Pojaman Is Landing In Bangkok Tonight

[marshbags]

I have a dream.......................

She is being snared into a trap and will be dealt with according to law and her conviction for which she, along with her coherts was found guilty and given a 2 year jail sentence, will be enforced.

Otherwise all the respected institutions of Thailand may as well tear the rule book up.

After all that has unfolded in the last few months, the sponsor of all the unrest has to have his wings clipped, his voice via the the NBT channel silenced, and his evil self serving interests and motivations brought to an abrupt end.

Didn,t a similar scenario happen in the Phillipines some while back with another infamous family who thought they could dictate the will of countries citizens and retake control of it.. ??? BTW.........

Ditto Indonesia to add to this ??????

Hopefully this will see a similar conclusion.................................

marshbags

Edited December 6, 2008 by marshbags

[mc2]

I hope she can unite the various factions and help solve the countries problems.

That you think she has any interest in solving the country's problems shows how little you understand her and her family. She has come to solve problems, but only her own.

And that you think she can unite the people of Thailand... well really... you must be on a completely different planet.

Give her a chance, she hasn't played her cards after the divorce.

One of the implications of the divorce is that she does not agree with Thaksins fighting approach.

She is one of the few people with enough influence to make change.

[brahmburgers]

She is not an VIP. She hold not any official function or have any kind of diplomatic status who give her immunity, she do not represent any government, International or national institute or organization, she is a common citizen. Who she is? just an ordinary woman with a little bit more cash than somebody else and an ex wife of an convicted criminal who was once PM of the counttry,that's all. BTW she is convicted by court for Tax evasion, and skipped bail. I don't say the should send her straight to jail, but at least they could hold her in custody till she clear out some of her actions, and ask her about the present doings of her ex husband.

you're comments stem from a 'common sense' angle on things. There is no common sense in regard to Thai VIP affairs. She's essentially as untouchable as her ex-husband. There'll be some noise from some authorities and some newspaper editorials about doing what's right - but Ms Pojamin can cruise anywhere within Thailand at anytime, and won't be touched.

[NanLaew]

The daughter has paid me off to marry her and get her a visa to live in the UK and then bring in the rest of the family. It'll be nice living in Chelsea in my new big house.

dammit torrenova, i deleted that email she sent as malicious spam from Nigeria. Are there any other sisters?

[markg]

I am absolutely staggered. Really jaw droppingly amazed. I've only lived here 5 years and this is the most amazed i've been.

regardless of if there is an arrest warrant or not, the fact is that YET AGAIN she is doing things to benefit herself and her family.

She could turn out to be one of the most dangerous people of our lifetimes.

Never before have i seen such calculation and manipulation.

Do we really want her in a position of power. The woman is self-serving, first and foremost.

This country is turning into a laughing stock on the world stage. Now whilst that may be titilating for us foreigners who just doddle on by, the huge implications from foreign companies thinking about investment remain. Who in their right mind is going to consider investing in this place at the moment? It's a banana republic, with no rule of law.

Zimbabwe would be a better investment bet, at least it cant get much worse over there.

Seriously, in this time of credit crunch, building confidence in the market is the way forwards...................

HAAALLLLOOOOOO Thailand........................wake up. Smell the coffee. Have a look around the world media..............hello? hello? anyone there? Oh sod it, 'maaa gab ling' is on the TV...................

[VegasVic]

I have a dream.......................

She is being snared into a trap and will be dealt with according to law and her conviction for which she, along with her coherts was found guilty and given a 2 year jail sentence, will be enforced.

Otherwise all the respected institutions of Thailand may as well tear the rule book up.

After all that has unfolded in the last few months, the sponsor of all the unrest has to have his wings clipped, his voice via the the NBT channel silenced, and his evil self serving interests and motivations brought to an abrupt end.

Didn,t a similar scenario happen in the Phillipines some while back with another infamous family who thought they could dictate the will of countries citizens and retake control of it.. ??? BTW.........

Ditto Indonesia to add to this ??????

Hopefully this will see a similar conclusion.................................

marshbags

I have a dream, the PAD leadership will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law both in the civil and criminal courts in Thailand, and as a result their wealth will be wrestled from them and they will spend the rest of their lives locked in stocks in central BKK, and the rotten fruit and vegtables that can't be sold in the market will be sold to Thais and tourists alike at 1/2 price so that they can pelt these scumbags every day for the remainder of their natural lives. Now that is how you set an example for bad behavior

[Pikey]

Lyrics from "Civil War" by Guns N' Roses 1991. Pretty apt in the current circumstances but let's sincerely hope it doesn't go this way.

"What we've got here is failure to communicate.

Some men you just can't reach...

So, you get what we had here last week,

which is the way he wants it!

Well, he gets it!

