Thailand Revokes Thaksin's Passport

[chrislarsson]

This is still Thailand and no matter what you are found guilty of, he still has enough cash to buy anything he wants; including his freedom. We should never forget that.

Yes maybe that was the case before.Thailand maybe a changing. The feeling seems to be through out thailand after seeing the Red shirted disgrace in Bangkok that they are ashamed and do not want to see the like again...Mr. T cannot now deny he incited these events and fanned the flames of hatred. the evidence is plane for all to see.

Abisit has been seen to be fair and honest and STRONG in the recent week and now can put in place changes in the army and police to get the country working together..You will also not see any revenge taken against the rural communities unlike Mr. T would have done had he succeeded in getting back in power.I would think he would as he wished come back as a dictator and heads would have rolled..Abisit now has the confidence of the international commumity unlike Mr. T and can give the country a fresh start and some face back..it will not be easy but he can now try as Mr.T had promised to rid the country of graft and coruption which only thrieved under Mr. T. Corruption is what makes people poor and the subculture of Thailand is based on this...Thailand cannot hid hide the wrongs anymore as the media is in the hands of the people i.e. camera, mobile phones and the power of the internet and everything is exposed sooner rather than later.So now its time to put the old bad ways in the books of history and move forward..

good luke Abisit! Good luke Thailand!

Who will be found guilty depends on which allies you have in powerful positions. This is as true in the rest of the world as in Thailand. Do u really believe that the leaders of PAD will serve any jail time while Abhisit is in power?

[chrislarsson]

Abhisit's degree in PPE from Oxford is one of the finest qualifications you can have for a career in politics.

He has a real understanding of Economics which will be essential in the next few months. He has already shown a keen grasp of the need for stimulus.

I agree. That's why the push in the "sufficiency economic model" makes him look like somebody else is pulling the strings.

[TAWP]

I think there's a few point being missed here:

- Ok, he now has a Nicaraguan DIPLOMATIC passport. There is no international law that requires all countries to recognizes diplomtic passports without question.

- I'll put this another way. Can you imagine that the USA, Germany, France, UK, Australia, and all countries MUST (by law) accept a diplomatic passport. Surely all countries have the absolute right to refuse to allow entry to anybody, regardless of what typ of passport they are carrying.

Surely there will now be more countries who don't want him to enter, regardless of what type of travel document he's using.

Different point. So he's "well connected in UAE". I suggest it's not quite that simple. Taxsins wealth is nothing in the UAE. There are many many Arabs much much richer than Taxsin. The UAE doesn't need his wealth (if you make a comparison with third world countries who might welcome him because of his wealth and their hope that that his wealth could help development).

Further, the Arabs are just as arrogant as many national groups. They don't see taxsin as an important person. He's not an Arab. Any thought that they would protect him in some way is ludicrous.

Funny note, regarding travel to Egypt:

- All EU citizens with diplomatic passport have to apply for a VISA in advance while carriers of normal passports from the EU does not. They did this as a retribution and one of my homecountries officials was turned back at the border some 3 months ago for just this reason. (He only brought his diplomatic passport.)

So having a diplomatic passport doesn't mean anything if the country you are traveling too doesn't accept the 'gentleman agreement' of what it should entail.

[TAWP]

"The problem is that the constitutional court has been politicized. Do anybody believe that Abhisit will get dismissed if he appears in a cooking show? "

I really doubt that anybody would accept, in any country, the idea that the PM should be spending time in preparation of and filming a cooking show.

He broke logical and sensible laws.

That's quite a statement. Obama was a guest in Jay Leno's show just a few weeks ago for instance.

mmmm Good Comparison...yes Obama on a talk show , very similar to spending time in preparation of and filming a cooking show

i would say that was quite a statement ...NOT

And what exactly is the great difference? The preparation?

I have seen the PM in Sweden play in TV shows for children. I never heard anybody even suggest that this would be illegal.

If you don't know the difference between hosting a show, including being able to pick topics and control the content, and being a guest on a talk-show, then I am ashamed to see that you supposedly are a fellow Swede.

