Thaksin To Seek Political Asylum In Britain

[fred2007]

Thaksin to seek political asylum in Britain

From correspondents in Bangkok

August 20, 2008 07:03pm

OUSTED Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will seek political asylum in Britain, claiming that he and his family are not safe in Thailand, his lawyer said today.

Thaksin, 59, and his wife Pojaman, 51, and their three adult children fled to London last week. Pojaman has been convicted of tax evasion, and they both face corruption charges in a property scandal.

"At this moment, Thaksin's legal team is proceeding to ask for political asylum for Thaksin and his family in Britain," said Watchara Seangprathum, one of Thaksin's Thai lawyers.

"His asylum request will note their malicious treatment in Thailand, where they lack security and freedom," Mr Watchara said.

Thaksin has accused the Thai courts of bias and said he feared his family could not receive a fair trial. The Supreme Court is trying Thaksin and Pojaman in absentia on corruption charges accusing him of using his political influence as premier to help his wife buy a plot of prime Bangkok real estate from the central bank at a bargain price.

They each face up to 13 years in prison if convicted. Since the case is before the Supreme Court, they would have no avenue of appeal.

Authorities have already frozen 76 billion baht ($2.3 billion) of Thaksin's assets pending resolution of the case.

Thousands of protesters on Tuesday paraded through central Bangkok to demand that Thaksin return home to face trial.

Mr Watchara said Thaksin had instructed his lawyers to file a defamation suit against the protest leaders for parading in a truck carrying a giant banner bearing photos of him and Pojaman and reading "Most Wanted".

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[slapout]

I sure hope England can cure this a..hole from filing lawsuits against anyone and everyone who disagrees or up sets him. I wonder who he hired when he was young to take care of disagreements with others?

[Crushdepth]

Hope UK does not agree - he's being prosecuted not persecuted!

[jimjam23]

Considering the UK has now implemented an extradition treaty with the US and a UK citizen has no protection in extradition to an American court, It will be diabolical if Thaksin gets granted asylum.

But the UK has become a rich mans paradise with lots of lovely tax avoidance loop holes in place - its just its own whom get sh6t on at a regular basis.

[lifeisrandom]

of course its approved he was the prime minister and thrown out in a military coup

[jimjam23]

of course its approved he was the prime minister and thrown out in a military coup

What about his wife then?

[12DrinkMore]

of course its approved he was the prime minister and thrown out in a military coup

But since then he has been in and out of Thailand with no threat except that he has to face legal proceedings against him.

His wife has been sentenced to three years in prison by the Thai courts for a criminal offense. Can't see that being allowed by the UK government as grounds for asylum, "but I don't want to go to prison, please don't let them take me" sniff, sniff.

Edited August 20, 2008 by 12DrinkMore

[sriracha john]

Thaksin to seek political asylum in Britain: lawyer

BANGKOK (AFP / 20-08-08) — Ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will seek political asylum in Britain, claiming that he and his family are not safe in Thailand, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Thaksin, 59, and his wife Pojaman, 51, and their three adult children fled to London last week. Pojaman has been convicted of tax evasion, and they both face corruption charges in a property scandal.

"At this moment, Thaksin's legal team is proceeding to ask for political asylum for Thaksin and his family in Britain," said Watchara Seangprathum, one of Thaksin's Thai lawyers.

"His asylum request will note their malicious treatment in Thailand, where they lack security and freedom," Watchara told reporters.

Thaksin has accused the Thai courts of bias and said he feared his family could not receive a fair trail.

The Supreme Court is trying Thaksin and Pojaman in absentia on corruption charges accusing him of using his political influence as premier to help his wife buy a plot of prime Bangkok real estate from the central bank at a bargain price.

They each face up to 13 years in prison if convicted. Since the case is before the Supreme Court, they would have no avenue of appeal.

Authorities have already frozen 76 billion baht (2.3 billion dollars) of Thaksin's assets pending resolution of the case.

Thousands of protesters on Tuesday paraded through central Bangkok to demand that Thaksin return home to face trial.

Watchara said Thaksin had instructed his lawyers to file a defamation suit against the protest leaders for parading in a truck carrying a giant banner bearing photos of him and Pojaman and reading "Most Wanted."

[sriracha john]

Former Thai PM Thaksin to seek asylum in UK-lawyer

BANGKOK, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who skipped bail last week and flew to London, plans to seek political asylum in Britain, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

"He is in the process of seeking asylum in Britain," Watchara Saengprathum, one of Thaksin's Thai lawyers, told reporters. Watchara did not specify what reason Thaksin would use for his asylum request, but he said a breach of his rights or liberty or threat to personal security could be used.

The Supreme Court issued arrest warrants for Thaksin and his wife, Potjaman, and seized 13 million baht ($385,000) in bail bonds after he failed to appear in a corruption case last week.

