Former Thai PM Thaksin: "I'm Calling It Quits"

[sriracha john]

Thaksin lives the highlife in book out today

A female lieutenant will give us a glimpse into the posh, post-coup lifestyle of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in London in her upcoming book, Thaksin, Where Are You? The 200-page book, to hit bookstores today, features the ousted premier's latest 280-million-baht house in London suburb, his three-million-baht-a-month lifestyle and his favourite hangouts. Lt Sunisa Lertpakawat, a military-beat reporter for army-run TV Channel 5, travelled to London twice at her own expense to try her luck tracking down Mr Thaksin. The book also contains snapshots, taken by his son Panthongtae, of Mr Thaksin pushing a supermarket trolley, eating a snack on a footpath, and posing with the so-called Queen of Thai R&B, Saranrat Wisutthithada, better known as Lydia. The book for the first time unveils his two-storey, five-bedroom house on a three-rai plot in Weybridge. ''This hundred-year-old housing estate was once home to pop stars Cliff Richard and Diana Ross,'' he said. ''Chelsea footballers, including striker [Didier] Drogba, live in this neighbourhood.'' Though his elder daughter stays in her own apartment in London, Mr Thaksin is not alone. He has a maid, a driver and a bodyguard. He has recently hired a Thai cook to make his daily meals. Mr Thaksin is not cut off from the outside world by any means. The former prime minister carries eight cell phones, with 20 SIM cards altogether. He remains a big shopper who does not hesitate to shower his wife and two daughters with designer handbags. Besides shopping at Harrods, Mr Thaksin can be spotted at Thai restaurants, such as Thai Rice, Thai Taste and Patra. He is also a frequent visitor to the Chinese restaurant, Royal China Club. What gives him a real headache during the exile is maintaining his hairdo. Mr Thaksin often took the trouble of flying his favourite hairdresser from Thailand whenever he took a break to go to Hong Kong and Singapore. To ''check his swing,'' Mr Thaksin recently surfed the net and booked a class at a golf school in Miami [uSA]. As for his golf companion, Mr Thaksin flies Lydia to London. She also doubles as a singer in their karaoke sessions. Mr Thaksin said he had invited Lydia to Japan so she could buy new clothes in Harajuku, the trendy shopping district in central Tokyo, for her new album Inside Out.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/01Aug2007_news06.php

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Probably Mai must be really miffed to be replaced as mia noi....

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?ac...amp;pid=1372521

but then again.... Lydia is much younger:

Lydia Birthday: 7 July 1987

Thaksin Birthday: July 26,1949

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8 cell phones with 20 SIM cards....

Flies his barber around the world... yep.... just a simple "Man of the People"....

Edited August 1, 2007 by sriracha john

[John K]

Well you know how it is why you are trying to hide what you are doing with a your corruption money, 20 sim cards makes a lot of sense to me. “Oh no not me, my number is”

[Mid]

Asia-Pacific News

Thai junta chief probes lieutenant-cum-author

Aug 1, 2007, 9:11 GMT

2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

comment , not a chance ........................................

[Tony Clifton]

From what is mentioned from the book, it doesn't seem like she's flattering Thaksin, more like exposing the extravagant lifestyle of the "saviour of the poor". She also claims it was done at her own expense.

[John K]

From what is mentioned from the book, it doesn't seem like she's flattering Thaksin, more like exposing the extravagant lifestyle of the "saviour of the poor". She also claims it was done at her own expense.

I found it a but odd too to go after her so quickly. I have not seen the book but from the news on it, it appears to show how Thaksin is spending their (Thai's) money.

[A_Traveller]

There's something a bit strange about this, in that she told her superiors she was taking leave in Bangkok and then went to London. Serving personal are required to notify their seniors if they are leaving the country, something apparently she didn't do. However, agree that the resultant publicity may well not enhance Thaksin's image.

Regards

[aaaaaa]

I think that's Lydia's business with whom to sing karaoke or not, and then singing karaoke doesn't immidietly makes one someone's mia noi ~!

Sunisa has found instant fame as an author. One of the most talked-about sections of her book is Thaksin's revelation that he knows the singer Lydia and likes to sing karaoke songs with her.