[Thai at Heart]

I think there's a few point being missed here:

- Ok, he now has a Nicaraguan DIPLOMATIC passport. There is no international law that requires all countries to recognizes diplomtic passports without question.

- I'll put this another way. Can you imagine that the USA, Germany, France, UK, Australia, and all countries MUST (by law) accept a diplomatic passport. Surely all countries have the absolute right to refuse to allow entry to anybody, regardless of what typ of passport they are carrying.

Surely there will now be more countries who don't want him to enter, regardless of what type of travel document he's using.

Different point. So he's "well connected in UAE". I suggest it's not quite that simple. Taxsins wealth is nothing in the UAE. There are many many Arabs much much richer than Taxsin. The UAE doesn't need his wealth (if you make a comparison with third world countries who might welcome him because of his wealth and their hope that that his wealth could help development).

Further, the Arabs are just as arrogant as many national groups. They don't see taxsin as an important person. He's not an Arab. Any thought that they would protect him in some way is ludicrous.

Funny note, regarding travel to Egypt:

- All EU citizens with diplomatic passport have to apply for a VISA in advance while carriers of normal passports from the EU does not. They did this as a retribution and one of my homecountries officials was turned back at the border some 3 months ago for just this reason. (He only brought his diplomatic passport.)

So having a diplomatic passport doesn't mean anything if the country you are traveling too doesn't accept the 'gentleman agreement' of what it should entail.

Ordinarily it accords entry without visa, but for extended stays (six months etc) it is often required that a visa is applied for or a request from the issuing country's foreign office for extended stay. It isn't often that diplomatic passports are not recognised although the Egyptian example above is one.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

Just reported on AJE, Nicaragua has given Thaksin an honorary passport.

[Rajah]

Associated Press

MANAGUA -- The Nicaraguan government says it has named Thailand's exiled prime minister as an "ambassador on a special mission" and issued him a passport.

Nicaragua made the announcement after the Thai government said it had revoked Thaksin Shinawatra's personal passport. Bangkok accuses Thaksin of stoking violent demonstrations in Bangkok that left two people dead.

Nicaragua said in a statement Wednesday that it named Thaksin to the position so he could help bring investment to the poor Central American country. It says it issued the passport in January when Thaksin visited Nicaragua.

Thaksin was ousted by a 2006 military coup after being accused of corruption and abuse of power.

Copyright © 2009 Associated Press

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123985288879624067.html

Photo: Matichon

http://www.matichon.co.th/news_detail.php?...00&catid=01

[Heng]

A diplomatic passport is a diplomatic passport whether you're from Russia or Tuvalo, and surely provides visa hassle free travel.

Arrivals by private jet don't even pass through any visa lines or customs in most countries. They process you at the hangar of whatever air support services you're using. Funny how a lot of posters seem to be expecting to see Thaksin in the visa application lines at overseas consulates or something.

What's your point? Didn't you know that Thaksin's diplomatic passport was canceled way back in December?

Didn't you know that Thaksin's new Nicaraguan passport and likely any other passports he has are also diplomatic passports? My point is that this is no more troubling to him than SkyChefs running out of Ginger Ale for his flight.

Ah, so now Thaksin is a Nicaraguan diplomat? Just because you hear a rumor does not make it true. Do you have any evidence that this is not just a photoshop farce?

Yeah, saw it on the news.

[Acharn]

What is the penalty for Treason - if found guilty?

as you likely know, most of Thai law is based on English law and treason was a capital offence

although hanging was abolished in 1965, treason remained on the statute as a hanging offence

i suspect it still may be, but i am not 100% sure

certainly its not been used as a punishment for treason for many years

i would guess its still on the thai statute.

errmmm... Sorry, but the Thai law code adopted more of the French Code Napoleon than English law. That's one reason they don't have juries. It's also why Thai judges have more discretion than judges in England. Of course, they also retained features from the Ayuthaya legal system. I'm not a lawyer, so I can't provide many more details, but I've read that when the legal system was reformed under Rama V the judiciary adopted a culture of narrow interpretation of the text of the statutes. Of course, as we've seen, this can lead to some very tortured arguments and decisions when they decide beforehand what result they want, and courts are not required to follow their own precedents nor those of other courts. In fact the Supreme Court decided that the asset disposition panel was NOT a government agency subject to the Prime Minister's supervision, which is the legal opinion Thaksin was relying on.

