Thaksin and Wife Fail to Board Return Flight

[sriracha john]

At least this is a beginning... and although he could have done it himself... Tej has now lobbed the ball clearly into Samak's court... what will Samak do now????

Thai FM: Thaksin, wife's passport revocations a national agenda

BANGKOK, Aug 21 (TNA) - Thailand's Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag said on Thursday he had moved to revoke former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's diplomatic passport, adding the final decision on the issue rests with Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej who has to officially issue an order to do so.

Mr. Tej said the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions communicated officially by letter to the ministry confirming the arrest warrant for Thaksin and his wife on Tuesday.

"The Foreign Ministry has submitted a letter for the prime minister to consider further action regarding Thaksin's passport. It's for the premier to decide and order. This has become a national agenda," Mr. Tej said, "not just the ministry's."

Mr. Tej's comment came after the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) rallied at the Foreign Ministry earlier Thursday urging the revocation of both Mr.Thaksin and his wife's diplomatic and regular passports.

However, Mr. Tej said he has not been pressured by the rally, as some of the activist movement's requests had already been discussed and considered.

The Minister said he has not received an official statement regarding Thaksin's seeking of political asylum in Britain. He clarified that the matter was Thaksin's personal request and that the Thai Foreign Ministry could not object since the matter was not within its authority.

Meanwhile Attorney General's Office spokesman Thanaphit Mulphirk is waiting for the National Police headquarters to issue the arrest warrant for former premier so it could be forwarded to Britain with which Thailand has an extradition treaty.

[younghusband]

Given the tendency for Thaksin foes to permanently disappear...it might not be wise for those in Thailand to sign a petition with your identifying name and targetable address .

Impressive that the petition has already got over 100,000 signatures (applying the PAD mathematical principle of multiplying estimates of support), but to everybody else just 10 when I last looked including one anonymous!

[sriracha john]

Given the tendency for Thaksin foes to permanently disappear...it might not be wise for those in Thailand to sign a petition with your identifying name and targetable address .

just 10 when I last looked including one anonymous!

A testament to the inherent danger of identifying one's self as being against Thaksin.

[younghusband]

Given the tendency for Thaksin foes to permanently disappear...it might not be wise for those in Thailand to sign a petition with your identifying name and targetable address .

just 10 when I last looked including one anonymous!

A testament to the inherent danger of identifying one's self as being against Thaksin.

Yes that must be the reason

[sriracha john]

As stated, it's within Tej's purview to revoke his diplomatic and/or regular passport, but he has decided to pass the decision on to Samak... but again, at least the ball is definitively in someone's court.... What will Samak do???

Samak to decide on Thaksin's passports

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej would make the final decision on whether to revoke passports held by deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra, Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag said yesterday.

"It is a national issue, so the Foreign Ministry needs an instruction from the prime minister," Tej told reporters. Having the prime minister make a decision on whether to revoke passports held by former prime ministers was not unprecedented, he said.

Thaksin's diplomatic passport was terminated by then prime minister Surayud Chulanont in 2007 after a military coup.

Former Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama issued a new passport for Thaksin after Samak's government took office early this year.

More than 1,000 protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) rallied in front of the ministry yesterday, demanding that Tej revoke all of Thaksin's passports after he and his wife Pojaman jumped bail to avoid a court case on alleged abuse of power in relation to the Ratchada land deal.

Tej said his ministry had already given Samak the facts and legalities in regard to such matters so he could consider what to do about passports, both diplomatic and regular, held by Thaksin.

"However we didn't offer any recommendations to the prime minister on what to do or what the consequences may be."

By law, the Foreign Ministry is authorised to terminate passports held by any Thai citizen charged over crimes and prohibited from travelling abroad.

Thaksin is living in exile in the United Kingdom and has allegedly applied to political asylum.

- The Nation / today

Edited August 22, 2008 by sriracha john

[Tony Clifton]

They will drag this passport issue as long as they can and wait to see what happens with the extradition or asylum request of the bail skippers on the run.

