Thaksin Bids For Montenegro Island

[ding]

So Germany is calling Chalerm a liar. That about ends that, eh? I go with Germany's statement and lean towards Cambodia's too then.

But didn't Chalerm's son kill someone is a bar fight and get released from jail only to join the police force again? Is that true? What happened with that, if so?

[HagenvonTronje]

So Germany is calling Chalerm a liar. That about ends that, eh? I go with Germany's statement and lean towards Cambodia's too then.

no, nobody said that at the german embassy.

they denied some rumours in the local press. rumours about what Chalerm might have said. who knows if these local press gets everything right or just add a a little bit fantasy or tend to twist reality just like you did.

[Abrak]

I have to admit when Thaksin first came to power I supported him, but when he sold his company for US$2bn (amongst other mistakes) and paid no taxes (despite it being legal) he lost all moral authority to run any country.

I went to school with Aphisit and to some extent I have a real problem with someone so priveleged representing a second world country. At the end of the day there was no choice. As the Nation put it 'if you put a gun to my head and asked me to choose between Newin and Chalerm to lead the country my answer would be simple - pull the trigger.'

[sriracha john]

So Germany is calling Chalerm a liar. That about ends that, eh? I go with Germany's statement and lean towards Cambodia's too then.

But didn't Chalerm's son kill someone is a bar fight and get released from jail only to join the police force again? Is that true? What happened with that, if so?

Here's a rundown of Chalerm and his son's antics... you got it mostly correct, except that he rejoined the Army, not the police. Given the promotion fast-tracking he's already had, he's likely a Lieutenant-General by now...

Interior Minister: Son's Reinstatement in Army Justified

The Interior Minister adorned his son with a Second Lieutenant epaulet this morning at his residence, insisting that his son's reinstatement is legally justified.

Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung revealed that he adorned his son, Duang Yoobamrung, with a Second Lieutenant epaulet this morning at the auspicious time of 8:19am at his residence.

He stressed that the reinstatement of his son is not disrespectful to Supreme Commander General Boonsarng Niampradit.

Chalerm reasoned that Second Lieutenant Duang Yoobamrung formerly served in the Defence Ministry's Secretary Office, not the Supreme Command Headquarters so his reinstatement by Prime Minister and Defence Minister Samak Sundaravej did not have to go through the Supreme Commander.

Chalerm stated Duang's suspension from the military came when he was named the suspect in the murder of Police Senior Sergeant Major Wichai Rodvimut, not because he escaped his army duty.

The Interior Minister pointed out that his son has been acquitted in the murder case as the witnesses' statements conflicted with forensic evidence, proving his son's innocence.

Chalerm said he does not feel disheartened by pressure on his family as his son's reinstatement is not an abuse of power but is a legal justice. He noted that his son was imprisoned for over a year before being granted bail so he had paid his dues.

- Thailand Outlook (today)

============================================================

So his Dad is making the point then that his son was never charged with desertion? Fine.

Now that he is back on active duty as an officer, charge him with desertion from the Army for a year.

Aside from the prison time, it should result in a dishonorable discharge from the Army so the he could go back to just being Mr. Happy Toilet's Murderous Brother.

The Army's newest Lieutenant...

Matichon newspaper

Chalerm defends his son's military reinstatement

Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said Wednesday that he presided over a ceremony to decorate his youngest son, Duang, with his restored rank of sub lieutenant at their private residence.

Chalerm however refused to comment whether the ceremony was a privilege accorded to the son of a Cabinet member.

He was speaking at a press conference at the Interior Ministry in a bid to quell the controversy surrounding Duang resuming the military service. He said it happened under the prescribed procedures and did not side stepped any rules.

"I want to comment on the issue for the last time, so listen carefully," he said.

The Secretariat of the Defence Minister directly handled the reinstatement because Duang was stripped of his rank seven years ago by a ministerial order issued in connection with his alleged involvement in a murder, he said.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej issued a direct order for Duang to resume the military service, hence bypassing the normal military channel through the Armed Forces Security Centre, where Duang was commissioned, and the Supreme Command, he said.