N' I don't like it any more than you men." *

Look at your young men fighting

Look at your women crying

Look at your young men dying

The way they've always done before

Look at the hate we're breeding

Look at the fear we're feeding

Look at the lives we're leading

The way we've always done before

My hands are tied

The billions shift from side to side

And the wars go on with brainwashed pride

For the love of God and our human rights

And all these things are swept aside

By bloody hands time can't deny

And are washed away by your genocide

And history hides the lies of our civil wars

D'you wear a black armband

When they shot the man

Who said "Peace could last forever"

And in my first memories

They shot Kennedy

I went numb when I learned to see

So I never fell for Vietnam

We got the wall of D.C. to remind us all

That you can't trust freedom

When it's not in your hands

When everybody's fightin'

For their promised land

And

I don't need your civil war

It feeds the rich while it buries the poor

Your power hungry sellin' soldiers

In a human grocery store

Ain't that fresh

I don't need your civil war

Look at the shoes your filling

Look at the blood we're spilling

Look at the world we're killing

The way we've always done before

Look in the doubt we've wallowed

Look at the leaders we've followed

Look at the lies we've swallowed

And I don't want to hear no more

My hands are tied

For all I've seen has changed my mind

But still the wars go on as the years go by

With no love of God or human rights

'Cause all these dreams are swept aside

By bloody hands of the hypnotized

Who carry the cross of homicide

And history bears the scars of our civil wars

"We practice selective annihilation of mayors

And government officials

For example to create a vacuum

Then we fill that vacuum

As popular war advances

Peace is closer" **

I don't need your civil war

It feeds the rich while it buries the poor

Your power hungry sellin' soldiers

In a human grocery store

Ain't that fresh

And I don't need your civil war

I don't need your civil war

I don't need your civil war

Your power hungry sellin' soldiers

In a human grocery store

Ain't that fresh

I don't need your civil war

I don't need one more war

I don't need one more war

Whaz so civil 'bout war anyway

[NanLaew]

Immigration officials checked their documents onboard the plane and they immediately left on a car after the document clearance.

This I don't understand Khun Pojaman Shinawatra is a common citizen why they make and exemption for her. Whey she can't follow normal procedures like any other passenger.

You never flew first class being a VIP?

She is not an VIP. She hold not any official function or have any kind of diplomatic status who give her immunity, she do not represent any government, International or national institute or organization, she is a common citizen. Who she is? just an ordinary woman with a little bit more cash than somebody else and an ex wife of an convicted criminal who was once PM of the counttry,that's all. BTW she is convicted by court for Tax evasion, and skipped bail. I don't say the should send her straight to jail, but at least they could hold her in custody till she clear out some of her actions, and ask her about the present doings of her ex husband.

Work it out for yourself henry. This 'undesirable' person exercises a legal loophole to legitimately return to her homeland. If she gets processed through normal immigration channels and meets with the TRT group waiting landside (no doubt with a fair sized media team), then she gets free publicity and the poor illiterate northeasterners see their future leader on the telly over their evening fried rice and waterbugs while Sonthi and his ilk start popping blood vessels over their post prandial wine glasses and talk up their threat that they have been provoked and start some more yellow-shirted nonsense under the false premise of protecting king and country.

Now clearing her papers on the plane and having her whisked away discretely eliminates a whole lot of potential flashpoints. If you consider the way the airport police handled her arrival as nothing more than preferential VIP treatment, then a lot of what's been happening here the past few months must be totally lost on you.

Edited December 6, 2008 by NanLaew

[hammered]

I may be very wrong on this but I think I read a week or so ago that when her lawyers launched the appeal on the tax case that bail was granted. If right this opened the way for her to return.

Lets be blunt, she could have been kept out of the country by the powers that be (not the government). Why she is here nobody knows, but right now we are on one of those situations where things could break for civil war or break for a settlement. I would suspect that while of course PPP or whatever they are called these days will listen to Potjaman that there are also people on the other side she will be meeting. Dealing with her is subtley different from dealing with Thaksin.

How it all works out remains to be seen as does was allowing her to return, which all with power agreed on obviously. It may be something her husbands opponents live to regret or maybe not. At some point Thailand has to return to some sense of normality and that is only going to be achieved via a deal. A total defeat for Thaksin will rip the country apart and a total victory for him will rip the country apart. That leaves little choice unless one seriously want sot see mass bloddshed. It is just a matter of finding an acceptable level of give and take and in all honesty the time remaining to achieve this appears to be very limited.

[Xangsamhua]

I may be very wrong on this but I think I read a week or so ago that when her lawyers launched the appeal on the tax case that bail was granted. If right this opened the way for her to return.

Lets be blunt, she could have been kept out of the country by the powers that be (not the government). Why she is here nobody knows, but right now we are on one of those situations where things could break for civil war or break for a settlement. I would suspect that while of course PPP or whatever they are called these days will listen to Potjaman that there are also people on the other side she will be meeting. Dealing with her is subtley different from dealing with Thaksin.

