Panel looking into petition has vested interests

Assoc Professor Wuthisak Lapcharoensap, rector-to-be of Ramkhamhaeng University, has allegedly been promoted to the university top post because of his close ties with Prachuab Chaiyasarn, father of Deputy Public Health Minister Torpong Chaiyasarn.

Former Constitution Court judge Jumpol na Songkhla was a member of a judge panel that was part of the majority that ruled Thaksin not guilty in the assets concealment case.

Education Council secretary-general Tongthong Chantarangsu had voiced his opinion in favour of Thaksin over the controversy surrounding merit-making at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Tongthong was assigned to take good care of the three former Election Commissioners who were jailed at the Bangkok Special Prison. Reports had it that the three were given special treatment compared to other prisoners. Even though Tongthong was supported by the Somchai Wongsawat government, he failed to get promoted to the post of permanent secretary at the Justice Ministry. However, since the Thaksin camp's return to power, Tongthong is tipped as Cabinet secretary-general, replacing Ampol Kittiampon.

Justice Ministry inspector Natti Jitsawang was outstanding in the Corrections Department but was transferred out of the department after the Thaksin government was brought down by a coup because he was seen as having too close ties with the Thaksin camp.

He was transferred back to the Corrections Department when the People Power Party formed the government before being transferred to an inactive post by Democrat Pirapan Salirathavibhaga as inspector before his retirement at the end of September.

Special Litigation Department director-general Thanapit Mulapruek had earlier backed the Thaksin camp over the two-and three-digit lottery scheme and the rubber saplings case. However, he did not support the indictment of the red shirts on terrorism charges and disapproved of the Department of Special Investigation's move to revoke bails of the red-shirt leaders.

Meanwhile, opposition Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday warned the government against applying "double standards" regarding the petition seeking royal amnesty for Thaksin.

He said that in the past there had been no petition seeking royal pardon for a person who escaped imprisonment.

Thaksin has been in exile overseas to avoid a two-year imprisonment handed down by the Supreme Court for abuse of authority over his wife's purchase of state-owned land.

Abhisit, who headed the previous administration, said he saw no need to set up a committee to deal with Thaksin's petition. "The government should treat Thaksin's case in the same way as the cases against other Thais. Don't allow double standards," he said.

Democrat Party spokesman Chavanont Intornkomalsut said the government's move to set up this committee was aimed at misleading the public with information in order to get public support in helping bring Thaksin home without having to serve a jail term.

"Appointing so many people to pressure the petition process is not right. It would have been enough if only three or four relatives of Thaksin signed the petition. There is no need to use the signatures of 3 million to 4 million people to put pressure on state agencies. This is formidable. Their intention may be more than just helping Thaksin," he said.