Thailand Politics

Thai Officials Wary of Potential Backlash Over Targeting Yingluck Shinawatra

Ms. Yingluck, elected in a landslide in 2011, described the timing of the impeachment case as “weird” given that the military seized power last May and she holds no political title.

BANGKOK – Thailand’s Military backed Government is worried that impeachment proceedings against former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra could spark a backlash that threatens to unravel the country’s fragile peace.

The military-appointed legislature will rule Friday on whether to ban former Ms. Yingluck from politics for bungling a multibillion-dollar rice subsidy before last year’s coup d’état. But some junta officials question the wisdom of targeting a politician who has already been ousted from office and remains deeply popular among her supporters.

“Our mission is to bring the country together,” said one official on condition of anonymity. “But this impeachment is just creating another mess for us to clean up.”

Ms. Yingluck, elected in a landslide in 2011, described the timing of the impeachment case as “weird” given that the military seized power last May and she holds no political title. The case relates to losses incurred by the state after it paid up to double the market rate to farmers for their rice in a bid to steer global prices higher.

The subsidy plan failed, in large part because rival exporters such as India and Vietnam filled the gap in the global market. The subsequent controversy that erupted over the plan helped fuel anger among antigovernment protesters. Ms. Yingluck was suspended from office weeks before the military seized power when Thailand’s independent anticorruption agency ruled she had mishandled the subsidy.

Impeachment hearings can be heard retroactively in Thailand, however, and the verdict on Ms. Yingluck’s case due to be heard at the military-appointed National Legislative Assembly, threatens to upset the relative calm that has held sway in Thailand since last May’s coup.

Along with prohibiting Ms. Yingluck from participating in any elections in the next five years, a guilty finding could also lead to criminal charges.

Security officials say they are especially concerned about the reaction in vote-rich northeast Thailand, a core base of support for Ms. Yingluck and her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra , who was ousted in an earlier coup in 2006 and now lives overseas.

Political analysts such as Pavin Chachavalpongpun at Kyoto University in Japan suggest Prayuth Chan-ocha, junta chief and prime minister, and other top junta officials had initially intended to protect Ms. Yingluck. But they found themselves outflanked by hard-line royalists who want to prevent Mr. Thaksin and Ms. Yingluck having any kind of political voice.

Now, the junta is going along with Ms. Yingluck’s impeachment, or at least not doing much to stop it, analysts say, in part to placate the country’s influential bureaucratic and royalist elites.

“The military wants to stay in power as long as possible to oversee any succession,” Mr. Pavin, a Thai citizen, said.

Tensions, though, are escalating as a result. Ms. Yingluck denies doing anything wrong, while her supporters continue to vigorously defend her.

Some of her former ministers took to YouTube to justify the rice subsidy plan after they were refused permission to talk to the legislature. Former Finance Minister Kittiratt Na Ranong described the policy as an investment in future, designed to boost rural incomes and diversify Thailand’s volatile export-driven economy.

Moreover, other supporters noted, Ms. Yingluck’s landslide election win in 2011 showed that millions of Thais had backed the rice program, which was a major campaign pledge for her. Analysts say little evidence has been presented to support the notion that Ms. Yingluck or other politicians were doing anything more than pursuing a misguided political policy.

Gen. Prayuth, who led May’s coup, warned Ms. Yingluck’s supporters on Monday not to take to the streets in protest, reminding people that martial law is still in effect.

Besides Ms. Yingluck, two prominent legislators, former house speaker Somsak Kiatsuranon and former senate president Nikhom Wairatpanich, are also facing impeachment proceedings, this time for supporting parliamentary moves to amend Thailand’s constitution to allow for a fully-elected senate.

They also deny any wrongdoing. But if the lawmakers are convicted, analysts say it would pave the way for hundreds of pro-Thaksin politicians who supported the motion to be impeached, too.

By James Hookway

Thailand Politics

Thai Prime Minister’s Popularity Declines as Move Forward Party dominates

(CTN News) – Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin continues to make local and international visits to try to solve problems and promote Thailand, but he has failed to impress most voters, according to a Nida poll. The poll also revealed the declining popularity of Pheu Thai Party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra and the rise of the Move Forward Party.

According to a poll released on Sunday, only 12.85% of people supported the prime minister, down from 17.75% in the previous survey. The daughter of convicted former Prime Minister Thaksin, currently on parole, saw her popularity drop from 6% to 4.85%.

The National Institute of Development Administration conducts a quarterly survey of the public’s preferred political leaders. The last survey was released at the end of March.

According to the survey, supporters of the prime minister described Mr Srettha as a resolute decision-maker determined to address their problems. Ms Paetongtarn was complimented for her vision, leadership, knowledge, and grasp of the country’s difficulties.

