Thailand Revokes Thaksin's Passport

[Plus]

So, Nicaraguan embassy sent an official letter to Thai embasy saying that reports about Thaksin's passport lack substance.

What are we to make of it?

Which reports lack substance? All of them or only particular ones mentioned in Thai request for clarification?

On the other hand, the pictures of his Nicaraguan passport were taken long before the revolution, I think they are from the "Thaksin, are you ok?" book.

What Nicaraguans think of his activities now is unknown. Nicaragua and Thailand have diplomatic relations, just not mutual embassies, I understand, there was probably no Nicaraguan representatives at yesterday's Abhisit meeting with foreign dimplomats. Nevermind, eventually they'll catch up.

Also remember that Thaksin promised them investments when he was in Dubai's good books, now he was forced to leave and so his "contacts" there are probably not so hot on sending him money to invest in Nicaragua.

[bungy007]

If I walk through history I realize and come to the conclusion that most of these crooks

found/find a save heaven in Middle- or South America.

Why?

many despots have found their way to a state in my home country, namely: Florida. Nicaragua's Samoza, Haiti's Little Doc, to name just a couple. Ugunda's Idi Amin got comfy in the middle east (Saudi Arabia?). Marcos and wife holed up for awhile in Hawaii, didn't they? - though his wife, Imelda, is back in Philippines now. Bokassa from Central African Republic, was a another total tyrant. Where did he wind up - France?

Anyhow, if wouldn't surprise me if Thaksin wound up in Florida. Maybe he could get a sideline job counting hanging chads from the 2000 presidential election, (all those ballots are being kept in cold storage, btw).

The sky is falling! The sky is falling! I remember 2 days ago everyone that was claiming that "the noose is tightening" around Thaksin's neck. Hilarious. He's not the least bit worried and the Thai government continues to make a joke out of themselves at the international stage. ......They're laughing at Thailand's army puppet government and will steer well clear of Thailand for as long as they're in power.

I don't agree. All indications are Abhisit is respected for who he is: a young leader who was tested, early in his first term, and came through the recent tough times looking relatively good. Look at the world leaders at the G20 meeting recently. They appear to have gone out of their way to show support for Abhisit. I don't doubt they still support him, perhaps even more now - that he's been tempered by the heat of recent events.

Ditto.

The man has earned his stripes in a very short time.

It's not how old you are, but how old you ACT that really matters.

Abhisit is acting like a world leader.

Thaksin is acting like toddler denied a second cup of pudding

and chucking the 1st cross the table into the new curtains in a tantrum.

Agree one hundred percent. China even made a bee-line for him at Asea to make it known that it understands the situation and supports the current PM. He's looking like a keeper who will stand the test of time. Whereas Thugsin is looking just like the thug he is!

[bungy007]

So, Nicaraguan embassy sent an official letter to Thai embasy saying that reports about Thaksin's passport lack substance.

What are we to make of it?

Which reports lack substance? All of them or only particular ones mentioned in Thai request for clarification?

On the other hand, the pictures of his Nicaraguan passport were taken long before the revolution, I think they are from the "Thaksin, are you ok?" book.

What Nicaraguans think of his activities now is unknown. Nicaragua and Thailand have diplomatic relations, just not mutual embassies, I understand, there was probably no Nicaraguan representatives at yesterday's Abhisit meeting with foreign dimplomats. Nevermind, eventually they'll catch up.

Also remember that Thaksin promised them investments when he was in Dubai's good books, now he was forced to leave and so his "contacts" there are probably not so hot on sending him money to invest in Nicaragua.

And now we know! Nicaragua issued the passport and it's all over the world's tv stations this morning!

[Plus]

Actually, I don't think I have seen any Nicaraguan official saying they gave him the passport.

Ortega said he was given special ambassador status or something - that doesn't automatically mean issuing a passport.

The letter sent to the Thai embassy, however, is an official document, though open to interpretation.

Also I don't quite hold the image of Ortega biting his nails, watching CNN reports on revolution in Thailand, then jumping up the next day to declare his support for Thaksin who wasn't even in his country. Don't they get ESPN or something there? Why this sudden interest in Thailand?

[madi]

I see a lot of the posters here, many of them Thais, are defending Thailand as being the victim of Thaksin. their premise, implied, is that if not for Thaksin, would be a fine and functioning government.

Of course, anyone who bothers to read and history will find that Thailand has had more than 30 coups now in the last 80 years. I do not think Thaksin has a lot to do with this do you?

