Allies Insist Thaksin Is Healthy And His Mandela Pictures Not Faked

[Trouble]

Mandela was a courageous man, who spend many years in prison to obtain justice.

Actually he spent many years in jail for conspiring to blow people up....

and continued to spend further years in jail for advocating violence via the ANC's military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe - Spear of the Nation, which amongst other things targeted civilans...

In end, sense/reason preveiled and South Africa ended up were it is today, via agreements between Mandela and De Klerk. (who also won the noble prize for peace, along with Mandela)

But we digress...back on topic

But he won, and Mandela is a world icon and De Klerk is almost forgotten.And yes sometimes violence or the threat of violence is needed to bring a greedy and brutal elite peddling a fairytale of ethnic superiority to the negotiating table, as in...South Africa

Actually it wasn't threats of violence, there WAS violence.....and there was innocent people killed...for example...Peter Macbrides bomb in Durban at Mogoo's bar....The gentleman concerned went to jail, was released under an amnesty, became a politican and was busted for gun running....

If the ANC wanted to fight to change the system...then they should have fought the system then...ie military/police/goverment departments, instead they chose soft targets in most cases

We could also be having a similar discussion about the IRA and the UK, context is different, but the execution the same.....and the IRA where branded terrorists

Same in the formation of the State of Israel. Random bombings, etc. Many of the "heroes" of the independence movement there were labeled "terrorists" by the British. If you win you are a patriot and if you loose a terrorist. People who have targeted innocent people and used indiscriminate bombings to achieve their aims will always have blood of innocent persons on their hands.

[Insight]

... So the expert verdict is the pic is a fake, no doubt.

I've spend many years working in TV/video production as a lighting cameraman, editor come graphic designer doing compostiting and creating special effects. Just for the info of the non-believers.

know your (old) meme.

I think you are a victim of confirmation bias. You think it is a work of Adobe® Photoshop® and you are looking only for points that confirms your hypothesis.

Specially this focusing on Thaksin hand and finger seems silly to me. If that is a photoshop creation than probably one of a real photo of a Mandela handshake with somebody else. Why do than all the hard work and squeeze Thaksins hand into this, instead of just altering the upper body and the paste and fit Thaksin head into it?

Another aspect is that Thaskin seems to make always the same face when photographed frontal face. Makes him look like a life size cardboard cut, always the nearly same face and somewhat unreal creepy looking.

What about alex_aka_p's conclusion?

[Englander]

Same in the formation of the State of Israel. Random bombings, etc. Many of the "heroes" of the independence movement there were labeled "terrorists" by the British. If you win you are a patriot and if you loose a terrorist. People who have targeted innocent people and used indiscriminate bombings to achieve their aims will always have blood of innocent persons on their hands.

So lets call him a freedom fighter when being behind bombings, but then once in power he was the head of a party that is responsible for the genocide of white farmers, killing far more then Taksin govt. is alleged to have.

For a man of peace he shouldnt be singing songs about killing whites as can be seen in this footage, imagine the outrage if it were the other way round.

A false prophet.

[animatic]

My 3 cents. The picture is low res making it more difficult to analyze. But after looking at all the little things that usually go wrong when superimposing images I support the opinion that it was fixed. It's not a bad effort because on the first look the lighting matches on both men. Lighting is always the most difficult to match exactly though and more in-depth analyze reveals few areas that could not have possibly be the way they look on this picture, if both men were there together. The highlights match but the back-fill doesn't. Look at the left side of Thaksin's face and compare with Mandela's. Mandela's face has harsher shadows yet Thaksin's is very very flat (even). I've also noticed the strange speck of light on his jacket under the hand extended to Mandela. With the lighting in the room there should be a shadow there. That speck of light came from somewhere else, not that room. I also support all the previous comments stating that the picture was a fake. Especially the fingers squeezed in Mandela's hand don't belong to Thaksin but someone else. So the expert verdict is the pic is a fake, no doubt.

