Ousted Thaksin Vows To Play Role After Elections

[LaoPo]

• ASIA NEWS
• APRIL 8, 2011

Ousted Thai Minister Vows to Play Role after Elections

By JAMES HOOKWAY

DUBAI—Thailand's ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra emerged from months of silence in his self-imposed exile Thursday to say he intends to play a key role in running from afar his country's economic policies if Thailand's main opposition party wins coming elections

Thaksin Shinawatra His immediate goals include slashing corporate-tax rates and pushing for an amnesty for everybody charged with politically linked offenses in the tumultuous four-plus years since a military coup in Bangkok swept him from power.

Continues here:

http://online.wsj.co...2097483998.html

LaoPo

Edited April 9, 2011 by sbk
fair use and AFP photo not allowed

[Moonrakers]

pushing for an amnesty

How very altruistic of him!

[givenall]

Prisoner role is available

[Soutpeel]

Nice handbag.....

[rubl]

From the WSJ article:

Mr. Thaksin said Thailand's economy risks falling behind some of its competitors if the country fails to recalibrate its political system and scale back what he says is a creeping culture of censorship in some parts of the Thai media.

"We can't simply assemble things for others anymore, we need a lot more creativity," Mr. Thaksin said. "But if freedom of speech is not there, and there is no freedom for people in getting access to knowledge and capital, how can you be creative? That's what I really worry about."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704630004576248622097483998.html

Maybe k. Thaksin should start to clean up his own house/party/supporters. Maybe tell Dr. weng that opposing opinions are part of the game, and to be tolerated rather than oppressed, like the social studies text book for Mattayom 3 (Grade 9) students contained information which could lead students to believe that the red-shirts were the cause of all the places being burnt down across the country.

Access to knowledge and capital have no relation to censureship. Democracy may start with an open-minded educational system. Then you can start to be creative.

Edited April 9, 2011 by rubl

[Misterwhisper]

"...and pushing for an amnesty for everybody charged with politically linked offenses..."

Surprise, surprise, we didn't see that one coming!

From the Encyclopeadia Thaksiniae: "everybody = I, I, I and then everybody else"

[yoshiwara]

It is a message, a very clear message to the TRP MPs and allies that no-one but no-one should even consider for one nano-second organising their forces at the next election for a shot at self glory. The whole show will be led by Thaksin in the interests of Thaksin and nobody should forget this. They ask Thaksin first before they put their underwear on in the morning. Or else.

[PingManDan]

Yes then maybe this country can start to pull itself out of the rut it is in, and deeper canyon it is headed for, with the present day Government.

[Guest]

I thought foreigners (including citizens of Montenegro) were not allowed to interfere in Thai politics?

[Robby nz]

The slashing corperate tax rates bit would be to ensure that once he has amnasty and has returned he does not have to pay tax.

Possibly there could be some retrospective clause that means he gets all the tax he has paid in the last 10 years returned to him.

Then who would be paying the tax if the corporate entities wern't?

Of course the little people.

[Ricardo]

Would this guy be in-any-way related to the former-PM, who publicly promised that he had "quit Thai politics", several years ago ? Surely not !

[coma]

This clown is a cancer to this country. He should just remain silent, allow the country to get on with life and he can get on with his. Spending his days with his humpteen billion dollars. :jerk:

Edited April 10, 2011 by coma

[Buchholz]

Yes then maybe this country can start to pull itself out of the rut it is in, and deeper canyon it is headed for, with the present day Government.

Thanks for future compliance.

Forum Netiquette

Please read before posting

1. Please do not post in all capital letters, bold, unusual fonts, sizes or colors.

[zzaa09]

I thought foreigners (including citizens of Montenegro) were not allowed to interfere in Thai politics?

This would include the Chinese and American?

[otherstuff1957]

"Months of silence"? I guess if the WSJ hasn't read any Thai newpapers it might seem like months of silence. I seem to recall almost weekly announcements concerning the PM candidate for the PT party coming from our man in Dubai!

If they start off with a statement like that, how accurate is the rest of the article going to be?

[Buchholz]

"Months of silence"? I guess if the WSJ hasn't read any Thai newpapers it might seem like months of silence. I seem to recall almost weekly announcements concerning the PM candidate for the PT party coming from our man in Dubai!

If they start off with a statement like that, how accurate is the rest of the article going to be?

If one considers since January as "months of silence"... then consider there have been 429 threads discussing Thaksin in the News Forum, most of which were initiated over something he had said on the phone or did while being photographed very publicly or announced in s video-link or declared in an interview or Tweeted or Facebooked or relayed through a team of lawyers and public relations spokesmen and local politicians...

since January.

[rixalex]

error

Edited April 10, 2011 by rixalex

[animatic]

"Months of silence"? I guess if the WSJ hasn't read any Thai newpapers it might seem like months of silence. I seem to recall almost weekly announcements concerning the PM candidate for the PT party coming from our man in Dubai!

