Thai Govt Drops Liverpool Deal

[george]

Thai govt drops Liverpool deal

Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra faced mounting criticism over the bid.

BANGKOK: -- The Thai government has confirmed it has dropped its bid to buy a stake in England's Liverpool soccer team, leaving a private consortium led by a Thai music industry giant to try to clinch the deal.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has faced an avalanche of criticism and accusations of wasteful spending for leading the $115 million bid to buy a 30 percent stake in the club.

Last week, Thailand's biggest music and entertainment company, GMM Grammy, offered to lead a group of Thai investors to buy the stake, and it became increasingly evident in recent days that the government was leaning toward this plan.

Deputy Commerce Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisarn confirmed that on Thursday, saying Thaksin decided "it was better to let the private sector spearhead the negotiations."

"From now on it will be led by the private sector, not by the government," said Pongsak, who was the Thai government's chief negotiator in the deal.

Thaksin had originally indicated he would buy the Liverpool stake with his own money.

But the government later said the stake would be owned by a company to be set up under the Sports Authority of Thailand, fueling fears that state funds could be used to support the deal.

The government then proposed raising the money through a public lottery, which triggered a public outcry with critics saying it would encourage gambling and take away the hard-earned money of poor Thais.

Following the complaints, Thaksin dropped the lottery plan, leaving open the question of how the money would be raised.

"Once the deal is concluded then we will talk about the areas in which the government can assist," Pongsak said Thursday.

Thaksin met with GMM Grammy's chairman, Paiboon Damrongchaitham, on Saturday and authorized him to negotiate the deal and "find business allies to buy the team," Pongsak said, adding that Paiboon is expected to fly to England soon to hold talks with Liverpool executives.

There was no immediate comment from Liverpool Football Club.

--AP 2004-06-17

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Is this another Elite Card deal. Bullshit.

[ovenman]

Is this another Elite Card deal. Bullshit.   

Speaking of the vaunted Elite card, there was a little blurb in the Bangkok Post today about how the powers-that-be want to jump-start sales of said cards by adding the right to buy/own land to the Elite card deal. Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't we all informed by the various shills for the Elite card months ago that land ownership was already part of the deal???

[Connor McCloud]

It's about time Big T admitted he was talking <deleted> after a big line of marching powder. blagger

[Up2U]

Is this another Elite Card deal. Bullshit.   

Speaking of the vaunted Elite card, there was a little blurb in the Bangkok Post today about how the powers-that-be want to jump-start sales of said cards by adding the right to buy/own land to the Elite card deal. Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't we all informed by the various shills for the Elite card months ago that land ownership was already part of the deal???

No, one could have beneficial use of the land, but not for business purposes.

Thus you could buy your 16 rai, the Elite Card Company (or a subsidiary) would hold the land for you and you could build a mansion on it, but not a hotel.

And then next year the whole scheme would be dropped and some former gov't minister would take the land off you, charge millions of baht rent, take over the mansion.

No one who has the money to spare for anElite card is that stupid.

[george]

Thai mogul set for Liverpool talks

BANGKOK: -- Thai media mogul Paiboon Damrongchaitham will fly to England this weekend to discuss buying a 30 percent stake in Liverpool, his spokesman said on Friday.

'There will be a lot of negotiations involved and we are unsure when the deal will be signed. We have to wait for him to come back,' a Grammy spokesman said.

Paiboon is putting together a consortium and his bid replaces that of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who confirmed on Friday his government had pulled out of talks.

'It's not over yet and the talks still continue, only that the private sector will now carry on the process. The government just passed the baton to the private sector,' Thaksin told reporters.

Thaksin had spearheaded negotiations with the premier league club since May, but critics slammed the 4.6 billion baht ($112 million) bid after it emerged he planned to use state money rather than his personal fortune.

The prime minister did not comment on the state of the talks but media reports have suggested Liverpool, seeking cash to buy players to rival Manchester United and Arsenal, had balked at Thai demands for more than one seat on the club's board.

Paiboon, chairman of Thailand's biggest music firm, GMM Grammy, has said the private consortium could spend up to five billion baht to buy the stake in Liverpool.

A holding company would manage the Liverpool stake, oversee the marketing and licensing of the club's brand, set up a soccer school and new domestic league.

The list of potential partners included Thai Beverages, led by one of the country's richest men in Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, which said the proposal was being considered.

Paiboon has said consortium partners could kick in three billion baht, with another two billion baht raised by selling shares to the public at 100 baht per share.

--Reuters 2004-06-18

[31x]

Sorry, a little off topic, but about the Thai Elite Card....I was in one of their commercials shot at the airport, wonder if it ever aired. It had a older white guy (not me), in his best Miami Vice outfit, being shuffled around, then goes to check in and a couple of Thai girls meet him and carry his passport for him (you know, cause it is so difficult to carry).

It also has him being driven in a Thai Elite golf cart.

Anyone see this on TV?

[cutethaigirl]

Wonder if consortium of tahi businesses includes Shin Corp and co??

[ovenman]

Wonder if consortium of tahi businesses includes Shin Corp and co??

If Shin isn't included as a direct participant, I'm sure any number of their close friends are.

[englishoak]

Getting back on thread, it's absolutely no surprise that Toxin has pulled out. It was always a publicity stunt.

Watch Grammy decide that it's not a good profit making deal and decline gently to save Toxin losing more face.

[eee-stuart]

Well the whole thing certainly raised Big T's profile in the West, and,speakin as a scouser, it 'asn't done me any 'arm over 'ere either.

Certainly in some parts of england you can expect a bit of grief when people detect your accent "robbin scouse bastards"etc.. and many liverpool lads ,myself included, will try to tone down thier accents and alledge to come from elsewhere, especially when attending job interviews or talking to the police. But the other night i was out on the ale in town (khonkaen) and this bird asks me...

" where you come from"

"angrit" i replied.

"whereabouts in angrit"

"liverpool"

"I not sure you liverpool man jing jing" "but if you are i go with you for free"

I politely informed her that nobody would actually alledge to come from liverpool if really they did not.

Another time, at passport control in Donmuang, the immigration officer seemed to be rather too interested in my passport, looking me up and down and continually looking me in the eye and then glancing back to my passport for what seemed an eternity.

"What seems to be the problem officer" i asked in my best Thai and with as much humility as i could muster after an 11 hour flight and what seemed like hours in the passport control queue.

"You come from liverpool?" was the stoney faced reply

"yes" i said almost feeling the need to apologise

Then I suddenly get this huge Thai, smile his face absolutely lights up like only the Thais can,reaching out over the counter thing, he offers me his hand to shake.

"I like Michael Owen" he beamed, "welcome to Thailand"

Needless to say being a scouser.....I robbed his watch

[george]

Thais issue Reds ultimatum

The original Thai bid was the brainchild of PM Thaksin Shinawatra

Liverpool have been given two weeks to accept an offer from a Thai media tycoon for a 30% stake in the club.

Paiboon Damrongchaitham, chairman of GMM Grammy, has met Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry to outline his business consortium's proposal.

An earlier Thai offer - from Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra - collapsed after a public outcry in Thailand.

Thaksin had wanted his administration to invest £63m for a 30% stake in the Anfield club.

He proposed a state lottery to fund the purchase through a government sports organisation but later acknowledged that it would have been unwise to spend residents' money to buy part of a football team.

The new proposal will not use Thai public money and if Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra became involved he would only be able to use his own cash.

--BBC Sport 2004-06-23