How it all works out remains to be seen as does was allowing her to return, which all with power agreed on obviously. It may be something her husbands opponents live to regret or maybe not. At some point Thailand has to return to some sense of normality and that is only going to be achieved via a deal. A total defeat for Thaksin will rip the country apart and a total victory for him will rip the country apart. That leaves little choice unless one seriously want sot see mass bloddshed. It is just a matter of finding an acceptable level of give and take and in all honesty the time remaining to achieve this appears to be very limited.

Nice to see a balanced and realistic posting. Nice change from some of the high emotion we've been subjected to on TV forums lately.

[geriatrickid]

All these fanciful demands for the lady's immediate arrest and imprisonment do not seem to account for the one thing that matters most: The law. Now correct me if I am wrong;

1. The judgement was for tax evasion, with a 3 year incarceration penalty.

2. Bail was granted while the conviction was appealed. If an individual is not allowed to travel as per the bail conditions, then the passport is must be surrendered. If a person refuses to surrender a passport, it is cancelled and this is logged. If the passport had been cancelled, then a person of this notoriety would have had a difficult time getting into the nations that she had visited, because the immigration authorities would have checked for a valid passport. It seems then, that the passport was not cancelled and that she was traveling on a valid passport.

3. If people are questioning the validity of the bail conditions, then the validity of the conviction must be questioned as well since it was the same court that adjudicated the case as set the bail conditions. When Judge Pramote Pipatpramote gave his ruling he he ripped into the Shinawatras, which would suggest that he was not impressed by their conduct. As such, I don't think he would have then been overly generous when he set the bail conditions.

4. During her absence, the bail was not revoked. This indicates that she had not violated any of her bail conditions. If bail was revoked, please show me the decision.

5. This is a tax evasion case, not a violent crime. Tax evasion offenders are not carted off to jail during the appeal process. It is highly unusual that a defendant in a non violent crime would be incarcerated during the appeal process. I find it odd that people are claiming that the law has been bent in her favour and/or the police have failed by not immediately arresting and incarcerating her. Can any of these same people provide me examples of Thai tax evasion cases where the situation is different, or examples from their homelands where defendants in tax evasion cases under appeal that have met bail conditions are sent directly to jail?

What are the grounds for her immediate incarceration if she has returned to Thailand and the conviction is under appeal? Cite the law where it says she must be sent to jail? I think those demanding this action are unable to provide the law and jurisprudence that would support such an action.

People were demanding that she return to face the courts. Well she has, so deal with what you wished for. Personally, I wish she would have stayed away as her return will only lead to bigger problems.

[Samuian]

....edited..Why she is here nobody knows, but right now we are on one of those situations where things could break for civil war or break for a settlement. ...........edited...... A total defeat for Thaksin will rip the country apart and a total victory for him will rip the country apart. That leaves little choice unless one seriously want sot see mass bloddshed. It is just a matter of finding an acceptable level of give and take and in all honesty the time remaining to achieve this appears to be very limited.

No settlement, making sure the next and chosen proxy will be in place, I would be really surprised if there is no aftermath, she is here again, testing grounds as we had it before, my guess is Replay, Vers. 3.0 - or "All or Nothing"... who cares if there is a month long deadlock, blood spilled... we had it all before...

If she get's it her way, terrible times are ahead!

Is my guess...then who knows?

[Samuian]

All these fanciful demands for the lady's immediate arrest and imprisonment do not seem to account for the one thing that matters most: The law. Now correct me if I am wrong;

1. The judgement was for tax evasion, with a 3 year incarceration penalty.

2. Bail was granted while the conviction was appealed. If an individual is not allowed to travel as per the bail conditions, then the passport is must be surrendered. If a person refuses to surrender a passport, it is cancelled and this is logged. If the passport had been cancelled, then a person of this notoriety would have had a difficult time getting into the nations that she had visited, because the immigration authorities would have checked for a valid passport. It seems then, that the passport was not cancelled and that she was traveling on a valid passport.

3. If people are questioning the validity of the bail conditions, then the validity of the conviction must be questioned as well since it was the same court that adjudicated the case as set the bail conditions. When Judge Pramote Pipatpramote gave his ruling he he ripped into the Shinawatras, which would suggest that he was not impressed by their conduct. As such, I don't think he would have then been overly generous when he set the bail conditions.

4. During her absence, the bail was not revoked. This indicates that she had not violated any of her bail conditions. If bail was revoked, please show me the decision.

5. This is a tax evasion case, not a violent crime. Tax evasion offenders are not carted off to jail during the appeal process. It is highly unusual that a defendant in a non violent crime would be incarcerated during the appeal process. I find it odd that people are claiming that the law has been bent in her favour and/or the police have failed by not immediately arresting and incarcerating her. Can any of these same people provide me examples of Thai tax evasion cases where the situation is different, or examples from their homelands where defendants in tax evasion cases under appeal that have met bail conditions are sent directly to jail?

What are the grounds for her immediate incarceration if she has returned to Thailand and the conviction is under appeal? Cite the law where it says she must be sent to jail? I think those demanding this action are unable to provide the law and jurisprudence that would support such an action.

People were demanding that she return to face the courts. Well she has, so deal with what you wished for. Personally, I wish she would have stayed away as her return will only lead to bigger problems.

