Foreign Ministry Cancels Thaksin's Diplomatic Passport

[terrymor66]

I would just like to see him ( in whatever country he goes to ) have to make 30 day border runs. Then for the max 90 days and have to leave for 90

[asd]

FM cancel ousted premier and wife's diplomatic passports

"Taking into consideration the appropriateness and security concern, the diplomatic passports of Thaksin and wife have been revoked since December 31, 2006," Kiatthikhun said.

Oh Jesus! Jesus,

Nooo-ooo-ooo !!!

[ColPyat]

The generals are not vindictive, they just want him out of political picture, and maybe some money back for the state, not his total ruin. Their problem is that he refuses to go away.

By now it's obvious that there's no way back. He won't be accepted by millions of Thais, not counting the elite and the army, no matter what the result of investigations would be.

What do you mean?

He is away - he is in China. And he has not made one direct comment to the public since the coup, other than saying through his lawyer that he is innocent of the bombings and other yet unproven allegations. He has not attempted to come back to Thailand other than enquiring.

So far he and his family have followed every single advise of the junta and the present government.

It is high time that the government starts coming up with enough evidence to proceed to court with their allegations of curruption. Otherwise it might appear as if the government is using Thaksin as a convenient excuse for obfuscating their own imcompetence. Or, could it be that the government is somehow at a loss how to proceed against Thaksin without embarrassing everybody else and that way bringing down the whole house of cards that this country actually is.

Some posters here in this thread might view that revocing Thaksin's diplomatic passport is a huge victory of good against evil. I wonder though what actually has been achieved there. It hardly hinders Thaksin from going wherever he wants to as he still has his normal passport, and enough money to not to worry about inconveniences.

So far, what has been achived appearantly, as this thread proves very well, is to divert the attention to the masses back to Thaksin with another meaningless decision.

Shouldn't you people be asking the government why only 10 days ago they have made statement hinting at Thaksin's involvement in the bombings and have so far completely failed to back up any of their statements with evidence?

Or, why they government attempts to censor the media again by not allowing statement's of Thaksin's lawyer to be published?

Or, why is the whole of Thailand shaking it's head about the change of business laws against foreign companies, and scared that it will negatively effect the economy?

If they feel Thaksin to be guilty, should they not proceed to court and issue a warrant against Thaksin, and finally get on with the slightly more important task of governing the country?

[Eatdog]

Thaksin is well welcomed for all other countries.

who cares? I believe Thaksin never cares his Diplomatic passport

[Mid]

It is high time that the government starts coming up with enough evidence to proceed to court with their allegations of curruption. Otherwise it might appear as if the government is using Thaksin as a convenient excuse for obfuscating their own imcompetence. Or, could it be that the government is somehow at a loss how to proceed against Thaksin without embarrassing everybody else and that way bringing down the whole house of cards that this country actually is.

Word

bloody hel_l , hot n cold , hot n cold the Col will understand

[kayo]

about bleedin' time. Now how about freezing his assets. It's a foregone conclusion that he and his family will get fined (multiple times) in the future, and you can bet dollars to donuts that when the final verdict comes down, money will be withheld by Thaksin and his family in every way possible. They still have a lot of cards to play. It's like a rabbits and a water buffalo. The slow-moving appointed gov't can be expected to continue to move ploddingly ahead, while Thaksin and corhorts zip around willy nilly.

Do you think that he'll be charged falang prices when he visits national parks and stuff?

[konangrit]

Or, why they government attempts to censor the media again by not allowing statement's of Thaksin's lawyer to be published?

Hi ColPyat, can you confirm that the print media has also been banned along with the TV and radio stations? I haven't read that, but guess it's possible that they have been banned from reporting on the ban too.

[Jingthing]

I would just like to see him ( in whatever country he goes to ) have to make 30 day border runs. Then for the max 90 days and have to leave for 90

I love it!

[chuchok]

The generals are not vindictive, they just want him out of political picture, and maybe some money back for the state, not his total ruin. Their problem is that he refuses to go away.

By now it's obvious that there's no way back. He won't be accepted by millions of Thais, not counting the elite and the army, no matter what the result of investigations would be.

What do you mean?

He is away - he is in China. And he has not made one direct comment to the public since the coup, other than saying through his lawyer that he is innocent of the bombings and other yet unproven allegations. He has not attempted to come back to Thailand other than enquiring.

So far he and his family have followed every single advise of the junta and the present government.

