Verra is in good condition

(Xinhua) A Thai high-profile "Yellow Shirt" movement activist Veera Somkwamkid being jailed in Cambodia for the alleged espionage charge is in good health, although he has a cold and insomnia, a Cambodian prison official said Tuesday.

Mong Kimheng, the chief of Prey Sar prison where Veera was jailed, made the remarks following Thai media's report saying that Veera's relatives visited him on March 4 and found he has fallen ill and said the cell where he was being jailed was "in very poor conditions."

"He just caught a cold these days due to climate change, but he is in good health," said Mong Kimheng.

"We have provided him with special care, and our doctor has his health checked up twice every day," he said by telephone.

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Cambodia PRU responses to Sondhi Limthongkun, PAD leader

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Abhisit tries to clean hands with Yellow Shirts

Thai PM Abhisit who came to power through the support from military and yellow shirts in Bangkok and now he has tried to clean his hands and words which involved in the last demonstration, blocking Sovannaphoum Airport.
Why do we clearly understand about cleaning hands? Because today he was quoted by The Bangkok Post, “Thailand was committed to solving the border conflict under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Thailand and Cambodia in 2000.
If we look the stand of yellow group, the yellow group has always opposed the MOU. it was shown clearly that Thai PM Abhisit are trying to clean his hands from that yellow group.
“Thailand respected the World Court's 1962 ruling on the ancient temple, but has the right to protect its sovereignty if Cambodia intrudes into the disputed land,” Thai PM Abhisit was also quoted by the Bangkok Post.
As Thai PM, Mr. Abhisit understood clearly about international law on this point. In 1962, the international court of justice awarded the temple to Cambodia after Thai troops invaded in 1954 -1962 when Cambodia got independence from France in 1953 and Cambodian troops still was weak at that time.
Furthermore, Mr Abhisit said the MoU is still in effect so it should be used as a framework to settle the border dispute. On this point, he is very clear. We (Thais and Cambodians) should remember that MoU 2000 was organized by this PM because at that time in 2000, Mr. Abhisit was secretary general of Democrat party led by PM Chuan Lee Pai. Mr. Abhisit very clearly understood that MoU. Mr. Abhisit is one of top officials that set up the MoU.
Everything on MoU is known very well by this PM. One point of these things in MoU talks about border deal and other exchange prisoners but all political prisoners will not be extradited.
Now, Thai PM has tried to ignore about yellow but his blood from yellow group and therefore, he could not forget his alliance. Sometimes, he spoke one way that could survive his government before upcoming general election to seek the support from yellow group in general election and put away the MoU. But today he said MoU is still effective. This is his trick for his government to win in all battles.
Today he also revealed that he will send a letter to UN to explain about Preah Vihear temple.  The letter will rebut Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's claims that the Thai government has threatened to use military force against Cambodia, Mr Abhisit said. He has tried to show his muscle to his people before election.
Even though Thai PM said “International assistance is not needed.”. He wanted to do it bilaterally but his government always speaks unworthily. The ways how to clean hands, he should do is to terminate all his alliance with yellow group and turned to continue border deal to reach to plant the border posts with Cambodia.
One more thing, why Thailand are so fearful when Cambodia plan to sumbit the case to the International communities, this is matter that Thailand is afraid of. Thailand will lose his face and dishonor from the border deal at world class.
Clean hands with all former alliances with saving his government and his party.

DAP News

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Call for speedy legal trial against PAD

The main opposition Puea Thai party called on the government to speed up legal action against leaders of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) for seizing Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports.

“It was over one year already but no progress on the criminal legal case was shown”, the party’s MP for Bangkok Karun Hosakul said on Saturday.

Mr Karun threatened to file law suits against the government and police for negligence of duty under the Article 157 of the criminal code, if they fail to quickly take legal action against the PAD leaders.

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Thai-Cambodia Dispute Raises Nationalist Sentiment in Bangkok

The dispute between Thailand and Cambodia over a visit to Phnom Penh by Thailand's former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, is drawing Thais to the streets. The visit has prompted an anti-Thaksin rally in Bangkok, and there are expectations of more protests.

A crowd of around 15,000 people listens to nationalist songs and speeches attacking former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

They gathered in a Bangkok park Sunday to protest Mr. Thaksin's arrival in Cambodia last week, and Phnom Penh's rejection of Bangkok's request to extradite him.

Mr. Thaksin fled Thailand last year to avoid a two-year prison sentence on corruption charges. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has appointed Mr. Thaksin as his economic adviser, calls the charges politically motivated.

Dispute worsens

The issue has worsened a dispute over an ancient temple just on the Cambodian side of the border, and is raising nationalist feeling in Bangkok.

