Rakesh Saxena Arrives At Suvarnabhumi Airport

[justSumGai]

Nice to see a precedent set and a growing sense of the rule of law... may all the criminals who have pillaged this country and run away be eventually extradited and brought to justice in Thailand.

THIRTEEN YEARS later?

[virtualtraveller]

He should have run to Cambodia, they would never have extradited him! I read somewhere that the Canadian authorities billed him about 1 million (yes 1 million) baht a month for security and policing services while he was out on bail, times that by 13 years... it would have been much better for him to 'invest' all that with Hun Sen, he would never have sent him back to horrible Thailand.

I suppose he could pay a mob to appeal for his pardon, a petition perhaps, or push for a return a previous constitution that sets the rules back to pre-1996 ;-)

Edited October 31, 2009 by virtualtraveller

[animatic]

Fighted ??? shouldn't this be Fought ??

It's just advertising. I was so puzzled by the use of the word "fighted" that I opened the link.

Survival Of The Fightest?

The VIP prison hospital room is for health check up.

And to keep him isolated from the general prison population,

there is every chance that a 5-10,000 baht prison hit would

be put on his fuzzy butt by some worried big wig wanting silence.

I hope they do SEVERAL pin in leg tests to see if this

alleged stroke was real or faked for Canadian court sympathies.

Easy enough to pull of a fake, what with having only house arrest, his house...

Too much BIG money and guilt to be partitioned out not to keep a close watch on this guy.

[animatic]

"fighted" extradition?! Well, I read in the Bangkok Post that he "fought" extradition for 13 years!!! 13 years!!! What is wrong with the court system in Canada?! This guy must have run to Canada with millions of dollars. Must have been able to pay some good attorneys and maybe some judges. Maybe convicted criminals are those charged should quit fleeing to England with all their money and go to Canada instead.

you should care about whats wrong with YOUR system that allow childrens to be execute\d in your barbaric state !!!

but what toe xpect from someone from the land of them Bush!!

I have no clue what you are saying about child executions..... utter rubbish.

Secondly even as this is to0tally off topic, Bush never got more than 35% of the American electorate's vote.

So don't blame Bush on ALL of America, many, many of us hated him MUCH MORE that you do.

You can blame the big ooil companies for leveraging him and Cheney into office.

And for triggering this world economic collapse.

Texas Bush's state has more executions than enywhere but China... But not child executions.

Go bash China now.

[gvallee2]

too bad for him.. in canada prisons are pretty much better than 3star hotels/5 star guesthouses in thailand

[luangtom]

"Fighted Extradition......". This must have been written by one of those English majors that local universities pump out and are hired by local media to write for them. Amazing.........

[Jonathanpattaya]

Is it true that the BBC bank/Saxena lent out lots of money to politicians without collateral?

Do you mean BCCI?

No he means what he said BBC, and for you of so little knowlege it is "bangkok bank of commerce"

And the collapse of this bank set in motion the finacial crash of 1997 which went on to reverberate right throughout SE Asia

OK, Thank you.

I don't know everything but for you to jump to the conclusion that I am of "so little knowledge" is just downright rude.

This is typical of many forums where, instead of sharing knowledge politely, people like you just love to put others down.

Did you feel better after insulting me?

[Chris Lawrence]

Alan Bond faked it as being an imbecile in court; the wheelchair angle is cute. But sounds a bit like a Bernie?

Maybe bring him back to get the set back to over 1400. Must be a very incredible man with a gift to have controlled what he did. No generals involved?

[yumidesign]

Fighted ??? shouldn't this be Fought ??

Memo Nation it is true "Fighted" is not a word.

[khaowong1]

Nice to see a precedent set and a growing sense of the rule of law... may all the criminals who have pillaged this country and run away be eventually extradited and brought to justice in Thailand.

you have to get off that funny tobacco... it will cause brain damage...

[bangkokumpalumpa]

I love how so many people have found this guy guilty already.

not things went bad with the bank, he was an advisor, well he was out of the country, please correct me if I am wrong but he is not Thai???

I wonder how many of the people that were guilty pointed the finger at him???

advisors dont normaly get to sign the checks or transfer the money!!!!

as for his day in court, we will wait to see as I can see something along the lines of a plea bargin going on here, I bet he does not so much of have dirt on people but more of a sespool of information!!!

