Uk Cancel Thaksin's Visa And Wife's

[sempronius]

UK revokes former Thai PM's visa

The British government revokes the visas of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/

I guess that's reliable enough

[Mosha]

You guys in the real Thailand AKA Isaan better be careful. Down here should be ok. They hate him down here.

[easybullet3]

/

whats the big deal??? so they cant go to england to live.

but they can take a tourist visa holiday there , (just like the "Al Fayed" - the man that owns harrods).. I am sure they can take many holidays in the UK.

and I am sure they can find several other countries they can live in!

this may be a minor hit to them, (they cant have residency status to the UK.. but they have the rest of the world!)

they wont come back to thailand... so whats the point of the story? its very far from big news!,, just a minor hit to them

[jdinasia]

/

whats the big deal??? so they cant go to england to live.

but they can take a tourist visa holiday there , (just like the "Al Fayed" - the man that owns harrods).. I am sure they can take many holidays in the UK.

and I am sure they can find several other countries they can live in!

this may be a minor hit to them, (they cant have residency status to the UK.. but they have the rest of the world!)

they wont come back to thailand... so whats the point of the story? its very far from big news!,, just a minor hit to them

No .... they cannot enter the UK at all (and are not likely to be issued a new visa) Did you not read the story?

[goodstuff]

A quick Google does not reveal any UK media sources which corroborate this story. I guess we'll know tomorrow.

well i just watched bbc world and if its good enough for them!!!!

[goodstuff]

He could always go to Australia. He was there not so long back.

No he couldn't.

The last time he was there was under a different government, and before he was a convicted criminal.

He has business and property interests there. Rudd may take him thousands wouldn't.

So is that a comment on Rudd, or your "understanding" of current visa policy in Australia? Please show your cards.

He owns property in Australia, which does not entitle him to a visa. As a "businessman" he may be more successful, but I am sure that would be overidden by the fact that he is a convicted criminal in a country with which Australia has close diplomatic and economic ties.

As far as I am aware, Australia has no history of (knowingly) harbouring villains from other countries.

apart from a 3rd of the english population some time ago!

[jdinasia]

A quick Google does not reveal any UK media sources which corroborate this story. I guess we'll know tomorrow.

well i just watched bbc world and if its good enough for them!!!!

about 20 hours after the post you are quoting .......

[blakegeee]

I am happy to see the pric inconvenienced, but I hope it doesn't lead him back to Thailand one way or another. I think its best for Thailand if he stays away.

[Tingnongnoi]

/

whats the big deal??? so they cant go to england to live.

but they can take a tourist visa holiday there , (just like the "Al Fayed" - the man that owns harrods).. I am sure they can take many holidays in the UK.

and I am sure they can find several other countries they can live in!

this may be a minor hit to them, (they cant have residency status to the UK.. but they have the rest of the world!)

they wont come back to thailand... so whats the point of the story? its very far from big news!,, just a minor hit to them

If you read the report it states that airlines were instructed to not let Thaksin and his wife board flights to the U.K as they are not welcome anymore, not you can come for a holiday if you like!

[Swanky]

Probably has his own plane and a dozen passports. Who knows?

[Patriciachas]

If you don't understand the meaning of my post, please feel free to pm me for a personal explanation.

Cheers.

Thanks but I have already seen those posts.I suppose it will emerge fairly soon whether the report is a hoax or not.I am afraid I still find your post rather bizarre but am not really that interested in finding out the reasons for this.

But I could be wrong since I note the AFP reports they have had sight of the relevant email.Ah well if so put it down to another "younghusband" or incorrect call, as Siripon once put it!

Not a hoax as been reported on many TV news channels good riddance to the thieving Ba****D

[inthepink]

/

whats the big deal??? so they cant go to england to live.

but they can take a tourist visa holiday there , (just like the "Al Fayed" - the man that owns harrods).. I am sure they can take many holidays in the UK.

Mohamed Al Fayed was turned down for British citizenship, not a visa, so it really isn't the same thing at all.

Edited November 8, 2008 by inthepink

[merck]

This is a weird story. Do you think it might be fabricated?

Most likely fabricated.

I did a search:

http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-relea...s#searchResults

Very odd The Nation publish this without double checking the ''news''.

