The Finland Plot, Finland Plan, Finland Strategy or Finland Declaration are names of a theory expoused by Sondhi Limthongkul and supporters affiliated with the People's Alliance for Democracy in 2006 explaining a plot allegedly developed by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and former left-wing student leaders to overthrow the Thai monarch and take control of the nation. The plot was allegedly hatched in Finland. No evidence has ever been produced to verify the existance of such a plan, and Thaksin and his Thai Rak Thai party have vehemently denied the accusations and sued the accusers. Sondhi Limthongkul (Thai: สนธิ ลิ้มทองกุล) (Chinese: 林明達 Lin Ming Da) is a controversial Thai journalist and the owner of the Phujatkarn Daily (ผู้จัดการรายวัน), a local Thai newspaper. ... The Peoples Alliance for Democracy is a coalition of protesters against the government of Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand. ... Wikinews has news related to: Thai PM Shinawatra ousted by coup Thaksin Shinawatra (Thai: , IPA: [ ; born July 26, 1949), Thai politician, disputed prime minister of Thailand and the leader of the populist Thai Rak Thai party. ... Wikinews has news related to: Thai PM Shinawatra ousted by coup Thaksin Shinawatra (Thai: , IPA: [ ; born July 26, 1949), Thai politician, disputed prime minister of Thailand and the leader of the populist Thai Rak Thai party. ... Thai Rak Thai (ไทยรักไทย, lit. ...

Background

Protests against Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra increased throughout 2005 and 2006 due to a variety of factors, including his April 2005 appearance at a merit-making ceremony at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the September 2005 cancellation of Sondhi Limthongkul's Muangthai Raisabdah television show, Thaksin's November 2005 plan to give local communities control of public schools, Thaksin's sale of Shin Corporation in January 2006, and Thaksin's alleged role in the March 2006 destruction of the Phra Phrom Erawan shrine. Wikinews has news related to: Thai PM Shinawatra ousted by coup Thaksin Shinawatra (Thai: , IPA: [ ; born July 26, 1949), Thai politician, disputed prime minister of Thailand and the leader of the populist Thai Rak Thai party. ... For other uses, see April (disambiguation). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sondhi Limthongkul (Thai: สนธิ ลิ้มทองกุล) (Chinese: 林明達 Lin Ming Da) is a controversial Thai journalist and the owner of the Phujatkarn Daily (ผู้จัดการรายวัน), a local Thai newspaper. ... Look up September in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sondhi Limthongkul (Thai: สนธิ ลิ้มทองกุล) (Chinese: 林明達 Lin Ming Da) is a controversial Thai journalist and the owner of the Phujatkarn Daily (ผู้จัดการรายวัน), a local Thai newspaper. ... Muangthai Raisabdah or Thailand Weekly was the Television program in Thailand. ... Look up November in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... As Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra initiated many distinctive policies affecting the economy, public health, education, energy, drugs, and international relations. ... Shin Corporation (SET: SHIN; NASDAQ: SHNZY; NASDAQ: SHNVF; NASDAQ: SHNUF) is the largest conglomerate in Thailand. ... January is the first month of the year and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sondhi Limthongkul (Thai: สนธิ ลิ้มทองกุล) (Chinese: 林明達 Lin Ming Da) is a controversial Thai journalist and the owner of the Phujatkarn Daily (ผู้จัดการรายวัน), a local Thai newspaper. ...

The Finland Plan

In May 2006, on the eve of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 60th anniversary celebrations, the Sondhi Limthongkul-owned Manager Daily newspaper published the details of what it called the "Finland Plan", "Finland Declaration", or "Finland Strategy". The articles claimed that Thaksin and former student leaders of Thailand's 1970s democratic movement met in Finland in 1999 to develop a plan to establish rule by a single party, overthrow the monarchy and establish a republic, and hold elections for provincial governors. The 5-part article were titled "Finland Strategy: Thailand's Revolution Plan?", was written by Pramote Nakhonthap, and appeared in 17, 19, 22, 23 and 24 May 2006. The allegations were taken up by several prominent critics, including leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy, constitution drafter Chai-anan Samudavanija, Senator Sophon Supapong, and Democrat leader Thaworn Senniam. ^[1][2] Look up May in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bhumibol Adulyadej (Thai: ; IPA: ; ) (born December 5, 1927), officially styled the Great and also known as Rama IX, is the current King of Thailand. ... The King and Queen appear on the balcony of Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in Royal Plaza, Bangkok on June 9, 2006, marking 60 years since the kings accession to the throne. ... Sondhi Limthongkul (Thai: สนธิ ลิ้มทองกุล) (Chinese: 林明達 Lin Ming Da) is a controversial Thai journalist and the owner of the Phujatkarn Daily (ผู้จัดการรายวัน), a local Thai newspaper. ... Manager Daily (Thai: ผู้จัดการรายวัน, Phuchatkan Rai Wan) is a Thai-language daily newspaper published in Bangkok and distributed nationwide. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Peoples Alliance for Democracy is a coalition of protesters against the government of Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand. ... The Democracy Monument: a representation of the 1932 Constitution sits on top of two golden offering bowls above a turret, in a traffic circle in the center of Bangkok. ... This article is part of or related to the Liberalism series Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Liberal parties | Thai political parties ...

