Thaksin Visits S. Korea To Tour River Project

[Lite Beer]

Thaksin visits S. Korea to tour river project

SEOUL, November 22, 2011 (AFP) - Former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra is visiting South Korea to tour a $19 billion river upgrade project which he believes could have averted Thailand's flood disaster, officials said Tuesday.

The fugitive ex-premier, during his private trip from Monday to Thursday, is visiting sites connected with the project to dredge, dam and beautify the South's four major rivers, said officials at Seoul's land ministry.

"Thaksin said he had been thinking a lot about chronic flood problems in Thailand and wanted to see our river projects himself to get some ideas," Go Young-Suk, a ministry official who accompanied him for the tour, told AFP.

"He asked a lot of questions."

Thaksin, in an interview with Tuesday's Chosun Ilbo newspaper, said he would report the outcome of the trip to Yingluck Shinawatra, his younger sister and current prime minister.

He told the paper he drew up a comprehensive flood and drought prevention plan while he was in office, but this was aborted when he was ousted in a 2006 military coup.

"The latest flood damage would have been one-fifth of the current level had my project been implemented as planned," Thaksin was quoted as saying.

The Thai floods have killed more than 600 people and damaged the homes and livelihoods of millions.

The 62-year-old ex-premier lives in exile in Dubai and faces a two-year sentence for graft if he returns home.

Thaksin is travelling with three aides. He is believed to have no meetings planned with senior Seoul government officials during the trip, made at the invitation of a South Korean businessman, said a land ministry spokesman.

The South's "four rivers project" aims to revitalise the Han, Nakdong, Geum and Yeongsan rivers, control flooding and save water. The project, which began in 2009, is expected to be completed in December next year.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-11-22

[thaivisitorTeeVee]

Well done Khun Thaksin! As usual tackling the problem head on....

[Jingthing]

"The latest flood damage would have been one-fifth of the current level had my project been implemented as planned," Thaksin was quoted as saying.

What's the Thai word for chutzpah?

[Moruya]

"The latest flood damage would have been one-fifth of the current level had my project been implemented as planned," Thaksin was quoted as saying.

What's the Thai word for chutzpah?

Mai tem baht will do here.

I wonder how many fifths of the water would have been avoided if the dams had been better handled.

Surely the Thai people can see that if he had a plan, he also had the time in government to implement it? Maybe he handed a box to Aphisit labeled "Taksin's Master Plan" just before he flew off to the Chinese Olympics?

[sparebox2]

"He asked a lot of questions."

That means he knows little.

[whybother]

I don't see how a river project in South Korea could avert flooding in Thailand. It's not like the rivers are connected or anything.

[DP25]

"The latest flood damage would have been one-fifth of the current level had my project been implemented as planned," Thaksin was quoted as saying.

If he had been allowed to continue robbing the country (project implemented as planned) and there was no coup he never would have had to implement the corrupt rice scheme that caused them to mismanage dams to try to maximize rice production so they could recoup the lost corruption money.

Edited November 22, 2011 by DP25

[Moruya]

I don't see how a river project in South Korea could avert flooding in Thailand. It's not like the rivers are connected or anything.

The money bone's connected to the.... Thaksin bone

The Thaksin bone's connected to the..... Yingluck bone

The Yingluck bone's connected to the ..... Treasury bone

The Treasury bone's connected to the 120,000,000THB bone

[elcent]

"The latest flood damage would have been one-fifth of the current level had my project been implemented as planned," Thaksin was quoted as saying.

What's the Thai word for chutzpah?

this problem could have been avoided if it wouldn't have been designed. Even there was exceptional rain this year. Failing to release water from the major dam in time was the only thing that caused this flooding to become so extremely devastating.

At least he admitted to be on this subject for a long time already. Does that point to the setup of flooding design?

[OzMick]

Is he picking up the pumps?

[givenall]

Too bad he did not divert the Red Shirt riots last year. He couldhave helped Thailand a lot more than this flood problem, actually, if we had abetter government we would not have any flood problem either

Edited November 22, 2011 by metisdead
Font reset, again. Use default forum font when posting.

[elcent]

Is he picking up the pumps?

no, he's pumping troubles to become floods of anger

Excuse me in what position does he act now?

[Buchholz]

Is he picking up the pumps?

no, he's pumping troubles to become floods of anger

Excuse me in what position does he act now?

Mainly doggie-style with the country.

.

[nomoretalksin]

"The latest flood damage would have been one fith of the current level had my project been implemented as planned"

wow and wow again! Wonder how he calculated that and really would love to see his old plan/ideas which were so strange since he was in power

2001 never ever implemented. Only the bad bad "coup" in 2006 prevented him, from implementing it; right!

Wonder since when Thaksin ever thought about any water projects? Can't remember of anything similar ex him!

Any link to any Thaksin water management tries? Or just another blatant lie ex him?

And why is he choosing Korea or China now as a solution and not takes the offered help from the Netherlands

or USA serious? Is it perhaps more easy to make MEGA-PROJECT-commissions more easy with Asian countries?

Also since when is he the water expert? Thought the current gov. was/is setting up a commission for that? And all those Korean or Chinese pumps he promised to buy during these floods? Where are they? And didn't he had already another Chinese solution announced a view weeks before.?Apparently where he knew the exact the price for it? What went wrong in China? Did the commission deal not work, now trying again in Korea?

First royal pardon dished up, then after the righteous Thai folks bashing now change to Plan B, via Chalerm with an "Act of parliament" and now the water god Thaksin soon commanding the new "gov. water commission" how to proceed with the next silly short-minded Thaksin politics and ideas?

