Thaksin Offers To Be Trade Ambassador

[samurai]

Winners and whiners....this forum unfortunately is full of the latter. The armchair loser critics whose only objective in life is to jealosly knock the winners.

It is very plainly obvious the "we" consists of the vast majority of Thai voters.

Thailand desperately needs proactive progressive business minded leaders. Saying Thaksin is only in it for himself is forgetting the why he was charged with trumped up retrospectrive charges. The whiners single him out but forget the blatent back pocket stuffing bumbling Govt ministers that were so resoundly beaten at the polls. Seems the Thai population know more than the armchair whiners ..... And I am not saying what he stood accused of was right or wrong. Compared to some Thaksin is lily white. But charges aside .....where are the people who would make a better roving Trade Ambassador? Time to forget the past and get on with the future and bring a progressive future for Thailand

A better Roving Trade Ambassador... let me see..? is Gengis Khan up for the job, Attila the Hun, Pol Pot, Idi Amin, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Oliver Cromwell, Mao Tse-tung, Kim Il-sung, Caligula.... in this company Thaksin would be about top of the list... Ask the Southern Muslims .. or ask the mothers of the 2840 would be drug dealers murdered in Bangkok and surrounding area

because Thaksin caught his son smoking marijuana.. Give us a break about this convicted -on the run criminal ... lets hope he gets his day at The Haige... Saddam was an angel compared to Thaksin..

[craigt3365]

One inappropriate post and an associated reply have been removed. Please abide by forum rules and show respect to other members...no matter their political views. :jap:

[SICHONSTEVE]

Yes!!! a real joker - although he is not funny and I feel sorry for him holding such firm and staunch support for Thaksin when a majority of the posters (scotbeve excluded on this) realise and understand what a liability and 'thorn in the side' Thaksin is for Thailand!!!!:jap:. Let us pity these two poor individuals and pray for their souls . Altogether now!! "may they be spared from their ignorant and foolish views, dear god"!!!

Being very presumptuous are we. I believe there are over 50,000 TV members out of which there are about 50 of you who have an extreme hard on for Thaksin. Any mention of his name, and you guys go ape shit on Thaksin with a passion. I believe a majority of TV like Thailand and the Thai's are indifferent, and there is a fairly large population that do strongly support him. Foreigners have no voice and can not influence any election ever. So realistically no one really cares what you think.

To the poor guy on the field who's only concern is where his next meal is coming from, he see's Thaksin as a person who will help him out. This is Thailand, so what if he is corrupt. Breaking news "Every Thai politician is corrupt". Say what you will, the Thai's have spoken and a Shinawatra is running the country. And you can huff and puff and throw as many wise cracks as possible, but that is not going to change soon. Sorry.

What you mean is that a great number of Thai's have been suckered into voting for Pheu Thai. A lot of people voted for Thatcher (more than once) and for the 2 Bush's (more than once) and look at the damage they did!!!! Just because people vote for something or someone it doesnt mean that they are right does it!!

If the poor farmer thinks that Yingluck will put food on the table for them and improve their lot then they are in for a big shock . She has lumbered herself with some difficult problems with those unaffordable pledges and it will result in the opposite to what people are expecting. SME's will suffer or cease operations and when that happens the country is in BIG trouble. Unemployment, interest rates, inflation and the cost of living (fuel and food in particular) will rise so please tell me how it will help put food on the table and improve their standards of living!!

Those expectant "nice surprises" will turn into some "ugly shocks" and the people should be willing to apologise for making such misinformed and rash choices in the election and plead for the return of the saviour Abhisit (or whoever is the leader of the "savvy party" the Democrats!!!:jap:

[SICHONSTEVE]

I think Thaksin is a smart businessman. If he were to take up this role, it will definitely help Thailand a lot. He's influential and smart. That's why Japan and Germany are willing to relax their rules.

Yeh right!!!!!! Where do you live??? LaLa land or on the moon??

[Thaddeus]

UPDATE:

PM Yingluck dismissed as groundless a report that Thaksin has offerred to work for govt as an envoy for foreign trade negotiations.

-- Bangkok Post SMS 2011-08-14 @12:48

So in fact she admitted that the Phue Thai ranks are full of people lying through their teeth.Anything news to announce?

It rained last night.

[metisdead]

Removed a post that claimed others were paid to post. If you have any actual evidence please forward it to support. If it's just a lame debating tactic, further references like that may find you without posting rights.

