Thailand's former PM Thaksin breaks silence on Twitter

[Myshkin]

4 hours ago, Tchooptip said:

Forbes estimated the Thaksin Shinawatra fortune at one billion seven hundred million Bahts

every cents  sorry Bahts  of  it he earned honestly of course ... starting his career as a police officer 

Must be 1.7 billion USD, because if it was THB he would not even be mentioned in the Forbes ranking. (1.7 billion THB is only approx. 51 millions USD).

Edited August 30, 2017 by Myshkin

[Ricardo]

"BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra broke a long silence on Wednesday to comment on Twitter following his sister's flight from the country last week."

 

So what, if anything, did Thaksin say about his sisters' whereabouts or safety ?

[jayboy]

4 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

Ah, the irony

 

https://www.hrw.org/news/2008/03/12/thailands-war-drugs

 

 

In 2005, the UN Human Rights Committee raised serious concerns about the "extraordinarily large number of killings" that took place during the ‘war' and recommended that thorough and independent investigations be undertaken.4 Then UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, Asma Jahangir, sent an urgent communication to the Thai government in 2003.5 In its response, Thailand said that every unnatural death would be thoroughly investigated in accordance with the law.6 To date, none of the perpetrators of arbitrary killings have been brought to justice.  
 
 

 

In August 2007, the military-installed government of General Surayud Chalanont appointed a special committee to investigate the extrajudicial killings during the 2003 war on drugs. The committee's report - which has never been made public - said that of 2,819 people killed between February and April 2003, more than 1400 were unrelated to drug dealing or had no apparent reason for their killings. Human Rights Watch, ‘Thailand: Prosecute Anti-Drugs Police Identified in Abuses,' February 7, 2008

Exactly, the worst human right abuse case of Thaksin's time.So why was not this matter followed through during the many periods Thaksin influenced governments were not in power.Surayud made a promising start but the initiative fizzled out.It's all a bit of a mystery since we know (wikileaks and other sources) the old anti democracy dinosaurs were desperate to pin something serious on Thaksin that would stick, as opposed to the relatively trivial charges they settled for.Here was the golden opportunity but nothing happened.Actually I know why and most well informed Thais know why.It appears however some of our resident farang Thaksin haters tapping out their bile in their dingy lodgings don't know why.In fact they seriously believe this could be an area which with the potential to crush Thaksin once and for all if scrutinised openly.Poor suckers.

[LannaGuy]

56 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

And it was/is absolute power that this serial criminal also craves. 

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2017/08/30/absolute-power-means-can-whatever-prayuth-says/

 

go weep

[jonclark]

I would suggest that we are witnessing the first salvos in what is likely to be a rather acrimonious and public shit throwing contest.

[SheungWan]

5 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

Too bad he didn't remember that quote when he started gagging the press during his tenure as a PM; dispatched his goons to smash several editorial offices; slapped journalists who exposed his shady business dealings (Alpine Golf Course anyone? Ratchada land purchase anyone?) with 1-billion-baht lawsuits;  embarked on his controversial and unlawful "War on Drugs"; concealed his taxable wealth by transferring his assets to his maid and gardener; and massively evaded tax when he sold Shin Corp. to Singapore's Temasek Holdings, among a long list of other "honest mistakes". Quoting Montesquieu only seems to serve him fine when he or his family find themselves at the receiving end.

I would add too bad that Yingluck's lawyers did not offer lunchboxes full of cash to the presiding judge(s) in this trial as did Thaksin's legal team for his. Maybe it was because Thaksin failed the first time with this effort.

[jayboy]

38 minutes ago, LannaGuy said:

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2017/08/30/absolute-power-means-can-whatever-prayuth-says/

 

go weep

The hypocrisy involved is turbo charged.

[SheungWan]

6 hours ago, maxpower said:

When he is sure it won't go towards buying useless military hardware.

Thaksin was only ever interested in controlling the military by putting his own people in charge for his own ends towards capturing State Power. Nothing else bothered him.

[SheungWan]

29 minutes ago, Roger Harris said:

Kangroo court, she was guilty months before the hearing. Thats why they had a big truck to take them away after the court session.

One wonder whether any smart guys on her legal team would have been telling her that she stood any chance on the Rice Corruption Scheme given where the evidence was pointing, other than buying off the judges. Hold out, play for time and get ready to do a runner if and when the conviction is coming.

