Thai PM meets with Attorney General on eve of major decision in case
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra met one-on-one with Attorney General Prachara Yutithamdamrong, the evening before the AG was to decide whether to seek dissolution of the PM's ruling party on electoral fraud charges.
Prachara said the meeting was not about the electoral fraud case, but rather the unrelated issue of unrest in the Southern provinces. No explanation was given as to the bizarre and highly unlikely timing of the meeting. No transcripts, summaries or minutes of their discussion were made available.
That Prachara agreed to hold such a meeting on the eve of an important decision involving the PM raises obvious concerns about Prachara's judgment, at best, and integrity, at worst.
The next day, Prachara issued his recommendation. The AG recommended not just the dissolution of Thai Rak Thai (TRT), but all five major political parties in Thailand.
As strategy, the AG's 'loaded' recommendation is quite brilliant in that it will most likely result in no party being dissolved, since all would have to be. It is highly unlikely that the Constitution Court would ever agree to dissolve all stakeholders in the current political process.
At the same time, the AG's recommendation provides perfect political cover for both Prachara and Thaksin by seeming to go against the ruling party.
The Constitution Court has no particular deadline for ruling on this matter, so the current political impasse could stretch well into 2007, believe it or not, as a firm date for new elections (tentatively scheduled for Oct 15) will probably not be set until the case is resolved.
Prachara said the meeting was not about the electoral fraud case, but rather the unrelated issue of unrest in the Southern provinces. No explanation was given as to the bizarre and highly unlikely timing of the meeting. No transcripts, summaries or minutes of their discussion were made available.
That Prachara agreed to hold such a meeting on the eve of an important decision involving the PM raises obvious concerns about Prachara's judgment, at best, and integrity, at worst.
The next day, Prachara issued his recommendation. The AG recommended not just the dissolution of Thai Rak Thai (TRT), but all five major political parties in Thailand.
As strategy, the AG's 'loaded' recommendation is quite brilliant in that it will most likely result in no party being dissolved, since all would have to be. It is highly unlikely that the Constitution Court would ever agree to dissolve all stakeholders in the current political process.
At the same time, the AG's recommendation provides perfect political cover for both Prachara and Thaksin by seeming to go against the ruling party.
The Constitution Court has no particular deadline for ruling on this matter, so the current political impasse could stretch well into 2007, believe it or not, as a firm date for new elections (tentatively scheduled for Oct 15) will probably not be set until the case is resolved.
posted by realthailand at
6:28 AM
