PAD leaders finally charged

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Spitfire
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PAD leaders finally charged

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Police charge PAD leaders for trespassing Government House


Five of six leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy on Friday reported to police to acknowledge charges related to the trespassing of Government House last year.

The case stemmed from the PAD's seizure of the seat of the government from August 26 to December 3 to protest against two governments under Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat.

Police cite Articles 358 and 365 of the Criminal Code to build up the case. If convicted, the combined penalties will be a jail term of up to three years and a fine of no more than Bt10,000.

The Nation

Finally, they must have realised that the government can't get any real legitimacy till this happens, even though they are an unelected government themselves, and gives a small sense of justice, a conciliatory gesture perhaps. However, a good move by Abhisit to distance himself from them and the connotations that go with the PAD.
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Post by Spitfire »

I know not many replies but a few views so I thought I 'd put this update here rather than start a new thread. It looks like it's all catching up with them, Sondhi imparticularly, lots of libel charges and we know what they are like here, can smell blood.

'Yellow Shirt' leader gets jail
Oct 2, 2009

BANGKOK- The leader of Thailand's 'Yellow Shirt' protest movement was handed a six-month jail sentence on Friday for defaming a former Thai foreign minister, a court official said.

Media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul, who led a blockade of Bangkok's airports last year to drive allies of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra from government, faces a raft of libel cases by people he has criticised.

He was found guilty on Friday of defaming Noppadon Pattama during a programme on his TV channel, when he accused the former foreign minister of betraying the royal family by working as Thaksin's lawyer.

'Sondhi was sentenced to six months in jail without probation,' a court official said. He was also fined 20,000 baht (S$845), but the court let him remain free on bail while he appeals against the verdict.

On hearing the sentence, Mr Noppadon, who became foreign minister in 2007 but resigned the following year, said he was 'glad I received justice'.

'From now on, Sondhi must realise that he cannot go on making false claims against anyone in this country without being punished,' he told AFP.

Last month, a Thai appeals court reduced to six months the two-year jail term that Sondhi was given by a lower court in March 2008 for defaming former Deputy Transport Minister Phumtham Vechayachai.

Another court also sentenced Sondhi to two years in jail for defaming a second Thaksin ally, former central bank governor and Deputy Prime Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula. He was granted bail while he appeals both of those cases.

Sondhi survived an assassination attempt in April which he blamed on elements in the country's security forces.

He founded the yellow-clad, royalist People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which held mass protests preceding the September 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin as prime minister.

The movement took to the streets again in 2008 and eventually forced a government led by Thaksin's brother-in-law out of office in December, after an airport siege that devastated the economy.
-- AFP

Source - straitstimes.com
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Post by PeteC »

The news this week indicates Khun A. has some problems in his own Democratic house. Monday will probably see an announcement that his Secretary-General has resigned. A very capable and free thinking man for many years:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... tus-monday

....and this, which is related to the above:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... an-to-quit

.... culminating in this:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... nths-maybe

The man has some deep problems and I think his days are numbered.

An editorial this week said he would be a magnificent PM, 8-10 years from now when he could use his skills to impress the world with what Thailand has to offer. Apparently he was a big hit on his recent visit to the USA meetings.

Unfortunately, I don't think he has a clue how to solve these current, domestic problems. If he does, he can't say as his controllers are pulling his strings.

In a nut shell, he has to be more like Thaksin in regards to the poor in this country but he's not being allowed to. Pete :cheers:
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Post by lomuamart »

Spitfire,
Maybe the lack of replies is due to ex-pats like myself who regard the political fiasco as just that. The tourists are put off visiting for the same reason and are led to believe that the situation is more sinister by western media.
After all, we've got this "mighty" country trying to tell western media what to publish/broadcast. The value of the Baht has appreciated, so the country isn't such good value any more.
Etc etc. Thailand's getting a bad press around the world and som nom na.
Don't get me wrong. I couldn't give a care about who's in power over here - or in the UK for that matter.
Yes, it does make a difference to our visas/extensions/work permits but that's always going to happen under any governance.
Let them get on with it and I'll try and keep my head down :idea:
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Post by lomuamart »

Pete,
I just think it's farsical that the Democrat PM is actually unelected.
An Oxford educated man who rules this country with no mandate?
I'll stop there as I can't see any better alternative. Sad :(
Last edited by lomuamart on Fri Oct 02, 2009 7:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Spitfire »

My apologies, just an update, don't mind there were no replies, people post or they don't as it's up to them, I worded it like that to excuse myself posting again and bringing the thread back to the top as it is news and the news forum is.....well.... quiet at the moment. I do agree with what you say though, quite correct.
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Post by PeteC »

lomuamart wrote:Pete,
I just think it's farsical that the Democrat PM is actually unelected.
An Oxford educated man who rules this country with no mandate?
I'll stop there as I can't see any better alternative. Sad :(
Understand and agree completely Lomu. I think his intentions were admirable in the time after the coup and the Samak era debacles, to step in and make the country right.

Naive I think is the best word and Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale etc., do turn out many like that.

I think he's 'his own man' by nature, but not being permitted to be in office.

Look at his photos as the weeks pass, he's looking haggared and discouraged.

I think his loyalty as he sees it is the only reasons he hasn't stepped down yet. Pete :cheers:
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Post by STEVE G »

Unfortunately, I don't think he has a clue how to solve these current, domestic problems. If he does, he can't say as his controllers are pulling his strings.

In a nut shell, he has to be more like Thaksin in regards to the poor in this country but he's not being allowed to. Pete
That's how I see things Pete, the people pulling the strings have no interest in changing anything as from their point of view the situation is perfect as it is.
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Re: PAD leaders finally charged

Post by BaaBaa. »

spitfire wrote:a fine of no more than Bt10,000.
I hope they've started saving! :roll:

A token gesture if ever I saw one.
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Post by STEVE G »

It was worse than you think, it must have been 10,000 for each offense because he actually got fined 20,000bt!
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Post by lomuamart »

Gosh. I've managed to escape the bedroom without a scratch.
Lesson number two in Thailand - don't discuss politics with a rabid, yellow shirt and suggest that their regime is being propped up by countries in the west.
I give up
:idea:
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Post by PeteC »

When back in the UK Lomu get one each football jerseys, color yellow, red, blue. You can then wear what is appropriate for the day/event. :idea: If someone tries to bash you, you can simply point out the team logo. :D Pete :cheers:
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Post by Rider »

lomuamart wrote:Pete,
I just think it's farsical that the Democrat PM is actually unelected.
An Oxford educated man who rules this country with no mandate?
I'll stop there as I can't see any better alternative. Sad :(
Better this dude than the toxin man or his cronies...
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Post by miked »

quote
I just think it's farsical that the Democrat PM is actually unelected.


please tell me who voted for Gordon Brown as prime minister.????

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Post by Wanderlust »

Actually no Prime Minister is elected to that office by the voting public anywhere in the world, it is always the MPs who elect their leader. The vote that the public has is for who will represent their constituency in combination with the party they would like to see in power, although these can be mutually exclusive! If the Conservatives win the next General Election their leader automatically becomes Prime Minister but still no member of the public will actually have voted for them. In countries where no one party has enough MPs to have a majority in the House, coalitions are formed and the PM may often not be the leader of the largest party if the coalition members feel another person is more suitable, as a condition of being part of the coalition. In Thailand I would say that Abhisit is the most able politician I have ever seen here and probably the only one capable of steering the country out of the political mess. He certainly seems to have won over the international community and is not deliberately divisive like all his predecessors seem to have been. I really hope he has the chance to sort everything out.
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