Thaksin Finally Caught Red-Handed In The Act

Pastrygate: The sentencing and imprisonment of three attorneys for ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman is one of the most telling events in Thailand’s modern political turmoil. For the first time, as I can recall, the man himself has been caught red-handed in the very act. Or you seriously fall for the conspiracy theory?

Not that Thaksin would have to waste a single minute of his precious freedom to appear before a judge. But three of his lawyers have to take responsibility for his style of brazen money politics. Even if the “pastry money” is unrelated to a Thaksin case, Thaksin can’t deny involvement because the three work(ed) directly for him.

Even worse for Thaksin – as bizarre the case remains: His new lawyers will not only think twice before carrying out dirty jobs for the paymaster. The case has tarnished Thaksin’s image and may shatter his dream of a political comeback.

Or you’re not even astonished how shameless lawyers of the former prime ministers have become? The accused had all along insisted that such a crude attempt at bribery was beneath them. More likely, they said, it was intended to discredit Mr. Thaksin.

Heard that a million times already. You don’t want to know what other goodies they handed out the months and years before. But rather cherish one of those rare moments the Thai justice system celebrates the rule of law in a swift and concise manner.

And can you believe how unconcerned the lawyers were at first, blatantly disrespecting the ethics of their own trade – if there are any left. On sentencing day one pretended to have a “headache” and was not present. A headache as a pretext to ask for trial postponement …

But the story turned around. The judge considered the offense “grave” and sentenced the three to six months in jail. The lawyer with the headache, Thana Tansri was to be collected with an arrest warrant.

“The other two, Pichit Chuenban and Suphasri Sriswat, were visibly shaken by the verdict as they were handcuffed and taken away to detention”, reported Xpress.

Hail the judge who laughed off the lawyers obscene contempts of justice, such as the wife of one of the accused had filled the “wrong bag” with the “wrong box” with money intended for a land purchase. The wife was said to have filled another bag with chocolate candy …

Chocolate bars they wanted to hand out. Now, behind real bars, they may swear a word or two against the man himself.

Thaksin will again play his own version of the three wise monkeys – “see no evil, hear no evil, know no evil.”

Thaksin can turn and twist it as he wants, according to IHT/Reuters “Pichit’s associate, Thana Tansiri, had already admitted to the court that the money belonged to him but said it had not been intended for use as a bribe. Instead, he said his driver had mistakenly picked up the bag with the money instead of an identical one that contained chocolates he had meant to give to court officials.”

The Nation speculates that the imprisonment of the lawyers was “likely have a repercussion on the on-going trial involving Thaksin and his wife in the Ratchadaphisek land purchase, in which the ex-premier is accused of abusing his power while in office for a sweetheart deal with the government.”

Furthermore, the Assets Examination Committee AEC seems kind of revived and lodged a series of new criminal charges against Thaksin these days.

Maybe it has all to do with the current weakening of Samak’s government and the strengthening of opposition.

But rest assured, as the BBC’s Jonathan Head concludes: The scandal “leaves Mr. Thaksin with a weakened defence team and a tarnished image.”

Jonathan goes one step further. The case may be “pivotal” to Thaksin’s future, Jonathan writes: “It concerns an alleged illegal land purchase by his wife while he was in office. If found guilty they could both be jailed, and his prospects for a political comeback would look dim.”




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  1. WTF Thaksin Are You …?!
  2. Pasuk, Baker & Thaksin

June 26, 2008 | Filed Under Politics 

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2 Responses to “Thaksin Finally Caught Red-Handed In The Act”

  1. Thailand Wants Thaksin Back « PAD’s Facts Info on October 15th, 2008 2:21 pm

    [...] Thaksin Finally Caught Red-Handed In The Act [...]

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  2. Justice has been served « PAD’s Facts Info on October 17th, 2008 4:41 pm

    [...] hail of deep blows against “lawmakers” (what an ironic term) started with the jailing of three lawyers of Thaksin. Then the Supreme Court banned former house speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat from politics for election [...]

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