Thought she was 'found innocent" only regarding her involvement the rajadapisek case and the arrest warrant revoked?

I still wonder....

[JacknDanny]

If the police refuses to serve arrest warrants and lets her off scott-free I'd expect PAD to make really loud noises over this when it blows out in the open.

There will be a lot of pressure to exlain it away during the weekend, and if it doesn't go away and police refuses to do their jobs, and Pojamarn gets involved in Phua Thai politics - it will be a complete breakdown of law and order and people would have all the rights to seize the govt house or the airports or whatever. In fact if the govt (which controls the police) works against the justice system, the military is also justified to take over.

The questions is - will Pojamarn be able to escape the wrath of people? Will she try? Will her backers try to fool the PAD? Do they have any control over it? Logistically a new protest will be very difficult to organise, but there are also many people who were not part of the govt seige but will join a fight with Pojamarn. One massive demo would send a chilling message to whoever is plotting this, they don't need a sit in for a moment.

"PAD making really large noises".Ooer missus, that's got us shaking in our boots.

Khunying Pojamarn was convicted in a court of law and needs to arrange bail, and then deal correctly with the charges against her.

But let's get this into context.The charges against her are trivial compared with the crimes committed by the PAD leadership and its band of fascist thugs.You talk about the "wrath of the people" but without the slightest evidence that those sharing your views are other than a small and dwindling minority.I have no idea whether Khunying "Evita" Pojamarn has plans to get involved in politics or whether there are any impediments, once having sorted out her legal status, preventing her from doing so.Of course she must work within the justice system, compromised as it is.

The recent crimes of PAD and the national dishonour brought on by its fascist tactics should have taught its non-toxic supporters a lesson.Like the restored Bourbon dynasty in France after Napoleon you appear to have learnt nothing and forgotten nothing given the facile and ignorant way you invoke more criminal attacks on the nation's infrastructure.In another historical analogy your attitude reminds me of Japanese High Command after Pearl Harbour, namely "we have the measure of these stupid and ignorant Americans after this knock out blow.What can possibly stop us now?".Four years later they found out.

Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.

YH

I was just wondering if it were possible to put your side of the argument without flaming another member and calling them ignorant etc,etc. You have been continually doing ths for years and it really is rather tedious.

It really would help your credibility if you were able to put your point of view in a concise and humble way, instead of resorting to this childish manner.

Just a bit of friendly advice.

Edited December 6, 2008 by JacknDanny

[old wanderer]

All these fanciful demands for the lady's immediate arrest and imprisonment do not seem to account for the one thing that matters most: The law. Now correct me if I am wrong;

1. The judgement was for tax evasion, with a 3 year incarceration penalty.

2. Bail was granted while the conviction was appealed. If an individual is not allowed to travel as per the bail conditions, then the passport is must be surrendered. If a person refuses to surrender a passport, it is cancelled and this is logged. If the passport had been cancelled, then a person of this notoriety would have had a difficult time getting into the nations that she had visited, because the immigration authorities would have checked for a valid passport. It seems then, that the passport was not cancelled and that she was traveling on a valid passport.

3. If people are questioning the validity of the bail conditions, then the validity of the conviction must be questioned as well since it was the same court that adjudicated the case as set the bail conditions. When Judge Pramote Pipatpramote gave his ruling he he ripped into the Shinawatras, which would suggest that he was not impressed by their conduct. As such, I don't think he would have then been overly generous when he set the bail conditions.

4. During her absence, the bail was not revoked. This indicates that she had not violated any of her bail conditions. If bail was revoked, please show me the decision.

5. This is a tax evasion case, not a violent crime. Tax evasion offenders are not carted off to jail during the appeal process. It is highly unusual that a defendant in a non violent crime would be incarcerated during the appeal process. I find it odd that people are claiming that the law has been bent in her favour and/or the police have failed by not immediately arresting and incarcerating her. Can any of these same people provide me examples of Thai tax evasion cases where the situation is different, or examples from their homelands where defendants in tax evasion cases under appeal that have met bail conditions are sent directly to jail?

What are the grounds for her immediate incarceration if she has returned to Thailand and the conviction is under appeal? Cite the law where it says she must be sent to jail? I think those demanding this action are unable to provide the law and jurisprudence that would support such an action.

People were demanding that she return to face the courts. Well she has, so deal with what you wished for. Personally, I wish she would have stayed away as her return will only lead to bigger problems.

Yes there is a lot of confusion....

In Thailand when you appear before the court to hear the charges, you are granted bail most of the time.

The arrest warrant I had mentioned earlier was the 500,000b she had to post for the land case...both did not appear for the final hearing and an arrest warrant was issued. Ultimately Thaskin was found guilty after giving an extra 30 days. She was found not guilty, hence the arrest warrant went away.

In her tax evasion case the time for appeal (usually 30 days was somehow extended to Nov 18), and this coincided with her divorce, so she filed an appeal on the very last day possible. Thaskin did not appeal his conviction so is SOL.

