Pojaman Is Landing In Bangkok Tonight

[Samuian]

I read the first couple of pages re shocked at why she wasn't arrested on her return.

the arrest warrant was dropped on the last verdict on the case

Not too many Machiavellian minds out there are there? She has hardly returned to get arrested, she probably isn't going to risk just coming to rouse the troops either, hopefully she is here to finally cut a deal that all factions can live with. Then we can all relax for a while at least.

that is where my doubts start raising... like the morning sun!

Hopefully yes, but way too much on the clip board!

[marshbags]

The following was posted on the same day the article was written and clearly states the three of them have in fact been released on bail pending the completed appeal on 21-11-2008 which i highlighted at the time.

Quote

Pojaman appeals tax-evasion verdict

By Kesinee Taengkio

The Nation

Published on November 22, 2008

A defence team yesterday completed the filing of an appeal seeking to overturn the guilty verdict for tax evasion involving Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra, ex-wife of former prime minister Thaksin.

The appellate writ is 130-pages long, containing 10 factual and legal issues disputing the conviction and sentencing of pojaman, her brother Bhanapot Damapong, and her private secretary, Kanchanapa Honghern.

The Criminal Court in July convicted the three for Bt546 million in tax evasion, relating to a share transaction between pojaman and Bhanapot which was illegally declared as a family gift to avoid paying income tax.

pojaman and Bhanapot have each been sentenced to serve a combined jail term of three years, two for tax evasion and one for making false statements to violate the excise code. Kanchanapa has received a jail term of two years for being an accessory to evade tax. The three have been released on bail pending appeal.

The appellate writ was lodged at the lower court within the November 18 deadline and formally acknowledged by the Court of Appeals yesterday, paving the way for the commencement of the appellate review.

Unquote

3 years in her and Bhanapot cases and 2 years in the case of Kanchanapa, in an earlier post it would appear i was giving them all 2 years instead of the latter.

The fact that she went on the run with her partner ( EX ) surely puts her at risk of doing a similar thing should the appeal fail and at the very least her passport / s should have already been confiscated as a precautionary measure.

Anyone of a lesser considered class would surely have been arrested pending a court appearance to post additional bonds / bail conditions IMHO.

Irrespective of the Nov. 21st ruling and under the risk circumstances now applicable in this case.

marshbags

Edited December 6, 2008 by marshbags

[kxfield]

Red Rag to a Yellow Bull?

I am just an observer of the current political strife in Thailand.

If Thaksin's main concern is getting his "just and deserved" or "ill-gotten gains" back, depending on your viewpoint, is it in his best interests to have another close linked family member, as a proxy, elected as P.M.?

Surely that would provoke another massive round of protests with the probability of major civil (perhaps major violent civil) strife, between the extremes of the current conflict?

I would suggest it is not in his best interests, because that would surely force the so called "elite" and in turn Anupong, whatever his current misgivings about a coup, to take action.

That is provided Anupong, is confident he can control the total army as one homogenous body, and that there are no potential renegade divisions based in Thaksins' strongholds who would rebel and split the army.

Another successful coup, would no doubt satisfy the "yellow" side and without any division in the army they would surely be able to subdue the "red" elements, although as in the case of many other apparent "victories", that could usher in a new area of terrorism in the northern and eastern territories.

That scenario would surely then put paid to Thaksin getting his money back in the short to medium term.

However, perhaps the election of a less obvious "red Rag" to the yellow bull, would enable his supporters to bide their time, during what is going to be a very unpopular time for many worldwide governments, with severe economic and unemployment problems, no more so than Thailand.

Perhaps at a time in the not too distant future, a general election could possibly see the Thaksin camp with a Thaksin family leader carry all before them and receive an overwhelming mandate, allowing him a far greater opportunity to operate and recover his position. In fact were he to serve his time he would be in an even stronger position.

I am sure they can find a candidate, who would be malleable enough, given the right incentives, to look after the family interests for the short term, whose election would ensure that the PAD would not have any excuses in the eyes of the majority to revert their previous strategies, while slowly and quietly they could strengthen their position, by placing their people in the best position to ensure their return to a position with formidable power.

[DP25]

I am a Thaskin fan, I admit it. I like his spirit to keep fighting

I hear Hitler was a wonderful dancer.