[sriracha john]

Former Thai PM to seek asylum

Lawyers for the former Thai prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, say he plans to seek political asylum in Britain.

Thaksin and his wife, facing corruption charges at home, skipped bail last week and flew to London.

The lawyers say Thaksin could use a breach of his rights or liberty or threat to personal security as reasons for seeking asylum.

The Supreme Court has issued arrest warrants for Mr Thaksin and his wife, and seized $US 385,000 in bail bonds after he failed to appear in court.

- Radio Australia / August 20, 2008

[Plus]

PAD's demonstration outside British embassy was very timely.

The UK will not be able to hush it under the carpet.

[marquess]

The idiot doesn't feel safe, how about all the people that he had bumped off in the so called Drugs War, I wonder how safe they felt! I hope he is deported he is as much a persona non grata as a certain fallen celebrity how is here, and should be removed from England on grounds of outraging public morality.

[lifeisrandom]

its pretty simple

once you have a military dictatorship you lose all creditability. plus, the thai government does not want him to return to Thailand anyways.

[GuestHouse]

its pretty simple

once you have a military dictatorship you lose all creditability. plus, the thai government does not want him to return to Thailand anyways.

Precisely that, whatever you think of Taksin it is undoubted that right now it is not a bad thing for Thailand that he is not in Thailand.

It is also clear that a very solid case can be made that his prosecution is politically motivated, as such he almost certainly would be granted 'Political Asylum'.

[sriracha john]

For someone and the entire brood whose stated reason is...

Ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will seek political asylum in Britain, claiming that he and his family are not safe

IN THAILAND.

he and his wife and his son and his daughter and his other daughter and his brother-in-law sure did manage to spend a lot of (for most of the clan, even a majority of) their time over the past 2 years...

IN THAILAND.

First, he insults the judiciary with his last letter... now he goes much deeper...he insults the entire nation with this request.

Edited August 20, 2008 by sriracha john

[fuzedcon]

...he insults the entire nation with this request.

I have always wondered - how can a "nation" be insulted?

It's like, somebody calls my car a rotten piece a &lt;deleted&gt;, and it's supposed to feel emotional hurt somehow. Which, of course, the rotten piece of &lt;deleted&gt; can't. Because it's a machine.

[lifeisrandom]

yeah everyone on the street seems real torn up about it

[sriracha john]

...he insults the entire nation with this request.

I have always wondered - how can a "nation" be insulted?

yeah everyone on the street seems real torn up about it

2 posts...one, same reply...

give it time to sink in...

[mrtoad]

Toxin is like a little boy with a ball. He's okay if he's winning the game, but when he loses possesion he cries foul and wants to take it home. Shame that the UK immigration weren't as stringet with Pokamon as the Thai authorities where with Glitter. Whilst there's difference in offences, there's no difference in culpability. It's about time Thailand opened up the box and investigated some of the other stuff that Toxin has been accused of, but it's probably unlikely, just as much as Thailand genuinely pushing for extradition.

[sjaak327]

its pretty simple

once you have a military dictatorship you lose all creditability. plus, the thai government does not want him to return to Thailand anyways.

Precisely that, whatever you think of Taksin it is undoubted that right now it is not a bad thing for Thailand that he is not in Thailand.

It is also clear that a very solid case can be made that his prosecution is politically motivated, as such he almost certainly would be granted 'Political Asylum'.

Excactly, I think he stands a fair chance of getting the asylum, even though I think it's not necessary, as I doubt that the UK will even consider sending both of them back to Thailand.

The idiot doesn't feel safe, how about all the people that he had bumped off in the so called Drugs War

Yes true, that makes it all the more strange that there is no court case for this very act he commited (with apparently a very large percentage of Thai citizens agreeing).

[deon]

marquess i could not of said it better myself ,you took the words right out of my mouth . He talks about not feeling safein Thailand lmao .Thats a joke comming from him .I hope we kick out and send him back asap .And that he rots in a thai jail , its funny my other half use to think the world of him.

As it was through one of his teaching reforms ,That helped my other half get in uni as she was one of the top students in her school.She did have a right go at me ,as i had never liked him .Now she cant stand him , and only today she was asking me how can he stay in your country .And it not send him back.

Edited August 20, 2008 by deon

[sriracha john]

Toxin is like a little boy with a ball. He's okay if he's winning the game, but when he loses possesion he cries foul and wants to take it home. Shame that the UK immigration weren't as stringet with Pokamon as the Thai authorities where with Glitter. Whilst there's difference in offences, there's no difference in culpability. It's about time Thailand opened up the box and investigated some of the other stuff that Toxin has been accused of, but it's probably unlikely, just as much as Thailand genuinely pushing for extradition.

Glitter, in a way, is better than Pokemon... he had served his assigned prison time (albeit inadequate) and when he departed Vietnam, he departed a free man (albeit undesireable)...

whereas Pokemon has not served her assigned prison time and when she departed, she departs a wanted bail-jumping fugitive.

