Thirayuth biased against Thaksin, lawyer claims
Play
A lawyer for former premier Thaksin Shinawatra claims that Thammasat University sociologist Thirayuth Boonmi's criticism of the fugitive ex-PM is biased.
“Thirayuth didn’t talk about the destruction of the rule of law by letting the hostile Assets Examination Committee examine him. He didn’t talk about the retroactive use of the law to dissolve the political party and revoke the voting right of the party executive. Thirayuth didn’t talk about the injustice caused by the 2007 Constitution, such as the Article 237 (relating to party dissolution),” Noppadon Pattama said in a statement yesterday.
“More importantly, Thirayuth omitted to talk about interference in the judicial branch’s ruling in some cases and made some people feel that Thailand is one country with two standards.”
Thirayuth, director of the Sanya Dharmasakti Institute for Democracy, held a press conference on Sunday to give his political analysis. He said the roots of Thai political problems were deep and caused by political centralisation, plus political and socio-economic disparity between people in urban and rural areas. He criticised both Thaksin and his opponents.
Noppadon said Thirayuth over-generalised when saying Pheu Thai Party’s populist policies would lead to failure. Populism had a broad meaning and not all populist policies were bad. Many policies including the universal healthcare scheme and Small, Medium and Large Village funds, giving scholarships for students in each Tambon and One Tambon One Product scheme were successful.
He rebutted Thirayuth’s view that Thaksin was just a marketing expert, not a democratic leader, saying Thaksin had won a majority of votes in three elections and was “only” toppled by a military coup.
“Concluding that Thaksin abused the grassroots to cover his share concealment and tax evasion problems and that he is never satisfied with his wealth was only academic murmuring that reflected Thirayuth’s feelings and bias.
“It showed that Thirayuth has not got over the mindset of thoughts of some groups in Thai society that refuse to acknowledge the truth in society …” Noppadon said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Premier Chalerm Yoobamrung said there would not be another coup if there was no violence and there was no reason for such military intervention.
There would be no violence as long as he held his post, he said. He had ordered police not to touch protesters if they come to petition to the prime minister.
“The Plan B is that I prepare a helicopter for the prime minister (to escape in the event of chaos),” he said.
Army deputy spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree said yesterday that people should not worry about Thirayuth’s comments about a possible coup. The military was focused on helping people dredge water channels and solve the haze problem (in the North) while also working hard against drug problems. Thai people should listen to the military and look at its work.
Thirayuth said on Sunday that if the red shirt’s expansion stirred offensive feelings and actions against the monarchy, the court and the military, it could lead to a “minor coup”.
