Thaksin Denies Knowing Cousin

[george]

PM denies knowing cousin

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday that he was unaware he has a cousin named Sompob Shinawatra, who on Monday resigned as managing director of the subsidiary of a company that had won a controversial deal with state-run Channel 11.

Sompob was managing director of 108 1900 Audiotext Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of RNT Television. He had joined the company two months earlier.

He came under intense pressure after RNT Television won a twoyear concession from the Public Relations Department to coproduce programming for Channel 11/1. RNT also recently won a deal to supply programmes to Armyrun Channel 5’s Global Network.

The fact that Sompob is a member of the Shinawatra family became an issue immediately, with many critics of the deal suspecting there was a link between the concession deal and his presence at RNT.

Thaksin said yesterday, “I don’t know who Sompob is”. But he added that if he did know Sompob, it was only by his nickname.

Sompob is a son of Suraphan Shinawatra, one of Thaksin’s uncles.

The prime minister said he has numerous relatives, noting that Division of Civil Registration records show there are 176 people using the family name Shinawatra, and that he did not know all of them.

“Maybe if I was told who their parents were I might know them,” Thaksin told reporters yesterday.

Deputy Prime Minister Vishanu Kruangam, who oversees the PRD, yesterday said he would disclose today whether the department’s directorgeneral, Suchat Suchatvejapoom, would be replaced as a result of Channel 11’s controversial deals with two private companies.

Vishanu said that his statement to be issued today would also mention facts involving the agreements.

He said he had asked the PRD chief to explain why he did not report to higher authorities about the deals, why the two firms were selected without proper bidding, whether the deals were against a Cabinet resolution banning advertisements on Channel 11, and whether they violated a law on frequency allocation.

--The Nation 2004-06-24

[tuky]

Thaksin said yesterday, “I don’t know who Sompob is”. But he added that if he did know Sompob, it was only by his nickname.

oops

[ovenman]

Mr. Big has so many relatives directly employed by the government or merely feeding from the government trough that it's kinda hard for him to keep track of them all.

[ka12345]

It must be difficult for anyone with the last name "Shinawatra" to make an honest living these days. The evil media tries to find connections between them and the PM all the time.

Who knows, one day they may even suggest that Shin corp get advantages they wouldn't get under another PM. How dare they?

[Thetyim]

I think we could all learn from our great leader.

Next time you are caught red handed with a BG just shout

" BUT I didn't know I had a wife "

[Crushdepth]

Thaksin said yesterday, “I don’t know who Sompob is”

He later added "But I'm sure he'll make a great Head of the Army..."

[..::LegalAlien::..]

The first rule in avoiding accusations of Nepotism...

"Never heard of him!!!"

The second rule in avoiding accusations of Nepotism...

"Yes he's part of my family... But I don't really like him!"

Maybe we will hear this one soon...

[kat]

Yeah, and then the third rule of nepostism is to make a big production of investigating your cousin, which turns out to be a slap on the wrist.