A Message to the Rule of Law Expert from ABAC

Khun Narcisuss of Norway wrote: "It is a brilliant opportunity to show them all that it is the rule of law that runs this country and not a mob of hot-heads."  What an admirable idea, my dear intellectual from ABAC, this "rule of law" concept of yours and the many hypocrites that populate this weblog.  I support it 100%, but only if it is applied fairly, justly, consistently and without prejudice across all corners of Thai society.

It should be applied for the rich and for the poor, for the old and for the young, for tall people and for short people, for fat people and for thin people, for people driving luxury cars and for people riding busses, for politicians and government officials as well as for ordinary people in the street, for CEOs and for janitors, for Thais and for foreigners, for royalty and for commoners, and last but not least, for better and for worse.  No one should be above the law.  No one, not even the "untouchables" and the "chosen few."

Indeed, I would like to see the "rule of law" applied to the following and not just to the PAD leadership and demonstrators.  This list does not pretend to be all inclusive but I truly hope that they will prove my point beyond any reasonable doubt, and put an end to all the garbage that the pro-Thugsin, pro-Samak and so-called pro-democracy (or is it pro-demon-crazy) as well as the so-called pro-majority crowd have been spilling all over the place on these weblog pages lately.

(1)  To Samak for being a convicted criminal already sentenced to a 2 year jail term.  He should be in jail and not in Government House.

(2)  To Samak again, as well as to the other ex-government officials and corrupt businessmen involved, for his role in the corruption case involving the purchase of grossly overpriced and unsuitable fire trucks and fireboats from a foreign manufacturer (Steyr) in cahoots with a local manufacturer (Mitsubishi) in Thailand and a large trading firm (CP Intertrade) under the guise of a non-existing “counter-trade” transaction.

(3)  To Samak again for approving a sudden and huge price increase for sugar on-the-spot during a visit to Khon Kaen without first going through a due and proper process of evaluation and review by the Ministry of Commerce on the impact of such a price increase on the general population and on other businesses who use sugar as inputs in their own manufacturing processes.  Many people in the know suspect that equally huge amount of money changed hands as a result of that on-the-spot decision.

(4)  To Square Face (Thugsin), his wife and three children for their roles in extensive tax evasions, abuse of power, corruption, murder (indirectly), etc.

(5)  To immediate cancellations of all passports (red and otherwise) issued  to Thugsin and his family members, who are now officially criminals-on-the-run,  who have fled from justice in their home country and hiding like cowards in the UK.

(6)  To bringing these criminals-on-the-run back to Thailand by working with the British authorities closely and emphatically so that the criminals-on-the-run are brought to justice in Thailand quickly and efficiently.

(7)  To the murderers of those who died in the "Takbai" incident during Thugsin's regime, as well as those who were killed extra-judicially by Thugsin and his followers who conveniently ignored the big fishes who are Thai phuyais and Burmese warlords and generals.

(8)  To the murderers of the poor female teacher from the North who was kicked and punched and tortured into coma and later died in hospital in the South, the murderers of the Muslim lawyer Khun Somchai who disappeared from the face of the earth, and the murderers of the shipping agent named “Shipping Moo” who blew the whistle about the massive tax evasions of Shin Corporation.

(9)  To the politicians, government officials and private-sector criminals involved in the massive fraud and corruption scandals covering the design and construction of the Suvarnabhumi Airport and all other major government projects during the Thugsin administrations.

(10)  To the ex-Election Commissioners who committed such a shameless crime of forging the voting results in the elections just before the last coup, who connived and colluded with the Thai Rak Thai Party to ensure that Thugsin shall win the elections by hook or by crook.  Why are they still free as birds and enjoying their illegal wealth when they have been sentences not once but twice to several years in jail?

(11)  To the perpetrators of the 2- and 3-digit lottery scheme under the Thugsin Administration who siphoned off the huge income generated by the scheme without turning them over to the Treasury and left no accounting records whatsoever.  Who took the money?  Who dipped their hands in the cooking jar?  Where are the cookies?

(12)  To the Revenue department officials who were bribed by Thugsin into co-operating with him and his family in their grand scheme to evade billions of Bahts in taxes.  Where are these corrupt Revenue Department officials now?  Why have they not been prosecuted, fined and jailed?

(13)  To the Constitution Court judges who, despite their sworn duty to uphold the law at all cost and under all circumstances, ruled in favor of Thugsin such that he was able to become PM in 2000 and create all these chaos that we continue to see today.  Where are these corrupt ex-judges now?  Why have they not been prosecuted?  Why are they not in jail?

I have just touched on the surface of the massive problems facing the country as a result of the lack of application of the “rule of law,” my dear friend.  I could list a hundred more but I hope that the above should suffice.  I am sorry to tell you, my friend, but the “rule of law” concept cannot be applied in a country where there is no rule and no law that are applied consistently throughout the land.  It simply does not work even though we all want to see it work dearly.

Did you say something about mob rule in your blog?  If yes, may I suggest that you read my blog about the kudos heaped on the one and only magnificent Royal Thai police Force here: http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/dalmasian/2008/09/01/entry-1

The contents of that blog were not written by me, a totally stupid and ignorant s.o.b., but it was written by an experienced and well-informed human rights commentator.  If it is not believable I don’t know what is.  Please also read this article on the subject of "rule of law."

http://ratchasima.net/2008/08/16/asia-needs-a-new-rule-of-law-debate/

Let’s be realistic and sensible about it and not continue to make fools of ourselves here.  The problem here is the non-application of the "rule of law" by the TRT/PPP gangsters, not the PAD.  If politicians and government officials are doing their jobs sincerely, diligently, intelligently and honestly and if there were no such widespread corruption taking place in the last 7 or so years under TRT/PPP rule, there will be no PAD today, only Pad Thai noodles!

Only a revolution can solve the problems facing Thailand.  In a sense, the PAD actions represent a broad-based, grass-roots supported uprising or revolution of some sort because the ordinary men and women in the streets are sick and tired of the callousness, insincerity, dishonestly, and lies that the current so-called "legitimately and democratically elected" PPP government continually display in their daily activities.

I sincerely regret to say this because it affects me as much as it affects everyone in Thailand, but I am not an idealist and I am not a hypocrite like so many bloggers here.  I am always a straight shooter, blunt and to the point, and I know many people just hate my guts.

--  Dalmasian