Former Thai PM denies plans to retake power. Thaksin confirms his role in Puea Thai. Thaksin leaves Mingkwan dangling. France/Thaïlande: annulation d'un dîner-débat avec Thaksin à Par. PARIS, 31 mai (Xinhua) -- Un dîner-débat prévu lundi à Paris avec l'ex-Premier ministre thaïlandais en exil Thaksin Shinawatra a été annulé pour des "raisons de sécurité", a-t-on appris lundi auprès de l'organisation invitante.
Le Center of Political and Foreign Affairs a déclaré: "Nous sommes au regret de devoir annuler le dîner-débat prévu le 31 mai avec Thaksin Shinawatra. Nous regrettons vivement qu'il ait renoncé aujourd'hui à se rendre en France pour de strictes raisons de sécurité". Selon l'institut de recherche, M. Thaksin a annulé cette rencontre pour "raisons de sécurité". La semaine dernière, le ministère français des Affaires étrangères avait indiqué que M. Thaksin avait renoncé à s'exprimer devant des journalistes à Paris, alors que l'institut avait assuré que le débat était maintenu. "Cette manifestation est maintenue et elle aura lieu, que le Quai d'Orsay le veuille ou non", avait alors assuré à l'AFP Fabien Baussart, président de l'institut de recherche.
M. Violences en Thaïlande : polémique sur le chef d'une commission. En Thaïlande, le gouvernement a nommé un ancien procureur général à la tête d'une commission d'enquête sur les affrontements des derniers mois entre les manifestants antigouvernementaux « chemises rouges » et les militaires. Des affrontements qui ont fait 90 morts et 2 000 blessés. Le parti d'opposition a immédiatement estimé que la nomination de ce magistrat proche du gouvernement montrait que l'enquête ne sera pas impartiale. Kanit Na Nakhon avait été nommé par le gouvernement mis en place après le coup d'Etat de 2006 pour mener une enquête sur les violations des droits de l'homme commises par le Premier ministre renversé Thaksin Shinawatra. L'homme est un aristocrate connu pour être proche des militaires et du Parti démocrate au pouvoir. Pour la formation pro-Thaksin d'opposition, le parti Pour les Thaïs, cela témoigne de ce que le gouvernement n'est pas prêt à ouvrir une enquête indépendante sur les affrontements entre manifestants et militaires de ces derniers mois.
Thailand top court seizes part of Thaksin fortune - F. Thailand's Supreme Court has ruled that former PM Thaksin Shinawatra's family should be stripped of more than half a contested $2.3bn fortune. The court said $1.4bn (£910m) of the assets were gained illegally through conflict of interest when Mr Thaksin was prime minister. The funds were frozen after Mr Thaksin's elected government was overthrown in a military coup in 2006. Mr Thaksin, who is living abroad, has denied any wrongdoing. The Supreme Court said "to seize all the money would be unfair since some of it was made before Thaksin became prime minister". The court took several hours to deliver its verdict, with security forces on high alert amid government predictions of violence by Mr Thaksin's red-shirted supporters if the court decision went against him. The judges said that Mr Thaksin shaped government mobile phone and satellite communications policy to benefit his firms.
Mr Thaksin addressed his supporters from Dubai after the verdict. "This is total political involvement. Thaksin Arrest Warrants Grow as Court Adds Terrorism Allegation. Foreign Policy In Focus | Redshirts: To Thai Middle Class They'r. BANGKOK — Nearly three days after the event, the country is still stunned by the military assault on the Redshirt encampment in the tourist center of this city. Captured Redshirt leaders and militants are treated like POWs and the lower class Redshirt mass-base like an occupied country. No doubt about it, a state of civil war exists in this country, and civil wars are never pretty. The last few weeks have hardened the Bangkok middle class in their view that the Redshirts are ‘terrorists’ in the pocket of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, at the same time convincing the lower classes that their electoral majority counts for nothing.
Pro-Thaksin versus anti-Thaksin: this discourse actually veils what is–to borrow Mao’s words–a class war with Thai characteristics. No doubt there will be stories told about the eight weeks of the ‘Bangkok Commune.’ Thai court rejects Thaksin assets appeal. 11 August 2010Last updated at 08:36 Mr Thaksin was ousted in a military coup in 2006 Thailand's top court has refused to hear an appeal by ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra against the seizure of assets worth almost $1.5bn (£950m).
The assets were frozen in 2006 when Mr Thaksin was overthrown in a military coup, and a court ordered in February that they should be seized. It ruled that they had been gained illegally through conflict of interest when he was prime minister. This is just one of a series of legal battles Mr Thaksin faces. He has also been accused of terrorism in connection with the recent anti-government protests in Bangkok. Judges ruled in February that Mr Thaksin, a telecommunications magnate, had shaped government mobile phone and satellite communications policy to benefit his firms.
They said that he had concealed his stake in the family telecoms business, Shin Corp, which was sold to the investment arm of the Singapore government for a large profit.