Thailand says talks with protesters ongoing despite arrests

BANGKOK (AFP) — Thailand's deputy prime minister insisted Monday that the arrest of two anti-government leaders would not derail negotiations with protesters besieging state buildings.

The detention of Chamlong Srimuang, a key protest leader, and rally organiser Chaiwat Sinsuwong over the weekend raised speculation in local media that the government was giving up on the talks.

Both men are due in court on Monday and are facing charges including insurrection, but Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, deputy prime minister and chief negotiator with the protesters, said they were still committed to peace.

"I can still negotiate with others ... Our negotiations have not ended yet. There is just a little more to finish," Chavalit told reporters.

"These negotiations will soon be successful," he added.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat has said he wants thousands of protesters to leave his Bangkok offices by November.

Chavalit has been tasked with ending the six-week occupation of the government compound by a coalition demanding that the elected government step down because of its links to ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The group began their campaign in late May claiming that the ruling People Power Party's plan to amend the constitution was aimed at helping Thaksin escape graft charges, and they stormed Government House on August 26.

A day later, Thailand issued arrest warrants for nine protest leaders.

Authorities, however, appeared unwilling to force their way into the heavily-fortified protest camp and deliver the warrants, and arrested Chamlong as he voted in Bangkok's governor elections on Sunday.

Chamlong appeared in court on Monday where police were seeking to extend his detention by 12 days, while Chaiwat was later due to appear in the same court, where his lawyers were expected to argue against his detention.

Comment : Real Thai politics chaos, for now, nobody knows that what happended, why Chamlong like to be a big shot, why he get out from Government house, I don't understand.

Chaovalit contacts Chamlong to disperse protest

By The Nation
Maj General Chamlong Srimuang, a leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy said Deputy Prime Minister Chaovalit Yongchaiyudh had his close aide call him up but had yet to discuss conditions that the PAD would agree to disperse its sit-in protest.

Chamlong said he was still waiting for advice from Chaovalit over the political impasse and the PAD would decide if it could follow his advice.

"We do not close all doors for negotiations and we are ready to talk to all parties,'' he said.

He said Chaovalit's aide and he had only talked about their well-beings.

Comment : Chaovalit have been secret supported to People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) so far, so its not surprise if Chamlong will be cheerfully accept to negotiate with Chaovalit. It's juggler!

Thailand's ex-PM Samak loses another court battle

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Thailand's Appeals Court upheld a two-year jail sentence Thursday in a defamation case against former Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who was recently forced to resign for violating the constitution.

Samak, who rose to his feet for the verdict, was stunned by the court's decision and lost his balance. Two court aides caught his arms to prevent him from falling.

The court said it saw no reason to suspend the jail term handed down last year by the Criminal Court, which convicted Samak of defaming a former deputy mayor of Bangkok during a television talk show in January 2006.

Defense attorney Prachum Thongmee said Samak would appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

The Criminal Court verdict was in April 2007 and the sentence was on appeal when Samak became prime minister early this year. Samak, known for his sharp tongue, had been convicted three other times for defamation and given suspended sentences.

This time, the Appeals Court said it wanted to teach him a lesson.

"The defendant has repeatedly defamed others with groundless, damaging information," the court said in its decision Thursday, read out by a judge. "The courts have given the defendant chances to reform and change his behavior but the defendant has not changed. So there is no reason to reduce the punishment."

Comment : Samak and Dusit, political commentator dual, they 're in duty of mass communication, they aren't a politician, I don't understand, I have just found out that Its guilty. Before that, Sonthi Limthongkul the master of people 's alliance for democracy who has been hit in same accusation for many case, but he didn't found guilty, Thai Juctice had been verdicted that he was a Journalist who did his work by duty. Why ? Sonthi could do that but Samak couldn't. Sonthi is a untouchable man, isn't it?