[ilyushin]

The bottom line with these two are they are criminals, now fugitives and just now cry for political asylum. It was the thought that he just might not get his way and actually end up in prison. Almost got them so now is the time to push all the other charges ahead and set the standards for future politicians to straighten their acts up. The nation needs Thaksin not as a leader, but in UK or prison. Out of sight is out of mind.

Time for Thailand to move on without him and put the cases to rest. Let him suffer in UK. He knows what he did and needs to live in his UK hel_l or in a Thai hel_l cell.

There have been others escape justice, but please not this time. When pig(s) ( T & P ) flys too high the air gets thin and eventually they all come crashing down. time! Make it impossible for them ever to return is just as good as prison and the nation should put a gag on his upper lip. Sue him in the UK for charges against a nation and its people.

Thailand needs a strong leadership and a working government, not the rise of Thaksin Part III or is it IV or V?

Being his former lawyer is available and the boss too they can start a new TV comedy program that will make millions.

My two baht!

Edited August 22, 2008 by ilyushin

[Arkady]

I suppose the UK could not deny Thaksin entry to the UK with his diplomatic passport(s). Potjaman was maybe a different case since she is a convicted felon and should normally be denied a visa but I expect she has a long standing visa as an investor or a tourist. There might not have been time to consider cancelling her visa as well as perhaps no will to do so. The wife of the holder of a diplomat passport must get some sort of preferential consideration. Admitting them was something UK immigration could easily do by default but now they have applied for political asylum, if indeed true, they could become a bit of a political hot potato for the British government, as Pinochet was in his day. They probably will give weight to the fact that he was a popularly elected prime minister ousted by a military coup that may have some residual influence in the legal process, and certainly did in whether they were investigated at all. Probably the asylum application will not be completed before the end of the Ratchadapisek land trial. If they are convicted in that case, the government will also have to look at the way the trial was conducted as well as Potjaman's tax trial. The British authorities will have to take more of a substance over form view than Thaksin himself i.e., ignoring for a moment the way the AEC was appointed, did solid evidence point to a conviction and was the court fair and impartial? That will be harder to argue against in the tax case than in the land case. So Potjaman could end up the spanner in the works for her hubby. Finally the Brits will certainly put weight on Thaksin's wealth and ownership of a significant business in the UK. On the other hand, his buddy, the revolting Mohamed Fayed, has for years been denied British nationality because of murk in his past, despite his ownership of Harrods, Fulham etc. Unfortunately that doesn't stop him having right of abode.

Personally I think the asylum application could go either way. If he had been charged anywhere with human rights abuse, his case would look a lot worse. If it is not looking good, his lawyers will probably have a chance to withdraw it and I don't think the Home Office would disclose anyway if it is rejected. We would just hear that the Thaksins have gone somewhere else. That would be best thing probably. It would let the Brown govt off the hook and would deny Thaksin the respectability of being harboured by the UK. He would then have to shop around for a less respectable jurisdiction that would only care about his money and give him a passport, to be prepared to be able to jump out of the UK in case Thailand ever tries to extradite him. He would not want to be tied down for years by extradition proceedings.

If he had to flee to a banana republic, he would be seen in the same light as Watana. I don't think getting him back would help Thailand much. A section of society would see him as a martyr and there would be endless petitions for a pardon which would eventually be forthcoming, probably sooner than later. It seems better for Thailand for him to be forgotten about in Belize or Panama with his Thai assets distributed to the needy and let Thailand move on.

[sriracha john]

As stated, it's within Tej's purview to revoke his diplomatic and/or regular passport, but he has decided to pass the decision on to Samak... but again, at least the ball is definitively in someone's court.... What will Samak do???

Samak to decide on Thaksin's passports

Tej said his ministry had already given Samak the facts and legalities in regard to such matters so he could consider what to do about passports, both diplomatic and regular, held by Thaksin.

and what will he do... other than contradict the Foreign Minister .... is ????

PM: No policy to revoke Thaksin passport yet

PM Samak Sundaravej said he has no policy to revoke diplomatic passport of ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who is currently seeking political asylum in London, as of now. Samak, speaking to reporters on Friday, said he has not yet discussed the matter with Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag because he has not met him yet. On Thursday, Mr Tej said he submitted a letter to Samak, asking him to decide whether to revoke diplomatic and ordinary passports of Thaksin after he skipped bail on Ratchadaphisek land deal case and fled to London with his

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=129845

[sriracha john]

and now the nominee proxy has decided on what he will do..