Edited November 22, 2011 by nomoretalksin

[webfact]

SHINAWATRA GOVERNMENT

Thaksin visiting Seoul to observe anti-flood projects

Photo : EPA

Thai FM Surapong visited same project last month

Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is in South Korea and will be visiting the four-river restoration project, Xinhua news agency has reported.

It quoted Seoul's Ministry of Land, Transportation and Maritime as saying the three-day visit will take Thaksin to the sites of project, which aimed to refurbish the country’s four main rivers - the Han, Nakdong, Geum and Yeongsan - allowing him to see first hand Seoul’s river harnessing and flood control measures.

The Thai government, led by Thaksin’s sister Yingluck Shinawatra, is looking to the project, following the worst flood in decades, which affected 64 out of 77 of Thailand's provinces, the ministry said.

Thailand’s Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul visited the same project in October. Thaksin is scheduled to leave South Korea on Thursday, it added.

-- The Nation 2011-11-22

[bigbamboo]

Has anyone seen his visionary plans?

[kutjebu]

"He asked a lot of questions."

That means he knows little.

Same like the most farangs...

[lannarebirth]

Is he picking up the pumps?

no, he's pumping troubles to become floods of anger

Excuse me in what position does he act now?

Extra constitutional position. That;s where the money is.

[elcent]

Has anyone seen his visionary plans?

google wikileaks thaksin and you will find out. At one point he was even urged by the American Ambassador to step down. This explains his show in Korea. I think one day he could end up like Qaddafi.

[lannarebirth]

Has anyone seen his visionary plans?

google wikileaks thaksin and you will find out. At one point he was even urged by the American Ambassador to step down. This explains his show in Korea. I think one day he could end up like Qaddafi.

The US ambassador described Thaksin as "delusional".

[Moruya]

Is he picking up the pumps?

no, he's pumping troubles to become floods of anger

Excuse me in what position does he act now?

Extra constitutional position. That;s where the money is.

Thaksin "Extra-constitutional". Laughed so much it made my afternoon feel like a Friday. Do you think there is a EC club where he can drink tea with Prem?

[EyesWideOpen]

Has anyone seen his visionary plans?

google wikileaks thaksin and you will find out. At one point he was even urged by the American Ambassador to step down. This explains his show in Korea. I think one day he could end up like Qaddafi.

The US ambassador described Thaksin as "delusional".

Clearly the US Ambassador knows how to call a spade a spade......

[nomoretalksin]

It's all about: "turning a crisis into an opportunity"

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/267159/more-things-for-pm-to-worry-about

Question remains: Will again the Shinawatra clan need to profit from it ?

[lannarebirth]

Is he picking up the pumps?

no, he's pumping troubles to become floods of anger

Excuse me in what position does he act now?

Extra constitutional position. That;s where the money is.

Thaksin "Extra-constitutional". Laughed so much it made my afternoon feel like a Friday. Do you think there is a EC club where he can drink tea with Prem?

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. Does the constitution state the King may not have a Privy Council?

[TAWP]

Has anyone seen his visionary plans?

google wikileaks thaksin and you will find out. At one point he was even urged by the American Ambassador to step down. This explains his show in Korea. I think one day he could end up like Qaddafi.

Fact of the matter is that while many Red Shirt aligned sites and writers like to pull out speculations from the wikileaks as some kind of proof of amarts involvements in the coup etc, they have been very quiet when it comes to the clear and blatant **-case that could be brought against Thaksin over his over-the-top (even against a normal person) comments against several individuals.

To then see him write letters of how everyone should respect the nations highest institution is a black belt hypocrisy move.

[Xonax]

Is he picking up the pumps?

Just checking if they will be ready for next years flood

[lannarebirth]

Has anyone seen his visionary plans?

google wikileaks thaksin and you will find out. At one point he was even urged by the American Ambassador to step down. This explains his show in Korea. I think one day he could end up like Qaddafi.

The US ambassador described Thaksin as "delusional".

Clearly the US Ambassador knows how to call a spade a spade......

The ambassador also described Thaksin as having an "enormous ego". Put delusional together with enormous ego and I think you come up with the definition of megalomania.

[elcent]

Has anyone seen his visionary plans?

google wikileaks thaksin and you will find out. At one point he was even urged by the American Ambassador to step down. This explains his show in Korea. I think one day he could end up like Qaddafi.

Fact of the matter is that while many Red Shirt aligned sites and writers like to pull out speculations from the wikileaks as some kind of proof of amarts involvements in the coup etc, they have been very quiet when it comes to the clear and blatant **-case that could be brought against Thaksin over his over-the-top (even against a normal person) comments against several individuals.

To then see him write letters of how everyone should respect the nations highest institution is a black belt hypocrisy move.

Exactly!

While I do have some grief about some American Institutions the kind like CFR (Thaksin is lobbying through this group) and the federal PRIVATE banks we need to discern of what is american and what is not. I'm pleased to see that there's a movement against this alien take-over of nations in which Thaksin is hailed as their emperor of Thailand on their behalf. Hint, try to discuss Thaksin with any J here. They all defend him, but they will never find a good word on the constitutional M.

Hats off of the former Ambassador, he showed true and real American spirit as a diplomat and servant to make things better.

[ETatBKK]

WHY he goes to South Korean that everything is more than alright,

WHY NOT he come to Thailand that some of us are under water !

wrong place :-(

[scorecard]

Has anyone seen his visionary plans?

Always nice to have the answer after the event.