Ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra smiles as he greets supporters on his return from exile on Feb. 28, 2008, at the airport in Bangkok, Thailand. The Thai Supreme Court has found Thaksin guilty of a corruption charge, and sentenced him to two years imprisonment Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008. (AP Photo/David Longstreath)Former Thai leader found guilty of corruption
By RAVI NESSMAN
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was convicted of corruption Tuesday and sentenced to two years in prison, a ruling that may embolden anti-government protesters and prolong a stalemate that has paralyzed Thailand's government.
Thaksin dismissed as politically motivated the charges involving a real estate purchase by his wife, while prosecutors said they would try to extradite the former telecommunications tycoon from exile in Britain.
Thaksin, who was ousted by a 2006 coup, remains the country's most influential politician. He is adored in rural areas, where he built up a political base during his six years in power, but reviled by many of the educated elite in the cities, where his administration was seen as deeply corrupt.
His brother-in-law, Somchai Wongsawat, is the current prime minister and has been the target of ongoing demonstrations by protesters who have branded him a Thaksin puppet.
The verdict handed down Tuesday by a nine-member Supreme Court panel appeared to mark the first time a former Thai prime minister had been convicted of corruption for actions taken while in office.
Thaksin, 59, had earlier fled to Britain in the face of almost certain conviction.
Speaking by telephone from his home near London, he said the verdict was a continuation of the coup that ousted him two years ago.
"It was expected, it wasn't a surprise and there will be more (charges) to come," Thaksin said.
He said he planned to remain in Britain.
"I was waiting for today before planning my life," he said. "I want to be a prominent businessman in the U.K., if the British people will welcome me."
Thousands of anti-Thaksin demonstrators erupted in cheers at hearing the verdict in the makeshift protest camp they set up almost two months ago on the premises of the prime minister's office.
"Go to jail, go to jail!" they chanted.
But it was unclear whether Thaksin would serve jail time. He also faces a string of other cases involving alleged corruption and abuse of power.
Seksan Bangsomboon, a prosecutor handling the case, said officials were planning to ask the British government to extradite Thaksin. Britain's Home Office would not comment on whether an extradition request had been received.
Extradition across borders is usually a lengthy and complicated process, and many countries are reluctant to approve it in cases where there may be reason to believe that politics played a part in the legal proceedings.
One analyst speculated that the ruling may mark "the beginning of the end of Thaksin's political career."
"The verdict has changed his status into a convicted person, therefore it should be harder for him to launch a campaign on any political issue in Thailand, including trying to get his name cleared from all of the charges he is facing," said Panithan Wattanayakorn, who teaches political science at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.
The charges stemmed from allegations that Thaksin facilitated his wife's purchase of lucrative Bangkok real estate from a state agency in 2003, while he was prime minister.
The court found Thaksin violated laws barring public officeholders and their spouses from holding a contract with the state. Thaksin's lawyers had argued that the agency that sold the land was an independent state enterprise.
Pojaman Shinawatra, 51, who had fled to Britain with her husband, was acquitted, while Thaksin was convicted on conflict of interest charges and sentenced to two years in prison.
"The defendant was the prime minister at the time. He should have been honest and ethical and should not have violated counter-corruption laws," Thongloh Chomngam, head of the panel, said in reading from the lengthy verdict.
Thaksin was acquitted of other more serious charges involving abuse of power that could have netted him 10 years in prison.
Political tensions in Thailand have raged since protesters took over the prime minister's offices at Government House on Aug. 26 and staged militant street demonstrations. The protesters, who call themselves the People's Alliance for Democracy, said the verdict would not satisfy their demands.
"We still will not leave Government House and we still call for political reform to get rid of the Thaksin regime and the current political system plagued with corruption and abuse of power," said Pipob Thongchai, a protest leader.
"In the short term, the tension in Thai society might escalate," said Chulalongkorn University's Panithan.
He said he believed the protest alliance would put more pressure on the government in order to make sure that it would not be able to amend the constitution to help clear Thaksin of the charges against him. The government is seeking to amend the constitution, which was formulated by a military-backed panel after the 2006 coup and passed by a national referendum in 2007.
The protest alliance complains that Western-style democracy gives too much power to the rural poor, who they say are susceptible to vote buying. They propose replacing an elected Parliament with one that is mostly appointed, a move critics charge is meant to keep power in the hands of the educated, urban elite.
Associated Press writer Rob Harris in Manchester, England, contributed to this report.
Thaksin dismissed as politically motivated the charges involving a real estate purchase by his wife, while prosecutors said they would try to extradite the former telecommunications tycoon from exile in Britain.
