Prayut names Thaksin as plotter behind protests

[webfact]

PM accuses Thaksin of behind current anti-government political activities



BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha today (Thursday) accused fugitive former prime minister Thaksin of being the man who pulls the strings behind all the recent and current disruptive political activities.

“Don’t you know who? Where they came from? Who have supported them? Who plotted? The foreign lobbyists, Thaksin. And tomorrow you bash me again,” said the prime minister in response to a reporter’s question whether he would order into a probe of the money trail of the political activists and demonstrators.

He warned that, from now on, he would tighten up the use of the law against all the anti-government activists and demonstrators, including the student activists.

Regarding the political activities of the student groups, the prime minister asked the media: “Don’t you know which side they belong to? Who offered them a ride? Voice TV or the UDD (red-shirt movement)?”

The prime minister said he was not worried with the pressure from the international organizations, including Amnesty International, which have been calling for the unconditional release of Pheu Thai coremember Watana Muangsook, currently held at the Surasee army camp in Kanchanaburi.

He said the government would explain to the international organizations and foreign governments about why Watana had to be held in custody.

He also warned that there might not be a referendum or even an election if disruptive activities go on unabated.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/160492


-- Thai PBS 2016-04-22

[Maybole]

I thought it was Emmanuel Goldstein who was behind all evil

[Plutojames88]

I believe it's correct to fear as they obviously do Thaksin.

Even the rainbow community here are showing signs of Trauma and will only use a hateful mantra ..." But Thaksin""

Love or hate him.

He is to be feared if in power.

And being Thailand anything is possible .

Bought rogue generals .

International future sanctions.?

Who knows?

But Thaksin is ruthless and unmercifully would punish.

These men have nightmares what deaths under him they would suffer.

Too scared to even jail his sister for fear he sends assassins .

Did Thaksin create protests ?

That doesn't matter.

What does is this game is still being played and keeping control of the protesters a fear they have thats all too real.

They have ultimately as much chance of that as a plumb Malaysian piglet kidnapped by a crazed hungry Dutchman (of escaping harm)

Whilst he sends blood red bowls to remind them he isn't done.

Their reaction speaks volumes.

He resonates through their pauses and on hot nights they toss and turn and hope he vanishes .

But TS instead goes on CNN or is nearby sending the millions a message to wait.

It's the waiting that is killing them.

They know its a matter of time

[aussieinthailand]

A reporter asks a question of a nation's leader and is given an answer eventually.

But don't use what I answered to "strike me"

That will "make it messy again" and it will be your fault as the press (albeit a restricted press)

Surely no-one would say such a thing to a reporter. Gotta be lost in the translation.

I couldn't find a 'slap forehead' emoticon.

Thaksin, Thaksin, Thaksin,,,, It wasn't me it's him he did it, if it's good it's me if it's bad it's Thaksin,

No rain in Thailand, Thaksin, Heat wave in Thailand, Thaksin,, Tourist scammed by taxi, Thaksin, Tourist money returned by taxi, Me, Me, Me,,,

My ice-cream is to cold Thaksin..................................

What a pelican.

[metisdead]

Posts containing off topic obfuscation comments have been removed as well as the replies.

[Thechook]

Well, a whole bunch of law professors and the Democrats also seem to hate the charter and they are not on the Thaksin payroll.

yea but Thaksin left the toilet seat up.

[NongKhaiKid]

When the wheel comes off will he blame the media for misquoting him ?

[LannaGuy]

I am not a Thaksin fan but many Thais genuinely love him but I can't seem to find one who loves Prayut and when he's gone he'll be remembered as a brute in many ways

[bobmac10]

As time goes by, this guy is showing himself up to be what he could only ever be, a Thai military man.

Never fought a war, never likely to.

Plenty of time to sit around and watch what all the other generals did when they pulled a coup and how they skimmed the cream.

No imagination, no clues, just a burning desire to be at the top for a while.

His legacy? The elites got back what they lost when Thaksin was around.

And a nostalgic attempt to bring back the Thailand that was gone before he was born.

[phantomfiddler]

I am sure that Prayut is correct in his assessment, but everyone knows this. As for the many who love thaksin, I once had a conversation with a taxi driver who assured me that thaksin was the ONLY HONEST MAN IN THAILAND !!! and it became very clear that the whole aim of the country,s biggest crook was to court the people who did not have a brain cell between them. A sad but highly effective strategy, and a huge flaw in the democratic system

[mtls2005]

"You know who"?

"He who must not be named"?

[eggers]

It seems ridiculous, that a convicted criminal has been at large for some 10 years, living freely in Dubai (known address) & swaning around the world @ will, yet no attempts have been made to arrest/extradite him back to Thailand to face justice or.........??

