Thaksin 'to fight on' until five demands met

The Nation 13/01/2010

Former premier Thaksin Shinawatra will not abandon his political struggle unless his five demands are met, his legal adviser Noppadon Patama said yesterday. "Thaksin wants to raise awareness on the lack of democracy and will fight along with those tens of millions of people suffering from injustice," Noppadon said, alluding to the alliance between Thaksin and the red shirts.

To bring about reconciliation, the Democrat-led government and the powerful institution known as "amartya" must comply with the five demands, he said in reference to the Privy Council.

Thaksin's five demands are:

- The restoration of the suspended 1997 charter

- A blanket amnesty to political offenders under the provisions of the 2007 Constitution

- House dissolution

- Honest and fair balloting

- All rival camps to stop activities after the election outcome

Noppadol said the powers-that-be were trying to portray the red shirts as troublemakers even though they were the real villains who stole power from the people

Suthep: Respect the court

Bangkok Post 13/01/2010

People should have faith in the justice system and not worry about violence on Feb 26, when the Supreme Court is due to give its verdict on the Thaksin Shinawatra's 76.6 billion baht assets seizure case, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who oversees security, said on Wednesday.

"I'm not worried about it," he said. "We should not think that the verdict for one person would be more important than any other. We must have faith in the judicial process."

The court examined two additional witnesses on Tuesday - former information and communication technology minister Sithichai Pookaiyaudom and Thailand Research Development Institute academic Somkiat Tangkitwanich. It later announced a verdict could be expected n Feb 26

When asked if the approaching verdict could lead to an increase in political activities by the pro-Thaksin group, Mr Suthep said the country belongs to the people, and no one could go against the majority.

"When everything goes according to the rule of law, which is accepted by Thais, then everyone will have to accept it," he said.

Army chief Anupong Paojinda said the army is ready to maintain order if the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) intensifies its anti-government activities.

Supreme Court to rule Feb 26 on Thaksin's seized assets

Bangkok Post 12/01/2010

The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions has set Feb 26 to give the verdict on Thaksin Shinawatra's 76.6 billion baht assets seizure case, a court official said.

The court set the date after examining two more witnesses on Tuesday - former information and communication technology minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom and Thailand Research Development Institute academic Somkiat Tangkitwanich.

Mr Sitthichai, Mr Somkiat together with representatives from the Securities and Exchange Commission and the National Telecommunication Commission were to testify before the court.

The additional examination of witnesses scheduled for Jan 14 was cancelled, the official said.

The Supreme Court wants to inspect the Shin Corp's shareholdings and Thaksin government's telecommunications policies before handing down a verdict on whether the 76 billion baht in Shinawatra family assets were obtained illegally or not.

Thaksin's lawyer Chattip Tanthaprasat earlier expressed no concern over the hearings scheduled for today and Thursday, and said the ousted premier's legal team was prepared for the court's examination of additional witnesses and documents.

Thaksin showers gifts, scholarships

The Nation 10/01/2010

About 1,500 children of red-shirt parents celebrated National Children's Day in Chiang Mai yesterday with gifts and scholarships from fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.Ads by Google

Among the prizes given in front of Warorot Grand Palace Hotel were a BlackBerry smart phone, 60 bicycles, sports equipment and blankets.

Thaksin reportedly phoned in later in the afternoon and even gave his own version of a National Children's Day motto: "The future will be bright if one learns about technology".

The move apparently confused some of the children, who had heard Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajva's own slogan for National Children's Day.

Thaksin told the children that "politics is about lies" and urged them not to be fooled, especially by people who declared bankruptcy, a reference to People's Alliance for Democracy leader Sondhi Limthongkul.

Thaksin has tete-a-tete with 'spy' in cambodia

The Nation:

Sivarak flies home today; ex-PM's second visit certain to stoke tension between neighbours

Fugitive ex-Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra swooped into Phnom Penh yesterday and headed directly to the prison holding the Thai engineer convicted of spying, in a move destined to further strain ties with Cambodia.

Sivarak Chutipong, who was sentenced by a Cambodian court to seven years jail for leaking the flight plan of Thaksin's previous trip but was pardoned by Cambodia's king on Friday, will return to Thailand this afternoon, his mother Simarak na Nakhon Panom said.

Yesterday's meeting appeared to be the first time Sivarak had met Thaksin whose visit, the second in about a month, is certain to further stoke tension between the neighbouring countries. It has also been confirmed yesterday that Thaksin had requested Sivarak's pardon in a phone call to Cambodian leader Hun Sen.

Amid speculation in Thailand that the Sivarak saga was a political manipulation to reboost his image, Thaksin was driven straight from the airport to Prey Sar prison. Some 300 special forces troops were deployed along the route of his motorcade and around the penitentiary's compound.