By Thai Newsroom Reporters
DE FACTO PHEU THAI boss Thaksin Shinawatra today (Aug. 26) unreluctantly shrugged off a fresh lawsuit filed in pursuit of dissolution of his largest ruling party, calling it “nothing but baloney.”
The billionaire power player, father of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, did not look concerned over the looming legal battle which he called “nothing but baloney” and stopped short of saying anything to defend the core of the current coalition government.
The Pheu Thai-dissolution-seeking case has already been filed to the Election Commission accusing Thaksin of illegally, practically exerting domineering influence and overpowering the party of which he himself could not be formally registered as a partisan member due to his having been earlier convicted by court and sentenced to jail, albeit without literally spending a single day behind bars.
Thaksin, who is spontaneously viewed by members of the general public as de facto Pheu Thai boss since his time in self-exile abroad for nearly a couple of decades earlier, has been separately charged with a lese majeste lawsuit where hearings on the case in the Criminal Court were scheduled to begin next year.
The de facto Pheu Thai boss has been allegedly playing a pivotal part in the power play behind the scenes over the setup of the Pheu Thai-led government following last year’s general election, the naming of court-deposed real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin for prime minister, allocation of cabinet portfolios among coalition partners and naming of his youngest daughter Paetongtarn the unrivalled Pheu Thai leader who has finally become the country’s second woman prime minister.
Paetongtarn today looked unconcerned over reporters’ questions about the latest case filed against her party and declined to comment on it.
Nevertheless, the whole Pheu Thai rank and file have categorically dismissed the allegations, either in legal or practical sense, despite the fact that they would usually, spontaneously call him “boss”, albeit in camera. They contended that Thaksin had been merely giving “solicited advice” to Paetongtarn just as a father would naturally do to his children.
It remains to be seen how the Election Commission, supposedly as one of the “independent” agencies, will move on the petition lodged in pursuit of the dissolution of Thaksin’s camp.
In 1998, the de facto Pheu Thai boss founded the once-ruling Thai Rak Thai with himself being elected prime minister until he was deposed in the 2006 coup and escaped abroad.
In 2007, the Thai Rak Thai was dissolved by court on grounds of electoral rigging charges and was resurrected as the People’s Power. In 2008, the short-lived People’s Power was dissolved by court on grounds of electoral rigging charges and was finally survived by the Pheu Thai.
However, the latest lawsuit filed against the Pheu Thai is apparently based on entirely different grounds.
The billionaire power player has been allegedly decidedly instrumental in the naming of two previous prime ministers and the current one, who are all closely related to himself, namely his brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat, his sister Yingluck Shinawatra, and finally his 38-year-old daughter Paetongtarn.
CAPTION:
Top and Front Page: De facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra. Photos: Thai Rath
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