Foreign Correspondence

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Thailand deploys 20,000 forces on Thaksin ruling

(AFP) – 22 hours ago

BANGKOK — The Thai government has begun to deploy at least 20,000 extra security forces across the country ahead of a court ruling on the fortune of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, a spokesman said Monday.

Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said protests would be allowed but violence was a concern, in the event of a populist backlash if the court seizes Thaksin's 2.2-billion-dollar wealth when it rules on February 26.

Thaksin loyalists are stepping up anti-government demonstrations ahead of the court date.

"The security will intensify before and after the ruling because the government does not think it will be over," Panitan told reporters.

More than 13,300 security forces will be deployed in pro-Thaksin provinces across the country, while at least 6,500 will be in place in Bangkok and the surrounding area, with up to 200 checkpoints planned in the metropolitan area.

The total number of extra police and soldiers on the streets could be as high as 35,000, Panitan said.

"Extra security laws will (also) be announced if needed to prevent any violence," he added.

On February 26 the Supreme Court will decide whether the fortune of the telecoms tycoon -- frozen in the months after he was deposed in a coup in 2006 -- can be seized by authorities.

Despite staying abroad since August 2008, Thaksin remains a divisive figure in his homeland. Both his opponents and supporters have staged numerous mass rallies over the past year, which have sometimes turned violent.
More .. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gU8--TsWaHKX6jvs-6yJsVpJ-kkw

Political Prisoners in Thailand
February 7, 2010

Royalists complain, offer advice, launch websites

PPT has kind of thought that the royalists would be pretty happy with the Democrat Party-led coalition they maneuvered into power with the help of the military a year ago. While the government hasn’t dealt a death blow to Thaksin Shinawatra and the red shirts, in terms of being royalist, the Abhisit Vejjajiva government would seem to have done the right things.

The government has jailed critics on lese majeste and Computer Crimes charges, blocked tens of thousands of critical website, had millions brought out to demonstrate “loyalty” and “love” in various ways, and it has spent millions if not billions on royal propaganda and other royal things.

But it seems this may not be sufficient. The Bangkok Post (7 February 2010) .. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/32460/pm-pledges-new-drive-to-protect-king .. reports that Privy councilor Air Chief Marshal Kamthon Sindhavananda has said that the Abhisit government appeared to be “on the defensive” when it came to preventing insults against the monarchy. Kamthon complained that the government was way to slow in responding to attacks and insults aimed at the monarchy.

PPT foolishly imagined that the palace might have been grateful that the government seems to have shifted the bad press regarding lese majeste off the front pages of newspapers. Apparently not. It seems the old guys at the privy council want even more people locked up.

When asked about Kamthon’s comment yesterday, Abhisit looked uncomfortable, but said he would listen to the honorable one’s advice and he “pledged to improve mechanisms to safeguard the royal institution…”. The premier reaffirmed that “protecting the monarchy is the government’s top priority…”.

It seems that the privy councilor may not be happy with Abhisit’s new “committee charged with providing advice on lese majeste cases to make sure the monarchy is not embroiled in politics.”

In the same report, there is a photo of gleeful banned politician Newin Chidchob displaying his great love for the monarchy by launching the Bhum Jai Thai Party’s king lover’s website. .. http://go2.wordpress.com/?id=725X1342&site=thaipoliticalprisoners.wordpress.com&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.welovetheking.org%2F .. Newin said the “website will give Thais another channel to express their love and allegiance to the King.” One of hundreds. Expecting challenges, Newin said that his “website staff will continually monitor and filter out messages posted on the website that are deemed inappropriate.”

The site is actually a mess, so maybe he should have had someone update the website before “launching” it. But that isn’t really the point as Newin simply wants to be seen as a staunch royalist.

In a related Bangkok Post (7 February 2010) .. http://go2.wordpress.com/?id=725X1342&site=thaipoliticalprisoners.wordpress.com&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bangkokpost.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2F32462%2Fprem-decries-nepotism-cronyism .. story Privy Council president General Prem Tinsulanonda is reported to have made a speech at Rangsit University (where there are strong royal, yellow shirt and Democrat Party connections) calling for “good” leaders.

Taking a leaf out of Jakrapob Penkair’s 29 August 2007 speech .. http://thaipoliticalprisoners.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/jakrapob-at-the-fcct1.pdf .. to the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT), Prem claims that “nepotism, cronyism and the patronage system are key factors in making Thai leaders ignore justice and the rule of law…”.

Jakkrapob said essentially the same thing, and got charged with lese majeste because he linked the system to the current monarch and his flunkies, including Prem.

The Post states: “Without identifying any leader, Gen Prem said that forms of relationships in Thai society – relatives, friends, and those who do someone favours – are key factors in shaping the mindset of Thai leaders.” Of course, a monarchy is a prime example of nepotism and everyone knows that an “in” with the palace is exceptionally powerful, so maybe Prem is living in a very large and well-appointed glass house.

Prem’s solution is to look to the military – what a thing to say when coup rumors are everywhere! The old general disparages politicians when he says: “many people have volunteered to be leaders but they lacked the charisma needed to lead people.” Prem urges a search for “charismatic [barami] leaders to work for the good of the country…”.

Prem seems to support Abhisit when he states: that “good leaders [must] be able to differentiate between the good and the bad and uphold justice. They must have moral integrity and must make sure their colleagues also maintain those standards.” That’s exactly the image Abhisit tries to portray.

And, of course, leaders “must be loyal to His Majesty the King and act in the best interests
of the country.” Good old-fashioned Thai-style democracy, repacked from the late 1950s.

Regular readers may remember that about a week ago PPT said ..
http://thaipoliticalprisoners.wordpress.com/2010/01/28/new-where-to-now/ ..
that, as the political heat rose we could expect more noise from the palace. It seems to have begun in earnest.
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