When a convicted drug trafficker is a minister

Clipped from the Bangkok Post

A couple of days ago, there was news that German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand’s largest rice-farming province.

One might think that Steinmeier would be there to meet farmers. Perhaps he was, but he “was welcomed by Capt Thamanat Prompow, Minister of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives; Nadhavathna Krishnamra, the kingdom’s ambassador to Germany; and representatives of companies in the province…”.

So, he’s been welcomed by a convicted heroin trafficker and representatives of landowning tycoons.

Any red faces? Or is this just par for the course nowadays?

Updated: Pork, police, and crypto

We notice that shady Deputy Interior Minister Chada Thaised has announced that his ministry “will launch its crackdown on ‘influential figures’ nationwide starting on Dec 1…”.

We guess there’s something to setting a shady character to find other of that type.

Chada Thaiseth’s convoy stopped by more than uniformed and plainclothes police on a road in Uthai Thani province in 2017. Clipped from The Nation.

As regular readers will know, there are several shady characters in the Puea Thai-led government, including the notorious Thammanat Prompao.

Clipped from Khaosod

Hence, when we read a special Reuters report on Chinese-link crypto scams, we were not surprised when his name came up.

The report also names a range of senior police who are allegedly linked to the scammers, including senior officers in the agencies meant to deal with these scams.

Of course, we understand that most Thais would consider such links just about par for the course, but then detailing them adds credence to those suspicions.

It is a long and detailed report, but well worth reading.

Update: The Reuters use of “pork” resonates with a Thai Newsroom report on Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Thammanat announcing the results of a longish “crackdown” on the smuggling and illegal trading of meats. We probably don’t need to say that Thammanat knows a lot about smuggling….

Meanwhile, there’s corrupt unelected senator Upakit Pachariyangkul. The Office of the Narcotics Control Board “has confiscated assets … worth 285 million baht in connection with his alleged involvement in a drugs ring and money laundering…. The office is also tracking at another sum in excess of 600 million baht which is believed to have been siphoned out of Thailand by the senator.”

Then there’s also another crypto scam allegation from TCG Social Media Group, a gold-backed crypto platform, that has filed a lawsuit against JKN Global Group (JKN), demanding the owner of the Miss Universe Organization pay 1 billion baht in damages…”.

Quite a lineup of corruption and political shenanigans.

 

Thammanat’s free pass

PPT remains bemused by the Bangkok Post’s coverage of the new cabinet.

We earlier posted on that newspaper’s questioning of the appointment of Puea Thai nominee Pichit Chuenban who is expected to serve as a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office. He was dropped or stood aside or something. The Post also mentioned the dubious Pol Gen Permpoon Chidchob. Of course, there are several more dubious politicians in the new government.

Clipped from Khaosod

But the Post continues to give convicted criminal Thammanat Prompao a free pass. In its ABOUT POLITICS column the Post sees it as more important to continue its hatred of the Move Forward Party than to shine a light on real criminals. To do this it chose to highlight three legally and constitutionally murky or dubious cases of Future Forward MPs being tripped up. Rather than lauding an MP, he is taken to task fro protecting a woman being physically harassed in a public place.

That column mentions the convicted heroin trafficker in passing but not to question his “qualifications.”

In another story, the Post frets about the wrong persons being given cabinet posts because they lack qualifications or experience. But citing a little-known academic, when it comes to Thammanat, only this: “Capt Thamanat Prompow, who assumes the agriculture and cooperatives minister post …  is widely perceived as an influential figure…”. Is this meaning he’s influential in his party? Probably. But he is also a “dark influence.” But not a mention of his criminal past, his unexplained wealth, his lies, his harem, or his lack of qualifications (or his qualifications that are fake).

What is going on? Have orders been issued? Has the Post been legally threatened? Is it just the usual double standards? Is it spinelessness? Something else?

Updated: Ethics ain’t ethics

It might seem like a refreshing change for old, elite men to be discussing ethics. But clearly, just like everything else, there are double standards on ethics. At the same time, we doubt that many of those throwing the term around have a clue what ethics is about. Most of them probably think that if you can get away with something, then it is “ethical.”

Let’s begin with legal snake Wissanu Krea-ngam, who  has raised questions regarding the proposal for a former Thaksin Shinawatra lawyer to be a minister. We have posted on this here. Wissanu, who has served illegal military regimes, talks of ethics. Law is not the issue for him on the appointment of Pichit Chuenban, but ethics. But what was the execrable Wissanu saying about convicted heroin smuggler and political ally Thammanat Prompao. He defended his lies about everything. If it was “legal,” it was okay. No mention of ethics.