LaoPo

next time you get one of your hunches keep it to yourself

[serpentine]

His return here would be dangerous for sure he wold only return if he had ensured that he can stir up enough trouble with paid activists. He may then start the whole 'only he can save the day" scenario. he still has enough money to buy his way out, and it would not be impossible. No matter how much the PAD would object he is still highly connected and loaded with bribery cash.

I think safer to keep him away.

He will never serve time here.

[Thai at Heart]

/

whats the big deal??? so they cant go to england to live.

but they can take a tourist visa holiday there , (just like the "Al Fayed" - the man that owns harrods).. I am sure they can take many holidays in the UK.

and I am sure they can find several other countries they can live in!

this may be a minor hit to them, (they cant have residency status to the UK.. but they have the rest of the world!)

they wont come back to thailand... so whats the point of the story? its very far from big news!,, just a minor hit to them

No .... they cannot enter the UK at all (and are not likely to be issued a new visa) Did you not read the story?

Well that is the million dollar question. If the business visa has been revoked, with a valid diplomatic passport in hand, would the embassy refuse another type of visa it it was applied for outside Thailand? Tourist? Student? Can he invest in another company or be prevented because he has been found guilty in Thailand but not in the UK? Or is the situation 100% solid that the British authorities have put him in the situation that to visit his kids who are studying there, he would have to apply in Thailand and in doing so get arrested?

Edited November 8, 2008 by Thai at Heart

[jdinasia]

/

whats the big deal??? so they cant go to england to live.

but they can take a tourist visa holiday there , (just like the "Al Fayed" - the man that owns harrods).. I am sure they can take many holidays in the UK.

and I am sure they can find several other countries they can live in!

this may be a minor hit to them, (they cant have residency status to the UK.. but they have the rest of the world!)

they wont come back to thailand... so whats the point of the story? its very far from big news!,, just a minor hit to them

No .... they cannot enter the UK at all (and are not likely to be issued a new visa) Did you not read the story?

Well that is the million dollar question. If the business visa has been revoked, with a valid diplomatic passport in hand, would the embassy refuse another type of visa it it was applied for outside Thailand? Tourist? Student? Can he invest in another company or be prevented because he has been found guilty in Thailand but not in the UK? Or is the situation 100% solid that the British authorities have put him in the situation that to visit his kids who are studying there, he would have to apply in Thailand and in doing so get arrested?

1) Why would they ever issue him another visa with his conviction and being on the lam from the courts?

2)Why couldn't he apply in Hong Kong or wherever he is next? (But with his legal problem I do not think he is eligible for a UK visa)

[sriracha john]

His Personal Spokesman Ponthep is back for more of his clueless babbling...

The authorities are waiting to tell Thaksin whenever he tries to board a plane back... so they can shout...

"SURPRISE!"

Thailand's Thaksin Hasn't Been Notified of Changes to U.K. Visa

Nov. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who fled to the U.K. three months ago to escape corruption charges, hasn't been notified of any reported changes to his visa status.

"He has not received any documents in relation to this matter from the British authorities, and I cannot check with the British Embassy in Thailand because it is Saturday," Pongthep Thepkanjana, a spokesman for Thaksin, said by telephone

from Bangkok.

Thaksin and his wife Pojamarn Shinawatra had their visas revoked by Britain, Thai media reported today, citing an e-mail purportedly from a U.K. Border Agency manager asking airlines not to permit the couple onto any U.K.-bound flight. British officials in Bangkok couldn't be reached for comment. A Thai Airways spokeswoman in Bangkok, Preyanan Mongkolsri, said she couldn't confirm the report.

The report throws Thaksin's legal status into question three weeks after a Thai court found him guilty of conflict of interest. It was the first conviction in a series of corruption charges made against the former leader since he was ousted in a 2006 coup.

Anti-government protesters who claim Thaksin pulls the strings of the ruling party from abroad marched outside the British Embassy in Bangkok on Oct. 30, calling on the U.K. to extradite the former prime minister.

Thaksin gave a live address from Hong Kong via video conference to more than 60,000 supporters on Nov. 1. Pongthep said he doesn't know when Thaksin plans to return to the U.K.

Thaksin and Pojamarn skipped bail and headed to the U.K. on Aug. 11, with the one-time leader calling England "a country that holds on to the principle of democracy above all.''

