Major Figures Flee Thailand

[kurtgruen]

As to the topic of this thread..... "Major-Figures-Flee-Thailand", the first thing that comes to mind is GOOD RIDDANCE, hope they don't come back!

[Ronaldo69]

They most likely believe the goverment will arrest them if something happens, or if it doesn't, makes sense. Strange I don't recall PAD's leaders being arretsed when they occupied Goverment house and the airport. But different justice for different groups, the achilles heel of this crackdown.

Nail on head.

Is the logic here that because PAD leaders were not arrested for occupying government house and the airport, then Red leaders should be allowed to act with impunity this weekend?

I think what it means is that "What is good for the goose should be good for the Gander too"! You disagree? Do you go along with the concept of political bias, depending on which side of the fence you are sitting?

[jdinasia]

As to the topic of this thread..... "Major-Figures-Flee-Thailand", the first thing that comes to mind is GOOD RIDDANCE, hope they don't come back!

LOL ... I wouldn't miss any that have been reported to have left so far!

[747man]

Exit stage right.

You Mean,Stage Left I think !!!!!

[johnandtai]

rats leaving sinking ship springs immediately to mind.......

Some people don't seem to realize that Thaksin is the LEGAL democratically elected head of the Thai government. The military took over when he was on a trip out of Thailand. He was the people's choice to lead the country. We seem to be currently under military control without elections. I am sure if you were in his shoes you would want your family to leave the country to insure they were out of harm's way.

[waza]

gone but not forgotten.............

[chrislarsson]

Yet another "balanced" report by Tony. There are cases proceeding agaisnt the PAD leadership. Cases move at different speeds as we all know. However .... bringing up "the yellows" in a thread about people that all are linked to Thaksin (so far) fleeing the country is just a typical "red" diversion on TV. The new red motto should be "If your position is indefensible, Obfuscate!"

In Law Terms, there is something like "Precedence".

If subject "A" has done something wrong but was only given a mnor or no condemn, then subject "B" is entitled to receivbe the same sentence as subject "A" for the same crimes.

All the trouble with the Red Shirts and Thaksin we see now and will continue to see is only due because the Yellow Shirts are still walking around and spewing their propaganda.

That being said, I remember the ther present government was only an Interim governent and that new elections should have taking place looooong ago.

Why is Abhisit clinging to power so much?

There is no law of prcedence in thai law. It is a western concept and the judges can not use it here,.

caf

The legal system in Thailand is based on Civil Law. Precedence is a Western concept...what are you talking about???

[connel707]

So once this is all sorted out and if the instigators are indicted for treason, as they rightfully should be, I suppose I would rather be out of the country as well.

Judging by how long it is taking to bring the yellows to court for their actions I would guess the reds have no need to rush to get out the country, oh wait, how silly of me, the yellows acted with impunity, the reds do not.

Where did you get that mis-information..?

[GuyLakeman]

So once this is all sorted out and if the instigators are indicted for treason, as they rightfully should be, I suppose I would rather be out of the country as well.

Judging by how long it is taking to bring the yellows to court for their actions I would guess the reds have no need to rush to get out the country, oh wait, how silly of me, the yellows acted with impunity, the reds do not.

Yet another "balanced" report by Tony. There are cases proceeding agaisnt the PAD leadership. Cases move at different speeds as we all know. However .... bringing up "the yellows" in a thread about people that all are linked to Thaksin (so far) fleeing the country is just a typical "red" diversion on TV. The new red motto should be "If your position is indefensible, Obfuscate!"

OBFUSCATE ... thanks for that I have'nt heard it since I worked with a load of software programmers

cheers

[hammered]

Yet another "balanced" report by Tony. There are cases proceeding agaisnt the PAD leadership. Cases move at different speeds as we all know. However .... bringing up "the yellows" in a thread about people that all are linked to Thaksin (so far) fleeing the country is just a typical "red" diversion on TV. The new red motto should be "If your position is indefensible, Obfuscate!"

In Law Terms, there is something like "Precedence".

If subject "A" has done something wrong but was only given a mnor or no condemn, then subject "B" is entitled to receivbe the same sentence as subject "A" for the same crimes.

