Thai protesters march ahead of Thaksin land ruling

BANGKOK – Thousands of people marched in central Bangkok yesterday to denounce alleged police brutality earlier this month when two people died and hundreds were injured in clashes between anti-government protesters and riot police.

The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which has occupied the prime minister’s compound since August, said it was bringing thousands more to the capital ahead of a court ruling in a graft case against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra today. “Wanted: Somchai Wongsawat, Murderer,” read one placard, referring to the present prime minister, whom the PAD accuses of ordering police to disperse a crowd in front of parliament on October 7, which led to the violence.Somchai, a brother-in-law of Thaksin, has come under pressure from military leaders to quit to take responsibility for the fatal clashes, but he has said he will wait for the result of an investigation before deciding on his political future.The PAD march, which caused traffic jams in a main shopping area for an hour, was peaceful as protesters distributed books and CDs of photos they said showed police brutality.Thailand’s Supreme Court is due to rule today on whether Thaksin, at the heart of Thailand’s political crisis over the past three years, was guilty of a conflict of interest for allowing his wife to bid for a government land plot.The ruling is the first in a spate of corruption charges against Thaksin and his political associates prepared by graft investigators appointed after a military coup in 2006.If found guilty, Thaksin, who skipped bail in August and now lives in Britain with his wife and adult children, faces up to 10 years in jail.He cannot appeal against the verdict.PAD leaders, who accuse the government of being a proxy for Thaksin, said on Sunday they were afraid pro-government elements might try to stop the court delivering its verdict, but government supporters denied this.”It just a tactic by the PAD to bring more people to the rally.We have no reason to do that,” Jatuporn Prompan, a member of parliament with the ruling People Power Party told Reuters, referring to allegations it wanted to disrupt court proceedings.The political crisis dates back to 2005 when the PAD, which has the explicit backing of Queen Sirikit, launched street protests against Thaksin.It has meandered through a coup to elections and back to protests and shows no signs of resolution.Nampa-Reuters”Wanted: Somchai Wongsawat, Murderer,” read one placard, referring to the present prime minister, whom the PAD accuses of ordering police to disperse a crowd in front of parliament on October 7, which led to the violence.Somchai, a brother-in-law of Thaksin, has come under pressure from military leaders to quit to take responsibility for the fatal clashes, but he has said he will wait for the result of an investigation before deciding on his political future.The PAD march, which caused traffic jams in a main shopping area for an hour, was peaceful as protesters distributed books and CDs of photos they said showed police brutality.Thailand’s Supreme Court is due to rule today on whether Thaksin, at the heart of Thailand’s political crisis over the past three years, was guilty of a conflict of interest for allowing his wife to bid for a government land plot.The ruling is the first in a spate of corruption charges against Thaksin and his political associates prepared by graft investigators appointed after a military coup in 2006.If found guilty, Thaksin, who skipped bail in August and now lives in Britain with his wife and adult children, faces up to 10 years in jail.He cannot appeal against the verdict.PAD leaders, who accuse the government of being a proxy for Thaksin, said on Sunday they were afraid pro-government elements might try to stop the court delivering its verdict, but government supporters denied this.”It just a tactic by the PAD to bring more people to the rally.We have no reason to do that,” Jatuporn Prompan, a member of parliament with the ruling People Power Party told Reuters, referring to allegations it wanted to disrupt court proceedings.The political crisis dates back to 2005 when the PAD, which has the explicit backing of Queen Sirikit, launched street protests against Thaksin.It has meandered through a coup to elections and back to protests and shows no signs of resolution.Nampa-Reuters