Thaksin owns a house in Surrey, England, and formerly controlled the Manchester City Football Club before selling it in September to an Abu Dhabi investment company.

After his conviction, Thaksin wrote a letter from his residence in England dated Oct. 23 in which he called the corruption charges "politically driven" and orchestrated by "privileged elites who believe in anything but democracy."

Thaksin faces four more corruption cases stemming from his five years as prime minister. His brother-in-law, Somchai Wongsawat, now leads the country.

Edited November 8, 2008 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

His Lawyer is as clueless as his Personal Spokesman.... (well, one of his laywers that's not currently in prison, that is)...

Lawyer: 'no idea' that Britain revoked visas for Thaksin, wife

BANGKOK, Nov 8 (TNA) -- A lawyer for former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, convicted in absentia on varied charges, said Saturday he did not know that the British government has revoked visas of the ousted prime minister and his wife Pojaman.

Lawyer Udom Prongfah said he had no knowledge that the British authorities had revoked visas of the couple, which would render them to be unable to return to England.

He said he did not know the present whereabouts of Thaksin, ousted from power in a bloodless coup on Sept 19, 2006.

It is believed that Thaksin is now in China and that he plans to go to the Philippines, while the location of his wife is not known.

Udom said he is now seeking information on the visa revocation.

Press reports here Saturday quoted an airline official as saying that the British embassy in Bangkok had informed all airlines in an email on Friday not to allow the couple to board flights to Britain.

The source said the notification letter on the visas being revoked was sent by a Bangkok-based immigration liaison manager.

Thaksin and Pojaman fled to Britain in August after attending the opening ceremony of Olympic Games in Beijing.

The Supreme Court on October 21 sentenced Thaksin in absentia to two years imprisonment for violating the National Counter Corruption Act.

Four other corruption cases are outstanding against him.

His wife was sentenced on July 31 by the Criminal Court to three years in jail in another tax evasion case.

[Bagwan]

L'état, c'est nous.

(With a little help from Louis XIV)

The phrase "L'État, c'est moi" ("I am the State") is frequently attributed to him, though considered an inaccuracy by historians. Quite contrary to that apocryphal quote, Louis XIV is actually reported to have said on his death bed: "Je m'en vais, mais l'État demeurera toujours." ("I depart, but the State shall always remain").

[venturalaw]

That is sweet. Hopefully he gets what he deserves. Now he's a man without a country. Lot's of money, but nowhere to live. I love it. Hopefully he'll come back someday soon and face the music.

I agree with a previous commentary several pages back - Thailand would be better off if he just just stays away. No need for the drama.

[sriracha john]

an appropriate headline titling for forum posting....

Thaksin banned from the UK

Former Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has been banned from returning to Britain.

Reports in Thailand said that the British Embassy in Bangkok had emailed airlines telling them not to allow him or his wife Pojaman to board flights to the UK.

The former Thai prime minister, deposed in a military coup in 2006, is currently travelling in China and is said to be planning to go to the Philippines next.

- Crain's Manchester Business News / 2008-11-08

[LaoPo]

This is a weird story. Do you think it might be fabricated?

Most likely fabricated.

I did a search:

http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-relea...s#searchResults

Very odd The Nation publish this without double checking the ''news''.

LaoPo

next time you get one of your hunches keep it to yourself

Writing such a message, some 24 hours after the first original OP by member Jingthing, is not so very brave nor intelligent...

Your message belongs more to the category of posters who always claim: "I knew it...I knew it..." AFTER they found out the truth.

At least I did some research with the UK's Home Office website (posted the link !) and elsewhere on the net (12-15 hours ago) and found nothing which could confirm the article which was only published in a Thai language newspaper, called "Manager"......did you do some research before posting or do you believe everything a Thai newspaper writes ?

Keep your cheap comments to yourself, OK ?

LaoPo

[WISteve]

While I applaud the UK for doing what is right and denying/canceling the visa for a convicted criminal, is this really a good development for Thailand? Either Cambodia or Myanmar are sure to welcome him with open arms, hoping he will invest in their little world. That puts him a short flight or drive away from Thailand at a moments notice. It only makes matters more complicated IMO. The scenarios are multiple where Mr T could be back in power without facing the music of the court convictions. A military coup, bombs exploding in the right places and let's not forget his brother-in-law is still the prime minister? He can have weekend or evening consultations in the casinos of Poi Pet now, and that can't be a good thing.