He insisted his son was stripped of his rank within five days after the murder case broke in 2001.

"My son did not desert his duty and he is entitled for reinstatement after winning an acquittal - he is innocent," he said.

- The Nation

===================================================================

So then his son was properly granted leave from the Army for the year he spent as a deserter in Malaysia????

The more Chalerm speaks, the crappier his comments become.

btw, what medals is Duang wearing on his chest????? Expert Scotch-swilling? Marksman for Policeman Head Shots? Pub brawling above and beyond the call of duty?

The No-Stranger-To-Controversy just keeps rolling right along...

Chalerm at a press conference in 2004 with his son Duangchalerm after Duangchalerm finally returned to Thailand to face murder charges related to shooting a policeman point-blank in the head while his brother held him down during an argument in a pub.

Interior Minister appoints his son as Anti-Drug Committee Member

The Interior Minister appointed one of his sons as a member of the special committee to tackle drug problems. Major Duang Yoobamrung, the son of Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, was appointed to work with the Interior Ministry's Drug Suppression Committee, which is a special unit that supports operations to reduce drug problems.

The official letter of his appointment was signed by his farther, the Interior Minister himself, on July 4th, 2008. The special anti-drug committee was recently established because it has become apparent that operations to suppress illegal drugs implemented by several state agencies have encountered big coordination gaps.

The special unit supports operations conducted by all agencies and is intended to boost the coordination between them. The special drug suppression committee comprises of thirty-eight members, including former national police spokesman Police Lieutenant-General Pongsapat Pongchareon and former People Power Party MP candidate Han Timatongkam.

- Thailand Outlook / 05-07-08

=========================================================================

Interesting that Duang is definitely on the fast-track promotion list...

After being re-instated back into the Army just only this past May as a Sub-Lieutenant, 2 months later he's progressed several paygrades and is now a Major....

[brahmburgers]

He was not rich before. He knows how the poor Thais live and wants to help them.

Let me see, If I spend billions of baht in Nicaragua, and billions of baht in Liberia, and buy an immensely overpriced waterless rock near Serbia, .......the I too would show how I want to help poor Thais.

After {Chalerm's youngest son) being re-instated back into the Army just only this past May as a Sub-Lieutenant, 2 months later he's progressed several paygrades and is now a Major.

synopsis of Chalerm, his sons, and their increasing importance in Thai halls of power: The bigger a liar, and the more corrupt you are - the faster you climb up through the ranks.

.....oh, and if you murder a cop and run & hide to another country for a month (which Chalerm's son did), you're going to garner a heap of publicity. Thai politics, like Hollywood show biz, proves the adage: 'there's no such thing as 'bad publicity.' It would be no surprise (to some of us) if Chalerm's son is PM some day.

[sriracha john]

'No reciprocal deal' with UAE for Thaksin

Hand-over of Briton held in Thailand, wanted by the Arab state, ruled out

Thailand may be unable to trade fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra with a British man wanted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for embezzlement, a senior Foreign Ministry official said yesterday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Jarungwat said prisoner exchanges could be done on a reciprocal basis between countries which had no extradition treaties given that the prisoners were serving jail terms on similar offences.

Yet he said the principle was unlikely to be applied regarding an exchange of Thaksin and Briton Michael Bryan Smith, who was arrested recently in Bangkok for allegedly embezzling US$154 million (Bt5.3 billion) from a Dubai company. The Briton is being held at the Criminal Court pending extradition.

Thaksin, who is believed to be in the UAE city of Dubai, is wanted in Thailand to serve a two-year term in a corruption case involving the Ratchadaphisek land scandal.

Tharit said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier submitted an extradition request to the UAE through diplomatic channels to facilitate forced repatriation of Thaksin.

Meanwhile, Panit Vikitset, vice minister for foreign affairs, said yesterday that the UAE authorities had promised to ensure that Thaksin would not use the Middle East state as his base for political activities against Thailand.

He said Thaksin was residing in the UAE as a businessman.