When Thammanat engaged in nepotism, Wissanu seemed to love rolling in slime. He gave his support the cabinet’s convicted heroin smuggler. Like a mobster’s corrupt lawyer, Wissanu defended the indefensible:

Wissanu asked reporters “why can’t it be done?” after being questioned about Tuesday’s controversial move. When pressed if the appointment of spouses and family members into government positions was appropriate, Wissanu said it wasn’t illegal.

Ethics? Not a peep.

Asked about Wissanu’s sudden interest in and concern for ethics, Puea Thai’s prime minister Srettha Thavisin replied as if he’d become the Wissanu of old: “We have to be fair to all ministers. If there are no legal obstacles and they pass the qualifications check, their appointment should not be ethically wrong.”

What should be concerning here is that this business tycoon seems unable to understand the meaning of ethics. (We are sure Wissanu hasn’t a clue either.)

Then there are the ethical issues associated with elected (party list) MPs ditching their seats within weeks of the election, either in fits of pique or just because they can’t be bothered or it is beneath their sakdina ranking to sit on the regular parliament benches.

Should we ask Gen Prawit Wongsuwan if his resignation is ethical? We get the feeling that The Watchman would consider the word “ethics” a foreign word, not meant for corrupt military leaders.

Or what of Seripisut Temiyavet’s resignation? It seems his job was to sink Move Forward’s bid to form a government and install a past regime + Puea Thai government to aid the conservatives. Is that ethical? He wouldn’t have a clue.

And then there’s the mock resignation of Puea Thai’s leader Dr Cholnan Srikaew who says he has kept his word and resigned “because of [Puea Thai’s] … decision to form a government with military-linked parties.” How ethical is that when he’s keeping his new ministerial position? Not one bit. He’s lied, the party’s lied, and as leader he arranged the relationship with the military-linked parties.

Ethics is a commodity in exceptionally short supply.

Update: In addition to correcting some typos, we note that the Bangkok Post’s editorial on what it calls a “shady cabinet” was about “Pol Gen Permpoon Chidchob, younger brother of Newin Chidchob…”. As well as noting that all three of the Chidchob brothers have had cabinet posts – that’s what you get when trading posts for votes – it mentioned his role in aiding the “whitewash [of] fugitive Red Bull scion Vorayuth ‘Boss’ Yoovidhya, the culprit in the infamous hit-and-run case back in 2012” who continues to evade justice. But not a word about the heroin trafficker.

 

Criminal cabinet

In a dubious process of horse trading and benefit-seeking, the new cabinet has been sort of announced.

The Bangkok Post has a story regarding the appointment of Puea Thai nominee Pichit Chuenban who is expected to serve as a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Of course, Pichet was Thaksin Shinawatra’s lawyer who “served jail time for contempt of court over the so-called ‘cash-stuffed paper bag’ scandal” in 2008 when he represented the former prime minister in a land case. The money may well have been part of a bribe. While that was a curious time, and the court acted remarkably quickly in Pichet’s case, just two weeks after the cash was found, he was given six months in jail. After getting out of the slammer, Pichet was given a party-list spot for Puea Thai and became an MP in 2011.

While critics admit there is no legal or constitutional constraint on Pichet serving as a minister, they raise “ethical issues and a sense of appropriateness.”

To us, that makes some sense. But, then, what of cases that are arguably even more egregious?

Think of convicted heroin trafficker Thammanat Prompao. He’s lied, threatened, and somehow survived – some speculate on a palace connection. And he’s got huge and unexplained wealth. Why aren’t critics questioning his “ethical issues and … sense of appropriateness.” It is those double standards again.

A Bangkok Post graphic

No doubt a forensic search of the records of all of those nominated for cabinet can turn up even more skeletons.

 

Updated: Puea Thai under the old regime

Puea Thai claims it is negotiating cabinet positions. It is more like something between an auction and following orders.

Two particular issues (among many) caught PPT’s attention.

One concerns the heroin smuggler:

Convicted heroin smuggler

Capt Thammanat Prompao, poised to become Agriculture Minister, brings with him a troubling past, including a conviction in Australia for heroin smuggling. His influence over a ministry with a substantial budget allocation and direct impact on the farming community could have long-lasting ramifications.

