Government and military leaders were puzzled yesterday at conflicting signals from ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who says he has retired from politics yet continues to give interviews.
"The government remains on course in forging reconciliation and it is up to Thaksin how he shapes his response," said Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas.
Boonrawd could not understand Thaksin's motives in attacking the sufficiency-economy theory - royal thinking on national development.
"In my opinion, ill-intentioned Thais are a greater threat to their homeland than outside enemies," he said. "Thaksin is free to ramble, but I think the fact the United Nations Development Programme translated and disseminated the sufficiency-economy idea to developing countries is a resounding rebuttal of his comments," he said.
Last month, the UNDP published "Thailand Human Development Report 2007: Sufficiency Economy and Human Development", which hails the sufficiency economy's "middle path" as key to fighting poverty, coping with economic risk and promoting corporate social responsibility.
Boonrawd said the government and the Council for National Security (CNS) would launch a publicity campaign to raise awareness of its achievements and performance rather than react to "political gimmicks" from Thaksin.
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont reminded Thaksin to maintain loyal to his country before making hasty comments designed to ensure his survival.
"Thaksin should put his Thainess before his self-interest," he said, referring to Thaksin comments implicating the monarchy in the September 19 coup.
Surayud said legal action may have to be considered if Thaksin continued to make "wild allegations" in an irresponsible manner.
CNS deputy chairman Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pukphasuk said the council would not tolerate attempts to tarnish the country's most revered institution.
CNS assistant secretary-general Anupong Paochinda said Thaksin should realise his comments stirred the political pot and drove a wedge between people.
"Innuendoes are not constructive, particularly while the CNS is trying to restore normalcy and enable the nation to move forward," he said, in reference to Thaksin's allegation that corruption is on the rise following the coup.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said the ministry had gathered all interviews given by Thaksin to foreign media and submitted them to the premier, waiting to see if he will decide on any particular policy about the case.
Democrat Party deputy leader Alongkorn Pollabutr said his party would tomorrow release a report of 34 acts of graft allegedly involving the ousted government.
Meanwhile yesterday, Thaksin's lawyer Nopadol Pattama revealed that Thaksin had scheduled more interviews with various foreign media, including television and newspapers. He claimed Thaksin had a right to speak, and that what he spoke about was all positive for Thailand.
"To ask Thaksin to speak less to foreign media would need further consultation with him," Nopadol said.
Vinij Krathong, a member of Law Society of Thailand's Committee on Lawyers' Code of Conduct, revealed the society was considering reviewing the activities of Nopadol in the Thaksin case and whether they violate the code of conduct for lawyers.
"It is understandable that he speaks for his client, but is he speaking too much and beyond the role of a lawyer?" he said.
Winij spoke at a meeting on lawyers' ethics in Phitsanulok, joined by the United States' American Bar Association-Asia Law Initiative.
The Junta is really losing it if all they have after four months is a baseless accusation that Thaksin is attacking sufficiency theory and the monarchy. They have had plenty of time to go after other crimes.
Do they understand how stupid they sound?
And The Nation should be ashamed of itself for promoting this propaganda, considering that it has been on the other end of politically inspired lese majestie charges.
No comments:
Post a Comment