All the trouble with the Red Shirts and Thaksin we see now and will continue to see is only due because the Yellow Shirts are still walking around and spewing their propaganda.

That being said, I remember the ther present government was only an Interim governent and that new elections should have taking place looooong ago.

Why is Abhisit clinging to power so much?

There is no law of prcedence in thai law. It is a western concept and the judges can not use it here,.

caf

The legal system in Thailand is based on Civil Law. Precedence is a Western concept...what are you talking about???

Thai law is bascially (Roman) code. There is no concept of legal precedent. Each case is judged by its individual merits without regard to other cases. Precedent is a concept in English Common Law which is the basis for many countries law but not Thailands

[ozzieovaseas]

I see from the news this morning that they have now said that no one with a Pick up that has a Tag from outside bangkok will be allowed to bring the Pickup in. They will have to park it up somewhere they do not make that clear where it is, then they have to walk into Bangkok. Ok so lets now punish all the people who live outside Bangkok and drive into work and who have nothing to do with the Reds.

Anyone with half a brain can see that all the hard line trouble makers will have been in bangkok for a few days already getting things set up for any trouble they might want to start. They will still have some who will be traveling with the people coming into Bangkok that have been paid to get everybodys blood up ready for this weekend.

Lets just hope it is all over soon and sorted out once and for all and let thailand get back to normal or as near normal as Thailand can be.

Actually i think this strategy may bring on some even more frightening developments..

A bunch of stroppy rice farmers in rice trucks making the trip south..

Will be a long trip for these guys, who will possibly be sipping cheap Lao whisky to break up the slow 30kmph trip...

And all the while getting primed up for a fraccas..

So what happens when they finally reach these checkpoints/patrols/baracades/toll stations and are told they cant go any further

hope they are not really as armed and ready as we are lead to believe

[anotherpeter]

rats leaving sinking ship springs immediately to mind.......

Some people don't seem to realize that Thaksin is the LEGAL democratically elected head of the Thai government. The military took over when he was on a trip out of Thailand. He was the people's choice to lead the country. We seem to be currently under military control without elections. I am sure if you were in his shoes you would want your family to leave the country to insure they were out of harm's way.

Incorrect. When he was ousted, he was only the CARETAKER PM. He should have been organising new elections, but after 6 months he still hadn't.

Doubly incorrect. There have been elections since the coup. The PPP got the most votes in the elections and formed a coalition government with some of the smaller parties. The PPP then got disbanded for electoral fraud. Most of the PPP MPs (the ones that didn't get banned for 5 years) moved to the smaller parties. The Democrats, being the party that had the second most elected MPs in the election after the PPP then formed a coalition government with the smaller parties. Note: a few of the smaller parties campaigned that they would not form a coalition with the PPP, but did anyway. They then changed to the Democrats after the PPP was disbanded.

[webfact]

Thaksin's ex-wife, children not barred from going abroad: lawyers

BANGKOK (TNA) -- Pojaman na Pombejra, former wife of Thailand's fugitive ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra and their children were not barred by any court order from going abroad, their lawyers said, as news reports monitored the departures of their son and daughters, who left Bangkok for Switzerland Wednesday night.

Mr Thaksin's legal advisor Noppadon Pattama told reporters that the court had no order to bar Mrs Pojaman from travelling abroad and her trip, if planned, would have no need to ask court for the permission as she had no cases pending judgement in the Supreme Court.

However, the Supreme Court reportedly lifted an earlier order prohibiting Mrs Pojaman from going abroad.

She could now leave Thailand by showing the Court order to immigration officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Meanwhile, lawyer Kittiporn Arunrat, retained for Panthongtae and Pinthongta, Mr Thaksin's son and daughter who were both also involved in the ex-premier's assets seizure case, said he did not know the overseas travel plans of the brother and sister, but said that such a trip was possible.

Mr Kittiporn said that although the court ruled to seize a portion of Mr Thaksin's assets, the case was a civil case and court had no order prohibiting them from leaving for overseas destinations.

News reports said that Mr Panthongtae had left for Dubai while Miss Pinthongta had departed for Switzerland, but the names of Pojaman and Praethongtan did not appear on a passenger list.

