Criminal Wanted: Thaksin and Pojamarn

By Veera Prateepchaikul

With the odds seemingly piling up against him, the question most people want answered is what Thaksin Shinawatra will do next - throw in the towel and quit politics for good, or fight on like a cornered animal?

By now, everyone should have heard about the shocking prison sentence handed down by the Criminal Court against Potjaman Shinawatra, her stepbrother Bannapot Damapong and her secretary Kanchana Honghern after they were found guilty of tax evasion.

The sentence itself, three years for Khunying Potjaman and Bannapot and two for Kanchana, was not as hard-hitting and embarrassing as was the court's written reproach against the former first lady and Bannapot.

It reads: "The second defendant [Potjaman] was the wife of a holder of the top national political office who aside from being bound to behave like a decent citizen was expected to set a good example befitting her economic and social status... The amount of taxes to be paid by the first defendant [Bannapot] in accordance with the law and was finally paid by the second defendant [Potjaman] on his behalf could not be compared with the amount of assets held by the second defendant and her family at the time."

Although the case is not final and will definitely drag on up to the Supreme Court, all I can say about the case and its key players is that it is just the Buddhist law of karma.

But the karma does not end there for the Shinawatra family. Khunying Potjaman and her husband, former prime minister Thaksin, are being tried in the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions for alleged wrongdoing in the Ratchadaphisek land scandal. Two other cases against Mr Thaksin, namely the lottery case and the Exim Bank's Burma loan case, are still pending in the same court. Five additional cases, all involving alleged abuse of authority, are pending with the Office of the Attorney-General against Mr Thaksin and his cronies.

With the odds seemingly piling up against Mr Thaksin - including the conviction of his wife, the recent imprisonment of three members of his legal staff in connection with 2.2 million baht in bribe money stuffed in a lunch box, plus a series of legal cases against him - the questions that most people want to know are: What will Thaksin do next? Will he, this time, throw in the towel and quit politics for good? Or will he fight on like a cornered animal?

Some analysts believe Thaksin is discouraged by the legal odds against him and may really want to wash his hands of politics to save his own skin and that of his family. They cite the latest cabinet shakeup, almost completely handled by the so-called Gang of Four - Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, his secretary-general Theerapol Nopparampa, Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee and Newin Chidchob - with scarcely any interference from the real boss.

It will be a blessing for the country if Thaksin really quits politics and doesn't continue to pull the strings.

It will also be much better if he takes a long leave of absence from the country to let the political situation settle peacefully and the political divide gradually heal.

Like it or not, Thaksin himself is the only real problem with our political predicament.

So will the legal mess change Thaksin?

Despite his earlier pledges to leave politics, that now ring hollow, and his occasional sweet words for the country, there have been no concrete actions to back up the rhetoric.

Political manoeuvring, both in the open and underground, have been fiercely waged by his cronies and followers to discredit independent organisations such as the National Counter Corruption Commission and the Election Commission which were blamed for all the troubles befalling Thaksin and Co.

And they have moved to seize control of certain independent agencies which have persistently defied political interference. Such a move on the Bank of Thailand was manifested by the government's appointment of a new bank board which is heavily infiltrated with Thaksin cronies.

The self-serving bid to rewrite the constitution which was primarily intended to exonerate the former Thai Rak Thai executives exiled into the political wilderness has been postponed for now. But once launched, it will amount to pouring fuel on the fire and the People's Alliance for Democracy will step up its protest against the government with the potential that, this time, violence may be inevitable if the pro-government force opts for a showdown.

Again, if Thaksin really wants to quit politics and to see national reconciliation, our country would not have descended to the brink and we would not have to so hopelessly ask: When will blood be spilled again?

Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=129295