What Samak said to PPP members

His speech was published by Thai-language daily Matichon. Here are some excerpts:

Police Colonel Thaksin has brought me here at this point. I am not the kind of person who thinks he has won because he is the prime min-ister. Some time after the gov-ernment was formed, Thaksin returned to the country. I had told him that I wanted him to wait and come back in August. But when he returned, I was happy.

 A while later, the People's Alliance for Democracy start-ed rallying again. My feelings are similar to those of the (former) prime minister (Thaksin) and my Khunying (wife) feels the same as the (former) prime minister's Khunying (Pojaman). So what should I have done? I dis-cussed with the (former) prime minister of ways to cut the possibilities of more prob-lems.

 There was a reason. A naive police officer thought it was the right action so he took it (issued the arrest warrants). I don't know if he wanted to provoke the media or if he did it in support of the opposing side. I have been forced to tol-erate this. I can't do anything about it. I have said before that I did not have much to do with it.

 I joined (the party) and volun-teered to help it continue, not let it break apart. But I have to take care of the country at the same time and I have been protecting my position. I am not boasting, but I do take care of the country. I have done everything and have told the military to be neutral - we understood each other.

 What you have done (gath-ered signatures demanding clarification) has become a big issue in the media. The media also wants to destroy us. The most crucial point is that some people in the party want to destroy me by inciting (the public) with a story of a four or five member gang. I planned not to counter this, hoping that the issue would end. But I can't let it go this time. Now they are trying to dissolve our party. I worked hard until I heard that they would dissolve (the party), but they wouldn't kill us (the exec-utives by revoking their voting rights). That is acceptable. If they don't kill the 37 (execu-tives), we can stay alive some-how. We can move to another party with a new party name … we can continue.

 Please closely consider exact-ly what you want. If we can have an understanding here, I can continue my job. If I hear anything more I will consider my position. I will stop (quit) and leave peacefully. In politics nowadays, a prime minis-ter should not have to counter anything like this. But if I'm silent it would appear that the party doesn't want this prime minister because I publicly embarrassed the former prime minister. What would I get from this?

Kornchanok@nationgroup.com