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Thailand: 2 new corruption charges for ex-PM:
Thai anti-graft body files 2 new corruption charges against ex-PM Thaksin

An anti-graft body whose mandate to probe the government of Thailands ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra expires in a few days recommended Friday that he be prosecuted for two cases of alleged corruption.

A lawyer for the Assets Examination Committee, established after Thaksin was deposed by a September 2006 military coup, said the two cases involve a government loan to Myanmar for communications satellite services, and the procurement of rubber tree saplings.

Sitichok Sricharaen said the agency has filed lawsuits with the Supreme Court and that the court would decide whether to accept the cases.

Thaksins legal representatives could not be reached for comment Friday, but Thaksin has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

The former premier already faces several other corruption-related charges.

Sitichok said the committee was filing a new lawsuit because it determined a 2004 loan to Myanmar by the state-controlled Export-Import Bank of Thailand was meant to benefit the Shin Satellite company, which was then owned by Thaksins family.

The committees charges against Thaksin in the loan case cover both conflict of interest and abuse of his official powers, committee spokesman Sak Korsaengruang said.

The committee alleges that Thaksin used his power as prime minister to instruct the Export-Import Bank to extend the US$127 million loan.

In the second case, the committee filed a lawsuit against Thaksin for alleged corruption in connection with the 2003 procurement of 90 million rubber saplings worth 1.44 billion baht $42.9 million, Sak said.

Thaksin is already facing conflict of interest and malfeasance charges related to his wifes purchase of a piece of prime Bangkok real estate in 2003. She bought the land from a state agency despite an anti-corruption law barring politicians and their spouses from doing business with government agencies.

In another court case, Thaksin is accused of concealing his ownership of shares in a company in violation of stock market regulations.

Thaksin was deposed in 2006 after months of street demonstrations in Bangkok demanding he step down because of alleged corruption and abuse of power. He returned to Thailand earlier this year after his political allies in the Peoples Power Party took office.

The mandate of the Assets Examination Committee will end on Monday, after which its work is expected to be taken up by the National Counter Corruption Commission, a permanent body.

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Thailand prime minister vows to go to work through blockade amid no confidence motion

BANGKOK, Thailand - Thailand’s Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej faced a no-confidence motion in parliament Monday as thousands of anti-government protesters ringed his office in the capital.

The motion has been brought by the opposition Democrat Party in the wake of weeks of street protests calling for the government’s resignation.

Demonstrators, led by activists of the People’s Alliance for Democracy, occupied the area around Government House, the seat of Thailand’s government, on Friday after breaking through a police cordon.

In a nationwide address on government television, Samak said he would resign if the vote _ expected after a three-day debate _ went against him.

Samak’s People’s Power Party, whose members include many allies of military coup-ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, heads a six-party government coalition that controls about two-thirds of the 480 seats in the lower house of Parliament.

Samak’s partners would have to desert him for any non-confidence motion in the lower house to succeed. The Senate does not take part in the voting.

The demonstrators, who began street protests more than three weeks ago, claim that Samak and his party are mere proxies of Thaksin, who was dismissed in a 2006 military takeover.

“I will not bow to your pressure. I will pull out only if I am defeated by a vote in Parliament,” Samak told the protesters.

But alliance spokesman Suriyasai Katasila said Samak’s resignation alone would not satisfy their demands.

“The People’s Alliance for Democracy believes that the government’s decision to allow a no-confidence motion in Parliament is a political game to lessen tension,” Suriyasai said.

The alliance led mass demonstrations before the 2006 coup demanding Thaksin step down for alleged corruption and abuse of power. They now accuse Samak’s government of interfering with corruption charges against Thaksin and trying to change the constitution for its own self-interest.

Rumors have swept Bangkok since the protests began that the country’s powerful military would stage another coup, something the top brass has repeatedly denied.

Samak’s People’s Power Party won general elections last December.

