Thailand Wins Key Liverpool Stake

[george]

Cont'd from here

Thailand wins key Liverpool stake

BANGKOK, Thailand -- In a deal led by the country's prime minister, Thailand has bought a 30 percent stake in the British football team Liverpool, Thai government sources have confirmed.

The sources said the deal cost 4.6 billion baht, or $115 million.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra raised money from business people and private citizens, the sources said.

He promised that taxpayer's money would not be used in the purchase, they said.

Thaksin, a billionaire telecommunications tycoon before he turned to politics, has a 90 percent approval rating among voters.

A senior official in Thaksin's office said the Liverpool board called Thai negotiators at 4 p.m. local time (0900 GMT) on Monday to accept the deal, Reuters reports.

"We are waiting for final written confirmation," the official said.

The head of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), the government body appointed to oversee the investment in the club, was due to fly to Liverpool later on Tuesday.

"What I will sign in England would be something of a memorandum of understanding or letter of intent," SAT chief Santiparb Tejavanija told a Bangkok radio station.

After that we will work on the legal details of the investment."

--Agencies 2004-05-18

[kurgen]

I've supported Liverpool through thick and thin, but this is the final straw

[maxisrael]

Is this a good deal for te declinig Thai stockmarket ?

[kurgen]

This deal is only good for one man , and a couple of his cronies

[MadFranky]

This deal is only good for one man , and a couple of his cronies

aye.. gutted, they dont deserve it

[bangsaen bob]

This fits right in with his grand plan to send all taxi driver's kids offshore to University. They must have a lot of openings at Sam Houston University.

[warriors]

come and join me supporting leeds in the lower division he could help us out and pay for the city

[kurgen]

I am declaring this an official day of mourning and sodding of to the pub to get bladdered

R.I.P L.F.C

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I am declaring this an official day of mourning and sodding of to the pub to get bladdered

R.I.P L.F.C

They had better not lose a match or he'll send in the army appropriately carrying Weapons of Mass Destruction

[Akamai]

I hear he thinks that Beckham plays for Liverpool. Isn't he going to be gutted!

[Up2U]

Has Michael Owen finished his contract negotiations yet?

[pipchatel]

Well Im from liverpool, and could be loads of free drinks all round when Thais here of this. Maybe a free Visa too when The laassy from the Chaing Mai Immigration knows this. But mostly its crazy only Mr Taksin could pull this off.

Maybe he will buy up Play Boy next

[Lifelover]

"Thailand has bought a 30 percent stake in the British football team Liverpool, Thai government sources have confirmed."

"Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra raised money from business people and private citizens, the sources said. He promised that taxpayer's money would not be used in the purchase, they said."

Conflicting statements or what? Either Thailand has bought the stake, or private individuals who are Thai have bought it. Which?

[maerim]

Well Im from liverpool,

We all have a cross to bear in this life, be strong and try not to think about it too much.

[snowleopard]

Thailand wins key Liverpool stake

BANGKOK, Thailand -- In a deal led by the country's prime minister, Thailand has bought a 30 percent stake in the British football team Liverpool, Thai government sources have confirmed.

The sources said the deal cost 4.6 billion baht, or $115 million.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra raised money from business people and private citizens, the sources said.

I love it!

Life is never dull in Thailand while we have a high-roller premier like Toxin who has a "toxic-obsessive-compulsion" of always showing off to the World and boast about how rich,big and powerful he really is!

He acts like a megalomaniac,but it's fun though,whenever he happens to project one of his obsessions onto innocuous objects!

Me-thinks he's a sucker for English soccer which is jolly good! :rolleyes:The soccer suc_er?

Buying Liverpool brings little Thailand into the limelight of the World;and,mass-medias will now watch more closely and be more curious about what's really going on in these here "necks of the woods"!

Everyone,except maybe Toxin himself,will benefit from that exposure!

Every-none,except Toxin and a few partners in his "love-cult",will benefit from the profits!

Snowleopard.

[married2surin]

On BBC news now

Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra says his £60m bid for a 30% stake in Liverpool has been accepted.

