Gaybutton Posted August 16, 2008 Posted August 16, 2008 If you have business with the British Embassy, Tuesday, August 19 is the wrong day to go. _____ Protesters Plan Anti-Thaksin March to British Embassy Tuesday BANGKOK, Aug 16 -- The anti-government People‘s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) plans to march to the British embassy here on Tuesday to rebut critical remarks made by Thailand‘s fugitive ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra against the Thai judiciary system, a PAD core member said Saturday. Pipop Thongchai, a core leader of the PAD, said the protest coalitions members and supporters would march from the Makkawan Bridge to the British Embassy with the purpose of explaining to the international community that charges made by Mr. Thaksin against the Thai judiciary system were untrue. Mr. Pipop said he would also explain to the embassy that Mr. Thaksin, his wife Mrs. Pojaman and the ousted cabinet ministers are also facing charges pending in court. Booted from office in a bloodless coup on Sept 19, 2006, multi-billionaire Thaksin and his wife flew from Beijing to London, bypassing a court date in Bangkok, after attending the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. They failed to appear on Monday at the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions to defend themselves against charges related to the Bangkok land scandal which occurred in 2003 while he was in power. In a statement faxed to media outlets in Bangkok on Monday from London, Mr. Thaksin cited his personal safety concerns and interference in the judicial process by political forces set against him among the reasons for his fleeing Thailand. The Court on Monday issued arrest warrants for the couple and also confiscated bail totaling Bt13 million (US$389,000). Praising the Thai judicial system on the case, Mr. Pipop said more foreign investors are now hoping to invest in Thailand because they are gaining more confidence in doing business in this country. He emphasised that the planned march to the embassy in central Bangkok would be peaceful. Meanwhile, national police chief Pol. Gen. Patcharawat Wongsuwan said he had ordered Bangkok police to be patient and provide security to the PAD members while the gather at the British embassy. Gen. Patcharawat said concerned Thai government agencies are now trying to extradite Mr. Thaksin to face trial here and that there is no need for the PAD to pressure the agencies. (TNA) Quote
fedssocr Posted August 16, 2008 Posted August 16, 2008 what do they hope to gain by marching on the Brits??? these people are idiots. The wheels of justice turn slowly, it's only been a week. I am sure the British government isn't going to be pushed around but a bunch of people marching in the street of BKK. Quote
Guest joseph44 Posted August 17, 2008 Posted August 17, 2008 what do they hope to gain by marching on the Brits??? these people are idiots. The wheels of justice turn slowly, it's only been a week. I am sure the British government isn't going to be pushed around but a bunch of people marching in the street of BKK. IMHO these PAD people are professional rally organizers, and that's the only thing they (can) do. PAD is an absolute danger for Thai society. I'm not pro or contra Thaksin, because I don't know enough facts to judge, but these PAD-twats should shut up! Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted August 17, 2008 Posted August 17, 2008 Why is UK refusing to extradite Taksin? Quote
Gaybutton Posted August 17, 2008 Author Posted August 17, 2008 Why is UK refusing to extradite Taksin? So far the UK has made no decisions one way or the other. The armchair lawyers on the message boards are guessing, but so far nobody really knows what the UK will do in the long run or how long it will take before any decisions are made. Even if the UK agrees to extradition, if there is an appeals process available, who knows how long this can drag on. As far as I know, Thailand has not yet even formally petitioned the UK to extradite Thaksin. Also, as long as Thaksin remains free, if he has any reason to believe the UK will indeed agree to extradite him, he still can flee to a third country if he so desires, assuming he still has a valid passport. Who knows? Maybe he'll end up in Burma and will join the junta. Perhaps Cuba. I can just see him carrying a sign and shouting "Viva Fidel!" Hell, he's got enough money to buy an island somewhere and start his own country. I'm waiting for the Email from him that tells me he heard about my wonderful reputation and wants to put all his money into my bank account to help him get it out of Thailand, just like the Emails I get from Dr. Bwenkeke Mobujubu from Nigeria. Somehow, it's hard to visualize him ever being forcibly returned to Thailand in handcuffs. I suppose he could always buy the airline that would fly him back to Thailand and then ground all the planes . . . Quote
Gaybutton Posted August 20, 2008 Author Posted August 20, 2008 The following appears in THE NATION: _____ 10,000 in Anti-Asylum Rally at British Embassy By THE NATION Published on August 20, 2008 More than 10,000 protesters gathered outside the British Embassy in Bangkok yesterday to demand that London return ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife, Pojaman, to Thailand to face criminal charges. The protesters, organised by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), aggravated traffic conditions in Bangkok, as the British Embassy is located on Ploenchit Road in the heart of the city. The protesters arrived at the embassy at about 10.30am holding posters and shouting: "Thaksin, go to jail!" Police had to seal off roads in the area, including Wireless and Ploenchit roads. PAD leaders Chamlong Srimuang, Sondhi Limthongkul and Somsak Kosaisuk submitted a petition to an embassy representative at 11.10am. The protesters called on the British government not to grant political asylum to Thaksin. The petition said his request for political asylum in Britain must be turned down. "If Thaksin is not brought back to |face the charges against him in Thai courts, it will contribute further to the political and democratic deadlock and undermine the capacity to transform the public realm," said the PAD's letter, which was addressed to British Ambassador Quinton Mark Quayle. Thaksin and Pojaman jumped bail last week, to avoid the looming prospect of losing their Ratchadaphisek land-purchase case in court. They and their family have now settled in London and plan to seek asylum. On July 31, Pojaman was also sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion in stock transactions dating back to November 1997. The PAD protesters warned the British Embassy that if Thaksin's request were met, it would set a terrible precedent for other rich, powerful and non-democratic figures, both in Thailand and elsewhere. "The original meaning of 'democracy' is not merely majority rule, but rather the capacity to do things, especially the capacity to pursue change in the public realm. Through popular, legal and sovereign measures, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was recently brought to trial," said the letter. "Thaksin was charged with abusing his power as prime minister by securing inside deals on real-estate purchases for family members. This is the first time in Thai political history that a former prime minister has been brought to trial." The PAD also plans to organise a rally at the Foreign Ministry demanding that Thaksin and Pojaman's passports be revoked on the grounds they are now bail-jumping fugitives. Quote