Ousted in the bloodless coup of September 2006, Mr Thaksin now spends most of his time in Dubai.

He said in his social network website that his two daughters were scheduled to visit an exhibition and trade fair hotels in Germany which had been booked earlier and that they would visit him in Dubai.

The nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions on February 26 ordered the seizure of the ex-premier's assets valued at Bt46.373 billion ($1.4 billion) of the entire Bt76.6 billion ($2.29 billion) in frozen assets of the Shinawatra family.

The highest court ruled that Mr Thaksin illegally concealed his ownership of stock in Shin Corp., the family's telecommunications empire, and abused his authority during his two terms in office, from 2001-2006 to benefit Shin Corp businesses, and that therefore the earnings from the shares and dividends gained while Mr Thaksin was in power were assets that were illegally acquired and must be seized.

The judges said the remaining frozen assets valued at Bt30.2 billion will be returned to Mr Thaksin and his ex-wife Pojaman as the assets had been acquired before Mr Thaksin became prime minister in 2001.

Mr Noppadon said the legal team were preparing an appeal to the case and believed the team could be able to present new evidence within 30 days.

Then it becomes the court's decision whether to accept the legal challenge or not, he said. (TNA)

-- TNA 2010-03-11

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[GuyLakeman]

Let's also remember that the yellow shirts are educated. They made a legitimate use of force to remove a corrupt regime. They're liberators.

Looking at the different CRIMES of the so called EDUCATED yellow shorts on YouTube, I can only LMAOROF.

The attack on a motorcycle taxi on the way to the airport and the "killing" of a motorcycle with basebal clubs by the yellow shirts shows clearly their "EDUCATED" level.

Yes, liberators of VIOLENCE.

YOU GET WHAT YOU SAW

agreed FASCISM does not work on education ! fascism is based on bully boy, brown nosed, yellow back cowardice ...

[BlackJack]

funny that Mr T's kids perjured themselves in the latest court case and were not charge and their passports were not confiscated

[kurtgruen]

I see from the news this morning that they have now said that no one with a Pick up that has a Tag from outside bangkok will be allowed to bring the Pickup in. They will have to park it up somewhere they do not make that clear where it is, then they have to walk into Bangkok. Ok so lets now punish all the people who live outside Bangkok and drive into work and who have nothing to do with the Reds.

Anyone with half a brain can see that all the hard line trouble makers will have been in bangkok for a few days already getting things set up for any trouble they might want to start. They will still have some who will be traveling with the people coming into Bangkok that have been paid to get everybodys blood up ready for this weekend.

Lets just hope it is all over soon and sorted out once and for all and let thailand get back to normal or as near normal as Thailand can be.

Actually i think this strategy may bring on some even more frightening developments..

A bunch of stroppy rice farmers in rice trucks making the trip south..

Will be a long trip for these guys, who will possibly be sipping cheap Lao whisky to break up the slow 30kmph trip...

And all the while getting primed up for a fraccas..

So what happens when they finally reach these checkpoints/patrols/baracades/toll stations and are told they cant go any further

hope they are not really as armed and ready as we are lead to believe

Hmmmm...I don't know, if I have ever seen anybody from Northern Thailand walk for more than two blocks.

[Ricardo]

Yet another "balanced" report by Tony. There are cases proceeding agaisnt the PAD leadership. Cases move at different speeds as we all know. However .... bringing up "the yellows" in a thread about people that all are linked to Thaksin (so far) fleeing the country is just a typical "red" diversion on TV. The new red motto should be "If your position is indefensible, Obfuscate!"

In Law Terms, there is something like "Precedence".

If subject "A" has done something wrong but was only given a mnor or no condemn, then subject "B" is entitled to receivbe the same sentence as subject "A" for the same crimes.

All the trouble with the Red Shirts and Thaksin we see now and will continue to see is only due because the Yellow Shirts are still walking around and spewing their propaganda.

That being said, I remember the ther present government was only an Interim governent and that new elections should have taking place looooong ago.

Why is Abhisit clinging to power so much?

