InThai politics, theFinland Plot,Finland Plan,Finland Strategy, Finland Conspiracy orFinland Declaration (Thai:แผนฟินแลนด์, ยุทธศาสตร์ฟินแลนด์, ปฏิญญาฟินแลนด์,Finnish:Suomi-salaliitto, Suomi-suunnitelma, Suomi-strategia) are names of a controversialconspiracy theory espoused bySondhi Limthongkul and supporters affiliated with thePeople's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) in 2006 describing a plot allegedly developed byThai Prime MinisterThaksin Shinawatra and former left-wing student leaders to overthrow theformer Thai monarch, take control of the nation, and establish acommunist state. The plot allegedly originated inFinland.
The allegations damaged the popularity of Thaksin and his government, despite the fact that no evidence was ever produced to verify the existence of a plot.Thaksin and hisThai Rak Thai (TRT) party vehemently denied the accusations and sued the accusers. Theleaders of the2006 military coup claimed Thaksin's alleged disloyalty as one of their rationales for seizing power.[1]
Protests againstThai Prime MinisterThaksin Shinawatra increased throughout 2005 and 2006 due to a variety of factors, including his April 2005 appearance at amerit-making ceremony at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the September 2005 cancellation ofSondhi Limthongkul'sMuangthai Raisabdah television show, Thaksin's November 2005plan to give local communities control of public schools, Thaksin's sale ofShin Corporation in January 2006, and Thaksin's alleged role in the March 2006 destruction of thePhra Phrom Erawan shrine.[2][3][4][5][6]
In May 2006, on the eve of KingBhumibol Adulyadej's60th anniversary celebrations, theSondhi Limthongkul-ownedManager 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 ofThailand's 1970s democratic movement met inFinland in 1999 to develop a plan to institute rule by a single party, overthrow the monarchy and establish a republic, and hold elections for provincial governors. The 5-part article was titled "Finland Strategy: Thailand's Revolution Plan?" was written by Pramote Nakhonthap and appeared on 17, 19, 22, 23 and 24 May 2006. Thaksin's alleged co-conspirators apparently included Thai Rak Thai party membersPrommin Lertsuridej (Secretary-General to the Premier),Chaturon Chaisaeng (Deputy Prime Minister),Surapong Suebwonglee (Minister of Information and Communications Technology),Adisorn Piangket (Former Deputy Science Minister),Sutham Saengprathum (Deputy Interior Minister), andPhumtham Wechayachai (Deputy Transport Minister), all of whom had been affiliated with theCommunist Party of Thailand following themassacre of 6 October 1976.[7]
The allegations were taken up by several prominent critics, including leaders of thePeople's Alliance for Democracy,constitution drafterChai-anan Samudavanija, SenatorSophon Supapong, writer Pramote Nakornthab, andDemocrat leaderThaworn Senniam.[8][9]
None of the accusers provided any evidence to back up their allegations. Sondhi noted that his source was a Thai Rak Thai worker who had recently "defected."[10]
Variations of the original theory were also proposed, including the claim that the plot involved overseas groups intent on overthrowing theChakri dynasty, the claim thatmedia consolidation was a core component of the conspiracy, the claim that the Plan was aimed at maintaining aconstitutional monarchy while reducing the powers of the monarch to a mere figurehead, and the claim that a law designed to furtherdecentralize central administrative power to theThai provinces, and the claim that Thaksin wanted to establish a government based on the model of westerndemocracies.[11][9]
Another variation claimed that Thaksin's co-conspirators were former members of theCommunist Party of Thailand including Deputy Transport MinisterPhumtham Wechayachai and had applied a theory of orthodoxMarxism to map out the TRT strategy to promote capitalism. This variation claimed that Thailand during the 1970s was still asemi-feudal society and needed to become acapitalist society as part of thetransition 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.[12]
The allegations were roundly denied by Thaksin Shinawatra and the leadership of hisThai Rak Thai party, including Surapong Suebwonglee andPrommin Lertsuridej.[8][13]
On 30 May, Thaksin Shinawatra and Thana Benjathikul, a lawyer from the Thai Rak Thai party, suedSondhi, 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 tocensor the media.[7]
The allegations damaged the popularity of Thaksin and his government. Thaksin was forced to expend a significant amount of time andpolitical capital on damage control, explaining his position and swearing his loyalty to the monarchy.[14]
In an editorial, the influential anti-Thaksin newspaperThe Nation noted:
Whether or not such a plot really exists may be impossible to prove. But Sondhi and the others should know better than to stir up an already volatile political situation with irresponsible accusations that have a potential to inflame further hatred and violence between opposing groups.[15]
The Nation noted that the actual existence of the Plot was not important—the mere invocation of royalty would be enough to damage theThai Rak Thai party.[16] Many commentators noted the similarity between the Finland Plot allegations and the allegations used justify the massacre of students on 6 October 1976, which in the context of theThailand political crisis, might justify amilitary coup.[17][18][19] The Thai military eventually successfully executed acoup against the Thaksin government on 19 September 2006. One of thejunta's stated rationales for the coup was that Thaksin had insulted the King.[1]
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