THAI FOREIGN MINISTER RESIGNS
By D. ARUL RAJOO Bernama - Friday, July 11BANGKOK, July 10 (Bernama) --
Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama today resigned from the post he barely served for five months, bowing out to pressure over his handling of the controversial listing of Cambodia's Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage site.
The resignation will take effect Monday, said the 47-year-old former legal advisor and spokesman of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, adding that the pressure was too much for him to handle.
"We have done nothing wrong (referring to the listing), we followed all the rules. But the pressure is too much," he said, as the country now awaits its fourth foreign minister in three years and at a critical time as Thailand would be taking over the Asean chairmanship later this month.
Noppadon told a press conference at the ministry that he was leaving to ensure peace and political stability in the country as some people have politicised the temple's listing.
"But I am proud we managed to build stronger ties with our Asean neighbours and close friends like Japan and Europe. Thailand also took the lead in the humanitarian assistance to Cyclone Nargis victims in Myanmar," said Noppadon, who was supposed to visit Malaysia next month and attend the Asean Foreign Minister's Meeting in Singapore.
The Democrat Party already filed an impeachment motion against Noppadon over the temple controversy.
-- MORE
THAILAND-CABINET 2 BANGKOK
Just after taking office, Noppadon created controversy when he returned the diplomatic passport to Thaksin which was revoked by the military government.
Noppadon came under fire from politicians and the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy after he signed a communique with Cambodia agreeing to the country's application to Unesco for the 10th-century temple to be declared a World Heritage site.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice declared that the temple belonged to Cambodia. But it can only be accessed from Thailand due to the montainous landscape.
But after a Thai Court ruled last week that the signing was unconstitutional as it did not go through parliament, Noppadon went to Canada and tried to object the listing but Unesco favoured Cambodia's application.
It was the second blow in two days for the under-siege Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's Cabinet which looks shaky amidst strong speculation that the parliament could be dissolved to pave way for a third election within three years.
The Constitution Court Wednesday disqualified Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsap from holding office for his failure to declare his wife's assets within a specified time after becoming a minister.
-- MORE
THAILAND-CABINET 3 (LAST) BANGKOK
Last month, another of Thaksin's strong ally during his exile, Jakrapob Penkair, a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, quit over allegations of lese majeste.
Hardly seven months after the general election organised by the military which ousted Thaksin in a bloodless coup in September, 2006, the country is again on the brink of political turmoil with the possibility of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) facing dissolution following the disqualification of its deputy leader and former House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat.
On Tuesday, the court upheld the decision made by the Election Commission (EC) to disqualify Yongyuth's election victory for election fraud committed during the December, 2007 election which saw PPP coming to power, extending its successor, Thai Rak Thai's (TRT) dominance. TRT was dissolved by the Court in 2007 for election fraud.
Under Thai law, a party could be dissolved if their leaders found guilty of election fraud.
Thaksin, who founded TRT, was banned for five years from politics along with 110 other executive members. He is currently facing several power abuse and corruption charges laid by the previous military government.http://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/bnm/20080710/tts-thailand-cabinet-993ba14.html/
By D. ARUL RAJOO Bernama - Friday, July 11BANGKOK, July 10 (Bernama) --
Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama today resigned from the post he barely served for five months, bowing out to pressure over his handling of the controversial listing of Cambodia's Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage site.
The resignation will take effect Monday, said the 47-year-old former legal advisor and spokesman of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, adding that the pressure was too much for him to handle.
"We have done nothing wrong (referring to the listing), we followed all the rules. But the pressure is too much," he said, as the country now awaits its fourth foreign minister in three years and at a critical time as Thailand would be taking over the Asean chairmanship later this month.
Noppadon told a press conference at the ministry that he was leaving to ensure peace and political stability in the country as some people have politicised the temple's listing.
"But I am proud we managed to build stronger ties with our Asean neighbours and close friends like Japan and Europe. Thailand also took the lead in the humanitarian assistance to Cyclone Nargis victims in Myanmar," said Noppadon, who was supposed to visit Malaysia next month and attend the Asean Foreign Minister's Meeting in Singapore.
The Democrat Party already filed an impeachment motion against Noppadon over the temple controversy.
-- MORE
THAILAND-CABINET 2 BANGKOK
Just after taking office, Noppadon created controversy when he returned the diplomatic passport to Thaksin which was revoked by the military government.
Noppadon came under fire from politicians and the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy after he signed a communique with Cambodia agreeing to the country's application to Unesco for the 10th-century temple to be declared a World Heritage site.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice declared that the temple belonged to Cambodia. But it can only be accessed from Thailand due to the montainous landscape.
But after a Thai Court ruled last week that the signing was unconstitutional as it did not go through parliament, Noppadon went to Canada and tried to object the listing but Unesco favoured Cambodia's application.
It was the second blow in two days for the under-siege Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's Cabinet which looks shaky amidst strong speculation that the parliament could be dissolved to pave way for a third election within three years.
The Constitution Court Wednesday disqualified Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsap from holding office for his failure to declare his wife's assets within a specified time after becoming a minister.
-- MORE
THAILAND-CABINET 3 (LAST) BANGKOK
Last month, another of Thaksin's strong ally during his exile, Jakrapob Penkair, a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, quit over allegations of lese majeste.
Hardly seven months after the general election organised by the military which ousted Thaksin in a bloodless coup in September, 2006, the country is again on the brink of political turmoil with the possibility of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) facing dissolution following the disqualification of its deputy leader and former House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat.
On Tuesday, the court upheld the decision made by the Election Commission (EC) to disqualify Yongyuth's election victory for election fraud committed during the December, 2007 election which saw PPP coming to power, extending its successor, Thai Rak Thai's (TRT) dominance. TRT was dissolved by the Court in 2007 for election fraud.
Under Thai law, a party could be dissolved if their leaders found guilty of election fraud.
Thaksin, who founded TRT, was banned for five years from politics along with 110 other executive members. He is currently facing several power abuse and corruption charges laid by the previous military government.http://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/bnm/20080710/tts-thailand-cabinet-993ba14.html/
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