This weekend, the prime minister will be in the northeast region listening to citizens’ concerns. The journey occurred only a few days after he had visited northern provinces earlier in the week.

Despite criticism, he has reduced his abroad trips, citing the need to showcase Thailand to investors and traders.

Pita Limjaroenrat, the chief advisor of the Move Forward Party, remained the top candidate for prime minister with 45.50% of the vote, up slightly from 42.75% in the previous quarter’s poll.

Pirapan Salirathavibhaga was the huge winner. The leader of the United Thai National Party saw his popularity nearly quadruple from 3.55% to 6.85%.

The sampled voters stated they appreciated Mr Pita’s political beliefs and thought he had broad knowledge. They praised Mr Pirapan’s credibility, claiming he was clean and honest.

Two other probable prime minister candidates were Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan of the Thai Sang Thai Party and Anutin Chanvirakul, leader of Bhumjaithai. However, they were less popular than others.

About 20% of voters still did not believe any candidate was qualified to lead the country, which is the same percentage as in the last survey.

Move Forward Party was the most popular party with 49.20%, up slightly from three months ago, while Pheu Thai fell around five percentage points to 16.85% from 22.10%.

The poll, issued on Sunday, surveyed 2,000 ineligible voters between June 14 and June 18.

Thailand Politics

Move Forward Party MP Jirat Thongsuwan Appeals Suspended Jail Sentence for Defamation

(CTN News) – Jirat Thongsuwan, a Move Forward Party MP, says he would appeal his one-year suspended jail sentence for defaming a former senior defense ministry official concerning the state’s procurement of bogus bomb detectors.

The Criminal Court also fined Mr Jirat 100,000 baht for falsely accusing ACM Tharet Punsri, a former Air Force chief-of-staff who later became the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, of being the chairman and shareholder of a company that supplied the military with the infamous GT200 bomb detectors.

The Chachoengsao MP claimed a July 20, 2022, no-confidence vote against cabinet ministers in Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha’s government. ACM Tharet was not a cabinet member.

Jirat Thongsuwan also identified ACM Tharet as a key figure in the 2006 coup headed by then-army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, which overthrew Thaksin Shinawatra.

ACM Tharet told the court that Jirat Thongsuwan’s charges were false and harmed his reputation. He denied involvement with the bomb detection company and said he was not the company’s senior chairman or shareholder.

In addition to the suspended jail term and fine, the court ordered Jirat Thongsuwan to pay $ 500,000 baht in damages to ACM Tharet and publish an apology in three newspapers for five days.

Jirat Thongsuwan later announced on his X account that he had challenged the verdict with the hashtag “An injustice is infuriating”.

The MP has also been accused of dodging required military conscription. He admitted to the accusation on May 8.

A British business promoted the GT200 as a “remote substance detector” and sold it in several countries. Between 2004 and 2009, fourteen Thai government organizations, most of which were military, were projected to spend 1.4 billion baht on the units.

Concerns about the GT200 and related gadgets arose after the National Science and Technology Development Agency discovered they lacked electronic components.

The devices were later revealed to be “divining rods”.

Thailand Politics

Thaksin Shinawatra Files 100 Million Baht Defamation Lawsuit Against Warong Dechgitvigrom

(CTN News) – Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister, has launched a defamation action against Warong Dechgitvigrom, the head of the Thai Pakdee Party, accusing him of paying a bribe to be released on bail in a lese majeste case.

Thaksin’s attorney, Winyat Chartmontree, filed a lawsuit against Warong, seeking 100 million baht in damages.

Warong, a long-time Thaksin Shinawatra critic, gave a public statement and posted on social media, saying that 2 billion baht was paid to judicial officials in exchange for release on bail in the lese majeste case.

Thaksin Shinawatra Granted Release on 500,000 Baht Bond

Thaksin was granted release on a 500,000 baht bond last week and told not to leave the country without court authorization after pleading innocent to charges of defaming King Rama IX in a 2015 interview with South Korean media.

Winyat stated that, while Warong did not identify Thaksin Shinawatra by name in his speech or post, he did include a hashtag with Thaksin’s name as well as the date Thaksin must appear in court, allowing readers to connect Thaksin to the allegations.

Winyat further stated that he was investigating the fact that Warong mentioned the specific aircraft and automobiles utilized by Thaksin Shinawatra to violate the Personal Data Protection Act.

“I have requested Mr Warong to provide proof as to where he received the data. “If it turns out that it came from state officials, there will be legal consequences,” he warned.

The Criminal Court has scheduled the case’s preliminary hearing for September 30.