It is high time that the government starts coming up with enough evidence to proceed to court with their allegations of curruption. Otherwise it might appear as if the government is using Thaksin as a convenient excuse for obfuscating their own imcompetence. Or, could it be that the government is somehow at a loss how to proceed against Thaksin without embarrassing everybody else and that way bringing down the whole house of cards that this country actually is.

Some posters here in this thread might view that revocing Thaksin's diplomatic passport is a huge victory of good against evil. I wonder though what actually has been achieved there. It hardly hinders Thaksin from going wherever he wants to as he still has his normal passport, and enough money to not to worry about inconveniences.

So far, what has been achived appearantly, as this thread proves very well, is to divert the attention to the masses back to Thaksin with another meaningless decision.

Shouldn't you people be asking the government why only 10 days ago they have made statement hinting at Thaksin's involvement in the bombings and have so far completely failed to back up any of their statements with evidence?

Or, why they government attempts to censor the media again by not allowing statement's of Thaksin's lawyer to be published?

Or, why is the whole of Thailand shaking it's head about the change of business laws against foreign companies, and scared that it will negatively effect the economy?

If they feel Thaksin to be guilty, should they not proceed to court and issue a warrant against Thaksin, and finally get on with the slightly more important task of governing the country?

Great post.The current Government are doing their best to shaft him.That is their agender at the cost of the country..

Exactly right,if Taksin is guilty,then fight it out properly.This current mob are getting close to being worse than he was.

At least Thaksin could run a country.These guys couldn't organise a good piss up.

[ColPyat]

Or, why they government attempts to censor the media again by not allowing statement's of Thaksin's lawyer to be published?

Hi ColPyat, can you confirm that the print media has also been banned along with the TV and radio stations? I haven't read that, but guess it's possible that they have been banned from reporting on the ban too.

Not yet. I would have to make a few calls tomorrow for that.

The question is anyhow also if the medias would listen to the government, because it might turn out like the demonstrations that are in fact not so legal, but are grudgingly tolerated because any overt action against them would have worse repercussions for the government than tolerating them.

What i find though concerning is even the attempt of censoring the media, especially over such a minor issue such as Thaksin's lawyer giving out the usual meaningless statements.

So far i am going with the BBC report on this.

But, this is not the first incident of censorship and attempted intimidation of the media. One incident that was reported in the Nation was how the government has reprimanded ITV for airing the interview with the Taxi driver who committed suicide. As far as i am aware, his letter was not yet published by any official media as well, and only was distributed on fliers and on websites that are on and off closed by the government.

And as far as i am aware soldiers are still present in the TV stations, nearly 4 months after the coup.

[asd]

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has recommended the revocation of Thaksin Shinawatra's diplomatic passport as Bangkok was becoming increasingly nervous about the activities of the former premier and his wife Pojaman.

-------------------------------------------------

Govt urged to ratify convention on court

The National Human Rights Commission ( NHRC ) and the Lawyers Council of

Thailand are pressing the government to ratify the convention on the International Criminal Court so deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra could be tried for crimes against humanity over his controversial anti-drugs campaign.

The council and former lawmakers accused the Thaksin administration of having

blood on its hands for waging its so-called war on drugs which killed more than

2,000 people, most of them drug traders and traffickers. The government must

bring Mr Thaksin to justice or the Sept 19 military coup which swept it to power would amount to nothing but a public deception, they said.

Somchai Hom-laor, chairman of the council's human rights committee, said

evidence came to light supporting the belief that state officials were responsible for the deaths of 2,500 people in the anti-drugs campaign. The death toll was recorded from two phases of the campaign, the first from February to April 2003 and the second in 2005.

Officials were obeying a Thaksin policy which included a well-organised plan

to issue a "licence to kill" with approval from Mr Thaksin, the then interior minister Wan Muhamad Nor Matha, and the then interior permanent secretary

Sermsak Pongpanich.

"They all signalled policy approval for the killing," Mr Somchai said at a discussion yesterday organised by the Press Association of Thailand.

The government and the coup engineers, the Council for National Security

(CNS), had no choice but get to the bottom of the drug-related killings and

punish officials who perpetrated them, both for disciplinary and criminal

violations, he said. The policy-makers, including Mr Thaksin, could end up

facing charges of crimes against humanity.

"Saddam Hussein [the former president of Iraq] was charged with committing

crimes against humanity for the killing of 170 people. In that case, the 2,500

deaths we witnessed here must constitute crimes against humanity," he said.

The Attorney-General's Office should handle the issue should it become a case,

as that agency answers to obligations governed by an international court agreement. But first, the government must ratify the convention on the International Criminal Court. Thai courts of justice must then formally

acknowledge the legal interpretation of the definition of crimes against

humanity for the admissibility and adjudication of such an offence to be

established in Thailand. Without acknowledgment by the court, there was no

chance of prosecuting Mr Thaksin.

Mr Somchai said the Thaksin administration did not bother to ratify the

convention. If the present government went ahead with the ratification, it

would effectively restrict Mr Thaksin's mobility.

The former prime minister, in self-imposed political exile overseas since the

coup, has travelled from China to Indonesia on a diplomatic passport he has

used since he was in power. "Signing the convention would prevent Mr Thaksin

from popping up here and there, especially in European countries which are

signatories to the convention," he said.

Mr Thaksin could be brought to trial if he landed in the wrong country.

Mr Somchai said restoring the rule of law required reforming the police force

and subjecting police criminal investigations to scrutiny by the court.

Wasant Panich of the NHRC said the drugs war policy was clearly a mistake, for

which Mr Thaksin must be held to account. He cited the discovery of an official

letter sent to people in Samut Sakhon's Ban Phaeo district at the height of the

campaign, warning them to report to a local drugs war centre or their "safety

could not be guaranteed".

Mr Wasant added that a letter allegedly signed by an interior permanent

secretary at the time was distributed to provincial governors outlining three

ways to cut the number of drugs traders and producers. The suspects could be

"arrested, face extra-judicial killings, or lose their lives for any reason".

He said the blacklist of drug suspects took only 15 days to compile. The perceived haste raised concerns that some may have been wrongly targeted.

The NHRC received 40 complaints related to the drugs war deaths. Not a single

culprit in those cases was ever caught.

Former senator Kraisak Choonhavan said the campaign was the most blatant form of human rights violation. He was surprised the government and the CNS did not feel compelled to highlight the issue as one of the reasons for toppling the

previous administration.

"We can't possibly create a new society if the coup-backed government doesn't

lift a finger to deal with the drugs war killings of the Thaksin era," he said.

PRADIT RUANGDIT

Edited January 10, 2007 by asd

[Mid]

asd

great posts , link please ??

[Plus]

He is away - he is in China. And he has not made one direct comment to the public since the coup, other than saying through his lawyer that he is innocent of the bombings and other yet unproven allegations. He has not attempted to come back to Thailand other than enquiring.

So far he and his family have followed every single advise of the junta and the present government.

How do you know that? He has PUBLICLY followed every advise. Privately he has held political meetings which were not reported in the media. Does a person planning overthrowing the government deserve a diplomatic passport?

As for bombings - the government doesn't need to go through the whole legal process with numerous appeals to act. If they KNOW he was involved, that's enough. They are not arresting him, only revoking his passport.

Shouldn't you people be asking the government why only 10 days ago they have made statement hinting at Thaksin's involvement in the bombings and have so far completely failed to back up any of their statements with evidence?

The government has publicly stated that they don't know who is behind the bombings and that the masterminds would probably never be found. They only call the "elements of the old regime" as the most likely suspects and the government never directly accused Thaksin.

Bombings belong to another thread, but I can repeat myself - no mater how sure the government is of Thaksin's involvement, it won't go public unless they are absolutely sure they can indict him on that or at least prove him guilty in public's eyes. There are also other reasons why they won't disclose information.

[asd]

asd

great posts , link please ??

Thx Mid

http://www.november.org/stayinfo/breaking06/Thaksin.html

[FRK]

This is just a symbolic move. It has no effect on Thaksin's ability to travel or enter any country. His ability to enter any country, and on what terms, is up to the country he wants to visit, regardless of what kind of passport he has. Some countries hand out diplomatic passports like candy. It's still up to each country to dictate terms of visas, and they don't care what color the passport cover is.

Thaksin's surely got an advantage with all his money, but he still has to qualify for entry wherever he goes, with or without a red passport.

Edited January 10, 2007 by FRK

[chuchok]

How do you know that? He has PUBLICLY followed every advise. Privately he has held political meetings which were not reported in the media. Does a person planning overthrowing the government deserve a diplomatic passport?

Now this is laughable.Does the democratically elected Leader of Thailand,that was overthrown by the military, now not deserve a diplomatic passport because he wants to overthrow the junta....

[FRK]

It is a law of Thailand that you can not have dual citizenship If the Thai Government finds out that you do have dual citizenship they can confiscate all of your assets

What law is that? I know a lot of people with Thai passports (because they were born here) and a passport from the country where they're now a citizen.

I know someone with THREE passports, one of them Thai, all of which he displayed to Thai immigration when he entered last week and asked which one he should use to enter. He was told the Thai passport was most advantageous for him. They didn't confiscate anything.

[konangrit]

Not yet. I would have to make a few calls tomorrow for that.

The question is anyhow also if the medias would listen to the government, because it might turn out like the demonstrations that are in fact not so legal, but are grudgingly tolerated because any overt action against them would have worse repercussions for the government than tolerating them.

What i find though concerning is even the attempt of censoring the media, especially over such a minor issue such as Thaksin's lawyer giving out the usual meaningless statements.

So far i am going with the BBC report on this.

I read it in The Bangkok Post earlier today, where they said that government owned TV and radio stations had been told to stop reporting on Thaksin. It made no mention of the print media, but I can no longer find the story, or any other mention of it in the Bangkok Post or The Nation.

[Phil Conners]

I wonder if his uk visa was stamped in his dip passport

I don't think diplomats need visa ....

[konangrit]

OK, nothing sinister, I found it now.

CNS to get tough with broadcast media

(Bangkokpost.com)

The military has ordered the broadcast media to stop airing news about former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his cronies.

Representatives of all television and radio stations were today invited to meet with members of the Council of National Security to be notified of the CNS's ''request for cooperation'' to refrain from airing news about the deposed prime minister and his cronies.

Continued:

Bangkok Post

[Plus]

I don't know for sure, but I think he can't just turn up anywhere he wants and expect to be waved through with his ordinary passport. They would need to establish his identity first and check if he is still on the "wave through" list. They would need to check if Thai government hasn't issued arrest warrants for him and so on.

Means more work for his PA, and less freedom of movement. No big deal, but certainly not as convenient as a diplomatic passport.

[ColPyat]

He is away - he is in China. And he has not made one direct comment to the public since the coup, other than saying through his lawyer that he is innocent of the bombings and other yet unproven allegations. He has not attempted to come back to Thailand other than enquiring.

So far he and his family have followed every single advise of the junta and the present government.

How do you know that? He has PUBLICLY followed every advise. Privately he has held political meetings which were not reported in the media. Does a person planning overthrowing the government deserve a diplomatic passport?

Interesting, how do you conclude that Thaksin is planning to overthrow the government? Do you have any information we don't have, or do you just engage in the present national sport of pointless speculation?

And following your logic, the people that have overthrown his government do deserve diplomatic passports then.

I do now understand why they say that history is written by the winner.

As for bombings - the government doesn't need to go through the whole legal process with numerous appeals to act. If they KNOW he was involved, that's enough. They are not arresting him, only revoking his passport.

The government doesn't need to go through the whole legal process?

Wasn't one of the justifications of the coup that the whole legal process was undermined by Thaksin and they want to restore it?

If they "know" he was is involved - does the public not at least deserve a presentation of evidence?

Anyhow - they have not revoced his passport - they have revoced his 'diplomatic' passport. He can still travel around wherever he wants. Revocing his passport would mean that he either has to return to Thailand - what the government appearantly tries to avoid like the pest at the present moment - or to ask for political asylum in a thrid country - which also would be very embarrassing for the government.

What we are left with is a symbolic gesture that appears to serve more to fill newspaper pages than having any real effect.

Shouldn't you people be asking the government why only 10 days ago they have made statement hinting at Thaksin's involvement in the bombings and have so far completely failed to back up any of their statements with evidence?

The government has publicly stated that they don't know who is behind the bombings and that the masterminds would probably never be found. They only call the "elements of the old regime" as the most likely suspects and the government never directly accused Thaksin.

Bombings belong to another thread, but I can repeat myself - no mater how sure the government is of Thaksin's involvement, it won't go public unless they are absolutely sure they can indict him on that or at least prove him guilty in public's eyes. There are also other reasons why they won't disclose information.

They don't disclose much at all. Is that because:

1) they want to avoid a chain reaction that embarrasses people they don't want to publically embarrass?

2) there really is nothing to disclose, and keeping a cloak of secrecy gives them some importance?

3) they need to hide that they don't have any clue and are absolutely incompetent?