-- The Nation 2009-05-24

[sriracha john]

Thaksin exploiting UAE, Foreign Ministry says

The Office of the Attorney-General yesterday called on the Foreign Ministry to remind the United Arab Emirates that ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was exploiting the country for his own political ends. The fugitive ex-premier was using the UAE as a political base, said Sirisak Tiyaphan, executive director for foreign litigation at the OAG.

Puea Thai party-list MP Chalerm Yubamrung has told the media he had visited Thaksin in Dubai for consultations as the party was looking for a new leader, he said. This goes to show that Thaksin had violated UAE's terms and conditions for abode which do not allow him to use the Gulf nation to pursue any political activities, said Mr Sirisak.

Thailand is trying to sign an extradition treaty with Hong Kong, a country which Thaksin was frequently visiting after fleeing Thailand to escape a jail sentence last year. Mr Sirisak said the OAG and the ministry were planning to send officials to Hong Kong to conduct another round of negotiations on the issue.

Continued:

-- Bangkok Post 2009-05-24

[sriracha john]

In Noppadope's latest... he basically says Chalerm is a liar for saying Thaksin has a Cambodian passport... and then also boastfully alludes to some unnamed, mysterious, European Power House offering Thaksin a Presidential Passport...

Additionally, he's also now taken the role of being Foreign Minister Public Spokesperson for more countries than just the UAE... It'd be remarkable, and certainly more believable, if these other countries would actually come out themselves and announced the things he says about them and their relationships with the Thai government.

Thaksin's egg-head lawyer is cracking up more than ever...

[sriracha john]

'Powerful European country offers Thaksin passport'

A powerful European country has offered ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra a presidential passport, even though he was convicted in the Ratchadaphisek land purchase case, a lawyer said yesterday.

Noppadon Pattama, who has represented Thaksin, said yesterday that Thaksin was using his Montenegro passport and did not hold a Cambodian passport.

Many countries were ready to provide him with travel papers, but Thaksin had declined, saying he had enough.

The government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva could never bring Thaksin back because foreign countries believe the government would not be around long and that Thaksin was just a victim of political harassment, Noppadon said. Efforts to extradite Thaksin would be fruitless because the foreign governments did not consider him as corrupt, only that he was politically sabotaged.

"The Abhisit government's credibility vanished when Kasit Piromya, seen as having committed international terrorism for his involvement in the seizure of Suvarnabhumi Airport, was appointed to the Cabinet,'' he said.

Thaksin was now staying in Dubai and although the government sought cooperation from the United Arab Emirates to hand him over, he did not believe the country would do as requested.

The UAE is convinced that Thaksin was being politically persecuted and the cases against him were political since they were taken after his government was brought down by a military coup, he said. "The UAE will try to compromise and even Hong Kong also refused to help, reasoning it does not have an extradition treaty with Thailand,'' he said.

-- The Nation 2009-05-25

[sriracha john]

In another Noppadope blathering... he again points out that Chalerm is telling porkies about Thaksin's Cambodian passport and that while Germany is, indeed, a European Power House... it's not the one he meant, by won't name.

Also, Thaksin may be looking to be the head of another country's TAT....

[sriracha john]

Noppadon: Thaksin not carrying Cambodian or German passports

BANGKOK, 24 May 2009 (NNT) – Former Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama asserted that the fugitive ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra did not carry either Cambodian or German passports, adding that he was now residing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Former Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama, also former legal advisor to Thaksin said his boss was still residing in Dubai of UAE. However, Noppadon asserted that he did not carry passports of Cambodia and Germany as reported in the news.

Noppadon elaborated that his boss was now mostly using a passport of Montenegro, where he was dealing to buy property from that country.

Noppadon added that there were many countries offering passports and visa for his boss, claiming that even a powerful European country had also offered him resident visa. However, Thaksin had refused to accept that deeming that what he had was enough.

The former Minister said the number of passports that Thaksin had was resulted from his frequent business trips.

He said these offers came after the ruling of Supreme Court of Justice Criminal Division for Persons Holding Political Positions that earlier judged Thaksin guilty in Ratchada land case. Noppadon said these already reflected that international community did understand that the case was politically motivated from the abrupt power seizure.

