The democratic way to prosecute Thaksin

[buksida]

The democratic way to prosecute Thaksin
BANGKOK - Thailand's new military-appointed interim government finds itself on the horns of a crucial dilemma: how best to charge and prosecute ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a way that would lend democratic legitimacy to its September 19 putsch.

Thailand's coupmakers first justified their takeover on the grounds that Thaksin's rule was divisive, abusive and corrupt - not to mention insulting to the crown. So far, military-appointed investigative commissions have concentrated their energies on financial irregularities and corruption allegations, including his family's hot-button US$1.9 billion Shin Corp-Temasek Holdings transaction.

Yet thorough investigations into the ousted premier's abysmal human-rights record would arguably send an even stronger signal to both the international community and the Thai public that the military's political intervention was just and necessary to return Thailand toward a rule-of-law-based society after five years of misrule under Thaksin.

As skepticism predictably entrenches against Thailand's new military rulers, nothing arguably would contribute more toward genuine national reconciliation and allay doubts about their own democratic intentions and credentials than a vigorous investigation and follow-up prosecution of Thaksin's many rights-based abuses. And investigators clearly wouldn't have to look very far.

Thaksin's "war on drugs" campaign in 2003 resulted in the extrajudicial killing of more than 2,500 people. Although local and international media reported and recorded hundreds of cases of police officials shooting and killing unarmed civilians - always in self-defense according to official accounts - to date not one Thai official has been prosecuted or even reprimanded for his or her role in the unprecedented orgy of violence.

Full Story: Asia Times Online

[Hublet]

This is a good item thank you but do you think anything will actually happen with shutting down corruption and holding those responsible accountable?

It is after all an integral part of the Thai business Dahhma.

[Guess]

This is a good item thank you but do you think anything will actually happen with shutting down corruption and holding those responsible accountable?

I think that, maybe the point has been missed here. The situation is:

Thailand has no elected Government. The military had to take control to fill a void and to maintain law and order on behalf of the true head of state, i.e. The King.

The outside world, which in this case and most others, means the USA and the UK have denounced the "coup" for their own hypocritical reasons. The denouncement statement had more to do with Iraq than Thailand.

Therefore the task that Thailand has to undergo is to re-establish a stable democracy after a fair all party election to be re-accepted as a true democracy.

Taksin, although in exile currently, has not been charged with any crime and can re-form his party and return himself as leader or install a puppet. He could then get re-elected with the support he still has propped up by his votes for cash campaign that he successfully used in his first election and extended in his second. This would would put Thailand right back to square one which is not wanted by the thinking and informed classes of the Thai population.

The first step needed to to discredit Taksin legally and finally. This is the problem the current regime face and one that must be achieved before the reformatioin of a stable democracy can begin.

It is difficult to find analogy but Al Capone is the closest I can come up with.

He was a crook, he was clever and always covered his own arse, he needed to be deposed for the sake of the people and to maintain law and order by those employed by the electorate to do so. Eventually after a thorough investigation, some bright investigator figured he could be got on tax evasion.

The investigation of Taksin, like that of Capone is a massive one but it needs to be done and a case needs to be brought against Taksin or we could see a return of a Taksin led TRT in control once again.

[lomuamart]

There are apparantly 10,000 cases of corruption against Thaksin and his TRT cronies that will "be investigated".
He's been told he can come back any time he wants, but will face arrest if he does.
Wonder where he's going to end up?