SINGAPORE - Deposed Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra said he had no intention of returning to Thai politics and had nothing to do with recent fatal bomb blasts, in his first media interviews since he was ousted.
| That's terrible, the clamor for his return has been just ... deafening. |
Thaksin broke his silence on his ouster and criticised the economic policy of Thailand’s new military-backed government in wide-ranging discussions with the Wall Street Journal and CNN published and broadcast Monday. ‘Enough is enough. Six years you serve the countries. (You’ve) been working hard. You sacrifice your time, even your life,’ the billionaire businessman told the CNN news channel. ‘So it’s, it’s time for me to go back as a private citizen and contribute to the Thai society outside political arena.’
| "Nobody understands me. Barkeep, another round." |
Thaksin, who was overthrown by the military on September 19 last year, was quoted on the Wall Street Journal website as saying accusations that he was involved in recent deadly bomb attacks in Bangkok forced him to speak out. ‘They were pointing the finger at me, so I thought it was now time to talk,’ he said.
| Actually everyone knows it was the Religion of Pieces, but they're too sensitive to say that because it would imply the origami didn't work. So they're blaming you instead. It's easier, you see, they don't have to live with you anymore. |
‘I’m not the kind of person to do anything behind the back of others,’ the former leader told the Wall Street Journal. ‘It’s not my style. What happened was just too gruesome.’
He told the Wall Street Journal that he wanted to return to Thailand, but indicated that he had no intention of trying to regain his office. ‘I reassure them they shouldn’t feel worried about me,’ he said, referring to the ruling military leaders.
| I don't know that they're exactly worried about you, but you might be useful to them as a scapegoat. And then there's the little matter of your money. |
The website quoted Thaksin as saying that he did not intend to run for prime minister again, but would remain a member of his political party. Thaksin founded the Thai Rak Thai party, but stood down as leader after the coup. |