Not that I wish him upon England, but at least his children were there and he was some distance away in his own estate. This development could put him at Thailand's doorstep, just waiting for the right opportunity to make a grand entrance again.

I hope he chooses Cuba or some banana republic far, far away.

~WISteve

[venturalaw]

It is true, but what next? Maybe PAD should hire the Israelis to poach him from wherever he ends up and fly him back to justice? In any case, I don't think there is good Thai food available in Bolivia, or most of the lovely countries on his short list. I don't think any "top tier" countries will take him now but the Bahamas, that ain't bad at all.

Perhaps Samak can join Thaksin's family, wherever they are, and teach them all how to cook.

[sriracha john]

Perhaps he's getting ready for a new line of work soon....

PM Somchai in an undated government photo

Thai PM: No comment on Britain revoking visas for Thaksin, wife

CHIANG RAI, Nov 8 (TNA) -- Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said Saturday it was the right of the British government to revoke the visas of convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman.

Somchai, a brother-in-law of Thaksin, said he preferred not to talk about politics as he and his government wanted to concentrate on improving the livelihood of the Thai people and let concerned government agencies handle economic problems so that the economy could move forward.

Meanwhile, Thani Thongphakdi, Deputy Director of the Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

said Thailand was informed by the British government via its embassy in Bangkok that Britain had considered the revocation of their visa.

However, Thani said the details should be asked from the embassy and that Sompong Amornvivat, Thailand's Minister of Foreign Affairs, has already been told about the move.

Thani said that the British authorities had circulated a letter to airlines about the visa revocation.

The ministry did not know the present location of Thaksin and his wife, but in principle if their visa has been repealed they could no longer stay in UK.

Sirichoke Sopa, spokesman for the opposition Democrat Party's shadow cabinet, showed journalists a copy of an email message sent by Bangkok-based British embassy official identified as Andy Gray, from the UK Border Agency, as instructing airlines which are members of the Airport Operations Committee that it has revoked visas issued to the couple.

The message said the couple should be prevented from boarding planes to Britain.

It is not necessary for the British embassy official to state reasons on revoking the visas, said Sirichoke.

The reason for revoking the visas probably stemmed from Thaksin's live phone-in to his supporters during a gathering on November 1 in Bangkok in which he said he could not return to the kingdom from exile without a royal pardon, said Sirichoke.

No country would allow a person to use their country as a springboard for a political forum, he said, adding that it is the right time now for Thaksin to return to Thailand and fight his court cases which would also prove that the Thai judicial system is still fair.

He suggested that the Thai government should withdraw the Thai diplomatic passport issued to Thaksin in order to prevent him from traveling to countries which have diplomatic relations with Thailand.

Edited November 8, 2008 by sriracha john

[jdinasia]

While I applaud the UK for doing what is right and denying/canceling the visa for a convicted criminal, is this really a good development for Thailand? Either Cambodia or Myanmar are sure to welcome him with open arms, hoping he will invest in their little world. That puts him a short flight or drive away from Thailand at a moments notice. It only makes matters more complicated IMO. The scenarios are multiple where Mr T could be back in power without facing the music of the court convictions. A military coup, bombs exploding in the right places and let's not forget his brother-in-law is still the prime minister? He can have weekend or evening consultations in the casinos of Poi Pet now, and that can't be a good thing.

Not that I wish him upon England, but at least his children were there and he was some distance away in his own estate. This development could put him at Thailand's doorstep, just waiting for the right opportunity to make a grand entrance again.

I hope he chooses Cuba or some banana republic far, far away.

~WISteve

No ASEAN nation can take him ..... His Bro-in-law is likely to be banned from politics in the next 60 days for 5 years ... and he's the wrong guy to benefit from a coup.

[Thai at Heart]

/

whats the big deal??? so they cant go to england to live.

but they can take a tourist visa holiday there , (just like the "Al Fayed" - the man that owns harrods).. I am sure they can take many holidays in the UK.

and I am sure they can find several other countries they can live in!

this may be a minor hit to them, (they cant have residency status to the UK.. but they have the rest of the world!)

they wont come back to thailand... so whats the point of the story? its very far from big news!,, just a minor hit to them

No .... they cannot enter the UK at all (and are not likely to be issued a new visa) Did you not read the story?

