No Country Confirms Issuing Passport For Thaksin, Says Pm

[george]

No country confirms issuing passport for ex-premier, says PM

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Thursday indicated that no countries have confirmed news reports they had issued passports for former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Speaking of progress in the search for the fugitive ex-premier, Mr. Abhisit said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already informed international agencies concerned of his government’s intention to bring the ousted premier to face trial in Thailand.

The ministry has notified all countries having diplomatic ties with the kingdom, that the Thai government is not happy seeing Mr. Thaksin use their territory to make a political movement. The Thai prime minister advised them determine some measures to oversee the matter.

Regarding news reports that three countries -- including Nicaragua, the United Arab Emirates, and Cambodia – had issued passports for Mr. Thaksin, Mr. Abhisit said the government was examining the reports, which no country had confirmed.

Asked whether the revocation of the Mr. Thaksin’s passport would make it easier for his arrest, Mr. Abhisit said it depended on how many relevant travel documents the former premier had.

However, he believed all countries would allow nobody to use their territory to undermine the security of other countries, and that international laws and agreements must be respected.

“I cannot tell whether the ex-premier will be finally arrested because we don’t know exactly where he stays and whether the country has an extradition treaty with Thailand,” he said.

Asked whether all conflict (in Thailand) would end when Mr. Thaksin is arrested, the premier said he had not thought about it.

“Mr. Thaksin’s arrest must be done according to the law,” he said. “One approach to ending the conflicts truly and permanently is to try to seek a common political way out for all conflicting parties,” he said.

-- TNA 2009-04-17

[cougar52]

I will believe REUTERS very much and more than what PM has to say about this. He has been provened to not tell the Truth in the past.

Ex-Thai PM Thaksin holds Nicaraguan passport-gov't

Wed Apr 15, 2009 11:28pm EDT

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MANAGUA, April 15 (Reuters) - Ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is a "special ambassador" for Nicaragua and holds a diplomatic passport issued by the Central American country, the government said on Wednesday.

Thaksin received the passport after a February meeting with Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, the Nicaraguan government said in a press release.

The Thai government stripped Thaksin of his passport this week, accusing him of instigating violent protests that forced the cancellation of an Asian summit.

Thaksin has lived in self-imposed exile to avoid a two-year jail sentence on corruption and abuse of power charges after being deposed by a coup in 2006. It is unknown where he is now living.

Ortega appointed him to the post to help attract investment to the impoverished nation, the government said.

Protesters loyal to Thaksin surrendered on Tuesday after besieging Government House in the capital, Bangkok, for more than two weeks in a bid to force new elections. Two people were killed in the unrest. (Reporting by Ivan Castro; Editing by Peter Cooney)

[cougar52]

And another from Aljazeera

News Asia-Pacific

Thaksin gets Nicaraguan passport

Thai authorities accused Thaksin of instigating

violent protests in Bangkok [EPA]

Nicaragua has issued Thaksin Shinawatra, the exiled Thai prime minister, a passport naming him an "ambassador on a special mission", saying he can help bring in investment.

The government in a statement said the former Thai leader received the passport in February after a meeting with Daniel Ortega, the Nicaraguan president.

Ortega appointed Thaksin to the post to help attract investment to the impoverished Central American nation, said the government in a press release in the capital, Managua, on Wednesday.

Nicaragua's announcement came a day after Thai authorities cancelled Thaksin's personal passport for undermining national security from outside the country.

"According to the law, the government has the right to revoke a passport of a person who damages the country and the Pattaya incident has shown that Mr Thaksin is trying to damage our country," Panitan Wattanayagorn, a foreign ministry spokesman, said.

The Thai government has accused Thaksin of stoking anti-government protests by supporters which forced the cancellation of a regional summit last weekend.

So why so much propaganda from the PM?

[johnyb]

I read the same in the dutch newspaper-the volkskrant-yesterday.

this newspaper has for 99.99% always the right storys.

johnyb

[bungy007]

And another from Aljazeera

News Asia-Pacific

Thaksin gets Nicaraguan passport

Thai authorities accused Thaksin of instigating

violent protests in Bangkok [EPA]

Nicaragua has issued Thaksin Shinawatra, the exiled Thai prime minister, a passport naming him an "ambassador on a special mission", saying he can help bring in investment.

The government in a statement said the former Thai leader received the passport in February after a meeting with Daniel Ortega, the Nicaraguan president.

Ortega appointed Thaksin to the post to help attract investment to the impoverished Central American nation, said the government in a press release in the capital, Managua, on Wednesday.