Thaksin, who was ousted by a 2006 coup, remains the country's most influential politician. He is adored in rural areas, where he built up a political base during his six years in power, but reviled by many of the educated elite in the cities, where his administration was seen as deeply corrupt.
His brother-in-law, Somchai Wongsawat, is the current prime minister and has been the target of ongoing demonstrations by protesters who have branded him a Thaksin puppet.
The verdict handed down Tuesday by a nine-member Supreme Court panel appeared to mark the first time a former Thai prime minister had been convicted of corruption for actions taken while in office.
Thaksin, 59, had earlier fled to Britain in the face of almost certain conviction.
Speaking by telephone from his home near London, he said the verdict was a continuation of the coup that ousted him two years ago.
"It was expected, it wasn't a surprise and there will be more (charges) to come," Thaksin said.
He said he planned to remain in Britain.
"I was waiting for today before planning my life," he said. "I want to be a prominent businessman in the U.K., if the British people will welcome me."
Thousands of anti-Thaksin demonstrators erupted in cheers at hearing the verdict in the makeshift protest camp they set up almost two months ago on the premises of the prime minister's office.
"Go to jail, go to jail!" they chanted.
But it was unclear whether Thaksin would serve jail time. He also faces a string of other cases involving alleged corruption and abuse of power.
Seksan Bangsomboon, a prosecutor handling the case, said officials were planning to ask the British government to extradite Thaksin. Britain's Home Office would not comment on whether an extradition request had been received.
Extradition across borders is usually a lengthy and complicated process, and many countries are reluctant to approve it in cases where there may be reason to believe that politics played a part in the legal proceedings.
One analyst speculated that the ruling may mark "the beginning of the end of Thaksin's political career."
"The verdict has changed his status into a convicted person, therefore it should be harder for him to launch a campaign on any political issue in Thailand, including trying to get his name cleared from all of the charges he is facing," said Panithan Wattanayakorn, who teaches political science at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.
The charges stemmed from allegations that Thaksin facilitated his wife's purchase of lucrative Bangkok real estate from a state agency in 2003, while he was prime minister.
The court found Thaksin violated laws barring public officeholders and their spouses from holding a contract with the state. Thaksin's lawyers had argued that the agency that sold the land was an independent state enterprise.
Pojaman Shinawatra, 51, who had fled to Britain with her husband, was acquitted, while Thaksin was convicted on conflict of interest charges and sentenced to two years in prison.
"The defendant was the prime minister at the time. He should have been honest and ethical and should not have violated counter-corruption laws," Thongloh Chomngam, head of the panel, said in reading from the lengthy verdict.
Thaksin was acquitted of other more serious charges involving abuse of power that could have netted him 10 years in prison.
Political tensions in Thailand have raged since protesters took over the prime minister's offices at Government House on Aug. 26 and staged militant street demonstrations. The protesters, who call themselves the People's Alliance for Democracy, said the verdict would not satisfy their demands.
"We still will not leave Government House and we still call for political reform to get rid of the Thaksin regime and the current political system plagued with corruption and abuse of power," said Pipob Thongchai, a protest leader.
"In the short term, the tension in Thai society might escalate," said Chulalongkorn University's Panithan.
He said he believed the protest alliance would put more pressure on the government in order to make sure that it would not be able to amend the constitution to help clear Thaksin of the charges against him. The government is seeking to amend the constitution, which was formulated by a military-backed panel after the 2006 coup and passed by a national referendum in 2007.
The protest alliance complains that Western-style democracy gives too much power to the rural poor, who they say are susceptible to vote buying. They propose replacing an elected Parliament with one that is mostly appointed, a move critics charge is meant to keep power in the hands of the educated, urban elite.
Associated Press writer Rob Harris in Manchester, England, contributed to this report.
4 comments:
Thai voters must be residents in Bangkok only if there is any election in the future. PAD want to give nothing to the poor, even right to vote. I can believe the Western-educated Thais claim this. Good luck PAD.
Good news for Hun Sen's friend.
He's guilty.
No empire last forever.
You're next Hun Sen.
At least Thaksin is taking his condemnation of two years in jail with a smile. I guess he will doing his time from England. Wonder if it's ok for the Thai's judicial system.
The problem occurred by the coup for 3 years ago. They want to eliminate all Thaksin's politicals.
All verdicts must sent him in jail. That is not amazing thing for many Thai people by this moment at all.
We must to amend the new constitution again to protect our demoncracy not for the coup anymore. I wish Thai people who love democracy must destroy PADs as soon as possible.
PADs has the medias so-called ASTV that is dangerous for all Thai society if they believed all they said with fake informations.
Post a Comment