PAD to protest against Somkid's appointment
The People's Alliance for Democracy announced Sunday that will hold a meeting Tues to decide on measures for protesting the appointment of Somkid Jatusripitak, economic tsar of the Thaksin government, as sufficiency economy envoy.
Suriyasai Katasila, a spokesman of the PAD, said the appointment of Somkid was the last straw for the PAD so it had hold the meeting at the Manager Group's head office at 10 am to review its tie with the government. Suriyasai said the meeting would definitely come up with measures to pressure the government to reconsider Somkid's appointment of chairman of a special committee in charge of explaining sufficiency theory to foreign countries. Suriyasai was speaking at a press conference held to announce the PAD's stand against Somkid's appointment. "If the government does not take any action regarding this issue, we will review the PAD's tie with the government," Suriyasai said. He said Somkid could reduce public pressure toward his appointment by showing that he had really repented for once supporting the Thaksinomics and he was ready to atone for support of the Thaksin regime. "Somkid's first job is not to launch PR campaigns to explain sufficiency economy idea to foreigners but he must firs tell Thais what damages the Thaksinomics had done to the country," Suriyasai said. Speaking at the same press conference, Somsak Kosaisuk the PAD disagreed with Somkid's appointment because it confused the public about the government's stand. "Somkid is being investigated by the Assets Examination Committee related to corruption in the rubber seedling project but the prime minister appointed him to work on foreign policy," Somsak said. "I doubt whether Thailand has only Somkid who can give explanations to foreign countries." Somsak said Somkid stood by the Thaksinomics for a long time and did not distance himself from Thaksin regime "so he has no pride to be in this position". He said Somkid's appointment underlined perception that the government lacked capable personnel to work for the country so it had to recruit persons, who had caused damages to the country, to work. "I don't think foreigners will regain confidence in Thailand because of Somkid," Somsak added. Suriyasai also denied that the PAD was rifted over Somkid's appointment because a PAD leader, Sondhi Limthogkul, earlier came out to support Somkid. Suriyasai said Sondhi also called on Somkid to show that he had repented. Mahachon Party leader Sanan Kachornprasart yesterday criticised Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont for appointing Somkid to the position.
The Nation
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