Anti-Thaksin groups split over result

ELECTION 2007

Anti-Thaksin groups split over result

Former PM warned to stay out of politics

POST REPORTERS

Anti-Thaksin groups are split over the outcome of Sunday's general election, which saw the People Power party (PPP) backed by ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra winning the most seats. While the Campaign for Popular Democracy (CPD) accepted the election results, the Isan People Network planned to protest against any prospective coalition government led by the PPP.

The CPD, led by secretary-general Suriyasai Katasila, declared it had accepted the results of the general election in a statement yesterday, but warned the deposed prime minister to stay out of politics. The former prime minister should cut out any intervention in politics and respect the country's judiciary system so Thai politics can move forward, the CPD said.

With the PPP winning the majority of House seats, the CPD said it is ready to accept and respect the poll results and also the new government formed after the election.

The CPD will cooperate and support the new government, but at the same time will continue to act as a political watchdog outside the parliament.

However, the CPD will oppose any plan to grant an amnesty to Mr Thaksin and the other 110 former executives of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai party (TRT) and any plan to dissolve the Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC).

These plans would damage the public's trust in the judicial system and could lead to further rifts in the country, it warned.

Pibhop Dhongchai, a former key member of the People's Alliance for Democracy, warned Mr Samak on Sunday night not to try to protect Mr Thaksin or shut down the ASC because that would bring back the political turmoil before the Sept 19, 2006, coup.

''The People Power party cannot cite its majority vote to protect Mr Thaksin. It should learn the lesson in which the Thai Rak Thai party cited its 19 million votes and did wrong by evading tax and having conflicts of interest,'' he said.

But the Isan People Network announced it will rally in an effort to evict the new coalition government if it is led by the PPP. Praphas Ngoksoongnoen, the network's president, added that the PPP had never talked about its plan to relieve farmers' debts during its election campaign.

PPP candidates only talked about their ambition to help Mr Thaksin return to Thailand.

He believes the PPP will run the country the same way the dissolved TRT party had run it in the past. When it was the ruling party the TRT never tried to seriously solve farmers' debt problems, said Mr Praphas.

According to Mr Praphas, he and other core members of the network will map out their plans to rally against the new government on Thursday.

Mr Praphas sees any new PPP-led government and the appointment of PPP leader Samak Sundaravej as prime minister as the reinstatement of the old power clique.