grandma2jaret

How the UK sees Thaksin

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He paid 108 million pounds (215 million dollars) to buy Manchester City.

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'Thaksin won solid support among farmers and low-income earners by launching populist policies of injecting money into the rural economy. Farmers account for roughly 60 percent of Thailand's 65 million population' ....This was a report on a football website when he was buying Manchester City.

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Thaksin, a self-made billionaire, of trying to "show off his worthiness" to Thais by launching the football deal...again from a football website

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Thaksin Has Big Plans For City And Thailand

^{Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinwatra is to use his position as the chief of a leading Premier League club to help develop Thailand football and footballers.}

^{Thaksin, the former Prime Minister of the south-east Asian nation, took control of City in the summer.}

^{"What I would like to change is that I would like Thai footballers to have the opportunity to play internationally. It is difficult at the moment because Thai clubs are not in the top 70 world ranking, so it is difficult to get a work permit,” Thaksin told Premier League World TV programme.}

^{“In my position now I am able to create opportunities for Thai footballers and to get more young Thais interested in football, because sport is important in Thailand and getting young Thai people more interested in sport is essential to the future of the country."}

^{"I will do my best to make Manchester City a global brand which in the future, will also incorporate Thai products.}

(You will know better than me if any of this has happened.

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And these from Manchester newspaper...

Mr Samak said that, if possible, the PPP would grant amnesty to Dr Thaksin and 110 other executives of his now-disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party, who were barred from office for five years. “They didn’t do anything wrong,” he said

The results prove beyond doubt Dr Thaksin's popularity in his home country and it is now possible £800m in frozen assets will be released by the new regime.

Thai politics has been in almost constant turmoil since early 2006, when protests mushroomed demanding that Dr Thaksin step down, despite his party’s landslide victory a year earlier giving it an absolute parliamentary majority.

An April 2006 election was boycotted by the opposition and later declared invalid by the courts, leaving Dr Thaksin’s government in limbo until the September 19 coup last year.

But the military-appointed interim government that succeeded it proved weak and indecisive, failing to restore public confidence.

Dr Thaksin was abroad at the time of his removal, and has since lived in exile in the UK.

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While Thailand sits and talks about what will happen to Thaksin, no-one seems to look at what he is doing around the world.

Here in the UK, everybody thinks he is a nice guy....but one whose country has done the dirty on him!!

He was very public when buying Manchester City. Although not as big as the other team in the city, Manchester United, Manchester City is a Premier League team with loyal supporters. He often has his picture taken sitting there with his football scarf on watching 'his' team. While the sale was going through Thaksin had to go to an enquiry to see, because he had fled Thailand, if he could buy a big English club. Because he was elected and deposed in a Military Coup, Thaksin was seen as having done nothing wrong.

Thaksin was all sweet and smiling every time he was on TV....'If my name is too hard to say, just call me 'Sinatra'...' he said on many occasions.

He has spoken in many countries about being deposed in his own country, even though he was an elected Prime Minister....so, of course, he is seen in many countries as the 'victim' in all of this. No one has ever looked into why he was deposed...as Thaksin gets in first and tells his side of the story, and people take pity on him.

If he was to be arrested in Thailand he would have many countries come to his aid. He has spent a lot of time and money getting everyone to think he is 'poor Mr Sinatra'. There is only Thailand who knows what Thaksin has done and how much money he has made out of corruption. But Thailand hasn't told anyone else!! I don't think anyone in Thailand thought of doing so...they just let Thaksin float around the world making powerful friends.

Thaksin has led a charmed life outside Thailand and always will. Thailand should have told the world why he was deposed. Instead, they have found him many friends. He may come back to Thailand..I don't know. but if he does..stand back and watch the world condemn Thailand....it will happen.

In the West democracy is seen as 'a god'. They see Thaksin as an elected leader deposed by the Military...everyone else will be wrong, but not Thaksin in the eyes of his 'new friends'. He is well aware of this, and that is why he is talking about coming back now. Because he knows that nothing will happen to him.

She must go to the Police. There has been psychological abuse here and the living environment is not one where she or her child should be.

Basically, he really can talk all he likes, but he has not the rights he is telling your friend.

But...she needs to go to Police. She will have to go quickly too. In most places they will move her to a Refuge, from there she can get help.

But, sadly....she must get the courage to do this...but it is the right thing to do.

I think that the government will not only require an English test. It will go on a points system whereby non-skilled people will not get any points. They say there are no plans to give non-skilled people any points and so allow them entry.