[fuzedcon]

...he insults the entire nation with this request.

I have always wondered - how can a "nation" be insulted?

yeah everyone on the street seems real torn up about it

2 posts...one, same reply...

give it time to sink in...

Guess i'm just too daft.

It sinks and sinks, and i still don't get how a "nation" can be insulted.

Why don't 'ya educate us all?

[JetsetBkk]

Guess i'm just too daft.

It sinks and sinks, and i still don't get how a "nation" can be insulted.

Why don't 'ya educate us all?

I give you a week, tops.

[Tony Clifton]

[jayjayjayjay]

Toxin is like a little boy with a ball. He's okay if he's winning the game, but when he loses possesion he cries foul and wants to take it home. Shame that the UK immigration weren't as stringet with Pokamon as the Thai authorities where with Glitter. Whilst there's difference in offences, there's no difference in culpability. It's about time Thailand opened up the box and investigated some of the other stuff that Toxin has been accused of, but it's probably unlikely, just as much as Thailand genuinely pushing for extradition.

Sorry but not a realistic comparison.

One did work in public office, was elected there by a majority more than once, and was removed by the gun.

The other has made a life of abusing underage girls................. I hope your moral is better than this!

The only way Taxsin is going to get a fair trial is if the majority of Thai people believe in the system he is to be tried under. That is not the case as the gun is still present.

[sriracha john]

One for All, All for One

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New Pro-Thaksin Website Launched

In opposition to the People's Alliance for Democracy's move to request that the British Embassy consider extraditing Thailand's deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the pro-Thaksin group has now opened a new website to express support for his asylum to the UK.

As an attempt to make deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra return to Thailand to fight the corruption lawsuits against him, the People's Alliance for Democracy has sent a mobile rally unit to the British Embassy to Thailand yesterday to request that the UK consider extraditing Thaksin and his wife to Thailand.

The two are seeking asylum in the United Kingdom after his wife was handed a three-year jail sentence by the court for tax evasion in the Shin Corp share transfer to her foster brother.

Now, a pro-Thaksin group has created a new website to express moral support for the deposed Prime Minister and for his UK asylum. The pro-Thaksin group's new website is www.savethaksin.com.

The group is urging people to support Thaksin by sending postcards with the message "Please save Thaksin" to the British Embassy to Thailand, in order to urge the British government to consider granting asylum rights to Thaksin. They say that with or without the British government's consideration, they want to express their support for Thaksin.

The website contains a message to inform the people that there has been a maligned attempt by some to assault the government and the deposed prime minister continuously, which has caused the deposed premier to seek political asylum in the UK after he had previously decided to fight his lawsuits in Thailand.

The web founders urge the public to express their support to promote real democratic power. Pictures and web logos are allowed for downloads for use on other websites or for having pictures painted on shirts.

The "Save-Thaksin" website follows two other websites by pro-Thaksin groups that have been operating. The first is by the "New Sky" club at www.newskythailand.com and the other is www.thai-grassroots.com, which has been said to be the new form of the "Hi-Thaksin" website that was ordered banned because of a lese majeste case earlier.

- Thailand Outlook / 20 August 2008

Edited August 21, 2008 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Do the supporters on that website even realize Thaksin is an EX-prime minister?

well, supposedly he is....

although I could understand if they had written DE FACTO PM in their flashing banners.

[sriracha john]

Asylum bid

Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife are seeking political asylum in Britain, just 10 days after fleeing to London from Beijing. Thaksin also has called for unity within the PPP, urging PPP members to stand behind their leader, PM Samak. His lawyer Watchara Sangpratum yesterday confirmed Thaksin and his wife Potjaman were applying for asylum and that the couple will not show up at the Supreme Court tomorrow to defend themselves in the Ratchadaphisek land case. The last defence witness is scheduled to testify tomorrow, and Potjaman is due to appear in her defence. On Tuesday, thousands of supporters of the PAD rallied outside the British Embassy, demanding London deny the pair political asylum and extradite them to face criminal charges in Thailand. A deciding factor for the asylum seekers is thought to have been the 3-year jail term the Criminal Court handed down to Potjaman on July 31 for tax evasion in another case. Watchara said Thaksin had assigned a legal team to file libel and document forgery charges against five PAD leaders, for posting arrest warrants for him and his wife at various locations. Thaksin might also sue the Royal Thai Police Office for overstepping its authority, he said.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.net/topstories/tops...s.php?id=129815

[hkt83100]

Now, a pro-Thaksin group has created a new website to express moral support for the deposed Prime Minister and for his UK asylum. The pro-Thaksin group's new website is www.savethaksin.com.

And it is registered to some "Real Democracy" in "Chamkarmon, Phnom Penh 12306", as everyone can find out in seconds...