Supreme Court to monitor Thaksin's speech

The president of the Supreme Court called a meeting of senior executives and judges from the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders on Monday to discuss about the matter, according to the source.

If Thaksin comments in contempt of court or any judge, legal action will be taken against him, said the judge, who added that such offence carries the penalty of 1-7 years' imprisonment and a fine of between Bt2,000 and Bt14,000.

The court president also warned the media against publishing possible libelous comments by Thaksin, the source said.

Thaksin is expected to make a phone-in during the gathering of his supporters organised by the hosts of the Truth Today television programme, which is broadcast on the state-run NBT, at the Rajamangala Stadium.

The court on Oct 21 sentenced Thaksin in absentia to two years in jail in connection with the Ratchadaphisek land scandal, in which his wife Pojaman bought a coveted land plot far cheaper than the market price from a state agency.

Thaksin said the court sentence was politically motivated as there was no evidence of fraud, corruption or abuse of power against him. "I was convicted simply because I was a politician," he said in his statement issued in London.

Judges were concerned about Thaksin's criticism and agreed to the need to protect the judiciary's reputation, the source said yesterday.

The Supreme Court has posted on its website (www.supremecourt.or.th) an electronic version of the complete 39-page verdict in the Ratchadaphisek land scandal case.