(http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/08/02/headlines/headlines_30043377.php )

if she is smart, she can have a good use of such rumors, as that Mocina L. did !

and I think this girl Sunisa doesn't care much about her carier in Army, not after becoming so popular:

A new biography of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has not only launched an Army lieutenant to instant fame but also landed her in trouble with her superiors.

Sunisa said she had always aspired to become a writer.

she didn't look so troubled on many reports - rather was smiling and laughing a lot.

and for army to show such a strong instant reaction (perhaps fair tosay - OVERreaction?) is not very wise: they simply helped her and her book to be more popular !

Edited August 1, 2007 by aaaaaa

[Mid]

Thaksin book lands author in hot water

Published on August 2, 2007

Army commander-in-chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin has ordered an investigation into Lieutenant Sunisa Lertpakawat, who is the author of the newly published "Thaksin, Where Are You?"

The investigation will focus on Sunisa's visit to London to interview Thaksin for the book without prior approval from her immediate superiors, Sonthi said.

snip

However, Sunisa has found instant fame as an author. One of the most talked-about sections of her book is Thaksin's revelation that he knows the singer Lydia (pictured with Thaksin above) and likes to sing karaoke songs with her.

nationmultimedia.com

[Tony Clifton]

I see he already enjoys wearing orange.

Free flip-flops!

[Plus]

So the low ranked officer tried to get access to Thaksin through all possible means but in the end decided that blowing her own money on a secret and costly trip to london and personally stalking Thaksin would help her better.

No wonder the army has some questions and her immediate superiors are not pleasantly surprised.

[Siripon]

Sunisa's story leaks like a sieve, it's got backing from Frank written all over, but I don't think the Lydia connection is good for him,makes Thaksin just look like a dirty old man, especially as stories of Mai Chareornbura still make their way from London.

Does Pojaman telephone Hilary Clinton for advice?

It's interesting to see that the former Foreign Minister Dr Surakiat wrote a letter at the time, but now revealed, publicly displaying his opposition to the Exim bank loan as contrary to a regional agreement.

Thaksin's former friends start to display a bit of courage once they see the tide turning, to save themselves rather than demonstrate ethical behaviour of course.

[hammered]

Sunisa's story leaks like a sieve, it's got backing from Frank written all over, but I don't think the Lydia connection is good for him,makes Thaksin just look like a dirty old man, especially as stories of Mai Chareornbura still make their way from London.

Does Pojaman telephone Hilary Clinton for advice?

It's interesting to see that the former Foreign Minister Dr Surakiat wrote a letter at the time, but now revealed, publicly displaying his opposition to the Exim bank loan as contrary to a regional agreement.

Thaksin's former friends start to display a bit of courage once they see the tide turning, to save themselves rather than demonstrate ethical behaviour of course.

Thai message boards seem to be examining this angle in a lot of detail and are very skeptical of the amount of money she claimed she spent on this scheme.

[Siripon]

Yes, Thai journalists are on a low salary and there's no way one is going to spend 100,000 baht of their money on an off- chance Frank will give an interview.

A set-up for sure.

Aparently Lydia is elated to Thaksin, but I'm not sure how closely.

[hammered]

Yes, Thai journalists are on a low salary and there's no way one is going to spend 100,000 baht of their money on an off- chance Frank will give an interview.

A set-up for sure.

Aparently Lydia is elated to Thaksin, but I'm not sure how closely.

I should congratulate you on being the first here to see on the that it makes Mr. T look like a dirty old man. From what I hear that is the way the Lydia-T issue is being discussed in Thai circles and it is not making him look good. A certain irony for the man whose government bought us the intensely popular social crusades and culture ministries to try and set an example of good Thainess now facing criticism for his own perceived or real profligate behviour by the very people who loved the soocial crusade stuff. Yes the dirty old man talk does seem quite active right now.

[wintermute]

I should congratulate you on being the first here to see on the that it makes Mr. T look like a dirty old man. From what I hear that is the way the Lydia-T issue is being discussed in Thai circles and it is not making him look good. A certain irony for the man whose government bought us the intensely popular social crusades and culture ministries to try and set an example of good Thainess now facing criticism for his own perceived or real profligate behviour by the very people who loved the soocial crusade stuff. Yes the dirty old man talk does seem quite active right now.