I for one will wait and see before I class him guilty, after all I would like to think that all are inosent untill proven guilty. to many people here judge and exacute people I hope they never get to do jury duty!!!

this will be a fair trial bring in the guilty!!!

[HappyThaiLife]

I love how so many people have found this guy guilty already.

not things went bad with the bank, he was an advisor, well he was out of the country, please correct me if I am wrong but he is not Thai???

I wonder how many of the people that were guilty pointed the finger at him???

advisors dont normaly get to sign the checks or transfer the money!!!!

as for his day in court, we will wait to see as I can see something along the lines of a plea bargin going on here, I bet he does not so much of have dirt on people but more of a sespool of information!!!

I for one will wait and see before I class him guilty, after all I would like to think that all are inosent untill proven guilty. to many people here judge and exacute people I hope they never get to do jury duty!!!

this will be a fair trial bring in the guilty!!!

Ah... I think the fellas track record shows what sort of person he is...(or was)

he has had his holiday in canada and now has to face the music. unfortunately that music could have many lyrics. with enough money, he could dance to his own tune in thailand...

i consider him lucky...deemed under "house" arrest in a $ 1.5M Vancouver house?

fair trial? dont be so naive bangkokumpalumpa. impossible to have a fair trail now, anywhere, and certainly not in thailand. he'll buy his way out of this one... he is a lucky guy

[coastman]

I find this all very interesting and for some reason both amusing and disturbing at the same time.

I know this is not contributing to this article but I was once married to Rakesh Saxena’s former wife Kunku Soota currently residing and thriving in the UK and step father to his daughter Meha. I believe Kunku is currently head of social services for either Warkishire or Reading County Council. I have not been in touch with her since our divorce in 1995.

When we met I was working for FCO in Delhi, India and she worked for the British Council. Even though Rakesh had five years since made his escape to Thailand and she had subsequently divorced him, she still retained his surname ‘Saxena’! Bet she is glad she doesn't now though, I am sure the press will be asking her all sorts of questions.

[brahmburgers]

Ask an old Ahka if he would rather die filthy rich and in his 6th decade or old and dirt poor in his 7th decade, see what the response is.

What's your point? ....that if a person is asked such a question, whether they would pick riches or long life? Probably most people from all regions would answer in the affirmative. For a bizarre example of something like that, there was the Thai commercial air pilot who, after taking out an insurance policy on himself to benefit his wife and kid, intentionally crashed the plane (somewhere in Vietnam) and killed everyone on board. Strange species we are.

OK, Thank you. I don't know everything but for you to jump to the conclusion that I am of "so little knowledge" is just downright rude. This is typical of many forums where, instead of sharing knowledge politely, people like you just love to put others down.

Did you feel better after insulting me?

Don't let it get to you. There are lots of rude boys on T.Visa, who can hide behind their assumed names, and cast aspersions hither thither. It's no big deal when you get the hang of it. More often than not, the 'smarty pants' are wrong and/or have some intense agenda they're putting forth.

what's the topic? Oh yea, Mr. Saxena is the pariah of the week. He'll parlay his money to get off easy. His threats of naming names reminds me Chuwit (the brothel boss who hired truckloads of thugs to lay waste to a square block of downtown Bkk). After some publicity antics, he resorted to threaten to name names or big shots doing naughty things and ......surprise, he was let off with nary a slap on the wrist.

[finnomick]

Pops, you beat me to it....the word is ' fought ', not ' fighted '. Who writes these articles ?

[LomSak27]

Police prosecutors are not going after any members of the so-called Group of 16 in the embezzlement case against fugitive banker Rakesh Saxena who arrived in Bangkok last night after losing a bid to avoid extradition, a highly placed source says. There has been no evidence to implicate politicians in the fraudulent loan case involving City Trading Corp for which Mr Saxena has been extradited to stand trial, said the source. It is alleged the Indian-born financier fabricated loans to siphon millions of baht from the now-defunct Bangkok Bank of Commerce and many of the loans were reportedly extended to politicians in the Group of 16, their families and friends. The members of the Group of 16 include Newin Chidchob, now the Bhumjaithai Party de facto leader

.

