CLEMENCY BID FOR THAKSIN
Reds hunt a million signatures this month
By The Nation
Published on July 2, 2009

But Democrats say petition improper, opposed by public

The red shirts yesterday set a target to gather one million signatures within a month to petition His Majesty the King to pardon ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Veera Musigapong, one of the red-shirt leaders, said the petition plan would be scrapped if his group could not gather enough support in one month.

He and other leaders of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) called a press conference yesterday to discuss the plan to gather a million signatures in support of a request for Royal clemency for Thaksin.

Forms for the signature campaign would be distributed to the public today, he said.

Veera said Thaksin phoned in during the red-shirt rally last Saturday and complained about being homesick, lonely and wanting his supporters to help him return to the country.

"If we can help him come back and solve economic problems facing the country, it would good for the people,'' he said.

Nattawut Saikua, another DAAD leader, said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva should be ashamed that Veera rejected his invitation to join his weekly talk show, but the PM still tried to invite other red-shirt leaders to go on the programme.

"All the red shirts don't want to help boost the ratings of Abhisit's programme because they still remember how they were treated by the Abhisit government and the clash with the blue shirts [in Pattaya],'' he said.


Meanwhile, Democrat Party spokesman Dr Buranaj Smutharaks warned the red shirts the move to seek Royal clemency risked deepening divisions in the country. He said his party believed the move was not a desire of the public but simply Thaksin's wish.

"We believe most people in the country want to see Thaksin repent but we have not heard him admit that he was wrong."

He said the red shirts could not say that the public wanted a Royal pardon for Thaksin since Veera and Thaksin's legal adviser Noppadon Pattama were the ones came up with the idea.

"They are using mass support to pressure the institution that is above politics,'' he said.

Buranaj said authorities would have to keep a watch on the red shirts as Thaksin's phone-in indicated he wanted to bring down the government within three months.

"They did it during the Songkran riots and now they have shown intention to do the same thing by using mass support to pressure the government,'' he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said if Thaksin instigated his supporters to try to topple the government as urged in his phone-in, he would be charged with breaking the law.

-- The Nation 2009/02/07

This post has been edited by webfact: 2009-07-02 07:03:48

Far greater men have been imprisoned in their home-country.

Facinating!
I think they will get more like 2 million signatures. But alas, it will be to no avail.

Veera said Thaksin phoned in during the red-shirt rally last Saturday and complained about being homesick, lonely and wanting his supporters to help him return to the country.

What's that BS all about? He can come home at any time. He holds a Thai passport, right?
Why seeking the help from his supporters? I am speechless!

If you wear a red shirt in Thailand you will be call " A RETARD"

This is rubbish. Thaksin can come back anytime and suffer the consequences of his actions like he did for his fellow Thai's who were innocent and guilty when he was in office. At least he had a trial. Some of them didn't and paid with their lives.

Actually I think his Thai passport was revoked if that is the right word, anyway he can't use it anymore, That's why he has several others. Of course he can still come home but what he wants is to come home and not go to jail.

I thought only his diplomatic passport was revoked?

Since he no longer have a Thai passport? Will he need to get a visa to come back to Thailand?
Does he need to the the visa run every 90 days whil he is in prison in Thailand?
Best to lock him up in one of the border prison so he can walk across to neighboring country & back for his visa run.

It is all about pressure - political pressure.

Oh my darling
Oh my darling
Oh my darling Clemency
You are lost and gone for ever
Dreadful sorry Clemency.

For my understanding Revoking a persons passport does not mean citizenship has been revoked too. IMHO he is still a Thai citizen and can return to his beloved homeland even without a Thai passport.
There should be no problem with the Immigration on arrival in Thailand. They may remember that face...

This post has been edited by webfact: 2009-07-02 11:17:06

...so he can resume his lying, cheating, stealing, cronyism, corruption, wreaking havoc and foul revenge.

The govt said he can apply for travelling document at any Thai consulate.

Red shirts forgot their own sermors about sanctity of constitutions and want the monarchy to be officially involved in a political spat (this is how they see it themselves).

Three years ago they were ready to crucify Abhisit for even thinking about that.

Check out the number of votes on the latest BKK Post poll! Dunno if this link will work, but would like to see what people think given it's less than 24hrs old...

/edit O/T but does Thaksin own an Iranian passport?

This post has been edited by Insight: 2009-07-02 11:26:48

Ever heard about politics?

The current governmnet have too much in common with the Iranian government for Thaksin to ever set his foot there.

Agree, its a little bit like wearing green in Iran. Not popular with the current flavour of dictatorship...

Thanks for the opening a new flaming topic. I've been very bored lately.

This post has been edited by SoMeOnEnUlL: 2009-07-02 12:27:10

Gee. This is sickening, REALLY...

does anyone know what laws of economics , rules and regulations need to be changed/manipulated and who needs to be bribed to make this fantasy come true ?

We will know that in July. Isn't July 16 judgement day?

This guy really is a scumbag.

To my interpretation this is Face loss , big time...... begging for signatures.

It may be better put.... "what is the going rate for a signature"

A thousand baht ought to do it....

Just not right dragging the first family into it.....

Come back anytime you want and face the music........ but the little spoiled blockhead wants it his way so he can dig in and refill his pockets....

Must have been one piece of work as a 10 year old

I think July 16 is the day the case begins regarding seizure of his assets.
This whole petition nonsense is just an attempt to keep his face in the news, it will go nowhere in my opinion.

So he's asking for a pardon.

Has he admitted guilt or showing remorse? How does a pardon come to play?