So much for any notion of clean, transparent, or good governance.

The second is Puea Thai taking orders from The Dictator on the appointment of the Minister for Defense:

… it was learned that outgoing PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha had proposed former NSC chief General Nattapol Nakphanit for the post and the coalition agreed.

On top of that they’ve handed Interior to the Buriram mafia.

It seems pretty clear that Puea Thai has abandoned everything it said during the election campaign.

Update: It is reported that Puea Thai is taking so much flak from its supporters over its political contortions that it is considering a backtrack on defense minister:

The source said Pheu Thai has decided to nominate Mr Sutin as the defence minister candidate for several reasons, including strong resistance against Gen Natthapon by red-shirt members due to his alleged role in the 2010 military crackdown on red-shirt protesters…. Sutin’s proposed appointment should help reduce discontent within party ranks as Gen Natthapon is considered an outsider.

Being politically tone-deaf is now a serious challenge for the party that craves (some) power over everything else. This is clear when  a “source” was “[a]sked if the change would upset Gen Prayut, the source said the matter must have been discussed and agreed to before Mr Sutin’s nomination.”

Puea Thai is increasingly looking like a branch of The Dictator’s party.

Voters betrayed

No matter how you spin it, the May 2023 election was a landslide for parties that campaigned to throw out the generals and their military-backed coalition. Three months later, after much negotiation, Puea Thai is reported to have settled on a coalition that betrays the voters who wanted change.

The Bangkok Post reports that:

The Pheu Thai Party has now sealed a deal with the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and United Thai Nation (UTN) Party in which the two parties have agreed to vote for Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidate in exchange for slices of the cabinet quota cake….

That is, the parties that were roundly rejected by the electorate will likely be a part of the government again. Significantly, Puea Thai’s MPs are outnumbered by those of the former coalition partners. Puea Thai has 141 MPs while Bhumjaithai, Palang Pracharath, and Ruam Thai Sang Chart together have 147.

The wheeling and dealing over cabinet seats looks exactly like the salivating and grasping of previous times, meaning that it is likely that this new old-style government will probably include convicted heroin trafficker and serial liar Thammanat Prompao. Gen Prawit Wongsuwan’s brother Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwon”would become a deputy prime minister and the natural resources and environment minister…”.

Sadly for the country, this government, should it actually emerge, looks likely to be rapacious and incredibly conservative. It is likely to be as repressive as its predecessor.

The election outcome was a vote for change, not more of the same.

With 4 updates: Waiting III (we give up guessing….)

Waiting for the deal makers to announce the next plan for Thailand, conjured in secret meetings, is driving a wedge between pro-democracy forces, thus doing the ruling class’s work.

You have to marvel at the way Thaksin Shinawatra can make everything political about him. His party did not get the political landslide he wanted, but it was a part of a pro-democracy/anti-military landslide that is now being shredded.

While he may be wrong this time, “massage parlour tycoon-turned-whistleblower Chuvit Kamolvisit” has been right about a lot of late, and he recently

held a press conference on Thursday in which he claimed Pheu Thai had struck a deal with Bhumjaithai and the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) parties to form a government with a combined 279 MPs, excluding the MFP. He said that key figures of the parties met Thaksin in Hong Kong to strike the deal on Tuesday — the same day Mr Thanathorn [Juangroongruangkit] met Thaksin there, Mr Chuvit claimed…. “With the formation of a new coalition, the MFP [Move Forward], the United Thai Nation Party, and the Democrat Party would form the opposition,” he said.

That will be a disunited “opposition,” meaning the ruling parties will probably have unchecked control in parliament.

The betting is strong for Anutin Charnvirakul to emerge as prime minister after a sham selection process next week, with the “real” selection after that.

Interestingly, much of the uncomfortableness about the backroom dealing is targeted at Thanathorn. In another recent story, there’s this:

Responding to media reports about the alleged Hong Kong deal, Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, an MFP list-MP, tweeted that he didn’t pay much attention to whether or not it was true…. “Even if I end up feeling like a fool when I realise I have been deceived and lost everything, my honesty and integrity will still be here with me. And I can still walk with my chin up and face anyone as usual,” he said on Twitter…. “And even if this mission is doomed to fail because of betrayal, that will still be better than making it fail now due to distrust within the team.”

That is probably a reflection of a broader disenchantment.

