Thaksin 'secret deal' suspected

Bangkok Post

4 days ago

Political activist Jatuporn Prompan has raised suspicions regarding former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's recent political activities, questioning whether a secret deal may be behind a series of events that all occurred on the same day.
Speaking during his Facebook Live programme "Thailand Must Come First", Jatuporn, a former red-shirt leader, pointed to the sudden withdrawal of the Entertainment Complex Bill, which would legalise casinos, Thaksin's speech promoting soft power at an Otop event at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, and his comments on the current political deadlock at a Nation Group-hosted forum.
Jatuporn said that as all this unfolded on the same day, it was unlikely to be a coincidence.
He highlighted the promotion of the soft power initiative, which could be seen as a boost for Thaksin's daughter, suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, in her new capacity as culture minister; and Thaksin's dramatic declaration of severing ties with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen after more than 30 years, citing the damage done to Ms Paetongtarn in the wake of their leaked telephone call.
Jatuporn suggested the synchronisation of these events appeared too calculated to be coincidental, speculating that they might have been orchestrated as part of a broader political performance.
"If this is political theatre, it is being performed with great finesse," he said. "Thai people should not yet be deceived by these illusions," he said.
Jatuporn warned that if Hun Sen remains silent in response to Thaksin's remarks, this silence could imply a clandestine agreement involving the withdrawal of the casino bill in exchange for political quietude.
He called for close observation of Hun Sen's reaction, saying: "If Hun Sen remains completely silent, it raises suspicions of a deal. But if he hits back, it would indicate that no such exchange took place."
Jatuporn also criticised the explanation given for the bill's withdrawal, which attributed the move to the appointment of a new cabinet and insufficient public understanding -- a justification he called unconvincing.
Commenting on the leaked audio clip between Ms Paetongtarn and Hun Sen, Jatuporn noted inconsistencies between Thaksin's account and earlier statements.
While Thaksin claimed the Cambodian side had initiated the call, others believed Khleang Huot, Hun Sen's close aide and interpreter, was in Cambodia, though Thaksin said he was in Bangkok.
"If this is not just a political illusion," he added, "then Hun Sen must retaliate by revealing the names of seven Thai politicians with financial interests in Cambodia, including audio clips, one per day if necessary. But if nothing happens, the casino deal theory gains weight."
On Wednesday, Thaksin delivered a keynote address at a forum hosted by media outlets under the Nation Group. When asked if he still regarded Hun Sen, president of the Cambodian Senate, as a "brother", Thaksin replied: "We used to be. But after what he did to my daughter, I was in absolute shock."
Thaksin said his daughter was waiting for a call from Hun Sen for three hours at a hotel with some key government figures, but he did not call her. "He later called her private mobile. I started to wonder -- was he really asleep, or was he preparing to record the conversation?"