[maxpower]

9 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

Thaksin was only ever interested in controlling the military by putting his own people in charge for his own ends towards capturing State Power. Nothing else bothered him.

Smart guy eh.

[silent]

6 hours ago, LannaGuy said:

How right he is.  No precedents, No juries and vindictive against those of different colour. He was no angel, she was no angel but they were democratically elected by the people, for the people. 

How many angels in politics don't have angles.

[tomta]

1 hour ago, jonclark said:

I would suggest that we are witnessing the first salvos in what is likely to be a rather acrimonious and public shit throwing contest.

I hope so. The more shit that is thrown the closer we'll get to the truth about things.

[sweatalot]

"...thaksin-breaks-silence.."

what does this mean?

 

He is a trickster. He has clearly shown his motivations in the past: money and personal power.

He showed his  way to strengthen his power  by involving family and friends, even making his sister and his brother in law pm. He did not stop from crime and murder.

 

When he goes in the public there is a plan behind. He was strong in the public from his sandy hideaway to create the red shirts and start the failed coupe in 2010. (Not for democracy for sure)

Now he goes public again - is he up to inciting a civil war?

[dinsdale]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

"Montesquieu once said 'There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetuated under the shield of law and in the name of justice'," Thaksin said on his official Twitter page.

I agree. Extrajudicial killings spring to mind.

[Enzian]

Sounds like he's discovered French wine; a lot of it.

[KIWIBATCH]

Is that a vagina under his chin...??

[SheungWan]

2 hours ago, maxpower said:

Smart guy eh.

No. Classic Overreacher.

[whaleboneman]

I took his tweet to be the confession of an old man near to death. Maybe he thinks too much.

[jing jing]

11 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Another one spouting rubbish on twitter,sure you know the other one.

whenever a politician is caught doing something wrong,and is 

taken to court,they always say its political persecution,happens 

quite often in 3rd world countries,when most people know what the truth is.

regards worgeordie

For this one it's the judiciary, for the other it's the media; how dare they hold us accountable, don't they know we were democratically elected?  The people love us!!   We can do no wrong!!

[bendejo]

Hey now, he didn't say corruption was wrong, did he?

The bad thing about it is the word has negative connotations, so changing word changes the perception.  

Let's see, there's emolument, oh wait, that's the one that's a problem for the US pres. 

How about auto-enrichment?  Everybody want to be rich and have their own auto, right?

Maybe he should hire Frank Luntz.

 

 

[joecoolfrog]

14 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

And Reuters again post unbalanced reports, no comment on the fact that his conviction is for serious abuse of authority and no connection whatever to politics. 

You might almost think that a highly respected news agency had some sort of bias against people with guns grabbing power , weird eh ?

[webfact]

Thaksin blasts ‘shield of law’ in cryptic tweet

By The Nation

 

 

FORMER PREMIER BREAKS SOCIAL MEDIA SILENCE TO SLAM ‘TYRANNY IN THE NAME OF JUSTICE’ IN DEFENCE OF SISTER YINGLUCK

 

BANGKOK: -- FUGITIVE former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra broke his long silence yesterday by hitting out at “tyranny under the shield of law and in the name of justice” in a Twitter post.

 

It was his first public reaction since his sister and ex-PM Yingluck Shinawatra failed to show up for the verdict reading at the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders last Friday in the negligence case stemming from her government’s corruption-plagued rice-pledging scheme.

 

Meanwhile, none of the three armed forces –Army, Air Force and Navy – has yet been able to establish which channel Yingluck used to escape from Thailand, supreme commander General Surapong Suwana-adth said yesterday. 

 

 

In response to speculation that military figures gave Yingluck help to flee, Surapong said that if any officers had been found to be involved in such a scheme, they would be prosecuted.

 

Thaksin yesterday quoted 18th-century French philosopher Charles de Montesquieu in his latest tweets both in English and Thai.

 

“Montesquieu once said, ‘There is no crueller tyranny than that which is perpetuated under the shield of law and in the name of justice’,” his tweet said.

 

In response, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said Thaksin should be left alone to do whatever he wants. “Let him be. What can a Twitter message do? If you want to believe him, be my guest. Think about that,” Prayut said, pointing a finger at his head.

 

Yingluck reportedly fled the country and sources said that she was reunited with Thaksin in Dubai before the day of her verdict, although authorities have not confirmed her whereabouts.

She has been accused of dereliction of duty and malfeasance for allegedly failing to put an end to the controversial rice-subsidy policy plagued with corruption. Critics and her supporters, however, perceive the case as part of a political game in a long-standing power struggle. 