As for the Treason question, once again I'm not a lawyer, but I think the provision journalists translate as "treason" would be better translated as "insurrection". That was why the court decided the PAD leaders should not be charged for that offense (aside from the fact that they were supported by Those Who Must Not Be Named). Right now I'm not convinced that Thaksin could be convicted of that because I don't trust the reports in The Nation or the Bangkok Post of what Thaksin said in his calls. Both papers are solidly behind the PAD and pretty shameless about distorted reporting. But it does seem that he could be charged with that if their reports were accurate.

Once again, though, This Is Thailand.

[Heng]

A diplomatic passport is a diplomatic passport whether you're from Russia or Tuvalo, and surely provides visa hassle free travel.

Arrivals by private jet don't even pass through any visa lines or customs in most countries. They process you at the hangar of whatever air support services you're using. Funny how a lot of posters seem to be expecting to see Thaksin in the visa application lines at overseas consulates or something.

As post 268 reminds us, Thaksin's diplomatic-passport was revoked last December, the one he has now just lost is his ordinary Thai passport. Not an unreasonable punishment for inciting & financing terrorism on the streets of Pattaya & Bangkok. Treason charges would seem to be justified in this case.

Not that this will prevent Thaksin from travelling, we've seen him being presented with his Nicaraguan passport, and heard rumours of several other countries being willing to sell him one. And he is clearly 'well-connected' in the UAE.

Yeah, I was talking about his diplomatic Nicaraguan passport. I'd wager that Nicaragua isn't the bottom of the barrel and there are probably dozens of other countries willing to accept his passport fees as well.

People just apparently feel the need to rationalize that justice is somehow being served (*see, now he needs to make visa runs like I do*)... but the images of him and his family in their private GIV doesn't seem to make sense somehow. In reality, they will just spend the rest of their lives like washed up (but formerly successful) actors/actresses and rock stars.

[Insight]

A diplomatic passport is a diplomatic passport whether you're from Russia or Tuvalo, and surely provides visa hassle free travel.

Arrivals by private jet don't even pass through any visa lines or customs in most countries. They process you at the hangar of whatever air support services you're using. Funny how a lot of posters seem to be expecting to see Thaksin in the visa application lines at overseas consulates or something.

As post 268 reminds us, Thaksin's diplomatic-passport was revoked last December, the one he has now just lost is his ordinary Thai passport. Not an unreasonable punishment for inciting & financing terrorism on the streets of Pattaya & Bangkok. Treason charges would seem to be justified in this case.

Not that this will prevent Thaksin from travelling, we've seen him being presented with his Nicaraguan passport, and heard rumours of several other countries being willing to sell him one. And he is clearly 'well-connected' in the UAE.

Yeah, I was talking about his diplomatic Nicaraguan passport. I'd wager that Nicaragua isn't the bottom of the barrel and there are probably dozens of other countries willing to accept his passport fees as well.

People just apparently feel the need to rationalize that justice is somehow being served (*see, now he needs to make visa runs like I do*)... but the images of him and his family in their private GIV doesn't seem to make sense somehow. In reality, they will just spend the rest of their lives like washed up (but formerly successful) actors/actresses and rock stars.

... and attempting to wreak h3ll in Thailand whenever they feel the need...

[Heng]

... and attempting to wreak h3ll in Thailand whenever they feel the need...

Unfortunately (or not, depending on which team you cheer for), time is on their side.

