Thaksin and friends to be speared on ‘corruption’ by a new anti-graft commission

BANGKOK, Thailand – When you’re out in Thai politics, you’re really down and out. The military Council for Democratic Reform (CDR), i.e. the ruling military junta, has just empowered a new 12-member National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) to investigate any projects or acts by members of the former government of Thaksin Shinawatra, and "others" who are suspected of "irregularities, including tax evasion."

In "Announcement No. 31" (as the CDR’s proclamations are called) the NCCC is authorized to freeze the assets of any politicians who failed to report their financial information by the deadline set by law and those who intentionally reported "false information" about their assets and liabilities.

This coincided with the release of a report by Associate Prof. Supannee Chaiamporn and her colleague Sirinthip Arunrue of the National Institute of Development Administration that systematic corruption involving 95 mega-projects carried out over the five and a half years of the Thaksin administration "probably" cost the state coffers some Baht 400 BILLION (P535.12 Billion). Sanamagan.

The fact that newspapers front-paged the results of that research paper (The Nation daily headlined it in the second lead story: "Thaksin-Era Graft Has Cost State Bt. 400 Bn.") indicates that the government is looking seriously into the allegations of "policy corruption."

One of the projects under investigation today is the cost of the brand-new Suvarnabhumi Airport which entailed government expenditure of Baht 220 billion (P294.3 billion). Based on statistics from the National Economic and Social Development Board, if corruption consistently reached a 30 percent level, some Baht 73 billion (P97.66 Billion) might have been siphoned off from the budget to complete the new airport.

"Politicians, bureaucrats and contractors are all involved in the process," the report ominously noted. What about our own scandal-tainted NAIA-3 – the terminal constructed by Fraport and PIATCO, whose ceiling is still falling down? Perhaps what we need is an investigating commission with the same powers given Thailand’s new Counter Corruption Commission. If such an inquiry were earnestly and relentlessly prosecuted, let’s see whose heads would roll.

But is this possible in our country where, after "working" (or enjoying?) since 1986, the so-called Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) which accomplished nothing except to enrich certain persons close to each ruling post-Marcos government. This was mentioned in sarcastic terms last Sunday by a columnist of The Nation, Mr. Sopon Onkgara in his column Sidelines.

Onkgara alleged that the head of the military junta, CDR Chief (and Army Chief of Staff) Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratglin himself "complained that he has been misled by elements loyal to deposed politicians."

The commentator complained that "what the CDR should have done immediately after the successful coup was to freeze the assets of politicians, kin and cronies who were in Thaksin’s sphere of power and influence, using anti-money laundering laws to prevent movement of assets to avoid possible seizure and return to the national treasury."

He mourned that "despite the worldwide network of anti-money laundering authorities, there is not much chance of recovering hidden assets (now). Just look at the experience of the (Philippine) Commission for Good Government seeking to reclaim assets from the Marcos family."

Oh well. My retort is that the PCGG did not seek hard enough to reclaim assets from the Marcoses, but indeed, today, even wants to reach a "settlement" with them. Susmariosep. Even in Thailand, they know about the PCGG’s utter failure. It’s time to abolish that failed body before we are further embarrassed by its hi-jinks and other unsavory tactics.

* * *

The United States of America, Australia, and other democracies are unhappy that an elected Prime Minister, Thaksin, despite his so-called faults and wrongdoing was ousted by a military coup. The Philippines, with Thailand a fellow member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (La Presidenta GMA is, in fact, ASEAN Chair) was more muted in response.

In any event, Washington DC has condemned the coup and last Thursday announced the suspension of US$24 million (Baht 902 million) in aid to the Thai military. This unease will surely be exacerbated by the appointment of another general, former Army Chief Surayud Chulanont, 63, to replace Thaksin as "interim Prime Minister."

The Bangkok Post yesterday bannered: "SURAYUD NEW PM." The story on page one stressed that while General Surayud had been named by former Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai in 1998 – the first commander of the Special Forces to attain the rank of Commander-in-Chief (jumped over the heads of many older generals) – he had been downgraded by Prime Minister Thaksin, who wanted to appoint his own cousin, General Chaiyasit Shinawatra as Army Commander in 2002. In short, there’s no love lost between Surayud and Thaksin.

The newspaper underscored the General’s merits in a follow-up, almost full-page profile on page 2, headlined: "Man of Integrity." It stated that one of the reasons the former Prime Minister Chuan had handpicked him was that Surayud had been outspoken against the coups of 1991 and the 1992 "Black May uprising," when the military had opened fire on students and other demonstrators (in fury, the King had dismissed the offending generals). At that stage, General Surayud had declared that the army should never again get involved in government, the newspaper recalled.

Why then is he himself now involved in government – as the "interim Prime Minister"?

What’s more, the Council for Democratic Reform (CDR), now calling itself the Council for National Security (CNS) continues to be empowered to countersign the appointment and dismissal of the interim Prime Minister. The CNS, under junta chief, General Sonthi, will also appoint the 2,000 member National Assembly. Members will also nominate 200 candidates from among themselves to the Constitutional Drafting Council which will revise the 1997 Constitution.

Gee whiz. This doesn’t look like a "detour", but derailing of democracy. However, let’s see about the next act. The Thais evidently march to the beat of a different drum.

* * *

JUST BACK IN MANILA . . . This is written on my way home from the Manila International Airport. Bangkok had been bracing for the arrival of Typhoon Xangsane – the one which devastated Metro Manila and Luzon, and struck Vietnam and Cambodia in full fury. Governor Apirak Kosayodhin even held an emergency meeting with city officials last Saturday, based on warnings from the Meteorological Department. (Must be a clone of our "PAG-ASA", because yesterday, the Typhoon – or its rains – never came). Our Thai Airways flight, TG 620, flew us back to Manila in two hours and 51 minutes, without a hitch, a bump, or a stormy cloud in sight.) Lo and behold, the NAIA-1 was in full operation, lights on, air-conditioners humming – a contrast to our hot and frustrating departure. Kudos to the GMA government, the armed forces – and the Meralco – for having performed the Herculean task of restoring power to much of our metropolis and having cleaned up the wasteland left by the rage of Typhoon Milenyo (Xangsane). However, much is still left undone. Millions of people are still suffering from lack of electric power. The work of rehabilitation is still unfinished . . . Would you believe, our luggage came off the carousel at the NAIA-1 in just 15 minutes – in contrast to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. However, those long waits for your baggage in Bangkok – two hours to three hours – are just the "teething problems" of a brand-new airport. It was like that in both Changi and Hongkong at the beginning. In the meantime, I’m glad to see Metro Manila alight again – it’s the Filipino spirit at work: we always bounce back from adversity, even though, at the onset, we gnash our teeth in frustration and despair. Now what we need is to persist – and keep it up!