Now there was so much publicity about how poor Pojaman did not want her husband to return to politics, yet watch her actions as she tries to gain control of the new majority party....if ever there was a Black Widow...she is one.

[Jamesjimmy]

All these fanciful demands for the lady's immediate arrest and imprisonment do not seem to account for the one thing that matters most: The law. Now correct me if I am wrong;

1. The judgement was for tax evasion, with a 3 year incarceration penalty.

2. Bail was granted while the conviction was appealed. If an individual is not allowed to travel as per the bail conditions, then the passport is must be surrendered. If a person refuses to surrender a passport, it is cancelled and this is logged. If the passport had been cancelled, then a person of this notoriety would have had a difficult time getting into the nations that she had visited, because the immigration authorities would have checked for a valid passport. It seems then, that the passport was not cancelled and that she was traveling on a valid passport.

3. If people are questioning the validity of the bail conditions, then the validity of the conviction must be questioned as well since it was the same court that adjudicated the case as set the bail conditions. When Judge Pramote Pipatpramote gave his ruling he he ripped into the Shinawatras, which would suggest that he was not impressed by their conduct. As such, I don't think he would have then been overly generous when he set the bail conditions.

4. During her absence, the bail was not revoked. This indicates that she had not violated any of her bail conditions. If bail was revoked, please show me the decision.

5. This is a tax evasion case, not a violent crime. Tax evasion offenders are not carted off to jail during the appeal process. It is highly unusual that a defendant in a non violent crime would be incarcerated during the appeal process. I find it odd that people are claiming that the law has been bent in her favour and/or the police have failed by not immediately arresting and incarcerating her. Can any of these same people provide me examples of Thai tax evasion cases where the situation is different, or examples from their homelands where defendants in tax evasion cases under appeal that have met bail conditions are sent directly to jail?

What are the grounds for her immediate incarceration if she has returned to Thailand and the conviction is under appeal? Cite the law where it says she must be sent to jail? I think those demanding this action are unable to provide the law and jurisprudence that would support such an action.

People were demanding that she return to face the courts. Well she has, so deal with what you wished for. Personally, I wish she would have stayed away as her return will only lead to bigger problems.

Well said!!!! I agree,,,

[Seneque]

I may be very wrong on this but I think I read a week or so ago that when her lawyers launched the appeal on the tax case that bail was granted. If right this opened the way for her to return.

Lets be blunt, she could have been kept out of the country by the powers that be (not the government). Why she is here nobody knows, but right now we are on one of those situations where things could break for civil war or break for a settlement. I would suspect that while of course PPP or whatever they are called these days will listen to Potjaman that there are also people on the other side she will be meeting. Dealing with her is subtley different from dealing with Thaksin.

How it all works out remains to be seen as does was allowing her to return, which all with power agreed on obviously. It may be something her husbands opponents live to regret or maybe not. At some point Thailand has to return to some sense of normality and that is only going to be achieved via a deal. A total defeat for Thaksin will rip the country apart and a total victory for him will rip the country apart. That leaves little choice unless one seriously want sot see mass bloddshed. It is just a matter of finding an acceptable level of give and take and in all honesty the time remaining to achieve this appears to be very limited.

Nice to see a balanced and realistic posting. Nice change from some of the high emotion we've been subjected to on TV forums lately.

I basically regard Thailand as the land of (not always easy to read) compromise ... is it the start of something ?... the timimg could not be better.

[george]

Ousted PM Thaksin's ex-wife returns to Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Khunying Potjaman Damapong, former wife of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra returned to Bangkok on Friday after she jumped bail on a tax evasion court case and fled to London four months ago.

Khunying Potjaman arrived at Suvarnabhumi international airport at 10.30 pm on a Thai Airways International (THAI) flight from Hong Kong as a group of government supporters (members of the "red shirt" group) waited at the airport to welcome her.

Former Deputy Interior Minister Sermsak Pongpanit, former Deputy Commerce Minister Songkram Kitlertpairote and Preecha Prasobdee, a member of now dissolved People Power Party waiting to welcome her home.

TheThai flight from Hong Kong, a car had pick her up and leave the airport immediately.

Mr. Songkran said that Khunying Potjaman returned to Bangkok alone, without her son or two daughters.

Khunying Potjaman Shinawatra, 51, found guilty of tax evasion on July 31 and sentenced to three years imprisonment, was released on Bt 5 million bail. She and her then husband did not return to hear the charges handed down, but instead jumped bail and fled to London where Mr. Thaksin owns a home.

The former premier divorced Khunying Potjaman in Hong Kong last month, ending their 32-year marriage.

-- TNA 2008-12-06

[sabaijai]

Potjaman back: Peua Thai in Trouble

The former wife of convicted ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra returned unexpectedly to Thailand on Friday night in a move linked to concerns about the formation of a new government as the momentum shifts in favour of the opposition Democrat party.