[soalbundy]

Same old story, if you want cohesion within find an enemy outside the door

[z42]

You have to be a special kind of scum / stupid when even Thaksin has the moral high ground over you. I can't help but feel that when it does all come crashing down (and it will) that many will have suffered greatly and the country will likely still not be any closer to progression. Someone in the NCPO needs to gag the head honcho just for the sake of credibility if nothing else (And yes i'm aware they were hardly ever credible before now)

[MZurf]

”He also warned that there might not be a referendum or even an election if disruptive activities go on unabated."

What a shocker!! Yes, I can see now why these massive demonstrations necessitate a postponement of the referendum and the election. Again, totally surprised!

[LannaGuy]

I am sure that Prayut is correct in his assessment, but everyone knows this. As for the many who love thaksin, I once had a conversation with a taxi driver who assured me that thaksin was the ONLY HONEST MAN IN THAILAND !!! and it became very clear that the whole aim of the country,s biggest crook was to court the people who did not have a brain cell between them. A sad but highly effective strategy, and a huge flaw in the democratic system

"but everyone knows this"

[MZurf]

It seems ridiculous, that a convicted criminal has been at large for some 10 years, living freely in Dubai (known address) & swaning around the world @ will, yet no attempts have been made to arrest/extradite him back to Thailand to face justice or.........??

They never wanted him back in Thailand. Better to have him safely abroad to be used as the bogeyman to scare the children with and as an excuse to hold onto power.

If he was put on trial in Thailand can you imagine the humongous cans of worms he would open when pushed into a corner?

[Srikcir]

He also warned that there might not be a referendum

If Prayut is convinced the draft charter won't pass the referendum, this option provides the quickest solution to still schedule elections.

Follow the same junta procedure used with the 1997 draft charter. Have the NCPO-appointed NLA pass the draft and within 30 days have it royally endorsed. Might even have enough time to have elections held in August 2016 with a new government sworn in time for the next fiscal year beginning October 1, 2016!

[MZurf]

I am sure that Prayut is correct in his assessment, but everyone knows this. As for the many who love thaksin, I once had a conversation with a taxi driver who assured me that thaksin was the ONLY HONEST MAN IN THAILAND !!! and it became very clear that the whole aim of the country,s biggest crook was to court the people who did not have a brain cell between them. A sad but highly effective strategy, and a huge flaw in the democratic system

That same "flaw" you will find in every democratic country. Do you think the solution is to suspend democracy as they have done in Thailand?

[Winniedapu]

So the Junta leader tells us Thaksin is "behind "the small protests against the government.While he is in an informative mood could he tell us exactly who is "behind "the NCPO.

He's not allowed to. He promised. Its a s e c r e t.

[aslimversgwm]

I am sure that Prayut is correct in his assessment, but everyone knows this. As for the many who love thaksin, I once had a conversation with a taxi driver who assured me that thaksin was the ONLY HONEST MAN IN THAILAND !!! and it became very clear that the whole aim of the country,s biggest crook was to court the people who did not have a brain cell between them. A sad but highly effective strategy, and a huge flaw in the democratic system

That same "flaw" you will find in every democratic country. Do you think the solution is to suspend democracy as they have done in Thailand?

As Churchill once remarked: "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for everything else"

[NongKhaiKid]

Just when are those backing / supporting this clown going to realise what a liability he is or have they already and who know what's being planned as the next step ?

[soalbundy]

I am sure that Prayut is correct in his assessment, but everyone knows this. As for the many who love thaksin, I once had a conversation with a taxi driver who assured me that thaksin was the ONLY HONEST MAN IN THAILAND !!! and it became very clear that the whole aim of the country,s biggest crook was to court the people who did not have a brain cell between them. A sad but highly effective strategy, and a huge flaw in the democratic system

That same "flaw" you will find in every democratic country. Do you think the solution is to suspend democracy as they have done in Thailand?

As Churchill once remarked: "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for everything else"

He also said that,''The disadvantages of a democracy could be seen in a 5 minute conversation with the average voter''. He wasn't far wrong.

[arrowsdawdle]

I thought it was Emmanuel Goldstein who was behind all evil

Nope, only George Bush and Thaksin.

[MZurf]

I am sure that Prayut is correct in his assessment, but everyone knows this. As for the many who love thaksin, I once had a conversation with a taxi driver who assured me that thaksin was the ONLY HONEST MAN IN THAILAND !!! and it became very clear that the whole aim of the country,s biggest crook was to court the people who did not have a brain cell between them. A sad but highly effective strategy, and a huge flaw in the democratic system

That same "flaw" you will find in every democratic country. Do you think the solution is to suspend democracy as they have done in Thailand?

