily his resignation from the TRT would be viewed as a good thing by his detractors, but now it looks like he is just trying to beat the 5 year ban. Why would this be important to him?

because all the TRT members are his buddies... economic and political allies. by resigning, he gives them a chance to survive, and potentially re-form his team at a later date, or at least what power they'll still have in thailand to his advantage.

sorry, but....

"Once Thaksin goes, that's pretty much the end,'' Duncan McCargo, professor of Southeast Asian politics at the University of Leeds who has been monitoring Thai politics for about 16 years, said in an interview from Singapore today. "Thai Rak Thai has now become such a potential electoral liability as a name that anybody who had any sense would want to re-brand themselves.''

- Bloomberg

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

Thaksin was the heart of TRT and without him, the Party will crumble. Repeated polls have shown that among voters, people favor Thaksin more than the Party itself.

- Channel News Asia commentary

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

"It’s game over," said Bangkok-based political analyst Piroon Chatwanichkul. "Who would want to take over a shop whose political credibility has gone bankrupt?"

- Reuters

Edited October 3, 2006 by sriracha john

[Huckenfell]

Pongthep Thepkanchana, right, deputy leader of Thai Rak Thai party, shows the resignation letter of ousted Prime Minister and party's leader Thaksin Shinwatra at a news conference at party headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand. Deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra resigned from his once all-powerful party in a letter from London Tuesday after more than 200 colleagues quit as the organization crumbled following a military coup.

(AP Photo)

A clearer photo shows what Dr. PhD Thaksin wrote in his formal resignation letter:

I think it should be "Unbelievable Thailand"

[Grover]

He never stops posturing does he. Ordinarily his resignation from the TRT would be viewed as a good thing by his detractors, but now it looks like he is just trying to beat the 5 year ban. Why would this be important to him?

because all the TRT members are his buddies... economic and political allies. by resigning, he gives them a chance to survive, and potentially re-form his team at a later date, or at least what power they'll still have in thailand to his advantage.

pure evil.

[Huckenfell]

Rats, sinking ship..................

Seems the crisis is practically over, Thaksin gone, crisis over.

Now the 6 rules of Thai politics can start again.

1.) Find a saviour, preferably rich, don't worry where and how he made his dosh.

2.) Wild enthusiasm backed up by wild promises of ending drugs, corruption and poverty.

3.) Slow disillusionment as the same old faces return to the trough for a feed.

4.) Total despair as chaos, nepotism and corruption take root.

5.) Collapse or removal of corrupt leaders and a few months of looking for scapegoats.

6.) Punishment of subordinates and promotion of the same guilty, corrupt leaders.

How long before Barnharn, Yubumrung, Thiengthong, Samak and co rise from the ashes of the current political graveyard??

7.) Have another Military Coup

Like Hyenas and Vultures they will appear to pick over Thaksins political bones.

[sriracha john]

As for the Party, the resignation numbers keep climbing... 60... 72... 100.... over 100.. and now:

Thaksin Resigns From His Party As 200 Others Quit Organization

BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand's deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra resigned from his once all-powerful party in a letter faxed from London on Tuesday after more than 200 colleagues quit the organization as it crumbled following a military coup.

Mr. Thaksin insisted his Thai Rak Thai party would survive but other key members and analysts pronounced the exodus and Thaksin's resignation as the death knell for the party that had controlled Thai politics since 2001.

- Associated Press

------------------------------------------------------

There won't be much of a Party left... just Suda"rat" and her brood of disease-causing vermin.

[ronw]

In his message from London announced at the party headquarters Tuesday, Thaksin also encouraged all party executives to resign and thanked all of them for their contribution to the party

Should this not read..."for their contribution to his personal fortune?"

[John K]

I trust this will be included near the top of the list as laws to rewrite. Lets say it is changed to:

Any member active when action is filed against the party is subject to penalties even if they resign prior to the ruling.

[Hermano Lobo]

Huge news. I had seen a few reports that said if he wasn't convicted of any wrong-doings he still has a following in the NorthEast and could try a come back. Looks like he just wants to enjoy all the stolen funds and work towards staying out of jail.

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

Make no mistake about it; this character may have resigned (Big Deal ! !) he may be DOWN, but he sure as heck is not yet OUT . . . . . . .

The only time I will 'trust' that Tahksin will no longer take part or attempt to take part in Thai politics, is when I know that he's pushing-up daisies somewhere ! ! ! Not a moment sooner !

Please don't overlook the fact that this guy's lost face BIG, no BIG time and that he has a war-chest which is more than formidable . . . . . . he reckons "where there's a will, there's a way" and big money does talk, so be worried, be really worried . . . . . .

No-Trust-No-Tahksin

Even now he is sitting in his luxury flat in Kensington going through all the articles about

'The Comeback Kid !'

Edited October 3, 2006 by Hermano Lobo

[Plus]

The current regime will ensure that Thaksin won't be back. He's got no rights in Thailand. If he returns he'll live quietly like Suchinda.

[Tony Clifton]

He quits TRT? What TRT? I think it's dead.

Shinawatra, quit? How many times did he escape the heat of the week by promising to step down, stop being PM, dissolve Congress, etc.? Back in Texas where he got his Ph.D., that's called lying.

He can always retract the retraction.

Since about every time he opened his mouth, nothing but utter stupidity came out of it unless his spin doctors were on it previously. I'm still waiting for the day when someone will shed more light on how exactly he was able to get his hands on a Ph.D.

That would definitely be the last straw to break the water buffalo's back.

[Erwin1011]

He quits TRT? What TRT? I think it's dead.