Nicaragua's announcement came a day after Thai authorities cancelled Thaksin's personal passport for undermining national security from outside the country.

"According to the law, the government has the right to revoke a passport of a person who damages the country and the Pattaya incident has shown that Mr Thaksin is trying to damage our country," Panitan Wattanayagorn, a foreign ministry spokesman, said.

The Thai government has accused Thaksin of stoking anti-government protests by supporters which forced the cancellation of a regional summit last weekend.

So why so much propaganda from the PM?

Yes, I also caught on Aljazeera, the fact that Nicaragua has issued him a passport. It also transpires that Thugsin's Thai passport was cancelled a couple of days before that fact was made public. One does wonder why the subterfuge.

Whilst I like the new name, can we please stick to Thaksin's real name.

These other names make it very difficult to do searches later.

Thanks Astral

[bungy007]

Maybe time spent in the UK wans't wasted. Not only did he receive and excellent education but he learnt some values, too. He may have also realised when the locals are shining him on and organised a plan B - which turned out to be a very smart move! More Kudos to Abhisit!

[Rideau]

Assume Thaksin is granted Nicaraguan Passport, what could he do with it?

How long could he stand living in Nicaragua? It is not like Britain, Hong Kong, or UAE, which can offer him a lavish lifestyle. It is 24-30 hours away from Thailand, so far away that his lackeys would find it very difficult to travel to. How long could he stand extortion by corrupt politicians just to live there?

[Plus]

He promised them investments, I assume from Arabs, cause China has become a no go for him.

Now that he has left UAE this investment plan might not sound as promisiing as before.

[spacefruit]

If true, I am not surprised that foreigners were hired to do security. I have been around may Thai VIPs who's security, (all dressed in nice black suits and radio's) spent their ENTIRE time looking AT the subject.

Serious security spend their time looking out, as any fule kno.

Lets hope the prime minister follows this style in other areas of Thai life - look around the world, choose the best and bring in the foreigners to run it until the locals can.

EG the police force?

Driving enforcement?

Car park design?

Airport construction?

What about this - Writing a constitution? Take the best from around the world and tweak it if you must, learning from the mistakes of others.

BTW would love to know who the security firm was...

[jamesjdaly]

He promised them investments, I assume from Arabs, cause China has become a no go for him.

Now that he has left UAE this investment plan might not sound as promisiing as before.

Wow! When did this happen?

[PhilHarries]

He promised them investments, I assume from Arabs, cause China has become a no go for him.

Now that he has left UAE this investment plan might not sound as promisiing as before.

I believe he promised them he'd buy Managua City Football Club, I think he could still afford them...........just!

I was wondering though, what international validity does what is essentially an honorary passport? If he's not actually a Nicaraguan citizen does this KSR passport confer the same rights of passage and internatonal protection?

[JayBangkok]

I am sure he can keep busy helping Ortega get rid of the drug dealers.

[dukkha]

Assume Thaksin is granted Nicaraguan Passport, what could he do with it? Yes just what would the ramifications of holding such a passport .....will he receive ambassadorial status when travelling...not sure how this status would affect him internationally Dukkha

How long could he stand living in Nicaragua? It is not like Britain, Hong Kong, or UAE, which can offer him a lavish lifestyle. It is 24-30 hours away from Thailand, so far away that his lackeys would find it very difficult to travel to. How long could he stand extortion by corrupt politicians just to live there?

[TPI]

Edit: quoted text has been deleted

Well now...and we thought that the regiment was in Iraq and Afgannny? Who'd hav thunk it!!

[jamesjdaly]

KSR passport

[ai kwaan]

Nicaraguan passport for exile

Friday 17 Apr, 2009

www.7days.ae

Former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra has been given a diplomatic passport by Nicaragua

Thailand's fugitive ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra has been given a Nicaraguan diplomatic passport, authorities there said on Thursday after his Thai passport was revoked following political unrest.

Thaksin was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and lives in exile to avoid a two-year jail term for corruption, but in recent weeks has called for "revolution" as his supporters have taken to the streets.

Thailand revoked his passport after his supporters stormed a summit of Asian leaders at the weekend, forcing the meeting to be cancelled, and then fought street battles with security forces in Bangkok on Monday.

7DAYS reported on Wednesday how Thaksin was planning to leave Dubai after staying in the Emirate for some time. Nicaragua said that Thaksin had been appointed "an ambassador of Nicaragua on a special mission" earlier this year, so he could help attract investment to the impoverished central American country.