She was registered as Potjaman Damapong and arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport from Hong Kong on Thai Airways International flight TG607 at 10.30pm. She was immediately whisked away by the chief of the Immigration Bureau, Pol Lt-Gen Chatchawan Suksomchit, to avoid the media.

About 30 members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship in red shirts and supporters of the disbanded People Power party (PPP) were seen at the airport waiting to greet her.

Acting Deputy Commerce Minister Songkram Kitlertpairoj confirmed Khunying Potjaman's return but refused to say where she would go from the airport.

Khunying Potjaman divorced Thaksin in Hong Kong on Nov 14 in what many believe was for political or business reasons. She no longer faces arrest.

Khunying Potjaman has to fight a tax evasion conviction in the Appeals Court. On Nov 21, her lawyer filed an appeal after the Criminal Court on July 31 found her, her step-brother Bannapot Damapong and her secretary Karnchanapa Honghern guilty of conspiring to evade tax in the transfer of 4.5 million shares in Shinawatra Computer and Communications, now Shin Corp, worth 738 million baht.

The court ruled the transaction did not take place in the stock market and was faked to avoid tax. The court ruled they intentionally avoided paying 546 million baht in tax for the shares transfer.

The Supreme Court on Oct 21 sentenced Thaksin to two years in jail for abuse of authority in the Ratchadaphisek land case, but acquitted Khunying Potjaman who purchased the plot.

Political sources said the real motive behind her return were the problems in forming a new administration, as a key faction led by Newin Chidchob appeared not to support a new prime minister backed by Thaksin and Puea Thai, the new party he supports.

The opposition Democrat party could lead the new coalition government if it is backed by rebel groups once loyal to Thaksin.

Democrat chief adviser and former prime minister Chuan Leekpai said Friday that some ex-PPP MPs with whom he was acquainted wanted to switch their support to the Democrats.

But he ruled out any possibility of him being prime minister in the next government. His party adhered to its rule that gave the prime minister's seat to its leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva, he said.

Any chance of the Democrat party leading the next government would depend on support from other political parties, Mr Chuan said.

Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban has reportedly secured 243 House votes to support the Democrats forming the core of the next government. The figure is made up of 166 Democrats, 25 MPs from the PPP's Friends of Newin group, 10 from the PPP's Sora-at Klinprathum faction, 10 from Matchimathipataya, 23 from Puea Pandin and nine from Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana.

In the meantime Puea Thai, the new home for MPs from the PPP, Chart Thai and Pracharaj parties will have only 203 votes.

The Democrats say they will not change the portfolios of its potential coalition partners if they are satisfied with their cabinet seats in the PPP-led government, according to the sources.

The Newin group, Puea Pandin and other parties want to see an end to the political crisis, they added.

But Pracharaj leader Sanoh Thienthong said coalition parties in the PPP-led government would not support a candidate from the PPP or the Democrats as premier.

A government comprising either rival parties would not end the nation's problems, so an MP from among the five former coalition partners should become the next prime minister, Mr Sanoh said. He claimed many MPs from the disbanded PPP supported that position.

Mr Sanoh declined to comment on a report that Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana leader Gen Chettha Thanajaro and he were candidates for prime minister.

Representatives of the former coalition parties had only discussed their cooperation in the upcoming constituency by-election, Mr Sanoh said.

Chuwit Pitakpornpanlop, an Ubon Ratchathani MP from the Friends of Newin group, said MPs in the faction would oppose a prime ministerial candidate from Puea Thai for fear of renewed disorder.

Puea Thai is expected to meet tomorrow to select its new executive board and leader. The party leader should be Yingluck Shinawatra who will be appointed to retain her elder brother Thaksin's influence over the party.

Pracha Prasopdee, a Samut Prakan MP from the disbanded PPP, said if an agreeable government could not be achieved, he would propose a House dissolution.

-Bangkok Post

[Kerryd]

Thought she was 'found innocent" only regarding her involvement the rajadapisek case and the arrest warrant revoked?

I still wonder....

In the land case, I believe she was found innocent because she was not a public office holder, but her husband was and he was found guilty.

That was a separate case from the tax evasion one. She was found guilty (along with some others), was on bail while awaiting the appeal of her conviction, left the country to go to the Olympics and never returned.

I thought that her and Thaksin's bails were revoked when they fled to the UK ? I'm sure I read that they had forfeited the bail or something along those lines.

Lot of shady, back-room dealings going on methinks.

[george]

Pojaman returns to visit ailing mother: Thaksin's spokesman

BANGKOK: -- Khunying Pojaman Damapong, former Thailand's first lady, returned to the country to visit her sick mother, a personal spokesman of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Saturday.

Pongthep Thepkanchana said Pojaman's return had nothing to do with politics.

He said she came back to Thailand to visit Pojanee Damapong, her mother, who fell sick.

-- The Nation 2008-12-06

[younghusband]

If the police refuses to serve arrest warrants and lets her off scott-free I'd expect PAD to make really loud noises over this when it blows out in the open.

