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10/11/09
Bangkok Post

Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra plans to sue the online version of The Times for defamation over its report of an interview he gave to a reporter from the paper in which is is quoted as making controversial references about the monarchy, Suchart Lainamngern, deputy spokesman of the opposition Puea Thai Party, said on Tuesday afternoon.

“Thaksin has assigned his lawyer, Noppadon Pattama, to study ways to take legal action against the foreign online website for false reporting,” Mr Suchart said.

He insisted that Thaksin has never insulted or made offensive comments about the monarchy.

According to Mr Suchart, Thaksin believed the Democrats were trying to destroy him by accusing him of disloyalty to the high institution to provoke nationalistic sentiment among Thai people. The attempt was aimed at covering the government’s failure to resolve the economic problems of the country.

The deputy spokesman said Thaksin had accepted the job as an economic advisor to Cambodian government only to help end poverty in the neighbouring country.