Sounds like some people are just chewing on sour grapes. He's flying around in his own private jets, staying in posh residences around the world, and dating cute thai superstars. Dirty old man or not he played the game like a champ and right now he's coming out on top literally and figuratively speaking.

[plachon]

I should congratulate you on being the first here to see on the that it makes Mr. T look like a dirty old man. From what I hear that is the way the Lydia-T issue is being discussed in Thai circles and it is not making him look good. A certain irony for the man whose government bought us the intensely popular social crusades and culture ministries to try and set an example of good Thainess now facing criticism for his own perceived or real profligate behviour by the very people who loved the soocial crusade stuff. Yes the dirty old man talk does seem quite active right now.

Sounds like some people are just chewing on sour grapes. He's flying around in his own private jets, staying in posh residences around the world, and dating cute thai superstars. Dirty old man or not he played the game like a champ and right now he's coming out on top literally and figuratively speaking.

He has not "played the game like a champ" at all, nor is he "coming out on top" in any sense of the word. Toxin is heading down the toilet fast, literally and figuratively-speaking, as his deep-seated insecurities come out into the open, and he seeks pleasures of the flesh in women young enough to be his daughter. Nothing wrong in that by itself, but he is after all married, has children in the public spotlight, was the PM of Thailand for 6 years, and was the guy who put Purachai in charge of a moral crusade on home turf and closed down all the bars early, dumping the girls on the street and in the Park. Added to which, Thai people may forget how many people he had topped in his anti-drugs war and how he screwed-up badly down South and a thousand other bad decisions Toxin made, but they tend not to forgive and forget about mia nois and philandering in public so easily. Could be the geezers undoing.

So not played like a champ, but more like a Chump or Chimp IMO. But as GWB already has the esteemed title of "Moronic Chimp" of the world, Toxin could go for the title "Manic Chump" of the world. :D

[sriracha john]

Before and After

Honey-bun #1 Mai replaced by Honey-bun #2 Lydia

A little snuggle-time

Thaksin and Lydia

All in the Family

Thaksin, Lydia, and Panthongthae

[Plus]

Personally I don't think Thaksin has beeb up to anything inappropriate with both of these girls.

[Tony Clifton]

Maybe he's short on children to use as shields.

[John K]

Thaksin back in front of crowds as he hosts concert for soccer fans in England

MANCHESTER, England (AP) - Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra hosted a concert attended by more than 8,000 people in Manchester's main square Saturday _ his first major public appearance since he was ousted in a military coup last year.

Surrounded by players from the soccer team he recently bought, Manchester City, Thaksin addressed the cheering crowd outside Manchester Town Hall.

Before the event, Thaksin told The Associated Press he had no plans to attempt a political comeback in Thailand. However, he said the event would demonstrate the strong levels of support he has back home and in England, where he lives in self-imposed exile.

"The people in Thailand, the majority of them, are still supporting me,'' Thaksin said after watching his first Manchester City game _ a 1-0 defeat of Spanish team Valencia in a preseason friendly.

"If there were to be free and fair elections, my party would win again because this is the first time in Thai history that they have overthrown a very popular government,'' he told AP.

Thaksin thanked the club and Manchester for accepting him.

"I feel very honored and touched by the type of reception I have received from you all today,'' he said.

Thaksin endeared himself further to the crowd by closing the concert _ which featured popular Thai singer Mai Charoenpura _ singing the club's anthem "Blue Moon.''

Thaksin completed his 81.6 million pound (US$162 million; euro121 million) purchase of the soccer team last month, despite the military-appointed Thai government freezing more than US$2 billion (euro1.5 billion) of his family's assets.

Thaksin faces a series of corruption charges in Thailand relating to his five years in power.

This week, he was accused of overseeing extrajudicial executions, illegal abductions, arbitrary detention, torture and other mistreatment of people in detention during his premiership by Human Rights Watch, which made the allegations in a letter to the Premier League protesting his takeover of Manchester City.

Noi Ramasut, a friend of Thaksin's for 40 years, predicted the images of the event broadcast in Thailand would reinvigorate supporters of his Thai Rak Thai Party, which was disbanded by a court ruling in May in a bid to eradicate the former premier's political influence.