[RedNIvar]

What you mean is that a great number of Thai's have been suckered into voting for Pheu Thai. A lot of people voted for Thatcher (more than once) and for the 2 Bush's (more than once) and look at the damage they did!!!! Just because people vote for something or someone it doesnt mean that they are right does it!!

If the poor farmer thinks that Yingluck will put food on the table for them and improve their lot then they are in for a big shock . She has lumbered herself with some difficult problems with those unaffordable pledges and it will result in the opposite to what people are expecting. SME's will suffer or cease operations and when that happens the country is in BIG trouble. Unemployment, interest rates, inflation and the cost of living (fuel and food in particular) will rise so please tell me how it will help put food on the table and improve their standards of living!!

Those expectant "nice surprises" will turn into some "ugly shocks" and the people should be willing to apologise for making such misinformed and rash choices in the election and plead for the return of the saviour Abhisit (or whoever is the leader of the "savvy party" the Democrats!!!:jap:

It also does not mean they are wrong. I will try to find some peyote and a sweat lodge, (most likely a bottle of whiskey and a sauna) and try to put myself in a trance tonight. Hopefully I might be able to see into the future like who have done. Until then I would rather not comment on things I do not know of.

As for the Thai's backtracking and requesting the return of the Dem's and Abhisit, well everyone deserves to dream. So you go and dream as hard as you possibly can, and you never know it might come true.

Edited August 15, 2011 by RedNIvar

[whybother]

A very kind offer from a criminal fugitive that the government says will not be issued a diplomatic passport.

Don't forget, a puppet government installed by coup-makers who illegally overthrew an elected government and trashed the constitution. And, ignored the results of two successive elections.

Ergo: Your point is worse than moot.

Which coup overthrew an elected government?

Which "two successive elections" were ignored?

[webfact]

THAI TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

Thaksin not entitled to be TTR : academic

By The Nation

A bid to appoint ex-PM Thaksin, brother of PM Yingluck Shinawatra as a Thai Trade Representative is a pretext for reissuing his passport, said Taweekiat Meenakanit, a law lecturer of Thammasat University on Monday.

If the government officially appoints Thaksin as TTR, his qualification for such a job should be carefully considered, as the laws stipulates that a candidate must not be convicted and given a jail term, he said.

Thaksin has taken shelter in certain foreign countries after being convicted of abuse of power and corruption and sentenced to two years in jail.

However Thaksin's qualification would not be taken into consideration if Yingluck were to appoint her brother as unofficial TTR. "She could appoint her brother to the position because she wants to do so and it is not against the law. However, it would not be proper to do so," he said.

The lecturer was responding to news reports that Yingluck may attempt to appoint Thaksin to the position.

He added that if true, the appointment will pave the way for the government to reissue Thaksin with Thai and diplomatic passports.

The Abhisit government revoked Thaksin's passports as he fled from two year's imprisonment on a charge of abuse of power.

"As a TTR, Thaksin needs a Thai diplomatic or ordinary passport to facilitate his travel to other countries. The position will enable Thaksin to discuss benefits for his own family" the lecturer said.

By law, the prime minister signs off on the appointment of a TTR.

-- The Nation 2011-08-15

[SICHONSTEVE]

What you mean is that a great number of Thai's have been suckered into voting for Pheu Thai. A lot of people voted for Thatcher (more than once) and for the 2 Bush's (more than once) and look at the damage they did!!!! Just because people vote for something or someone it doesnt mean that they are right does it!!

If the poor farmer thinks that Yingluck will put food on the table for them and improve their lot then they are in for a big shock . She has lumbered herself with some difficult problems with those unaffordable pledges and it will result in the opposite to what people are expecting. SME's will suffer or cease operations and when that happens the country is in BIG trouble. Unemployment, interest rates, inflation and the cost of living (fuel and food in particular) will rise so please tell me how it will help put food on the table and improve their standards of living!!

Those expectant "nice surprises" will turn into some "ugly shocks" and the people should be willing to apologise for making such misinformed and rash choices in the election and plead for the return of the saviour Abhisit (or whoever is the leader of the "savvy party" the Democrats!!!:jap:

It also does not mean they are wrong. I will try to find some peyote and a sweat lodge, (most likely a bottle of whiskey and a sauna) and try to put myself in a trance tonight. Hopefully I might be able to see into the future like who have done. Until then I would rather not comment on things I do not know of.

As for the Thai's backtracking and requesting the return of the Dem's and Abhisit, well everyone deserves to dream. So you go and dream as hard as you possibly can, and you never know it might come true.

