Pro-Thaksin activities picking up momentum

Friends in the forces to rally on Monday

Post Reporters

Morale-boosting activities for Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra are fast gaining momentum in the build-up to Monday's wrap-up of his hidden assets case.

Some 100 classmates from the Armed Forces Preparatory School are expected at the doorstep of Mr Thaksin's Charansanitwong residence early on Monday to show moral support before he delivers a closing statement later that morning.

Booths would also be set up at four department stores to collect signatures from those eager to see Mr Thaksin stay at the helm.

The campaign is reportedly spearheaded by groups affiliated to Sem Pringpuangkaew, a respected veteran physician, who is also driving a separate petition campaign.

Dr Sem has managed to obtain some 5,000 signatures but needs some 45,000 more to usher in the process to get the Senate to accept the petition. His campaign calls for public backing that would enable Mr Thaksin to continue serving as premier. Maj-Gen Apichai Songsilp, chairman of Class 10 alumni, said the gathering would convey support for Mr Thaksin's appointment as education minister, a position he will hold for three months.

But the source said the main point of turning up was to express their support at such a crucial juncture of the court hearing.

A source at the Supreme Command headquarters said another 20 military security guards would accompany Mr Thaksin on Monday to handle any untoward incidents.

Plainclothes security officers would mingle among observers at the court.

Interior Minister Purachai Piemsomboon said the pro-Thaksin movements were free to carry out their activities as long as they were peaceful.

He foresaw no disturbances or violent protests. Meanwhile, Mr Thaksin doubts the court has already sealed his fate.

Proceedings were incomplete, Mr Thaksin said, so he believed no verdict had been reached.

The court was exploring Article 295, which specifies punishment against a political post holder for concealing his wealth. The court wanted a legal interpretation of when the penalty-prohibition from public office for five years-should take effect.

Mr Thaksin said that should not be taken as an indication the court had made up its mind or had decided to find him guilty.

The court was reportedly caught in a debate on the timing of his political suspension should he be convicted.

The judges were said to be divided over when day one of the suspension should fall: the day the National Counter Corruption Commission declared he concealed assets, on Dec 26 last year; the day he left the Chavalit Yongchaiyudh cabinet on Dec 4, 1997; or the day the court hands down a guilty verdict.

The NCCC, as prosecutor, argued Mr Thaksin transferred shares to proxies to evade a state assets declaration made when he was deputy prime minister in the Chavalit administration.

Mr Thaksin said he did not think the court was in the grip of confusion. He blamed some newspapers for printing misleading news about the trial.

The court was merely discussing legal issues and anticipating potential glitches.

Mr Thaksin said he did not mind if he had to deliver his closing statement before Klanarong Chantik, the NCCC secretary-general. He did not expect that addressing the court himself would give him any advantage. "I'll try my best until the very last second and as long as I'm rightfully entitled (to defend myself)," he said.

Mr Thaksin said he attended the rite in Khon Kaen to seek spiritual comfort and the pro-Thaksin support was being mustered as a gesture of friendship and good will.

The support groups engineering the campaigns were mostly Mr Thaksin's friends and businessmen.

"Friends express concern for each other," he said.

Mr Thaksin earlier brushed aside criticisms the campaigns were exerting pressure on the court.