Thaksin Welcomes Former Malaysian Prime Minister

[Jai Dee]

PM THAKSIN WELCOMED FORMER MALAYSIAN PM TO BAN PITSANULOK

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinnawat welcomed former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad at Ban Pitsanulok yesterday. Dr. Mahathir was invited as a guest of the government by National Reconciliation Commission Chairman Anand Panyarachun (อานันท์ ปันยารชุน). The Thai premier held a private discussion with Dr. Mahathir, with no one else present in the meeting room. Then, Prime Minister Thaksin and his wife, Khunying Pojaman (พจมาน), hosted a dinner for Dr. Mahathir, Foreign Minister Kantathi Supamongkol and his wife, as well as secretary to Prime Minister Thaksin, Dr. Prommin Lertsuridej, and Malaysian ambassador to Thailand were also invited to join the dinner.

Dr. Mahathir is scheduled to meet with Mr. Anand today at 10 AM. He will be granted an audience with His Majesty the King at the Klai Kang Won (ไกลกังวล) Palace in Prachuab Kirikan (ประจวบคี่รีขันธ์) at 4 PM today.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 22 November 2005

[Plus]

With the Mercury being so unfavorable to Mr. Taksin he should avoid discussing any important matters with foreign leaders.

[The_Other_Mac]

I think we can safely assume that this resolves the spat with Badawi over the comments at the UN.

[Jai Dee]

PM THAKSIN DECLINES TO GIVE DETAIL OF DISCUSSION WITH DR MAHATHIR

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra declined to give details from the discussions made with former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, saying that it was a private discussion.

Both the Thai premier and Dr Mahathir met at Ban Phitsanulok (บ้านพิษณุโลก) , the Thai Prime Minister’s official residence. PM Thaksin admitted that both touched upon the subject regarding the restive south but PM Thaksin would not elaborate.

The premier added that he had also discussed the issue with Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea and that both nations have agreed to work together in solving the problem.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Kantathir Suphamongkhon (กันตธีร์ ศุภมงคล) said that his discussion with his Malaysian counterpart at the APEC summit had been favorable and that both sides would cooperate in solving the problems; however progress has not been made regarding 131 Thai Muslims who took refuge in Malaysia. Dr Kanthati said that the Thai Foreign Affairs Minsitry and security agencies are working on the case.

He added that positive signs were obvious from both sides which would lead to the facilitation of the work.

However, if Thai-Muslims would like to return to Thailand, the government will guarantee their safety, says the Foreign Minister.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 22 November 2005

[astral]

Well he would welcome him.

Thaksin is trying to follow in Mahatir's foot steps,

as a dictator dressed like a Prime Minister

[JRinger]

Well he would welcome him.

Thaksin is trying to follow in Mahatir's foot steps,

as a dictator dressed like a Prime Minister

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

lessons from a dictator.

The Many-Faceted Dictatorship of Mahathir

Similarly, there are no rumblings within the ruling party when Mahathir imposes capital controls and seeks Malaysian secession from the ebbs and flows of the globalization process. It all suggests the sad, and even terrifying prospect that Mahathir has succeeded, much more than Marcos or Suharto ever did, in creating the sycophantic state wherein personal dictatorship can so easily grow and flourish.

The last time this correspondent met Tun Tan Siew Sin, the former Malaysian finance minister, who had first instituted Malaysia's adherence to market forces, he bemoaned Mahathir's rise to power because he was “a dictator who will do untold harm to this country.” “In the last election he fought before he died, the late lamented Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's beloved first Prime Minister, fought alongside the opposition he had long disdained in order to end what he saw as the Mahathir dictatorship.”

HARVEY STOCKWIN

Times of India

[Jai Dee]

DR. MAHATHIR: THAILAND AND MALAYSIA WILL USE DIPLOMATIC MEANS IN RESOLVING BILATERAL ISSUES

Thailand and Malaysia have agreed to use diplomatic means in solving issues in bilateral relations as public relations through mass media did not seem to resolve issues. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said that Thailand and Malaysia have a long history of diplomatic relations, but sometimes, problems erupt along the border or there are some other issues that affect the bilateral relations.

Dr. Mahathir said that in the end, the two countries can solve the problems and improve bilateral ties. Dr. Mahathir commented on the meeting with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinnawat (ทักษิณ ชินวัตร), saying that both sides agreed to use diplomacy in solving issues. He added that there will be no responses via the mass media because such actions cannot solve problems. He said that Malaysian Prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has agreed with the policy.

Dr. Mahathir added that the meeting between the two countries’ premiers should continue, as they are believed to have helped solving the problems between Thailand and Malaysia. As for the 131 Thais in Malaysia, Dr. Mahathir refused to comment on the matter, but said that it is the government’s duty to resolve the issue.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 23 November 2005

[Jai Dee]

Thai PM meets Mahathir to focus on southern insurgency

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said that the insurgency in Thailand's southernmost provinces was the focus of his talks Monday with former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad.

The two men met for an hour at Ban Phitsanulok, the Thai Prime Minister's official residence, on the first day of Dr. Mahathir's two-day visit, reported the Thai News Agency Tuesday.

However, the prime minister refused to give further details, characterizing his meeting as a private, one-on-one discussion.

Thaksin said he had also discussed the matter with Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea on Saturday, receiving an assurance from his Malaysian counterpart that "together we can solve the problem."

The Thai prime minister said, in his discussions in South Korea, both sides had sent "positive signals" that would help facilitate work at the official level.

The 131 Thai Muslims, who fled from the southern border province of Narathiwat to the Malaysian state of Kelantan in late August, said they feared for their safety after the enforcement of an emergency security decree covering the mainly-Muslim southern region.

Malaysia said that it would not repatriate the villagers unless Bangkok guarantees their human rights, the agency said.

Source: Xinhua People's Daily Online - 23 November 2005