CNS Distributes White Paper Clarifying September 19 Coup

[Jai Dee]

CNS distributes White Paper clarifying September 19 coup

BANGKOK, Dec 30 (TNA) - Thailand's Council for National Security (CNS) has released and distributed a 38-page White Paper outlining the justification for the military coup d'etat it staged on September 19 to overthrow the Thaksin government.

Titled "Facts on Thailand's Administrative Reform on September 19", the White Paper was produced in the form of books and CDs, in both Thai and English. The publication comprises 35,000 books (30,000 in Thai and 5,000 in English), and 15,000 CDs (10,000 in Thai and 5,000 in English).

The paper, which is intended to be given way to both the Thai public and foreigners, was first distributed to the media on Friday.

The clarification focuses on the main reasons why the Council for Democratic Reform (CDR), former CNS name, staged the coup to remove then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra from office.

Eight key points seen as the misdeeds committed by the previous government are 1) corruption and conflicts of interest, 2) policy mismanagements leading to violations of rights and freedoms, 3) independent agencies ineffective enforcement of checks and balances in government, 4) tumultuous divisiveness throughout Thai society, 5) fraudulent elections, 6) widening political vacuum under caretaker government while Lower House and Senate were not in place, 7) apparent acts of lese majeste and 8) the likelihood of escalating unrest and conflict.

The White Paper also outlines the next move the CNS intends to make. It states the CNS intention to resolve national problems, especially immediate ones, within the shortest time possible.

In addition, in its White Paper, the CNS reaffirmed that it will not interfere with the decision-making of the interim government, the National Legislative Assembly, the Constitution Drafting Assembly and the courts, even though some agencies were installed by the CNS itself.

Source: TNA - 30 December 2006

[yeti]

Anyone knows where the .pdf might be available?

[Jai Dee]

Anyone knows where the .pdf might be available?

The original translation by The Nation can be found here.