Sondhi Limthongkul, leader of the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy, says Sunday's rally supported the Thai government's diplomatic efforts to ease the tensions.

"It's something all the Thais who love our King want to come out and show the support to the government in responding to Mr. Hun Sen's and Mr. Thaksin's collaboration to sabotage Thailand," Sondhi said. "So all of us are coming out in real support and show our spiritual support peacefully."

A short time after Sondhi gave this interview, a small explosive went off near the stage as he was speaking, injuring several people. News reports say one man was arrested in connection with the blast.

Patriotism is motivator

Nat Yontarak, a musician and teacher, says patriotism brought people to the rally, where paper flags were abundant.

"People feel we need to show the power that we really love the country and the dignity and our pride of our country because what Thaksin has been doing is really unacceptable," Nat said. "This time with Cambodia, with Hun Sen it's too much, it's really ridiculous."

This woman, who gave her name as Suchada, calls Mr. Thaksin disloyal for going to Cambodia.

"This situation, yes [Thaksin] come to Cambodia," Suchada said. "I think he's not a Thai. But the story is he to destroy the Thailand. He don't love the Thailand, he's not a Thai."

Some demonstrators said they attended because they were angry at comments about the monarchy that Mr. Thaksin made in a British newspaper interview. The monarchy is the country's most beloved institution and little criticism of it is tolerated.

Will dispute lead to military conflict?

The dispute has raised concerns in Southeast Asia, and there are fears that it could end in military conflict. The two sides have exchanged gunfire near the disputed temple on a few occasions in the past year.

Officials in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Cambodia and Thailand are both members, have urged them to settle the dispute quickly. And Indonesia has offered to mediate.

Recent political polls show a surge in popularity for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's government because of Mr. Thaksin's visit to Cambodia.

Long term effects unclear

But Chris Baker, an author and commentator on Thai politics, says the long-term effect of the visit is less clear. Mr. Thaksin, ousted in a coup in 2006, maintains strong support among the urban and rural poor and working class. The urban middle class accuses Mr. Thaksin of corruption and authoritarianism.

"Superficially, it looks as if Thaksin has lost badly to identify yourself with a rather unpopular neighbor, it's not good," Baker said. "So I think things have hardened against him. But I'm not really sure whether for many of his core supporters that may not matter too much at all. Perhaps by making himself so visible in the media for several days at a time he's actually revived his position a little bit."

Baker says the question is now whether Mr. Abhisit's Democrat Party will try to press the political advantage by spurring nationalist sentiment.

"The issue is now how does he [Abhisit] sustain that [advantage] or does he want to sustain that? Does it mean that this government now has to play this nationalist card very hard and very constanstly and that of course would be very dangerous," Baker said.

But Baker says he expects the cross-border dispute to ease "quite quickly" and that the Democrat Party will "lapse back" into trying to work with its neighbor to resolve the temple dispute.

However, in Thailand, political analysts warn that domestic divisions could worsen in the weeks ahead as Mr. Thaksin's supporters hold rallies.

Over the past two years, massive rallies of Mr. Thaksin's supporters and opponents have at times paralyzed Bangkok. In April, pro-Thaksin rallies turned violent and a year ago, anti-Thaksin forces closed the country's main international airport for a week, stranding tens of thousands of travellers at the start of the peak tourism season.

By Ron Corben
Voice of America
Bangkok
16 November 2009

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Nine people injured in firecracker incident in Bangkok

The People's Alliance for Democracy delivered a six-point statement attacking convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at a major gathering in Bangkok yesterday.

Participants at the gathering, which drew about 15,000, were asked to pledge their loyalty to His Majesty the King, religion and the nation.

Most supporters wore their signature yellow shirts, while others were seen in a variety of colours, including red, the colour of the rival United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship movement.

More than 1,500 police were deployed to protect the crowd.

A minor disturbance was reported in the evening when an explosive, believed to be a giant firecracker, was thrown into the crowd by a man on a motorcycle near the Grand Palace.

Nine people, including a boy, were injured.

The victims were taken to Wachira Hospital.

The person suspected of throwing the cracker, whose name was not revealed, was later arrested by police.

Organisers said the event was "colourless" (without political stripes).

They urged people from all walks of life to put aside their political beliefs and unite behind the institution of the monarchy.

"The nation comes before colours," PAD co-leader Sondhi Limpthongkul told the crowd. He said the PAD would hold another gathering on Dec 5, His Majesty's birthday. Mr Sondhi later led a candlelight vigil in reaffirming allegiance to the King and the royal family and calling for the annihilation of "traitors". Phibhop Dhongchai, another PAD core leader, read out a six-point statement stressing that Thailand is indivisible and will always be governed by its constitutional monarchy.