I think you may mean 'precedent', where a previous ruling on a similar case, is assumed to continue to hold true ?

The cases against the PAD-leaders are rightly proceeding, if perhaps more slowly than in farang-land, unlike most of the earlier cases against Thaksin, which are stalled due to his having absconded. Do you condemn his running away ?

All the trouble with the Red Shirts and Thaksin we see now and will continue to see is only due because Thaksin is still walking around and spewing his propaganda, in my own equally-valid opinion.

You remember "ther present government was only an interim goverent", I remember it being just as legal and elected as the previous two administrations, can you please help by giving a source for your claim, that the Democrat-led coalition-alliance of PM-Abhisit is only an interim one ? Or might you possibly be confusing it, with the junta-appointed interim-government of PM-Sorayud, which was in charge from September-2006 to the election in December-2007 ?

Last of your points, I would expect PM-Abhisit to continue to run things, until the next elections (due next year) or until his coalition loses a vote in Parliament, and a new coalition is formed. I wouldn't really view this as "clinging to power" ... just normal parliamentary democracy-in-action.

Perhaps you may think it would be more democratic, for this week-end's peaceful-protest by various un-representative red-shirt groups, to overthrow the government by violence ?

I prefer to see a peaceful protest, as is their right, and the government not to feel pressured to use the ISA, which I regard as being distasteful if perhaps necessary. I hope it may one day be repealed or watered-down.

However the 'purely coincidental' departure of a number of 'major figures' suggests that the government's concerns may in this case be justified.

[bf2002]

Let the paid workers possibly sacrifice themselves, while their so-called leaders flee like rats. Cowards one and all, if they believed in themselves and were sincere about wanting only peaceful protests, they wouldn't be running. Bunch of liars and thieves.

You might do a little research beyond what The Nation or The Bangkok Post or this website says. The people in power now are not any better.

You are supporting one gang over another. Perhaps you should read a little about the background of the democrats and their PM....and the people behind him who instigated the original coup over Thaksin's elected govt.

This is Asia. Nothing is as it seems to foreigners on the surface.

[jdinasia]

rats leaving sinking ship springs immediately to mind.......

Some people don't seem to realize that Thaksin is the LEGAL democratically elected head of the Thai government. The military took over when he was on a trip out of Thailand. He was the people's choice to lead the country. We seem to be currently under military control without elections. I am sure if you were in his shoes you would want your family to leave the country to insure they were out of harm's way.

100% wrong about Thaksin. He was legally nothing and constitutionally nothing at the time of the coup. (He was a caretaker PM after he dissolved parliament to call for new elections, then publicly renounced his position) The failed elections that he held was not able to seat a government and that result was not covered by the 1997 constitution.

There were elections in 2007 that returned a Thaksin proxy party to office and the current government is a result of those same elections.

Congrats for posting something ALMOST on topic though! Thaksin's family fleeing the country is another thread but at least you tried

[mrtoad]

rats leaving sinking ship springs immediately to mind.......

Some people don't seem to realize that Thaksin is the LEGAL democratically elected head of the Thai government. The military took over when he was on a trip out of Thailand. He was the people's choice to lead the country. We seem to be currently under military control without elections. I am sure if you were in his shoes you would want your family to leave the country to insure they were out of harm's way.

Err, actually the currently government is elected and is a coalition of parties, with the Democrats being the largest party in the coalition. That coalition is made up of various factions that in the past had sided with the convicted criminal - There has been elections, the MP's have been elected - it's just that they aren't beating Thaksin's drum at present. Funny how you forget that the PPP were a coalition government prior to their collapse.

[SanSaiExPat]

So once this is all sorted out and if the instigators are indicted for treason, as they rightfully should be, I suppose I would rather be out of the country as well.

What about the instigators that initiated the military coup of the democratically elected prime minister? Should they "rightfully" be indicted? Should the PAD leaders who shut down the airport last year be indicted? Or is that not ok with you and why?

[GuyLakeman]

rats leaving sinking ship springs immediately to mind.......