[DP25]

If Thaksin's main concern is getting his "just and deserved" or "ill-gotten gains" back

I'm not sure getting the money back is the only concern. There is vengeance to think about as well.

[kxfield]

I'm not sure getting the money back is the only concern. There is vengeance to think about as well.

Not sure of the exact quote but is it "vengeance is a dish best served cold"

[NanLaew]

When was the last time anyone can remember the head of Immigration meeting anyone on an airplane and processing them into a country? In any country, anyplace?

It happened to me in 2000 when I flew to Guinea for some consultations with the office of the President. I didn't have time to get a visa before I left the US, so I was met onboard the plane upon arrival by the Immigration chief and filled in some forms and gave them the letter of invitation I had received by email from the Presidents office. Then I was taken to the VIP lounge and waited while they stamped my passport.

Your point sir?

Edited December 6, 2008 by NanLaew

[siam4ever]

Looks like she's worked some voodoo majic with the Demo party! Probably a good move for everyone.

[jackspratt]

Here are some thoughts from the editor of The Nation he posted in his blog:

In fact, I have never seen her speak anything in public. But she is known to be very effective when it comes to backdoor arrangements.

Very intersting

I often wondered what kept them together for 32 wonderful years

[NanLaew]

When was the last time anyone can remember the head of Immigration meeting anyone on an airplane and processing them into a country? In any country, anyplace?

And when did I hear the last time that the immigration was made in the airplane during the flight?

On my return trip to Guinea after a short trip to Paris for consultations with clients on behalf of the office of the President. Since they had only given me a single entry visa on my first entry. I called the Immigration chief before I departed Paris, he faxed Air France at CDG to accept full responsibility and the visa was re-processed while I flew to Conakry.

Oh yes, that second time they had the limo at the bottom of the steps and I never saw the VIP lounge or airport immigration people.

Is it so difficult to accept that there's immigration rules for Joe Public and there's immigration rules for VIP's?

[h90]

I am a Thaskin fan, I admit it. I like his spirit to keep fighting

I hear Hitler was a wonderful dancer.

As well he was a dog lover and vegetarian and didn't drink alcohol.

[brahmburgers]

When I first heard Pojaman was flying to Thailand, I thought it was a power play - to see whether she could get put in a top political power position - possibly the PM seat herself. Doubtless she'll be doing a lot of 'behind the scene' counseling in order to get yet another PM that's favorable to her family.

However, I believe her main reason for returning is to scoop up as much assets and cash as she can - and get the heck back out of Thailand.

BTW, if she and her family members were all let off on bail - and they all skipped bail, then they lose those assets/cash collateral. Am curious the amount of bail. As this is Thailand, methinks the bail amount was quite low - relative to their wealth - perhaps in the tens of thousands of baht.

[BigSnake]

Yep She is Back, will MR Thaskin follow soon?? anybody's guess. Hope Mr Samak return as soon as he is well enough to travel and let the party begin

[basjke]

When I first heard Pojaman was flying to Thailand, I thought it was a power play - to see whether she could get put in a top political power position - possibly the PM seat herself. Doubtless she'll be doing a lot of 'behind the scene' counseling in order to get yet another PM that's favorable to her family.

However, I believe her main reason for returning is to scoop up as much assets and cash as she can - and get the heck back out of Thailand.

BTW, if she and her family members were all let off on bail - and they all skipped bail, then they lose those assets/cash collateral. Am curious the amount of bail. As this is Thailand, methinks the bail amount was quite low - relative to their wealth - perhaps in the tens of thousands of baht.

I thought I read somewhere at that time that the confiscated bail was 13 million baht for her and her husband.

[henryalleman]

She was married to a former Prime Minister and is entitled to special treatment and a security detail because of it - at least she should be.

When the King of Belgium visited India 2 weeks a go, he was accompanied by the minister of Foreign affaires who brought his wife with him. Well his wife had to pay the trip by herself, she does not have an diplomatis pasport. and why should she?

In my country and many European countries, its not uncommon that you see an ex minister is taking the buss, tram or train again like everybody else after hes out of government.

Last week on my back was an ex PM and his wife waiting in line on the till of my local supermarket.

This is also democracy.

