Targeting of businesses slammed

Two powerful private-sector groups yesterday lambasted the caretaker government for targeting segments of the business community as part of its efforts to go after financial supporters of the anti-government protesters.

The Board of Trade of Thailand (BoT) and the Thai Chamber of Commerce, at a joint press conference, warned that such a move by the authorities could adversely affect the business sector, the economy and the country’s reputation.

They urged the government to “cease tarnishing the country’s business reputation and its integrity” and to stop “adding insults to the injuries” that the economy has suffered. The BoT said the economy could quickly fall into stagnation if the country’s political conflict is not resolved. 

In a joint statement, the BoT and the chamber said they “are astonished and regret” that the Thai business community has been improperly targeted as major providers of financial support to the anti-government demonstrators led by the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC). 

“Not only has the list been irresponsibly released in the local press unbeknownst to the business community, but it remains unclear whether the names of business and private organisations on the list are officially authenticated [as PDRC sponsors]. Whether this was done intentionally or not, untold damage has been unfairly inflicted on these persons as well as their businesses, and they have not had the opportunity to defend themselves adequately,” the statement said.

“In this regard, we would like to insist that the officers-in-charge who are directly responsible for taking these utterly irresponsible actions cease tarnishing Thailand’s business reputation and its integrity. We call upon the present interim government to stop adding insults to the injuries that have been plaguing the economic and social fabrics of Thailand for quite some time.” The government’s Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) has postponed several times its threat to disclose its list of alleged financial supporters of the PDRC. However, leaks to the media named more than 20 well-known businesses and businesspeople as “money sources” for the protesters. 

Somkiat Anuras, vice chairman of the BoT and the chamber, told the press conference that should the government have concrete evidence implicating individual businesspeople or organisations in providing financial support to the PDRC, it would be justified in openly and transparently pursuing them according to the due process of law. Such groups would also have the right to defend themselves legally and fairly.

Vichai Assarasakorn, another joint vice chairman, said the Constitutional Court’s rejection on Wednesday of a petition alleging that the PDRC’s protest was unconstitutional implied that the protests had been staged peacefully and lawfully.

“Hence their supporters are also not doing anything illegal. Nevertheless, the Board of Trade insists it doesn’t take part in supporting any side. The organisation’s regulations prohibit our involvement in politics,” he said. Somkiat said it was within the individual rights of the BoT and the chamber members to take part in political activities in their private capacity. 

“I agree with some phuyai [senior persons] who have warned that if [the political conflicts] are allowed to linger, the GDP growth [forecast], which has been revised downward from 4-5 per cent to 3 per cent, could fall to zero. The statement by the two business groups echoes concerns in the private sector, including those of top executives of Charoen Pokphand Group and Saha Pathanapibul, who have dismissed accusations that the private sector served as “feeder pipes” to the PDRC.