3 replies to this topic

[Sexpat]

"Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday defended the move to freeze the accounts of 83 individuals and organisations on suspicion of subsidising the red-shirted protest, saying his government has no political motivation to harass its rivals. "There'll be no problem if they can explain the transactions to the authorities," Abhisit said. "So just follow the procedures and report to the authorities."

The opposition Pheu Thai Party questioned the criteria and rationale for including persons or organisations on the list, since many people who used to work for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and later defected to the government were let off the hook.

The Anti-Money Laundering Office had pinpointed 86 individuals and organisations for possibly backing the red protests, but later former deputy premier Suriya Jungrungreangkit, Captain Manas Promphao and Khon Kaen red-shirt leader Ekaraj Changlao were removed, leaving 83 names on the blacklist. No clear explanation has been given for why the three were dropped from the list, but speculation ranges from close connections with the current government to even bribes being paid to clear their names.

Abhisit declined to comment on the changes, saying he did not have detailed information on the list since he was not a member of the CRES, which is chaired by his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban."But I understand the CRES has criteria in accordance with the anti-money laundering law," he said."

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/...e-30132013.html

[B.I.G.]

Abhisit declined to comment on the changes, saying he did not have detailed information on the list since he was not a member of the CRES, which is chaired by his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban.

I thought that the law passed by the junta made it mandatory that the prime minister act as head of the CRES, just to prevent it from becoming a military government within the government. This comment only confirms that Abhisit has become a puppet who doesn't have a clue what his sponsors in the army and the bureaucracy are doing to destroy political opposition and civil rights in this country. The CRES is running Thailand and Abhisit is perfectly willing to act as its front, just to keep his title as prime minister.

[TheYenta]

According to the Bangkok Pundit, if you look at the 150 Billion Baht numbers being mentioned, it sounds impressive until you realize that 80% of this money ( 118 Billion) involves the daily banking business operations of 14 legitimate Thai companies, some pubicly listed on the SET. There's also no indication of where the remaining 20% of the money going in and out of banks came from or ended up. In other words, the numbers are meaningless unless there's evidence of actual funding.

Even if it is shown that some money was used to finance the red shirt movement, no one has yet suggested why funding red shirt rallies is illegal. Because if it is, then someone better start looking to see who financed PAD's much longer occupation of Government House and the airport.

[Haloi]

Even if it is shown that some money was used to finance the red shirt movement, no one has yet suggested why funding red shirt rallies is illegal. Because if it is, then someone better start looking to see who financed PAD's much longer occupation of Government House and the airport.

Apropos your comment, I copies this from the link below:

Apart from the obvious entertainment value of public incompetence and elite hypocrisy, I am finding it hard to see the point of the Thai government’s faux outrage at the financial backing allegedly received by the red shirt protesters.

Does anyone still think that mass political campaigns don’t cost money? Does anyone think that thousands of protesters can mobilise out of thin air – without publicity, printing, transport, food, water, equipment, entertainment and medical support? Does the fact that some protestors receive financial assistance to leave their homes, farms and jobs really shock anyone? Has anyone tried to calculate what the red shirt rally might reasonably have cost?

Is it illegal or immoral to financially support political protest?

On the issue of the cost of the rally, let’s try out some rough figures. Let’s say, very conservatively, that 10,000 people were at the rally for 70 days. What would be a reasonable per head cost, that wouldn’t send the moral guardians of the nation into a panic? 100 baht per day? Surely that would be pretty tough going. So how about 500, just for argument’s sake? 500 baht x 10,000 people x 70 days = 350 million baht!

That’s a lot of money. But it was a very complex public event. (In fact it’s about the same as the amount the government was reported to have spent on Princess Galyani’s funeral in 2008.) So is it really so strange that associates of the red shirts, or the leaders themselves, would have had millions, or even tens of millions passing through their accounts ?"

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/