Chavarat: 6m sign to oppose pardon

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• Bob

  Discussion 9 : 14/08/2009 at 09:37 AM9

  THIS ON THAI VISA.COM TODAY
  
  
  
  
  Civil Servants told to sign government petition or loose jobs
  By John Le Fevre
  
  
  Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul
  
  BANGKOK (thaivisa.com): -- Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul yesterday claimed more than six million people had signed a petition opposing the granting of a royal pardon for fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
  
  The claim came amidst increasing reports of a forced signature campaign being conducted throughout the country, with some civil servants claiming they have be ordered to sign the anti-Thaksin petition or loose their job.
  
  Likewise, some district, town and village administrators, most notably in the north and northeast of the country – traditional Thaksin strongholds – are claiming they have been instructed to obtain 100 percent support for the government petition from residents, or face dismissal and loose all central government budget funding.
  
  According to a number of civil servants in the Northern Province of Chiang Mai, each employee has been told to collect 100 signatures for the government’s rebuttal petition by Friday, August 14, or face dismissal.
  
  The reports from Chiang Mai match similar ones from the Northeastern Province of Chaiyaphum where the Interior Ministry appointed governor is reported to have summoned district and sub-district leaders to a meeting at City Hall on August 12 and instructed them they must obtain the signatures of all village residents - without exception.
  
  Also in Chaiyaphum, village tree planting ceremonies in honor of HM Queen Sirikit’s 77th birthday saw boxes of food being distributed to residents by the governor, with recipients only receiving the celebratory gifts after they penned their name to the government sponsored petition.
  
  Throughout the country reports are also gradually filtering out of people being paid to sign the rebuttal petition, with one government health officer in Chaiyaphum on August 9 openly paying those who signed the document Bt50 (about $US1.47) each.

• Stoaty

  Discussion 8 : 14/08/2009 at 12:32 AM8

  "The minister reiterated that the names of signatories would not be lodged in competition with those gathered by the red-shirts when the file their petition."
  
  Of course it won't be lodged - that would me actually having to PRODUCE the 75 million signatures. Without lodging the petition and having to show the evidence, they can continue claiming whatever numbers that suit their purpose.

• noi

  Discussion 7 : 13/08/2009 at 11:38 PM7

  Oh dear --What a thick skin chalatan!!! Who on earth ,even the PAD, could believe such hubris.
  Thai politics is so hedious. Why doesn't he make it to 60m that's would be more creditble

• Red Capitalist

  Discussion 6 : 13/08/2009 at 07:50 PM6

  With this ridiculous claim, Chavarat has lost his last bit of credibility.
  
  No one on earth, not even within his own gang, will believe such nonsense. All government copy machines combined do not have enough capacity to produce such a heap of forgeries.

• Paul

  Discussion 5 : 13/08/2009 at 06:34 PM5

  I seriously doubt Mr. Chavarat's claim! In the first place there hasn't been anywhere near enough time to get that many and secondly, the Democrats are capable of any underhanded scheme to thwart the UDD. They have no business sticking their nose in non-government business.

• anna

  Discussion 4 : 13/08/2009 at 06:28 PM4

  now, whose will examine the signatures of 6 millions people that signed?

• Sham

  Discussion 3 : 13/08/2009 at 06:11 PM3

  What rubbish....until now it was red but not govt is also gone mad....please forgive Thaksin and lets think about country's growth...

• shame

  Discussion 2 : 13/08/2009 at 05:46 PM2

  another 3 million signatures in two days Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul put brain into gear befire shooting mouth off.
  TIT

• Sammy

  Discussion 1 : 13/08/2009 at 05:05 PM1

  Don't be surprised if the number reaches 65 million before August 17. Sigh.....