Thaksin to stay out of limelight

[limbo]

Thaksin to stay out of limelight

 

Non-essential appointments cancelled to reduce risk of more violence, but PM vows he won't give in to the protesters

 

 

An angry Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday he will not yield to the "unjustified pressure" against him, and has cancelled appearances at all functions unrelated to his responsibilities at the office and the Thai Rak Thai Party following violent clashes between his supporters and detractors.

 

 

Thaksin told a party meeting he would remain as the Thai Rak Thai leader and would contest the general election as the top candidate on the party list, Thai Rak Thai deputy spokesman Pimuk Simaroj said.

 

 

"I have decided to stay on after the unjustified pressure for me to go," the embattled caretaker prime minister was quoted as saying. "I will have to maintain the system and the rules."

 

 

Thaksin told the party meeting he would support a qualified younger person to take over his job and, according to a party source, this indicated that the Thai Rak Thai leader will "certainly take a break from politics" after the election.

 

 

However, the source said former Yasothon MP Ronritthichai Kankhet, who represented northeastern ex-MPs, told the meeting that the best option for the party was that Thaksin should accept the premiership if Thai Rak Thai won the next election.

 

 

Ronritthichai said northeastern voters would be disappointed if Thaksin refused to accept the post.

 

 

"We [northeastern MPs] won't allow you [Thaksin] to take a break from politics. We should not allow mob rule to stay above the law," he was quoted as saying.

 

 

Thai Rak Thai secretary-general Suriya Jungrungreangkit said all party executives and former MPs wanted Thaksin to serve as prime minister again, "not for the benefit of the party, but for the country".

 

 

At Thai Rak Thai Party headquarters, about 50 supporters gathered to greet Thaksin and gave him flowers. Some shouted, "Fight on, PM", to which Thaksin responded: "Surely. I won't give up." He also complained about "a lack of neutrality" among the local media.

 

 

According to party spokesman Pimuk, Thaksin told yesterday's meeting that he expected defections from the party, but he wanted the key figures who co-founded the party to remain.

 

 

There has been speculation that certain key figures in Thai Rak Thai will leave the party ahead of the next election, which has been scheduled for October 15.

 

 

The meeting was attended by senior Thai Rak Thai figures and former party MPs. Thaksin's wife, Khunying Pojaman, was also

 

 

present.

 

 

A Government House source said yesterday that Thaksin's schedules had been cancelled, particularly those for functions unrelated to his responsibilities at the office and the Thai Rak Thai Party.

 

 

Only those appointments at Government House, Thai Rak Thai Party headquarters and Baan Phitsanulok, the prime minister's official residence, will be retained while Thaksin's attendance at other places will be cancelled even though they may have been confirmed, the source said.

 

 

Thaksin's delivery of a keynote speech at Krirk University this afternoon during a panel discussion featuring politicians from the Thai Rak Thai, Democrat and Chat Thai parties, has also been cancelled, Thai Rak Thai deputy spokesman Jatuporn Promphan said.

 

 

However, Nanthana Nanthavaropas, the department head who organised the event, said she was unaware of the cancellation. As of yesterday evening, she had not been informed of any change in the prime minister's schedule.

 

 

Earlier yesterday, at a weekly Cabinet meeting, Thaksin instructed relevant authorities to take legal action against all perpetrators in the fistfights at the Central World Plaza shopping complex on Monday, regardless of whether they were his supporters or detractors, government spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee said.

 

 

The caretaker prime minister instructed his deputy and caretaker Justice Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya to work with the relevant agencies to "ensure that the law is respected", the spokesman said. Thaksin also threatened to have relevant officials transferred as punishment if they failed to follow the instruction.

 

 

Surapong said Thaksin told yesterday's Cabinet meeting that he did not want to see such violent confrontations between compatriots.

 

 

The government spokesman also said Thaksin would not cancel all his scheduled functions outside of Government House, but the prime minister would try to avoid confrontations with protesters.

 

 

In a related development, the National Human Rights Commission will convene later this week to determine whether there were any human right violations during the skirmishes on Monday, the agency's chairman, Saneh Chamarik, said yesterday.

 

 

Television footage showed many anti-Thaksin protesters being attacked during the melee at the Central World Plaza.

 

Piyanart Srivalo,

 

 

Thammarach Kitchalong

 

 

The Nation 23/08/06