On March 30, PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul spoke to reporters about Thaksin's address to the red-shirted crowd attacking the 2006 coup masterminds, including Privy Councilor Gen Surayud Chulanond and Surayud's subsequent response.  ‘I have no comment.  No matter what Mr Surayud has to say, I have had no comment [about him] since he was Prime Minister.'  

Asked how the big PAD meeting on 24 May would go, Sondhi said, ‘We have no problem at all.  We just stay put.  We think that this is a problem between the red shirts and Khun Thaksin and [Gen] Anupong Paojinda, and Khun Suthep Thaugsuban and Khun Newin Chidchob.  They have problems to solve among themselves.  If you've said you could solve the country's problems, so you just do it.

‘I don't see it as a disgrace; if they planned the coup, just say yes I did plan it, because I wanted to rescue the country.  But do you know why he didn't dare say that?  Because after the coup, he had no idea what to do.  How dumb he was.  He made everything worse.  So he was awkward and tongue-tied.

‘I don't see any disgrace, if they seized power and revolutionized democracy, but they didn't revolutionize democracy.  They just took power from Thaksin's cronies into their own hands.  That's why they're speechless.  It serves them right,' said Sondhi.

Asked if such a response showed that Thaksin's allegation was true, Sondhi said, ‘I don't know.  It serves them right.  Please publish, "I think you deserve it."

‘They staged the coup to take power into the hands of the junta and then Surayud.  No changes were made.  Now you get exposed, and you panic.  I say I'm really content with that,' said Sondhi.

See video clip (in Thai): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h-nrmOFGp8