Thai Coup Chief Admits Lack Of Evidence Against Thaksin

[Jai Dee]

Thai coup chief admits lack of evidence against Thaksin

Investigators have failed to uncover solid evidence to support corruption charges against Thailand's ousted prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, the country's coup leader has said in an interview.

But General Sonthi Boonyaratglin has advised Mr Thaksin against returning in the near future, warning that the military is on the alert for any risk of a counter-coup by his supporters.

"It will be difficult to implicate him [in major corruption cases]," General Sonthi told the Nation newspaper.

"I am not sure how far the Office of the Auditor General can investigate suspected corruption cases involving him. They might get to nowhere at all.

"We cannot impound the money he made with accountable legal evidence, but can only look for some possible hidden [evidence] with questionable background."

In the past, General Sonthi has justified the bloodless September 19 coup by saying widespread corruption during Mr Thaksin's five years in office had undermined democracy.

He quickly revived the nation's dormant corruption watchdogs and set up his own high-powered team of investigators to look into allegations of graft by Mr Thaksin and members of his government.

"Under the previous government, widespread corruption was evident," he told the paper.

"The administration was plagued by irregularities.

"Independent organisations ceased to function, the administrative mechanisms as per the 1997 constitution were stalled.

Abiding by law

But General Sonthi has acknowledged that the military could lose the public support it has generally enjoyed so far if nothing emerges to back up specific corruption claims.

"We have tried to abide by the law and take all parties' concerns into account," he said.

He says panels set up to investigate the assets of Mr Thaksin, a billionaire telecommunications tycoon ranked as Thailand's fourth richest man, have to observe the rule of law because of the international scrutiny of the army-appointed post-coup administration.

"I want it to be done quickly - I am frustrated that it is not being done as I wished," he was quoted as saying in the Kom Chad Luek newspaper.

"I am not happy that it is moving very slowly. But we have to accept that."

General Sonthi, who remains head of a Council for National Security with the authority to fire the interim Government appointed by the military, says Mr Thaksin will not be allowed to return to Thailand any time soon.

"If he's really concerned about the country, he shouldn't try to come back at present," he said.

"He should use the phone if there's something urgent."

Asked what would happen if Mr Thaksin "just got on a plane" from London, where he is living in exile, General Sonthi said: "It wouldn't be allowed to land".

General Sonthi also says he will not lift the martial law that has been in place since the coup until the latent threat from Mr Thaksin and his Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party, which now has a new leader, has disappeared.

"I can't give you the exact timing of the lifting of martial law. Please let me just say we will do it as soon as possible," he said.

Source: AFP/Reuters - 26 October 2006

[Jai Dee]

Thai Coup Leader Says Investigators Struggling to Implicate Former PM

Sondhi Boonyaratglin (file photo)

The leader of Thailand's coup says investigators have not yet found enough evidence to charge deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra with corruption.

General Sondhi Boonyaratglin says it will be difficult to implicate Mr. Thaksin. He says the corruption probe is a long, difficult process that might not yield anything.

Sondhi made the statements in an interview with reporters from the Nation Multimedia Group Tuesday.

Sondhi had earlier justified the September coup against Mr. Thaksin by saying he and other military leaders wanted to unify the divided country and hold the Thai prime minister accountable for alleged graft and abuse of power.

Sondhi said if Mr. Thaksin tried to return to Thailand, his plane would not be allowed to land.

The former prime minister has been living in London.

Source: VOA News - 26 October 2006