By Thai Newsroom Reporters
A FRESH LAWSUIT IS being largely anticipated sooner than later to be filed against de facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra who had allegedly illicitly manipulated and directed a recent meeting of several leaders of coalition parties at his house.
Hours after the Pheu Thai-attached Srettha Thavisin had been deprived of his prime-ministerial status by the Constitutional Court last Wednesday, the billionaire, powerful Thaksin sponsored and directed the urgent, covert and unlawful meeting of the leading figures of all the coalition partners at his Chan Song Lah residence since he was legally considered as a convict on parole and an outsider of the Pheu Thai, core of the current coalition, of which he is largely regarded by the party’s rank and file and known to the general public as de facto party boss. He had been legally deemed as a convict on parole until he was legally freed by a royal pardon among a total of 50,000 convicts on Saturday.
Former Democrat MP Tepthai Senapong remarked that the de facto Pheu Thai boss had had no legal rights to involve himself in such political affairs and that he would likely be faced with a legal action to be lodged by a petitioner sooner than later.
Such a lawsuit could possibly be filed to the Election Commission against Thaksin and those coalition leaders evidently involved in the closed-door session at his residence on the Thonburi side of the capital which led to the naming of his daughter/Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra for an unrivalled, House-voted prime minister last Friday.
Participating in the clandestine meeting at Thaksin’s house were Bhumjaithai leader/acting deputy prime minister-cum-interior minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Palang Pracharath secretary-general/acting agriculture & cooperatives minister Thammanat Prompao, deputy Palang Pracharath leader/acting natural resources & environment minister Patcharawat Wongsuwan, Ruam Thai Sang Chart leader/acting energy minister Pirapan Salirathawipark, Ruam Thai Sang Chart secretary-general Ekkanat Prompan, Chart Thai Pattana leader/acting Social Development & Human Security minister Wiravut Silpa-archa, Prachachart leader/acting justice minister Thavi Sodsong and Thaksin’s right-hand man/former prime-ministerial secretary-general Prommin Lertsuridej.
If found guilty by court of illicitly dominating and steering the political activity at his house, the de facto Pheu Thai boss could possibly be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison whilst the parties of those coalition leaders ranging from the Pheu Thai to the Bhumjaithai, Palang Pracharath, Ruam Thai Sang Chart and others could possibly be dissolved with all members of their respective executive boards being prohibited by law from assuming political positions at any level for a 10-year period.
Meanwhile, Thaksin was accused of having violated the Prime Minister’s Office regulation by getting dressed in a white jacket specifically designed for a political official during yesterday’s reception of a royal edict to formally endorse his daughter as prime minister.
Thaksin was said to have no legal right to wear that type of uniform because he had been earlier convicted by court to a jail sentence, albeit without literally spending a single day behind bars.
In another development, Thaksin today (Aug. 19) attended a hearing in the Criminal Court on a lese majeste lawsuit earlier filed by the Office of the Attorney-General against the de facto Pheu Thai boss.
Thaksin had allegedly mentioned the monarchy whilst talking about the 2006 coup which had deposed him from elected premiership by then-army chief Sonthi Boonyaratkalin during an interview with a news agency in Seoul in 2015.
If found guilty by court, he could possibly be sentenced to a range of three to 15 years in jail.
CAPTIONS:
Top: De facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra wearing a special uniform together with his daughter Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra yesterday, Aug. 18, 2024. Photo: Naewna
Front Page: De facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra returning home after attending a hearing in the Criminal Court this morning, Aug. 19, 2024. Photo: Thai Rath
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