Shinawatra, quit? How many times did he escape the heat of the week by promising to step down, stop being PM, dissolve Congress, etc.? Back in Texas where he got his Ph.D., that's called lying.

He can always retract the retraction.

Since about every time he opened his mouth, nothing but utter stupidity came out of it unless his spin doctors were on it previously. I'm still waiting for the day when someone will shed more light on how exactly he was able to get his hands on a Ph.D.

That would definitely be the last straw to break the water buffalo's back.

Funny you asked: I tried some time ago to find out what the title of his submitted scription was... no way jose

[JacknDanny]

The current regime will ensure that Thaksin won't be back. He's got no rights in Thailand. If he returns he'll live quietly like Suchinda.

I wish I could believe that.

Remember that this <deleted> has a lot of money a lot of influence and still has powerful allies.

It would not surprise me if TRT remained as a party with Thaksin still pulling the strings behind the door. Remember they are still a popular party in The NE, and it is not a foregone conclusion that they could get back into power with a flakey figurehead with Thaksin the puppet master pulling all the strings.

I believe that would be a very sad day for Thailand.

[ColPyat]

Agreed that the TRT executives including Thaksin are resigning because they hope to avoid a potential ban on being an MP, if TRT gets dissolved. This would be a ridiculous legal interpretation if they were let of the hook just because they had resigned in time but rule of law is tenuous here and it could easily happen that way. (Note that the fourth EC Commissioner was exempted from prosecution using the same bizarre rationale.) BTW, since TRT probaby will be dissolved either voluntarily or involuntarily it is lucky for Thaksin that its HQ building on Petchburi Road is in the name of his wife not the party, since assets of dissolved parties have to go charity.

Thai juntas always use corruption as grounds for coups but unfortunately their achilles heel is that the military and police are also highly corrupt and they have broken the law by staging the coup. This and general ineptitude usually prevents them going after the previous incumbents in an effective manner. Add the sad fact of Thai political amnesia, the ignorance of the masses and the power of money in politics, as pointed out above, and there is a very strong likelihood that the leading lights of TRT including Thaksin will be back and in power again within the next few years. The only way to avoid this would be to go about punishing the guilty and seizing assets in a way that has never been done here before. However, once they have opened Pandora's box will they they be willing to take the risk of a future purge of military and police corruption and wrongdoing? If so, they might change the course of Thai political history and provide a genuine foundation for Thai democracy. The initial signs are not too encouraging but I hope to be proved wrong.

Thanks for an educated opinion amidst all the infantile gloating.

[lannarebirth]

Funny you asked: I tried some time ago to find out what the title of his submitted scription was... no way jose

"An Analysis of the Relationship Between the Criminal Justice Educational Process and the Attitude of the Student's Torward the Rule of Law." Thaksin Shinawatra,

Sam Houston College

[Plus]

Thaksin wasn't removed for corruption, he was removed for challenging the order. Money is not a real issue here. Corrupt or not, generals don't declare wars on their bosses. Thaksin did.

[ssparks111]

Those of you Brits on this forum who still have a voice with House of Commons delegates or Gov't ministers should write to them and query them on what conditions attach to Thaksin's stay and property in the UK. In any event, he and his immediate family should be prevented from owning any land in the UK, using nominee companies to own land/assets, and staying more than 90 days in any 180 day period. What's fair is fair, right?

Isn't he there on the basis of his Brit Elite Card??

Why would the Brits start with Toxin? It's not like he's the only overthrown head of state to take up residence in London! And like the others, he is already set up extremely well with investments and property. The Foreign Office has already stated that he is entitled to apply for UK residency. They'll keep him and all his money, for sure.

[chatters]

He never stops posturing does he. Ordinarily his resignation from the TRT would be viewed as a good thing by his detractors, but now it looks like he is just trying to beat the 5 year ban. Why would this be important to him?

Thaksin has always been good at PR. Right now he puts himself back into the moral high ground in the eyes of his supporters.

He knows that nothing stays forever here in Thailand, and present enemies might turn into friends again a few years down the line. By being renitent he would close the door of one day making a comeback. He knows that time is on his side - he still is comparably young.

The next elected government will very possibly be a very unstable coalition government again. Just wait and see...

why do you say that//// he has been a mover and shaker his day is over

[Jiminthesun]

I also heard this morning that since Thaksin can no longer govern the Party of Tie Racks, he is going to start the Democratic Republic of Sock Shops.

[Derrick J]

In other words,

IF TRT is dissolved... and they ban these criminals for 5 years .... and

if by resigning now they dodge that bullet, that's just too whacked.

But if it doesn't and they ARE banned for 5 years... and I think if that comes to pass, Thaksin will spend some jail time... and from THAT, I don't think he'll ever get back into the public favor.

Couple that with big asset losses and this SOB is done for.

I remember attending a rally in the 60s at Berkley U at which the late Dr. Martin Luther King quoted 18-centaury philosopher Thomas Carlyle, "No lie could live forever." A fitting caption for the death of the TRT. Now we might be able to return to normal breathing. Do I get an amen and a halleluiah!?

[Ricardo]

Bless you, my son.

One is reminded of rats, and sinking ships, by this news.

Or lemmings - but don't they come from Finland ? Is this the true hidden-meaning, of the Finland connection ?

[john b good]

I have always said that he had the IQ of a dandelion and the cunning of a snake.

[Old Man River]

Thaksin wasn't removed for corruption, he was removed for challenging the order. Money is not a real issue here. Corrupt or not, generals don't declare wars on their bosses. Thaksin did.

Correct!

There is a reason this coup was so strongly supported by the Privy Counselors and it has absolutely nothing to do with corruption.