Thai PM says Thaksin can keep passport

BANGKOK (AFP today) - Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said Friday his government would not revoke ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra's diplomatic passport.

Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag earlier said his ministry was in the process of invalidating Thaksin's red diplomatic passport, given to former Thai leaders, after he skipped bail and fled to Britain last week to evade graft charges.

Anti-government protesters have called for stripping Thaksin of all his travel documents.

But Samak, whose party is closely allied with Thaksin, told reporters that he had no plans to take away the billionaire tycoon's passport.

‘The government has no policy to revoke Thaksin's red passport,’ Samak said.

Thaksin's lawyer says he and his wife Pojaman would apply for political asylum in Britain, claiming that they cannot receive a fair trial in Thailand and that they feared for their safety.

Pojaman has already been convicted of tax evasion but has appealed.

[sriracha john]

and now, the nominee proxy halts another avenue of approach...

No extradition request for Thai ex-PM

BANGKOK, Thailand (Associated Press today): Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said Friday that he has no plans to ask Britain to extradite fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra or to revoke his diplomatic passport.

"I have no policy to revoke his passport or doing anything on that," Samak said in response to reporters' questions on whether he would seek Thaksin's extradition.

[sriracha john]

From the above, I guess Abhisit now knows which reputation Samak considers more important...

Defend country's reputation not Thaksin, Abhisit tells Samak

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej should personally intervene to restore international confidence in the Thai judicial system tarnished by the planned asylum of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra in London, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday.

"The government has a direct responsibility to safeguard the country's reputation and I believe the prime minister must step in to reason with the international community," he said.

Abhisit voiced concern that Thaksin would mount a publicity campaign to smear the country by citing issues relating to justice and safety in order to boost the chance for him and his family to secure asylum.

To counter the anticipated publicity offensive, the government need to put national interests above lingering ties between coalition politicians and Thaksin, he said.

Reacting to reports Thaksin had called on supporters to help him sway the judicial review, he said leading figures should not set a bad example by undermining their own country.

- The Nation / today

[sjaak327]

and now, the nominee proxy halts another avenue of approach...

No extradition request for Thai ex-PM

BANGKOK, Thailand (Associated Press today): Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said Friday that he has no plans to ask Britain to extradite fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra or to revoke his diplomatic passport.

"I have no policy to revoke his passport or doing anything on that," Samak said in response to reporters' questions on whether he would seek Thaksin's extradition.

No surprise. I guess people in Bangkok will have a few more PAD demonstrations to deal with.

[jumnien]

Defend country's reputation not the junta-laced PAD, Samak tells Abhisit!

[sriracha john]

Attorney General Likely to Launch Further Indictments against Thaksin

It seems that deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his close aides will be facing more lawsuits after the Attorney-General's Office and the graft-fighting panel reached an agreement over four corruption charges.

The spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney-General, or OAG, Thanapij Mulpruek has revealed that his agency has already reached an agreement with the National Counter Corruption Commission over their conflicting issue of the investigation reports for charges against Thaksin Shinawatra's administration.

The charges include the controversial purchase of baggage conveyors and the CTX bomb scanners at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the electricity cable laying project at the same airport, the Ua Arthorn Housing Project, and the abuse of power.

However, the Attorney-General must interview more eyewitnesses and verify the related evidence before filing a complaint to the court.

- Thailand Outlook / 21-08-08

[Ricardo]

Defend country's reputation not the junta-laced PAD, Samak tells Abhisit!

Do you have a source for this quote, please ?

[plachon]

and now, the nominee proxy halts another avenue of approach...

No extradition request for Thai ex-PM

BANGKOK, Thailand (Associated Press today): Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said Friday that he has no plans to ask Britain to extradite fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra or to revoke his diplomatic passport.

"I have no policy to revoke his passport or doing anything on that," Samak said in response to reporters' questions on whether he would seek Thaksin's extradition.