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Anti-Government Rally Moves to Thailand’s Prime Ministers Doorstep
Saturday, thousands of protesters are camping outside the office of Thailand’s prime minister demanding his resignation, according to reports. Protesters delivered anti-government speeches, waved flags and sang songs. After the initial scuffle, the police offered little resistance to the massive crowd, which surged to the gates of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej’s Bangkok office to stage a sit-in. They have vowed to wait outside the prime minister’s office until he steps down.

The Government House in Thailand was quiet on Friday, as most officials had fled their office shortly before tens of thousands of People’s Alliance for Democracy or PAD supporters laid siege to it. Only half of Government House officials had come to work. Iron barricades were set up at all the entrances and every road leading to the building. Prime Minister and his five deputies did not show up at the Government House.

The meeting on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit preparation, chaired by the prime minister, was moved from Government House to the Foreign Ministry, while Deputy Prime Minister Surapong changed the venue of the SML scheme meeting to the Finance Ministry instead.

However, the Thai stock market rose 3.56% on Friday as anti-government rallies held at the prime minister’s headquarters remained peaceful. The Stock Exchange of Thailand composite index soared 26.44 points to close at 768.90 points, while the bluechip SET 50 index rebounded 21.88 points to close at 550.46. Over the past month, fears of confrontation have led to a 13% decline on Thailand’s stock exchange.

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Security tightens at Government House to block anti-govt protestors

Thousands of police officers have barricaded roads around Government House to block anti-government protestors from moving in to besiege the government seat Friday afternoon, aimed at pressureing the elected government to resign.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who also serves as defence minister, earlier pledged to refrain from using force against the protesters.

Friday morning the premier was attending a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in preparation for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

Meanwhile, Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Suebwonglee reportedly shifted the venue of a meeting from Government House to the Ministry of Finance in an apparent bid to avoid confrontation with the demonstrators.

Other cabinet members are nowhere to be seen, and some government civil servants have opted to stay at home in fear of possible violence.

Security around Government House has been tightened with uniformed police manning the barricades along all routes to the government seat.

The anti-government People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and its supporters have been demonstrating since May 25 in a bid to pressure the four-month-old coalition government to resign, claiming that Mr. Samak and his People Power Party are proxies of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Army Chief Anupong Paochinda said earlier that the army would not get involved or use force against the crowds.

“It’s the police who will take charge,” said the Army chief. “I’m sure they have proper measures to handle the situation.”

Police Chief Pol.Gen. Patcharawat Wongsuwan said the police would use only non-violent measures and exercise the utmost patience.

Concerns that the PAD-led protests could turn violent spooked investors who unloaded their stocks over the past three weeks.

Thai stock index opened lower Friday at 737.83, down 4.63 points.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand’s president Patareeya Benjapolchai on Thursday conceded the SET composite index went into a free fall upon investor concerns over the persistent gathering of anti-government demonstrators.

She said rising inflation and upward interest trend also made investors jittery and slow their investment in the stock market, opting instead to sell off shares to reduce risks while they monitor the situation.

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Ads for “Thaksin, Fight” energy drink pulled

Promoters of a new Thai energy drink called “Thaksin, Fight” have had to scale back their advertising for fear of inciting violence between supporters and opponents of the ousted prime minister.

With small but daily street rallies against Thaksin Shinawatra clogging up Bangkok’s streets, drink-maker Natchapol Supatana said on Tuesday he had decided to cancel television and radio slots for the bitter-sweet beverage.

“We are using his name to ride on his popularity among many Thais but we don’t want to be accused of being a catalyst for worsening social division,” Natchapol told Reuters. “We are now opting for direct sales to shops and superstores.”

The drink, similar to Thailand’s popular “Red Bull” energy drink, has been a hit in taste tests with northern Thais, who handed the telecoms billionaire thumping election victories in 2001 and 2005 before protests triggered his removal in a 2006 coup.

With an avowedly pro-Thaksin administration back in charge after a December election, the anti-government demonstrations have started again — as have the fears of social discord and even talk another coup.

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