I'm not looking into the future, per se. All i'm doing is looking at her cabinet make up (Thaksin's more like it) and policy promises in order to get elected - and things do not auger well for the "poor Thai's future" in particular!!!! That they essentially voted her into office is the equivalent of "turkey's voting for christmas" - not that 99% of "the uneducated lot" would have heard of or know what a turkey is, before (either country or bird for that matter)!!!

All of the confidence, popularity and so on ratings are soaring at the moment according to business and people polls??? but this won't last will it. Let time be the judge of her - but a week, let alone 6 months is a long time in politics and that will be more than enough to find her and her incompetent cabinet wanting!!!:jap:

[SICHONSTEVE]

A very kind offer from a criminal fugitive that the government says will not be issued a diplomatic passport.

Don't forget, a puppet government installed by coup-makers who illegally overthrew an elected government and trashed the constitution. And, ignored the results of two successive elections.

Ergo: Your point is worse than moot.

Which coup overthrew an elected government?

Which "two successive elections" were ignored?

Precisely!!!

It wasn't a puppet government - it was formed within government by legitimite means following a free vote by the incumbent elected MP's in parliament at the time.

The coup was a judicial coup whereby the PPP was disbanded for electoral fraud which led to dissolution of the party (so legal and not illegal). The constitution ammendments were passed in a vote by all MP's so it was modified slightly according to the rules of law and not trashed as you imply. The changes implemented were essentially to alter the ratio of house seats/constituency seats to improve the election process system and reflect the changing times of the situation in Thailand and to take into account the electoral border changes.

The results of the 2 elections you refer to were not ignored, they were overturned following fraud and other forbiden and improper irregularities by the ruling parties who had illegaly won the election. Sundarajev was the only person found cooking the books (well cooking something)!! and he was done for conflict of interest after being paid for his gourmet TV appearances - what a twerp he is - clearly not fit for the office of prime minister!! Maybe he can get a job working in the Bangkok Marriot!!!

Edited August 15, 2011 by SICHONSTEVE

[MaiChai]

Just sounds like Taksin looking to expand his business empire. Lets face it Thai politicians are not in it for the greater good of the country?

Edited August 15, 2011 by MaiChai

[rametindallas]

I apologize to the Global Moderator and the forum for my cynacism

[Buchholz]

As usual, a few dedicated Thaksin supporters are trying to supply spin by claiming "retroactive laws" and "political motivation". The Rhatchadapisek land deal isn't the only criminal charge he is up on, it just happens to be the only one for which he was actually in the country at the time of the trial (which took place under his "own" PPP government), and thus able to be convicted of. Let's remind ourselves of the findings of the asset seizure case:

"The court verdict said TOT had lost THB70 billion in revenue when AIS was allowed to reduce the share of pre-paid turnover it paid TOT from 25% to 20% by altering its build-transfer-operate (BTO) concession with the telco. TOT and fellow state-owned telco CAT were also deprived of concession fees totalling THB60 billion when a telecom excise tax was introduced to replace the fees. Meanwhile, the Transport Ministry's contract with Thaicom (formerly Shin Satellite) was amended several times to the firm's benefit, costing the state THB20 billion, the ruling said".

http://www.voipprovi...et-seizure.html

Also: "It came out during the trial that Thaksin's son, Panthongtae, went to Burma with him at least once and that during the visit, there was a demonstration of what Thaicom had to offer as the Burmese junta sought to enhance that country's telecom development.

However, a major point to consider is who was or were responsible for the distribution of more than Bt300 million straight to Thaicom following the loan agreement".

(Regarding his using an official government trip to sell his own company's satellite equipment to Burma, after the Thai government gave them a loan to buy it. The article also has a good summary of the share manipulation within the Shinawatra family prior to the sale of AIS).

http://www.transpare...id=87&Itemid=39

For the benefit of those who weren't around from the start of the Thaksin years, there are one or two other little items:

One of his first political promises was to solve Bangkok's traffic problems or resign. Needless to say he did neither.

He "mistakenly" transferred millions of dollars worth of shares into other peoples names, including his maid and gardener, and then "forgot" about it when declaring his assets upon first becoming PM.

His government's cover up of bird flu in an attempt to protect Thai poultry farmers, leading to the death of at least one child:

"The first boy who died is believed to have picked up the virus after touching the carcasses of infected poultry in his village in western Kanchanaburi province. His father, Chamnan Boonmanut, hit out over the government's handling of the crisis on Monday. "The government knew, so why didn't they tell the public so that we could protect ourselves?" he said. "Nobody wants to get sick and die".

"Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, faced with accusations of a cover-up, has admitted his government initially kept quiet about its suspicions that avian flu had broken out, to avoid causing public panic".

http://news.bbc.co.u...fic/3432545.stm

And not forgetting the war on drugs. However "popular" it may have been it essentially gave police official sanction be be judge, jury and executioner. Hardly a democratic policy towards people presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Maybe one could forgive one "little mistake", and claim the prosecution of it was due to ulteria political motives, but the evidence points to a man who has cheated the Thai people at every opportunity he has got. Even his start in successful business, by being married to the daughter of the chief of police and being awarded the contract to supply computers to every police station in Thailand, stinks of corruption. His callous disregard for people's lives, his numerous lies, his inciting of "revolution", and the disappearance and/or deaths of those who have sought to bear witness against him all point to his true character. This is the man who is a hero to a few on this forum, the man they want to see representing the country. The dregs of humanity.

in regards to above Thaicom case....

ICT Ministry panel to study Thaicom's status after Thaksin verdict.

The Information and Communications Technology Ministry will set up a committee to study how Thaicom should proceed after its status was called into question by a court order to confiscate the assets of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in February 2010.

The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders in its verdict cited many actions during Thaksin's administration that showed he had abused his power to benefit his telecom empire.

One example is that the ICT Ministry in 2004 allowed InTouch to reduce its shareholding in Thaicom from 51 per cent to 41 per cent without the Cabinet's approval. This in effect reduced Shin Corp's investment burden while passing risks to smaller shareholders.

Shin Corp is now know as InTouch, and the renamed firm is bound by the original contract to maintain a minimum ownership in Thaicom of 51 per cent throughout the satellite operator's 30-year concession.

Chaiyan Peungkiatpairote, the new Permanent Secretary of the ICT Ministry, said this week that the reduction of InTouch's shareholding in Thaicom did not appear to have any significant impact on the latter's operations and that InTouch was still its major shareholder.

According to Thaicom, every time it calls a shareholders' meeting, 60 per cent of the shareholders come, of whom 41 per cent are InTouch representatives and the rest are minor shareholders, he said.

InTouch has also informed the Stock Exchange of Thailand that it would not allow any party to own more than 25 per cent of Thaicom, he said.

In July, Somprasong Boonyachai, Executive Chairman of InTouch, said it had no plan to raise its stake in Thaicom back to 51 per cent or more, as the court's verdict to confiscate the assets of Thaksin concerned Thaksin, not the group's subsidiaries.

Also according to the court ruling, members of Thaksin's cabinet had allowed Thaicom to change the terms of its concession to launch iPStar as its main satellite, rather than launch a backup satellite for Thaicom 3.

Chaiyan said the ministry was still collecting concession revenue from Thaicom as usual, part of which was from the iPStar business.

InTouch and Thaicom executives once asked the previous government why it was still collecting royalties from Thaicom if it deemed iPStar an out-of-concession satellite.

Also according to the court ruling, Thaicom appeared to violate its concession when it used insurance payments of Bt206 million to lease transponders from foreign satellite operators to serve customers before the Thaicom 5 launch, instead of remitting the whole amount to the Transport Ministry, which was in charge of the satellite's concession at the time.

As a result of irreparable damage to the Thaicom 3 satellite in 2003, Thaicom received insurance proceeds of US$33 million, which was placed in an escrow account in Singapore. It used most of the money to make a down payment for the construction and launch of Thaicom 5 and to lease transponders until the launch of Thaicom 5.

Chaiyan takes the view that Thaicom has used the insurance funds to continue expanding its satellite business.

He also said Thailand was waiting for the International Telecommunication Union officially to recognise Thailand's continued right to use the 50.5 degrees east longitude orbital slot, after Thaicom's recent positioning of an interim satellite at that slot. The ITU recognition is expected next year.

The previous government assigned Thaicom to seek interim satellites to fill the 120 degrees and 50.5 degrees east slots in the government's effort to preserve the country's legal right to use these orbital slots before the right expires.

Thaicom chief executive officer Suphajee Suthumpun said yesterday that Thaicom placed an interim satellite at the 50.5 degrees slot on August 27. The country's right to this slot is due to expire next month.

Thaicom and Hong Kong's Asia Satellite Telecommunication jointly placed an interim satellite at the 120 degrees slot late last year. In June this year the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission's telecom committee approved a satellite network licence for Thaicom, allowing it to operate any of its satellites in the 120 degrees slot.

-- The Nation 2012-10-05