Burma court postpones verdict on Aung San Suu Kyi

By Deutsche Presse Agence

Rangoon – A Burmese court on Friday postponed until August 11 its verdict on opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and three others charged with breaking the terms of her house arrest, officials said.”The judges said they needed more time to review the laws,” said a government official who attended the trial at a special court set up in Insein Prison. The session lasted only 10 minutes.
Foreign diplomats, including representatives from the US, British and German embassies, attended the trial which was expected to issue a guilty verdict on Suu Kyi, 64.

She stands accused of breaking the terms of her house detention by allowing US national John William Yettaw to swim to her home-cum-prison on May 3 and stay, albeit uninvited, in her compound until the night of May 5.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who has spent 14 of the past 20 years under house detention, faces a minimum of three years in jail and a maximum of five if found guilty.

Suu Kyi’s two housekeepers, Khin Khin Win and Win Ma Ma, face similar charges for accommodating Yettaw’s surprise visit and Yettaw faces several months in jail for breaching various laws, including a prohibition against swimming in Inya Lake, on which Suu Kyi’s family compound sits.

Security was tight around the prison, with roadblocks set up to prevent normal traffic flow. Burma’s junta has issued a warning against any violent reaction to the outcome of the trial which began on May 18.

According to still unconfirmed reports, authorities arrested several pro-democracy activists Thursday night.

Past court cases have demonstrated that Burma’s judiciary has no independence from the country’s ruling military junta, which wants Suu Kyi to remain out of politics until after a general election planned next year, observers said.

There was little hope that Suu Kyi would be found not guilty because her freedom might galvanize opposition to the government’s scheduled general election in 2010 that promises to be neither free nor fair.

Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party won the last Burma election in 1990 by a landslide even though she was in jail at the time of the polls.

Analysts said Suu Kyi, deemed the only opposition politician the ruling regime fears and a democracy icon to her people, could seriously threaten the military’s so-called political reforms, which it has dubbed a “seven-step roadmap” to democracy.

Given this political reality, even Suu Kyi was not optimistic about the outcome of her trial.

“Daw (Mrs) Aung San Suu Kyi is prepared for the worst,” her attorney Nyan Win said Tuesday after the court’s final hearing.

To sack or not to sack national police chief

By Kornchanok Raksaseri
Thanong Khanthong
The Nation
Published on July 28, 2009

It will be crucial for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to decide this week whether to remove national police chief Patcharawat Wongsuwan.
Reports of a decision to axe Patcharawat intensified last week, when deputy national police chief Thani Somboonsap reported to Abhisit about his investigation into the shooting of People’s Alliance for Democracy leader Sondhi Limthongkul.

Thani told Abhisit he was facing big obstacles which blocked the probe from further progress.

Abhisit’s insistance yesterday he wanted the case to go ahead signalled Patcharawat’s likely removal, although Abhisit said he would discuss it further with Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban.

The PAD, in reluctant alliance with the Democrat government, believes powerful people among police and the military were part of the Sondhi assassination plot.

In the meantime, the case remains under Suthep who’s in charge of national security as well as the Royal Thai Police. He has protected Patcharawat by saying he was not aware of any plans to remove the national police chief – and last week joined Patcharawat and his brother, Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan – on a visit to the South.

Any action presents a hard choice for Abhisit.

Patcharawat was appointed national police chief in the Samak Sundaravej government. He was removed by the succeeding PM Somchai Wongsawat for failing to stop the rallies of the Sondhi-led People’s Alliance for Democracy, the yellow shirts, which led to the airport seizures.

Patcharawat, like Thani, is scheduled to retire in September. Therefore, Abhisit must decide whether to proceed with the case or to support Suthep – which would stop the investigation just where it is.

However, if Abhisit decides to remove Patcharawat, the result would be like a row of collapsing dominoes. Besides hurting the images of police and the military, Patcharawat’s removal would hurt relations with Defence Minister Prawit – who is highly respected by Army chief General Anupong Paochinda.

The decision would also be a slap in the face of Suthep who is the “government manager” and link to all factions during the government’s formation. And Suthep would not leave alone. Bhum Jai Thai Party de facto leader Newin Chidchob would go with him.

Departure of the coalition party would certainly hurt the government’s number of seats in the House, leaving the Democrats with no choice but to lead a minority government.

