Mr Thaksin’s legal advisor Noppadol Pattama sent the former prime minister’s statement to the media by e-mail after the latest clashes between troops and protesters not far from the protest site in Ratchaprasong.

One person died and 12 were injured in the clashes, a spokesman for the emergency services said.

Mr Thaksin asked the premier to revoke the enforcement of the emergency decree in all provinces immediately and open negotiation with protesters to find peaceful means to resolve political turmoil.

Reconciliation approach should be based on justice, kindness and sincerity, the statement said.

“Now the country still has a way out and the prime minister can prevent immediate losses and bring the country out of crisis. It’s now up to the prime minister what he will choose between peaceful and violent means and between his politicial position and the life of innocent people,” Mr Thaksin said, adding that he hopes the prime minister can make the right decision as Mr Abhisit earlier stated that people must come first.

Mr Thaksin also expressed deep sorrow for families of the dead and the injured, who are civilians, soldiers and police.

The statement also said it is apparent that the government is using forces armed with heavy weapons and snipers in a violent crackdown on the anti-government protesters, leading to losses of life and casualties on Thursday despite the earlier announcement of the prime minister’s reconciliation roadmap.

The government can simply avoid losses if Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban surrenders to the police and acknowledges charges concerning the April 10 clashes as demanded by the protesters, Mr Thaksin said in his statement. (TNA)

Urging people from every sector to join the national reconciliation plan he proposed last Monday, Mr Abhisit said during his weekly TV and radio address that Gen Khattiya have clearly shown themselves to oppose the plan.

Gen Khattiya, now suspended from duty for criticising his superiors, is frequently seen directing security measures for anti-government protesters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) now occupying Ratchaprasong and Sala Daeng intersections, Bangkok’s prime business districts.

Ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra is also dissatisfied with the plan because it does not offer him any benefit, Mr Abhisit said.  Self-exiled Thaksin was ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2006 and was sentenced to two years in jail in 2008 for breaking a conflict-of-interest law.

Mr Abhisit said it is risky for key leaders of UDD who have supported his reconciliation plan which includes holding fresh general elections November 14, but are still demonstrating because armed terrorists infiltrating ghe protesters would use fiercer violence in future.

“If key UDD leaders have confirmed that they will participate in the reconciliation plan, they should cease the rally for the safety of every group of people,” said Mr Abhisit.

The prime minister said a national community strengthening committee will convene Wednesday and Thursday to set guidelines for formation of a Thailand Reform Assembly whose members will comprise people recognised by society. The committee will function on a continuous basis even though there is a change of government.

As political turmoil continues in Thailand, the European Union (EU) Heads of Mission to Thailand and EU member countries here issued a statement saying that they welcome efforts made by the government and all parties concerned towards finding a negotiated solution to the current political situation.

“We call on all sides to refrain from violence and hope that an early peaceful solution can be achieved to swiftly lead Thailand back towards national reconciliation, prosperity and stability, with full respect for the rule of law and democratic principles,” the EU statement said. (TNA)

Speaking in his weekly TV program, “Confidence in Thailand with Prime Minister Abhisit”, the Prime Minister said the ex-prime minister should consider what is best for the country and respect the laws and regulations of the society like other Thai people.

Prime Minister Abhisit said the former prime minister should accept the court judgments and return to Thailand. If Mr Thaksin could comply with social rules, Mr Abhisit said he was confident Mr Thaksin would then be pardoned by the society and the kingdom could move on.

The Prime Minister added that he was always ready to talk with Mr Thaksin since they had no personal conflict.

Mr Thaksin was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment after he was found guilty on the Ratchadapisek land case.

In addition, on 26 January 2010, the Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions of the Supreme Court ruled to confiscate 46.3 billion THB out of 76 billion THB frozen assets of Mr Thaksin on grounds that he abused his power when in office to benefit his business.

The arrest warrant was issued following the appearance of his video clip uploaded on the YouTube.com website February 26. In the video, he talked about bombings and chaos which might take place in Bangkok– one day before the February 27 bombing incidents at Bangkok Bank branches in the capital and suburban Samut Prakan province.

Central Investigation Bureau Commander Tha-ngai Pratsajaksatru, meanwhile, ordered crime suppression police to track targeted persons suspected to be involved in security-related cases.