He added that his boss was recently invited to be an expert in tourism by a President of a country.

In regards to the attempt of the Government asking Hong Kong to extradite Thaksin back to Thailand for legal trials, Noppadon said Hong Kong authority had already replied that the request could not be carried out since Hong Kong was a free country with no extradition treaty with Thailand. The former Foreign Minister asked the media to confirm this matter with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva if he had received the reply or not.

-- NNT 2009-05-24

[HagenvonTronje]

Thaksin 'carries 6 passports'

Thaksin Shinawatra is now carrying six passports issued by foreign countries, Puea Thai Party MP chief Chalerm Yubamrung says. Chalerm recently visited the former prime minister in Dubai, but was unable to give details of which countries had issued Thaksin with the passports.

Nicaragua reportedly issued Thaksin with a diplomatic passport when he was selected to promote the country's trade and investment. Thaksin may also have obtained a passport from Montenegro. ...

Continued:

-- Bangkok Post 2009-05-22

*the edit, to change one line into red colour, was done by HvT.

so actually Chamlern never told a story of a cambodian passport or a german passport. it's all paranoia by some local media, local press who fantasised some 'additional information' and assumption.

that these by the media itself fabricated 'facts', got denied by some officials, that make later to a big headline. some less thoroughly and not so smart readers might be now come to the conclusion that this chamlern is a liar. thats how smear campaigns work.

[Plus]

so actually Chamlern never told a story of a cambodian passport or a german passport. it's all paranoia by some local media

They were quoting him after his visit to UAE.

He told them Thaksin had a German passport with Shengen visa, which is impossible as Germany IS part of Shengen agreement already. If Chalerm couldn't provide details - how's that "fantasy" and "paranoia" by Thai media?

[hammered]

so actually Chamlern never told a story of a cambodian passport or a german passport. it's all paranoia by some local media

They were quoting him after his visit to UAE.

He told them Thaksin had a German passport with Shengen visa, which is impossible as Germany IS part of Shengen agreement already. If Chalerm couldn't provide details - how's that "fantasy" and "paranoia" by Thai media?

Chalerm. That says it all. Anyone who knows anything about his history would question anything that comes out of his mouth, not trust him, never turn their back on him, and find it utterly ridiculous that he is the "leader" of a so called politcal party. Even Thaksin liking farmers despise Chalerm

[HagenvonTronje]

so actually Chamlern never told a story of a cambodian passport or a german passport. it's all paranoia by some local media

They were quoting him after his visit to UAE.

He told them Thaksin had a German passport with Shengen visa, which is impossible as Germany IS part of Shengen agreement already. If Chalerm couldn't provide details - how's that "fantasy" and "paranoia" by Thai media?

the first Bangkok Post report going like this "Mr Chalerm recently visited the former prime minister in Dubai but was unable to give details of which countries had issued Thaksin with the passports." changed later that day to a version that says: "Some local newspapers published stories on Friday quoting Puea Thai MP chief Chalerm Yubamrung as saying that Thaksin is passports issued by six countries, including Germany and Cambodia."

The Nation chosed one day later this words: "Several Thai newspapers yesterday published stories quoting Chalerm Yoobamrung as saying the ousted premier held six foreign passports, including ones from Germany and Cambodia."

this is not an official announcement by Chalerm, not a 'Chalerm has said, that ...' sentence only a 'Somebody else has said that Chamlern has said, that ...' phrasing and to write "some local newspaper published..." is a hint: psst! not verified and most likely fiction, but we could not resist to put these denies in a big fat bold headline.

and i repeat myself: some less thoroughly and not so smart readers might be now come to the conclusion that this chamlern is a liar. thats how smear campaigns work.

[hammered]

so actually Chamlern never told a story of a cambodian passport or a german passport. it's all paranoia by some local media

They were quoting him after his visit to UAE.

