Amnesty for Thaksin: Showdown deferred, not avoided
Amnesty for Thaksin: Showdown deferred, not avoided
February 19, 2009
THE proposed bill to offer amnesty to politicians banned from politics for their own wrongdoings may have been shelved for the time being. But the issue remains a potential time bomb that could explode whenever relations within the coalition government become frayed. By allowing the proposed amnesty bill to be debated in Cabinet, PM Abhisit Vejjajiva could claim to be a generous coalition leader, ready to be open-minded about all shades of opinion.
But then, you could also say that Abhisit was making a virtue out of necessity.
The fact could be less of a black-and-white scenario. What is clear is that if the premier pre-empts this highly sensitive move, he could split his coalition – and that could undermine his own government’s stability. The last thing Abhisit can afford now is to let this hot potato play into the hands of the opposition.
The amnesty move didn’t come out of the blue. It was evident from the outset that Thaksin’s nominees in Parliament would continue to find a way to absolve him from all the court verdicts – and, more importantly, to pave the way to block all pending cases against him.
To propose a bill that is too obvious an attempt to exonerate one person from all his sins would be too crude – not that all earlier efforts along these lines have been sophisticated or subtle, though.
That’s why the new version of the bill has camouflaged wording to make it appear as if all politicians, of all shades, unfairly affected by the September 2006 coup would be free to engage in politics once again.
The side effect of this new exercise is, however, that the amnesty could benefit not only Thaksin and his cronies but also some of the key figures in Abhisit’s current coalition. And that’s the squall that could rock the government’s boat severely enough to plunge it into a premature crisis.
The beneficiaries would include Banharn Silpa-archa and Newin Chidchob, both banned from politics for five years after the court found their respective parties guilty of breaking the law. More crucially for Abhisit, both of them represent significant pillars on which the coalition government stands.
The two veterans have made no official statement on the issue so far. But Interior Minister Chaovarat Charnveerakul, also the newly-named head of the Bhumjaithai Party – of which Newin is a major figure behind the scenes – has publicly spoken in favour of the bill.
Abhisit is in a dilemma: It’s one thing to block Thaksin from making a comeback but it’s another to be seen to deny his very own allies the opportunity to be granted the amnesty they feel they are entitled to.
What is Abhisit going to do now? He could adopt one of the following options:
1. Repeat his original position as the Democrat Party’s leader on this issue. That is: strong opposition to any amnesty bill that is not part of a political reform process.
2. Play the game of political expediency and go along with the coalition partners’ wishes in order to ensure his own survival for the next few months.
3. Employ a divide-and-rule strategy by rewriting the bill to separate Thaksin from the rest of the affected politicians.
4. Buy time. Make some general statements about political reform that would incorporate the amnesty clause. Show his generous attitude by allowing the Cabinet to debate the bill while resisting pressure from coalition partners.
For now, Abhisit has chosen the last option while emphasising the need to devote all government efforts to coping with the economic malaise rather than wasting time playing politics.
But deep down, he knows – and his opponents know – that when push comes to shove, the only path that lies ahead is a House dissolution to call a new election.
Since Abhisit is the only person who holds the constitutional power to decide when to resort to that last choice, he can afford to appear calm in the eye of an impending storm.
Who’s afraid of a new election? Only those not qualified to run – and those scared of being caught cheating … again.
Another Battle Lost by Thaksin
February 20, 2009
Finally, the Krung Thai loan scandal is going to the Supreme Court. Five months ago, this could be big headline news. Under current circumstances, it will only mean the next phone-in by Thaksin Shinawatra will sound much bitter and belligerent.
The case, in which Thaksin and his son Panthongtae are accused of being the influence behind illegal loans extended to affiliates of the Krisada Mahanakhon Group, had seemed to be going nowhere due to reservations from the public prosecutors.
The impasse fuelled suspicion about connections between the fugitive former prime minister and the Office of the Attorney-General.
Last June, the Assets Examination Committee (AEC) submitted more than 50,000 pages to the Attorney-General’s Office seeking to indict Thaksin, son Panthongtae, and some former board members of Krung Thai Bank (KTB) over the alleged loan irregularities involving the Krisda Mahanakorn Group.
The prosecutors’ reservations stalled the case, and when the AEC became defunct and taken over by the National Counter Corruption Commission, it was tabled for a joint review by the sceptical prosecutors and the NCCC.
So, the most significant thing about the latest development is the prosecutors’ greenlight, after the joint review found enough grounds and additional evidence to pursue the AEC’s case. The review process has been overshadowed by other major political developments including Thaksin’s conviction in the Ratchadapisek land case, which, in fact, was a lesser case compared to this one.
The charges involve using political influences to grant massive bank lendings to unqualified recipients already plagued with non-performing loans.
