PM's Office will pursue PAD charges

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PM's Office will pursue PAD charges

Published: 4/03/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

The permanent secretary to the PM's Office is insisting the office will not drop its civil suit against People's Alliance for Democracy leaders seeking compensation for damage done at Government House last year.

Nathi Premrasmi said on Tuesday he would be held responsible, rather than the PAD leaders, by the Office of the Auditor-General for the damage to state property if his office withdrew the lawsuit.

There has been confusion over whether the PM's Office would withdraw its case seeking 18 million baht in damages from PAD leaders.

The PM's Office has been weighing whether to drop the suit against six core PAD leaders, Meti Jaisamut, a lawyer for the PM's Office, said.

The leaders being sued are Sondhi Limthongkul, Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, Piphob Thongchai, Somsak Kosaisuk, Somkiat Pongpaiboon and Suriyasai Katasila.

The court has adjourned the hearing to 10am on May 19.

PM's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey said his office would withdraw its complaint with police against the PAD but would not drop the civil suit to seek damages from the leaders.

The minister insisted the government had not intervened in the office's decision to take legal action against the PAD.

Natthawut Saikua, a leader of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) said the PM's Office had probably earlier tried to drop the civil suit against the PAD.

"How can we trust this government's law enforcement if it drops this case?" Mr Natthawut asked.

"The Thai people won't get anything from the lawsuit's withdrawal but the PAD will."

Meanwhile, the public prosecutor in charge of indicting nine PAD leaders on charges of colluding with more than 10 others to cause turmoil had postponed his decision on whether to go ahead with the indictment to April 8, PAD lawyer Nitithorn Lamlua said.

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commee

Discussion 10 : 04/03/2009 at 01:31 PM10
It is a good decision to not drop the civil law suit, but it need to happen soon.NOT IN MAY!!
Peter

Discussion 9 : 04/03/2009 at 12:57 PM9
Abhisit should not put up with this sort of confusion within his own office. Whilst it is obviously correct to pursue the civil case for damages agaist the PAD leaders, it is not clear from this article on what grounds the PM Office has withdrawn its complaint with police against the PAD.

The continual delays and postponements of court hearings on these cases suggest a lack of resolution on the prosection side. Abhisit has said the law should be allowed to take its course, but clearly he will need to monitor the situation to ensure there is no backsliding and that the law indeed does take its course.
lovely pic

Discussion 8 : 04/03/2009 at 11:47 AM8
Bangkok Post, please, stop using pictures that are not relevant to the headline! Please!

I mean, yes, the picture of this article is of PAD protesters. But surely they aren;t so happy here because PM wants to 'pursue PAD charges'...

with good intention
Observer

Discussion 7 : 04/03/2009 at 11:38 AM7
"There has been confusion" because of the vague reporting in the papers. There are two aspects of the lawsuit against PAD: one is to evict them from government property; that part can be dismissed now because they have already left the property. The other aspect demands money damages from PAD; that part should not be dismissed. The news reports have not adequately distinguished between the two types of relief sought against the PAD, and have reported what appear to be rumours about dismissing the lawsuit.
MEOW MEOW

Discussion 6 : 04/03/2009 at 11:15 AM6
It is a good decision to not drop the civil law suit, but it needs to happen soon, not in May.

Also, the criminal charges need to brought soon so that all those responsible for this mess are held accountable for their actions. It will take years for Thailand to recover from the problems that these people created.

Strong and quick action will perhaps prevent this from happening again.
Somboon

Discussion 5 : 04/03/2009 at 11:00 AM5
Abhisit,

What is it going to be, going or not going after the PAD leaders? You cannot say yes and no and no half way investigation.

Are you keeping your words? Are you still remembering the 9 principles you stated after you became a prime minister? Or are you just a puppet now?
hasbeen

Discussion 4 : 04/03/2009 at 10:27 AM4
PAD seems untouchable
Christopher

Discussion 3 : 04/03/2009 at 10:24 AM3
we'll see.
Patrick

Discussion 2 : 04/03/2009 at 08:58 AM2
Thai Premier Football League has begins, so is the PAD vs. Government dilly dally games. May the games begin and forgotten.
Somboon

Discussion 1 : 04/03/2009 at 03:57 AM1
Thai soap opera continues.

18 million baht is nothing to the PAD leaders. What they did is just about to bankrupt the Thai Airways International. No passengers/tourists and the crews are on standby not knowing when they would work next. That is the situation right now from the inside information. Meanwhile, the PAD leaders are going free.

Why does the court wait until May 19? Samak and Somchai were thrown out with quick and decisive decisions. Abhisit became prime minister with the same quick and decisive decision. But to investigate the PAD takes forever?

We know, for the benefit of the doubt, we can anticipate what the outcome will be already.

PM's Office will pursue PAD charges