So why is it the posters spend day and night attacking a man and blaming him for all bad things in the Thai government system when we all know the system was screwed up long before Thaksin and that it will be all screwed up long after his as well?

Are they paid?

Are they uneducated?

Are they clowns?

I suppose we have a little of all.

But what has been stable in Thailand for the 80 years?

Who or what group has been running the nation?

Of course they must take the blame for the wreck.

How can a nation expect to continue to function when a feudal form of economy in a modern world?

How long does it think it can deny the majority of voters their elected leaders?

Will Thailand hold on to its current system and end up like Burma--a complete economic wreck.

Will instead have a revolution?

Will it be a non-violent revolution or a French like revolution?

By the way---Thailand is NOT a functioning democracy.

Anyone who says it is is a clown.

[chrislarsson]

There is no European juridical system. There is Civil Law based on the Napoleonic Code and Common Law based on the English legal system.

The system of both Holland and Thailand is Civil law. The main difference is that in civil law judicial precedents are persuasive, while in common law they are binding.

Not so. There is at least :

European Court of Human Rights

European Court of Justice of European Communities

European Court of Auditors

European Court of First Instance

European Civil Service Tribunal.

These are a list of European courts, not a list of different judicial systems.

[madi]

Why is it the Military men who did the last coup are not in jail?

Why is it the idiots in Yellow who closed the airport for a week walked away free?

Asking

Why is the media so afraid to say anything Pro red?

Are they afraid they will be taken off the air or closed down? YES

There is No freedom of speech or press when people fear that they will go to jail or be shot for taking a view.

Yet--with all this pressure against them--the reds stand up.

They stood in the streets of Bangkok knowing the army was coming. They cries as they were forced off the streets by soldiers, many of them very sympathetic to the cause.

Forget Thaksin.

There have been well over 20 coups here in Thailand and the people have never had their elected leader.

I do not think the poor who drive us in the taxis are very happy about this. Do you?

History has shown that sooner or later, the majority will take down the ruling elite in any nation. it is only a matter of time you know.

The propaganda being printed and aired in Thailand in favor of the ruling elite is shameless.

I would reamind the yellows that they now have a very dark skinned man in America who sees himself as a man for the poor. it is very unlikely that he will side against the poor of Issan. It is very likely that he finds the entire upper class thing as deplorable. After all slavery was used by this group not so very long ago and he is very sensitive to that deplorable history in our world.

How will the ruling elite stand up to a British PM and American President who decide they have had it with the ruling elite here in the land of smiles?

This entire thing will end.

You know it.

[pampal]

Having a diplomatic passport does not mean someone has diplomatic immunity, or even being a "special ambassador" doesn't automatically come with diplomatic immunity.

[henryalleman]

The Nation are apparently asking for assistance translating en Español text from the Nicaraguan Govt regarding Dr Thaksin's visa...

See article via link HERE

This is again a clear prove of the inadequate Thai education system and how backwards Thai newspapers are not having somebody who could speak Spanish one of the most important languages in the world. This also shows that Thai newspapers have no clue what is going on outside thailand.

[shawndoc]

This is again a clear prove of the inadequate Thai education system and how backwards Thai newspapers are not having somebody who could speak Spanish one of the most important languages in the world. This also shows that Thai newspapers have no clue what is going on outside thailand.

Actually, they only needed one section translated, and that's because the words used were very unusual for Spanish. Check out some of the comments, plenty of native Spanish speakers weren't 100% familiar with the term.

[Heng]

Why is it the Military men who did the last coup are not in jail?

Why is it the idiots in Yellow who closed the airport for a week walked away free?

Asking

Why is the media so afraid to say anything Pro red?

Are they afraid they will be taken off the air or closed down? YES

There is No freedom of speech or press when people fear that they will go to jail or be shot for taking a view.

Yet--with all this pressure against them--the reds stand up.

They stood in the streets of Bangkok knowing the army was coming. They cries as they were forced off the streets by soldiers, many of them very sympathetic to the cause.

Forget Thaksin.

There have been well over 20 coups here in Thailand and the people have never had their elected leader.

I do not think the poor who drive us in the taxis are very happy about this. Do you?

History has shown that sooner or later, the majority will take down the ruling elite in any nation. it is only a matter of time you know.

The propaganda being printed and aired in Thailand in favor of the ruling elite is shameless.

