Thaksin vows to fight until he gets justice

23/02/2010
Bangk0k Post

Thaksin Shinawatra insists he was rich before becoming premier, that he and his family have done nothing wrong, and that he will continue his legal fight until he receives justice.

Thaksin yesterday spoke from an undisclosed location via a video link to a gathering of the opposition Puea Thai Party at a Bangkok hotel last night ahead of the Supreme Court's verdict on Friday on his 76 billion baht asset seizure case.

"As long as justice does not happen, the fight will never stop," the former prime minister said.

"I am willing to negotiate but if [I] am persecuted and bullied, I will not tolerate it."

Thaksin fled a 2-year jail term handed down in October 2008 by the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions after it found him guilty of abuse of authority by helping his wife win a bid for a Ratchadaphisek property seven years ago.

"Let's pardon every party and start anew. I admit that I am hurt more than others. Do not tell me to bow and you do not bow but also take [my] assets. This is too harsh ... If everyone takes a few steps back, the nation will return to normal. Otherwise, the nation will be in chaos," Thaksin said in the discussion on the direction for Thailand in 2010 organised by Puea Thai.

The nation needs to reconcile or it will not progress, Thaksin said.

He said he still had the support of the red shirts. He denied these same red shirts had caused riots in Pattaya and Bangkok in April last year. He blamed the government for causing the unrest.

The Supreme Court will hand down its verdict on Friday on whether to confiscate 76 billion baht in assets belonging to Thaksin and his family.

The prosecution indicted Thaksin for having accumulated the wealth illegally through abuse of his authority while he was prime minister.

Thaksin said last night he had been rich before he became prime minister. He said when he had been foreign minister, Forbes magazine had reported he was worth over 60 billion baht.

He said that most of the judges hearing his assets trial were respected. He trusted they would do their best to guarantee justice and that he respected the justice system. But if there was foul play, he would be upset.

He confirmed he had a plan to bring the case involving his political fate to the International Court of Justice.

He said the the filing of the case was possible because the international court accepted disputes between individuals and their governments. Those who said it was impossible to seek the international court's intervention obviously did not know this, he said.

Thaksin, who was ousted in the Sept 19, 2006, coup said 2010 would surely be the time to amend the charter which the red shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship has described as the fruits of the coup makers.

He said the constitution would have to be made more democratic and that, as suggested earlier, the 1997 constitution should be brought back.

Thaksin said the economy this year would not perform as poorly as last year but there would not be a great improvement either. He said if he returned to Thailand, he would help revive the national economy.