Jump to content

More Thaksin Monkey Business


jitagawn

Recommended Posts

:crazy::crazy::crazy:

 

Thaksin in Japan, calls for constitutional rule

 

Tokyo (dpa)

Ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra expressed his wish to return to Thailand - but not until security is restored. In a newspaper interview, he complained that the Sept 19 coup robbed Thailand of constitutional rule.

 

"Thais have enjoyed democracy and never want to be under a dictatorship or a non-democratic government,'' Mr Thaksin told the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. "They can be patient and tolerate such things to some extent, but not for too long.''

 

Thaksin, who landed in Tokyo Thursday night on a private visit, told Japan's Asahi Shimbun daily that Thailand had lost the trust of the international community because of the September 19 coup d'etat.

 

As a result, he said, the current military-installed government is not going to be well received internationally.

 

"The respect of the rule of law and the justice system (by the international community)" is at stake, Thaksin was quoted as saying. "What international society worries about is that if the government under a coup d'etat abolishes the Constitution, the rule of law will not be observed."

 

Mr Thaksin also said he was not ready to return to Thailand. "I am waiting for the situation to go back to normal, because I want to urge the military government to restore unity to the Thai people,'' he said.

 

Thaksin himself was accused of flouting the country's constitution during his rule from 2001-2006. Before he was deposed by the coup, thousands of anti-Thaksin demonstrators accused him of dictatorial rule.

 

The current military-backed government has accused him of trying to undermine the country's stability. A visit last week to Singapore, where Thaksin gave interviews to international news organizations and met with the city-state's deputy prime minister, outraged the Thai government and soured Bangkok-Singapore ties.

 

Thaksin has been in unofficial exile in London and Beijing since the bloodless military coup on September 19, which took place when he was in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

 

Since his arrival Thursday night, he has met with several Japanese acquaintances in the business and political fields, while claiming the purpose of his Japan visit was "sightseeing," according to the paper.

 

Thaksin felt compelled to say that he was not involved in a series of terrorist bombings in Bangkok on New Year's Eve, he told the press.

 

Since the September coup has damaged Thailand's credibility in the international community, the former prime minister called for a quick restoration of democratic rule.

 

"Thais have enjoyed democracy and never want to be under a dictatorship or a non-democratic government," he said. "But they can be patient and tolerate such things to some extent, but not for too long."

 

Unless Thailand restores democratic leadership, it would fall behind the global competition and fail to take advantage of business opportunities, Thaksin said.

 

He said he had no more political ambitions but wished to return to his homeland as soon as his safety is assured. He expressed his intention to devote himself to charitable and religious work when he returns.

 

"I am waiting for the situation to go back to normal, because I want to urge the military government to restore unity to the Thai people," he told the newspaper. "I think I can be useful for the country. I can tell my supporters, 'OK, it's time that we should unite.'"

 

He claimed that during his premiership he pushed reform, trying to build a democracy that respected the voices of the poor and developed the nation's economy by intensifying competition.

 

:rotfl::rotfl::stirthepo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...