Thaksin legacy taints Thai politics

[Lourens]

By JOCELYN GECKER – The Associated Press

KOK LOI, Thailand (AP) — It's been two years since the ouster of Thailand's charismatic and controversial Thaksin Shinawatra. Yet amid the rice-growing villages of the country's heartland, the former prime minister's legacy lives on.

A walk down the rutted roads of Kok Loi illustrates why Thaksin, despite facing a possible conviction on corruption charges Tuesday, remains a polarizing figure in Thai society and the central figure behind the country's deepening political crisis.

Villagers point to the homes they built during Thaksin's tenure from 2001 to 2006, the refrigerators they bought, the general store they opened — all a result of the low-interest loans his government offered.

"Thaksin was the savior of the poor," said Kamcham Pokasang, 68, a farmer from Kok Loi in the northeastern province of Buriram, where lush green paddies of jasmine rice stretch to the horizon. "Before Thaksin we had nothing, only rice fields. Thanks to Thaksin, my family now has everything."

A five-hour drive away, in the bustling capital city of Bangkok, opinion is decidedly mixed.

Anti-government protesters have barricaded themselves in the prime minister's office compound for nearly two months, paralyzing the government, splitting society down the middle and creating Thailand's worst political crisis in years.

They accuse Thaksin of being corrupt, and consider Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat — Thaksin's brother-in-law — a proxy for the former leader.

Thaksin, who was deposed in a September 2006 coup, is living in self-imposed exile in London, saying he will not get a fair trial in Thailand. His first conviction could come Tuesday, when a court is scheduled to rule on charges stemming from his wife's 2003 purchase of a lucrative plot in Bangkok at a deflated price from a government agency.

Yet the 59-year-old former business tycoon remains the most prominent politician in Thailand. Love him or hate him, nobody can stop talking about him.

Protesters marched through Bangkok on Monday, calling for a purge of Thaksin loyalists from the government and accusing him of vote buying in rural areas.

"Thaksin is a bad man. He does everything for himself," said Naree Sivaboon, 54, a government employee. "He never helped the people of Thailand."

The Nation, an English-language newspaper, wrote in a commentary: "All problems in Thailand are seen by many as masterminded by Thaksin." It noted that even a skirmish last week between Thai and Cambodian troops was "attributed to Thaksin's maneuvering behind the scenes."

The political crisis is a tug-of-war between Thaksin's supporters in the countryside, where two-thirds of Thailand's 65 million people live, and an educated middle class who feels threatened by the rural majority's growing political clout.

Protesters believe Thaksin is operating behind the scenes to assure his allies stay in power long enough to clear him of corruption charges and help get his remaining riches out of the country.

Forbes Asia magazine put Thaksin's estimated net worth at $400 million in July after Thai authorities froze more than $2 billion of his family's assets pending the outcome of the corruption cases.

"Thaksin is behind every political move of this government," said Suriyasai Katasila, one of the protest movement's leaders. "He wants them to unlock his assets and clear his name so he can return to power."

The residents of Kok Loi pay little heed to the corruption accusations.

"I don't care if Thaksin was corrupt. All politicians are corrupt," said Gad Pokasang, a 68-year-old rice farmer in Kok Loi.

He and his wife, Kamcham, praised Thaksin for banishing drug dealers, giving them affordable health care and helping put food on the table.

"We built this house thanks to Thaksin," said Kamcham, also 68, as she proudly showed a visitor around her modest two-story cement home. "This TV and stereo came from Thaksin. This refrigerator and washing machine, our two motorcycles. Everything."

Many in the rural heartland recall Thaksin as the first prime minister who paid attention to them.

He created a program known as the 1-million baht ($30,000) village fund, in which villagers could apply for low-interest loans of $600 each.

Kok Loi built a general store with interest generated from the loans.

"I'm so sick of all the protests in Bangkok," said farmer Somporn Ongklang, who took a loan to buy a plowing machine. "Those people are not poor. They don't know how difficult life can be, and how much Thaksin helped us."

Kuthep Saikrajang of the Thaksin-allied People's Power Party said rural residents benefited from cheap health care and other development brought by Thaksin's administration. And they were infuriated by the coup that brought him down.

"That incident divided Thais into two groups — pro- and anti-Thaksin," he said.

The group behind the protests, which calls itself the People's Alliance for Democracy, is a mix of royalists, business owners, students and activists who say that Western-style democracy is wrong for Thailand. They say rural voters are too ignorant to choose the leadership and propose to weaken the rural voice in hopes of changing the balance of power.

Analysts have criticized the idea as turning the clock back, and villagers in Nohn Makok, near Kok Loi, are outraged.

"I might be poor, but I know they can't take away my right to vote," said Somboon Boontee, a rice and tapioca farmer who scrapes by on under $2,000 a year. "If you ask me, Thailand's troubles started when Thaksin left."

[Admin]

Thaksin guilty in land case, sentenced to 2-year imprisonment
 
The Nation: 21 Oct 2008
Thaksin guilty in land case, gets 2-year imprisonment


The Supreme Court Tuesday found former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra guilty in the Ratchada land case.
He was sentenced to 2 years in jail.

Pojaman Shinawatra, his wife, was found not guilty and the court revoked arrest warrant against her.

