Thaksin 'has nothing to do with plot'

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has denied being involved in plans, known widely as the Taksin I and Taksin II, to oust this government, red-shirt rally organiser Natthawut Saikua said yesterday.

He added that the ex-PM had called him directly to disclose this information.

"I want to plead for justice because Thaksin's name is smeared by linking to schemes he is in no way involved," Natthawut said.

He added that the ASTV-Manager Daily, seen as the mouthpiece of the People's Alliance of Democracy, announced the existence of these so-called plots and said a report like this lacked credibility. He also added that the government was hyping up the news so it could have public focus shifted to Thaksin and the red shirts in order to cover up its poor performance, he said.

"I swear on my life that the red shirts are not involved in Taksin I or II, and would like to challenge Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban to release a report on the matter for public scrutiny," he said.

Natthawut said he suspected the two schemes had been fabricated to provide a pretext for a crackdown on the red shirts.

Pheu Thai Party MP Jatuporn Promphan said the plots were written like the storyline of a novel that had no bearing on reality, adding that this bid to put the red shirts in a bad light was pure malice.

He also voiced suspicion that the government was trying to discredit the red shirts as a pretext to mobilise 6,000 soldiers to keep peace at tomorrow's rally. However, he insisted that the rally would be peaceful, though he warned about unforeseen consequences should authorities step in to disperse the crowds.

Meanwhile, Thaksin's legal adviser Wichit Plangsrisakul threatened to file a defamation suit against any individuals linking Thaksin to government-ousting schemes.

"Thaksin is a fallen man and some people just want to keep stomping him down," Wichit said, adding that the government should concentrate more on solving people's problems instead of smearing the former PM.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said the public should closely scrutinise any plots before coming to a conclusion.

"The key issue is whether the accusations are true," he said.

In related news, soldiers will today be deployed to guard Government House for the duration of the red-shirt rally.

Democrat MP Thepthai Senpong said he was afraid a civil war would erupt if the two Taksin plots were carried out.

Meanwhile, Thammasat University's law lecturer Prinya Thewanaruemitkul said he expected the latest red-shirt rally would be a low-key event because they had a learned a lesson from the Songkran mayhem.

"This time they should not be able to attract too large a crowd because the people are still haunted by the road blockade at Victory Monument and the raid by protesters at the Asean Summit in Pattaya," he said.

Democrat MP Kiartikorn Pakpiansilp said democracy advocates should stay away from the rally because the presence of a large crowd might be exploited by "a third hand" to stir up violence which in turn will lead to military intervention.