Thailand is undergoing a "silent coup d'้tat" with the military interfering in its political system and court s that cannot function properly, said ousted and convicted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra last night.
He was speaking in a much anticipated video message to some 50,000 supporters as the opposition Democrat Party inched closer to forming a new government. It was a recorded speech, not a live phone-in as earlier expected.
"We're now in the middle of a coup d'้tat aimed at destroying democracy," he said, in reference to recent top brass involvement in the formation of a new government coalition.
He also accused the Constitution Court, which dissolved the pro-Thaksin People Power Party early in December for electoral fraud, of tampering with the Thai political system.
"Our system has lost a lot of credibility because we rely on a belief which is not true ... The system can't work because there are people distorting it, and society can't sustain that," he said.
"Let those who are interfering step back and allow the system to work. Let us know victory and defeat."
On a personal note, Thaksin said the root cause of all the problems he was facing today was that he had been vilified as an anti-monarchist and unlike even a cornered dog had nowhere to stand. "Is this what you want to do?" he asked his opponents.
Veera Musigapong, once a Thai Rak Thai executive and now co-host of the "Truth Today" television programme, earlier said that Thaksin's failure to make a live phone-in was due to the blocking of the pro-Thaksin MV TV cable-television channel since Friday night by his opponents.
Many pro-Thaksin websites also became inaccessible yesterday, and Veera himself admitted that "high technology" had been employed against pro-Thaksin sites. The Sunday Nation also discovered that mobile-phone signals at the Supachalasai Stadium were being interrupted sporadically yesterday evening. In the end, Veera told his supporters, he was told to ask Thaksin not to phone in by Snoh Thienthong, who is still struggling to put together a pro-Thaksin coalition government. The crowd appeared visibly disappointed, and some left in the middle of the pre-recorded speech.
In it Thaksin also criticised his foe the People's Alliance for Democracy for having occupied the airports and Government House, saying it had had a "severe impact" on Thailand and its investment climate.
"With the current political problems, it's hard to solve [the economic problem]," he said.
Thaksin also lambasted his former aide Newin Chidchob, who has apparently defected to join a coalition being formed by the opposition Democrat Party, for betraying him but urged all sides to reconcile.
In exile and a fugitive from justice, Thaksin remained confident that voters were behind him and said: "People know what is going on ... and they will show it when it's time to vote."
The Nation - 14.12.08
Taksin says (to army?) stop interfering...
How a convicted criminal on the run from the law can be allowed to even make public broadcasts is beyond me.
How can he possibly complain about internet censorship when he was the one that invested the money into the technology a few years ago when he wanted to shut down the voice of his opponents ... its pure hypocrisy. The clampdowns on foreign investment and businesses came as a direct result of his dodgy Temasek sale so again, pure hypocrisy.
This man should leave Thailand alone, he is doing more damage every day and splitting the nation into two halves that will end up hating each other. "Thai Rak Thai" .... yeah right. In his two terms he has proved that he is only interested in throwing a few bones to the easy half of the country to keep him in power, ignoring the other half, and expanding his business empire.
How can he possibly complain about internet censorship when he was the one that invested the money into the technology a few years ago when he wanted to shut down the voice of his opponents ... its pure hypocrisy. The clampdowns on foreign investment and businesses came as a direct result of his dodgy Temasek sale so again, pure hypocrisy.
This man should leave Thailand alone, he is doing more damage every day and splitting the nation into two halves that will end up hating each other. "Thai Rak Thai" .... yeah right. In his two terms he has proved that he is only interested in throwing a few bones to the easy half of the country to keep him in power, ignoring the other half, and expanding his business empire.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
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loverboy44
- Specialist
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 8:44 pm
How can?????
How can, how can.....how can i asked myself many times in This country.
How can a minority for instance close an airport, break the law and get away with it.
At least Thaksin was elected. The PAD was not.
How can a minotity threaten a new formed government with protests if the new goverment will not follow their (minorities) rule.
I think there are many things that we westerners do not understand.
A fact for me is that in Isaan arround 1998 there was nothing. Go and have a look now!
Maybe many people forget that in former times every election was bought in this country.
At least Thaksin had enough money that it was not necessary for him to earn back his vote buying spendings.
You can not live in Thailand and still think like a westerner.
How can a minority for instance close an airport, break the law and get away with it.
At least Thaksin was elected. The PAD was not.
How can a minotity threaten a new formed government with protests if the new goverment will not follow their (minorities) rule.
I think there are many things that we westerners do not understand.
A fact for me is that in Isaan arround 1998 there was nothing. Go and have a look now!
Maybe many people forget that in former times every election was bought in this country.
At least Thaksin had enough money that it was not necessary for him to earn back his vote buying spendings.
You can not live in Thailand and still think like a westerner.
Re: How can?????
Yes, and one of them is the fact that there is no, and never has been, "democracy" here - at least in the Western sense.loverboy44 wrote: I think there are many things that we westerners do not understand.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
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sandman67
- Rock Star
- Posts: 4398
- Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:11 pm
- Location: I thought you had the map?
loverboy
you are being ironic arent you? No...really....you are arent you?
Thaksin bought the elections, then continued to dismantle the democratic processes in Thailand for his whole tenure.
His populist policies of handouts to the North and NE, which were in fact pittances, by his own admission were doled out to people who voted for him to the exclusion of others.