Pressure for the removal of Patcharawat, as well as Anupong, arose from security’s failure to prevent the chaos in Pattaya and Bangkok during the anti-government red-shirts’ rally in April, which ruined the Asean Summit and threatened Abhisit’s life. Sondhi’s case followed soon after – but Abhisit did not remove the top brass.

Now, as fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his red shirt supporters intensify their activities, Abhisit is required again to make an important decision.

Police destroy suspicious motorcycle at Asian security forum

Thu, July 23, 2009
By Deutsche Presse Agentur
Phuket – Thai police on Thursday destroyed a motorcycle parked outside the venue for Asia’s top security forum, causing a blast that raised security concerns among its delegates.
“The motorcycle was parked where it shouldn’t have been, and when sniffer dogs were sent to investigate, they seemed to detect something suspicious,” Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said.

Police blasted the motorcycle with water cannon, creating a loud noise that sparked fears of an explosion at the nearby Sheraton Grande Laguna hotel, where the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) Regional Forum was under way on the Thai island of Phuket.

Authorities later said they had found some traces of fertilizer on the bike, which might have put the sniffer dogs on alert. It was not clear whether the motorcycle’s owner was compensated for his destroyed bike.

Phuket, 600 kilometres south of Bangkok, has been under tight security for the forum, which has drawn 26 foreign ministers, including US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

About 10,000 army personnel have been deployed on the island, which has been placed under the Internal Security Act, allowing authorities to halt protests and arrest suspicious characters.

Thailand, this year’s host of the annual forum, had to cancel a summit between 10-nation Asean and China, Japan and South Korea on April 12 at the beach resort of Pattaya after anti-government protestors invaded the venue.

Red shirts burn Kasit in effigy

By The Nation
Published on July 10, 2009

More than 200 red shirts gathered outside the Foreign Ministry yesterday demanding Kasit Piromya’s removal as minister after he was questioned by police on his involvement in last year’s airport closures.
The protesters also burned him in effigy.

Kasit reported to police on Monday after he and 35 other suspects, most of them key leaders of the People’s Alliance for Democracy, were asked to explain their role in seizing Bangkok’s Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports.

He has refused to resign, calling the terrorism allegation against him “unacceptable”, but said he would resign if the case proceeded to court.

Jaran Ditapichai, a red-shirt leader, submitted an open letter to a senior ministry official before the rally dispersed.

Waranchai Chokchana, another protest leader, said they wanted the foreign minister sacked as he “damages the country”.

“If this government, which does not come from the people’s will, does not get him out, we’ll return to demand the resignation of this gangster minister,” he said.

Kasit was in New Zealand attending a meeting of a bilateral-relations committee.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva ignored the spokesman for the opposition Pheu Thai Party, who was waiting for him at Government House to hand him a request for Kasit’s removal.

Prompong Nopparit instead submitted the document to Sutham Limsuwankasem, a deputy PM’s secretary-general, before heading to Democrat Party headquarters to hand a similar request to Chuan Leekpai, the party’s chief adviser.

Prompong said he felt disappointed and slighted by Abhisit’s behaviour.

Abhisit declined to say whether it was appropriate to allow the foreign minister to remain in office despite the findings of a recent public-opinion survey that most respondents wanted Kasit to step down.

“I read the poll results, and they said most people wanted him to resign after the Asean meeting,” he said, referring to next week’s ministerial meeting in Phuket.

PAD leaders conferred yesterday and agreed to meet police for questioning next Thursday on the airport-occupation cases.

Pheu Thai proves hold over northeast

By The Nation
Published on June 29, 2009

Elated Thaksin invites campaign teams to Dubai

The Phue Thai Party’s landslide victory in the by-election in Si Sa Ket yesterday, following hot on the heels of its by-election conquest in Sakhon Nakhon, proves the solid allegiance that northeasterners still hold for ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, Pheu Thai chairman Chalerm Yoobamrung said.

Thaksin’s popularity has brought Surachart Charnpradit his polling triumph, Chalerm said in congratulating the Pheu Thai candidate during a press conference.

Thaksin called Pornsak Charoenprasert, an MP for Si Sa Ket, asking him about the results.

When Thaksin was told that the Pheu Thai candidate beat his rival handily, he responded with a cheer and told both the Si Sa Ket and Sakhon Nakhon campaign teams to visit him in Dubai, Pornsak said.

They are expected to see Thaksin in two weeks after the Election Commission endorses them.