[henryalleman]

She is not an VIP.

All ex-first lady gets this kind of threatment. Even the wife of Suchinda.

Stupid me, I forgot THIS IS THAILAND. In in many country they not even know the face of the wife of the PM.

And again stupid me I thought only the wife of the American president had the title first lady. I thought in Thailand only the queen could be the first lady of the country.

[dseawarrior]

Chatchawal said immigration police had no arrest warrant against Pojaman so she would pass through normal immigration procedure.

Is she not a fugitive, who was out on bail and fled to avoid prison ?

And there is no arrest warrant ?

My thoughts exactly...

LOS bass-ackwards country jing jing!

Where the hard-working are virtual slaves

And the criminals roam free...

Arai, tammai gab nee?

[henryalleman]

Good luck to her, I hope she can unite the various factions and help solve the countries problems.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah, can't stop laughing the best joke since many years hahahahahahahahahahaah

[henryalleman]

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.

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

Till know I thought naivety had some limits. You prove naivety has no limits.

[henryalleman]

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.

You are correct I didn't look it this way. It would give her a lot of unneccesary publicity

[Jingthing]

Good luck to her, I hope she can unite the various factions and help solve the countries problems.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah, can't stop laughing the best joke since many years hahahahahahahahahahaah

Agreed, that is a classic. Evita, she's not, but there may still be crying ...

Edited December 6, 2008 by Jingthing

[mc2]

>>>>>>

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/12/07...cs_30090360.php

Some doubt Pojaman is here to see mother

By THE NATION ON SUNDAY

Published on December 7, 2008

Politicians close to Khunying Pojaman Damapong, ex-wife of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, denied yesterday that her abrupt return to Thailand was politically motivated, but a key opposition figure warned that her presence would likely intensify the country's political crisis.

"This return will likely aggra-vate the situation. I have learned that on the night of her arrival |many telephone calls were made to politicians,'' said Democrat Party secretary-general Suthep Thaug-suban.

Pojaman arrived at Suvarnabhumi International Airport from Hong Kong about 10.30pm on Friday amid criticism and speculation that her return |had something to do with current political developments. The arrival of Thaksin's ex-wife comes at a time when the Pheu Thai Party, the reincarnation of the disbanded People Power Party, is facing a threat of mass defections by factions within it.

Pojaman stayed at Ban Chan Song La on Charansanitwong 69 and did not receive any visit from politicians or others. Police kept watch over the area for security.

Pongthep Thepkanchana, personal spokesman of Thaksin, said Pojaman's close aides told him her return did not have any political |significance and she had come |back to look after her mother, who was in hospital. He insisted that Pojaman had washed her hands of politics and filed an appeal seeking to overturn the guilty verdict on her for tax evasion.

In July the Criminal Court convicted her of evading payment of a Bt546-million tax bill on share transactions between her and her brother, Bhanapot, which were illegally declared as a family gift to avoid paying income tax.

Worawaj Ua-apinyakul, the caretaker culture minister and Phrae MP, denied reports that Pojaman had returned to oversee the formation of the government, to ensure that the Pheu Thai Party would be the core ruling party and to select a new prime minister.

Surapong Towichakchaikul, former PPP Chiang Mai MP, said Pojaman could attend the meeting of the Pheu Thai Party today if she wanted since she was not banned from political activity.

He denied Pojaman had come back to stop the mass defection of the Friends of Newin faction. "The Newin faction has stirred up the political waters only to increase its price and bargaining power, but it will always be with Thaksin,'' he said.

He also doused speculation that former PPP MPs who used to be Democrats such as Somchai Petprasert and Chaowarin Lattasaksiri would defect to the Democrat Party.

Democrat Party spokesman Dr Buranat Samutrak urged Pojaman to issue a statement declaring her political stance to prevent the country from plunging into political conflict.

[mc2]

Well it seems her arrival has had little effect for regrouping a coalition, because the dems have announced a majority alliance.

[mc2]

Web www.bangkokpost.com

Democrats take over

The Democrat Party and defectors from the government coalition have gained a majority in the House and will form a government with Abhisit Vejjajiva as prime minister, the party claimed on Saturday.

Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said the influential Friends of Newin faction from the Northeast had agreed to join the coalition.

