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| Southeast Asia |
| Toxin accused of being behind shooting |
| 2009-04-23 |
| [Straits Times] THAILAND'S top diplomat on Tuesday linked exiled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to last week's violent attack on a prominent Thai protest leader. In a speech to the Asia Society, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya accused Mr Thaksin of playing a role in Friday's shooting of Sondhi Limthongkul. Mr Sondhi was the leader of a movement that helped topple Mr Thaksin's goverment in 2006 and paralyzed the capital last year. Mr Sondhi, whose 'yellow shirt' movement helped install the current government, 'was supposed to have lunch with me at noon, but he was shot before. But I think he is recovering quite well,' Mr Kasit said. Mr Kasit said that 'it's been survival for a few of us. ... Thaksin failed on the populist movement and now I think he has resorted to some sort of assassination attempt.' He did not elaborate or provide any evidence. But he made clear he believed that he and four other of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Cabinet ministers also were targets. Mr Sondhi was shot and wounded, in the shoulder and near his eyebrow, as he was being driven to work before dawn. At least two men in a pickup truck ambushed his car and opened fire with an M-16 and an AK-47, first aiming to shoot out the tires and then spraying the vehicle with bullets, police said. Sondhi's driver was also wounded. The shooting occurred just days after troops cracked down on rioting protesters from the rival, anti-government 'red shirt' movement. |
| Posted by:Fred |