Foreign Correspondence

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The protesters, calling themselves the People’s Alliance for Democracy, accuse Mr. Samak of corruption
and of seeking to amend the Constitution to allow the return of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thai MPs elect Thaksin's brother-in-law as new PM
AFP - Thursday, September 18

BANGKOK (AFP) - - A brother-in-law of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra
was elected Thai prime minister by parliament Wednesday but faced
immediate opposition from protesters who vowed to force him from office.

Somchai Wongsawat, 61, called for reconciliation with the protesters who have occupied
the prime minister's offices for the last three weeks in a bid to topple the government.

His predecessor Samak Sundaravej was removed from the post last week
by a court that found he was illegally paid for hosting TV cooking shows.

Somchai, who is married to Thaksin's politically powerful sister Yaowapa, will not take office
until he is endorsed by Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a process that could take several days.

"It's undeniable who my relatives are, but I will do things the right way, to show my sincerity in trying
to solve our problems," Somchai told reporters, after winning 298 votes in the 480-seat parliament.

"It's about time for national reconciliation in Thailand," he said.

"In the past we have had so many conflicts, but I personally
don't harbour any anger or hatred against anybody," he added.

The parliamentary vote came almost exactly two years after Thaksin
was toppled by the military following months of rallies by the same anti-
government activists, known as the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

PAD quickly vowed to press ahead with their campaign to force Somchai and his entire People
Power Party (PPP) out of government, with the ultimate goal of curtailing democracy in Thailand.
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heh ..

Thailand’s People’s Alliance for Democracy ‘PAD’ to Protest amendments to Thai Constitution
http://www.waydownhere.com/thailands-peoples-alliance-for-democracy-pad-to-protest-amendments-to-thai-constitution/
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"We all know that he is Thaksin's brother-in-law," said Somsak Kosaisuk, a key PAD leader.
"He is not only a nominee for Thaksin. He has direct relations. How can people accept this?"

Somchai was a respected career bureaucrat and former judge before entering public
life. His wife Yaowapa was banned from politics following the coup against Thaksin.

Somchai was made a deputy PPP leader after winning a parliamentary seat,
along with his daughter, in elections last December. He only became a
prime ministerial candidate after Samak was removed from office last week.

The PPP leadership tried to return Samak to office in a parliamentary
vote on Friday, but critics in the party boycotted the session.

All factions in the PPP and its five coalition partners say they support Somchai,
despite fears his elevation will enrage the protesters and worsen a crisis that has
battered the economy, with stocks down 29 percent since protests first broke out in May.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand composite index was down 0.77 percent after Somchai's election.

Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva urged Somchai to step out of Thaksin's
shadow and hold urgent talks with the anti-government protesters.

"The new prime minister must clearly show how he is going to ease
the situation. He must work to erase any doubts," Abhisit said.

The protesters accuse the ruling party of acting as a proxy
for Thaksin, whom they accuse of widespread corruption.

They want to prevent Thaksin's allies from winning power in elections
by calling for a parliament where 70 percent of the seats would be appointed.

They argue this would weaken the influence of rural voters still loyal to Thaksin for delivering
universal health care and low-interest loans to areas long ignored by Bangkok's elite.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a third arrest warrant against
Thaksin, ordering him to appear before the judges to hear their verdict in a land scandal.

Thaksin and his family have fled to Britain but maintain their
innocence, claiming the charges are politically motivated.

His allies in the PPP are fighting their own separate battles, including
a vote fraud case that could result in the disbanding of the party.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20080917/twl-thailand-politics-protest-3cf6e1b.html