Either Samak just doesn't have the balls and is scared of Thaksin's vindictive nature, or there has been a massive payoff and the Toxic one has bribed him to not revoke it. Either way, Tej Bunnag was pretty darn insipid to pass the decision onto Ai Mak instead of doing his job over this. He had the power to revoke it, just like Noppadope reinstated it, but didn't dare. Weak tea the pair of 'em.

As for starting extradition proceedings, that doesn't surprise me in the least, as it was always the plan to let Toxin go and hope he stayed away for a long, long time. But, like a bad smell from a toxic waste dump, he's never going to take his expulsion from the candy store lying down and until somebody in authority is prepared to take responsibility for the monster they created and either jails or nails him. He'll be like an albatross around Thailand's neck until then.

[hammered]

and now, the nominee proxy halts another avenue of approach...

No extradition request for Thai ex-PM

BANGKOK, Thailand (Associated Press today): Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said Friday that he has no plans to ask Britain to extradite fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra or to revoke his diplomatic passport.

"I have no policy to revoke his passport or doing anything on that," Samak said in response to reporters' questions on whether he would seek Thaksin's extradition.

Either Samak just doesn't have the balls and is scared of Thaksin's vindictive nature, or there has been a massive payoff and the Toxic one has bribed him to not revoke it. Either way, Tej Bunnag was pretty darn insipid to pass the decision onto Ai Mak instead of doing his job over this. He had the power to revoke it, just like Noppadope reinstated it, but didn't dare. Weak tea the pair of 'em.

As for starting extradition proceedings, that doesn't surprise me in the least, as it was always the plan to let Toxin go and hope he stayed away for a long, long time. But, like a bad smell from a toxic waste dump, he's never going to take his expulsion from the candy store lying down and until somebody in authority is prepared to take responsibility for the monster they created and either jails or nails him. He'll be like an albatross around Thailand's neck until then.

Deals from smoke filled rooms usually stink to high heaven and leave nobody satisfied. Still there are those that run this country and there is everbody else who gets no say in anything.

[Plus]

Let's wait and see, it's not over yet, Samak has only said he "has no policy". He might need to come up with one very soon.

In may ways it would test PAD's strength and national sentiment behind it. I think lots of people don't really mind as long as Thaskin is out of the picture, but they can also change their minds if Thaksin does or says something inappropriate.

[plachon]

and now, the nominee proxy halts another avenue of approach...

No extradition request for Thai ex-PM

BANGKOK, Thailand (Associated Press today): Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said Friday that he has no plans to ask Britain to extradite fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra or to revoke his diplomatic passport.

"I have no policy to revoke his passport or doing anything on that," Samak said in response to reporters' questions on whether he would seek Thaksin's extradition.

Either Samak just doesn't have the balls and is scared of Thaksin's vindictive nature, or there has been a massive payoff and the Toxic one has bribed him to not revoke it. Either way, Tej Bunnag was pretty darn insipid to pass the decision onto Ai Mak instead of doing his job over this. He had the power to revoke it, just like Noppadope reinstated it, but didn't dare. Weak tea the pair of 'em.

As for starting extradition proceedings, that doesn't surprise me in the least, as it was always the plan to let Toxin go and hope he stayed away for a long, long time. But, like a bad smell from a toxic waste dump, he's never going to take his expulsion from the candy store lying down and until somebody in authority is prepared to take responsibility for the monster they created and either jails or nails him. He'll be like an albatross around Thailand's neck until then.

Deals from smoke filled rooms usually stink to high heaven and leave nobody satisfied. Still there are those that run this country and there is everbody else who gets no say in anything.

I agree totally, but that's how its always been round here, and until the judiciary is allowed to properly mature or a paoboon chine materialises to sweep away the rubbish, sweet deals are going to be cut by the few out of sight of the plebs.

[Artisi]

Defend country's reputation not the junta-laced PAD, Samak tells Abhisit!

Do you have a source for this quote, please ?

Just the usual drivel from this poster.

[Crushdepth]

There's a warrant for his arrest, but he can keep his diplomatic passport? This government is like a real-world Fawlty Towers.

Amazing Thailand.

[JetsetBkk]

...PM Samak Sundaravej said he has no policy to revoke diplomatic passport of ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra...