There will be a lot of pressure to exlain it away during the weekend, and if it doesn't go away and police refuses to do their jobs, and Pojamarn gets involved in Phua Thai politics - it will be a complete breakdown of law and order and people would have all the rights to seize the govt house or the airports or whatever. In fact if the govt (which controls the police) works against the justice system, the military is also justified to take over.

The questions is - will Pojamarn be able to escape the wrath of people? Will she try? Will her backers try to fool the PAD? Do they have any control over it? Logistically a new protest will be very difficult to organise, but there are also many people who were not part of the govt seige but will join a fight with Pojamarn. One massive demo would send a chilling message to whoever is plotting this, they don't need a sit in for a moment.

"PAD making really large noises".Ooer missus, that's got us shaking in our boots.

Khunying Pojamarn was convicted in a court of law and needs to arrange bail, and then deal correctly with the charges against her.

But let's get this into context.The charges against her are trivial compared with the crimes committed by the PAD leadership and its band of fascist thugs.You talk about the "wrath of the people" but without the slightest evidence that those sharing your views are other than a small and dwindling minority.I have no idea whether Khunying "Evita" Pojamarn has plans to get involved in politics or whether there are any impediments, once having sorted out her legal status, preventing her from doing so.Of course she must work within the justice system, compromised as it is.

The recent crimes of PAD and the national dishonour brought on by its fascist tactics should have taught its non-toxic supporters a lesson.Like the restored Bourbon dynasty in France after Napoleon you appear to have learnt nothing and forgotten nothing given the facile and ignorant way you invoke more criminal attacks on the nation's infrastructure.In another historical analogy your attitude reminds me of Japanese High Command after Pearl Harbour, namely "we have the measure of these stupid and ignorant Americans after this knock out blow.What can possibly stop us now?".Four years later they found out.

Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.

YH

I was just wondering if it were possible to put your side of the argument without flaming another member and calling them ignorant etc,etc. You have been continually doing ths for years and it really is rather tedious.

It really would help your credibility if you were able to put your point of view in a concise and humble way, instead of resorting to this childish manner.

Just a bit of friendly advice.

Genuinely puzzled because I can't see anything in my post that could be construed as a flame (unless you fall into the school of thought -one notable member - that any forcefully expressed disagreement is a flame)

Hammered, you are as civilised and reasonable as always.However the trouble is that PAD has always pushed things to the limit, and then a little bit further.Compromise isn't in their vocabulary.Whether Pojoman's return hasn't been informally given the green light from upstairs is another matter.It's possible and is consistent with my theory that once PAD has served its purpose it will be put down like a rabid dog.However my instinct is that the great game has a little further to run.

[onlooker]

Lyrics from "Civil War" by Guns N' Roses 1991. Pretty apt in the current circumstances but let's sincerely hope it doesn't go this way.

"What we've got here is failure to communicate.

Some men you just can't reach...

So, you get what we had here last week,

which is the way he wants it!

Well, he gets it!

N' I don't like it any more than you men." *

Look at your young men fighting

Look at your women crying

Look at your young men dying

The way they've always done before

Look at the hate we're breeding

Look at the fear we're feeding

Look at the lives we're leading

The way we've always done before

My hands are tied

The billions shift from side to side

And the wars go on with brainwashed pride

For the love of God and our human rights

And all these things are swept aside

By bloody hands time can't deny

And are washed away by your genocide

And history hides the lies of our civil wars

D'you wear a black armband

When they shot the man

Who said "Peace could last forever"

And in my first memories

They shot Kennedy

I went numb when I learned to see

So I never fell for Vietnam

We got the wall of D.C. to remind us all

That you can't trust freedom

When it's not in your hands

When everybody's fightin'

For their promised land

And

I don't need your civil war

It feeds the rich while it buries the poor

Your power hungry sellin' soldiers

In a human grocery store

Ain't that fresh

I don't need your civil war

Look at the shoes your filling

Look at the blood we're spilling

Look at the world we're killing

The way we've always done before

Look in the doubt we've wallowed

Look at the leaders we've followed

Look at the lies we've swallowed

And I don't want to hear no more

My hands are tied

For all I've seen has changed my mind

But still the wars go on as the years go by

With no love of God or human rights

'Cause all these dreams are swept aside

By bloody hands of the hypnotized

Who carry the cross of homicide

And history bears the scars of our civil wars

"We practice selective annihilation of mayors

And government officials

For example to create a vacuum

Then we fill that vacuum

As popular war advances

Peace is closer" **

I don't need your civil war

It feeds the rich while it buries the poor

Your power hungry sellin' soldiers

In a human grocery store

Ain't that fresh

And I don't need your civil war

I don't need your civil war

I don't need your civil war

Your power hungry sellin' soldiers

In a human grocery store

Ain't that fresh

I don't need your civil war

I don't need one more war

I don't need one more war

Whaz so civil 'bout war anyway

That's Deep. Should be required singing for all school kids.

[Plus]

The police or the courts owe the country an explanation.