In the same report, Attachak Satayanuruk of Chiang Mai University, said:

he thinks Thaksin’s announced return to Thailand is part of a deal between him, Pheu Thai and … the ruling class…. These sides are in a deal due to their mutual fears that the MFP’s reformist movement could threaten their political security, said Mr Attachak…. As a part of the deal, Thaksin will look for ways to divide the supporters of Pheu Thai and MFP as much as possible so as to stall the MFP’s reformist movement, said Mr Attachak.

Remarkably, Thaksin seems to have already done some of that division, abetted by Thanathorn.

While some Puea Thai supporters will cheer the outcome and Thaksin’s return, we can’t help wondering how they will feel about a cabinet of cronies and criminals. They may even cheer a deal that has obvious palace collusion – Thaksin’ return needs that approval.

On the other side, there are still many Thaksin opponents lurking….

Update 1: And, of course, Move Forward and Pita Limjaroenrat also face Constitutional Court vengeance.

Update 2: Chuwit has now posted on social media that the “situation” has changed and that Thaksin is not returning to Thailand. Does this mean the deal is off? Who knows? Does this mean the ruling class is divided? Almost certainly. And the damage to Move Forward? It lingers and the Constitutional Court still lurks.

Update 3: One thing we can confirm is that the convicted heroin trafficker Thammanat Prompao, is back as secretary-general of Palang Pracharath. The twists and turns are at warp speed.

Update 4: A report on Chuwit’s claims at the Bangkok Post is worth reading. His claims are contradicted:

The ex-premier’s daughter Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra, a Pheu Thai prime ministerial candidate, called the whistleblower’s remark “baseless”. Plans for her father’s Aug 10 return were still in place, she said.

Rejecting the military-monarchy alliance

As the Puea Thai Party seems intent on committing electoral suicide, even sitting down with a convicted heroin smuggler, the tactics used by the military-monarchy alliance are clear.

Readers might have thought that the unelected detritus of the senate could be trusted to do their assigned task of preventing a reformist regime being elected. Perhaps they could, but it is also evident that they were threatened,

This is shown in the punishment now meted out to those who did not abstain, have a holiday, or vote against Pita Limjaroenrat. One of the country’s most despicable cretins has demanded that they be “investigated.”

Former senator and serial petitioner in the pay of others, Ruangkrai Leekitwattana “said he has petitioned the National Anti-Corruption Commission to look into irregularities he found in a list of assets declared by six senators on May 14, 2019.” Yes, that’s 2019.

The “senators … are Kraisid Tontisirin, Saki Pithukkhumpol, Pol Lt Gen Jitti Rodbangyang, Pisan Manawapat, Wutthiphan Wichairat and Prapasri Suchantabutr…”.

No backsliding is to be permitted as the ruling class now moves to establish a conservative government. It wants to smash the Move Forward coalition and force Move Forward to the opposition. If that means a Puea Thai-led coalition of anti-democratic parties, they will put up with it in the short term while the Constitutional Court gets rid of Pita and then Move Forward. Sooner or later it will try to rearrange the Puea Thai coalition so that it is a military-monarchy coalition and probably with either General Prawit Wongsuwan or Anutin Charnvirakul as prime minister.

The way out for Puea Thai is to reject the notion of a new coalition, go to opposition with Move Forward and force a new election. The risk is a coup somewhere along this path as public discontent rises.

The NACC’s contortions

The National Anti-Corruption Commission is well known for its capacity to support the regime that came to power following the 2014 coup. It has contorted itself, its rules, and laws to ensure that no serious charge sticks to those at the top of the regime. Among many cases, we recall Gen Prawit Wongsuwan’s “borrowed” watches, Thammanat Prompao’s nepotism, heroin smuggling, and unusual wealth, and Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha’s relations.

Here’s another fine display of contortion. The NACC “has found no evidence implicating Industry Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit in a dereliction of duty case. It was referring to a case linked to the purchase of 10 ultra-long-range aircraft between 2002 and 2004….”.

Revealing is the fact that the NACC “Mr Suriya was not involved in THAI’s purchase of the 10 aircraft…”. At the time, Suriya was Minister for Transport.

The very same NACC decided in December 2022 “to press charges of dereliction of duty against ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, former deputy transport minister Phichet Sathirachawal, former THAI board chairman Thanong Bidaya and former THAI president Kanok Abhiradee…”.

According to Isra News, Suriya submitted the purchase proposal to cabinet.

But, no charge. Of course, it is because Suriya jumped the Thaksin ship and washed up with the junta. Double standards? You bet.