Initially police seized software with Mr Pornwat’s video clip threatening public order posted on the website. The officers are seeking any other persons with possible links to the criminal action.

Meanwhile, Nattawut Boonmanyuen who hired the server to Mr Pornwat, said he did not know the people who used his service as there are many customers.

The server itself was later seized by the police.

He added that the computer server used by Mr Pornwat has been rented since last year by a Red Shirt supporter who passed away in early 2010. After the death, the server was subleased to another person who said he would set up web board for a politically-related dicussions.

The police will coordinate with the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology to inspect the suspects’ record of activities on the server as well as payments for the service.

Regarding ammunition found at Mr Pornwat’s home in February, Pol Lt-Gen Tha-ngai said that this case will be transferred to the Crime Suppression Division pending the approval of Acting Police Chief Patheep Tanprasert.

Mr Pornwat, alias K-Thong, was earlier charged with arms possession, according to the police. (TNA)

The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions will rule February 26 whether to seize the assets gained from the sale of
telecom giant Shin Corp at Bt76.6 billion (US$2.3 billion), plus interest, on charges that the ex-premier had acquired his massive wealth through
corrupt and illegal practices.

Mr Panich told reporters after meeting with UAE ambassador to Thailand Mohammed Ali Ahmed Omran Al Shamsi for 40 minutes that he had requested
the envoy to coordinate with his government in order to closely monitor Mr Thaksin for three weeks whether he use the kingdom as a springboard to
cause instablilty in Thailand or cause security threat against Thailand’s key figures.

The vice minister said he believed if there was any violence and it was found that Mr Thaksin was involved with such an incident, the UAE may consider expelling Mr Thaksin from its jurisdiction.

He added that the UAE had once expelled Mr Thaksin from the kingdom but he did not provide details of the incident.

The Supreme Court on Monday had issued guidelines for the verdict reading on February 26 that the media would be allowed into the courtroom only
two per news organisation.

Only audio of the judges reading the verdict, would be transmitted from the courtroom.

The authorities had stepped up security, no unauthorised people would be allowed to enter the court after 8pm of February 25 in order to clear the way for security personnel to inspect the courtroom.

Some 150 personnel of joint police and military forces would be deployed to ensure the security at and around the court while two check-points were
set up to monitor security.

As for the request that the UAE temporarily detain Mr Thaksin before extraditing him to serve his  two-year jail term in Thailand for power abuse, Mr Panich said the Dubai authorities are considering the request.

It is considered a good sign that the UAE court has asked the Office of the Attorney-General to translate all documents related to the case into
Arabic, the vice minister said.

A Thai court in October 2008 sentenced Mr Thaksin in absentia to two years prison for abuse of power, for allowing his then wife to buy a plot of
prime Bangkok land at a below-the-market price in 2003 while he was a prime minister.

Mr Thaksin, who jumped the bail, reportedly spent most of his time in Dubai, UAE.

Mr Panich said his talk with the UAE ambassador also focussed on the embezzlement case  involving Michael Bryan Smith, which could demonstrate
the good cooperation existing between Thailand and UAE on extradition.

Thailand’s Criminal Court on February 18 ruled to extradite Mr Smith, 45, a British national, to face trial in UAE on fraud charges involving more
than US$150 million.

Mr Smith, a human resources manager of a Dubai-based company, was charged with falsifying  documents and using false documents for unauthorised transfers of corporate funds to his own bank account in 2008. He then fled Dubai to Thailand.

Thailand previously sought the UAE’s cooperation in arresting and returning former prime  minister Thaksin to Thailand, the two countries
have not signed an extradition treaty, said the vice minister.

Mr Panich said Thailand and UAE had held talks over the extradition treaty during January 9-13 but could not reach the conclusion. Thailand had
proposed the fresh talks and UAE said they could be available for the next round of talks in May or June.

Even if Thailand and UAE are yet to sign the extradition treaty but Thailand’s Extradition Act of B.E.2551 (2008) opens options for cooperation on reciprocal basis, he said, adding that any person found committing similar offences could be extradited.