"Thaksin Shinawatra was democratically elected by the majority of Thai people, and was then forced to abandon his duty by a coup in 2006," said Rosario Murillo, Nicaragua's first lady and a government spokeswoman.

Pro-Thaksin demonstrators say his allies were unlawfully pushed from power by a court ruling last year, and have demanded that current premier Abhisit Vejjajiva step down and hold fresh elections.

Foreign ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat said that Thailand had diplomatic relations with Nicaragua but no extradition agreement. "Nicaragua can give whatever they want to," Tharit said, adding that Thailand had "not yet" issued a formal protest.

The government said Wednesday that Thaksin's passport was withdrawn over the assault on the summit, which forced Asian leaders to be evacuated from the hotel venue - some by helicopter from the rooftop.

Thaksin, a 59-year-old billionaire tycoon, denied the charges of inciting violence in a television interview filmed in Dubai earlier this week. "I feel very tragic on what is happening among the Thai people. But I am not instigating it," he told Al-Jazeera. "I keep telling them every day, the message is peaceful, peaceful, peaceful."

He said he would be prepared to return to Thailand to face justice if numerous cases against him, which also include previous charges of graft, were investigated by a "neutral body".

full article here

Edited April 17, 2009 by ai kwaan

[george]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP

And the translation is....

Nation online readers have joined hands to help translate a Nicaraguan Embassy letter regarding Thaksin Shinawatra

Our desperate plea for help with the translation of a letter the Nicaraguan Embassy sent to the Thai Embassy there regarding Thaksin Shinawatra's special passport status has receiving overwhelming responses. We would like to thank everyone of you _ from Spanish natives to those who resorted to google translator to help as well as one man who advised us that singer Paiboon "Pan" Kiatkiewkaew should be able to help thanks to his Spanish knowledge.

Almost everyone of you agreed that "adolece de sustentacion" means "lacks basis" or "lacks support". Therefore, the Nicaraguan Embassy was telling the Thai Embassy that news reports about Thaksin getting citizenship or passport in Nicaragua were unfounded, groundless or baseless.

One reader also noted that the Nicaraguan press statement confirming Thaksin's special ambassador status does not necessarily mean he was granted honorary citizenship with a travel document that can take him anywhere in the world.

There are some cautious voices, though. "The translation is 'the said report lacks substance'," said Alastar Adams. "But I would be very cautious about interpreting this as a denail that a passport has been issued. A denial would be written along the lines "the Nicaraguan government confirms that a passport was not issued".

Louis Macareo gave a similar caution. "Keep in mind that they are not technically denying the possibility of it being true. It simply can not be confirmed," he said. "The translation is a very diplomatic way of saying that "the news to which you refer can no be substantiated" i.e., at least from the information that they have, it is NOT true."

Giancarlo Galavotti saw the opposite. "The verb "adolecer" literally means to suffer beacuse of an illness, and in diplomatic terms is used to soften the impact of a simple "It's a LIE".

Eduardo Campos-Tortosa, who was kind enough to offer to translate the whole embassy letter, has come up with full translation that seems to confirm that the embassy was denying Thaksin had been given a passport:

QUOTE (Seal, that reads "Republic of Nicaragua - Central America") EMBASSY OF NICARAGUA IN MEXICO EDNIC/EMB/91/2009

The Embassy of the Republic of Nicaragua in Mexico presents its compliments to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Thailand in Mexico and has the honor to refer to the latter's Note No. 31001/126/2552, by which the Embassy requested assistance in order to verify the news reported by the Press in Thailand, concerning the alleged grant of Nicaraguan citizenship and Nicaraguan Passport to Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra, Ex-Primer Minister of Thailand.

The Embassy of the Republic of Nicaragua informs the Royal Thai Embassy in Mexico that the news under scrutiny have no substance ( or "are unsupported". Either version is acceptable).

The Embassy of the Republic of Nicaragua in Mexico avails itself of this opportunity to reiterate to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Thailand in Mexico the assurances of its highest and most distinguished consideration.

Mexico, D.F. 15 April 2009 Seal and Signature TO THE ROYAL THAI EMBASSYCIUDAD (In town) UNQUOTE

Well, this should settle the embassy issue, although the translation raised some questions concerning the Nicaraguan government's stand on Thaksin over the past few days.

We would like to thank all of you again for following our website and responding to our plea without hesitation. Someone looked in the Spanish dictionary, another contacted his Mexican co-worker and several others emailed people they know in order to help us. Many thanks. We do appreciate it.

Gracias y buena suerte

-- The Nation 2009-04-17

[Rideau]

I am sure he can keep busy helping Ortega get rid of the drug dealers.

