Thaksin: Leave me out of the reconciliation equation

AFTER MONTHS of political seclusion, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday broke his silence to deny allegations that he was behind many deadly attacks in Thailand as well as threats to the country and the monarchy.
Thaksin also asked to be “omitted from the equation” in the ongoing effort to achieve national reconciliation.
“I don’t want anyone to make any proposal to help me,” he said in his Facebook message. But the ex-PM also said that the people in power should not attempt to single him out by applying laws unfairly against him.
Thaksin pointed to the move by the Revenue Department to seek Bt17 billion in back-taxes from him for the sale in 2006 of his family’s shares in Shin Corp worth Bt73 billion.
“I have already stopped. What about you? When will you stop?” Thaksin said in his Facebook message. “Do not love the nation and the monarchy institution with your words only,” he added.
Thaksin said that he had often been blamed for high-profile incidents such as the 2015 bombing at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok and deadly explosions in the deep South.
“This time I have to speak out. There have been attempts to create an image that I am connected to the movement that aims to overthrow the constitutional monarchy. This is unacceptable to me,” Thaksin said. He maintained he has been loyal to the monarchy and firmly believes in the country’s current political system.
More than 16,000 people reacted to his message with “Like”, “Love” and “Wow” emoticons. His supporters also commented in praise of what they described as his achievements while in power. Many said they missed him and were waiting for his return to Thailand.
Thaksin fled the country in 2008 just before the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders sentenced him in absentia to two years in jail for abuse of power. In 2010, the same court ordered the seizure of Bt46 billion of his assets found to have been earned dishonestly while in office.
The former premier yesterday blamed military coups for the fact that he has had to live in self-imposed exile overseas for more than a decade.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said yesterday that red-shirts would not be allowed to mark the seventh anniversary of a violent crackdown on protesters in April 2010, as the event would be political in nature and the country still in a state of mourning for King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in October.
“Such an event would just lead to more conflicts,” said Prawit, who is also defence minister. 
Prawit said that even the Loi Krathong festival, held a month after the late King’s death, was celebrated modestly.
Since the post-coup government came to power, relatives of the 2010 victims have held commemorative events under the watchful eye of police, to express their grievance and ask for the culprits to be found.
Key red-shirt figure Weng Tojirakarn told The Nation that the government had not yet contacted his group but they would cooperate by cancelling the event. He said that plans for any alternative events were still being discussed.
In response to Prawit’s comparison, Weng said that while Loi Krathong usually involves floating flowery baskets on rivers and cheerful celebrations, the incident on April 10, 2010, is another matter.
Twenty-one civilians, including a Japanese journalist, and five military officers lost their lives during the 2010 clashes between security forces and red-shirt protesters, who were calling for the then-Democrat government to step down and hold elections. More than 800 people were also injured in the clashes.
Altogether, at least 90 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured during the political unrest that year.