Thaksin Sues Papers Over Cheating Claim
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday June 16, 2006
THAILAND'S fragile veneer of political unity has disintegrated with a decision by the caretaker Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, to file a defamation suit of 800 million baht ($28 million) against his critics.
The criminal and civil damages suit against the opposition Democrat Party and three newspapers alleges they tried to mislead the public into thinking the Government was damaging the country, that Mr Thaksin was a bad person and that he planned to cheat in the upcoming elections and engage in corruption. The lawsuit ends an unspoken truce called by Thai politicians during the 60th anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's accession to the throne, which culminated on Tuesday. Simultaneously, a group of senators is seeking to petition the Constitutional Court on Mr Thaksin's right to return to power after he "took a break" for six weeks for the sake of the nation on April 5.The renewed political discord comes as more than 40 small bombs were detonated, killing at least two people, in Thailand's majority Muslim southern provinces to mark the anniversary of the creation of now-defunct Pattani sultanate.The bombs were detonated within the space of 30 minutes in separate attacks in Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala provinces. The Nation reported that one went off at a government office in Yala minutes before the Deputy Prime Minister, Chitchai Wannasathit, was expected to visit the area. "We knew these were going to happen, but the prevention measures weren't working effectively," Mr Thaksin told reporters in the northern city of Chiang Mai.Mr Thaksin's decision to return to work is controversial. He stepped aside on April 5, having weathered months of street rallies calling for his resignation, after an audience with the king. "There are 60 days left. There is no more time to argue," he said then. "People coming from all over the world will wonder about all these rallies." Now the dignitaries have left, both sides are taking off the gloves and the political outlook for the next few months is decidedly bleak. Thailand has had no government since parliament was dissolved on February 24. The April 2 general election was declared void and new elections were scheduled for October. However, the election watchdog, the Electoral Commission, is itself under fire for its role in the voided April election. The Constitutional Court yesterday was considering a petition to disqualify the three remaining electoral commissioners from office.
© 2006 Sydney Morning Herald