I would reamind the yellows that they now have a very dark skinned man in America who sees himself as a man for the poor. it is very unlikely that he will side against the poor of Issan. It is very likely that he finds the entire upper class thing as deplorable. After all slavery was used by this group not so very long ago and he is very sensitive to that deplorable history in our world.

How will the ruling elite stand up to a British PM and American President who decide they have had it with the ruling elite here in the land of smiles?

This entire thing will end.

You know it.

That was rather dramatic. The only thing that will "end" is the lack of hollow populist policies. They'll continue to rebrand what Thaksin tried to do, hopefully even make it better and more thorough.

It's time to throw more bones and scraps to the masses.

[brahmburgers]

This is again a clear prove of the inadequate Thai education system and how backwards Thai newspapers are not having somebody who could speak Spanish one of the most important languages in the world. This also shows that Thai newspapers have no clue what is going on outside thailand.

Actually, they only needed one section translated, and that's because the words used were very unusual for Spanish. Check out some of the comments, plenty of native Spanish speakers weren't 100% familiar with the term.

It looks to me like the Nic gov't did issue a passport to T (and probably passports to T's family), but the Nic's are aware of the hot potato T has become, so they immediately try to obfuscate doing so.

Even so, it would be interesting if someone were able to clandestinely videotape subsequent times T goes thru customs: Imagine him arriving at the tiny airport at Curacao, for example: I can see him offering a passport, and it being denied. Then T fumbles through his valise for another, and that one also being denied, .....and so on, until perhaps by his seventh passport, it works to get him through passport control. So he can go to the solid block building with the blank facade to check on one of his numbered accounts.

[Plus]

Asking

You are not asking, Madi, you got it all figured out already - "30 coups in 80 years", and from that *fact* you built a theory that answers every question in the universe.

There's no need to prove that it's wrong - it can't possibly be right just by the way you arrived at it and phrased your *questions".

[samgrowth]

History has shown that sooner or later, the majority will take down the ruling elite in any nation. it is only a matter of time you know.

The propaganda being printed and aired in Thailand in favor of the ruling elite is shameless.

Like in France 200+ years ago?

[animatic]

There is no European juridical system. There is Civil Law based on the Napoleonic Code and Common Law based on the English legal system.

The system of both Holland and Thailand is Civil law. The main difference is that in civil law judicial precedents are persuasive, while in common law they are binding.

Not so. There is at least :

European Court of Human Rights

European Court of Justice of European Communities

European Court of Auditors

European Court of First Instance

European Civil Service Tribunal.

These are a list of European courts, not a list of different judicial systems.

Yes European Courts operating under a global European judicial system.

Which is umbrela'd over the multiple entities you were describing.

Europe exists with multiple different counties inside it.

It has ONE judicial system governining it's functions while they have various.

[sriracha john]

Thaksin leaves for Nicaragua

Self-exiled deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, using his diplomatic passport issued by the Nicaraguan government, flew to Nicaragua from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) early Saturday.

According to the Arabian Business, the ousted prime minister travelled to Nicaragua after he stayed in the UAE for over a month.

Thaksin, who became a multi-billionaire from telecommunications business before he entered the Thai political arena, planned to set up a telecommunications consulting business in one of Dubai's free economic zones.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/14...s-for-nicaragua

[sriracha john]

Thai Foreign Ministry confirms Thaksin holds Nicaraguan passport

BANGKOK, April 17 (TNA) – Nicaragua has indeed issued a passport for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tharit Charungwat said on Friday the Ministry has verified reports and can now confirm that the government of Nicaragua has issued a diplomatic passport for Thaksin, in his capacity as a special envoy for foreign investment.

This travel document allows Thaksin – wanted in Thailand now for inciting this week’s political riots – the mobility of travelling to various countries.

Mr. Tharit said he has given Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva a report on this matter.

To the question of bringing Thaksin back for prosecution in Thailand, Mr. Tharit said the foreign minister has communicated with governments around the world to explain the charges the ex-premier is facing in Thailand including the most recent one.

The Thai ambassador to Mexico met with the Nicaraguan ambassador to that nation on Friday (April 17), to convey the message that Thai government does not wish to see Thaksin using any country as an off-shore base to destabilise the Kingdom.

The Thai ambassador also requested Nicaragua to extradite Thaksin, although Thailand and Nicaragua have no extradition treaty. Mr. Tharit said Thailand is prepared to do one with Nicaragua immediately if need be.

