ID :
75721
Mon, 08/17/2009 - 19:49
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http://m.oananews.org//node/75721
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Thaksin supporters disperse after submitting petition
BANGKOK, Aug 17 (TNA) – The 'Red Shirt' United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) dispersed after they submitted a petition and some 3.5 million endorsements to seek a royal pardon for ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
After submitting the petition to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary at the Grand Palace on Monday afternoon, UDD leaders Veera Musigapong, Nuttawut Saikua and Jatuporn Promphan addressed the crowd on the stage at Sanam Luang.
Mr Veera said after screening about 5,400,000 signatures collected in their campaign to seek a royal pardon, the UDD deleted some 1,800,000 names to prevent any mistake as some signatures were added by its rivals.
After scrutinising the lists, the group submitted 500 boxes containing with 3,532,906 collected signatures in their petition to His Majesty the King.
“I am so overwhelmed that my eyes are watery,” Mr Thaksin said emotionally in a speech broadcast live by video from an undisclosed location to his supporters, saying he was almost crying as he heard of “the UDD handing in the petition for me.”
The former premier also said he prayed for his homecoming and was confident that he would be able to go home soon as he is a good person.
Mr Thaksin, ousted in a coup in 2006, was sentenced in absentia last October by a Bangkok court to two years imprisonment for abuse of power by helping his then wife acquiring a parcel of prime Bangkok commercial property at a price far below the market the market value.
Three hundred thousand photo cards with Mr Thaksin’s ‘Thank You’ message and his signature were distributed to UDD demonstrators at Sanam Luang before they dispersed.
The Office of His Majesty’s Principle Private Secretary issued a statement after receiving the petition, saying that the Office would, according to traditional practice, forward the petition to the government for overview before presenting its viewpoint to His Majesty’s consideration. (TNA)
After submitting the petition to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary at the Grand Palace on Monday afternoon, UDD leaders Veera Musigapong, Nuttawut Saikua and Jatuporn Promphan addressed the crowd on the stage at Sanam Luang.
Mr Veera said after screening about 5,400,000 signatures collected in their campaign to seek a royal pardon, the UDD deleted some 1,800,000 names to prevent any mistake as some signatures were added by its rivals.
After scrutinising the lists, the group submitted 500 boxes containing with 3,532,906 collected signatures in their petition to His Majesty the King.
“I am so overwhelmed that my eyes are watery,” Mr Thaksin said emotionally in a speech broadcast live by video from an undisclosed location to his supporters, saying he was almost crying as he heard of “the UDD handing in the petition for me.”
The former premier also said he prayed for his homecoming and was confident that he would be able to go home soon as he is a good person.
Mr Thaksin, ousted in a coup in 2006, was sentenced in absentia last October by a Bangkok court to two years imprisonment for abuse of power by helping his then wife acquiring a parcel of prime Bangkok commercial property at a price far below the market the market value.
Three hundred thousand photo cards with Mr Thaksin’s ‘Thank You’ message and his signature were distributed to UDD demonstrators at Sanam Luang before they dispersed.
The Office of His Majesty’s Principle Private Secretary issued a statement after receiving the petition, saying that the Office would, according to traditional practice, forward the petition to the government for overview before presenting its viewpoint to His Majesty’s consideration. (TNA)
