Fugitive former Thai premier urges unity (Roundup)

Bangkok - Fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra on Saturday called for unity in addressing the country's problems in a pre-recorded message to tens of thousands of his supporters at a rally in Bangkok. A planned phone-in address to the rally at Bangkok's Suphachalasai Stadium was cancelled, apparently owing to 'blockage' by authorities, according to Veera Musigapong, one of the organizers of the pro-Thaksin event. In his pre-recorded message, Thaksin urged 'all parties to join hands in looking to the future to solve the country's problems.' He blamed the recent political chaos, that has polarized the country into pro-Thaksin and anti-Thaksin camps, on 'political interference' by unnamed parties. Thaksin denied accusations that he was opposed to the Thai monarchy, claiming loyalty to the institution, but warned that it should not be politicized. About 40,000 Thaksin followers had gathered at the stadium Saturday evening to hear Thaksin's pre-recorded message from 'a country close by,' according to organizers. There was widespread disappointment from the crowd that live phone-in had been cancelled. 'I love Thaksin,' said Plasert Thongsana, 58, from Lat Krabang district in Bangkok. 'Thaksin's policies really helped the grass roots,' he added of Thaksin's well-known populist policies that won him a huge backing among Thailand's urban and rural poor. Thaksin, who has been living in self-exile since August and faces a two-year jail term in Thailand for abuse of power when he was premier in 2003, addressed a similar audience on November 13 of an estimated 60,000 followers. On that occasion Thaksin said his return to Thailand would depend on the leniency of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej 'or the power of the people.' The fugitive former leader has indicated that he wishes to return to Thai politics, which he has in fact never left. In his planned phone-in message, Thaksin had been expected to try to influence the outcome of the scheduled parliament session on Monday to vote in a new prime minister, close aides to the former premier said. The leading candidate for the premiership is Democrat Party chief Abhisit Vejjajiva, who over the past week mustered the support of four smaller parties and a breakaway faction of Thaksin's former People Power Party to secure enough votes to lead a new coalition government. But nothing is certain until the votes are counted Monday. Members of parliament have been offered up to 50 million baht (1.5 million dollars) to switch over to Thaksin's camp, close aides of his confirmed. Thaksin, who was prime minister between 2001 to 2006, secured himself a mass following among Thailand's rural poor, especially in the impoverished north-eastern provinces - where half the population lives - by implementing populist policies such as cheap health care and distributing district level development funds. The Thai business community has come out in favour of a coalition government under Abhisit, partly because of fears that another government under a Thaksin 'proxy' will bring the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) back to the streets. The PAD, a staunchly anti-Thaksin movement, seized Bangkok's two airports between November 26 to December 3, in their efforts to bring down the previous government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, Thaksin's brother-in-law. They declared victory when the Constitution Court dissolved the pro-Thaksin People Power Party for committing election fraud in the December 23, 2007 polls, and banned its executives, including Somchai, from holding office. The PAD, which is known to enjoy the support of Thailand's political elite and many members of the middle class, has vowed to return to the streets if another pro-Thaksin government comes to power after Monday. The one-week closure of Bangkok's two airports has lost Thailand's incalculable losses in terms of exports and tourism, and has turned many against the movement. 'I think the PAD's closure of the airports will make it very hard for me to find a job next year,' said Patrichapit Panpaeng, 19, a hotel management student who had joined the red-shirt rally.