Edited April 18, 2009 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Nicaragua has issued a diplomatic passport for Thaksin, in his capacity as a special envoy for foreign investment.

The Nicaraguan Elite Card must be right around the corner with a 1,000,000 Cards sold at 1,000,000 Nicaraguan Cordobas each as its goal....

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, above, speaks at the launch of the Thailand Elite Card

Edited April 18, 2009 by sriracha john

[animatic]

The Nation are apparently asking for assistance translating en Español text from the Nicaraguan Govt regarding Dr Thaksin's visa...

See article via link HERE

This is again a clear prove of the inadequate Thai education system and how backwards Thai newspapers are not having somebody who could speak Spanish one of the most important languages in the world. This also shows that Thai newspapers have no clue what is going on outside thailand.

Sums it up.

Way to much navel gazing and too little outward observation.

To little education that enables and encourages outward investigation and integration.

Part and parcel of the rabid nationalism of 'Systemized Nation Building'

that STILL holds sway over the education system, since this is a

VERY young nation cobbled together at a commerce crossroads,

from totally disparate peoples, by leaders trying to make them ONE people.

Hense ongoing :

The hatred of Burmese for a 1760's war.

Hatred of Lao and Cambodian Khemers and their issan cousins

as ancestral enemies or lesser peoples.

How can you enforce a border without having an 'OTHER PEOPLE' on the other side

to be closing out. Or/And an economic/philosophical system to abjure. Both is better yet.

Most of Thailands problems stems from the education system,

not moving forward now that Thailand has a 'Thai people'.

The system has NOW become a great divider within the country,

since the demographics and individual understandings have changed

thanks to television and satelites and general increase of communication.

But the school curriculum STILL preaches division and an arch-nationalism.

It is out of date and out of place after 4 generations. And this same control freak

nature and obssesion with orderliness, inculcated by the decision makers

is created BY their own schooling. The blind leading the blind much too often is the case.

This is, and the patriarchal Puyai's system up country, has held back the issan cousins.

It's not been changed by the elites per se, because change is not a thing Thais or chinese embrace.

Maipen rai, it all goes on as it is, is more the style. This is my lot from Buddha and I persevere.

Sadly what promise the Red Shirts had for causing progressive change in the system,

has been corrupted and co-opted by Thaksin and his rabble rousers and bullyboys.

The Reds are a damaged entity,

no longer possibly the force for positive change they potentially could have been.

I see a lot of anti-middle-class comments from the pro reds, but where DID this middle class come from?

Not from the idiot sons and daughters of the elite, but from the more industrious and successful of the underclass,

who found a path and followed it to a better state of life. And yet NOW are vilified for not wanting to

give up that hard won improvement and redistribute greater to the cousins up country.

Thing is most of the middle classes are already helping relations up country.

But are quite scared of the Red Shirts coming and tearing up their hard won lives.

Hence the only two recent riot deaths were red shirts shooting locals defending their neighborhoods...

No way to win hearts and minds for your cause to create positive change.

As said above the Red Shirts are a co-opted and twisted force, no longer valid for the

country to interact with in pursuit of improving conditions for the majority of Thais.

The desire and understanding of what the Reds COULD have become still exists,

and under a different, less strident and anarchistic banner, will, without a doubt and quite rightly,

rise again, hopefully to successfully bring increased services and reduced graft to the north/ north east.

PTP and Thaksin's street bullys are not the vehicle for this positive change needed.

Nor is PPP's dregs as PTP, being no more than the Thaksin forgiveness, graft distribution,

and official whiners branch of Thaksin's political manipulation enterprise at this time.

Being anti-red is not being pro elites as Madi seems to imply repeatedly.

Being anti red is not being anti-poor as is also implied repeatedly.

Being anti red can easily be anti-chaos, Anti-Violence, anti PTP graft,

and anti-Thaksin the puppet master using the abject poor for his cynical ploys.

[animatic]

History has shown that sooner or later, the majority will take down the ruling elite in any nation. it is only a matter of time you know.

The propaganda being printed and aired in Thailand in favor of the ruling elite is shameless.

Like in France 200+ years ago?

I've seen the last working french guillotine.

I've seen the destruction to french national assets

caused by Madi's hoped for social evolution.

The days of let them eat hard tack when the wheat harvest dies are long gone.

PS it was NEVER cake.

A gradual sustainable change is less harsh on all involved.

The genie is out of the bottle,

no need to make heads roll for progress to happen.

Propaganda is part of an organized campaign for a political end.

