>From Times Online November 9, 2009 Thai government bans Thaksin Shinawatra interview with The Times (Charney Magri/The Times) Thaksin Shinawatra: wants reform of the monarchy Richard Lloyd Parry, Asia Editor The Thai government has banned an _interview in The Times_ (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6908493.ece) with the ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and warned that its security agencies will take “appropriate actions” against any media organisations that report his remarks about the country’s royal family. A spokesman for the current Thai prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, warned journalists not to report the contents of the interview and hinted that the government would use the country’s draconian lèse majesté law, which imposes sentences of up to 12 years in jail for “insulting” the ailing King, Bhumibol Adulyadej, or his family. According to the Bangkok Post, Mr Abhisit’s spokesman, Thepthai Senpong, said that “the comments in the interview were offensive to the royal institution” and said that the ruling Democrat Party will recommend “appropriate action” by the government and security agencies against media that report the interview. This evening internet users in Thailand reported that it had become impossible to access the news article, in which Mr Thaksin spoke of his hopes for his country after the death of the revered king. It is not clear whether this is a result of censorship, but Thailand’s ministry of information routinely blocks web pages that are deemed to contain information unflattering to the monarchy. “I would like to say that Thaksin's interview violates the monarchy, which is the country's main institution,” Kasit Piromya, Thailand’s foreign minister, said to reporters in Bangkok. “I wonder what the hidden agenda was that caused him to make this inappropriate move. In his interview there are several parts referring to His Majesty the King, the Crown Prince and the monarchy, and [they] also refer to His Majesty's role in politics.” He said that the country’s justice ministry would consider whether to charge Mr Thaksin with lèse majesté, on top of the two-year prison sentence imposed upon him in absentia for a corrupt land deal transacted during his five years as prime minister. To add to the tension, Mr Kasit said that Thailand will begin extradition proceedings against Mr Thaksin when he arrives in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh tomorrow. The attempt has little chance of succeeding because Mr Thaksin comes at the invitation of Cambodia’s prime minister, Hun Sen, who provoked uproar last week when he named the ousted prime minister as his “ economics adviser”. The appointment has caused dismay and anger in Thailand and aggravated the often testy relations between the two neighbours. The controversy about The Times interview focuses on Mr Thaksin’s remarks about Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. He emphasised his loyalty to Bhumibol, who has been in hospital for seven weeks, but spoke of his hopes for a less politicised royal palace after the king’s passing. “The monarchy is good for Thailand,” he said. “Thailand needs to have a monarchy but it should not be abused or played by the palace circles.” After the uproar caused in Thailand by the interview, Mr Thaksin issued a statement saying that The Times’s report was “distorted” and “untrue”. _The text of the interview_ (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6909258.ece) , posted on Times Online, matches the recording of the conversation and was transcribed by a press representative of Mr Thaksin. Unlike the news report, the transcript could still be viewed in Thailand this evening. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/camdisc Learn more - http://www.cambodia.org -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
