Finland Plot
By the term Finland - plot ( Thai: แผน ฟินแลนด์, ยุทธศาสตร์ ฟินแลนด์, ปฏิญญา ฟินแลนด์, also Finland Plan, Finland Strategy or Finland Declaration) is an alleged plan of the former Prime Minister of Thailand Thaksin Shinawatra and left-wing students meant that the abolition of the monarchy in Thailand aimed. The existence of this plan was claimed by Sonthi Limthongkul ( PAD ). The allegations had a negative impact on the appearance of the Thaksin government, although not concrete evidence of the plan could be provided. Thaksin and his Thai Rak Thai Party -term government defended themselves against the allegations Limthongkuls court, but they were overthrown in September 2006 in a military coup.
Background
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was at least since April 2005 larger protests exposed to (among other things with the deposition of Sonthi Limthongkuls TV show Mueang Raisabda ), his plan to reform the public school system and the sale of Shin Corporation because of its influence on the television January 2006 emerged.
The Finland - plot
At the climax of the celebrations for the 60th anniversary jubilee of King Rama IX. published in May 2006 in the newspaper Daily Manager (owner: Sonthi Limthongkul ) a series of articles that had the Finland - plot to content. In the five posts with the title " The Finland - strategy: Thailand's plan for a revolution " was claimed that Thaksin had met with former student leaders of the democratic movement of the seventies in 1999 in Finland, to devise a plan to overthrow the monarchy and establish a one-party government. The contributions came from the pen of the journalist Pramote Nakhonthap and published on the 17th, 19th, 22nd, 23rd and 24th May 2006. A further alleged conspiratorial members, members of the Thai Rak Thai Party Prommin Lertsuridej Chaturon were Chaisaeng, Surapong Suebwonglee, Adsiorn Piangket, Sutham Saengprathum and Phumtham Wechayachai called, all of the Communist Party were attributed, which had been formed at the massacre of 6 October 1976 in response.
The accusations were picked up by various prominent opponents, such as Chai - anan Samrudavanija ( constitutional law ), Senator Sophon Supapong and Thaworn Senniam ( leader of the Democratic Party). No one was able to provide any evidence of the allegations ever. Sondhi behaptete that his source was a former employee of the Thai Rak Thai Party.
Different accusations and rejections
After publication of the article in the Daily Manager in assertions have been widely varied. Some said that Thais wanted to overthrow the ruling from abroad for more than 200 years of the Chakri Dynasty. Others saw the plan as an attempt to centralize the media and to establish the king in a constitutional monarchy only as representatives of the state without real power. It was also argued that the plan law prescribing the weakening of the central government in Bangkok in favor of the authorities in the provinces.
All allegations, including those of a plan to Communist takeover and the production of a single-party government were rejected by Thaksin Shinawatra and the Thai Rak Führerung Thai Party flatly.
On 30 May 2006 showed Thaksin and Thana Benjathikul, legal adviser to the TRT, Sondhi and other members of his company for defamation ( libel ). According to the display, the arguments put forward in the articles allegations of a planned overthrow of the monarchy in Thailand should harm the Thai Rak Thai Party and make the political future of Thaksin's impossible.
Impact of the allegations
The publication of such serious allegations had a negative impact on the popularity of Thaksin and his government. When its time Prime Minister Thaksin was forced to part of his time to apply the assertion of his political position, summoning his loyalty to the monarchy and the defense against the allegations. The set against Thaksin English-language daily The Nation said:
"Whether such a plan actually exists or not will probably never be proved. But Sondhi and the other should have better things to do than the already agitated political situation continues to heat up with irresponsible accusations that create further hatred and violence between the opposing groups. "
It was further stated in The Nation that the actual existence of the Finnish plan was not important because if only the accusation of invocation of the monarchy would be enough to damage the TRT. Several commentators pointed out the similarity of the Finland - plan with accusations of the military leadership in October 1976, when it was preparing a military coup. In fact, Thaksin was overthrown on 19 September 2006 by the Thai military, including on the grounds that he had insulted the king.