I, personally, don't remember exactly what happened with her tax evasion bail. She applied for the permission to leave the country for Olympics, but that was in relation to the land deal case.

What exactly are the conditions of her tax evasion bail? If she broke them by not returning by a specified date, they should revoke the bail and she should apply again, all possible and legal, but should be done on Monday.

BP doesn't say where she was taken to, everyone wants to keep it hush hush.

There are many pieces missing - why she needed the divorce, why return now and not right after the non-guilty verdict in the land deal, and, of course, the bail conditions.

>>>

The deal with Pojamarn is possible and will be acceptable, but only if she doesn't mess with politics and the asset case proceeds as planned, with the first hearing scheduled on Dec 25. She is not the defendant in that one, I believe, and she also holds enourmous land properties in her name, I wonder how they would divide those.

[digitele]

-Welcomed by the head of Immigration.

-On December 5th.

The PAD went too far and trapped themselves. In this conflict they are losing. Period.

Closing the airport again would finish them off (and the entire country) quickly.

PAD played checkers in a chess game. In the past this group could do ANYTHING and get away with it.

Let the games really begin, because we haven't seen anything yet.

[jdinasia]

The police or the courts owe the country an explanation.

I, personally, don't remember exactly what happened with her tax evasion bail. She applied for the permission to leave the country for Olympics, but that was in relation to the land deal case.

What exactly are the conditions of her tax evasion bail? If she broke them by not returning by a specified date, they should revoke the bail and she should apply again, all possible and legal, but should be done on Monday.

BP doesn't say where she was taken to, everyone wants to keep it hush hush.

There are many pieces missing - why she needed the divorce, why return now and not right after the non-guilty verdict in the land deal, and, of course, the bail conditions.

>>>

The deal with Pojamarn is possible and will be acceptable, but only if she doesn't mess with politics and the asset case proceeds as planned, with the first hearing scheduled on Dec 25. She is not the defendant in that one, I believe, and she also holds enourmous land properties in her name, I wonder how they would divide those.

I seem to remember the warrant for her being cancelled when she was not found guilty in the Rachada land case. (Granted, back home, jumping bail would have been a new charge, but here it only is if a charge is filed separately I think)

[chowder]

how hilarious, let the lady come back, the first thing she does was to involve in the PTP, amazing back to square one

[old wanderer]

Here is a little excerpt from the 1st page of the Divorce announcment:

The National Anti-Corruption Commission revealed last year that Thaksin officially declared assets worth 614.39 million baht when he took office, while Khunying Potjaman had 8.48 billion baht.

So does the chunky little black widow hold most of the cards....and is this not about the 76,000,000,000b that is still frozen by the courts, being community property, she intends to reclaim at least 50% if not all of it.

Of course the fact that another Shinawatra is about to take over the leading political party is of no concern to anyone?

Puea Thai is expected to meet tomorrow to select its new executive board and leader. The party leader should be Yingluck Shinawatra who will be appointed to retain her elder brother Thaksin's influence over the party

If anybody remebers, the PPP was unable to elect Somchai (Thaskins brother-in-law) to be PM until Thaskin's sister showed up the 2nd day carrying a large bag over her shoulder, went into private meeting with various MP's left with an empty bag, and withing the hour Somchai was PM

Word on the street is this time the PM have upped the anti to 40,000,000b ea.

Dec 15 should be interesting, and more so Dec 25th.

[midas]

The so called justice system in this place is a joke

If a farang walks around without a passport he/ she stands the risk of being put

in the monkey house and yet these convicted people can waltz in and out of Thailand

as they wish. The court sentenced her so why is she still at large and able to

arrive back in celebrity style. Thailand will never sort itself out because

it has the wrong values..........

[h90]

Here is a little excerpt from the 1st page of the Divorce announcment:

The National Anti-Corruption Commission revealed last year that Thaksin officially declared assets worth 614.39 million baht when he took office, while Khunying Potjaman had 8.48 billion baht.

So does the chunky little black widow hold most of the cards....and is this not about the 76,000,000,000b that is still frozen by the courts, being community property, she intends to reclaim at least 50% if not all of it.

Of course the fact that another Shinawatra is about to take over the leading political party is of no concern to anyone?

Puea Thai is expected to meet tomorrow to select its new executive board and leader. The party leader should be Yingluck Shinawatra who will be appointed to retain her elder brother Thaksin's influence over the party

If anybody remebers, the PPP was unable to elect Somchai (Thaskins brother-in-law) to be PM until Thaskin's sister showed up the 2nd day carrying a large bag over her shoulder, went into private meeting with various MP's left with an empty bag, and withing the hour Somchai was PM

Word on the street is this time the PM have upped the anti to 40,000,000b ea.

Dec 15 should be interesting, and more so Dec 25th.

I got that 40 MBaht rumor just for the Newin people. The others might be cheaper.

say at the end 20 Million per MP.....what an amount!!!!!!

A Shinawatra as PM would be the guarantee to get PAD on the streets again and the support will further increase.