Among suspicious activities are:
1. A loan of Bt500-million extended to RK Professional on September 11, 2003.
2. A loan of Bt9.9-billion extended to Golden Technology Industrial Park on Sept 11, 2003.
3. A total of 118.5 million preferred shares worth Bt1.1 billion issued by Krisada Mahanakorn which ended up in KTB’s hands saw a big drop in value.
The first complaint was lodged by the Bank of Thailand and some KTB executives were implicated. Later, the KTB, under pressure, lodged own complaint with the AEC against Thaksin but sparing its own executives and officials.
In an initial probe by an AEC sub-committee, 32 people and five companies were found to be involved in the alleged fraud which reportedly cost the state up to Bt4.5 billion.
It might be unnecessary to call this the “last nail in Thaksin’s coffin”. However, this development only ensures that he will remain on the run, with the chances of getting at least some of the frozen assets back remaining as remote as ever.
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Phuea Thai supports Chalerm as new PM
Thai News Agency Feb 20, 2009
Opposition Phuea Thai party MPs supported its chairman Pol Capt Chalerm Ubamrung to be next prime minister should the no confidence motion would be successful in dissolving the Democrat party led coalition government.
Phuea Thai party Chiang Mai MP Mr. Surapong Tohvichakchaikul (??????? ???????????????) said today (February 20) the party would support Pol Capt Chalerm, the party’s chairman, to be next prime minister if the party was successful for its no confidence motion and dissolving the government.
He also said there were more than 50 per cent of the party’s MPs at the moment supporting Pol Capt Chalerm as the most suitable choice for the nation’s new leader.
Mr. Surapong also claimed the information of Phuea Thai party to be debated at no confidence motion would cause the government to be unable to administer the country.
Slow progress in Bt9-Bn loan investigation
February 21, 2009
Prosecutors are prepared to seek Thaksin’s extradition
Public prosecutors will spend at least one week studying an investigation report from the anti-graft agency before deciding whether to sue ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra and others for malfeasance in a Bt9-billion bank loan scandal, a senior prosecutor said yesterday.
Deputy Attorney-General Waiyawuth Lotrakul said the probe report by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), which suggested suing Thaksin and others, had been forwarded to the Attorney-General for further action.
Waiyawuth said he expected the Attorney-General to assign his working group in the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) to study the report in detail in order to determine whether certain flaws in a previous report found by the joint NACC-OAG committee had been rectified.
He said the OAG would inform the NACC if any further improvement needed to be done. He added, however, that the NACC could pursue its case alone if it disagreed with the OAG recommendations.
He expected the OAG working group to spend longer than one week on its task as there was a lot of work to do.
The NACC took over investigation of the case from the Assets Examination Committee, which expired in mid-2008.
The AEC concluded that Thaksin and 31 others were at fault in connection with Bt9-billion loans extended by the state-owned Krung Thai Bank to three private companies with links to people close to certain government figures.
It was found that a large amount of money had been transferred from one of the three companies to a bank account belonging to the son of a politician in power at that time.
A source said yesterday that the OAG working group would meet on Monday to discuss who would be sued.
According to the NACC probe report, three groups of people are involved. They are public office holders, including then-prime ministerThaksin, board members and top executives of KTB, and the loan recipient companies and individuals benefiting from the loans. The companies were identified as Krisda Mahanakorn, RK Professional and Golden Technology Industrial Park.
In a related development, Sirisak Tiyaphan, director-general of the OAG’s department of foreign litigation, said yesterday that the public prosecutors had completed the necessary paperwork required to seek Thaksin’s extradition for prosecution in Thailand.
Sirisak said the prosecutors would soon ask the police in writing for the exact whereabouts of the fugitive ex-leader. He said he had learned that Thaksin was in Hong Kong but that his address was needed to locate him.
Last October, Thaksin was sentenced to two years in jail in connection with the Ratchadaphisek land scandal, in which his then wife won a bid to buy a coveted state-seized land plot at a price far lower than the market rate. Thaksin did not appeal the verdict by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders. He described the ruling as “politically motivated”.
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Puea Thai wants Thaksin to be chief adviser
Bangkok Post Feb 21, 2009
Puea Thai party will invite ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra to be chief adviser, party MP Surapong Towijakchaikul said Saturday.
It will also invite former acting leader of the dissolved People Power party Jaturon Chaisaeng, Pongthep Thepkanchana, Sudarat Keyuraphan to be party advisers.
The party wants these political figures to help the opposition in providing the input in the no-confidence debate tentatively planned for next mont, he said.
Mr Surapong added that Thaksin will also appear in cut-outs, posters, leaflets posing with party candidates contesting in the next election.