Some people don't seem to realize that Thaksin is the LEGAL democratically elected head of the Thai government. The military took over when he was on a trip out of Thailand. He was the people's choice to lead the country. We seem to be currently under military control without elections. I am sure if you were in his shoes you would want your family to leave the country to insure they were out of harm's way.

its up to "the people" to elect the manifesto of the leading party not necessarily the leader

seems like the people have a social conscience which is what I like about the good Thai people

////

[waza]

Mr Abhisit has some flight ticket to Australia going cheap.............lol. He cancels and they flee

[Grey11]

Wonder if Thaksin's children took some of their illegal billions of baht with them that PM Thaksin helped them make. Rats leaving a sinking ship must surely mean that they know of the coming violence by the Thaksin's Red Brigade. Thought that once Thaksin joined Hun Sen's government in Cambodia some of the Reds in the north would walk away from Thaksin. Cambodia is no friend of Thailand - especially not the radical & former Khmer Rouge Hun Sen. But, the 300 to 500 baht per day being paid to the peasants from the North & Northeast is a lot of money to those people. Besides, how many of them even know that Thaksin accepted a job with the Cambodian Government? All of this is about Thaksin and only Thaksin wanting to overthrow the present government , get back into Power, appoint a new Supreme Court, get his money back, be pardoned, steal more money & punish his enemies. All of this is bad for the reputation of Thailand and Thaksin will not stop until back in Power and in the meantime drive away all corporate investors in Thailand. Who gets hurt when corporations don't locate here or tourists stay away? The very poor who are marching on Bkk & trying to get their crook back in Power.

[jdinasia]

So once this is all sorted out and if the instigators are indicted for treason, as they rightfully should be, I suppose I would rather be out of the country as well.

What about the instigators that initiated the military coup of the democratically elected prime minister? Should they "rightfully" be indicted? Should the PAD leaders who shut down the airport last year be indicted? Or is that not ok with you and why?

The coup leaders protected themselves from indictment (but there is a possiblity of that being overturned I would think. The PAD leaders have been indicted and the cases are ongoing.

I would think you would know this before posting

edit --- Thaksin wasn't the democratically elected ANYTHING at the time of the coup. (which is another hing you should probably know before posting in a political topic)

Edited March 11, 2010 by jdinasia

[anotherpeter]

So once this is all sorted out and if the instigators are indicted for treason, as they rightfully should be, I suppose I would rather be out of the country as well.

What about the instigators that initiated the military coup of the democratically elected prime minister? Should they "rightfully" be indicted? Should the PAD leaders who shut down the airport last year be indicted? Or is that not ok with you and why?

1) See previous posts for details, but in summary, Thaksin was not the elected PM at the time of the coup.

2) The PAD leaders currently have court cases running for what they did at the airport and government house.

[WAERTH]

rats leaving sinking ship springs immediately to mind.......

Some people don't seem to realize that Thaksin is the LEGAL democratically elected head of the Thai government. The military took over when he was on a trip out of Thailand. He was the people's choice to lead the country. We seem to be currently under military control without elections. I am sure if you were in his shoes you would want your family to leave the country to insure they were out of harm's way.

You just forgot about the last elections after which Thaksin's party formed a coalition etc etc etc. You forgot three years of history. Welcome to 2010 and a legitimately elected government.

W

[elcent]

2) The PAD leaders currently have court cases running for what they did at the airport and government house.

and run they do, anybody seen them where they are now at the moment?

[coalminer]

I haven't seen anything out of the yellow shirts in months, let alone propaganda.

Maybe you were doing a "long winter sleep" when the Yellow rats ordered several demonstrations in a local temple at the Thai-Cambodian border and haven't noticed that"

And the nationalistic propaganda against the present government and against the will of the local habitants around that temple?

Oh, silly me.....

That was YELLOWISH propagande and should not be discussed or argued about ...

Please continue your "loooong winter sleep" ........

[jdinasia]

2) The PAD leaders currently have court cases running for what they did at the airport and government house.

and run they do, anybody seen them where they are now at the moment?

There was an announcement last week, feel free to look it up.

Back on topic --- any more Red shirt/PTP leadership fleeing the country yet?

I am glad I am in Chiang Mai and not BKK and that my partner is leaving BKK this evening to spend some time at the beach.