I've spend many years working in TV/video production as a lighting cameraman, editor come graphic designer doing compostiting and creating special effects. Just for the info of the non-believers.

I also have a similar technical/ professional image manipulation history as notime,

and we agree for the same reasons. There were a few smaller points I mentioned,

like the squared ear, but if Team Thaksin wanted to assert proof, a hi res photo is as easy to disseminate as this cheesy super low res. one. I've been using Photoshop since Ver. 1.0 and that's since about 1990. Over 20 years or so you learn the tricks and tell tales.

It seems Thaksin's camp can't employ the truly competent,

because the back chatter in the work environment is too nauseating.

[Hakuchi]

There is no evidence that the photos are fake or that photos of on the past were fake. That is just your opinion that they are.

FYI: The rumours about his dead were false. And i think it is save to assume that Thaskin is still alive, at least until the day when he met Mandela.

Really? Decide for yourself.

/edit Here's more.

Turn ab the volume, that blog entry comes with a boing sound to indicate that it is meant to be funny.

did you read the line at the end.

Disclaimer: I’m just killing time on this conspiracies, don’t take it seriously, yet.

Hakuchi: Were the photos shown on that blog issued by Thaksin and co to counter rumours about his death or not?

Like these?

LOL

A) Did you check if that photo without Thaksin isn't maybe a fine work of Adobe® Photoshop®?

B ) Was Thaksin really dead?

C) Why he should photoshop all his appearances here and and there at all, when he is fact alive and probably really there.

Maybe he got some grey hair blackened or some panda eyes retouched, contrast added ... like many other photos are enhanced in photoshop. But they are not totally fake.

As i said before. Thaksin looks somehow strange. He has a big head that looks somewhat out of proportion to his body and unreal. A thing that happen often in bad photoshop jobs. But as you can check in many other pictures he looks really like that. And he looks also somewhat alive.

[Insight]

Amazing. You posted the photos.

B - Of course he's not dead, but he's clearly worried about revealing where he is.

As for A (and pretty much the rest)... Are you sure you're contributions on this issue are now not doing more harm than good?

[animatic]

Amazing. You posted the photos.

B - Of course he's not dead, but he's clearly worried about revealing where he is.

As for A (and pretty much the rest)... Are you sure you're contributions on this issue are now not doing more harm than good?

As for A... ROTFLOL

I have seen few so able to shoot their own arguments down as quickly and thoroughly.

Is it pure ignorance or is the disorder_permanent now?

As for B,

well his range of motion is being limited these days.

Sort of political bursitis, move too much and you risk

irritating the surrounding region..

[frenchfarangjomtien]

Nobody fed up speaking about this axxhole ?!

Thailand and its "journalists" deserve the shxt that will happen again soon...

[chantorn]

Nobody fed up speaking about this axxhole ?!

Thailand and its "journalists" deserve the shxt that will happen again soon...

Including you?

[Hakuchi]

Amazing. You posted the photos.

B - Of course he's not dead, but he's clearly worried about revealing where he is.

As for A (and pretty much the rest)... Are you sure you're contributions on this issue are now not doing more harm than good?

As for A... ROTFLOL

I have seen few so able to shoot their own arguments down as quickly and thoroughly.

Is it pure ignorance or is the disorder_permanent now?

As for B,

well his range of motion is being limited these days.

Sort of political bursitis, move too much and you risk

irritating the surrounding region..

A) So you didn't bother check if that photo without Thaksin is maybe the shopped one? Can you exclude it? Are you as the experts saying that it is impossible to do such a shop?

Har, har. You are true believers of that Thaksin obsessed cult. Victims of confirmation bias and no experts in photoshop at all - that was never so easy to prove.

B )That Thaksin is dead was a very stupid rumour or just say - it was a lie. No surprise, it came from the same people who argue that the photos are fake.

C) No answer? Or a reasonable explanation why he should make fakes?

The first explanation it was to cover up his death is spoiled. And now? A fake to lie because his visit of Mandela never happen or to cover up that he is actually in death bed and very ill?

