More Words From Bangkok Concerning Public Opinion

Does Thaksin have foreign bank accounts?

BangkokPost.com, Agencies

The Bank of Thailand says the ex-premier has not made any request to transfer the 7.34 billion baht he will need if he is serious about buying the Manchester City Football Club.

Under Thai law, the central bank must approve any money transfer exceeding 50 million dollars to overseas. But a senior official said the bank had not received any such request from Mr Thaksin or his family.

Mr Thaksin could bypass the central bank procedure if he had accounts abroad, the official said.

Mr Thaksin, an avid football fan, has made a 108 million pound (7.34 billion baht; $215 million) offer to buy the Premiership club, according to British newspaper The Sun. There have been persistent reports Mr Thaksin intends to buy the Premier League side.

The former prime minister has remained in self-exile since the military overthrew his government in September last year. He is currently in London.

According to official documents released after the September coup, Thaksin was worth $339 million.

But that figure did not include almost $2 billion earned from the family stock sale of Shin Corp to Temasek Holdings of Singapore. Public anger over the fact that no taxes were paid on that sale helped lead to his ouster.

Public anger?? WHO in fact are/were the public? Bongkokians only? I'm really looking forward to seeing some objective reporting on the political situation in Thailand. The current trend toward rewriting and/or creative interpretation of recent history is getting old rather fast. FCCT members: do get off your bar stools and help fill the information gap.