The defection of Buri Ram politician Newin tips the political scales and creates new possible scenarios.

Sakda Khongpetch, leader of the Isan Pattana faction that has remained loyal to Thaksin, said that the House could be dissolved and a new election called "as a tool to punish the (Newin) group".

Mr Newin made a dramatic announcement that he was abandoning fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawtra, who still is the icon of the former Thai Rak Thai (now Puea Thai) governing party.

"Time is up for a person with power to return to the country by holding the people hostage," he said.

He also refused to answer the phone calls of Khunying Potjaman, the ex-wife of Thaksin Shinawatra. "It's too late," he said.

cont.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/tops...s.php?id=135193

Edited December 6, 2008 by mc2

[MILT]

Hi.

My boyfriend told me (apparently that was said on television news) that she is a candidate for PTP (TRT Mk. III).

Lucky i don't need to fly anywhere

Best regards.....

Thanh

Not sure that a person convicted of a crime and awaiting appeal can qualify to run in this political nightmare

[MILT]

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.

Seems not the we are on. Well put!

[mc2]

some photos of pojaman

Edited December 7, 2008 by mc2

[sriracha john]

POTJAMAN'S CALLS TO NEWIN GO UNANSWERED: 'IT'S TOO LATE'

"It is too late," Newin Chidchob told his close aides when asked why he did not answer the three phone calls from Potjaman Damapong yesterday afternoon. The move by the ex-wife of former PM Thaksin was a last-ditch attempt to convince Newin not to let his faction of 37 ex-PPP MPs defect to the Democrat Party camp in a bid to form a new government. In the early evening, Democrat Secretary-General Suthep Thuagsuban announced the formation of a Democrat-led coalition with the Newin faction and the other political parties. However, everything would have been settled before dawn yesterday had Potjaman not arrived from Hong Kong on Friday night. A source involved in the negotiations said Mr Suthep and the key figures of the other parties, once in league with the now disbanded PPP, settled on a new government to be headed by Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva at 2.30am yesterday. Realising that the momentum had shifted in favour of the Democrats, Potjaman tried in vain to contact Newin yesterday afternoon to get him to change his mind. Her calls went unanswered. There was a report that the newly established PTP even tried to break up the new alliance by offering Chart Thai Party Chief Adviser Sanan the PM's job.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/071208_News/07Dec2008_news03.php

[steffi]

I'm betting she either had gifts or cash when she stepped off that plane and I still expect her to try to influence the members who've crossed the aisle and sided with the Democrats to form a majority coalition at least until that is a done deal. If that process comes unrailed and she's responsible she deserves to rot in jail.

It is certain that she will be the next PM, pardon her ex-husband, and they will co-habitate happily ever after. Perfect for him because this way he can reap the benefits of having a nexus to the PM office, and pass the blame onto his ex when things go wrong.

Edited December 7, 2008 by steffi

[steffi]

Som num na jing jing. They are so predictable and on this occasion they have underestimated their importance to their party. Oh and how is her "ailing" mother?

POTJAMAN'S CALLS TO NEWIN GO UNANSWERED: 'IT'S TOO LATE'

"It is too late," Newin Chidchob told his close aides when asked why he did not answer the three phone calls from Potjaman Damapong yesterday afternoon. The move by the ex-wife of former PM Thaksin was a last-ditch attempt to convince Newin not to let his faction of 37 ex-PPP MPs defect to the Democrat Party camp in a bid to form a new government. In the early evening, Democrat Secretary-General Suthep Thuagsuban announced the formation of a Democrat-led coalition with the Newin faction and the other political parties. However, everything would have been settled before dawn yesterday had Potjaman not arrived from Hong Kong on Friday night. A source involved in the negotiations said Mr Suthep and the key figures of the other parties, once in league with the now disbanded PPP, settled on a new government to be headed by Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva at 2.30am yesterday. Realising that the momentum had shifted in favour of the Democrats, Potjaman tried in vain to contact Newin yesterday afternoon to get him to change his mind. Her calls went unanswered. There was a report that the newly established PTP even tried to break up the new alliance by offering Chart Thai Party Chief Adviser Sanan the PM's job.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/071208_News/07Dec2008_news03.php

Edited December 7, 2008 by steffi