18.08.09 Thaksin petition sent to govt for review
The Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary has forwarded
the petition seeking a royal pardon for ousted prime minister Thaksin
Shinawatra to the government for a recommendation.
After receiving the petition signed by up to 3.5 million people
submitted by 10 members of the pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy
Against Dictatorship (UDD), the Office of His Majesty's Principal
Private Secretary said in a statement it would ask the government to
review and provide a recommendation on the petition.
"This follows the traditional norm which has been applied to all petitions," the statement said.
The cabinet will meet today on the issue, said acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn.
The Justice Ministry will be assigned by the government to review the petition and decide if it is appropriate.
The review will include checking if the signatures are genuine.
The timeframe for the government to deal with and send back its
input to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary cannot
be determined at the moment, he said.
At Sanam Luang, 10 UDD members, dressed in black suits and red
neckties, led by Veera Musikhapong and five monks, handed in the
petition which was packed in 500 boxes wrapped in red cloth and carried
by 1,000 people.
Holding up a large portrait of His Majesty, the group paraded along
the streets to a gate of the Grand Palace through a large crowd.
Natthawut Saikua, a key UDD leader, later told the crowd 3.5 million people had signed the petition.
Over 30,000 red shirts gathered to submit the pardon petition for
Thaksin who was convicted last year by the Supreme Court's Criminal
Division for Holders of Political Positions for conflict of interest
related to his consent for his then-wife Khunying Potjaman's purchase
of land on Ratchadaphisek Road.
Thaksin yesterday assured his supporters their petition to seek a
royal pardon for him was "the right political move", hitting back at
critics for their opposing legal interpretation.
"Today, we're here to make a plea [to His Majesty the King],"
Thaksin said via a video link to the cheering crowd which had gathered
at Sanam Luang.
Thaksin also thanked his supporters, who flooded the grounds of, and streets around, Sanam Luang, for their efforts.
"I would like to thank you all. I am really overwhelmed," he said.
The ousted former prime minister expressed his loyalty to His
Majesty and the royal family, leading his supporters in singing the
royal anthem.
"Whenever a conflict has arisen, there has only been His Majesty who has been able to solve it," he said.
Opponents of the petition have said it is inappropriate because
Thaksin had never accepted his guilt nor served any of his jail term. Source: Bangkok Post, 18.08.09 http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/22215/thaksin-petition-sent-to-govt-for-review
| 