If they start off with a statement like that, how accurate is the rest of the article going to be?

If one considers since January as "months of silence"... then consider there have been 429 threads discussing Thaksin in the News Forum, most of which were initiated over something he had said on the phone or did while being photographed very publicly or announced in s video-link or declared in an interview or Tweeted or Facebooked or relayed through a team of lawyers and public relations spokesmen and local politicians...

since January.

Months of silence in Washington maybe, since he did NOT go and testify in front of a congressional committee as Amsterdam and Nopadon so loudly trumpeted he would. I guess he decided that silence over there was a better tactic, maybe they might forget he had screwed the pooch rather badly trying to drag USA into his shenanigans.

Edited April 10, 2011 by animatic

[rixalex]

If they start off with a statement like that, how accurate is the rest of the article going to be?

Well they go on to state:

after winning landslide popular elections in 2001 and 2005

The 2001 election wasn't won by anyone, let alone by a landslide.

Edited April 10, 2011 by rixalex

[SteeleJoe]

"But if freedom of speech is not there, and there is no freedom for people in getting access to knowledge and capital, how can you be creative? That's what I really worry about."

Wow. He never ceases to amaze. one of the most credible and consistent complaints about Thaksin when he was in power was about his (often successful) efforts (subtle and not) to limit this very thing.

But it's no less amazing than when he talks about democracy -- anyone who watched him over his political career and paid attention to what he said on the subject when he was at the top, knows how funny that is.

[Buchholz]

If they start off with a statement like that, how accurate is the rest of the article going to be?

Well they go on to state:

after winning landslide popular elections in 2001 and 2005

The 2001 election wasn't won by anyone, let alone by a landslide.

One begins to see why Thaksin may have chosen this source with which to do his interview.

You know, the first interview that he chose to break out of his "months of silence" with...

[rixalex]

If they start off with a statement like that, how accurate is the rest of the article going to be?

Well they go on to state:

after winning landslide popular elections in 2001 and 2005

The 2001 election wasn't won by anyone, let alone by a landslide.

One begins to see why Thaksin may have chosen this source with which to do his interview.

You know, the first interview that he chose to break out of his "months of silence" with...

Quite.

Of course, it's not like WSJ doesn't have a history of being broadly sympathetic to his cause.

[animatic]

"But if freedom of speech is not there, and there is no freedom for people in getting access to knowledge and capital, how can you be creative? That's what I really worry about."

Wow. He never ceases to amaze. one of the most credible and consistent complaints about Thaksin when he was in power was about his (often successful) efforts (subtle and not) to limit this very thing.

But it's no less amazing than when he talks about democracy -- anyone who watched him over his political career and paid attention to what he said on the subject when he was at the top, knows how funny that is.

There is no blocks on freedom to access creative information for business in Thailand. Except maybe the Porn Industry. And the Baht is screamingly high because capital has flowed INTO Thailand due to Korn and Abhist creating a good market place in spite of Thaksins minions trying to ruin it all.

The guy is on glue. I wish I had a dollar for ever misstatement he's made and $10 for each out right lie. I'd be quite comfortable.

When he was in office he used all means to block information that helped competitors or harmed his interests. BP editors fired, reporters sued, Shipping Moo, and computer crimes, and on and on.

Edited April 10, 2011 by animatic

[SteeleJoe]

BP editors fired, reporters sued, Shipping Moo, and computer crimes, and on and on.

...threatening to withdraw millions of Baht of advertising by his his companies or that of cronies in publications that were deemed too critical and let's not forget ITV...

[nong38]

The speeling in the paper is wrong again, he has said he wants to bring a new roll to the table, my money is that his new key roll is a bacon roll .

Edited April 10, 2011 by nong38

[PhoenixRising]

I thought foreigners (including citizens of Montenegro) were not allowed to interfere in Thai politics?

That's true, but Thai fugitives (with a lot of money) can, obviously.

Edited April 10, 2011 by PhoenixRising

[Robby nz]

I see it is reported in another publication that PTP have once again postponed the big announcement of their policy and PM candidate, this time to no later than 27 April

Excuse; the signes that are needed for the announcement are nor ready.

Or possible the boss has been so busy giving intervies he hasnt had time to decide.

[bristolgeoff]

maybe he expects to be given a pardon if the reds win,if he chucks enough money at it..lets hope a prison cell waits for him if he does return.IF he did serve his time it would be over by now and a free man.how stupid is he

[lungmi]

I thought foreigners (including citizens of Montenegro) were not allowed to interfere in Thai politics?

This would include the Chinese and American?

BS

[473geo]

I thought foreigners (including citizens of Montenegro) were not allowed to interfere in Thai politics?

That's true, but Thai fugitives (with a lot of money) can, obviously.

And anonymous aliens on forums with even less money?