Thaksin says both sides have agreed on 60% of the deal, which is to be funded by a one-off state lottery, but warned he would still look at other clubs.

"In principle they agreed and now we are working on details," said Thaksin.

"I hope we have no problems but if we cannot agree with Liverpool we have alternatives. By the end of June, we'll own a stake in a Premiership club."

It seems, however, that the deal is likely to go through in the next few days.

"Now 60% is comfortable, and there's still another 40% that we still have to discuss before we agree," said Thaksin. "In principle there shouldn't be any problem.

We submitted the MOU (memorandum of understanding) to them and they countered with their draft to us and then we have to have further negotiation.

"Things should conclude this week."

Spokesman Santiparb Tejavanija earlier said: "I'm flying to Liverpool tonight. Our proposal has been approved."

Thailand's cabinet approved a plan to set up a new company to manage the Liverpool investment on Tuesday.

The plan is to raise £140m through a state lottery, with the proceeds paying for the Liverpool deal and "long-term sports development" in the south-east Asian country.

Thai officials say the new company will be 60% owned by the government and financed with lottery funds.

The remaining 40% will be owned by the public, who will own shares through the purchase of the lottery tickets, said Somchainuk Engtrakul, a senior official at the Finance Ministry.

The Liverpool board had to choose between Thaksin's offer and building tycoon and lifelong fan Steve Morgan's rival £73m bid.

Morgan had aimed to raise £61m with a rights issue and £12m through a share issue, but directors branded the plan "unattractive" after a board meeting on Thursday.

The Anfield board claimed his offer did not represent the true value of the club.

Liverpool are 51% owned by David Moores, whose family has had control for half a century, and 9.9% owned by television company Granada.

Thaksin, a billionaire telecoms tycoon before he turned to politics, has said he wants to promote Thai football and employ Liverpool coaches to lift the lacklustre national game up to international standards.

[cutethaigirl]

Thailand wins key Liverpool stake

BANGKOK, Thailand -- In a deal led by the country's prime minister, Thailand has bought a 30 percent stake in the British football team Liverpool, Thai government sources have confirmed.

The sources said the deal cost 4.6 billion baht, or $115 million.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra raised money from business people and private citizens, the sources said.

Cool

[yellowbudgy]

I used to support Liverpool years back and even up untill this, considered Liverpool my second team. Thaksin does nothing in the interests of the real Thai's but only in the interests of his own pocket and that of his fellow friends imported off the mainland.He should stick to takeaways and leave football to the real players.

sickened

yb

[snowleopard]

Well Im from liverpool, and could be loads of free drinks all round when Thais here of this. Maybe a free Visa too when The laassy from the Chaing Mai Immigration knows this. But mostly its crazy only Mr Taksin could pull this off.

Maybe he will buy up Play Boy next

Maybe a free Visa to

Is the "land of the scousers" now gonna be the new target and destination for the poor victims of the flesh trade?

Snowleopard.

[astral]

Now he just has to get his arse out on the street selling the new lottery tickets to pay for it all.

Much better to have spent the money helping the poor and

improving the infrastructure of the country.

I wonder if the Bank of Thailand will given him permission to send all that foreign currency out of the country? Otherwise he will be buying a lot of Travellers Cheques.

Why is the price quoted in dollars and baht?

Surely he is paying Pounds Sterling, and pretty expensive

at today's exchange rates

Edited May 18, 2004 by astral

[chingy_]

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra raised money from business people and private citizens, the sources said.

talk is cheap, he will use tax payer money in one way or another i garantee you. nobody is stupid enought to use his hard earning cash for this kinda deal, wait and see.

[Norman d'Plume]

talk is cheap, he will use tax payer money in one way or another i garantee you. nobody is stupid enought to use his hard earning cash for this kinda deal, wait and see.

No. He will probably use some of his own money, then sell shares of double or treble the value to poor, sucker Thai Kop fans.

RIP LFC

Kop's kopped out.

[LoongJohn]

Is there any truth in the rumour that Thai soccer fans are being taught the traditional chant:

"REE-WER-POOON! REE-WER-POOON! REE-WER-POOON!"

Just wondered...