[Jai Dee]

Thaksin has Nicaraguan passport

The Nicaraguan government said it has made fugutive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra an "ambassador on a special mission" and issued him a diplomatic passport. The announcement was made after the Thai government said on Wednesday it had revoked his ordinary passport because he incited the Saturday rioting which forced the cancellation of the weekend Asean Summit in Pattaya.

Nicaragua said in a statement on Wednesday that Thaksin had been appointed an "ambassador on a special mission" so he could help attract investment to the poor Central American country, reports said.

More from the Bangkok Post here.

[TVmonitor]

There's a lot of focus on Thaksin as the cause of all the troubles - he isn't - he's a symptom.

The underlying causes are in the structure of Thai society, that has left a large part of the population economically and politically excluded - under-educated, this leaves them open to the persuasions of any politician who thinks he can use them.

The problem is in the hands of the PM - the media now is trying to up the profile of PM Abhisit in the hope of turning round the results of his ineffective months as PM, which culminated in the ASEAN fiasco. He too is trying to win the hearts of the population - something he has never manged to do before.

[Crushdepth]

MANAGUA -- The Nicaraguan government says it has named Thailand's exiled prime minister as an "ambassador on a special mission" and issued him a passport.

Wow, from Prime Minister to Exiled Banana Republic Despot. Things are looking up

If its any consolation, I think Thaksin will find that Nicaragua enjoys pretty shitty relations with the rest of the world and the passport comes with miserable visa prospects globally. He's quickly becoming a Banana Republic Despot in Exile.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to launder as much Nicaraguan drug money as possible...

[angiud]

Daniel Ortega, ex heroic guerrilla leader from the Sandino Movement and now president of Nicaragua, has sold his soul and undersold his seriousness for a fist of dollars (bahts?).

No comment.

[angiud]

Maybe the vetero-communist central american leader misunderstand the color of the t-shirt, thinking they were revolutionary comrades struggling for freedom...

[jamesjdaly]

Wikipedia

In 1998, Daniel Ortega's adopted stepdaughter Zoilamérica Narváez released a 48-page reportdescribing her allegations that Ortega had systematically sexually abused her from 1979, when she was 11, until 1990

A classy guy and an excellent playmate for aiThaksin!!

[Rajah]

Daniel Ortega, ex heroic guerrilla leader from the Sandino Movement and now president of Nicaragua, has sold his soul and undersold his seriousness for a fist of dollars (bahts?).

Will he sell it again for one million baht bounty?

[Acharn]

Abhisit's degree in PPE from Oxford is one of the finest qualifications you can have for a career in politics.

He has a real understanding of Economics which will be essential in the next few months. He has already shown a keen grasp of the need for stimulus.

He has shown that he has total command of the machinations of Politics by his clever manoeuvring to become PM (legally) and his study of Philosophy will have equipped him to outwit Populist Demagogues like Thaksin all day long.

I, like many posters here, feel that Thailand now has a real chance to move forward.

My bet is that Abhisit's next move will be to include some of the more intelligent members from the N & NE in his cabinet. Thailand needs, above all, an inclusive government.

Abhisit is the man to achieve it and to lead it.

You know, my parents were college graduates and I read a lot growing up, so I speak like an educated person. When I was on active duty in the Army, some people asked me at different times if I didn't feel uncomfortable working with uneducated, lower class people. Now what I noticed in my working life was that I was very, very good at solving book type puzzles. Nobody was better at digging out the regulation that applied in different cases. But when it came to solving practical problems, like what's the best way to get across this river or get this truck out of the mud, those "uneducated" guys were head and shoulders above me through their ability to use common sense.

Now, Abhisit may be all you say he is, but I notice he's totally relying on Suthep and Newin (with a little help from Anuphong). He may be as good as you think at analyzing a problem, but he has to rely on his helpers to provide the nuts and bolts knowledge of how to move a political mass from one place to another. I don't see either Suthep or Newin as wanting to change the structure of things.

[Plus]

He can't set a foot anywhere important, Nicaraguan passport or not.

