Thaksin on attack over court ruling
Source: Agencies |
February 28, 2010, Sunday
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POPULIST former Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra and his supporters yesterday denounced a court order to seize US$1.4 billion of his assets and vowed to pursue a nonviolent struggle for what they said would be a people's democracy.
But analysts and editorials speculated that the Supreme Court's decision not to take all US$2.3 billion of Thaksin's frozen assets would at least temporarily ease political conflicts that have plagued the country for the past four years.
The court ruled on Friday that Thaksin abused his power to enrich himself and his family while in office and ordered that US$1.4 billion of his telecommunications fortune be seized.
In a statement issued yesterday, Thaksin - who is in self-imposed exile in Dubai - said he and his family had not been treated fairly and "disagreed with the verdict, since it was unlawful and presented inaccurate facts."
"I haven't received justice and I will not give up. I will seek justice in every way and every opportunity possible," he said, vowing to carry on a nonviolent struggle for democracy and justice.
Thaksin was deposed by a September 2006 military coup after being accused of corruption and abuse of power. The action was meant to quell tensions sparked by months of anti-Thaksin protests, but instead polarized the country.
Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, a law professor at Bangkok's Thammasat University, contended that the verdict was fair. "I think the situation has loosened up from before, when there was speculation that all of Thaksin's assets might be seized," he said. "People who are neutral could find it acceptable."
The Bangkok Post newspaper said in an editorial yesterday that "now that issue of Thaksin's billions has been legally settled, it is time to give the wounds a chance to heal. The alternative would be intolerable."
The Supreme Court ruled that in four of five cases presented to it, the 60-year-old billionaire politician had used his authority as the country's leader to implement policies that benefited him, sometimes at the expense of the state.
Critics say that during his 2001-06 rule, Thaksin subverted democratic institutions, enriched himself and disrespected Thailand's revered king.
Thaksin and his supporters maintain he was overthrown because he challenged the country's entrenched elite while helping the poor masses whose backing was key to his two landslide election victories. "What Thai people feel at the moment is that justice in this society is fading away," said Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, chairman of the pro-Thaksin Pheua Thai party.
Thaksin's so-called Red Shirt supporters continue to plan for a "million-man march" in Bangkok on March 14.
But analysts and editorials speculated that the Supreme Court's decision not to take all US$2.3 billion of Thaksin's frozen assets would at least temporarily ease political conflicts that have plagued the country for the past four years.
The court ruled on Friday that Thaksin abused his power to enrich himself and his family while in office and ordered that US$1.4 billion of his telecommunications fortune be seized.
In a statement issued yesterday, Thaksin - who is in self-imposed exile in Dubai - said he and his family had not been treated fairly and "disagreed with the verdict, since it was unlawful and presented inaccurate facts."
"I haven't received justice and I will not give up. I will seek justice in every way and every opportunity possible," he said, vowing to carry on a nonviolent struggle for democracy and justice.
Thaksin was deposed by a September 2006 military coup after being accused of corruption and abuse of power. The action was meant to quell tensions sparked by months of anti-Thaksin protests, but instead polarized the country.
Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, a law professor at Bangkok's Thammasat University, contended that the verdict was fair. "I think the situation has loosened up from before, when there was speculation that all of Thaksin's assets might be seized," he said. "People who are neutral could find it acceptable."
The Bangkok Post newspaper said in an editorial yesterday that "now that issue of Thaksin's billions has been legally settled, it is time to give the wounds a chance to heal. The alternative would be intolerable."
The Supreme Court ruled that in four of five cases presented to it, the 60-year-old billionaire politician had used his authority as the country's leader to implement policies that benefited him, sometimes at the expense of the state.
Critics say that during his 2001-06 rule, Thaksin subverted democratic institutions, enriched himself and disrespected Thailand's revered king.
Thaksin and his supporters maintain he was overthrown because he challenged the country's entrenched elite while helping the poor masses whose backing was key to his two landslide election victories. "What Thai people feel at the moment is that justice in this society is fading away," said Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, chairman of the pro-Thaksin Pheua Thai party.
Thaksin's so-called Red Shirt supporters continue to plan for a "million-man march" in Bangkok on March 14.
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