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Published on October 24, 2007

Samak Sundaravej yesterday produced two allegedly confidential documents linked to government leaders that he claimed were guidelines to scupper his People Power Party (PPP) ahead of the general election.

"I wonder why senior government officials dare to do such a shameful thing," Samak said at his Bangkok residence.

He said the documents were leaked by a state agency. The party had examined them and found them genuine, he said. The first document was dated Sept 14, the other dated Sept 26. But he refused to allow reporters to touch or closely examine the documents.

Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi Booyaratglin dismissed Samak's allegation. He said he had no idea about the leaked documents, which some said came from the Council for National Security (CNS). He said was no longer responsible since resigning as CNS chief.

CNS spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd dismissed the claim as "a political ploy" to discredit the military.

"We are not going to dance to this tune. If we do, there won't be an end to this. The best way is not to give the allegation much importance." He said an internal investigation would be conducted but its findings would not be made public.

Samak said the aim of the documents was to convince the public the country would suffer if the old clique of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra returned to power.

Part of the plan, as it appeared in the documents, was to produce a report that included interviews with people adversely affected by populist schemes of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai.

Samak claimed the "nasty plot" involved a campaign to accuse the PPP of causing a new round of clashes between Thais.

If elected to the next government, the PPP would deliver on its promise to grant amnesties to 111 former TRT executives banned from assuming political posts for five years, and dissolve the junta-installed Assets Examination Committee, which has brought graft charges against Thaksin.

According to Samak's documents, the People's Alliance for Democracy, the biggest anti-Thaksin group, would stage a new round of rallies. The crisis would lead unavoidably to a fresh coup.

Samak said the plan also involved a campaign to give the public the impression the PPP's schemes contradicted His Majesty the King's Sufficiency Economy theory.

The documents said special news bulletins should be broadcast to tell voters they would be wasting their time voting for PPP candidates because its leader [Samak] would be disqualified from becoming prime minister as he was linked to a corruption scandal.

Samak lambasted those behind the alleged plot, who he said should be ashamed of the nasty plan. He would show the leaked documents to Premier Surayud Chulanont if asked.

Kesinee Jaikawang,

 Panya Thiewsangwan

 The Nation