Even Cambodians are up in arms over rumors they sheltered him and gave him protection, they nearly closed a newspaper for printing a cartoon of Thaksin and Hun Sen together.

China and HK is a no go and so is Europe. Good luck entering USA, too. Arabs are pressured to kick him out and he clearly overstayed his welcome.

And Nicaraguans would expect some progress in that "special mission", too - as soon as the deposit runs out and no funds come in, they'll just quietly tell him to get lost.

Look at it this way - if he could buy any passport he wanted, he wouldn't choose Nicaragua. Either he is really short of funds to buy something more respectable or countries with some real clout wouldn't let him use their names.

What do you think will happen if he sneak into somewhere like London with his Nicaraguan passport? Major international embarssement that would have him blacklisted forever, jet or no jet. I don't think it would work in the first place - any moron can rent a private jet, doesn't mean he can enter any country without proper travelling documents and without any questions asked. Al Qqueda would have been shipping their terrorists that way for ages.

[ballpoint]

Daniel Ortega, ex heroic guerrilla leader from the Sandino Movement and now president of Nicaragua, has sold his soul and undersold his seriousness for a fist of dollars (bahts?).

No comment.

Surely, a wad of cash has been exchanged, and most likely, a guarantee made by Thaksin to invest heavily in the country. Since the chances of him getting his frozen money back seem about as likely as him winning a roundest face contest, one wonders just how much free cash he still has. Reneging on any agreement with the Nicaraguans won't be an option, his passport won't be the only thing revoked if that happens. The classic line from one of the Lethal weapon movies springs to mind... "Diplomatic immunity. Has just been revoked. Bang"

He still has to get out of the UAE with his new blood passport too.

[caf]

This is still Thailand and no matter what you are found guilty of, he still has enough cash to buy anything he wants; including his freedom. We should never forget that.

WRONG! Thaksin is not a very rich guy compared to other business people here in Thailand.

Now the entire world will watch that legal procedure arround Thaksin and an "elephant can't be covered with a lotus leaf" !

/edit typing error

They could be making a very big mistake by trying to bring him back, and if they do succeed, they'd better be very very careful about how they treat him. He has a huge following in Thailand, especially amongst the working class, who think the sun shines out of his rectum. If he's harmed in any way, it would be just the spark needed to ignite civil war. If I were Mr Abhisit, I'd leave Mr Thaksin were he is and send the democrat troublemakers over to join him.

Are Taksin and the " democrat troublemakers" - whoever they are - on the same side?

[Plus]

Now, Abhisit may be all you say he is, but I notice he's totally relying on Suthep and Newin (with a little help from Anuphong). He may be as good as you think at analyzing a problem, but he has to rely on his helpers to provide the nuts and bolts knowledge of how to move a political mass from one place to another. I don't see either Suthep or Newin as wanting to change the structure of things.

Suthep is his point man for any dirty political jobs and he needs Newin for control of the parliament, but he was reportedly very angry with Suthep for Asean fiasco and Newin's blue shirt movement also failed.

Bangkok unrest was put down without any input from those too, and, apparently, Anupong.

[webfact]

Associated Press

MANAGUA -- The Nicaraguan government says it has named Thailand's exiled prime minister as an "ambassador on a special mission" and issued him a passport.

Nicaragua made the announcement after the Thai government said it had revoked Thaksin Shinawatra's personal passport. Bangkok accuses Thaksin of stoking violent demonstrations in Bangkok that left two people dead.

Nicaragua said in a statement Wednesday that it named Thaksin to the position so he could help bring investment to the poor Central American country. It says it issued the passport in January when Thaksin visited Nicaragua.

Thaksin was ousted by a 2006 military coup after being accused of corruption and abuse of power.

Copyright © 2009 Associated Press

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123985288879624067.html

Photo: Matichon

http://www.matichon.co.th/news_detail.php?...00&catid=01

Disgusting!

