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From The Nation

 

JUDGE-PRESSURING CLAIMS: Thaksin: No comment

Published on October 16, 2004

 

Thaksin fears contempt of court as pressure mounts for him to respond to charges over assets-concealment case

 

Prime Minister Thak-sin Shinawatra yesterday refused to comment on explosive courtroom allegations that he and his sister Yaowapha Wongsawat tried to pressure a Constitution Court judge to secure a not-guilty vote in the assets-concealment case.

 

Thaksin said the allegations were made during a court trial which was still going on, so it was inappropriate for him to give any public response.

 

The claims were made in the current trial of the owners of Naew Na newspaper and columnist Prasong Soonsiri. They are fighting a libel suit filed by eight Constitution Court judges, who believe Prasong damaged their reputations by writing what they describe as unfair comments over the 2001 verdict acquitting Thaksin of charges that he hid Bt10-billion worth of shares in his servants' accounts.

 

"I don't want to be held in contempt of court, as the allegations were made during a court trial and the one who [reportedly] made them is a judge," said a stern-faced Thaksin. "I don't want to criticise or comment on anything."

 

It was the Naew Na defendants' lawyer, Bundit Siriphan, who made the claims, quoting one of the seven "minority" Constitution Court judges who found Thaksin guilty. According to the lawyer, Thaksin and Yaowapha visited judge Ura Wang-omklang before the assets-case verdict and told him that in exchange for an acquittal vote, his son, who was working at the Foreign Ministry, could choose to work as an ambassadorial secretary in the country of his choice.

 

Yaowapha, deputy leader of the ruling Thai Rak Thai Party, has not made any public statement on the allegations.

 

Pressure is mounting for Ura and the Thaksin camp to respond to Bundit's shocking claims, which have plunged the Constitution Court into its worse credibility crisis. Steps have been taken to impeach Constitution Court judges, and the Senate committee on corruption monitoring is considering launching an inquiry into the affair.

 

The Naew Na libel trial also heard another bombshell charge from the defence camp. Sum-moned as a defence witness, Wasant Sroipisut, chief justice of the Region 7 Appeals Court, testified that a "majority" judge, Jumpol na Songkhla, told him that he was leaning towards the argument that Thaksin's case was not covered by Article 295 due to the timing of the alleged offences. Jumpol's real reason for acquitting Thaksin was the PM's election triumph, Wasant claimed.

 

In an angry interview in the wake of Wasant's testimony, Jumpol virtually admitted that Thaksin's poll victory and fears that Constitution Court headquarters "could have been burnt down by mobs" influenced his acquittal decision.

 

Legal academics, especially those at Thammasat University, were said to be pondering how to react to the allegations rocking the Constitution Court.

 

"We will meet to discuss what is the most proper step to take," said Thammasat law lecturer Kitisak Pokkati. "The charges are no doubt affecting public faith in the justice and checks-and-balances systems, and there could be repercussions on national stability."

 

Another Thammasat law lecturer, Banjerd Singkaneti, said Thaksin and Yaowapha faced potentially damaging legal battles if Ura endorsed the allegations.

 

"Offering state authorities bribes is already a crime, whether or not the offer is accepted," he said.

 

Former Constitution Court judge Suchinda Yongsunthorn called on incumbent judges to quickly respond to the charges before "public faith in the institution is destroyed beyond repair".

 

Meanwhile, a high-profile member of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club, Kanchanee Walayasevi, yesterday joined an anti-government rally at Sanam Luang and was among speakers who attacked Thaksin and the Constitution Court judges.

 

Kanchanee recently apologised to her husband's family and the RBSC in a newspaper article to allay angry accusations that she had exploited their reputations to attack Thaksin.