As of 7.30pm, the count showed the Pheu Thai candidate with 106,915 votes against just 68,560 votes for Sakulthip Angsakulkiat of the Chart Thai Pattana Party.

Somsak Prissanananthakul, a core leader of the Chart Thai Pattana Party, conceded defeat.

Some polling stations in nine districts witnessed a higher turnout than others.

EC chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said the EC accepted five election complaints about political bias by government officials, solicitation of voters by trucking them to balloting stations and mudslinging against candidates.

He said he expects the voter turnout would reach 60 per cent, higher than Sakhon Nakhon’s 58 per cent.

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit questioned the use of funds by the Internal Security Operations Command, which held a secret meeting at a Bangkok hotel.

He suspected that the agency was mapping out tactics to block the growth of the Pheu Thai Party.

He said 11 MPs from government coalition parties and former People Power Party MPs from northern and northeastern provinces expressed interest in joining Pheu Thai because they sensed that the party’s popularity remained strong.

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Coalition in disarray

By The Nation
Published on May 25, 2009

As relations with allies get worse, Abhisit might be compelled to form a minority government

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva might be forced to run a minority government if the bad blood between his Democrat Party and coalition partners keeps intensifying.

A political source said yesterday that fissures within the coalition government have widened to the point where Abhisit might have to make a hard choice in how to carry on with his administration.

Abhisit might have to sever ties with the coalition partners and form a Democrat-dominated Cabinet.

Such a move would entail the coalition partners striking back by voting down any bills sent to Parliament, where the Democrats lack majority representation, the source added.

However, a high-ranking Democrat source said the House would probably be dissolved after New Year’s once the 2010 Budget Bill has been passed.

The Democrat government would also like to push through the Bt800-billion loan package to stimulate the economy before calling a snap election.

The government has been uncomfortable with the work of Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai, and worried about transparency in the leasing of 4,000 NGV buses as proposed by Transport Minister Sophon Saram, a key member of the Newin Chidchob faction, the Democrat source said.

Political sources said Abhisit is well aware of all the corruption scandals plaguing the rice and other commodity pledging schemes but can do little to stop them.

The spoils for the controversial loan package of Bt400 billion would largely go to the Newin group, which controls the mega-projects, the sources said.

If Abhisit goes ahead with breaking away from his coalition partners, he will have to dissolve Parliament soon after that, expected some time in the third or fourth quarter of this year.

But he still holds the advantage by serving as the caretaker government because the Democrats will be holding key Cabinet portfolios, such as the interior, in the run-up to the snap election.

Complicating the political gamesmanship is a new party to be called Thien Haeng Dharma (Candle of Light), which the People’s Alliance for Democracy’s key figures are close to forming.

Sondhi Limthongkul would step up to serve as the leader of the new party.

Suriyasai Katasila said the PAD would seek the opinion of its members on three key issues.

These revolve around dissent towards constitutional amendments, a decision to form a political party and continuation of political rallies, and finally an assignment for the five PAD leaders to assemble the political platform for the PAD, he said.

The aim would be to create “new politics” and to rid corruption in the old politics, he said.

The PAD party would win about 10 party-list seats and other constituency MP seats in Bangkok, the Central region and upper Northeast, he said.

The PAD held a political convention at Rangsit University where it distributed 3,000 questionnaires to its members.

Besides Sondhi, Chamlong Srimuang, Somkiat Pongphaiboon, Somsak Kosaisuk and Pipop Thongchai sat on the podium as the PAD core leaders.

Thailand adjusts measures on fatal flu after WHO raise alert level

By Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation

Thai Public Health Ministry on Thursday adjust its measures to deal with Mexico human flu after World Health Organisation raised alert level from 4 to 5.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai told a press conference that all visitors  arriving at Thai airports would be required to be scanned by thermal scanner.

Initially only visitors from affected countries such as US, Canada and Mexico, were required to walk past the scanners.

All the visitors will be asked to answer questionnaire whether they had visited the affected countries or not.

Before only the visitors whose scan test showed they have fever were asked to fill the questionnaire.

Thaksin denies hand in riots

By The Nation
Published on April 29, 2009

Fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday that he was being “unfairly blamed” for the Songkran Day riots.

In a statement Thaksin said he had offered moral support in the rally for democracy but never encouraged the use of violence by the protesters, many of whom are his supporters.