Well I for one am going to breathe easier with that news! We have a fall guy and the other crony's get ... immunity, sweet deal that - does anyone know if any of the loans to the "Group of 16" we ever repaid? I assume they were all labeled 'non performing' and swept under the baan.

[H20ho]

In regard to Canadian courts, laws and state of the legal system, perhaps you are forgetting one important point in regard to this issue and that is ‘who’ is asking for extradition. Thailand is the petitioning nation and Canadian authorities should do what? Perhaps Canada should cave in to the brilliance and pristine character of the requestor?

For those of you that stated ‘pay a judge’ apparently you have never been in Canada or you think that Canada is an American state. To the Americans please excuse the innuendo as I am not intending to state that you can ‘pay off a judge’ in America either, it’s just that America has a bad reputation around the world whether justified, rumored or out of jealousy.

Canada has integrity compared to most nations. The Canadian legal system is pressured internally and externally but seems to be able to live up to its own vision most of the time. Canada has an extradition treaty with the U.S. but it is Canada’s extradition treaty not the U.S.’s extradition treaty. Canada will not extradite a person to any country, especially the US if there is a possibility of that person being executed or treated unfairly in regard to human rights. Canada has its own human rights issues which they seem to be learning from.

I hear so many people talking through their hats here. Why has this guy not been convicted in absentia? It’s good enough for a PM but not an Indian national? How can a foreigner collapse the SET? Seriously can any person offer just one possibility of this? If one person can be responsible for the collapse of the SET then people who invest in the SET are stupid. Period. If he was guilty of all the rumors and allegations in the fullest amounts reported, 2.2 billion USD that’s a pittance compared to what is skimmed of the yearly budget every year by those wonderful nationalistic Thai-loving Thais.

Why should he care or give consideration to the many thousands of Thai’s who lost money? Thais don’t! Why it is that a foreigner is held to a higher degree? When I hear these types of statements all I get is a condescending attitude that Thais are stupid or something and foreigners are not so foreigners should know better. What about all the Thais that will not get a job every year from this corruption, that seems to be OK because they never had a job and it cannot be seen?

Anyhow there is my once-every two years post. Peace Out!

[brahmburgers]

Police prosecutors are not going after any members of the so-called Group of 16. It is alleged the Indian-born financier fabricated loans to siphon millions of baht from the now-defunct Bangkok Bank of Commerce and many of the loans were reportedly extended to politicians in the Group of 16, their families and friends. The members of the Group of 16 include Newin Chidchob, now the Bhumjaithai Party de facto leader

.

Well I for one am going to breathe easier with that news! We have a fall guy and the other crony's get ... immunity, sweet deal that - does anyone know if any of the loans to the "Group of 16" we ever repaid? I assume they were all labeled 'non performing' and swept under the baan.

Exactly my point, mentioned earlier. If there was criminal wrongdoing, the public needs action. To not pursue allegations of criminal wrongdoing is to squander responsibility. Cops and jurists are trained and paid, and then put in positions of responsibility. Part of that responsibility to try and round up alleged criminals and prosecute them. What will it take for the Thai judicial system to act objectively and firmly? Do they teach anything having to do with 'resolve' at Thai universities and Thai law?

Why has this guy not been convicted in absentia?

Very good question. The short answer is Thai judicial system is riven with politics and all sorts of 'face' issues - the two intertwine. Perhaps another reason he wasn't tried 'in absentia' was, if he was conviceted, then he could use that as a firmer reason for avoiding extradiction.

[Grey11]

"fighted" extradition?! Well, I read in the Bangkok Post that he "fought" extradition for 13 years!!! 13 years!!! What is wrong with the court system in Canada?! This guy must have run to Canada with millions of dollars. Must have been able to pay some good attorneys and maybe some judges. Maybe convicted criminals are those charged should quit fleeing to England with all their money and go to Canada instead.

you should care about whats wrong with YOUR system that allow childrens to be execute\d in your barbaric state !!!

but what toe xpect from someone from the land of them Bush!!

