THAILAND: Ousted PM prepared to return hom to face charges
Updated
Thailand's ousted prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, who has been living in exile in London, says he's now prepared to return to his homeland to face any potential corruption charges. He's also urging the military-installed government that ousted him to hold elections as quickly as possible.
Presenter: Rob Sharp
Speakers: Nopodom Pattama, the lawyer for ousted Thai prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra
PATTAMA: Yes indeed, yeah, indeed the shutting down of the community radio station in Thailand is a ... yeah
SHARP: Is it a denial of free speech do you think?
PATTAMA: Yes it denies Thaksin's free speech and shows that the junta and the government is scared of the former prime minister.
SHARP: What are you saying they're scared of?
PATTAMA: They're scared of, we have to look at at the actual contents of his conversation, it is not political, it's just ... he was invited by a ... in London to talk to someone, but eventually it was broadcast live in a radio station. It wasn't his effort to conduct political manoeuvre in Thailand at all.
SHARP: Mr Thaksin did tell the radio stations that he was worried that some of his schemes for the rural poor had been scrapped by the military-installed government. Is that correct?
PATTAMA: I understand so, actually I haven't followed the whole conversation, but I think it's the mentioned by the former leader to talk about the quality and as you can understand in Australia anyone can talk about economics or social or political policies. But it's sad that this conversation and this view has been viewed as political manoeuvring.
SHARP: How is Mr Thaksin at the moment?
PATTAMA: He's fine, he's in eastern Europe now, he's fine. Actually I'm with him now.
SHARP: He is prepared to go back to Thailand to face any charges, any potential charges, is that correct?
PATTAMA: That's correct, yes, if the charge was formally filed against him in court he's required to return to Thailand yes to answer the charge. And he's prepared to do so.
SHARP: Is he fairly confident that he will be exonerated?
PATTAMA: He's confident he would be exonerated because the charge most of them or all of them are politically motivated, and a lawyer could look at evidence and could say that there is no substance or legal basis for the charge.