He told them Thaksin had a German passport with Shengen visa, which is impossible as Germany IS part of Shengen agreement already. If Chalerm couldn't provide details - how's that "fantasy" and "paranoia" by Thai media?

the first Bangkok Post report going like this "Mr Chalerm recently visited the former prime minister in Dubai but was unable to give details of which countries had issued Thaksin with the passports." changed later that day to a version that says: "Some local newspapers published stories on Friday quoting Puea Thai MP chief Chalerm Yubamrung as saying that Thaksin is passports issued by six countries, including Germany and Cambodia."

The Nation chosed one day later this words: "Several Thai newspapers yesterday published stories quoting Chalerm Yoobamrung as saying the ousted premier held six foreign passports, including ones from Germany and Cambodia."

this is not an official announcement by Chalerm, not a 'Chalerm has said, that ...' sentence only a 'Somebody else has said that Chamlern has said, that ...' phrasing and to write "some local newspaper published..." is a hint: psst! not verified and most likely fiction, but we could not resist to put these denies in a big fat bold headline.

and i repeat myself: some less thoroughly and not so smart readers might be now come to the conclusion that this chamlern is a liar. thats how smear campaigns work.

Do you know who Chalerm is?

Just about everybody in Thailand thinks Chalerm is a liar although admittedly that precedes this irrelevence.

[Plus]

Let's petition the UN Security Council over this. Is it true that some Thai language papers quoted Chalerm or not? Reports in English media do not cite exact sources. That is shameless, paranoid distortion of facts. It's time for Americans to send their navy and sort them out.

Another slow day on Thaivisa - time to pick apart some old stories about serial liars.

[HagenvonTronje]

Let's petition the UN Security Council over this. Is it true that some Thai language papers quoted Chalerm or not? Reports in English media do not cite exact sources. That is shameless, paranoid distortion of facts. It's time for Americans to send their navy and sort them out.

Another slow day on Thaivisa - time to pick apart some old stories about serial liars.

No, it is nothing to get excited about. Rumours of this and that and tut tut - nothing to get excited about. - rumours.

That Montenegro Island bid, nothing to get excited about. Thaksin has a helicopter - nothing to get excited about. Thaksin travels to Liberia - nothing to get excited about. Thaksin has a passport of Nicaragua and there is that statement in a foreign language - Spanish, OMG- stop, nothing to get excited about. The German embassy denies what some local newspaper had written - nothing to get excited about. Hun sen denied a Cambodian passport for Thaksin- nothing to get excited about. It is all null news. Zero content, BLAH. low value content. not important. Nothing to get excited about. Who cares?

Everything else, to get excited about, would be...er odd.

Yes, it is slow on TVboard, I waste my time with exercising little bit discourse analysis, text linguistics on a layman level.

Do you know who Chalerm is?

I am pretty sure that you could not give an elaborate profile about his career in Thai politics and that what you could explain would more or less only bar talk.

Yep, that is what everybody knows. And now? Get excited because his name came up in connection with some self-fabricated 'news' by the Thai media gossip machinery. Get excited about it? Why and for what? Repost and requote old gossip entries of the forum to demonstrate - oh, ho ohh, Me know so much, so much just like everybody else feels to know.

Actually i am the knowledge in persona - I just have to say accented and fraught with significance but with a studied casualness: Chalerm and than there is that murmur that goes through the crowd - oh, ho ohh. I know. Me is knowledge.

No kidding, just say Chalerm in sophisto italic, nothing more. And everybody knows you know so much like everybody else. You are the knowledge of Thai politics.

In reality, in TV forum is that talk about Chalerm, sophisto italic or not, just another failed pseudo meme, content free BLAH. the blah about Chalerm informative like a repost of his failed meme brother Mr. Urinal Man. Trash talk.

So do you know who Chalerm is? Could you provide something above the usual TVBoard standard?

[Plus]

text linguistics on a layman level.

Could you tone it just a notch down to our

more or less only bar talk

Thanks in advance.

[Ice123]

He's like a cheap floozy, making promises to every tin pot banana republic he visits: Nicaragua, Liberia, Montenegro ....who's next to get sucked in to the charm of Thaksin flashing his fat wallet, grinning widely, and promising each honcho in turn, that they're the one dearest to his heart.