[alstaxi]

Amazing. You posted the photos.

B - Of course he's not dead, but he's clearly worried about revealing where he is.

As for A (and pretty much the rest)... Are you sure you're contributions on this issue are now not doing more harm than good?

As for A... ROTFLOL

I have seen few so able to shoot their own arguments down as quickly and thoroughly.

Is it pure ignorance or is the disorder_permanent now?

As for B,

well his range of motion is being limited these days.

Sort of political bursitis, move too much and you risk

irritating the surrounding region..

A) So you didn't bother check if that photo without Thaksin is maybe the shopped one? Can you exclude it? Are you as the experts saying that it is impossible to do such a shop?

Har, har. You are true believers of that Thaksin obsessed cult. Victims of confirmation bias and no experts in photoshop at all - that was never so easy to prove.

B )That Thaksin is dead was a very stupid rumour or just say - it was a lie. No surprise, it came from the same people who argue that the photos are fake.

C) No answer? Or a reasonable explanation why he should make fakes?

The first explanation it was to cover up his death is spoiled. And now? A fake to lie because his visit of Mandela never happen or to cover up that he is actually in death bed and very ill?

C) why would he fake a picutre? I do not know if the photo is a fake, dont much care, the point of the picture being released with a" he's not dead, its not a fake photo???? <deleted>, why would his pr team feel that they needed to put out this information with the photo?

getting desperate for some thing good to say about this slimy fugitive from justice comes to mind.

[moetownblues]

Having an asian complexion and black fingers can't be healty.

Perhaps he has severe frostbite.

or Mandela is squeezing to tight but I don't think so.

[geriatrickid]

The thread is still raging this fine morning, and so far the only person that has pointed out the obvious isTawp. He has directed your attention to the characteristics of the reprinted image and why there may be some errors and yet some of you still do not get it. Are some of you intellectually challenged or just so obsessed with Mr. Thaksin that you feel obliged to make up nonsensical allegations?

None of you has seen the original photograph. You are relying on an image that was published by a third party. If you attempted to offer such nonsensical opinion in a court, you would be tossed. The image that you are analyzing was in the hands of a 3rdparty unrelated to Mr. Thaksin that may have either intentionally or unintentionally altered the image. The errors observed may have occurred in the copying process. Yes, here is a possibility that the images are fakes, but that is all it is, a remote possibility. Until Mr. Mandela and his representatives say otherwise, the photos are more likely to be considered legit. Did Mr. mandela's office say the images were fake? No. You think someone like him would speak out if they were.

Seriously, those of you pushing a conspiracy haven't offered one piece of reliable evidence. There was a meeting between Mr. Thaksin and Mr. Mandela. Mr. Mandela's organization confirmed the meeting. Why is it so unbelievable that Mr. Thaksin took a souvenir photo? What's even more pathetic is the person claiming it is a cutout of Mr. Thaksin and the other person claiming he is probably dead.

Not one of you self appointed experts made any effort to actually verify the statements you were trying to pass off as fact. How is it a young Thai/German student and independent journalist in Hamburg was able to confirm the meeting by contacting Mr. Mandela's office, and yet not one Thai blogger or journalist speculating on this subject bothered to contact Mr. Mandela's office. People that invent "fact" and and try to pass it off as the truth are liars. You should be ashamed of yourselves. If you conduct yourselves in daily life in this dishonest and pathetic a manner I can see why some of you are in such dire situations.

[Buchholz]

Mandela's face has harsher shadows yet Thaksin's is very very flat (even).

Could that be explained by the natural cuboid shape of his cranium that he was born with?

[Mitker]

And Taksin would look a complete idiot if Mandela's office denied the meeting took place. Why would he risk that?

Past examples show it's not really a deterrent for him.

[Siripon]

I mentioned on Thai Visa about a week ago that Jatupon said Thaksin would visit Nelson Mandela soon to talk about the deaths in April. Noppadon says the meeting with Winnie was on August 27 but he wouldn't give a date for the photo-op with Nelson Mandela.