The majority of anti-red posters are not in the descriptive.

Many of the pro reds aren't either. But it seems a good percentage

of new, short term, Pro Red posters have an organized agenda.

It ebbs and flows with current events, but when Thaksin makes a big move

there is a clearly perceptible change in posting patterns and content here.

And some with clearly far leftist agendas,

and oddly western far rightist agendas graft themselves to them.

Mostly out of convenience it would appear,

but it does beg for countervailing arguments from centrists.

All centrists being reviled by the two extremes.

[chrislarsson]

The Nation are apparently asking for assistance translating en Español text from the Nicaraguan Govt regarding Dr Thaksin's visa...

See article via link HERE

This is again a clear prove of the inadequate Thai education system and how backwards Thai newspapers are not having somebody who could speak Spanish one of the most important languages in the world. This also shows that Thai newspapers have no clue what is going on outside thailand.

What a demeaning posting. I thought colonial times were over when the white man walked around looking down at local people.

Especially when we are entering times when the opposite is becoming true. In some universities in the US, 100% of phds are Asian. Less than 1% of students in Sweden could name the prime ministers of both India and China, the two largest countries in the world. Pretty much 0% could name 5 Chinese or Indian brands.

[TAWP]

Pretty much 0% could name 5 Chinese or Indian brands.

Which indicates virtually no as no Indian or Chinese brands imported or distributed back home. Products that are infact manufactured in China are usually done so under the umbrella of a multinational company, if they reach the EU. The protection-barriers against Chinese textiles is one of these things that leads to this.

[chrislarsson]

Pretty much 0% could name 5 Chinese or Indian brands.

Which indicates virtually no as no Indian or Chinese brands imported or distributed back home. Products that are infact manufactured in China are usually done so under the umbrella of a multinational company, if they reach the EU. The protection-barriers against Chinese textiles is one of these things that leads to this.

Agree. But the problem is that they also don't know that India and China are building companies that are becoming very competitive, and not only in production. For instance, Huawei passed Ericsson in number of patents 5 years ago already. A bit off-topic. Sorry about that.

[hammered]

Nicaragua doesnt recognize dualcitizenship except with a few central amarican countries.Doest this mean our intrepid hero has renounced his citizenship with every other country he has a passport from including of course Thailand?

[h90]

Nicaragua doesnt recognize dualcitizenship except with a few central amarican countries.Doest this mean our intrepid hero has renounced his citizenship with every other country he has a passport from including of course Thailand?

these laws in such countries only counts for the poor. Rich can have as many citizenships as they want.

[TAWP]

Nicaragua doesnt recognize dualcitizenship except with a few central amarican countries.Doest this mean our intrepid hero has renounced his citizenship with every other country he has a passport from including of course Thailand?

He didn't get citizenship, only a passport.

[Cayenne]

Being anti-red is not being pro elites as Madi seems to imply repeatedly.

Being anti red is not being anti-poor as is also implied repeatedly.

Being anti red can easily be anti-chaos, Anti-Violence, anti PTP graft,

and anti-Thaksin the puppet master using the abject poor for his cynical ploys.

Perfectly stated. Because I am from the middle class and don't like what the reds have done doesn't mean I am anywhere near happy if there is a class of elites openly running the country nor does it mean I am looking down on the poor. I grew up in Lampang, by the way, a "backwater" province in the eyes of many Thais.

I can emphathize with the Reds' message of democracy and rural development which should be a priority for any government REGARDLESS of whoever is in power. But I cannot agree with how the Reds chose to deliver this message (agree with the message but not the messenger) through violence and chaos whose ultimate objective is to bring Thaksin back to power or at least pardon his sentence.

[webfact]

Nicaragua doesnt recognize dualcitizenship except with a few central amarican countries.Doest this mean our intrepid hero has renounced his citizenship with every other country he has a passport from including of course Thailand?

He didn't get citizenship, only a passport.

Please allow me a question. Does Thai law allow to revoke Thai-born citizenship?

[TAWP]

Nicaragua doesnt recognize dualcitizenship except with a few central amarican countries.Doest this mean our intrepid hero has renounced his citizenship with every other country he has a passport from including of course Thailand?

He didn't get citizenship, only a passport.

Please allow me a question. Does Thai law allow to revoke Thai-born citizenship?

IIRC No, and that has nothing to do with this case?

[BigSnake]

IT's about time, guy just wouldn't quit as he promise he would.