That banana republic is more developed than your kingdom of Thailand and one of fastest growing economies in Europe.

Anyway MANS (the non government organization that was already mentioned here) sued Ministry of Internal Affairs because Ministry didn't want to say about who gave him a passport. Not sure if I can find news in English.

[Oberkommando]

Just about everybody in Thailand thinks Chalerm is a liar

He sounds perfect for the job.

I am pretty sure that you could not give an elaborate profile about his career in Thai politics and that what you could explain would more or less only bar talk.

Yep, that is what everybody knows. And now? Get excited because his name came up in connection with some self-fabricated 'news' by the Thai media gossip machinery. Get excited about it? Why and for what? Repost and requote old gossip entries of the forum to demonstrate - oh, ho ohh, Me know so much, so much just like everybody else feels to know.

Actually i am the knowledge in persona - I just have to say accented and fraught with significance but with a studied casualness: Chalerm and than there is that murmur that goes through the crowd - oh, ho ohh. I know. Me is knowledge.

No kidding, just say Chalerm in sophisto italic, nothing more. And everybody knows you know so much like everybody else. You are the knowledge of Thai politics.

In reality, in TV forum is that talk about Chalerm, sophisto italic or not, just another failed pseudo meme, content free BLAH. the blah about Chalerm informative like a repost of his failed meme brother Mr. Urinal Man. Trash talk.

So do you know who Chalerm is? Could you provide something above the usual TVBoard standard?

I do so enjoy reading your posts Hagenvon.

[brahmburgers]

He's like a cheap floozy, making promises to every tin pot banana republic he visits: Nicaragua, Liberia, Montenegro ....who's next to get sucked in to the charm of Thaksin flashing his fat wallet, grinning widely, and promising each honcho in turn, that they're the one dearest to his heart.

That banana republic is more developed than your kingdom of Thailand and one of fastest growing economies in Europe. Anyway MANS (the non government organization that was already mentioned here) sued Ministry of Internal Affairs because Ministry didn't want to say about who gave him a passport. Not sure if I can find news in English.

I can agree that Montenegro has some nice homes with the requisite late model cars. Yet it's basically a principality smaller than Connecticut that, until 2006, was a part of Serbia/Yugoslavia. If it's striving to gain international respect as a sovereign nation, its appears to be picking tainted bedfellows (Thaksin and the Serbian thug who is trying to sell the parcel on the the island). If Montenegro wants to tarnish its international image, it should keep doing what it's doing.

[sriracha john]

I am pretty sure that you could not give an elaborate profile about his career in Thai politics and that what you could explain would more or less only bar talk.

Yep, that is what everybody knows. And now? Get excited because his name came up in connection with some self-fabricated 'news' by the Thai media gossip machinery. Get excited about it? Why and for what? Repost and requote old gossip entries of the forum to demonstrate - oh, ho ohh, Me know so much, so much just like everybody else feels to know.

Actually i am the knowledge in persona - I just have to say accented and fraught with significance but with a studied casualness: Chalerm and than there is that murmur that goes through the crowd - oh, ho ohh. I know. Me is knowledge.

No kidding, just say Chalerm in sophisto italic, nothing more. And everybody knows you know so much like everybody else. You are the knowledge of Thai politics.

In reality, in TV forum is that talk about Chalerm, sophisto italic or not, just another failed pseudo meme, content free BLAH. the blah about Chalerm informative like a repost of his failed meme brother Mr. Urinal Man. Trash talk.

So do you know who Chalerm is? Could you provide something above the usual TVBoard standard?

I do so enjoy reading your posts Hagenvon.

Could you put them into English that makes sense?

[Plus]

I don't know about HT's English, but to me both Bangkok Post stories do not even sound contradictory - Chalerm said something about Germany but didn't offer any details.

How could that turn into a case of paranoid sensationalism by Thai media is beyond me, but then I'm not as advanced as HT.

[Ice123]

He's like a cheap floozy, making promises to every tin pot banana republic he visits: Nicaragua, Liberia, Montenegro ....who's next to get sucked in to the charm of Thaksin flashing his fat wallet, grinning widely, and promising each honcho in turn, that they're the one dearest to his heart.