That could well be that if such a meeting, or rather courtesy call, did take place, it would have been around the time of the World Cup and not last week as the red spin doctors like to claim.

[phosphorescent]

If you look at the Y axis of the z particle on his left eyebrow, you'll see that the third hair from the left is perpendicular to the fifth frown mark on his lower chin. Also the fourth book from Mr. T's shoulder is a girly book and I won't even mention the photo involving sodomy to Mr M's 2o'clock. Therefore, in my expert opinion this photo is absolutely 50% real. Someone should inform the BIB about all of us experts in here. Between us we can solve all of their pending cases.

[animatic]

I don't stay up too late just to answer your inane questions.

No the original shot is clearly not Photoshopped.

Far too much detail to insert that building OVER Thaksin to remove him.

and it would require another shot of just the building at

EXACTLY the same time of day and

EXACTLY the same point of shooting and

EXACTLY the same weather / lighting conditions.

Nearly impossible to do, and why would Thaksin remove himself?

Certainly not to make your point for you.

The two people behind him caught in natural motion are identical in both shots,

and back grounds are covered, rather than foregrounds erased in most all cases.

Foreground replacement is MUCH harder than background covering

and require a identical scene to superimpose.

Your desperation to win this un-winnable point is so palpable,

it seems a Permanent_Disorder

Thaksin likely isn't dead, but his ability to move freely without risk IS curtailed,

but he wants his 'converted' to believe he is omnipotent, and free to roam as he pleases,

since that fits to his legend and ego needs. And gives Noppadum something to do.

[canuckamuck]

I worked in advertising as a commercial photographer and I was paid to fake pictures or manipulate images week after week for years. I even shot images for the purpose of fudging them into existing pictures, both with people and product.I have seen the evidence here, and I have to say Tawp is right, the compression has made it impossible to say one way or another. However the hands are highly suspect, not only do Thaksin's fingers appear to be darker, in a way that is inconsistent with the shadowing elsewhere, the area where the two hands meet seems to be color shifted as well. I would say the intersecting fingers appear to be from an image with different light conditions (cooler tones)The color shift effects Mandela's hand as well as Thaksin's. I also agree that the ear appears cropped but once again compression may have simply caused that straight edge. all the other evidence is inconclusive.

On the non fake side, I would say that the lighting (highlight direction and tone) on the faces and clothing match very well, something that is hard to fake, and there is no smoking gun in the paste job, but the jowl line on Thaksin does have that ghost edge, and A high rez picture would sure help to sort that out.

I lean toward fake but only 60/40

[animatic]

I am not convinced that the photo is fake.

None of the 'proofs' sofar posted can be guaranteed to not be due to compression artifacts.

If we are talking creds, I have worked for a professional photo company that apart from developing film on paper and celluloid also did digital retouching for print, anything ranging from information booklets for museums to center fold photo shots for Hustler magazine.

Aaanyway...

My friend, it is an amateur edit job, and shows up even in this pixilated version.

The pixilation from small size is part of how they are trying to hide the dodgy edit job. His squared ear and the unnaturally blurred finger joints still give this away.

Canuck, if you compare to other rounded parts of Thaksin's image the ear has no color spread to adjacent pixels, as is seen around it in other parts, it is unnaturally squared or there would be some color leakage into the left dark pixels as seem in other portions of the image. Simple answer they got lazy.

What the Mandela Foundation said didn't confirm this picture is real, just that 'they didn't take any'. But pointedly they did not say they thought this was real, but diplomatically avoided actual stating a position.

[asiawatcher]

It's pretty much a foregone conclusion only Mandela's office can verify. I would suspect that we can all keep 'chatting' abut it but I agree - the pic is fake and there are a whole heap of anomalies as yet not pointed out but considering the analysis I will leave it to those more qualified. The question then remains why would Thakky go to this extent? His Canadian PR/Lawyer Rep is very silent or maybe he's off payroll after seeing such bold stupidity. Either way - much to do about nothing again...