Well that is the million dollar question. If the business visa has been revoked, with a valid diplomatic passport in hand, would the embassy refuse another type of visa it it was applied for outside Thailand? Tourist? Student? Can he invest in another company or be prevented because he has been found guilty in Thailand but not in the UK? Or is the situation 100% solid that the British authorities have put him in the situation that to visit his kids who are studying there, he would have to apply in Thailand and in doing so get arrested?

1) Why would they ever issue him another visa with his conviction and being on the lam from the courts?

2)Why couldn't he apply in Hong Kong or wherever he is next? (But with his legal problem I do not think he is eligible for a UK visa)

I can't find out absolutely for sure they type of visas they were using. I read somewhere that it was a business visa because he owned Man City which has now been sold. If so it is a very elegant way to solve a complex problem in the short term by keeping the Thai side happy and getting the problem off the Brits doorstep. This would also imply that he knew this was going to happen since I would assume he would know his visa right was tied to his ownership of the soccer club.

In that case, what happens if he buys another company? Does being convicted of something in Thailand prevent him buying a company in the UK and applying for another business visa?

As far as I know, a Thai national visiting the UK is supposed to apply in Thailand for a visa to the UK, unless they have residence in the same country as the embassy to which they make the application. In which case, if he is a Hong Kong resident, he can apply in Hong Kong. He might be, but I don't think so.

Edited November 8, 2008 by Thai at Heart

[Bagwan]

The UK Government (not the English note) cannot direct any airline to do anything outside of the UK. What they can do if Thaksin turns up at LHR is to move him into a retaining facility, at Harmondsworth I think, and then place him on the next aircraft belonging to the airline that brought him in to return him to whence he came. In these cases the airline meets all their own additional costs.

It is almost certain that the UK Government advised carriers to circumvent any embarrassment to the carriers. Why they chose to inform airlines flying out of BKK is lost on me. He's not likely to be outward bound from there is he?

[inthepink]

This would also imply that he knew this was going to happen since I would assume he would know his visa right was tied to his ownership of the soccer club.

In that case, what happens if he buys another company? Does being convicted of something in Thailand prevent him buying a company in the UK and applying for another business visa?

Don't forget (unless anything has changed in the last couple of weeks) that he still has a 10% stake in Manchester City and remains as an honorary president (although no longer a board member). Plus I think you'll find he and his wife only had tourist visas (according to what I have read anyway). Edited November 8, 2008 by inthepink

[WISteve]

While I applaud the UK for doing what is right and denying/canceling the visa for a convicted criminal, is this really a good development for Thailand? Either Cambodia or Myanmar are sure to welcome him with open arms, hoping he will invest in their little world. That puts him a short flight or drive away from Thailand at a moments notice. It only makes matters more complicated IMO. The scenarios are multiple where Mr T could be back in power without facing the music of the court convictions. A military coup, bombs exploding in the right places and let's not forget his brother-in-law is still the prime minister? He can have weekend or evening consultations in the casinos of Poi Pet now, and that can't be a good thing.

Not that I wish him upon England, but at least his children were there and he was some distance away in his own estate. This development could put him at Thailand's doorstep, just waiting for the right opportunity to make a grand entrance again.

I hope he chooses Cuba or some banana republic far, far away.

~WISteve

No ASEAN nation can take him ..... His Bro-in-law is likely to be banned from politics in the next 60 days for 5 years ... and he's the wrong guy to benefit from a coup.

And the generals in Myanmar have always been so responsive to ASEAN? They make up the rules as they go over there and Mr T was rather cozy with them shortly before the coup. A cover story of protecting a "victim" of political persecution would be all that is required.

I believe Koh Kong was ready to hand him the keys to the city not so long ago and isn't there a convicted former minister hiding in plain view in Cambodia now?

You're right that the force behind the coup probably wouldn't originate from the military but he still has many friends in the police force, having risen through their ranks. He could probably fly into Chiang Mai or Udon Thani tomorrow and no one would lay a hand on him. But that might be forcing the issue, and he would rather ride in the hero and rescuer rather than the conqueror.

Distance and time will eventually heal those wounds but I don't see this as a particularly positive thing for Thailand.

~WISteve