The statement also fired a broadside at Thaksin and demanded the ousted former premier pay for damage he has inflicted on the country.

The alliance holds him accountable for acts of treason by conspiring with the enemy, understood to be Hun Sen, in undermining the country's stability.

The diplomatic spat with Cambodia could also divide the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), making Thaksin a threat beyond Thai borders.

The PAD deflected criticism by Thaksin and Hun Sen against the justice system.

It charged that Thaksin, sentenced by the Supreme Court to two years in jail in the Ratchadaphisek land trial, decried the justice system but sought the court's action in filing defamation cases against his opponents.

Hun Sen, who describes himself as Thaksin's eternal friend, has declared that the Thai justice system is not worthy of respect.

The statement also insisted Hun Sen must stop colluding with Thaksin in inciting animosity in Thailand.

In Yala, there was a similar gathering in which more than 1,000 residents turned out in yellow shirts.

Wichian Iebsakul, who is chairman of a club devoted to Yala, said the gathering of local residents was motivated by their deep respect for the monarchy.

Nit Saksaengsopha, one of the demonstrators, said local residents considered Thaksin's conduct as an act of betrayal to the country.

In Satun, thousands converged on the provincial hall yesterday to protest against Hun Sen's attack against the Thai justice system.

The compound of the provincial hall was overflowing and those in attendance were waving national flags.

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Thai Protesters Denounce Thaksin's Royal Remarks

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thousands of Thais gathered in central Bangkok on Sunday to protest at remarks made about the monarchy by fugitive ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The demonstrators were also angry about the ousted premier's visit last week to neighboring Cambodia, which refused to extradite him, sparking a diplomatic row.

Police said around 6,000 demonstrators were present by 5 p.m. (10 a.m. British time), making it one of the biggest protests by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) since its week-long seizure of Bangkok's two airports late in 2008, which helped weaken a pro-Thaksin administration that lost power last December.

PAD's re-emergence on the street will add to the tension in Bangkok, where Thaksin's "red shirts" have stepped up their anti-government protests in recent weeks and will be galvanized by his appearance so close to home in Cambodia.

"We want to send a message out there that the Thai people are loyal to their monarchy and will not let anyone tread on it," PAD spokesman Panthep Puapongpan told Reuters.

The PAD brings together royalists, businessmen, academics and the urban middle classes opposed to Thaksin's attempt to shake up the business and political establishment. The former telecoms tycoon remains popular with poorer voters.

Its supporters normally don yellow shirts, but that was not the case this time, with the organizers trying to emphasize all Thais, not just PAD people, were angered by Thaksin's behavior.

The PAD has accused Thaksin in the past of irreverence toward King Bhumibol Adulyadej, seen as semi-divine by many Thais, and of having republican leanings, which he denies.

Those allegations were revived last week after an interview he gave to Britain's Times newspaper in which he reportedly blamed "palace circles" for his downfall, taking care to exclude the king, queen and crown prince from any criticism.

Thaksin has lodged a complaint at what he called distortions in the story, complaining in particular about a website headline.

ANGER AT CAMBODIA

The rally also aimed to express anger at Cambodia's appointment of the fugitive premier as an economic adviser.

"We want to show our love for the motherland and that the country's dignity and integrity must be protected," Panthep said.

Thaksin left Cambodia on Saturday, having given a lecture and met officials as part of the job given to him by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. He also met supporters, including scores of Thai members of parliament, during his stay.

Cambodia refused Thailand's request that Thaksin be extradited to serve a two-year jail term for a conflict-of-interest conviction in 2008, setting off a diplomatic row in which the two countries withdrew their ambassadors.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva blamed Cambodia for the row in a weekly broadcast to the country, saying it had not only failed to extradite a fugitive but had cast aspersions on Thailand's legal and political systems.

"Our goal is clear, that we do not want a problem that will lead to violence," he said, adding that life along their common border -- scene of deadly clashes over the past 18 months because of a row over a disputed ancient temple -- remained normal.

The PAD was founded in 2005 by Sondhi Limthongkul, a former business associate of Thaksin. Sondhi survived an assassination attempt in April.

PAD street protests against Thaksin's government fueled the instability that led to the military coup that toppled him in 2006.

Abhisit took power in December, luring some former Thaksin allies into a coalition government, with a nudge from the army.

Some members of his Democrat Party are PAD activists -- Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya took part in the airport siege -- but the PAD has recently taken its distance from Abhisit, going so far as to form its own party.

(Additional reporting by Boontiwa Wichakul; Writing by Alan Raybould; Editing by Alex Richardson)

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Four hurt by firecracker at Thai protest: organiser

Men on a motorcycle threw a firecracker Sunday into a rally protesting against fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra, wounding four people including a child, an organiser said.