[seri thai]

The thread is still raging this fine morning, and so far the only person that has pointed out the obvious isTawp. He has directed your attention to the characteristics of the reprinted image and why there may be some errors and yet some of you still do not get it. Are some of you intellectually challenged or just so obsessed with Mr. Thaksin that you feel obliged to make up nonsensical allegations?

None of you has seen the original photograph. You are relying on an image that was published by a third party. If you attempted to offer such nonsensical opinion in a court, you would be tossed. The image that you are analyzing was in the hands of a 3rdparty unrelated to Mr. Thaksin that may have either intentionally or unintentionally altered the image. The errors observed may have occurred in the copying process. Yes, here is a possibility that the images are fakes, but that is all it is, a remote possibility. Until Mr. Mandela and his representatives say otherwise, the photos are more likely to be considered legit. Did Mr. mandela's office say the images were fake? No. You think someone like him would speak out if they were.

Seriously, those of you pushing a conspiracy haven't offered one piece of reliable evidence. There was a meeting between Mr. Thaksin and Mr. Mandela. Mr. Mandela's organization confirmed the meeting. Why is it so unbelievable that Mr. Thaksin took a souvenir photo? What's even more pathetic is the person claiming it is a cutout of Mr. Thaksin and the other person claiming he is probably dead.

Not one of you self appointed experts made any effort to actually verify the statements you were trying to pass off as fact. How is it a young Thai/German student and independent journalist in Hamburg was able to confirm the meeting by contacting Mr. Mandela's office, and yet not one Thai blogger or journalist speculating on this subject bothered to contact Mr. Mandela's office. People that invent "fact" and and try to pass it off as the truth are liars. You should be ashamed of yourselves. If you conduct yourselves in daily life in this dishonest and pathetic a manner I can see why some of you are in such dire situations.

I think for most people in Thailand today it is not the status of Mr Thaksins health that is of concern but of someone nearer to Mr Mandelas age and perceived status. Though I think thats an unlikely photo-opportunity for the ex-PM.

Mr Mandela is 92 and in frail health, though I imagine he is still keen to promote trade and business opportunities for his people whenever requested to do so by his advisors.

More interestingly, why aren't we seeing the photo of Winnie? Was that a PR faux pas? Got an appointment with the wrong Mandela? What would be the propaganda value? It certainly shows an ignorance and political naivety in the Thaksin camp. Then again she is the more "radical red" of the two.

[Buchholz]

For all Taksin's faults, I think he certainly knows a thing or two about marketing. It doesn't make any sense to fake such a verifiable event.

A couple of things this "marketing expert" could do when he has his puppy dog hold a press conference is to simply provide all details that this speculating is about. He could achieve much more credibility by simply providing the specifics of who, what, when, and where the photos are taken. This should also include the preemptive step of providing the text which provides confirmation from the person he takes the photo with (along with the means to easily verify the authenticity of this confirmation). He could also have provided the press with high resolution copies of the photo for the doubting to verify more effectively.

In other words, if he was completely upfront and thoroughly transparent whenever he holds these press conferences, all this speculation (and not only is it being done here at TV) would be avoided.

The reality is that to do so would diminish the intent in that he would have to admit that it was nothing more than a brief courtesy call done during the World Cup when Mandela likely met large number of individuals in courtesy calls.

No, he would rather shroud his presence in subterfuge and imply to his minions that he's meeting world famous leaders and holding substantial talks with them.

Far from "knowing a thing or two about marketing", what he knows well is propaganda and BS.

[canuckamuck]

Canuck, if you compare to other rounded parts of Thaksin's image the ear has no color spread to adjacent pixels, as is seen around it in other parts, it is unnaturally squared or there would be some color leakage into the left dark pixels as seem in other portions of the image. Simple answer they got lazy.

