Thai senators file lese majeste complaint against former premier

Nov 10, 2009, 9:28 GMT

   Bangkok - A group of conservative Thai senators on Tuesday filed complaints of alleged lese majaeste against former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and The Times of London for an interview on the monarchy that appeared on the paper's website.

   The Siam Samakki Group, including 40 appointed senators, filed the complaints with Bangkok police, who must first investigate the charges before bringing the cases to court.

   The complaints were against Thaksin and Richard Loyd Parry, editor of the Asia edition of The Times, which on Monday published an interview with the former premier in which he referred to the Thai monarchy.

   It is against the law to insult or libel the king and the royal family in Thailand.

   Thaksin, a fugitive from Thai justice who has lived in self-exile since August 2008, has also initiated legal procedures against newspaper Times, which he claims falsely represented him.

   'I condemn Times Online for reporting lies and causing confusion over the matter. I want everyone to know I and my family are loyal to Their Majesties and are ready to sacrifice our lives for them,' he was quoted as saying by The Nation newspaper.

   The Thai government, led by Thaksin's political opponent Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, has requested a full transcript of the interview to determine whether the newspaper misrepresented Thaksin's comments on the monarchy.

   In the interview, as it appeared in The Times website, Thaksin supported the idea of a reform of the monarchy and said it was up to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 81, or his son Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn to provide him and other banned politicians with an amnesty to restore unity to Thai politics.

   'There is nobody left to make this thing happen. It can be the king or the crown prince, who is going to be the next king,' Thaksin said.

   The interview was published at a sensitive time, when King Bhumibol has been in hospital for almost two months and the succession issue is on people's minds.

   While King Bhumibol has been a source of unity and stability for Thailand over his 63-year reign, there are lingering questions whether his son will be able to inspire the same following.

   Thaksin, a former billionaire telecommunication tycoon who was premier from 2001 to 2006 before being toppled by a coup, has been fighting for a political comeback from abroad.

   On Tuesday he rattled the already poor Thai-Cambodia bilateral relations by visiting Cambodia to take up a post as economic advisor to the government and personal advisor to Prime Minister Hun Sen.

   The Cambodia appointment was deemed a diplomatic slap in the face for the current government.