Moving Right Along...

If you're reading my blog bottom-up, you'll see a theme going on here. New Year's across Asia. Starts out happy enough but there is more trouble brewing on the other side of the Himalayans. Over in Thailand, the PM is looking at possible prosecution at the hands of his former top military man. According to The Jerusalem Post, after Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin effected a coup, removing Thaksin Shinawatra from the PM's office, vast assets were identified but not (yet) seized. Sondhi said to the Post "those who have committed wrongdoings have to be prosecuted according to the law." There was no mention of what exactly has happened to Thaksin's assets, though I suppose some of the poverty-stricken and starving Thai people might have an idea or two of how to spend the money.

Thaksin Shinawatra, meanwhile, has fled towards the United Kingdom, where his reception may be less than warm. He has no meetings scheduled, as far as Britain's PM Tony Blair knows. I think Thaksin better be sure to have his papers ready and in order.

The coup was, overall, rather peaceful. There were some skirmishes but civilians' lives were not put at risk unduly, nor were there riots in the streets. Sondhi has noted he does intend to act as PM in the interim but was careful to add on behalf of his party, "We would like to reaffirm that we don't have any intention to rule the country and will return power to the Thai people as soon as possible." Sondhi was flanked by the three armed forces chiefs and the national police chief at the time of this remark. I'd say he has the support of the military and the people. Thaksin seems to be the only loser here and as losers do, he's running as fast as his misappropriated assets will carry him.