He also claimed to be the father of these policies, despite the fact they were set up under the previous Democrat regime and he just shifted the focus entirely to his own constituents.
He conducted a wholly illegal and improper "war on drugs" that resulted in over 3000 extra judicial murders and disappearances.
His policies in the South were a total disaster and again resulted in massacres, murders and disappearances.
He illegally enriched himself at the cost of the state, and took nepotism and corruption to new extremes.
He contrived and conspired to avoid paying taxes and state levies on his companies and those of his family and others.
He openly interfered in military, security and economic state machinery to ensure his supporters were placed in top positions. He then interfered with the judiciary and media. he restricted freedom and civil rights on a grand scale.
He is now a fugitive from justice, a tax exile, and is facing a slew of court cases, all of which he refuses to face.
He is singularly the biggest liar of all Thai politicians...and that is saying something. He is unaware, or ignorant of the actual meaning of, the words TRUTH and HYPOCRISY.
In the premier league of legally and morally corrupt politicians, he is sharing a dressing room with Mugabe, Kim Jong Il and the Burmese Junta....
There rests the case for the prosecution. Over to you Mr Defense.....
you are being ironic arent you? No...really....you are arent you?
Thaksin bought the elections, then continued to dismantle the democratic processes in Thailand for his whole tenure.
His populist policies of handouts to the North and NE, which were in fact pittances, by his own admission were doled out to people who voted for him to the exclusion of others.
He also claimed to be the father of these policies, despite the fact they were set up under the previous Democrat regime and he just shifted the focus entirely to his own constituents.
He conducted a wholly illegal and improper "war on drugs" that resulted in over 3000 extra judicial murders and disappearances.
His policies in the South were a total disaster and again resulted in massacres, murders and disappearances.
He illegally enriched himself at the cost of the state, and took nepotism and corruption to new extremes.
He contrived and conspired to avoid paying taxes and state levies on his companies and those of his family and others.
He openly interfered in military, security and economic state machinery to ensure his supporters were placed in top positions. He then interfered with the judiciary and media. he restricted freedom and civil rights on a grand scale.
He is now a fugitive from justice, a tax exile, and is facing a slew of court cases, all of which he refuses to face.
He is singularly the biggest liar of all Thai politicians...and that is saying something. He is unaware, or ignorant of the actual meaning of, the words TRUTH and HYPOCRISY.
In the premier league of legally and morally corrupt politicians, he is sharing a dressing room with Mugabe, Kim Jong Il and the Burmese Junta....
There rests the case for the prosecution. Over to you Mr Defense.....
"Science flew men to the moon. Religion flew men into buildings."
"To sin by silence makes cowards of men."
"To sin by silence makes cowards of men."
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loverboy44
- Specialist
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 8:44 pm
Hello everyone,
nice you got my sarcastic sign.
What i actually want to say is that everyone complains about Mr Thaksin.
That does not help. It only makes him more important and he is not here.
Who is here is the PAD and they are a real threat to the economy.
What they have done destroyed economically the whole of what was achieved in the last years (with and without Mr Thaksin) in the industrial sector. Which company will invest in a country where mob can close airports or threaten legal governments.
So please, we all know that Mr Thaksin was not a saint (who is?) but in this whole discussion i am missing somthing that will bring everyone forward and that is solutions to the problems of this country.
Anyone wants to do first?
Chok dee krap!
nice you got my sarcastic sign.
What i actually want to say is that everyone complains about Mr Thaksin.
That does not help. It only makes him more important and he is not here.
Who is here is the PAD and they are a real threat to the economy.
What they have done destroyed economically the whole of what was achieved in the last years (with and without Mr Thaksin) in the industrial sector. Which company will invest in a country where mob can close airports or threaten legal governments.
So please, we all know that Mr Thaksin was not a saint (who is?) but in this whole discussion i am missing somthing that will bring everyone forward and that is solutions to the problems of this country.
Anyone wants to do first?
Chok dee krap!
Well we got a new PM today so we live in hope ... hope we don't have to sing lyrics from that old song by The Who - "here comes the new boss ...".
A change is what is needed, that was never coming with any Thaksin party regardless of what they name it. Hopefully Abhisit will get some solutions rolling as they're long overdue.
A change is what is needed, that was never coming with any Thaksin party regardless of what they name it. Hopefully Abhisit will get some solutions rolling as they're long overdue.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
loverboy44,
How is this for a solution, let the Dems have a chance.
From what I have seen from the rural poor in Thailand is that they really have no idea about politics and do not have the time nor faith in its workings to really care that much. They seem to live hand to mouth and I honestly do not know if the majority of Red Shirts care or believe in what they are fighting for as much as the PAD do.
How about Thaksin leaves Thailand ALONE??? for a start. Now he is stirring trouble from outside with his comments, is that bringing the country forward?So please, we all know that Mr Thaksin was not a saint (who is?) but in this whole discussion i am missing somthing that will bring everyone forward and that is solutions to the problems of this country.
How is this for a solution, let the Dems have a chance.
From what I have seen from the rural poor in Thailand is that they really have no idea about politics and do not have the time nor faith in its workings to really care that much. They seem to live hand to mouth and I honestly do not know if the majority of Red Shirts care or believe in what they are fighting for as much as the PAD do.