Thaksin Interview Pre-Empted in Thailand

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For those who are interested, ousted Prime Minister Thaksin's CNN interview last night was not shown in Thailand. It is my understanding that the actual interview lasted about four minutes. The CNN web site has a video of about 2 minutes of the interview and it is all in English. If you wish to view it, the URL is:

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/...view/index.html

 

The following appears in THE NATION:

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Thaksin: Enough is Enough

 

Ex-PM vows he won't re-enter politics; denies being behind blasts, saying he wouldn't be so stupid as to plant bombs

 

Overthrown prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has vowed not to re-enter politics, saying "enough is enough".

 

Speaking to an international news organisation for the first time since his ousting, Thaksin told CNN he wants to return to Thailand as a private citizen.

 

"After six years in politics it is time for me to be a normal citizen," he said, adding he would like to return to Thailand and "contribute as a private citizen outside the political arena".

 

He described his years as prime minister as a "sacrifice".

 

In a brief taped interview from Singapore, Thaksin strongly dismissed suggestions he was behind the New Year's Eve bombings in Bangkok that killed three and injured about 40 more.

 

"I came from an election. I came from the people," Thaksin said. He asked rhetorically why he would do something "stupid" like plant bombs in crowded places.

 

The former PM called on the authorities to bring the culprits to justice and expressed sympathy with the victims and their families.

 

Thaksin told CNN he learnt of the coup that ended his leadership about four hours before it was publicly announced, while in New York attending the United Nations General Assembly.

 

He was only able to get a brief appearance on ModernNine Tele-vision to counter events at home.

 

The then director of the station Mingkwan Saengsuwan resigned a few days later accepting responsibility for broadcasting Thaksin's comments.

 

ModernNine and Channel 7, contacted last night, said they were now practising self-censorship and would not air yesterday's CNN interview.

 

One Channel 7 official said the station did not wish to enter into a debate with the Council of National Security (CNS) after last week's much-criticised demand for local broadcasters to not carry stories about the former prime minister.

 

"Just the name Thaksin is enough. We don't need to look at the content," said a Channel 7 source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

 

Thaksin's chief counsel in Bangkok, Noppadon Pattama, con-tacted about 30 minutes after the interview, said he was still waiting for the item. "What? It has been broadcast already? You sure it wasn't blocked?" he said.

 

Thaksin has been travelling through East Asia, to Hong Kong, Beijing and Bali, over the past month in what was seen by the CNS as an effort to map a possible comeback.

 

In an unprecedented move, the government of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont revoked his diplomatic passport and instructed Thai embassies not to provide special assistance - just treat Thaksin as an ordinary citizen living abroad.

 

On his return from the Asean summit in the Philippines Surayud offered no opinion on the Thaksin interview. Neither did he react to broadcasters' self-censorship.

 

He said "some diplomatic action" might need to be taken in response to Thaksin's meeting with a deputy prime minister of Singapore last week. "We need to let all countries know of our stance [towards Thaksin's travels] because his diplomatic passport had been revoked.

 

"We will not issue documents or anything to anyone. But it will be a mutual understanding on all sides making it clear how the matter should be dealt with diplomatically."

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PM Orders Diplomatic Response to Thaksin Visits

 

BANGKOK, Jan 16 (TNA)

 

Thailand's Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to use diplomatic channels to inform countries visited by ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra of the Thai government's position on his current status.

 

Speaking after returning from the Philippines to attend the 12th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Monday evening, Gen. Surayud said Mr. Thaksin's trips to different countries have no impact on the interim government but some diplomatic actions are needed to deal with this issue.

 

He said Thailand, which has diplomatic relations with many countries, needs to inform those countries of the kingdom's stance on Mr. Thaksin's visits, given the fact that the diplomatic passport he holds has been revoked.

 

Gen. Surayud noted that making an understanding through diplomatic channels with countries visited by Mr.Thaksin would not cause any problems since it was a proper channel and needed to be done.

 

Living in exile following the September 19 coup, Mr. Thaksin travelled to Britain, China, Indonesia, and Singapore. Thailand views his mobility -- and his visits to government officials in some places -- as an attempt to keep himself in the news, which can cause confusion and division among the Thai public.

 

A senior member of the military Council for National Security (CNS) had earlier expressed "uneasiness" over Mr. Thaksin's movements overseas -- including his latest trip to Singapore where he sought to meet with Singaporean deputy prime minister S. Jayakumar

 

In an apparent attempt to make it less convenient for the deposed premier to move freely internationally, the Ministry of Foreign Affaires stripped him and his wife Pojaman of their diplomatic passports, citing his changed status, and the inappropriateness relating to national security concerns of his continued possession and use of such a passport.

 

Gen. Surayud declined comment when asked how the foreign ministry should clarify Mr. Thaksin's current status to other countries, saying the foreign minister could himself give a better answer.

 

Regarding the appropriate time for the ousted premier to return to Thailand, Gen. Surayud said the matter must be discussed further among the concerned parties, but that so far Mr. Thaksin has asked the government to return yet.

 

(TNA)-E009