[caf]

What is the penalty for Treason - if found guilty?

as you likely know, most of Thai law is based on English law and treason was a capital offence

although hanging was abolished in 1965, treason remained on the statute as a hanging offence

i suspect it still may be, but i am not 100% sure

certainly its not been used as a punishment for treason for many years

i would guess its still on the thai statute.

In England the death penalty has not been abolished.

There is still a working gallows at Wandsworth jail.

And presumably there is still a hangman on a retainer.

The death penalty has been abolished for murder.

The death penalty is still there for treason.

I think. Please correct me if I am wrong.

wrong, i'm afraid. google it

treason and arson in a naval dockyard were the last hanging offences but no longer current law

[Heng]

He can't set a foot anywhere important, Nicaraguan passport or not.

Even Cambodians are up in arms over rumors they sheltered him and gave him protection, they nearly closed a newspaper for printing a cartoon of Thaksin and Hun Sen together.

China and HK is a no go and so is Europe. Good luck entering USA, too. Arabs are pressured to kick him out and he clearly overstayed his welcome.

And Nicaraguans would expect some progress in that "special mission", too - as soon as the deposit runs out and no funds come in, they'll just quietly tell him to get lost.

Look at it this way - if he could buy any passport he wanted, he wouldn't choose Nicaragua. Either he is really short of funds to buy something more respectable or countries with some real clout wouldn't let him use their names.

What do you think will happen if he sneak into somewhere like London with his Nicaraguan passport? Major international embarssement that would have him blacklisted forever, jet or no jet. I don't think it would work in the first place - any moron can rent a private jet, doesn't mean he can enter any country without proper travelling documents and without any questions asked. Al Qqueda would have been shipping their terrorists that way for ages.

^Would certainly ring true if he were a visa runner without a penny to his name.

[angiud]

The only solution:

[doczenith83]

Thaksin definitely was in Dubai... now he is somewhere in Africa...

’m out of here print this article email this article post your comments Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was set to defy his government last night by leaving Dubai hours after his passport was revoked.

Dubai-based Thaksin has refused to accept the Thai government’s travel ban and was due to fly to a secret location in Africa. He is continuing to speak out against the government, which has promised a crackdown on tens of thousands of his supporters occupying the streets of Bangkok.

“The government can talk all they want but it’s not going to stop us. Every Thai person is entitled to a passport and it cannot simply be revoked,” a spokesman travelling with Thaksin said last night.

He said Thaksin was in very good form and relaxed. “He’s not all that worried, he’s really fine, given all that’s going on right now,” the spokesman said.

He talked to 7DAYS as Thaksin called for calm among thousands of his supporters involved in mass anti-government demonstrations. “Basically, we cannot go into Thailand at the moment but he will travel on his passport to other countries. “We are going somewhere in Africa, obviously I cannot say where,” the spokesperson said, adding that Thaksin expected foreign governments to continue to accept his passport.

The revocation of Thaksin’s passport stepped up the Thai government’s campaign against the billionaire former prime minister, who now lives in Dubai’s Emirates Hills.

He fled Thailand in 2006 after he was convicted of corruption charges and has claimed the trial was politically motivated.

This week the government placed new charges of incitement on Thaksin for allegedly stirring up the anti-government protests.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has vowed to prosecute all leaders of the rallies, which largely disbanded on Tuesday after troops threatened to use force against thousands of demonstrators.

Government spokesman Panitan Wattana-yagorn said Thaksin’s passport was withdrawn for inciting protests that forced the cancellation of a summit of Asian leaders on Saturday.

Thursday 16 Apr, 2009

Here is the link to the article.

http://www.7days.ae/storydetails.php?id=76...out%20of%20here

I actually read the article this morning, I currently reside in Dubai...

Regards,

Martin

[johnnyk]

My guess is that major league countries (not dumps like Zimbab or N. Korea) will see the Nicaraguan passport thing as a fakeout attept. They are under no obligation to admit Toxin, no matter what passport he pulls out of his baggage. I'm waiting to see what happens to the dragon lady and the unemployable sub-literate son. That little prick couldn't even get a job flipping burgers.