As Churchill once remarked: "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for everything else"

He also said that,''The disadvantages of a democracy could be seen in a 5 minute conversation with the average voter''. He wasn't far wrong.

I guess you don't consider yourself average.

[arrowsdawdle]

Just when are those backing / supporting this clown going to realise what a liability he is or have they already and who know what's being planned as the next step ?

Perhaps, the little general is just a pawn. One man's ceiling is another man's floor.

[baboon]

He also warned that there might not be a referendum or even an election if disruptive activities go on unabated."

What a shocker!! Yes, I can see now why these massive demonstrations necessitate a postponement of the referendum and the election. Again, totally surprised!

What does it really matter, given the conditions they were/are to be held under anyway?

[MZurf]

Thaksin's rise from a police officer, who managed a tender that was won by a company he set up to quote, through to becoming a telecoms tycoon thanks to a monopoly that allowed him to charge the people what he wanted and forced them to buy their mobile phones from his business at his prices, to lending a military dictatorship Thai treasury money at low interests rates so they could buy from his companies when PM, to the land deal that he was convicted over, to changing the law to enable his selling of his business to a foreign company and avoid tax etc etc etc is all very well documented and easily researched for such a computer whiz as yourself.

Or do you want to claim, as the man himself says, he's never ever done anything wrong in his life, never ever?

Of course it depends on your definition of corruption too. If you think contriving and manipulating things, getting into powerful and influential positions and then taking full advantage of conflicts of interest, insider knowledge and changing things to benefit yourself aren't considered corruption then that's up to you. Naive at best.

Right, thanks to a government installed by the military after the 2006 coup, Thaksin's financial dealings are out in the open.

Unusual wealth - that should be investigated and all who have acquired vast wealth far in access to their salaries, inheritances, or normal incomes should be investigated.

But that would require transparency, a truly impartial, well resourced and free from political influence investigative body and a sound justice system.

No one within the upper echelons, the elites, the rich hisos, call them what you will, are going to support or allow that.

No one wants that transparency. The current government have already ruled that out for themselves. Previous government's didn't do a lot. Tarit and Chalerm were said to be under investigation. The latter fled to Denmark last time, but judging by his wealth nothing really happened.

Politicians all over want to make the rules for everyone else, but of course think they don't apply to themselves (a la Cameron and his ilk in the UK).

Senior military, senior police, senior civil servants - all seem to have married well and be almost as good at financial management and investment as Warren Buffet.

As you correctly point out, transparency only happens against the enemies of the military, the military never investigates it's own. Lots of suspicious wealth, no transparency or investigations, unlike with Thaksin. Even if a democratically elected government wanted to investigate the military and other suspiciously wealthy government types, it wouldn't because it would trigger another coup.

Politicians aren't the only ones who want to make the rules for everyone else, the military has been doing it in Thailand since 1932.

I have greater faith that transparency and cleaner government will occur after an extended run of democratically elected government than under military rule. After all, when the military rules it rules with unchecked power, as it does now. If the military wanted transparency and clean government it could make it happen. It clearly doesn't want it to happen.

As is being demonstrated in South and Central America now, after a run of coups and military governments the people's first priority when democracy is returned is to make sure democracy remains. After they are confident they have a stable democracy, then they make it clear they are sick of corruption. Government officials, especially the dirtiest ones, stall and obfuscate as long as they can, but eventually have to relent if the people persist.

Democracy doesn't provide a quick fix to corruption, but at least it provides hope. Military rule doesn't. I'll change my opinion when the military cleans up it's act. I'm not anticipating a change.

"I have greater faith that transparency and cleaner government will occur after an extended run of democratically elected government than under military rule. "

Hear, hear! This is exactly the point I've been trying to make since the coup. If Thailand's elected governments were left alone by the old elite we might, over time, see some positive developments. In fact, due to the Internet and social media, I am certain that would happen as all the sh!t they could sweep under the carpet earlier would be exposed.

But this is the last thing the old elite wants because that means the beginning of the end for the pra/ammart/sakdina system.

[lkv]

But this is the last thing the old elite wants because that means the beginning of the end for the pra/ammart/sakdina system.

Understand sakdina and you understand Thailand.

https://historyplanet.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/the-last-orientals-the-thai-sakdina-system/

[Lupatria]

They could have get "rid" of Thaksin any time. Remember his appearance in the HK Thai embassy for his divorce?

I wouldn't be surprised if the general secretly prays for Thaksin's health every evening, so he can be used as the creator of all anti coup sentiments.