By Thai Newsroom Reporters
DE FACTO PHEU THAI boss Thaksin Shinawatra today (March 14) categorically denied he had adopted any covert design against pro-Bhumjaithai senators, especially including those being currently suspected of involvement in electoral rigging scandals.
Thaksin, father of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, said he had never held any grudges against the pro-Bhumjaithai senators or other senior lawmakers and that he had been by no means involved in the legal action currently taken by the Department of Special Investigation against as many as 138 senators suspected in electoral rigging shenanigans over last year’s complicated, triple-tiered elections.
Thaksin contended that he had had “no power” to force any government agency to take action against the pro-Bhumjaithai senators, referring to as many as 138 senior lawmakers who could probably be accused of involvement in vote-buying, bloc-voting, money-laundering conspiracies allegedly orchestrated by politically-connected persons.
The billionaire power player was apparently referring to the DSI which has been handling the senatorial rigging allegations as a special case in which as many as 1,200 personal witnesses may be questioned by the agency with focus on money-laundering plots.
Justice Minister Thavi Sodsong, known as quietly responsive to the de facto Pheu Thai boss, had endorsed DSI Director-General Yutthana Praedam to launch the in-depth probe into the senatorial rigging scandals which could possibly render an indefinite suspension of any of the 138 senators from doing their legislative duties and a withholding of their monthly pay, pending court proceedings.
If finally found guilty in court, those pro-Bhumjaithai senators could possibly be immediately deprived of their legislative status and subject to criminal penalties whilst any political party could possibly be dissolved at an order of court if evidently found to have clandestinely orchestrated such electoral frauds.
Meanwhile, the de facto Pheu Thai boss admitted that de facto Bhumjaithai boss Newin Chidchob and Bhumjaithai leader-cum-Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had privately met with him at his Chan Song Lah house recently to discuss the senatorial rigging scandals, among other topics of common interest.
Without elaborating, the de facto Pheu Thai boss said he could not have done anything other than given them some “advice” about it.
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Top and Front Page: De facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra. Photos: Thai Rath
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