That banana republic is more developed than your kingdom of Thailand and one of fastest growing economies in Europe. Anyway MANS (the non government organization that was already mentioned here) sued Ministry of Internal Affairs because Ministry didn't want to say about who gave him a passport. Not sure if I can find news in English.

I can agree that Montenegro has some nice homes with the requisite late model cars. Yet it's basically a principality smaller than Connecticut that, until 2006, was a part of Serbia/Yugoslavia. If it's striving to gain international respect as a sovereign nation, its appears to be picking tainted bedfellows (Thaksin and the Serbian thug who is trying to sell the parcel on the the island). If Montenegro wants to tarnish its international image, it should keep doing what it's doing.

It's a country, not principality . Montenegro gain a lot of respect in international media and organizations. When it got independent it had to start all over again (first, joining UN) which for e.g. Serbia didn't because they got to stay in all those organizations as the successor of State union. So even though they had to go trough that, Montenegro is closer to EU and has a already better life standard than Serbia (which wasn't before the independence) with average pay of 460 euros, which is not so high but compared with other Ex Yugoslavian republics, it's 3rd (after Croatia) by life standard. They gave him a passport which they shouldn't, that why they are sued, but claiming that Montenegro is "banana" republic and comparing it with Nicaragua or Liberia is silly. You can't even compare Kosovo with those two countries, which is probably most undeveloped country in Europe.

[hammered]

Let's petition the UN Security Council over this. Is it true that some Thai language papers quoted Chalerm or not? Reports in English media do not cite exact sources. That is shameless, paranoid distortion of facts. It's time for Americans to send their navy and sort them out.

Another slow day on Thaivisa - time to pick apart some old stories about serial liars.

No, it is nothing to get excited about. Rumours of this and that and tut tut - nothing to get excited about. - rumours.

That Montenegro Island bid, nothing to get excited about. Thaksin has a helicopter - nothing to get excited about. Thaksin travels to Liberia - nothing to get excited about. Thaksin has a passport of Nicaragua and there is that statement in a foreign language - Spanish, OMG- stop, nothing to get excited about. The German embassy denies what some local newspaper had written - nothing to get excited about. Hun sen denied a Cambodian passport for Thaksin- nothing to get excited about. It is all null news. Zero content, BLAH. low value content. not important. Nothing to get excited about. Who cares?

Everything else, to get excited about, would be...er odd.

Yes, it is slow on TVboard, I waste my time with exercising little bit discourse analysis, text linguistics on a layman level.

Do you know who Chalerm is?

I am pretty sure that you could not give an elaborate profile about his career in Thai politics and that what you could explain would more or less only bar talk.

Yep, that is what everybody knows. And now? Get excited because his name came up in connection with some self-fabricated 'news' by the Thai media gossip machinery. Get excited about it? Why and for what? Repost and requote old gossip entries of the forum to demonstrate - oh, ho ohh, Me know so much, so much just like everybody else feels to know.

Actually i am the knowledge in persona - I just have to say accented and fraught with significance but with a studied casualness: Chalerm and than there is that murmur that goes through the crowd - oh, ho ohh. I know. Me is knowledge.

No kidding, just say Chalerm in sophisto italic, nothing more. And everybody knows you know so much like everybody else. You are the knowledge of Thai politics.

In reality, in TV forum is that talk about Chalerm, sophisto italic or not, just another failed pseudo meme, content free BLAH. the blah about Chalerm informative like a repost of his failed meme brother Mr. Urinal Man. Trash talk.

So do you know who Chalerm is? Could you provide something above the usual TVBoard standard?

So I will assume you dont.

[hammered]

so actually Chamlern never told a story of a cambodian passport or a german passport. it's all paranoia by some local media

They were quoting him after his visit to UAE.

