Who? Us?

PPT was amused by the latest story at the Bangkok Post regarding “leaked” information on alleged financial backers of the anti-democrats.

The first cause for amusement was all the shouting about it “not being me” funding them and threats of defamation cases. Now wouldn’t defamation be against the newspapers that published the alleged leak? And that would be the Post Today and its twin, the Bangkok Post. But, no, the declaimers seem to say that having the list published by a newspaper that can’t provide a source is okay, but if the government’s Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order’s (CMPO) does so, then they are in trouble!

A second cause for amusement was the reaction of the Bangkok Post itself. It states:

The centre [CMPO] agreed to assign five agencies, the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo), the Royal Thai Police Office, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, and the Revenue Department to look at the 136 names again before a complete list could be revealed to the public.

Yes, the list was withheld to investigate accuracy and avoid defaming people. The report today stresses over and over again the need for facts and investigation. (Funny thing, we don’t recall the same caution when Suthep Thaugsuban was delivering fairy tale maps of anti-monarchy networks back in 2010…).

But back to the Bangkok Post, which explains:

However, some of the names have reportedly been leaked, although it has not been confirmed they are actually on the list.

Reportedly leaked?!? Reportedly leaked by who? Oh, yes, us….

The Post Today newspaper yesterday published what it says was a list of 32 of the movement’s backers.

And the Bangkok Post published the same news story, even with an error on one of the names from the Post Today story, leaving out a family name (Sophonpanich). Yes, the story was “reportedly leaked.”

A third cause for amusement was the denial that was a confirmation:

Boonchai Chokwatana, the president and chief executive of Saha Pathanapibul Plc, the distributing arm of Saha Group, the country’s largest consumer products conglomerate [and Anand Panyarachun’s longtime businesss base], yesterday brushed aside reports that his company was one of the PDRC’s backers. He said he was neither alarmed nor surprised, and that he had known about it for two weeks.

So far, so good, then this:

Mr Boonchai said his company has nothing to do with politics and does business transparently, although the firm may sometimes be affected by politics. His family does not take sides and remains neutral, he said.

Okay, got it, a denial. Then this:

He added that the CMPO’s efforts to stop the flow of funds to the PDRC and to name the PDRC’s financiers, which may include his company, may be only an attempt to deter and intimidate them from backing the PDRC.

He said he did not think the CMPO is serious about prosecuting alleged financiers.

That sounds like an admission to us. Made more amusing by a threat:

On the contrary, the measure is a flawed strategy and could have negative consequences for the government, Mr Boonchai said.

The CMPO should halt this move as the suspected companies may actually decide as a consequence to provide financial support to anti-government protesters.

Perhaps the whole thing is concocted for just this purpose? Or maybe not. All-in-all, quite a story!