[heychay]

I hate to be serious here, but doesnt he have a country to run? Or have all the problems been solved already? How is he going to take time off from running a football team, merchandising (which includes getting all the fake stuff off the street), running a football camp and getting Thailand into the World Cup finals? I guess drugs, education, problems in the south, poverty and traffic can all wait.

[PD0NVJ]

It's just politics, You can't think of a better idea for TRT to win the next elections.

[george]

LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB SHARES

Special lottery to finance purchase of 30% stake

Record billion-baht first-prize planned

BANGKOK: -- A special lottery is planned to raise five billion baht for the purchase of a stake in the English Premier League soccer club Liverpool.

The first-prize jackpot will be a record one-billion baht cheque, a high-level government source said yesterday.

The source, a member of the team negotiating the deal with the Liverpool club, said the Tourism and Sports Ministry will seek cabinet endorsement today for the special lottery and to set up a subsidiary of the Sports Authority of Thailand to buy and distribute the shares and manage related businesses.

The ministry wanted to raise 10 billion baht from ticket sales, one billion baht to be set aside for management costs, four billion baht for lottery prizes and the remaining five billion baht for the purchase of the Liverpool shares.

The tickets will cost 500-1,000 baht each, with a one-billion-baht first-prize. The second-prize will be 500 million baht. There will be 15 third-prize winners, each of 100 million baht, along with smaller prizes of 10, five and one million baht and others over 100,000 baht.

Ticket buyers will also receive Liverpool stock certificates _ shares worth 200 baht for a 1,000-baht lottery ticket and 100 baht for a 500-baht ticket.

The source said the state would own 60% of the Liverpool shares and distribute the remaining 40% to buyers.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he expected to learn overnight if the Liverpool board had accepted his bid for a 30% stake in the club.

A Liverpool share would cost around 5,000 (about 360,000 baht) and the total investment would be about 60 million (4.3 billion baht), Mr Thaksin said. The source, however, said the board unofficially said last Friday that it agreed, and the deal could be signed this Friday.

Tourism and Sports Minister Sonthaya Khunpleum said he would soon go Chiang Mai to view the three prospective sites for the planned Liverpool soccer academy _ two at the foot of Doi Inthanon and and one in Omkoi district.

Prominent academic Witthayakorn Chiangkoon said only certain business groups, not the entire nation, would benefit from the deal.

Beer and sports gear would be advertised abroad, not OTOP products. ``If this business generates huge benefits, then a famous soccer club would never sell its shares to foreigners,'' he said.

Benefits in terms of sports promotion were also small _ 20% compared to 80% to be reaped by certain business groups _ because no international coaches would be hired to train local players.

``I can't see how the people will benefit. It will be the prime minister who wins fame and takes all the credit,'' he said.

--Bangkok Pos 2004-05-18

[peterdigger]

I have lived here for years and this administration is the most pox-ridden I have ever seen. I too am a LP supporter, (even sat up in bed on my wedding night to watch them win the 1973 Cup Final). I despise Toxin and TRT I guess after supporting my team for so long, I will have to finally listen to all my Thai family and support Man U..... I could not stomach seeing that arrogant Chinese billionaire collecting credits for someone elses hard work..... makes you wonder though, why LP did NOT accept the bail out offer of a wealthy UK fan......

[Simbo]

Hey! I'm from Liverpool too, and proud of it. The best city in the UKand the best football teams. Ask Thaksin, you don't spend that kind of money on lame ducks.

[nikmcg0]

Whilst all of this is of course exciting for Thai footy fans, I've got to agree with Heychay who says "Hasn't he got a Country to run!"

This does seem like a strange thing for a PM to be doing. Not that he's very popular just now, but I can't imagine Tony Blair being allowed to involve the UK in something like this. In fact there are rules relating to Ministers interests in the UK.

Surely to use a football expression hasn't Mr Thaskin rather taken his eye off the ball!

[stumonster]

I dunno.. I have no faith in thaskin and his propaganda team

will wait till an announcement from the club itself

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/commo...55E1702,00.html

though I am sure he veiws this as a mandate to hold a lottery to gather 140million pounds worth of baht to his bosom...useful for buying an election