By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE COURT-SUSPENDED prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suggested today (Aug.21) to virtually keep her distance from her power-playing father/de facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra for the time being now that she still has time to decide for herself whether to step down or stay put until the Constitutional Court delivers a verdict on an impeachment lawsuit filed against her next weekend.
Government critic/former MP Theptai Senapong advised the embattled Paetongtarn ultimately break free from her mega-billionaire father when it comes to the making of a decision on her own as to whether to call it quits or sit tight waiting for the Constitutional Court’s ruling scheduled for Aug.29 on the historic case in which she could probably be deposed of elected premiership if found guilty by court.
“If she keeps listening to her wayward father, she is definitely not going to step down because he would be merely telling her to never call it quits and to fight to the end.
“It’s time she got to be more of herself and make such a significant decision on her own once and for all,” the ex-MP said.
The embattled prime minister was said to have recently confided to aides that she has had enough of political turbulence and tensions and that she has contemplated calling it quits sooner or later.
Theptai suggested that Paetongtarn keep her personal credibility and reputation affected the least possible by resigning to preempt the court ruling and save herself from avoidable consequences to the extent that, he said, her political future be practically denied. If found guilty by court, the prime minister would not only be deprived of her premiership but be legally prohibited from engaging in political activity at any level ranging from a number of years to life.
Paetongtarn today gave testimony before the nine judges of the Constitutional Court for about one hour and a half after National Security Council Secretary-General Chatchai Bangchuad had supposedly testified in her favour an hour earlier.
The beleaguered prime minister, currently suspended by court from performing as head of government pending the court ruling, is given a one-week time to decide for herself whether to resign and preempt the Aug.29 judgment day due to the impeachment case accusing her of having perpetrated a severe breach of the ethical code and manifested lack of evident honesty allegedly tantamount to an act of treason during last June’s leaked cellphone chitchat with Cambodian leader Hun Sen pertaining to Thai-Cambodian border conflict, thus warranting the legal penalties to the extent that she be ousted by court as head of the Pheu Thai-led government.
Attributed to the allegedly unethical and dishonest conduct on the prime minister’s part were overly-submissive, naive attitudes evidently expressed during her leaked cellphone talk, asking Hun Sen whom she spontaneously called “uncle” to tell her what to do to satisfy him whilst calling Thailand’s Second Army Area Commander Lt.Gen. Boonsin Padklang “one of those on the opposite side” in regard to the unresolved Thai-Cambodian border disputes.
Kyoto University’s Southeast Asian Studies lecturer Pavin Chachavalpongpun posted on his Facebook to say Paetongtarn’s testimony at the Constitutional Court today was merely a “formality” arranged ahead of the Aug.29 judgment day since the judges were said to have already made up their minds whether to vote for or against the woman prime minister.
Thaksin has invariably expressed a high degree of confidence in his daughter’s survival over the impeachment lawsuit, given the possibility that she might be ruled not guilty with the judges considering her overly-compromising stand toward the Thai-Cambodian border issue an “inadvertent mistake” as had been the 2001 case of himself over assets concealment charges of which he was ruled not guilty with 8:7 votes cast in his favour in a previous Constitutional Court.
Armed with a smorgasbord of private resources and bargaining chips, the power player has earlier assured his daughter would be fighting the legal battle to the end whilst he himself has quietly, clandestinely conducted all-in lobbyism to keep her in power.
Some government critics have predicted Thaksin’s daughter will barely survive, albeit with a narrow 5:4 vote among the total of nine judges of the Constitutional Court, whilst others have forecast she will likely be doomed with an overwhelming ouster by court.
Meanwhile, a lese majeste lawsuit filed against Paetongtarn’s father and scheduled to be ruled by the Criminal Court tomorrow (Aug.22) could probably be turned into a prolonged legal battle between the de facto Pheu Thai boss and public prosecutors in the Appellate Court and Supreme Court in years to come. If the court of justice is handing out a ruling in his favour, the prosecutors will likely proceed to the Appellate Court and vice versa.
Thaksin had reportedly mentioned the monarchy for alleged involvement in the 2014 coup staged by former army chief-turned-prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to depose his sister/fugitive prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra from power during an interview with a news agency in Seoul in the following year.
Those found guilty by court of lese majeste charges may be sentenced to a range of three to 15 years in jail.
Thaksin who had been ousted in the 2006 coup categorically dismissed the lese majeste charges, saying he had never mentioned the monarchy though he had reportedly used the words “palace circle” in relation to the coup during his interview with Chosun Media in the South Korean capital.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page: Suspended prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her father/de facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra. Both photos: Thai Rath
First insert: Theptai Senapong, Photo: Naewna
Second insert: Pavin Chachavalpongpun. Photo: Thai Rath
Also read:
Paetongtarn in court: Body language shows pressure
Paetongtarn advised to admit making mistake during chitchat with Hun Sen
Paetongtarn’s refusal to step down means predicted survival in court: Academic
Paetongtarn urged to step down due to Pheu Thai-led govt’s instability
Thaksin anticipates Paetongtarn’s survival over impeachment bid
Paetongtarn arrives at Constitutional Court to testify in impeachment case
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