Phuket yellow shirts sue red shirts over petition

PHUKET CITY: Phuket’s yellow shirt leaders have filed police charges against the island’s red shirt organizers for gathering signatures seeking a royal pardon for exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The move echoes similar actions taken by People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leaders around the country.

Led by Phuket PAD coordinator Aparat Chartchutikumjorn, around 30 PAD members filed complaints at Phuket City and Cherng Talay police stations yesterday alleging the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) petition was illegal.

The document, which named three local UDD leaders, claimed the red shirt action was an attempt to obstruct justice and amounted to contempt of court.

The Supreme Court convicted Mr Thaksin of corruption in a land deal while he was prime minister.

He was sentenced to two years in jail late last year.

Mr Thaksin, now living in exile in Dubai, has not returned to Thailand to serve his sentence.

The UDD is collecting signatures for a petition requesting a royal pardon for Mr Thaksin.

UDD leaders intend to deliver the petition to the Office of His Majesty’s Principal Private Secretary in Bangkok on Monday.

Watchara Malikaew, a local UDD member, told the Gazette that around 10,000 Phuket residents have signed the petition.

At least 100 UDD members would take buses to Bangkok and deliver the petition to HM The King on Monday, he said.

Meanwhile, Ms Aparat said the PAD has gathered 10,000 signatures locally declaiming the petition.

The list will be sent to Bangkok today, she said.

For an in-depth analysis by Nation editor Tulsathit Taptim click here.

— Atchaa Khamlo