The thing about the ear is that no one would be so stupid as to leave an ear square. So either the Photo shop guy is a total moron, or what we have here is just an effect of the compression (lot's of into shoved onto few pixels) that managed to pull some of the curved info into a straight line. I have seen it before, it happens. It is just a random result of repixeling. slightly curved lines can become straight when vertical/horizontal and straight lines become stepped or more straight.

That being said, the jaw line and the hands are the red flags for me.

[Insight]

The thread is still raging this fine morning, and so far the only person that has pointed out the obvious isTawp. He has directed your attention to the characteristics of the reprinted image and why there may be some errors and yet some of you still do not get it. Are some of you intellectually challenged or just so obsessed with Mr. Thaksin that you feel obliged to make up nonsensical allegations?

None of you has seen the original photograph. You are relying on an image that was published by a third party. If you attempted to offer such nonsensical opinion in a court, you would be tossed. The image that you are analyzing was in the hands of a 3rdparty unrelated to Mr. Thaksin that may have either intentionally or unintentionally altered the image. The errors observed may have occurred in the copying process. Yes, here is a possibility that the images are fakes, but that is all it is, a remote possibility. Until Mr. Mandela and his representatives say otherwise, the photos are more likely to be considered legit. Did Mr. mandela's office say the images were fake? No. You think someone like him would speak out if they were.

Seriously, those of you pushing a conspiracy haven't offered one piece of reliable evidence. There was a meeting between Mr. Thaksin and Mr. Mandela. Mr. Mandela's organization confirmed the meeting. Why is it so unbelievable that Mr. Thaksin took a souvenir photo? What's even more pathetic is the person claiming it is a cutout of Mr. Thaksin and the other person claiming he is probably dead.

Not one of you self appointed experts made any effort to actually verify the statements you were trying to pass off as fact. How is it a young Thai/German student and independent journalist in Hamburg was able to confirm the meeting by contacting Mr. Mandela's office, and yet not one Thai blogger or journalist speculating on this subject bothered to contact Mr. Mandela's office. People that invent "fact" and and try to pass it off as the truth are liars. You should be ashamed of yourselves. If you conduct yourselves in daily life in this dishonest and pathetic a manner I can see why some of you are in such dire situations.

Will take the "Thaksin obsessed" comments personally given I made a number of posts on this issue last night. I asked a very simple question - why fake the photos? To which a number of posters were quick to dispute my accusations. I offered further evidence showing a history of doctored photos which were again disputed, this time with the defence getting even more ridiculous along with the first "Thaksin obsessed" accusations. Bit of a low blow given I'm only defending my original statements?

The evidence for these photos being doctored not standing up in court? These photos wouldn't stand up in court! Not least any judge and jury with the gift of 20-20 vision and an awareness of the history of the accused. The acknowledgement from Mandela's foundation really does him few favours either IMO.

My last word on the issue. I suspect doctored, as usual, unless there's any further real evidence to the contrary. Question still remains as to why.

[atf343]

Here's a more mundane theory:

Maybe like what Mr. Mandela's office said, the meeting took place, fair and square,

BUT, someone forgot to take pictures

To save face, a quick photoshopped picture is made to appease team T.

Believable, but that would be one epic fail to make on the part of T.S's PR team, given how much experience and savvy we've seen so far from them. Heads will roll in an epic manner

At least hire someone else with better photoshop-<deleted> or release a higher res pic.

But to echo geriatrickid's words, things are still up in the air unless more damming, ground-breaking proof is presented

[MILT]

I really don't see it, the hand vs fingers colour thing looks like just normal light shading... doesn't look suspect to me at all.

Look at the window light on their left heads and then contrast that

to the lack of ANY highlight on the Thaksin's fingers.

And the top of Thaksin's hand is quite bright, but not his or Mandela's hair.

And the table light is off. This Thaksin hand is two tone, no question.

Fingers match Mandela's coloration fairly closely,

Thaksin is on another Chroma and Luminance zone entirely,

from the knuckles up.

