Monday, March 26, 2012

Thaksin talks, controversy follows

Source: Bangkok Post
March 26, 2012

Former prime minister made another phone-in to red-shirt supporters in the Northeast and one of his remarks has caused a bit of a controversy.

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Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra photographed earlier this year in Dubai.


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Courts say no red shirt bail talks with Thaksin

Ex-PM's remarks 'aimed at impressing backers'

Post Reporters

The Courts of Justice yesterday denied discussing bail releases for jailed red shirts with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, saying the fugitive politician had made the claim only to impress his supporters.

"He might have said this to impress his people but the truth is that there has never been a discussion," court spokesman Sitthisak Wanachakit said.

Thaksin said in a phone call to his supporters during a rally in the Northeast on Saturday that he was talking to judges about arranging the release on bail of red shirt detainees.

But Mr Sitthisak said: "Bail is handled on a case-by-case basis and concerns individuals, and a panel of judges is responsible for each case. It is impossible to talk with a judge to influence 100 cases."

He stressed that judges made their vow to His Majesty the King to work on the monarch's behalf to ensure justice and refrain from prejudice.

The Supreme Court president had also told the judges to adhere to justice. He said bail releases depended on laws, individual cases, the behaviour of the accused, the bail bond, and the decision of particular judges in charge.

The court spokesman declined to comment on whether Thaksin's remarks were in contempt of the court.

He said, however, the Courts of Justice had different levels of response to people who made statements with an intention to discredit it, ranging from seeking a simple explanation to legal prosecution of the wrongdoers.

Opposition and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Thaksin's remark implied the justice system could be influenced and it reflected the fact that Thaksin wanted a justice system that could be swayed. He asked whether society wanted that kind of justice system.

Thaksin fled overseas in 2008 to avoid a two-year jail term for abusing his authority to help his then-wife Potjaman na Pombejra buy a state-owned land plot in Bangkok.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai MP and red shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan said red shirts from Udon Thani and Nong Khai provinces would meet Thaksin in Vientiane, Laos, on April 12 and 13 and in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on April 14 and 15.

Mr Jatuporn said Thaksin missed his red shirt supporters, so he tried to be as close to Thailand as possible. Tens of thousands of Thai and Cambodian people are expected to join the Siem Reap meeting with Thaksin but he did not yet know whether Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen would attend.

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bail – money that is given to a court when someone is allowed to stay out of prison until their trial. If they do not return for the trial, the court keeps the money เงินประกัน; การประกันตัว
remark – something said คำพูด
aim – to have as your purpose or goal มีเป้าหมาย มีจุดมุ่งหมาย
impress – to cause someone to admire or respect you because of something that you have done or said ประทับใจ
backer – someone who strongly supports someone or something ผู้สนับสนุน
deny – to say that something is not true ปฏิเสธ
release – allowing someone to go free การปล่อยตัว
fugitive – someone who has been accused of doing something illegal and is trying to avoid being caught by the police ผู้หลบหนี
claim – saying that something is true although it has not been proved and other people may not believe it ข้ออ้าง ข้อกล่าวหา
rally – a large public gathering of people to support someone or to protest against something การชุมนุม
arrange – to plan or organize something in advance จัดเตรียม, เตรียมการ
detainee – someone who is kept in prison ผู้ที่ถูกกักขัง คุมขัง
case-by-case basis – each case is considered separately
concern – to be about เกี่ยวกับ
individual – a person considered separately rather than as part of a group บุคคล
panel – a group of people who make decisions or judgments คณะกรรมการ
responsible for – to have a duty to do something มีความรับผิดชอบ, มีความรับผิดชอบ
influence – to affect or change how someone or something develops, behaves or thinks มีอิทธิพลต่อ, ชักจูง อำนาจบังคับ
stress – to emphasise something; to say that something is important เน้นย้ำ
vow – a serious promise สาบาน
on behalf of – as a representative of ในนามของ ในฐานะของ
monarch – a king or queen กษัตริย์ หรือราชินี
ensure – to make certain that something happens or is done ให้การยืนยัน, รับรอง, ให้ความมั่นใจ
justice – a fair result or punishment from a court of law ความยุติธรรม
refrain – to stop yourself from doing something ระงับ เลิก
prejudice – an unreasonable opinion or feeling, especially the feeling of not liking a particular groups of people ความมีอคติ
supreme court – the highest court in a country ศาลฎีกา, ศาลสูงสุด
adhere to – to obey a rule, principle, law, agreement, etc. ยึดมั่น
behaviour – the way that someone acts or behaves พฤติกรรม, การกระทำตัว
bail bond – the amount of money given to a court for a person to go free on bail, plus a fee if a bail bondsman puts up the money
in charge – to be in control of an activity and to check that everything is being done correctly ดูแล ควบคุม
decline – to say politely that you will not do something ปฏิเสธที่จะทำ
comment – to express an opinion แสดงความคิดเห็น
contempt of court – the crime of refusing to obey an order made by a court; not showing respect for a court or judge การดูหมิ่นศาล
level – a position or rank in a scale of size or importance ระดับ
intention – a plan in your mind to do something ความตั้งใจ เจตนา
range from – having an upper and a lower limit in amount, number, etc ผันแปรภายในขอบเขตหนึ่ง
prosecution –the process of accusing someone of a crime and asking a court of law to judge them การดำเนินคดีตามกฎหมาย
opposition – of a political party that is not part of the government ฝ่ายค้าน
imply – to suggest that you think something without saying it directly บอกเป็นนัย, แสดงนัย
reflect – to show สะท้อน แสดงถึง
sway – to influence or change someone’s opinion — ทำให้โอนเอียง, โน้มน้าว, จูงใจ
fled (past of flee) – escaped; left an area very quickly because of a danger there หนีไป
overseas – in one or more foreign countries, especially those separated from your country by the sea or ocean ต่างประเทศ, ข้ามทะเล
avoid – to try to prevent something from happening หลีกเลี่ยง
abuse authority – to use of power in a bad, dishonest or unlawful way ใช้อำนาจในทางที่ผิด
state – government รัฐบาล
plot – a piece of land used for a particular purpose ที่ดินแปลงเล็ก
meanwhile – at the same time ในเวลาเดียวกัน
miss – to feel sad because you can no longer see somebody or do something that you like คิดถึง

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