:jerk: Oooooooh, another "War on Drugs" and mass extrajudicial killings - Nicaraguan Version?

[jamesjdaly]

Thaksin will feel at home in Nicaragua as it is riddled with corruption, has army coups every lunchtime and the embassies don't know what is happening in their own country. Now that is a REAL banana republic.

Uses for a Nicaraguan Passport

1 Light the fire

2 Toilet use when the kleenex are done

3 Scrap paper

4 Temporary fix for a broken window pane

5 Phone messages

6

7

8

[skippybangkok]

Maybe time spent in the UK wans't wasted.

His english has greatly improved too !

[Plus]

He promised them investments, I assume from Arabs, cause China has become a no go for him.

Now that he has left UAE this investment plan might not sound as promisiing as before.

Wow! When did this happen?

Sometimes between he was convicted and when Chinese govt put pressure on Hong Kong to kick him out of there - they don't allow directing revolutions from their soil. He was ok there when he stayed out of politics but that has changed. And then there's a matter of arrest warrant that they'd rather help Thailand with.

Of course Thaksin can still call up his Chinese friends but I don't know if he can produce any results, I dont think they see him as a reliable middleman at this point.

[Rideau]

Perhaps, Mr.Ortega of Nicaragua is interested in implementing Thaksinomics there.

Economists: Nicaragua Is in Recession

New study shows corruption, political climate is worsening the economic situation here

http://www.nicatimes.net/nicaarchive/2009_04/0417091.htm

Edited April 17, 2009 by Rideau

[hawker9000]

I'm no international law expert, but I think the idea of a diplomatic passport by some foreign govt for Thaksin is problematic and unlikely except as some sort of misinformation gambit. Issuing a visa is one thing, but the idea that a govt might be able to extend diplomatic protection to the national of another nation simply by issuing such a passport would mean that any country could extend such protection to anyone for any reason at any time. I can't see the recipient's ports of call in such cases necessarily finding themselves obligated to honor such a passport unless they chose to do so (say, in return for some special concession...). Receiving asylum or sanctuary somewhere is one thing, but that only extends to the physical borders of the granting state. A granting state can't effectively extend the limits of that asylum to the entire globe simply by handing out a diplomatic passport.....

......can it?

Rogue states or others might try it, I just don't see how other 3rd party states are compelled to honor it. If Nicaragua or some other country WERE to give one to Thaksin, and he tried to travel with it to some country with which Thailand does have extradition rights (and reasonable diplomatic relations), I'm pretty certain Thailand would be able to successfully insist on the detention and extradition of its own national, diplomatic passport or any other arrangements between Thaksin and a foreign govt notwithstanding.

I'm not saying Thaksin doesn't have this - I'm just wondering whether having one would really be much of a silver bullet.

[thaiwanderer]

http://www.thaiphotoblogs.com/index.php?bl...p;tb=1&pb=1

Mr T also claims to have a German residency card

of course fog of war applies and whether any use.....

[Robby nz]

Abasith got all the embassadors in Thailand together for a talk (saw it on TV) and it seems he has now said none of those countries have given Thaksin a passport. However it seems that Nicaragua has no ambassador in TL the closest being in Mexico.

So Abasith got no face to face assurance from Nic........ the only thing we have is the letter to the Nation and presumably a copy to the PM.

Wonder if the Nic... govt has ever told a porky?

As for geeetin rid of drug dealers, isnt Ortaga one?

[Heng]

Much ado about nothing. This is like following up on whether his QMiles card has been revoked or not.

[Naam]

Assume Thaksin is granted Nicaraguan Passport, what could he do with it? How long could he stand living in Nicaragua?

since when does ANY passport require that one lives in the issueing country?

[Changian]

I guess Abhisit missed the Nicaraguan President's website that confirms the issue of the passport. If only they had Google in Government House. http://www.elpueblopresidente.com/ACTUALIDAD/3899.html

[samgrowth]

I guess Abhisit missed the Nicaraguan President's website that confirms the issue of the passport. If only they had Google in Government House. http://www.elpueblopresidente.com/ACTUALIDAD/3899.html

Sorry, Mark don't read Spanish. And there is no qualified people in Thailand than can do that.

[Plus]

That Nicaraguan press-release appears to be kosher.

They even clarify that currenty Thailand is engaged in a peaceful strugle to retrun Thaksin to his rightful power. It's dated April 15.

Good luck to them.

Having backing from Daniel Ortega now defines Thaksin's international profile.