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CNA-Thai opposition says government

Subject: CNA-Thai opposition says government mishandled Myanmar hostage crisis

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Channel Newsasia
Wednesday, December 15 10:10 PM SGT=20
Thai opposition says government mishandled Myanmar hostage crisis
Opposition parties in Thailand on Wednesday accused the government of =
gross mismanagement in handling the hostage crisis at the Myanmar =
embassy in October.=20
Firing the first salvoes in the parliamentary censure debate, the =
opposition said there were actually seven hostage takers and not five as =
claimed by the government.=20

It was the third no confidence motion against the two-year-old Chuan =
Leekpai government.=20

The leader of the opposition New Aspiration Party, former prime minister =
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, led the charge against the government.=20

Touching on the Myanmar embassy hostage crisis, he claimed there were =
several armed Myanmar student groups in the Thai capital who were =
prepared to attack the Embassy should the opportunity arise.=20

Moreover, he claimed three of the hostage takers were members of God's =
Army, a splinter military group from the rebel Shan Army in Myanmar and =
the group presently giving refuge to the hostage takers along the =
Thai-Myanmar border.=20

The opposition called for mobile courts to be set up at border areas to =
try the armed Myanmar students, and demanded that the hostage takers be =
jailed for at least 25 years.=20

Responding, the government noted it could not set up such courts, nor =
could it insist on jail sentences, which were up to the courts.=20

Opposition leaders also accused the government of selling the kingdom to =
foreigners, closing down 56 financial institutions but not touching 12 =
others run by Finance Minister Tarrin Nihammaenda's brother, and not =
prosecuting executives of the heavily debt-laden Krung Thai Bank.=20

Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai noted that his government would look into =
any allegation of mismanagement and those found guilty would be =
prosecuted.=20

Observers note Mr Chuan's government is expected to face tougher =
questioning Thursday when the opposition touches on Finance Minister =
Tarrin's performance.=20

The debate over the next two days will feature speakers from both sides =
of the floor, with the opposition aiming to topple a government that =
already has a very strong backing from the Thai people.


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>Channel Newsasia</B></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>Wednesday, December 15</B> 10:10 PM =
SGT </DIV>
<H2><FONT size=3D4>Thai opposition says government mishandled Myanmar =
hostage=20
crisis</FONT></H2>
<DIV>Opposition parties in Thailand on Wednesday accused the government =
of gross=20
mismanagement in handling the hostage crisis at the Myanmar embassy in =
October.=20
</DIV>
<P>Firing the first salvoes in the parliamentary censure debate, the =
opposition=20
said there were actually seven hostage takers and not five as claimed by =
the=20
government.=20
<P>It was the third no confidence motion against the two-year-old Chuan =
Leekpai=20
government.=20
<P>The leader of the opposition New Aspiration Party, former prime =
minister=20
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, led the charge against the government.=20
<P>Touching on the Myanmar embassy hostage crisis, he claimed there were =
several=20
armed Myanmar student groups in the Thai capital who were prepared to =
attack the=20
Embassy should the opportunity arise.=20
<P>Moreover, he claimed three of the hostage takers were members of =
God's Army,=20
a splinter military group from the rebel Shan Army in Myanmar and the =
group=20
presently giving refuge to the hostage takers along the Thai-Myanmar =
border.=20
<P>The opposition called for mobile courts to be set up at border areas =
to try=20
the armed Myanmar students, and demanded that the hostage takers be =
jailed for=20
at least 25 years.=20
<P>Responding, the government noted it could not set up such courts, nor =
could=20
it insist on jail sentences, which were up to the courts.=20
<P>Opposition leaders also accused the government of selling the kingdom =
to=20
foreigners, closing down 56 financial institutions but not touching 12 =
others=20
run by Finance Minister Tarrin Nihammaenda's brother, and not =
prosecuting=20
executives of the heavily debt-laden Krung Thai Bank.=20
<P>Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai noted that his government would look =
into any=20
allegation of mismanagement and those found guilty would be prosecuted.=20
<P>Observers note Mr Chuan's government is expected to face tougher =
questioning=20
Thursday when the opposition touches on Finance Minister Tarrin's =
performance.=20
<P>The debate over the next two days will feature speakers from both =
sides of=20
the floor, with the opposition aiming to topple a government that =
already has a=20
very strong backing from the Thai people.</P></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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