Blown up there is obvious 'pixel bluring' at the knuckles,

and Thaksin's left ear is 'squared off' unnaturally.

Also the cabinet trim between Thaksin's legs is unnaturally brightened,

compared to both lefty and right of the scene.

Thaksin has a amazing tailor to or far too much starch from his laundry,

his bottom left suit has a perfectly straight line even as he is in an unusual position,

where gravity would leave an arc to the coat's outer edge,

which is ruler straight here as if it were cut in using a straight line outlining tool...

Mandela could collaborate this photo possibly? Perhaps for what it is or isn't.

[Buchholz]

Mandela could collaborate this photo possibly? Perhaps for what it is or isn't.

OR... Thaksin could have provided such collaboration (with means to easily verify it) at the press conference and thus avoided this all, but as said, if he did, he would open himself to ridicule for attempting to make more of this than what it seems to be in reality (a simple courtesy call from his place in a long line of courtesy call seekers).

If he really wanted to impress Thais, he would have accompanied the photo at the press conference with a long letter (and means to easily verify it) from Mandela praising Thaksin as a good and righteous man who was done wrong to. Since the likelihood of that occurring is minuscule, Thaksin had to try for the next best thing. Attempt to achieve that same impression based on nothing more than a photo, because in reality if they asked Mandela to comment on the photo, he'd likely reply with something like, "Oh yes, I vaguely remember meeting him on one of my courtesy call days. I believe he was near the end of the queue. Funny looking guy with a strange shaped head and a handshake like a girl. He's some businessman from Taiwan, right?"

[philw]

The thread is still raging this fine morning, and so far the only person that has pointed out the obvious isTawp. He has directed your attention to the characteristics of the reprinted image and why there may be some errors and yet some of you still do not get it. Are some of you intellectually challenged or just so obsessed with Mr. Thaksin that you feel obliged to make up nonsensical allegations?

None of you has seen the original photograph. You are relying on an image that was published by a third party. If you attempted to offer such nonsensical opinion in a court, you would be tossed. The image that you are analyzing was in the hands of a 3rdparty unrelated to Mr. Thaksin that may have either intentionally or unintentionally altered the image. The errors observed may have occurred in the copying process. Yes, here is a possibility that the images are fakes, but that is all it is, a remote possibility. Until Mr. Mandela and his representatives say otherwise, the photos are more likely to be considered legit. Did Mr. mandela's office say the images were fake? No. You think someone like him would speak out if they were.

Seriously, those of you pushing a conspiracy haven't offered one piece of reliable evidence. There was a meeting between Mr. Thaksin and Mr. Mandela. Mr. Mandela's organization confirmed the meeting. Why is it so unbelievable that Mr. Thaksin took a souvenir photo? What's even more pathetic is the person claiming it is a cutout of Mr. Thaksin and the other person claiming he is probably dead.

Not one of you self appointed experts made any effort to actually verify the statements you were trying to pass off as fact. How is it a young Thai/German student and independent journalist in Hamburg was able to confirm the meeting by contacting Mr. Mandela's office, and yet not one Thai blogger or journalist speculating on this subject bothered to contact Mr. Mandela's office. People that invent "fact" and and try to pass it off as the truth are liars. You should be ashamed of yourselves. If you conduct yourselves in daily life in this dishonest and pathetic a manner I can see why some of you are in such dire situations.

Great stuff !!!

Wonderful.

[iforget]

Why would we think that Tacky would lie, or fake something? It's not as if he was a convicted fugitive from justice is it?

You have to love the part about how he is keeping quiet, lmfao.

What's to be gained by lying about a meet and greet? Do you think Mr. Mandela even knew who he was? Former PM Thaksin is keeping quiet. The only people that keep mentioning his name are those obsessed with him. The country would be better served if people got on with their lives. Let Mr. Abhisit and General Prem worry about the deposed PM.

Someone's actually done some research. Thaksin did meet Mandela, according to Mandela's office. See Saiyasombut. But no pix were taken. So there's still a mystery