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DAM-L Assembly of the Poor Thailand (fwd)

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From: fopthai <fopthai@asiaaccess.net.th>
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Subject: Assembly of the Poor Thailand
Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2001 18:22:09 +0700
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            Protesters want amnesty for PM 
            Villagers go home, ending 2-year rally
            Ampa Santimetaneedol 
            Members of the Assembly of the Poor plan to gather signatures seeking an amnesty for the premier if he is found guilty by the Constitutional Court of concealing his wealth. 


            Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday attended a baisri su khwan ceremony for thousands of assembly members, before they left Bangkok for their homes after protesting for two years outside Government House. 


            Chaiphan Prapasawat, an adviser, said the villagers want the government to complete its four-year term, so it could solve problems facing the poor. 


            Mr Thaksin was the spearhead for implementation of major policies-including the three-year farm-debt moratorium and village fund scheme-and it was necessary he stay in office. 


            The people could help by gathering signatures seeking passage of a law allowing him a suspended sentence or a pardon if the court rules he had filed a false financial disclosure with the corruption commission when a member of the Chavalit government. 


            "Whatever the ruling, we will accept it. We don't want to put pressure on the court," Mr Chaiphan said. "But the people have the consitutional right to gather 50,000 signatures to propose a law to the parliament. 


            "If the prime minister can solve the people's problems, the people will seek a pardon for him so he can help farmers nationwide."Nitirat Sapsomboon, an adviser, said the prime minister's address to the baisri su khwan ceremony indicated the problems facing the poor had been cleared up. 


            This reflected a misunderstanding of the situation. 


            The government had only endorsed the setting up of committees to find resolutions, nothing more, he said. 


            Villagers would have to rally in Bangkok again if problems with policy implementation remain-such as violations by operation-level officials of cabinet resolutions, as happened in previous governments. 


            Earlier yesterday, 10 representatives of the Assembly of the Poor went to the prime minister's office at Government House and invited him to the ceremony. 


            On arrival at the rally he received a warm welcome. 


            Many villagers lined up to greet him, some dancing in a long drum procession. 


            The prime minister, his secretary-general Prommin Saengsuridej, Deputy Agriculture Minister Praphat Panyachartrak and villager representatives heard Buddhist and Islamic prayers and received blessings from the elderly. 


            Mr Thaksin told the gathering he was very happy his government had been able to solve their problems, so they could go home and celebrate Songkran with their families. 


            "As long as you are in trouble, this government will listen to you. But you must respect the law or we will not listen to you," he said. 


            "I was once poor. I will tackle problems with kindness."Mr Thaksin paid 1,000 baht for food for the villagers, who later left for their hometowns in 11 army vehicles, five buses and five vans hired by the government.
           
     

Prasittiporn  Kan-Onsri [NOI]
Friends of the People [FOP.]
99 , 3rd Floor Nakorn Sawan Road
Pomprab Bangkok 10100. THAILAND.
Tel, Fax  ; (662) 2811916 , 2812595
email ; fopthai@asiaaccess.net.th fopthai@hotmail.com
Assembly of the Poor. http://www.thai.to/aop and http://www.yod.net/members/noi
Protection Mun River Network. http://www.thai.to/munriver and http://www.yod.net/members/bun
Protection Yom River Network. http://www.thai.to/yomriver and http://www.yod.net/members/kst

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