The court found that Thaksin had violated Article 100 and Article 102 of the National Counter Corruption Act, which states that government officials, including prime ministers, and their spouses are prohibited from entering into or having interests in contracts with state agencies under their supervision.

[Lourens]

They will do anything to taint his name and put him in a bad light. I don't normally get into discussions on politics but this is taking a bit too far. I mean - Come on! Thailand is bigger than just Bangkok. In the article above it is clear that the man did some good for Thailand in general and as one man put it, the country's problems started when the former, former prime minister left office. So what if he lined his pockets. Is there anyone who believes that the next guy isn't going to do the same? Not only in Thailand but the rest of the world as well. Why are we in such a big mess now with financial crisis after finacial crisis? Because someone in governmet lined their pockets. Only on a bigger scale. What Thaksin did is only a drop in the ocean. Sure, give him a slap or two but then let him get on with doing good for the country. Employment was up, tourism was up, the economy in general was doing well, farming was doing great despite the drought. What do we have now? Thais are losing their jobs, tourists are scared to come to Thailand, nobody wants to invest in an unstable country, and rice paddys are neglected because there are no more incentives for producing bumper crops. I hope that these guys will come to their senses soon or that at least someone in power will show them the error of their ways. Don't fight - Play nice!

Now give me a beer 

[Admin]

Thaksin to appeal his conviction, sends letter to media 
The Nation: 24 Oct 2008
Thaksin to appeal his conviction

Former prime minister and fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra is expected today to give his green light for the defence team to prepare an appeal for his conviction on the Ratchadapisek land case, chief defence lawyer Kamnuan Chalopatham said on Friday.

Should Thaksin authorise to seek the appellate review, the defence team will start to map out its legal strategy in outlining the fresh evidence relating to factual informations and legal issues pertaining to the case, Kamnuan said.

The appeal will be lodged at the Supreme Court within 30 days for a review by its full bench. Should the high court rule to launch the appellate review, the extradition request has to be suspended pending the outcome of the judicial decision.
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I was quite guilty because I was successful pollitician : Convicted ex-PM

Read Thaksin's letter in which he says, "Whatever happen to me is a political driven actions collaborated by various group of privileged elites who believe in anything but democracy.

Woodsome Manor

Surrey, England

22 of October, 2008

Dear My Friends in International Media,

I am writing to you today to clarify few facts, The news headlines have reported that I have been convicted of corruption for two years stemming from the purchase of land by my wife, Khunying Potjaman Shinawatra.

What you have read is true, I was convicted for two years, but not because of corruption charge. The only reason I was sentenced to Jail is because at the time my wife bought the land through the open bid, I was the Prime Minister.

I listened to the judgment yesterday and even now I am still confused ; there is no evidence of fraud, corruption nor abuse of power in relation to the bid in question; my wife was the one who involved and made decision to bid for the land, offered a lot more seller, Financial Instit ution Development Fund (FIDF), than other bidders, signed the contract with the seller, paid for the land with no involvement from her husband except when he was required to sign a spousal consent form.

In terms of any alleged influence I may have had no direct supervisory power over the FIDF. Interestingly, the Court did not find the sale transaction of my wife unlawful or illegal, they did not convict her because she is not a politician; nevertheless, I was . I trust that you will independently verify the above facts as professional journalists often do.Unfortunately, most of you professsional colleagues in Thailand refuse to do so.

The best. I can comprehend is that I was convicted simply because I was a politician . In that case I was quite quite guilty cause I was quite a successful politician, I got elected twice by the majority of thai people as Prime Minister.

If I were to be guilty of anything, that would be what I have shown to the Thai people, especially those underprivileged rural thais that they can, and have the right to, demand their government to provide effective policy and programs to improve their lives.

I received this judgment with mixed feeling; relief for my wife as I pulled her into enough troubles because of my politcal ambition to bring greatness and well-being to my country and my people, amused and bitter with the illogical of the judgment, and worry for those politicians in Thailand that they could go to jail simply because their unhappy spouses may sought to manipulate the law.

For those of you who may not be too familiar with Thailand, state offices and enterprises in Thailand are doing so many businesses from telecommunication, banking, power generator or even owning gas stations.

I do not know should I laugh or cry to see the direction Thailand is moving forward: a democratically elected leader was put out of job because he cooked on a TV show but those who unlawfully trespassed and occupying the government house got protection from the Court.

Whatever happen to me is a political driven actions collaborated by various group of privileged elites who believe in anything but democracy. I am a threat to them because I represent the principle of liberal democracy which promote hope and pride of the poor of my country.

Thailand is and will remain a great and beautiful country. Few people cannot face the face, obstructing the will of majority of the people. I believe that at the end Thai people will win over this struggle. And the end of their nightmare is not far.

I thank you for the opportunity to share the facts with you.

Truly Yours,

Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra

[Mr.Steve]

It is unfortunate, but no surprise, that the people who are accustomed to holding power in Thailand are reluctant to let it go. Democracy in all countries has almost always been achieved at a great risk to those involved in its inception. Those of us from countries with a long history of democratic freedoms tend to forget this. I hope that the progress of democracy in Thailand will be swifter and less violent than has often been the case.