“Over the recent weeks, the government and its mechanisms are trying to pass the blame on me for the violence that took place during the recent protest. I have been unfairly accused of supporting and condoning the use of violence to achieve political goals.

“I completely deny those allegations. Throughout my life, I respect peaceful means, liberty and equality,” Thaksin said in the statement entitled “Fighting for Democracy by Peaceful Means”.

Thaksin, who was convicted in absentia for corruption, insisted that the red-shirt movement would not use arms in its struggle to attain democracy.

However, he added, “We will not stop trying to achieve democracy in Thailand. Despite the obstruction by the government, we will not stop.”

The statement was obtained from from the office of Noppadon Patama, Thaksin’s former legal adviser who served briefly as foreign minister during the pro-Thaksin government of Samak Sundaravej.

Govt using all means to corner Thaksin

Tue, April 28, 2009 by The Nation

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
Published on April 28, 2009

Two passports confirmed, third might be Cambodian travel document

The government is taking every possible step to narrow the political space fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s has on the globe by using the Interpol and other diplomatic moves to corner him, a senior government official said yesterday.

Thaksin might be able to stay in Dubai, but United Arab Emirates will not allow him to use the gulf state as a launching PAD against the Thai government, said Vice Foreign Minister Panich Vikitsreth.

“The UAE government has told us that Thaksin could not use the country as his political base, but could return as an investor,” Panich said in an interview yesterday.

The UAE and Thailand are preparing an extradition treaty, he said, adding that Abu Dhabi had already sent a draft for consideration.

Asked if the government was aware of the movements being made by some former executives of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party to meet Thaksin in Dubai, Panich said nobody could be barred from travelling abroad or meeting anybody.

“We don’t know where they are going and for what purpose, but they have the right because they are only banned from politics, not travel,” Panich explained.

Two weeks ago, the government told Interpol to blacklist Thaksin and arrest him if they can, he said.

Thai authorities have also sent arrest warrants against Thaksin to all concerned countries, he said.

In addition, the foreign ministry has informed all nations that have diplomatic relations with Thailand about Thaksin’s movements and the government’s concerns, he said.

Even though Thaksin’s Thai passports, both diplomatic and ordinary, were revoked the former premier continues moving around with foreign travel documents. Reports have confirmed that Thaksin is holding a Nicaraguan passport and has been made special ambassador by President Daniel Ortega.

He was also said to have landed in Liberia last week with Montenegro passport and unconfirmed reports say he might also have a Cambodian passport. Since the foreign ministry has no clear information about Thaksin’s Cambodian passport, it could not take any action on the issue, Panich said.

However, he added, Phnom Penh as already been told about the government’s concerns over Thaksin’s political movements. “We are being very careful with the matter because relations with Cambodia are very sensitive,” he said.

However, Panich said, what passport Thaksin travels with is not important. He explained that as long as the former PM uses his own name, his appearance in any country would show up on Interpol’s radar and he will be under surveillance in host countries.

(The story continues below graphic.)

The government is closely monitoring Jakrapob Penkair’s movements, though his whereabouts are still unknown, Panich said. The Immigration Bureau has no records on Jakrapob’s departure, he said.

Jakrapob, a former spokesman for Thaksin, was charged of lese majeste and freed on bail.

PM lifts state of emergency on Friday

Fri, April 24, 2009 by Nation

Prime Minster Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday lifted the state of emergency he had imposed 12 days ago on Bangkok and five surrounding provinces to quell anti-government protests.

Abhisit announced early Friday at the end of a two-day joint House session that he had decided to lift the state of emergency to show the government’s sincerity in seeking national reconciliation.

“Lifting the state of emergency is one of the measures to find a solution for the country,” Abhisit told the parliamentary session shortly after midnight.

“The government wants reconciliation and to move the country forward,” Abhisit told lawmakers early Friday.

Small groups of a soldiers posted at various sensitive locations throughout the capital had been withdrawn from the streets Friday morning.

Abhisit declared a state of emergency in Bangkok and its neighbouring provinces on April 12 to deal with the protests that instigated widespread violent in Bangkok.

Earlier he imposed the state in Pattaya after the red shirts stormed into the meeting venue of Asian Summit in Pattaya, forcing the government to cancel the summit.

The laws allowed the the army to launch crackdown on the red shirted protesters who were loyal to fugitive ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra.