Foreign Ministry Cancels Thaksin's Diplomatic Passport

[John K]

All dictators are afraoid of people who were democratically chosen. The reason that ou man of the year was elected in a poll conducted in JUST 17 provinces is because Thaksin would still get 60% plus of the votes when there were elections. Never mind your good news show...

Thaksin has shown before that he's Teflon coated and slippery as sin. The Junta and the government are scared to death that if he comes back and somehow manages to get back in power there will not be a rock big enough to hide under for any of them, anywhere. Overthrowing an elected government, even a caretaker one, is treasonable even if the over-throwers give themselves immunity and they all know it. They thought it would be easy to get him; but it's proved a much harder task than they anticipated and if they can't find, or invent, something to pin on him, guess who will be running the country after the next election and who will be in exile.

That’s a fair description Lukamar about Thaksin being slippery. Just looking at the thread on his son testifying and the delays is just like he was still in power. Thaksin is very good about covering his trail, and finding a legal means is a difficult task. There almost needs to be a separate law to just take him down. Seeing is Thaksin made new laws almost daily to suit his needs, perhaps the new government can do the same.

Deminister, Thaksin is not afraid of people who were elected, he fears people with enough education that know not to vote for him.

[pampal]

About time they did something to stop Toxin(Thaksin)

[lukamar]

I'll wait until they are responsible for 7,000 murders like Thaksin.

Perhaps you missed it last week when the CNS announced that the Prime Minister now has the power to order extra judicial executions, so all their murders will be legally sanctioned. Hope that makes you sleep better at night.

Seeing is Thaksin made new laws almost daily to suit his needs, perhaps the new government can do the same.

That's exactly what the new guys are doing. Difference is Thaksin had a plan, even if it was often to his benefit. The Junta seems to have little direction and absolutely no idea about physics. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. You push investors, they divest, you push the media they do everything in their power to make life a living hel_l and if you push the people you end up on the outside looking in, or possibly on the inside looking out depending on who finally wins all this BS. The CNS and the government are good at pushing and eventually someone is going to push back hard.

[Jai Dee]

Ousted PM's diplomatic passport, stripped

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOF) has revoked the diplomatic passport of the deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The MOF deputy minister said from now on Mr Thaksin has to request visa to enter foreign countries like ordinary passport holders.

Sawanit Kongsiri (สวนิต คงสิริ), the MOF deputy minister, said that the change of the ex-PM’s passport type takes two weeks.

He also expressed his opinion that Mr Thaksin does not need to seek political asylum right now.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 11 January 2007

[konangrit]

Thaksin says junta crackdown 'unfair'

Deposed Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra said Thursday the junta's crackdown on his activities was unfair after the military revoked his diplomatic passport and banned television coverage of him.

The announcements late Wednesday came amid a flurry of orders by the junta that ousted Thaksin in September, including tough new measures to fight a separatist insurgency by Muslims in southern Thailand.

Continued:

The Nation

Edited url to full story.

Edited January 11, 2007 by konangrit

[Plus]

It's interesting to read so many pro-Thaksin posts. It has been one helluva night for them - filling two pages while everyone in Thailand was sleeping. I guess there's no point in replying as they never hang around for long.

Like a pack of ghosts passing by.

People say that diplomatic passport is not a big loss but then immediately say that it's overreaction. Which one is that? Apparently it doesn't matter as long as they can blame the government.

Same old, same old.

The ban on showing Thaksin on TV is far more interesting. Back in August the journos cried over the "fake media" but now, when they play the role of the fake media themselves, they want freedom of speech.

The junta is surely overreacting with this one, but they have their priorities - Thaksin should be erased from public memory if any national reconciliation to be achieved, so they put national reconciliation above media freedom.

Is it reasonable? Do they have the right to sensor media that deepens national divide? Can they add Thaksin to a no-no list of topics?

Is he worth making a no-no list? Will Thaksin's return lead to anything but bloodshed?

[marshbags]

So, there seem to be lots of posters who think money can buy anything in Thailand and they don,t come bigger than Kamoy Toxin when it comes to being rich beyond anyones dreams.

" Thanks to all his corrupt influences when he was in power. "

Well, how come he,s lost the two things that must mean the most to him status wise and evidently money couldn,t buy. ( His wife also has to face this reality, least anyone forgets. )

As for his mental state that,s another story.

Wether you believe it or not, he is really hurting now in regard to his self importance / self esteem.

He,s got more than enough stashed away from cheating Thailands citizens and pillaging the countries assets and let,s stop going on about him not caring because of this wealth. HE DOES !!!!!

The biggest insult / let down on Thaksin, who had everything he could have wanted / had, is to have to face the reality that he is in effect, insignificant now and going down the slippery slope to his present status of ignominy and worst of all, perceived as being no longer the statesman he so much desired and corruptly manipulated to achieve.

How many of the free worlds leaders do you think will stand up and associate themselves with this dictatorial despot, apart from the ones with a similar agenda for self reward and oppression.

Yes today, I guarantee he is hurting at having lost his diplomatic status and must now pay big time to get anything near to the priviledges it bestows on a person along with the VIP that automatically goes with it.

Knowing if he doesn,t pay big time, HE WILL NOT GET IT.

More important still even Thaksin in all his " Honest / Dishonest " moments, today, feels like.............

" SHIT " BIG TIME.

As for the majority of many of us on around the globe who believe in justice, honesty and accountablity today is one of quiet celebration and satisfaction.

Not forgetting ALL the realist on T.Visa who have been forecasting his fall from GRACE, especially the ones who have been and still are providing us with what has to be the most informed news information service anywhere. ( along with the odd little comment here an there )

marshbags

P.S.

He will have to go somewhere the International Human Rights cannot get him, because this day of what will be the ultimate day of accountability will surely come should he do otherwise.

Edited January 11, 2007 by marshbags

[Heng]

It may surprise people to know just how many Thais who studied in the US for example seem to have a US passport as well as their Thai one.

In my parents' (both around Thaksin's age) generation, yes. Nowadays, no. More common to come back with a green card. They don't hand out US citizenship like candy to engineers and doctors, etc., any more.

Also (I checked just in case for the future) , becoming a prime minister of another country CAN be considered the equivalent of renouncing your US citizenship. A more common reason is serving in the armed forces of another country.

[Jai Dee]

Ex-Thai PM Thaksin says junta crackdown 'unfair'

Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his daughter Pinthongta. Thaksin has said the junta's crackdown on his activities was unfair after the military revoked his diplomatic passport and banned television coverage of him.

Deposed Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra has said the junta's crackdown on his activities was unfair after the military revoked his diplomatic passport and banned television coverage of him.

The announcements late Wednesday came amid a flurry of orders by the junta that ousted Thaksin in September, including tough new measures to fight a separatist insurgency by Muslims in southern Thailand.

The orders were part of a security clampdown in Bangkok following deadly bombings in the Thai capital on New Year's Eve.

Thaksin's lawyer Noppadon Patama told AFP the former premier was currently in Hong Kong, and that he had spoken with him early Thursday about the new restrictions.

"Former prime minister Thaksin felt it was unfair to revoke his diplomatic passport, as well as his wife's, since he was not using that passport to travel to mount political activities," Noppadon said.

"The reason cited for canceling his passport was groundless," he said.

The foreign ministry said Thaksin's passport had been revoked "because of the changing security situation".

Army-installed Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has accused factions linked to Thaksin of staging the Bangkok bombings, but he has denied any involvement.

An aide to Surayud, Surapong Jayanama, said Thaksin could still apply for a normal passport, but that the decision to revoke his diplomatic one was aimed at restricting his political activities amid the security concerns.

"Under international practice, the host country must make sure that Thaksin does not make political movements, and they must be aware that Thaksin was toppled from office," he said.

The military also threatened to shut down Thai television and radio stations that cover briefings by Noppadon, who periodically delivers statements from Thaksin.

"As the junta warned media not to cover my briefings, things will not be the same. I will have to be more careful," Noppadon said.

"Even though my messages have been about national reconciliation, I have still received death threats," he said.

Thaksin was in New York when the military toppled his government, and he has remained in exile since then, hopping the globe with stays in London, Beijing, Hong Kong and Bali.

Source: AFP - 11 January 2007

[thaigene2]

Brilliant..

I can hear the conversation with HM Immigration now (over the phone)..

"Yes I understand you Sir, you have a family member studying temporarily in the UK and you've bought an expensive condominium. I can only apologise, but you see that does not give you entitlement to remain in the UK. I'm afraid you'll have to come down to the Home Office at Croydon for that sir..yes..Sorry? Well the 257 Bus passes here every 30 minutes...Yes..that means a queue...Sorry? Well around 60 or 70 minutes if you come early enough...Hello? Hello"

[sriracha john]

PM: It's necessary to revoke Thaksin's passport

The government saw the necessity in revoking the diplomatic passports of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Potjaman, said Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on Thursday.

Gen Surayud insisted it was necessary to cancel the red passports of the couple, citing reasons raised by the Foreign Ministry that Mr Thaksin was involved in inappropriate political activities.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=115936

[chuchok]

It's interesting to read so many pro-Thaksin posts. It has been one helluva night for them - filling two pages while everyone in Thailand was sleeping. I guess there's no point in replying as they never hang around for long.

Like a pack of ghosts passing by.

People say that diplomatic passport is not a big loss but then immediately say that it's overreaction. Which one is that? Apparently it doesn't matter as long as they can blame the government.

Same old, same old.

The ban on showing Thaksin on TV is far more interesting. Back in August the journos cried over the "fake media" but now, when they play the role of the fake media themselves, they want freedom of speech.

The junta is surely overreacting with this one, but they have their priorities - Thaksin should be erased from public memory if any national reconciliation to be achieved, so they put national reconciliation above media freedom.

Is it reasonable? Do they have the right to sensor media that deepens national divide? Can they add Thaksin to a no-no list of topics?

Is he worth making a no-no list? Will Thaksin's return lead to anything but bloodshed?

Just maybe it's because they might be in a different time zone to you?

Personally I find the whole saga laughable.The very people that were ment to be "better" than Thaksin are using the same tactics that he used.

If these guys concentrated on fixing the country and doing a good job,then people would be saying "Taksin who"?

They are hurting the Country by going after him.Why don't they just let him back in and get him to defend himself in court.

Taking away his passport,probably has all the effect of hitting him with a wet bus ticket.

If Thaksin is going to make trouble,it doesn't matter a rats arse where he is or what passport he has.

Edited January 11, 2007 by chuchok

[Arkady]

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.

So they are not going to force the Singapore government to change the ownership structure of the company?

Well, the truth is that this particular issue really hasn't been aired.. The Singaporeans are not known for rolling over and adopting the 'mai pen rai' attitude when it comes to business.

This part of the saga could run and run!

IMO, the Singaporeans are about as tough as Asians go.They have 'face' as big as you can get.They also have a ton of 'powder and shot' behind them.temasek are only worth about USD80 billion in investments.

The question of whether Temasek has to restructure Shin Corp remains unclear to me. Pridyathorn moved telecoms to Annex 3 of the FBA as an afterthought which seemed to let them of the hook re Advanc Info. However, foreign holdings in telcos are governed by the Telecoms Act as well as the FBA which limits foreign ownership of concessions to 50%. Will the Telecoms Act also revise its definition of foreign ownership. Shin's other subsids, Sattel, ITV and Air Asia, are clearly in Annex 2 and not exempted.

[terry6337]

IT SEEMS THE NEW GOVERNMENT ARE BLAMING THAKSIN FOR EVERYTHING WHILST AVERTING ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THEY CAN'T GOVERN A COUNTRY. i'M SURPRISED THEY HAVEN'T TRIED TO PIN THE BIRD FLU VIRUS ON HIM YET!

[John K]

IT SEEMS THE NEW GOVERNMENT ARE BLAMING THAKSIN FOR EVERYTHING WHILST AVERTING ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THEY CAN'T GOVERN A COUNTRY. i'M SURPRISED THEY HAVEN'T TRIED TO PIN THE BIRD FLU VIRUS ON HIM YET!

Give them time as Thaksin left a mess. About the ability to govern, I think they can, however the choices they make may be questionable at times. Many of the more critical decisions are still more or less about Thaksin like the company ownership rule that came out a day or two ago, That is fallout from Shin.

[marshbags]

IT SEEMS THE NEW GOVERNMENT ARE BLAMING THAKSIN FOR EVERYTHING WHILST AVERTING ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THEY CAN'T GOVERN A COUNTRY. i'M SURPRISED THEY HAVEN'T TRIED TO PIN THE BIRD FLU VIRUS ON HIM YET!

Don,t know if you are a troll but...................................................

This is possibly off topic but i,ll give your post the benefit of the doubt and risk giving you a brief rundown on how i read the situation at the time.........................Unbiased of course

I seem to recall Thaksins government did indeed cause many problems when it was first discovered

( vested interests again ) by keeping it quiet and not disclosing the full implications of it,s arrival in Thailand.

It caused lot,s of health related problems and in my humble opinion was responsible for much hardship and unneccesary illness and death.

Incidently they also made sure certain citizens / Puyai where compensated far in access to what the ordinary poor farmers eventually got / if they, indeed, where lucky enough too get payment. ???

Look to the E.U. for the facts on the outcome of the attempted cover up if you really are serious about the bird flu reference.

If it wasn,t for the many related scandals that are emerging by the day, the Kamoys would still be in power and causing Chaos everywhere.

The present one are on a hiding to nothing trying to sort it all out, in spite of Thaksin and his cohorts atttempts to discredit them.

marshbags

[Tony Clifton]

Perhaps you missed it last week when the CNS announced that the Prime Minister now has the power to order extra judicial executions, so all their murders will be legally sanctioned. Hope that makes you sleep better at night.

I for one have missed that and would love to read about it. Where?

IT SEEMS THE NEW GOVERNMENT ARE BLAMING THAKSIN FOR EVERYTHING WHILST AVERTING ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THEY CAN'T GOVERN A COUNTRY. i'M SURPRISED THEY HAVEN'T TRIED TO PIN THE BIRD FLU VIRUS ON HIM YET!

Interim government that is.

[terry6337]

IT SEEMS THE NEW GOVERNMENT ARE BLAMING THAKSIN FOR EVERYTHING WHILST AVERTING ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THEY CAN'T GOVERN A COUNTRY. i'M SURPRISED THEY HAVEN'T TRIED TO PIN THE BIRD FLU VIRUS ON HIM YET!

Don,t know if you are a troll but...................................................

This is possibly off topic but i,ll give your post the benefit of the doubt and risk giving you a brief rundown on how i read the situation at the time.........................Unbiased of course


I seem to recall Thaksins government did indeed cause many problems when it was first discovered

( vested interests again ) by keeping it quiet and not disclosing the full implications of it,s arrival in Thailand.

It caused lot,s of health related problems and in my humble opinion was responsible for much hardship and unneccesary illness and death.

Incidently they also made sure certain citizens / Puyai where compensated far in access to what the ordinary poor farmers eventually got / if they, indeed, where lucky enough too get payment. ???

Look to the E.U. for the facts on the outcome of the attempted cover up if you really are serious about the bird flu reference.

If it wasn,t for the many related scandals that are emerging by the day, the Kamoys would still be in power and causing Chaos everywhere.

The present one are on a hiding to nothing trying to sort it all out, in spite of Thaksin and his cohorts atttempts to discredit them.

marshbags

I'm not sure about the troll thing (I'm probably ugly enough but I don't think I have the stature!) The bird flu comment was of course "tongue in cheek". My point was the government seem to be using a readily available and inflamatory sideshow to avert peoples eyes from the current problems that Thailand is facing aside from Thaksin

[sriracha john]

Thaksin hopes his ID card will not be cancelled: Noppadol

Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra hopes the Council for National Security would not revoke his identification card apart from his diplomatic passport, his legal adviser said Thursday.

Speaking to reporters at the Thai Rak Thai Party, Noppadol Pattama said Thaksin asked him to tell the CNS and government that they would not revoke his ID card as well.

Noppadol said Thaksin saw that the government and CNS would like to discredit him by revoking his diplomatic passport.

Noppadol said if it later turned out that the Foreign Ministry had no justification for revoking the passport, the foreign minister and officials involved would be held responsible.

The Nation

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

cry.bmp

Edited January 11, 2007 by sriracha john

[animatic]

์ำNow cancel his normal passport too and force him to return to face the music. He needs to appear in open court to show his blind followers he is not the all-powerful super-being they seem to think he is. His corrupt practices have caused immense problems for the country and he must be brought to book if for no other reason than pour encourager les autres and show that society will never accept his type of kleptocracy again.

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy...

[Tony Clifton]

Thaksin hopes his ID card will not be cancelled: Noppadol

Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra hopes the Council for National Security would not revoke his identification card apart from his diplomatic passport, his legal adviser said Thursday.

Speaking to reporters at the Thai Rak Thai Party, Noppadol Pattama said Thaksin asked him to tell the CNS and government that they would not revoke his ID card as well.

Noppadol said Thaksin saw that the government and CNS would like to discredit him by revoking his diplomatic passport.

Noppadol said if it later turned out that the Foreign Ministry had no justification for revoking the passport, the foreign minister and officials involved would be held responsible.

The Nation

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

With the help of his lawyer, says anything to try and have the last word. Even if they did, that square head of his IS an ID card.

[Siripon]

At heart Thaksin is a coward. Boasting when he was PM that he would be proud to die for Thailand and have his coffin wrapped in the national flag, he never dared to go south without a massive entourage of police and army escorts.

He never dared face Parliament and its questions!

If he thinks he's so innocent now, well please come back sir and politely explain away all the accusations and allegations. This time last year, in response to questions from journalists regarding the Shin sale he said, 'Ask my children, I know nothing.'

But yesterday Pantongtae said he knew nothing.

Passing the buck to your academically challenged kids is a cruel act.

[ColPyat]

If he thinks he's so innocent now, well please come back sir and politely explain away all the accusations and allegations.

Well, yes, that might be the best.

But i fear you are in conflict there with the present government, who has stated more than a few times that they don't want to see Thaksin back in Thailand until... yes, until when?

[sriracha john]

Thaksin hopes his ID card will not be cancelled: Noppadol

Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra hopes the Council for National Security would not revoke his identification card apart from his diplomatic passport, his legal adviser said Thursday.

Speaking to reporters at the Thai Rak Thai Party, Noppadol Pattama said Thaksin asked him to tell the CNS and government that they would not revoke his ID card as well.

Noppadol said Thaksin saw that the government and CNS would like to discredit him by revoking his diplomatic passport.

Noppadol said if it later turned out that the Foreign Ministry had no justification for revoking the passport, the foreign minister and officials involved would be held responsible.

The Nation

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

With the help of his lawyer, says anything to try and have the last word. Even if they did, that square head of his IS an ID card.

Oxymoron:

noun

A rhetorical figure in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined, as in a deafening silence or a Thaksin Smart Card

[nikster]

His dosh is his passport, so being non-red won't have be an issue with any country.

For a small fee, he can be a diplomat of Nigeria. Or Burma.

[lukamar]

Perhaps you missed it last week when the CNS announced that the Prime Minister now has the power to order extra judicial executions, so all their murders will be legally sanctioned. Hope that makes you sleep better at night.

I for one have missed that and would love to read about it. Where?

It was posted here on TV by I think George. It was a one liner in a news report and stuck between a bunch of stuff on the CNS had said and done that day. Just remember the CNS gave the PM the authority to carry out the executions and that it was worded as if they would walk in and just off anyone they felt like. I tried to find the posts but had no luck. Possibly someone else will remember the thread, it's the one thing that stood out.

[lukamar]

This is the part of the post by George. TV sent the link and my last post to the Internet black hole but I had this on my clipboard.

The CNS give itself more teeth by adopting a revolutionary decree empowering the prime minister to execute those who commit crimes against the country.

I won't comment on it for fear of hijacking the thread.

[sriracha john]

Beijing faces Thaksin dilemma

Govt tells China ex-PM has lost his diplomatic status

Beijing was put on the spot yesterday as the Thai government conveyed its decision to revoke the diplomatic passports of Thaksin and Pojaman Shinawatra, implying that the deposed prime minister and his wife would need to request a visa to extend their stay in China.

Foreign Minister Nitya Pibul-songgram relayed the message to his Chinese counterpart, Li Zhaoxing, during a meeting on the sidelines of the Asean summit in Cebu, the Philippines.

Li told Nitya that Beijing "more than understands" the situation, said a Thai official.

But it remained unclear how the Chinese government would treat a visa application from Thaksin, who has stayed in China for some time since being toppled and has reportedly bought a condominium in Beijing.

Thaksin was in Hong Kong yesterday and plans to fly to Singapore for an extended stay, as the city-state is an Asean member and waives entry visas for Thai citizens, said a source.

Thaksin was seen having a meeting with close aide Yongyuth Tiyapairat in a Hong Kong hotel, the source added. *the infamous former Forestry Minister*

The government on Wednesday revoked Thaksin and his wife's "red cover", because it deemed that his activities abroad were politically motivated to destabilise the junta and government.

The revocation of the diplomatic passports, the holder of which is entitled to enter 50 countries without a visa, means Thaksin will now have to apply for entry visas to visit most foreign countries.

A source familiar with Chinese diplomatic circles told The Nation that Bangkok had never informed Beijing of how they would like the Chinese government to deal with Thaksin's alleged political activities.

Unless there is a request from the Thai government, Beijing will continue to treat Thaksin as "an old friend", said the diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A Thai businessman who ran into Thaksin in Beijing last month said the deposed premier was being assisted by Thai Embassy staff during his visit to the Chinese capital.

The government on Wednesday also prohibited all Thai embassies from providing Thaksin with VIP treatment and ordered that he be treated as an ordinary Thai national living abroad.

Thaksin yesterday hit back at the government decision, saying sarcastically that he hoped his citizen's identity card would not be revoked as well.

His legal adviser, Noppadon Pattama, said Thaksin was surprised to learn that his red-cover passport had been terminated over allegations that he had engaged in political activities to destabilise the junta and military-installed government.

"Revoking the passport of a former prime minister is a move to destroy the confidence and credibility of the Kingdom as a whole," said Noppadon, adding that this was "not the way to make national reconciliation". *Thaksin equates to "the Kingdom"??*

Officials at the Foreign Ministry must take responsibility if it is found in the future that the decision was groundless, he added.

- The Nation

[lukamar]

Beijing was put on the spot yesterday as the Thai government conveyed its decision to revoke the diplomatic passports of Thaksin and Pojaman Shinawatra, implying that the deposed prime minister and his wife would need to request a visa to extend their stay in China.

*Thaksin equates to "the Kingdom"??*

The CNS and the Government should think hard before they put any foreign country in the middle of their domestic squabble. It could easily backfire on them. How would they look if China gives him a residence permit or something similar in a few days. Oh I forgot...... They would just give their all too used media message - blame the undercurrents and point to Thaksin

Thaksin may not equate to the kingdom but...... Even if he bought every vote but his own he still had more Thai Citizens (1) voting for him than the CNS or the installed government combined.

[sriracha john]

Beijing was put on the spot yesterday as the Thai government conveyed its decision to revoke the diplomatic passports of Thaksin and Pojaman Shinawatra, implying that the deposed prime minister and his wife would need to request a visa to extend their stay in China.

*Thaksin equates to "the Kingdom"??*

The CNS and the Government should think hard before they put any foreign country in the middle of their domestic squabble. It could easily backfire on them. How would they look if China gives him a residence permit or something similar in a few days. Oh I forgot...... They would just give their all too used media message - blame the undercurrents and point to Thaksin

Thaksin may not equate to the kingdom but...... Even if he bought every vote but his own he still had more Thai Citizens (1) voting for him than the CNS or the installed government combined.

I'm sure governments around the world are capable of dealing with this situation without too much ado. Certainly its not the first time a diplomatic passport has been rescended. How would it backfire on the current government? There's lots of precendents for former leaders settling elsewhere away from their country.

As for the poorly dressed lawyer quote, a far more accurate one would simply have been, "Revoking the passport of a former prime minister is a move to destroy the confidence and credibility of the former prime minister."

He might as well as had 65 million votes in the past, but in 2007, he equates to no more of the Kingdom then my rubbish collector does (for whom I have more respect).