Department of Special Investigation (DSI) head Tharit Pengdit's explanation as to why a businessman deposited B150,000 into the account of his wife, Wassamon, in 2008 is unconvincing. Theerachai Thamrongpongsakorn, owner of Mangkorn Hern Fa Co., said he transferred the funds in return for a tax break - but such breaks, privately given, would, of course, be corruption.
Tharit says that the deposit was for lawyer's fees, a tax payment plan, and company registration expenses. If so, why didn't Theerachai pay the lawyer, the Revenue Department and Ministry of Commerce directly? Was it coincidence that the lawyer in question was Wassamon's cousin?
It may well be that Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Promphan is bringing the matter up now because he's being charged with terrorism, thanks to the DSI's work - but even if so, two wrongs don't make a right. Also, the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission reportedly dismissed earlier the case against Wassamon because she didn't have jurisdiction over the district where Theerachai's company was - but the case still smells fishy, for the reasons above.
PM Abhisit, Julius Caesar noted, "Caesar's wife must be above suspicion" - and so too must the spouse of any senior law enforcement officer. Please ensure that Wassamon is given the justice due her, with neither a whitewash nor a kangaroo court, promptly and transparently.
Burin Kantabutra
Bangkok
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White paper debate distracts from the real issue
It must be difficult being SP Somtow. He is devoted to bringing some culture to Thailand with the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra. Having just delivered the Thai premiere of Mahler's Third Symphony, using an enormous orchestra and three choirs, he is probably due a rest. Instead of that, he is put in the firing line by friends, to answer the "White Paper". As is usual, he has attracted criticism from all sides, plus the odd death threat. The Nation painted him yellow on the front page, which undoubtedly made him shudder. He was on the yellow-shirts' case in the past. He is entirely sympathetic to the rural poor but not to hooliganism and plunder. The anonymous critic on his website, with a yellow spine but probably a red shirt, and others, called him anti-Semitic because he used the word "shyster", so add ignorance to their list.
The White Paper has done its job. We can evaluate Khun Somtow's performance, or Mr Amsterdam's, to distract us from evaluating Mr Amsterdam's client. In the past, Somtow has described Thaksin Shinawatra's government as a one-man kleptocracy, and he is right. This aspect of the Thaksin years did not appear in the White Paper. It would probably take 75 pages to get all of the details of that published
RICHARD BOWLER
Bangkok
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Arsonists not to blame for CentralWorld blaze
Re: "Fire culprits will never be publicly known" Letters, August 2
John Sheppard feels he can uniquely defend the BBC's notion that the red-shirt protests were largely peaceful due to the fact that he was living very near the red-shirt camp at Rajadmri/Rajprasong. He then curiously enquired about my hiding place. Mr Sheppard, I am delighted to have this opportunity to tell you exactly where I was on April 23 at 8pm, namely Sala Daeng BTS with other commuters coming under attack from M79 grenades. Strangely enough, this event was omitted from your chronicle.
Mr Sheppard lays the blame for the arson attack on CentralWorld, firmly and squarely with the Army for not protecting it. I see; so no blame to be attributed to the red-shirt leaders who called for the burning of Bangkok, or indeed the people who committed the act?
Simon Jones
Bangkok
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The prime minister is never elected by the people
If by "elected representative" George Cuppaidge means the prime minister, then he should know that the voters neither elect nor remove him. Parliament elects the PM, and if his party loses the parliamentary majority, it also removes him, usually by a vote of no confidence. Mr Cuppaidge may however take some comfort from the fact that he is in the good company of the glorious BBC, who in a recent "Hardtalk" interview showed the same degree of ignorance when accusing the present prime minister of having no mandate to be PM as he was not elected by the people.
I am confident that the people at The Nation can still lie straight in their beds at night and that they won't lose any sleep over Mr C's muttering.
Horst Bullinger
Bangkok