However, Mr Panich conceded that the cases of  Mr Thaksin and Mr Smith are different, so he could not say whether or not reciprocity can be applied.
(TNA)

Mr Panthongthae Shinawatra and Ms Pinthongta Shinawatra, Thaksin’s son and daughter, will travel to the Supreme Court to file a letter of complaint demanding the committee to inspect Thaksin’s case, and stop the meidia of giving opinions on the case that could defame their father’s reputation.

Mr Thaksin was accused of illegally accumulating wealth worth 76.6 billion THB which was later found to be acquired from the controversial sale of the Shinawatra family’s shares in Shin Corp to Singapore’s state-owned Temasek Holdings in early 2006.

A verdict on the case will be announced on 26 February. If found guilty, 76.6 billion THB which is currently frozen in Thai banks will be transferred to the state.

The injunction was issued after the Bank of Thailand (BoT) Financial Institutions Development Fund (FIDF) filed a civil lawsuit against Mrs Pojaman in September 2009 to invalidate the sale of the four plots totalling 33 rai of land at Ratchadapisek area on December 30, 2003 from the FIDF to Pojaman for Bt772 million and want her to return the land to the FIDF.

The injunction, which was issued at the request of the FIDF, prohibits Khunying Pojaman from selling or transferring the ownership of the land until the case is concluded or the court issue any other order.

The case is under legal process.

FIDF is a central bank body created to rehabilitate the 26 financial institutions that went bust in the 1997 economic crisis.

Ousted in a bloodless coup three years ago, Mr Thaksin was sentenced by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions to a two-year prison term for a conflict of interest and malfeasance when he was prime minister to help his then wife purchase prime land on Ratchadapisek Road.

Mrs Pojaman won the bid for the land purchase, but the now defunct Assets Examination Committee (ASC) accused her and her husband of influencing the deal when Mr Thaksin was prime minister.

The court ruled that such move violated the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act in relation to the land purchase.

Pojaman and Thaksin divorced in Hong Kong in November 2008. (TNA)

Earlier Mr Thaksin had telephoned his supporters, saying he was a ‘victim of injustice’.

The self-exiled ousted prime minister complained to his supporters gathering at Sanam Luang, thanking them for petitioning on his behalf to seek a royal pardon for him, saying he was a victim of injustice and a so-called double standard.

Mr Thaksin telephoned his supporters at 11am before they were due to submit the petition to the Office of His Majesty’s Principal Private Secretary at the Grand Palace at 1pm.

“I was the victim of a smear campaign and that led my brothers to gather to seek His Majesty’s clemency,” said Mr Thaksin.

The ousted premier said he did not want to see divisiveness in the country as Thais are divided into two groups, the Red Shirt group of his supporters and the Yellow Shirt group, which opposes him.

“We want to see unity and reconciliation in our country.  No matter what colour we wear, don’t let people who are indulged with power to make us fight each other. We must cling to unity for the King, so he won’t be worried,” Mr Thaksin said.

He then took an oath that he and his family would be loyal to the King and the royal family until the last day of his life and led his supporters to sing a song in honour of the King.

About 1,500 police provided security at the capital’s Sanam Luang royal ceremonial ground as tens of thousands of the anti-government ‘Red Shirts’ from upcountry added numbers to the gathering.

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. (TNA)

Veera Musikapong, Natthawut Saikua and Jatuporn Promphan, leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) told a news conference that verification of the petitions signed by more than five million people will be finished about August 15 or 16 and the UDD would
submit the petitions on August 17.

Some 100,000 petition papers will be put on trays while the rest will be boxed and carried by a thousand UDD members to the Bureau of the Royal Household.

The government, Prime Minister and the Interior Minister oppose the UDD’s move to seek the royal pardon, said Mr Veera adding that the Red Shirts group was ready to clarify all related issues and would not allow (the government ) to use its power to hinder their plan to submit the petition.

They will neither stage any protest nor deliver a speech to the crowd. The group will only travel to submit the petition and go home, Mr Nutthawut said.

The UDD collected signatures of Mr Thaksin’s supporters seeking a royal pardon for the former prime minister in response to his being sentenced for two years imprisonment last October, despite not being present for the trial or verdict, for abuse of power in helping his then-wife securing a parcel of prime Bangkok commercial land at a price discounted much below the going market price. (TNA)