He told them Thaksin had a German passport with Shengen visa, which is impossible as Germany IS part of Shengen agreement already. If Chalerm couldn't provide details - how's that "fantasy" and "paranoia" by Thai media?

the first Bangkok Post report going like this "Mr Chalerm recently visited the former prime minister in Dubai but was unable to give details of which countries had issued Thaksin with the passports." changed later that day to a version that says: "Some local newspapers published stories on Friday quoting Puea Thai MP chief Chalerm Yubamrung as saying that Thaksin is passports issued by six countries, including Germany and Cambodia."

The Nation chosed one day later this words: "Several Thai newspapers yesterday published stories quoting Chalerm Yoobamrung as saying the ousted premier held six foreign passports, including ones from Germany and Cambodia."

this is not an official announcement by Chalerm, not a 'Chalerm has said, that ...' sentence only a 'Somebody else has said that Chamlern has said, that ...' phrasing and to write "some local newspaper published..." is a hint: psst! not verified and most likely fiction, but we could not resist to put these denies in a big fat bold headline.

and i repeat myself: some less thoroughly and not so smart readers might be now come to the conclusion that this chamlern is a liar. thats how smear campaigns work.

Surely if you really believe you are analysing discourse you should have gone to the primary source and and not drawn conclusion from what is by its wording clearly a secondary source and one in a different language and hence potentially of different linguistic form. It seems a big step to conclude a fiction of a report without examining the original and the original wording in the language used and most likely a few other things too. Surely your analysis would be one that many defenders of discourse analysis (of which I am not one) would say was erring from it and hence undermining the analysis.

"Some local newspaper published" could equally be a dismissive 'we write in English for mostly foreigners who dont care if it was Matichon or Daily News or....'. Or it could simply be 'we are lazy and couldnt be bothered to make the exact translation or....... many other things. Further research is needed before a conclusion can be drawn if indeed one ever can.

Having said all that outside a small linguistic field (of which there has been ample criticism) most as with all of us here find their own speech and writing at times contradictory enough to worry about semantic differences and yes even sensationalism especially in media which is a field where playing with wording means good business, and all media without exception is bias and slanted towards a point of view. Maybe a full content analysis of each media provider is indicated so we can measure their indicated biases. Any volunteers?

[Datsun240Z]

If they want Thaksin to come back, just give him back his Thai pasport!

[Plus]

He has to show up at a Thai embassy for that, they'll give him travelling documents.

Maybe they got all this Interpol thing and diplomatic missions to Hong Kong and UAE to give him his papers, who knows.

[sriracha john]

Ex-Thai PM Shinawatra not in Dubai, police official says

Dubai: A senior Dubai Police official has denied media reports that the former prime minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, is in Dubai.

"The former prime minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, is not in Dubai and no one with this name is here," Major-General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Deputy Commander General of Dubai Police told Gulf News.

Shinawatra, a former police officer turned business mogul was prime minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006. He was ousted in a military coup and has been living in exile after jumping bail before being sentenced to two years in jail on a charge of abuse of power while in office over his former wife's purchase of state land in the Ratchadaphisek area of Bangkok.

An Asia News Network report said that the Royal Thai Police have sought the help of the Interpol unit in the UAE in finding Shinawatra who was said to be in the country.

The Thai police were reportedly checking with UAE authorities if Shinawatra left the country under another name.

"The police move came after Pheu Thai Party MP Chalerm Yoobamrung admitted he had been to Dubai recently to visit Thaksin for three days," the article stated.

Major-General Visanu Prasartthongosot, Commander of the Police Foreign Affairs Division of the Royal Thai Police claimed their latest intelligence report indicated that Shinawatra is in the UAE. "We believe he is likely still in that country because it is not far from Thailand and he can use it as a base for his close aides to come and see him," he said.

Prasartthongosot said they have formally asked Thailand's Attorney-General to work on Shinawatra's extradition even if Bangkok has not signed a treaty with the UAE. "We can ask for cooperation from the UAE since we had earlier helped them arrest and despatch suspects wanted by them," the Thai police official said.

Thai authorities stepped up pressure on Shinawatra by asking Interpol units in 187 countries to help find and arrest him, Prasartthongosot said. Thai policemen had been to countries frequently visited by Shinawatra, including the UAE.

- Gulf News (UAE) / 2009-06-01