"He doesn't want to create conflict now. He will wait for it all to calm down,'' said Ramasut, who moved to Britain in 1973 from Bangkok. "This event will make a lot of people feel alive and feel he is present and his future in Thai politics is alive and well.'' - AP

[sriracha john]

some excerpts from the book, 'Where the heck are you, Thakky?'

IS IT REALLY HER OWN WORK?

Tale of Thaksin's companions, life in exile

''My heart was beating really fast, my hands were shaking, my brain was only thinking about the first words that I should say to him. I picked up my backpack, grabbed a video camera and ran towards a deep-blue Rolls-Royce.

''A man in a blue suit and black leather shoes stepped out of the sedan. It's him; Thaksin Shinawatra,'' she writes, as she describes the moment she finally meets him.

''Mr Thaksin, I would like to interview you for my first pocket book. I travelled a long way from Thailand and used up all my savings for this project,'' she says to Mr Thaksin.

The man replies: ''It's not a good time. Those people are watching me and more importantly, I want to live a quiet life.''

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/06Aug2007_news23.php

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Rolls Royce...

"People are watching me"

"I want to live a quiet life"....

classic Thaksin stuff...

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Personally I don't think Thaksin has beeb up to anything inappropriate with both of these girls.

[John K]

Maybe he's short on children to use as shields.

A good reason to not let you kids go to an internet chat room where Thaksin is chatting.

[Plus]

I liked the story about finding the house - in the heart of London, with a blue number. Just take a bus and watch. The first Chinese looking man will be Thaksin's son. That was easy.

Or she could look it up on Google Earth, it's marked there.

[Tony Clifton]

Mr Thaksin also recalls the day when he learned the Constitution Tribunal dissolved his Thai Rak Thai party for electoral fraud, banning him and the other 110 party executives from seeking political office for five years.

''I did not watch the televised reading of the verdict. Someone just informed me on the phone. I understand the feelings of our supporters, but Lord Buddha said nothing is permanent,'' he said.

[John K]

Well just had another look at Thaksin’s new website. A few more links are working, and only a few favorable opinions from the media and paid friends are there. Apparently they must be still looking for something Thaksin said that was truthful to post. Not even worth the time to go and look if you ask me.

[sriracha john]

Thaksin: Where I failed in my personal score-card

The Chinese-language book entitled "Thaksin's 24 Hours After the Coup" has been translated into Thai. Thai Post Daily this morning ran excerpts of the book part of which qutoed Thaksin as saying:

"After the coup, I was like a man who had died twice. Most men die only once. I have died two times in my life. But the pain will make me stronger."

"If I were to grade myself, I would give myself a "fail" grade in terms of political power management."

"In terms of efficiency in government management, I would give myself 8 points out of 10."

"In terms of popularity with the people, I would give myself 8 out of 10."

"If you ask me whether 8 out of 10 is good enough, I would say that's already too much. A 6 grading would be sufficient."

"As a husband, I would give myself a score of 6 out of 10. In fact, I should ahve got 9 out of 10...if I could have led the life of an ordinary man, if I hadn't entered politics. But as it is, all I managed to perform was 6 out of 10..."

The excerpts also quoted the three Chinese co-authors who launched the book in Hong Kong on July 23 as indicating that Thaksin believes Privy Council President Gen Prem Tinsulanonda was "behind" the Sept 19 coup.

Part of the book claims that Thaksin had extricated a pledge earlier from Gen Sonthi Bunyaratkalin, the army chief, not to stage a coup against him in exchange for the extension of his military term by one year after his retirement. "I promise," the book quoted Gen Sonthi as saying.

The other interesting story disclosed by the book was that ten days after the coup, Thaksin received a phone call from Chanchai Ruairungruang (Yan Bin) in Beijing who told Thaksin: "Come to China quick. You can't go home just yet. The best way is to come to China. I will prepare everything for you here."

- The Nation

[Plus]

Reportedly in retaliation for release of this political book Chinese revoked his multiple entry one year visa.

[John K]

Political power management? Not a term I would expect from a democratically minded politician. However I would expect that from a dictator.

[John K]

Reportedly in retaliation for release of this political book Chinese revoked his multiple entry one year visa.

Is he busy making friends again in his own special way?