[Plus]

How do you know that? He has PUBLICLY followed every advise. Privately he has held political meetings which were not reported in the media. Does a person planning overthrowing the government deserve a diplomatic passport?

Now this is laughable.Does the democratically elected Leader of Thailand,that was overthrown by the military, now not deserve a diplomatic passport because he wants to overthrow the junta....

Not laughable but ironic.

Don't forget he wasn't a democraticly elected leader in September - he was a caretaker Prime Minister, someone filling the post until elections. There were lawsuits filed even about his caretaker status as he effectively resigned in April and then came back without strong legal grounds. Also by law, I believe, caretaker government is not supposed to be in office longer than three months.

[chuchok]

How do you know that? He has PUBLICLY followed every advise. Privately he has held political meetings which were not reported in the media. Does a person planning overthrowing the government deserve a diplomatic passport?

Now this is laughable.Does the democratically elected Leader of Thailand,that was overthrown by the military, now not deserve a diplomatic passport because he wants to overthrow the junta....

Not laughable but ironic.

Don't forget he wasn't a democraticly elected leader in September - he was a caretaker Prime Minister, someone filling the post until elections. There were lawsuits filed even about his caretaker status as he effectively resigned in April and then came back without strong legal grounds. Also by law, I believe, caretaker government is not supposed to be in office longer than three months.

Where are the lawsuits going?You sow what you reap as far as I am concerned.These guys are out to hurt Thaksin at the expence of hurting their country.They must be having problems to do this.

It's a pity that they don't hold their country first.

[kayo]

How do you know that? He has PUBLICLY followed every advise. Privately he has held political meetings which were not reported in the media. Does a person planning overthrowing the government deserve a diplomatic passport?

Now this is laughable.Does the democratically elected Leader of Thailand,that was overthrown by the military, now not deserve a diplomatic passport because he wants to overthrow the junta....

To quote somebody else post on page 1,

"For the zillionth time! He resigned!"

"dear Khun Sonthi,

I have recently had my passport revoked, and as my buffalo in Chinag Mai province is poorly, I need to re-enter thailand.

Please you help me, send me money for help me ... etc... etc...

"

[Plus]

Interesting, how do you conclude that Thaksin is planning to overthrow the government? Do you have any information we don't have, or do you just engage in the present national sport of pointless speculation?

I did not conclude anything and I did not revoke his passport, it was the government. They mentioned Thaksin's political activities, go ask them.

Even I heard the rumors of Thaksin organizing meetings in China. I'm the government knows a lot more than me.

The government doesn't need to go through the whole legal process? Wasn't one of the justifications of the coup that the whole legal process was undermined by Thaksin and they want to restore it?

Perhaps you missed my point - they don't need to go through the whole legal process to revoke his passport, and you are right, it's only a diplomatic passport, and the gesture in many ways is purely symbolical.

Should they have dragged it through the courts?

They ARE following legal process in all other cases. It's not as fast as we want, but such is the nature or the law.

[wpcoe]

On another thread it was mentioned that Thaksin's son was born in the USA and carries a US passport. (It was mentioned in the context that even if it is "proven" that he is not eligible for tax in Thailand, that the IRS -- the tax agency of the US -- could nail him since US citizens are taxable on their worldwide income including capital gains).

If Khun Oak is in fact a dual-pasport holder (does anybody here know if that is true?) then as a US citizen he can sponsor US citizenship for his parents, and voila -- Mr/Mrs Shinawatra can be legal US citizens!

[Plus]

These guys are out to hurt Thaksin at the expence of hurting their country.They must be having problems to do this.

It's a pity that they don't hold their country first.

If you refer to the recent foreign ownership law, it's a misunderstanding - the law does not apply retroactively, Shin sale will be judged according to the old laws. They plugged the loophole for the FUTURE, it doesn't help them with getting Thaksin in anyway.

[ColPyat]

I did not conclude anything and I did not revoke his passport, it was the government. They mentioned Thaksin's political activities, go ask them.

Even I heard the rumors of Thaksin organizing meetings in China. I'm the government knows a lot more than me.

I do actually wonder about that at times.

If they know so much, and mention so much, than i would like to know why they have so far failed to present any evidence of what they mentioned, and at several occasions even contradicted themselves in what they mentioned.

[Plus]

I believe there were reports of senior TRT figures attending meetings in China and some of them were reportedely questioned afterwards.

Why doesn't the government tell us more about Thaksin's political activites? They want people to forget he existed, they don't want to talk about him at all, haven't you noticed?