Men on a motorcycle threw a firecracker Sunday into a rally protesting against fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra, wounding four people including a child, an organiser said.

Police confirmed the same number of injured in the incident at the demonstration in central Bangkok led by the royalist "Yellow Shirt" movement, but said they were still investigating the cause.

"Four people including a child were injured when two men on a motorcycle threw a firecracker," Sondhi Limthongkul, founder of the yellow-clad People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), told reporters at the rally.

The protest was held to condemn this week's visit to Cambodia by Thaksin, who was ousted in a coup in 2006 and is living abroad, mainly in Dubai, to avoid a jail sentence for corruption.

Bangkok police said that four people suffered cuts from a small explosion that left a hole in the ground around eight centimetres (three inches) wide.

"We don't know the cause. We are investigating," a police official said on condition of anonymity.

Thaksin was appointed an economics adviser to the government in Phnom Penh this month and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen refused to extradite him to Thailand, prompting a major diplomatic row.

11/15/2009
Agence France-Presse

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PAD rallies against Thaksin, Hun Sen

BANGKOK: The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) group staged a mass rally against ousted former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Thailand's capital Bangkok on Sunday.

By 8:30 p.m. local time, over 10,000 PAD protesters, or the yellow-shirted people, were rallying at Sanam Luang in the center of Bangkok after they officially started their protest from 4 p.m., local time.

The PAD rally, which was participated by the supporters from both Bangkok and many provinces across the country, was occurring after Thailand and Cambodia have downgraded their diplomatic relations due to conflict over an appointment of Thaksin as an economic advisor to the Cambodian government and Hun Sen on November 4.

The PAD supporters ranged from the general public, students, employees of state enterprises, war veteran members, non- governmental organizations, to taxi drivers.

Meanwhile, the protesters' clothes were not only yellow, but also in other various colors as the PAD leaders focused on the country's unity amid the various colors.

The PAD protesters were announcing that they were united to show the world the Thai people's strength and to protect the country's dignity against Cambodia and Thaksin.

"The purpose of this rally, we want to communicate to the world, Thais, and Cambodians, and to former Premier Thaksin and the Cambodian Prime Minister that what they are doing are not right, and the Thai people can not take this," Pibhob Dhongchai, one of the PAD core leaders, said at the rally.

And, among a number of the students participating in the rally, one female student, who was present at the rally stage, urged those pro-Thaksin people to change their mind.

About 1,500 police were deployed to ensure law and order around the rally site.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said Sunday the government has not imposed the Internal Security Act during the PAD rally since there was no sign of violence to occur, Thai News Agency reported.

Also, Suthep denied reports, which said the government took its people to join the PAD rally as he said "the government wouldn't do this."

In a related development, Thailand's Acting Police Chief, Police General Pateep Tanprasert echoed Suthep's statement, saying that he was not reported about a third hand, who was feared to incite violence.

Pateep said he has ordered his policemen to closely monitor the rally situation and areas surrounding the rally site.

The PAD core leaders earlier announced that the rally will not prolong as the PAD demonstrators will disperse peacefully at about 11:00 p.m., local time.

By this time, it remained uncertain how the diplomatic standoff between Thailand and Cambodia will end.

2009-11-16
Xinhua

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Thailand's PAD rally against Thaksin, Hun Sen kicks off in Bangkok

BANGKOK, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- The People's Alliance for Democracy's (PAD) protest against ousted former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen kicked off on Sunday in Thailand's capital Bangkok.

The PAD protesters or the yellow-shirted people officially started their protest at Sanam Luang in the center of capital Bangkok from 04:00 p.m. local time.

The rally was occurring after Thailand and Cambodia have downgraded their diplomatic relations due to conflict over an appointment of Thaksin as an economic advisor to Cambodia's government and Hun Sen on Nov. 4.

A day after the appointment of Thaksin, the Cambodian government announced recall of its ambassador to Thailand in a move to respond to the Thai government's recall of its ambassador to Cambodia.

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450 police to be deployed at PAD rally

About 450 police officers will be deployed at the yellow-shirt mass rally to be held at Sanam Luang on Sunday, police said.

The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) announced on Tuesday, saying that it is a show of force to "protect the country's integrity and protest against ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra."

The PAD announced that the group would come out against Thaksin to protest against his two latest moves -- appointment as adviser to the Cambodian government, and for giving an interview to Times Online, with content considered in contempt of the royal institution.

The force would be stationed around Sanam Luang, the Democracy Monument and the Royal Plaza from noon. The PAD planned the rally at 4pm.

Police estimated that there would be as many as 30,000 people joining the protest.

12/11/09
Bangkok Post

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