The Nation
"I can work [for Cambodia] online. I can work through e-mail, but I want to thank Hun Sen in person. After he announced the royal decree, I rang him to thank him, and he invited me to Cambodia." - ThaksinEmbattled fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday tried to head off another major political blow by claiming the Times Online website distorted his recent comments on the Thai monarchy.
With his popularity already plunging amid Thailand's diplomatic stand-off with Cambodia, which has offered him asylum and appointed him economic adviser, Thaksin found himself on the defensive again after the Times Online published his remarks on the issue of royal succession. The Times Online report was circulated like wildfire on the Web, prompting fiery criticism and catching the Pheu Thai Party off guard.
In an urgent statement, Thaksin strongly denied calling for a reform of the monarchy or suggesting the institution's shining era was still to come as Times Online implied in its headline.
"I condemn Times Online for reporting lies and causing confusion over the matter. I want everyone to know I and my family are loyal to Their Majesties and are ready to sacrifice our lives for them," he said.
The full script of the interview was available on the Times Online website. It began with Thaksin making the generally known claims about being persecuted by "elites" close to the Royal Palace. He started making comments on royal affairs, such as the petition submitted by his supporters, Her Majesty the Queen attending the funeral of a yellow-shirt activist and royal succession only after being asked by the interviewer.
It was arguably Thaksin's most extensive public comments on royal affairs.
Although he stressed his loyalty to the monarchy and its importance to Thai society, he did strongly attack inner Palace circles and blamed their "jealousy" for his political downfall.
While he said His Majesty the King, or his successor, was the only person who could bring the Thai crisis to a close, Thaksin said he did not trust the Privy Council, which he claimed had become much too involved in the conflict to be a mediator.
A transcript showed Thaksin said: "The constitutional monarchy must be strictly abided by."
However, he said "Yes, yes" to the interviewer's question of whether a reform was needed, apparently to shore up the royal inner circles.
In his statement, Thaksin said the Times Online article was a total lie that had caused confusion, adding he had told the journalist, Richard Parry, several times the monarchy was a very sensitive issue and that the report should be as accurate as possible.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he found the Times Online article to contain many "inappropriate" parts that both Thaksin and the news website needed to clarify.
He added that government legal officials were taking a close look at the transcript, although the prime minister declined comment on whether legal action would be taken against Thaksin.
This new controversy could complicate Thaksin's plan to visit Phnom Penh this week to address Cambodian businessmen at the invitation of premier Hun Sen. In his interview, Thaksin all but ruled out exile in Cambodia, saying digital technology would allow him to help from outside the country.
"They [the Democrats] are very childish. They're afraid if I were there, my supporters would be more upbeat, because I'd be close. I'm not going to stay, I know it's too close, but I will visit from time to time," he was quoted as saying on Times Online.
"I can work [for Cambodia] online. I can work through e-mail, but I want to thank Hun Sen in person. After he announced the royal decree, I rang him to thank him, and he invited me to Cambodia."
7 comments:
it's those like Thaksin that Khmer monarchy is longer a respected institution, it's only submissive to those in power like hun xen, dump ass
Several Thai royalists circulate rumor that the King is DEAD...
Coincidentally, the Army Chief General Anupong said: We'll see if Thaksin will be allowed to visit his supporters at the border. Something is really going on in Thailand. May be the rumor is TRUE..
Even at our time, most thais still live with reback middle age monkey thinking, radical, tyranny, animosity, just cite so few. But one thing I must thank to thais, they are the best guardians of former Khmer culture. Or may be they just don’t know shit to divert it into modernized resources all by respecting its source and authenticity as our Khmer did. As you can see, while Khmer scripture developed into another modern form with time and space, thais still keep our old scripture of 12 century.
boy....i do hope hun's knows how to read e-mail...where is the cambodian who love the country...not $$$$$....see....yuon used hun's as cow...left or right...and cambodian people still love him...that why they still for yuon....have nothing to say....good luck...no one will help you but only cambodia her self....stand up and fight for her cambodia.....
fIGHT WITH WHAT 3:59am? UN HACE HANDCAFT US SINCE 1993!
AH KWACK AND AH RANARITH LOCK US IN OPEN-PRISON IN 1997!
To Hun Sen (Leader of the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime)
Since you and the CPP assassinated, executed, killed and murdered jurnalists, political opponents, leaders of the free trade union, innocent men, innocent women and innocent children;
Do you have any plan to assassinate the Thai prime minister (Abhisit Vejjajiva)?
Are you going to send Brigade 70 (Hun Sen's Death Squad Unit) to assassinate the Thai prime minister (Abhisit Vejjajiva)?
Is it true, you only kill your own peoples, you will not kill Thai and Veitnamese peoples that cannot get enough of our land?
Is it true, you only kill innocent Khmer peoples with no weapon in their hands?
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