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.
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