The aim is to stop those who haven't got skills we need here from coming here. I think this is a far more serious obstacle than the English language test.

My sons are married to two Thai sisters. One has a better standard of English but she has been here longer. The younger one, her English is improving every day. Thing is though...although both girls are well educated, they would not have the skills to give them points to come to the UK after these new laws come into effect. They had good jobs in Bangkok, but not ones they can do here.

I am sure that the English test will be quite basic...I do not think this is the major issue. It is the skill level of the applicant.

Both my daughters-in-law are happy here. You all know the ridiculous Visa applications we had to go through and the dreaded BKK Embassy endurance tests!!

The government wants to be seen to be getting a grip of immigration. They can't touch the Europeans coming in...which is where most of our problems lie. So, in order to tick some boxes, they choose the easiest route...those who legitimately apply for very expensive Visas, do everything right and are in a minority of migrants into the UK.

I now have the pleasure of knowing many Thai people here...and in the new rules, hardly any of them would be able to prove they had the skills necesary to come to the UK now. Yet, they work, pay taxes and don't cost anybody anything, and are thoroughly nice people, better than most of the English I know.

The government cannot stop the Europeans and 'Assylum Seekers' who come here, claim benefits and cost us a fortune...so they are doing this so they can say they are doing something.

It's pathetic...but harmful. I fear it will stop many many people from getting Fiancee Visas etc after this law is applied...and it will be applied quite soon I think.

You got caught with an illegal substance. The fact that it is only 1 gram of weed has nothing to do with it.

Are drugs...even weed..illegal in Thailand? You knew the drug is illegal in Thailand? Then why bleat about the consequences.

Wake up to what you have done. Stop complaining...oh! just a thought, give up any drug at all and then you can go travelling without hiding stuff and then complaining loudly when you get caught.

Where did you buy it? In Thailand? Isn't that illegal? Or did you have more stashed away?

For heavens sake..if you're big enough to smoke an illegal substance, even after all you know about Thai prisons....then take it like a man when you are caught.

Why should anyone help you get back into Thailand? Is the weed cheaper there?

Why is anyone bothering to help a drug addict back into Thailand?

A drug addict.

I got caught with about 1 gram of weed and that makes me a drug addict?

So you don't know anyone who smokes weed then?

Well....strange turn of events. I had emailed the Embassy and got in touch with my MP (I am in the UK).

He was brilliant and said he would assist the appeal through UKVisas Parliamentary Unit. I had given him other information to back up what I was saying.

Then I got an email from Entry Clearance Manager...saying he had reviewed the case and took into account other info he had been given, also checked the status of the decision made last November.

He said he had overturned the original decision and the Visa will be granted. She has now attended the Embassy..got her Visa and arrives on March 9th.

So they can be challenged and others in good positions can help....

So...anyone else in our position, don't give up without a fight. My MP was superb, as was UKVisas Parliamentary Unit....

Thanks to all who took the time to answer me.

Last November my son's fiancee Nong went to British Embassy. She took all documentation they asked for and said she wanted to come to UK on 26th Feb.

They said that they would give her the Visa. But to return on Feb 15th as it was closer to travel date, and bring proof of pay and bank of my son from November to Feb (they had everything up until then).

Today she went to the Embassy and they say that my son does not have enough money to keep her.

Brent is 23 years old and is actually engaged to his sister-in-law. Nong's sister is married to my eldest son and they have been living here (UK) for 3 years. Brent is in the RN as a submariner. Earns good money and is careful with it.

Nong is 26 and has done everything now with a view to coming to UK on the ticket she has bought for the 26th feb.

We are all devastated and just don't know where else to turn. Any advice would be appreciated.

GU22??

Last November my son's fiancee Nong went to British Embassy. She took all documentation they asked for and said she wanted to come to UK on 26th Feb.

They said that they would give her the Visa. But to return on Feb 15th as it was closer to travel date, and bring proof of pay and bank of my son from November to Feb (they had everything up until then).

Today she went to the Embassy and they say that my son does not have enough money to keep her.

Brent is 23 years old and is actually engaged to his sister-in-law. Nong's sister is married to my eldest son and they have been living here (UK) for 3 years. Brent is in the RN as a submariner. Earns good money and is careful with it.

Nong is 26 and has done everything now with a view to coming to UK on the ticket she has bought for the 26th feb.

We are all devastated and just don't know where else to turn. Any advice would be appreciated.