Sondhi may face arrest over lèse majesté allegations
{{date|April 17, 2006}}
{{Wikinews Today short infobox}}
[[w:Thailand|Thai]] media mogul and outspoken critic of the current government, [[w:Sondhi Limthongkul|Sondhi Limthongkul]] faces arrest should he fail to answer a second summons over [[w:Lese majesty|lèse majesté]] allegations.

Instead of turning up to face the police yesterday, Sondhi sent his lawyer to deliver a written testimonial, and a variety of other evidence.  The accusation that he insulted or attacked the monarch centres around speeches made at a number of the rallies organised by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) during their ongoing campaign to remove caretaker Prime Minister [[w:Thaksin Shinawatra|Thaksin Shinawatra]].

When the summons was first issued on April 10, the country's justice minister, Chidchai Vanasatidya, quickly denied accusations that the charges were government-orchestrated. Chidchai, currently acting as Prime Minister said, "I affirm that the summoning has nothing to do with politics".

Sondhi has been given another seven days to surrender himself to police for questioning.

== Related news ==
*{{wikinews|title=Thaksin departure doesn't signal end to Thai political crisis|date=April 5, 2006}}
*{{wikinews|title=Thailand's Prime Minister announces resignation|date=April 4, 2006}}
*{{wikinews|title=Third of Thais vote 'none of the above'|date=April 4, 2006}}

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.manager.co.th/IHT/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9490000050732
|title=Police threaten to arrest Sondhi
|author=David Ogan
|pub=Thai Day
|date=April 17, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=8227
|title=Thaksin-critic Sondhi a no-show for lese majeste interrogation
|author=Thai News Agency
|pub=MCOT
|date=April 17, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=90329
|title=Govt uninvolved in Sondhi case: Chidchai
|author=
|pub=Bangkok Post
|date=April 10, 2006}}

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[[Category:Thailand]]
[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:crime and law]]
[[Category:Thaksin Shinawatra]]
[[Category:Brian McNeil (Wikinewsie)]]
Thai media mogul and outspoken critic of the current government, Sondhi Limthongkul faces arrest should he fail to answer a second summons over lèse majesté allegations.

Instead of turning up to face the police yesterday, Sondhi sent his lawyer to deliver a written testimonial, and a variety of other evidence.  The accusation that he insulted or attacked the monarch centres around speeches made at a number of the rallies organised by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) during their ongoing campaign to remove caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

When the summons was first issued on April 10, the country's justice minister, Chidchai Vanasatidya, quickly denied accusations that the charges were government-orchestrated. Chidchai, currently acting as Prime Minister said, "I affirm that the summoning has nothing to do with politics".

Sondhi has been given another seven days to surrender himself to police for questioning.
Thailand Asia crime and law Thaksin Shinawatra Brian McNeil (Wikinewsie)