None of the accuers provided any evidence to back up their allegations. Sondhi noted that his source was a Thai Rak Thai worker who had recently "defected".^[3]

Variations and denials

Variations of the original theory were also proposed, including the claim that the plot involved overseas groups intent on overthrowing the Chakri dynasty, the claim that media consolidation as a core component of the conspiracy, the claim that the Plan was aimed at maintaining a constitutional monarchy while reducing the powers of the monarch to be a mere figurehead, and the claim that a law designed to further decentralize central administrative power to the Thai provinces, and the claim that Thaksin wanted to establish a government based on the model of western democracies.^[4][5] The Chakri dynasty have ruled Thailand since king Taksin was declared mad in 1782. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Decentralisation (or decentralization) is any of various means of more widely distributing decision-making to bring it closer to the point of service or action. ... Thailand is divided into 76 provinces (Thai: จังหวัด, changwat, singular and plural), which are grouped into 5 groups of provinces - sometimes the East and Central are grouped together. ...

Another variation claimed that Thaksin's co-conspirators were former members of the Communist Party of Thailand including Deputy Transport Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and had applied a theory of orthodox communism to map out the TRT strategy to promote capitalism. This variation claimed that Thailand during the 1970's was still a semi-feudal society and needed to become a capitalist society as part of the transition to socialism. The communists then worked with Thaksin to fully develop Thailand's capitalist economic system, destroy all remnants of feudalism, and privatize state-owned assets, while at the same time establishing a single-party dictatorship, all in order to create a socialist dictatorship.^[6] To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ... Events and trends Although in the United States and in many other Western societies the 1970s are often seen as a period of transition between the turbulent 1960s and the more conservative 1980s and 1990s, many of the trends that are associated widely with the Sixties, from the Sexual Revolution... Roland pledges his fealty to Charlemagne; from a manuscript of a chanson de geste. ... For other uses, see Capitalism (disambiguation). ...

The allegations were roundly denied by Thaksin Shinawatra and the leadership of his Thai Rak Thai party, including Surapong Suebwonglee, Prommin Lertsuridej.^[7][8] Thai Rak Thai (ไทยรักไทย, lit. ...

On 31 May, Thaksin Shinawatra and Thana Benjathikul, a lawyer from the Thai Rak Thai party, sued Sondhi, editor Khunthong Lorserivanich, columnist Pramote Nakhonthap, executive Saowalak Thiranujanyong, and webmaster Panjapat Angkhasuwan for libel. The lawsuit alleged that the articles were intended to ruin Thai Rak Thai and Thaksin's political future by making the public believe the party was planning to overturn the constitutional monarchy. Thaksin's lawsuit attracted criticism and claims that Thaksin was trying to censor the media.^[9] Sondhi Limthongkul (Thai: สนธิ ลิ้มทองกุล) (Chinese: 林明達 Lin Ming Da) is a controversial Thai journalist and the owner of the Phujatkarn Daily (ผู้จัดการรายวัน), a local Thai newspaper. ... Freedom of speech in Thailand is guaranteed in the articles 39, 40, 41 in the 1997 Constitution. ...

References

1. ^ The Bangkok Post, "TRT goes on offensive over 'Finland Plan'", 22 May 2006
2. ^ The Nation, "Thaksin clearly wanted republic, critics charge", 25 May 2006
3. ^ The Nation,"'Finland plot' on dangerous ground", 25 May 2006
4. ^ The Nation, "Thaksin clearly wanted republic, critics charge", 25 May 2006
5. ^ The Bangkok Post, "Sondhi expands on 'Finland Plan'", 21 May 2006
6. ^ The Nation, 'Finland plot' on dangerous ground, 25 May 2006
7. ^ The Bangkok Post, "TRT goes on offensive over 'Finland Plan'", 22 May 2006
8. ^ The Nation, "TRT: No such thing as 'Finland declaration'", 22 May 2006
9. ^ The Bangkok Post, "Manager sued for articles on 'Finland plot'", 31 May 2006