ID :
111609
Sun, 03/14/2010 - 23:15
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/111609
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Thaksin: Red Shirt fight no longer personal but represents public interest
BANGKOK, March 14 (TNA) - As tens of thousands of anti-government
Red Shirt protesters demonstrated in the Thai capital to oust the Abhisit Vejjajiva administration, the fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra on Sunday urged his supporters not to give up fighting for true democracy, telling his listeners that the Red Shirt fight is no longer his personal issue, but a matter of national interest.
Mr Thaksin addressed his supporters via video link Sunday evening. Led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), the ralliers at Ratchadamnoen Avenue heard the ex-premier's exhortations to overthrow the Democrat-led coalition government.
Speaking from an unknown location, the ex-premier thanked the Red
Shirt protesters for their great contribution in joining the UDD mass rally and congratulated them in advance for their victory for the "historic political change".
"Dont give up. Don't worry about me. It is now beyond my personal
issue," said Mr Thaksin. "Today it is the matter of our country. It's not a fight for a single person, but a symbolic fighting."
"I am a symbol of injustice. People see that I have been bullied and
they too might receive injustice" the fugitive ex-premier said.
Mr Thaksin also urged the troops standing by not to use force against
unarmed demonstrators, saying that "[true] warriors will not kill the
people."
The ex-premier also told Red Shirt leaders in upcountry to set up a
temporary stage at city halls nationwide to show that the Red Shirts will
protect their democracy and want to make the country move forward.
The convicted ex-premier asserted that he is loyal to the monarch,
but wanted to change the thinking of the elites having outdated ideas.
In a related issue, following news reports that the fugitive ex-premier is visiting his daughters in Germany, the German ambassador in Bangkok Hanns H. Schumacher said on Sunday that there is no report confirming the whereabouts of Mr Thaksin.
The German envoy however said the ex-Thai premier will be detained if he is identified there as it has been known that Germany has denied his entry since 2009.
Mr Thaksin, living-in-exile mainly in Dubai earlier told his social networking supporters via his Twitter page denying news reports that
he had been expelled by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but said he will meet his daughters, Pinthongta and Paethongtan who are now visiting an exhibition and trade fair hotels in Germany.
Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya early this week met the UAE envoy in Bangkok, asking his government not to habour the ousted Thai prime minister as he has been using the country as his political base to topple the Thai government.
Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Panich Vikitsreth on Saturday
confirmed that the UAE government had informed Thailand about Mr
Thaksin's departure, saying it is still uncertain where the ex-premier is heading but believed that he would join his daughters who have travelled to Switzerland. (TNA)
Red Shirt protesters demonstrated in the Thai capital to oust the Abhisit Vejjajiva administration, the fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra on Sunday urged his supporters not to give up fighting for true democracy, telling his listeners that the Red Shirt fight is no longer his personal issue, but a matter of national interest.
Mr Thaksin addressed his supporters via video link Sunday evening. Led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), the ralliers at Ratchadamnoen Avenue heard the ex-premier's exhortations to overthrow the Democrat-led coalition government.
Speaking from an unknown location, the ex-premier thanked the Red
Shirt protesters for their great contribution in joining the UDD mass rally and congratulated them in advance for their victory for the "historic political change".
"Dont give up. Don't worry about me. It is now beyond my personal
issue," said Mr Thaksin. "Today it is the matter of our country. It's not a fight for a single person, but a symbolic fighting."
"I am a symbol of injustice. People see that I have been bullied and
they too might receive injustice" the fugitive ex-premier said.
Mr Thaksin also urged the troops standing by not to use force against
unarmed demonstrators, saying that "[true] warriors will not kill the
people."
The ex-premier also told Red Shirt leaders in upcountry to set up a
temporary stage at city halls nationwide to show that the Red Shirts will
protect their democracy and want to make the country move forward.
The convicted ex-premier asserted that he is loyal to the monarch,
but wanted to change the thinking of the elites having outdated ideas.
In a related issue, following news reports that the fugitive ex-premier is visiting his daughters in Germany, the German ambassador in Bangkok Hanns H. Schumacher said on Sunday that there is no report confirming the whereabouts of Mr Thaksin.
The German envoy however said the ex-Thai premier will be detained if he is identified there as it has been known that Germany has denied his entry since 2009.
Mr Thaksin, living-in-exile mainly in Dubai earlier told his social networking supporters via his Twitter page denying news reports that
he had been expelled by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but said he will meet his daughters, Pinthongta and Paethongtan who are now visiting an exhibition and trade fair hotels in Germany.
Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya early this week met the UAE envoy in Bangkok, asking his government not to habour the ousted Thai prime minister as he has been using the country as his political base to topple the Thai government.
Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Panich Vikitsreth on Saturday
confirmed that the UAE government had informed Thailand about Mr
Thaksin's departure, saying it is still uncertain where the ex-premier is heading but believed that he would join his daughters who have travelled to Switzerland. (TNA)
