Lydia, 20, who has been in the limelight since it was revealed that she is a close friend of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, told a press conference that she is certainly not his 'gig' but that the former PM is her father's friend. The singer released her book "Lydia … Here I am!" yesterday and met the press for the first time since the news broke about her relationship with Thaksin.   Although Lydia has striven to clear her name amid the gossip, she wants the public to judge her through the words in her book. She thinks the gossip has been unfair and wants to put the matter straight. It has to be politically correct, as Lydia asked Thaksin for advice about her book before it went to print - and Thaksin read the draft the young singer sent.  Lydia portrays Thaksin as a man with a good sense of humour, despite his being ousted in the coup. Sceptics believe the singer has launched the book to boost her popularity and is simply using the relationship as a marketing ploy. But Lydia said defiantly that she had already prepared to write the book a year ago - long before news about her and Thaksin had spread. Originally the book was meant to be about "her life and the entertainment world", but she decided to add a third part on her relationship with the ousted PM after rumours about their alleged affair emerged. "It's not that I try to support him or want to promote his return. I just want to clear my name. I know nothing about politics and I have been close to him and the family for a year now. I also call Khunying [Pojaman] "Mae" [mother]." Lydia said she spent most of her time singing karaoke or teeing off with Thaksin when he was stressed, rather than talking about politics.   Exerps from The Nation September 8, 2007

Senators sign petition over Chaiya Pressure mounts on minister to stand down

PRADIT RUANGDIT & APIRADEE TREERUTKUERKUL Source Bangkok Post 17th April 2008

Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondech plans to forward a petition lodged by a group of 36 senators against Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsab to the Constitution Court on Monday. Mr Prasopsuk said he will carefully scrutinise the petition before handing it to the court. "'As I said earlier, the Election Commission is directly responsible for taking care of the matter. "'If it refuses [to take charge], we will do it. This shows that the Senate is transparent and determined to do the right thing,'' Mr Prasopsuk said. A group of 36 senators yesterday handed in a petition seeking the removal of the minister over his failure to report his wife's shareholdings exceeding the 5% legal limit within the deadline. Prasarn Marukhapitak, one of the senators who signed the petition, said the group believes Mr Chaiya breached Article 269 by failing to declare a substantial percentage of the shareholdings of his wife, Churai, within 30 days of assuming office, as found by the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC). This could lead to the disqualification of the minister under Article 182, which states that a cabinet minister must be removed if he or she violates the charter, Mr Prasarn said. Churai Sasomsab, the minister's wife, was found to be holding 25,000 shares, worth 2.5 million baht, in a listed firm. The amount accounts for half of the firm's registered stock, which is in excess of the 5% legal limit, which she failed to inform the NCCC about by the March 6 deadline. Mr Chaiya, who returned to his home town of Nakhon Pathom to host a Songkran blessing ceremony at his residence, was silent when peppered with questions by reporters on the issue yesterday. The minister, who has maintained he will not resign, appeared relaxed as he welcomed well-wishers to the ceremony. Kriangsak Vacharanukulkiat, chairman of the Rural Doctors Society, yesterday insisted that the minister was being unreasonable in refusing to step down from the post. 'Health officials will not be able to work effectively as long as the minister is unable to clear himself. The minister has to think about the country and should put its interests before his own. Resigning from office would be a very proud thing to do in this case,'' Dr Kriangsak said. Chairat Saengaroon, a member of the Lawyers Council of Thailand, said Mr Chaiya was considered disqualified as a cabinet minister since the day the NCCC gave its ruling. Mr Chaiya's refusal to stand down not only reflects his lack of political ethics, but also showed that he doesn't care about health officials working under his supervision, he said. Saree Ongsomwang, manager of the Foundation for Consumers, said a campaign to collect 20,000 signatures to pressure for Mr Chaiya's removal from office would be completed by next week.
The foundation, together with an alliance of patients' networks, health activists, pharmaceutical researchers and rural doctors, launched the campaign last month following Mr Chaiya's attempts to back off from compulsory licensing of cancer drugs. The attempt was eventually aborted after ministries concerned found it was not possible to withdraw the licensing.
Ms Saree said another 2,500 signatures are needed to wrap up the campaign, adding that she is confident the foundation will get the 2,500 signatures by next week. 'Actually, we already have the 20,000 signatures but some are not valid because they are not accompanied by relevant documents,'' said Ms Saree, referring to copies of ID cards and household registration documents.
The signature list would be submitted to the Senate for further action. Ms Saree yesterday urged Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, the cabinet, the House and Senate speakers and the Election Commission chairman to take appropriate action in Mr Chaiya's case.

Potjaman testifies over tax evasion charge
Source bangkok Post 18th April 2008

Potjaman Shinawatra, the wife of ousted prime minister Thaksin, appeared in the Criminal Court yesterday over tax evasion charges involved in the 1997 transfer of shares to her stepbrother, Bannapot Damapong. Khunying Potjaman told the court she gave her shares to Mr Bannapot as a gift and had no intention of evading paying tax.
The court allowed her to give her testimony in camera as requested. She spent one and a half hours testifying before leaving the court and did not give any media interviews. She was accompanied by Padung Limcharoenrat, a close aide of Mr Thaksin, and 20 others. Khunying Potjaman, 51, Mr Bannapot, 59, and her secretary Karnchanapa Honghern, 51, were charged by the Office of the Attorney-General with conspiring to evade taxes amounting to 546.12 million baht in the 1997 transfer of shares worth 738 million baht in Shinawatra Computer and Communication Co.

Metha Thamviharn, a lawyer for Mr Bannapot, said Khunying Potjaman does not need to go to court again until it hands down its verdict. She testified about her intention to transfer the shares to her stepbrother, said the lawyer. However, he could not reveal details of her testimony as the court allowed the defendant to give her testimony in a closed session. A source said Khunying Potjaman told the court she gave her shares to Mr Bannapot as a gift and that she did not intend to evade tax. So far, more than 10 defence witnesses have already testified. There are three more witnesses _ Mr Bannapot, Ms Karnchanapa and Suchinda Saengchompu, a former legal officer from the Revenue Department. A source said the plaintiff and the defendants had to hand in their closing statements to the court within 30 days after the last witness in the case testified. There were more than 30 plaintiff witnesses, mostly revenue officials and Assets Scrutiny Committee members.

Chalerm reveals a plot to destabilise the government

Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung on Friday claimed there was a movement aimed at discrediting and undermining the government by trying to stir up disturbances as a frameup to pin the blame on authorities."I confirm there is no one in this government who hates or wants to bicker with General Prem Tinsulanonda," he said in reference to this morning's incident which anticoup activists shouted foul words in front of the residence of the president of the Privy Council. The Nation April 28th 2008

Viroon disqualified from job.

The National Counter Corruption Commission on Thursday decided that Deputy Commerce Minister Viroon Techapaibul had violated the five percent cap on equity stakes, hence he was no longer fit to serve in office.The NCCC will forward its findings on Viroon to the prime minister, the House, the Senate and the Election Commission for enforcing the disqualification.The Nation