Kasit under pressure to give up portfolio

Legal experts assigned to help prepare defence

By: THAI NEWS AGENCY


Supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra are upping the pressure on Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya to step down as he faces police charges over his role in the blockade of Suvarnabhumi airport.

Among those crying foul over Mr Kasit's involvement in the blockade is his predecessor Noppadon Pattama, who yesterday called on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to adopt the same standards used with former social development and human security minister Witoon Nambutr.

Mr Witoon decided to step down in February after coming under a storm of criticism sparked by the Social Development and Human Security Ministry's distribution of substandard canned fish as part of humanitarian aid for Phatthalung residents hit hard by floods.

Mr Noppadon branded Mr Kasit's alleged role a serious crime and said he should consider quitting for the sake of the image of the Foreign Ministry.

"If he doesn't quit, Thailand's image will suffer, especially at the meeting of Asean foreign ministers in Phuket this month," Mr Noppadon said.

Mr Kasit is among 25 people, including PAD leaders, facing criminal charges, including some related to terrorism, for the Nov 25 to Dec 2 airport siege to oust the government led by the now-dissolved People Power Party.

The opposition Puea Thai Party has also called for Mr Kasit's resignation. "Mr Abhisit can't buy time any more," party spokesman Prompong Nopparit said.

Chaturon Chaisaeng, a well-known politician from the Thaksin camp, yesterday said police had acted "courageously" in summonsing Mr Kasit over his alleged role in the protest.

But there is no indication Mr Abhisit was about to move against him, he said.

"Let's see if any members of the police force investigating the case are transferred," said Mr Chaturon, now serving a five-year ban from politics along with 110 other executives of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party for election fraud.

Thepthai Senpong, a spokesman for the prime minister, said it was too soon to conclude Mr Kasit was guilty. The police summons was only the first step in legal proceedings to follow, he said.

Mr Thepthai said the law states a person is innocent until proven otherwise. However, the Democrat Party would assign the party's legal experts to look into the case to see how they could help him.

Democrat executive Sathit Pitudecha said the terrorism charge was too severe because the airport seizure was only meant to press the Somchai Wongsawat government to give up power as he was believed to be a proxy of Thaksin Shinawatra. "It shouldn't be regarded as a terrorist act."

Source: Bangkok Post