Chuan slams govt over Thaksin’s lenient treament
The government failed to enforce the rule of law in Thaksin’s case, whose term was reduced by unprecedented royal clemency, says the former PM
Democrat Party MP Chuan Leekpai said on Tuesday that the government should have ensured former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra served at least a year in jail, in line with the clemency granted by His Majesty, rather than allowing him to avoid detention.
Chuan, a former premier and ex-Democrat leader, said Thaksin had received unprecedented royal clemency, which reduced his prison term from eight years to just one.
“It was a great kindness from the King. Tell me, how many people have had their jail term reduced from eight years to one? I’ve never heard of it,” Chuan said.
“The King’s clemency must be implemented strictly. Since the term was reduced to one year, he should have been imprisoned for that period rather than avoiding detention by staying elsewhere.”
Thaksin returned to Thailand from self-imposed exile on August 22 last year, after Pheu Thai Party became coalition leader.
Initially sentenced to eight years over corruption cases, he was sent to the Bangkok Remand Prison but was allowed to leave on the same night, citing deteriorating health.
Instead of serving time behind bars, he spent six months being “detained” in a VIP room on the 14th floor of a building in the Police General Hospital complex. His jail term was subsequently reduced by royal clemency to one year, and he was released on parole after the six-month hospital stay.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) later called on the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to investigate whether Thaksin received preferential treatment compared to other inmates. On December 16, the NACC resolved to investigate the 12 government officials for allegedly allowing Thaksin to remain in hospital instead of serving time in prison.
Chuan criticised the government, saying that it had the mandate to enforce the law and should have upheld the rule of law without exception.
“Why has it allowed the person who caused damage to the public to escape penalties?” he asked.
Thought the Democrat Party is a coalition partner, Chuan was among the few Democrats who were against the party joining the Pheu Thai-led coalition.
He emphasised that the government had the duty to uphold the rule of law, regardless of who is prime minister. This was in response to a reporter’s question about whether the government could be expected to act against Thaksin, given that his daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, is now the prime minister.
Chuan responded saying he believes the public recognises the violation of the rule of law in Thaksin’s case. He added that he was awaiting the NACC’s decision to see whether it would take steps to uphold the rule of law in the matter.
He further stated that mainstream Democrats would continue to raise issues they previously used to criticise the Pheu Thai government, such as land grabbing inside the Khao Kradong Forest Park in Buri Ram and the use of temple land for the Alpine Golf Course in Pathum Thani.
On the contentious memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Thailand and Cambodia regarding overlapping claims in the Gulf of Thailand, Chuan revealed that former premier Abhisit Vejjajiva had told him that Foreign Ministry officials were against the MoU. However, he said, the foreign minister at the time was compelled to sign the MoU in 2001 to appease Thaksin, who was then prime minister.