I live in Thailand, not the U.S. I guarantee you if Thailand wanted to extradite a person accused of a crime, it would not take 13 years to reply to the request. As far as FORMER Pres. George. W. Bush, he had nothing to do with this. No child has been executed in the U.S. in 50 years. Hate the U.S. if you like (and I know it is a hobby with Europeans) but the 1/1000 of 1% of those executed were executed for grissley murders that included rape, torture, cutting up the body, setting fire to a body, and mass murder. You give these barbarians life and they will rape, assault and kill other inmates that may be in prison - as most are - for non-violent crimes. If one is given the death penalty they are segregated from other convicted criminals into a single cell. They will not be able to kill anyone in prison and when executed it is guaranteed that they will never kill again. It is the ultimate deterrent. Give a murderer life in prison without the possibility of parole and he has no reason to go by rules, he will rape, assault and kill other inmates. Death penalty? hel_l, we have had in Texas before and after Bush. And, the people of Texas (without the exception of criminals & bleeding heart liberals who have yet to have a member of their family attacked or themselves) support it. That is no business of any European country. You have your own problems with millions of former colonists from African & Muslim countries settling in your country. Even the liberal-leftist Socialist Pres. of the U.S. O'bama, with all his talk, cannot and will not abolish the death penalty regardless of what other nations think. I as an American, but a permanet resident of Phuket DO NOT GIVE A dam_n WHAT ANY EUROPEAN THINGS OF ME OR THE U.S. My life is fine by never having to know one to argue with. Argument is a waste of everybody's time. Look how much time I wasted right here!

[moskito]

no idea where the problem is here, THANKS to this guy the exchange rate for the Thai Baht rose to 32.- Baht for 1.-DM (Deutsche Mark)....before we get only 22-24 Baht for it. SO THANKS

I have absolutely no compassion with any bargain hunter who looses money to this guy or his activities

[Grey11]

"Fighted Extradition......". This must have been written by one of those English majors that local universities pump out and are hired by local media to write for them. Amazing.........

Probably got his master's degree in England.

[Arkady]

Is it true that the BBC bank/Saxena lent out lots of money to politicians without collateral?

There are many allegations that government controlled banks have been pressured to lend money to companies controlled by government politicians without proper collateral. This has undoubtedly been true in the case of BBC, Krung Thai Bank and others for decades. (BBC was under government control because it went bust in the in the early 80s financial crisis - the central bank's nominated director, Ekkachai, is now in prison for fraud along with the former president, Krikiat, who was also a former central banker). BBC also lent money to companies controlled by Saxena without proper collateral. I think charges relating to money actually embezzled personally by Saxena are the only ones that can brought against him. He was an advisor to the president but was never an officer of the bank and therefore cannot be charged with making fake loans to politicians or anyone else and this makes the prosecutors' job much harder.

I think the authorities have only scratched the surface in prosecuting those responsible for approving and embezzling the fake loans at BBC. Certain individuals, including a former governor of the central bank who looked the other way when there was a very bad smell coming out of BBC that was known to everyone in financial circles (because the president was his protege), was even rehabilitated by Thaksin and remains in an elevated position today. BBC in the early to mid 90s was still a crippled bank with virtually nil market share at home but suddenly started announcing weird schemes designed by Saxena, including acquisition of a Russian bank when Russia was still in economic chaos at the end of communism, investment in bundled Turkish car loans etc, etc. Even to the casual observer it was very obvious that these schemes were all intended to get money offshore where it could be stolen and secreted in Switzerland and elsewhere.

I don't know what information Saxena has about loans to corrupt politicians in the 90s but it is curious that these casees were skirted around in the trials of Krirkiat and Ekkachai, who were charged with actually approving fake loans. If he sings too loudly he may become unexplained death in captivity statistic.

[thepast]

"fighted" extradition?! Well, I read in the Bangkok Post that he "fought" extradition for 13 years!!! 13 years!!! What is wrong with the court system in Canada?! This guy must have run to Canada with millions of dollars. Must have been able to pay some good attorneys and maybe some judges. Maybe convicted criminals are those charged should quit fleeing to England with all their money and go to Canada instead.

Yes I believe Rakesh had lots of money but he did not cost Canada very much. Rekesh has said all along that he was innocent. He was on house arrest for most of that time and paid out of his pocket for all lawyers as well as his home and 24 hour security. He was a soft spoken kind man that enjoyed the time he would spend with people. As a person whom spent a little time with him I wish him well and hope his last years are safe. He lost his life while he waited for the governments to decide if they were going to send him back to place that may or may not do the right thing. I hope the courts will find the TRUTH no matter what it may be.