Blast shakes Thai political nerves

Thursday, March 9, 2006; Posted: 7:53 p.m. EST (00:53 GMT)

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- A small bomb exploded Thursday outside the home of the chief adviser to Thailand's king, raising political temperatures as demonstrators seeking the resignation of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra continued their protests.

No one claimed immediate responsibility for the small homemade bomb set off near a guard post outside the home of former Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda, now the chief adviser to King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The government, however, suggested that some of its foes could be to blame. <snip>

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/03/09/thailand.thaksin.ap/


Scrap $2bn deal call by protesters

BANGKOK: Protesters trying to overthrow Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from power marched on the Singapore embassy demanding the city state scrap its $1.9 billion (BD781m) telecoms purchase of the business empire he founded. <snip>

The embassy protesters, who accuse Thaksin of selling off national security assets such as satellites and phone networks to Singapore state investment firm Temasek, threatened to boycott Singaporean goods and services if their demands were not met. <snip>

The campaign has taken off since Temasek bought a controlling 49.6 per cent stake in Shin Corp from Thaksin's relatives in January.

The tax-free nature of the sale, which Thaksin said was intended in part to answer opposition charges of conflicts of interest, outraged Bangkok's middle classes. Kraisak Choonhavan, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, urged Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long to "help address allegations of impropriety."

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=137755&Sn=WORL&IssueID=28355