Collision course
 The Nation
November 19, 2005 - Anti-Thaksin rallies grow as frustrations threaten to boil over. Political tempers rose to near the boiling point yesterday when the military, kept at bay from politics since 1992, issued a veiled threat to leading anti-government critic Sondhi Limthongkul, who responded with an explosive allegation concerning one of the prime minister's sisters, Monthatip Kovitcharoenkul.
Lumpini Park yesterday evening played host to probably the biggest anti-Thaksin rally yet in the capital. A crowd of tens of thousands of people cheered when Sondhi claimed that a C-130 military plane was used to fly guests to a birthday party for Monthatip.
The claim, apparently backed by a written order, embarrassed both Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the military, some members of whom have spoken out against his critics to intimidate them.
The bombshell allegation came one day after Sondhi, owner of Manager Media Group, was served a court order requiring him to stop criticising Thaksin immediately, pending a trial on the latter's libel suits against the tycoon.
The allegation also capped a day of high tension sparked by Supreme Commander General Ruengroj Mahasaranond's highly controversial warning that the armed forces might "take action" if Sondhi did not stop involving the monarchy in his criticism of Thaksin.
"Our patience is reaching breaking point. We may take action if Sondhi does not cease his criticism by citing the monarchy," Ruengroj said in what critics described as the first blatant political interference by the military since the 1992 pro-democracy uprising.
Ruengroj, who is close to ex-supreme commander and Thaksin's cousin Chaisit Shinawatra, said Sondhi's actions have sabotaged national security and caused divi?siveness. The stern warning came two days after Maj-General Prin Suwannathat, commander of the 1st Infantry Division of the Royal Guard, called for Sondhi in a letter to stop citing the monarchy while attacking Thaksin.
With ever-ballooning crowds attending Sondhi's weekly talk show, first held at Thammasat University and last night at Lumpini Park, his CDs of the events are selling like hot cakes and many Thais are monitoring the banned programme through net broadcasts. Sondhi is emerging as a major political threat to Thaksin.
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam last night appeared on special programmes on two TV stations to defend Thaksin's participation in a religious ceremony last April at the Emerald Buddha Temple. The event had been a focus of Sondhi's attacks and led to Thaksin's civil and criminal lawsuits and the on-going showdown between the two former allies.
Sondhi is facing arrest. According to his own newspaper's website, a police investigation into charges that he had committed lese majeste by involving the monarchy in his criticism of Thaksin was gathering pace and an arrest warrant would be issued within days.
Speaking at Lumpini yesterday, Sondhi compared the Monthathip incident to the Thungyai Naresuan scandal which helped to trigger the 1973 popular uprising that toppled the dictatorial Thanom regime. The scandal involved use of military helicopters in a hunting spree by government and military officials.
Despite his controversial background and past staunch support for Thaksin, Sondhi seems to get increasing public support and yesterday received a morale-boosting visit by Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the Democrat Party, whom the media tycoon once strongly criticised.
The Nation
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