News: Bout says MP asked how to take down Thaksin plane

[Khun Don]

Bout says MP asked how to take down Thaksin plane
Published: 28/08/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout has confirmed that Sirichoke Sopha, a close aide to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, met him to make inquiries into how ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra's plane could be brought down.

He also alleged that the MP made inquiries into whether Thaksin was involved in arms smuggling.

Mr Bout's wife, Alla, read his statement yesterday during a press conference in Bangkok in which he proclaimed his innocence and elaborated on his discussions with Mr Sirichoke on April 15 at Bang Kwang Central Prison.

Mr Bout said no tape recording had been made of the conversation.

He claimed Mr Sirichoke asked him whether Thaksin had paid to have an aircraft smuggle arms from North Korea to Sri Lanka in December of last year, before the shipment was seized in Thailand.

Mr Sirichoke quoted a foreign news report saying that Thaksin had flown to Sri Lanka one week before the seizure.

Mr Bout alleged that Mr Sirichoke asked him whether Thaksin might have bought the weapons to arm his red shirt supporters.

Mr Bout said he told the MP that he had no knowledge of such a plan and that, "I would not like to fantasise".

Mr Bout said Mr Sirichoke showed him a picture of a private jet and said it belonged to Thaksin. "He asked me how to intercept Thaksin's plane," he said.

More: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crim...-thaksin-plane

[Curt]

Sounds like the US is going to need to wait a bit longer.

[Khun Don]

'bout 20 years?

[Khun Don]

Sirichoke admits meeting with Bout
Published: 28/08/2010 at 01:48 PM
Online news: Breakingnews

Sirichoke Sopha, a close aide to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, admitted on Saturday that he had met with Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout on April 15 at Bang Kwang prison, reports said.

Mr Sirichoke, a Dempcrat MP for Songkhla, also admitted that he had asked Mr Bout whether fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had paid to have an aircraft smuggle arms from North Korea to Sri Lanka in December of last year, before the shipment was seized in Thailand.

He insisted that he visited the Russian arms dealer as an MP and had not told the Russian suspect he was an assistant to the prime minister as claimed by Mr Bout’s wife, Alla.

“I was speaking to Mr Bout in English and Mrs Alla might got a wrong information from her husband who later translated the discussion to her as Mr Bout is not good in English”, Mr Sirichoke said.

He affirmed that he had met with Mr Bout only once, not twice as claimed by Jatuporn Prompan, Puea Thai list MP and a co-leader of the pro-Thaksin United front for Democracy against Dictatorship.

Mr Jatuporn said on Saturday that the statement of Mr Bout, read out by his wife, showed that Mr Sirichoke had unlawfully used his power as an MP. He also called on the director general of the department of corrections to clarify how many time Mr Sirichoke had met with the Russian arms dealer.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Saturday morning defended his close aide, saying Mr Sirichoke had done nothing wrong.

“He had just worked as an MP in finding fact about the arms smuggling”, he said.

BANGKOK POST

[Khun Don]

Poll: Bout case 'linked to politics'
Published: 29/08/2010 at 12:24 PM
Online news: Breakingnews

A latest survey revealed that 57.71 per cent of the respondents believed the case of alleged Russian arms dealer Victor Bout was related to Thai politics.

A survey on Mr Bout's case was conducted by Suan Dusit Poll from Aug 26 to 28, involving 1,521 respondents.

36.32 per cent of the polled said they were unsure if the case was related to politics as they did not follow the news closely. 5.97 per cent did not think the case had anything to do with politics.

60.19 per cent said they followed the news of Mr Bout's case.

37.13 per cent believed Thailand was forced into a difficult situation as the case involved two superpowers - Russia and the United States. 27.49 per cent said the case was very important and needed time for investigation.

20.78 per cent reckoned Mr Bout had confidential information related to arms deals. About 14 per cent wanted to know how Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will handle the case.

72.14 per cent said they did not believe the claims made by both the government and the opposition, as they believed both sides were engaging in a political scheme.

14.43 per cent believed in Democrat Party MP Sirichoke Sopha's claim as he is a close aide to Prime Minister Abhisit. Mr Sirichoke said he had met Mr Bout at Bang Kwang prison on April 15 to asked whether fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had paid to have an aircraft smuggle arms from North Korea to Sri Lanka in December last year.

4.48 per cent of the respondents believed Puea Thai Party MP Jatuporn Prompan, who said Mr Sirichoke had unlawfully used his power as an MP to meet the alleged arms dealer twice.

8.95 per cent said they believed the claims made by the two sides.

BANGKOK POST