 

Yingluck faced up to 10 years in prison and a lifetime ban from politics had the court convicted her. But she failed to appear, forcing the court to delay its ruling until late next month and issue a warrant for her arrest.

 

Thaksin’s tweet yesterday was his first after two years. In his last post in 2015, Thaksin responded to the deadly bombing attack at Ratchaprasong Intersection, extending sympathy to those affected and denouncing the act.

 

“That tweet after so long reflects Thaksin’s anger,” said Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a former Thai diplomat and an academic at Kyoto University.

 

“I suspect Yingluck and Thaksin will continue to find a political space in Thailand from overseas ... they want to take revenge” on their enemies, he was quoted by AFP as saying.

 

Ousted by a military coup in 2006, Thaksin has kept a low profile while living in self-exile overseas for almost a decade. He fled the country in 2008, a few months before the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders sentenced him in absentia to two years in jail for abuse of power.

 

Besides actions by the Pheu Thai Party, which many believe to be Thaksin’s proxy, the former PM rarely made any direct political moves. He only sends very occasional political messages through his personal social media accounts. He uses Instagram and Facebook as well as Twitter.

 

Meanwhile, Thai authorities have yet to receive any response from other countries regarding Yingluck’s suspected escape, according to Deputy Premier and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan.

 

“We still have no exact idea of where Yingluck is. But we are certain that her escape won’t affect public trust in the government,” Prawit said yesterday.

 

Thailand had contacted Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates via diplomatic channels to trace Yingluck’s possible whereabouts, Prayut said on Tuesday.

 

National police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda reiterated yesterday that there were still no responses from other countries about Yingluck and that the normal immigration channels did not hold records indicating that she had passed through the country’s borders.

 

Chakthip added that police were considering whether to summon 14 people close to Yingluck who, according to CCTV records, were in her company for lunch at a hotel last Wednesday, when the ex-PM was last seen publicly before her disappearance.

 

Prayut yesterday refused to comment further about Yingluck’s escape. He said that the country’s situation was now improving, with rising prices on the stock market.

 

“If the country is peaceful, without political problems and things go in line with the justice system, the situation will not be volatile. Everybody should help to bring about peace,” he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30325338

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-31

[tbthailand]

15 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

And Reuters again post unbalanced reports, no comment on the fact that his conviction is for serious abuse of authority and no connection whatever to politics. 

no connection whatever to politics. 

[Thian]

15 hours ago, LannaGuy said:

How right he is.  No precedents, No juries and vindictive against those of different colour. He was no angel, she was no angel but they were democratically elected by the people, for the people. 

yeah for 500 baht a vote, you call that democratically? If one offers 600 baht they'll all vote for him.

[SheungWan]

Legal tyranny started the day the judges refused to accept Thaksin's bribes.

[Raymonddiaz]

If Yingluck didn't pass by any neighboring country to flee. She left from a Thailand airport. ( we will know the truth soon because Thai people can't shut their mouths) . There was a political deal between Taksin and our dear lovable and lovely leader. The self named Prime minister.

[bbpbbp]

17 hours ago, Thian said:

And when will he pay the tax he is dued to pay?

 

When people on charge now give back the $$$ millions that they stole in bribery during their "career" ?

 

 

[Baerboxer]

31 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

Legal tyranny started the day the judges refused to accept Thaksin's bribes.

 

Notice how Reuters, AFP, BBC all conveniently fail to mention Thaksin tried to bribe the judges, for which one of his lawyers was convicted and jailed. Just like they forget to mention that he was illegally occupying the position of caretaker PM when he was removed having previously resigned then snatched the job back without any authority, or democracy.

 

Now they have started forgetting Yingluck was dismissed by a court prior to the 2014 coup.

 

Makes you wonder.

[Baerboxer]

3 minutes ago, bbpbbp said:

 

When people on charge now give back the $$$ millions that they stole in bribery during their "career" ?

 

 

 

Maybe he should start that ball rolling too. Set an example.

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, joecoolfrog said:

You might almost think that a highly respected news agency had some sort of bias against people with guns grabbing power , weird eh ?

 

They should indeed report the facts about coups. But that's no excuse not to report factually about the antics of those who were removed from office by a court.

 

Or should we presume you and the two who liked your post support false reporting as long as it suits your political agenda?

Edited August 31, 2017 by Baerboxer