..Samak Sundaravej said Friday that he has no plans to ask Britain to extradite fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra...

No policy, no plans, no shame.

[Thai at Heart]

...PM Samak Sundaravej said he has no policy to revoke diplomatic passport of ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra...

..Samak Sundaravej said Friday that he has no plans to ask Britain to extradite fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra...

No policy, no plans, no shame.

Coz they have him where they want him for now at least.

[Tony Clifton]

...PM Samak Sundaravej said he has no policy to revoke diplomatic passport of ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra...

..Samak Sundaravej said Friday that he has no plans to ask Britain to extradite fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra...

No policy, no plans, no shame.

Coz they have him where they want him for now at least.

The journalists had him where they wanted him last week also, cornered in a washroom.

I ll bet he nibbled on something while he was in there.

[JetsetBkk]

The journalists had him where they wanted him last week also, cornered in a washroom.

I ll bet he nibbled on something while he was in there.

Indeed.

[sriracha john]

...PM Samak Sundaravej said he has no policy to revoke diplomatic passport of ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra...

..Samak Sundaravej said Friday that he has no plans to ask Britain to extradite fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra...

No policy, no plans, no shame.

and... no clue.

But you're not alone in the quest to seek something that's not couched in a litany of double-speak and non-statements...

Democrat Leader urges government to be straightforward in revocation of former PMs passport

The Democrat Party Leader, Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, is urging the coalition government to be straightforward in the revocation of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's diplomatic passport.

Mr. Abhisit cautions that the government must consider only facts relevant to the case and adhere to regulations regardless of the past status of Thaksin. He says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs already has the necessary guidelines in place to revoke the ousted premier's diplomatic credentials.

- ThaiNews / today

Edited August 23, 2008 by sriracha john

[Bagwan]

I am exceedingly weary about the phrase 'safeguarding Thailand's reputation'. Might I suggest that what passes for a government commission polls in the developed world to ascertain exactly in what sort of light Thailand is seen. The resulting collated results might be illuminating for some thus making doubtful that they would ever see the light of day. I trust that the foreign Diplomatic Corps send reports home that reflect a modicum of reality and not the BS that the Thai Government PR mill churns out.

[Bagwan]

A petition!

Ohhhhh now, look what you've done...

An obvious connection

[marshbags]

POLITICS

No policy on Thaksin passport, says PM

By THE NATION

Published on August 23, 2008

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said yesterday that the government had no policy in revoking passports, when asked if former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's travel documents would be rescinded.

"We don't have such a policy, at least for now," Samak told reporters.

The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has been rallying for authorities to terminate Thaksin's travel documents since he jumped bail while being tried over the Ratchadaphisek land-purchase deal.

The Foreign Ministry is authorised to revoke the passport of any Thai citizen facing criminal charges and stop them from travelling overseas.

However, Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag said Thaksin, as a former premier, could not be treated like an ordinary citizen and that Samak should be the one making decisions in this case.

Tej said he had sent all the necessary documents to Samak enabling him to make the decision.

Samak, meanwhile, said he had not discussed the matter with the foreign minister yet, while Tej has said that he would bring the issue up when the Cabinet meets on Tuesday.

Thaksin's diplomatic passport was revoked in 2007 by then-prime minister Surayud Chulanont, though former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama issued him a new one soon after Samak took office early this year.

The Senate's deputy chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Priyananta Rangsit, said both Tej and Samak had the power to decide on the case. She added that the law required revoking the passport of a fugitive facing criminal charges, reiterating that a criminal had no privileges.

Unquote

If ever confirmation was needed that Thaksin still pulls the strings, is still, via manipulation the laws of Thailand, along with his role as leader of the surrogate government, this is it.

He is not an ordinary citizen and is on the run from justice, F.M.Tej Bunnag, you are correct on this observation.

He is a low life criminal and should be treated as such, just like all the ordinary citizens where now doing time in the various jails within the country.

He lost the right to be considered a diplomatic passport holder long ago and should never have been given it back when it was confiscated the first time around.

marshbags

Edited August 23, 2008 by marshbags