PM urges dialogue over Sondhi’s protest plans

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has called on former protest leader Sondhi Limthongkul to not proceed with plans to launch a mass anti-government rally next year.
Ms Paetongtarn suggested that Sondhi, a former co-leader of the now-defunct People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), resolve his issues with the government before resorting to a protest. 
“Well, I’ve been in office barely a month. Does he really want to [take to the streets] to oust me already?” she asked rhetorically.
The former media mogul and founder of the Manager group spoke of his plan to return to lead a mass protest against the government during his YouTube programme on Monday.
The PAD, founded in 2005, led rallies against the administration of Thaksin Shinawatra, Ms Paetongtarn’s father, accusing him of corruption and being against the monarchy. A military coup toppled the Thaksin government a year later.
When Thaksin-linked parties won the 2007 general election, Sondhi led PAD protesters onto the streets again. In November 2008 they staged a 10-day shutdown of Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports, costing the economy billions of baht. The movement was dissolved in 2013. Sondhi and 31 others were acquitted of insurrection charges in January year. 
In 2009 Sondhi was seriously wounded when gunmen ambushed his car. He suffered a serious head wound that required emergency surgery. No one has ever been prosecuted for the attack, but Sondhi’s son has speculated that a faction of the military or police might have been behind it.
In 2016, the Supreme Court upheld a 20-year prison sentence for falsifying documents to secure a 1-billion baht loan for his businesses from Krungthai Bank. He was released from jail in September 2019 on a royal pardon.
Sondhi, who will turn 77 next month, told his audience this week that he would wait and see how the government performs until the first quarter of next year. He will look for any acts of misconduct and ethical violations that could be a catalyst for starting a protest, he added.