Thaksin Receives US Visa: Noppadon

[Jingthing]

The US authorities might slap slap some bracelets on him. Convicted criminals CANNOT legally enter the USA.

Surely there must be some leeway on that. For example, someone convicted of the "crime" of being gay in Iran ... In other words, if the US judges the conviction to be political in nature or reflective of a repression regime. That's why I don't understand Thaksin getting this visa, if he really did. Why would the US want to take a stand EITHER WAY on whether Thaksin's conviction is political?

[hawker9000]

Obama must've been falling behind in campaign contributions.

[MEL1]

Thaksin is a key, and a gateway, to Chinese negotiations and information about insider Asian business deals.

I'm sure that is of some interest to US intelligence, or some intelligence that exists in politics.

-mel.

[h90]

Uhmmmm.... you were talking about Presidents. I was referring to Bill, not Hillary.

Ups sorry, yes you are right.....I am sure he would find Pattaya if only she would let him go there

[kerryk]

Obama must've been falling behind in campaign contributions.

Well that's the truth. The last 3 elections in the US have been won by the party that spent the most and Mr O is falling behind.

[moe666]

If he did get a visa, some one in State Department, or Homeland Security or Justice Department received a domation. Though to could have been a donation to a politician for his reelection.

Smells like fraud and corruption to be.

We know Mr. Holder will have some of the boys from the FBI meet him, OH! that could be wrong thr FBI do not work for Mr. Holder, they are part nof the Treasury department. Bring down the US defficit.

You need to get your facts straight the FBI are part of the Justice Department. I believe the ATF are part of the Treasury.

[pattayaronbo]

Well it would be great if the USA did nab this guy at the border but surely if he really got his visa already he had to negotiate some kind of settlement/deal so that would not happen unless that is his plan - to be extradiedt as said earlier.

Re; all comments about Americans not knowing where other countries/cities are located. How about we do a survey of your people and see what they know..... I am pretty sure these surveys were pretty skewed but to be honest, most Americans could care less where most other countries are loctated anyways since they have all they need in the USA. If you have never been there then you do not know this, if you have then maybe you know. If you do not agree, fine. Everyone has a right to their opinion.

When I grew up in America and someone asked me if I wanted to go to Europe, I said why would I want to go there, For What?? But I did and it was great to see the history but otherwise why do I care that much really.

[Pinot]

Any mention of America brings the nutters out here. Thaksin isn't going to the US. What's the upside...tourist $? Thailand is an old friend and they're not going to jeopardize that relationship.

[redroo]

keeping his name in the news....

[Backwoods]

Isn't Yingluck supposed to make a trip to the US in the near future? Maybe I heard that wrong? Wish I knew for sure, maybe she could bring me back some pepperoni!!

[Nickiboy03]

OFC Thaksin will be let into USSA he is part of the Cargyle Group, in the US they will lay the red carpet to let in any criminal worldwide with the same agenda.

[eagle4498]

A Puppet in the making....just watch!

[Skywalker69]

Seems strange the American autjorities let a criminal on the run into USA while Julian Assange is being hounded for telling the honest truth

Not really.

The Americans let Al Capone run around free for years. Funnily enough he didn't pay his taxes either.

And look how he ended. There is no trees growing to heaven.

[kerryk]

OFC Thaksin will be let into USSA he is part of the Cargyle Group, in the US they will lay the red carpet to let in any criminal worldwide with the same agenda.

Isn't that the bunch with John Major the chairman from 2001 to 2004? Nice guys eh?

[Skywalker69]

Noppadon said he obtained a visa some time ago. Why would he bother to apply for a visa, unless he plans to travel there? What cares anyway? Most countries that rejected earlier feel obliged to admit him now that he is de factor PM of Thailand. No reason that the US should be any different. In any case there is no record of the US ever having denied him a visa.

As an aside, his son was a US citizen until he renounced the status. That was apparently in a fit of his father's pique because he wanted to take the family through the VIP as PM with visas their diplomatic passports but the US refused to issue a visa to the son, as he was a US citizen. For whatever reason dumping US citizenship has been a very tax efficient move.

For Thaksin to show-off, for his red friends.

[kerryk]

Seems strange the American autjorities let a criminal on the run into USA while Julian Assange is being hounded for telling the honest truth

Not really.

The Americans let Al Capone run around free for years. Funnily enough he didn't pay his taxes either.

And look how he ended. There is no trees growing to heaven.

Ya, he got out of jail and went to Florida.

[ttelise]

Well he has a visa prior to travel, Brits can do that, but the big thing!! is this..... visa or not when he arrives at his port of entry and immigration, he will still have to fill in a declaration that includes whether he has any criminal record. If he lies, he is in the sh*t, if he does not lie, he could be in the sh*t. Maybe his plan is to go to the US and indeed be extradited back to Thailand amid a mass of red shirt protest and when he arrives all is forgiven and the prodigal son returns

Haha, don't plant stuff like that in the heads of those particularly vulnerable to such suggestions.

Candidly, I don't think anyone in the US gives a rats butt about Thailand, Thaksin or all of Thailand's political rifts. The media doesn't, the politicians don't, and the vast majority if the public here has never heard of Thaksin.

To the US, the political polarization in Thailand is kind of like the infighting in Somolia or South Africa, just another third world country who cannot gets it's act together.

The only time Thailand becomes an issue in our press is when there is a humanity crisis such as the tsunami. Then Americans band together and offer huge monetary and relief support. The craziness such as coups, 2008 PAD, and 2010 red shit bs was not even news worthy here. The latest Indo earthquakes made weather channel news here . . . That's about it so don't read too much into Thaksin getting a visa. Happens all the time with individuals if similar stature provided they are not wanted by US.

[gemini81]

Seems strange the American autjorities let a criminal on the run into USA while Julian Assange is being hounded for telling the honest truth

A friend of Bush some years back if you recall....cronyism is found the world over. Charges of his are in Thailand, not the world courts nor is there much US interest in Thailand on the world scene. We've also had criminals running the show on many occasions, just not as obvious as Thaksin.

[gemini81]

Seems strange the American autjorities let a criminal on the run into USA while Julian Assange is being hounded for telling the honest truth

Not really.

The Americans let Al Capone run around free for years. Funnily enough he didn't pay his taxes either.

And look how he ended. There is no trees growing to heaven.

Ya, he got out of jail and went to Florida.

I should have been a dictator, my life could have been easier!

Edited July 6, 2012 by gemini81

[KeyserSoze01]

You get your USA visa before you travel there.

If this is true, I am surprised, and let me make one thing perfectly clear, it's Bush's fault!

Good one JT as you almost made me spit my coffee on my keyboard.

You can blame it on the village idiot from Texas, but this one lays squarely on Bambam's administration.

[KeyserSoze01]

The last time he visited the U.S. something bad happened. If I were him, I would not go.

He is lucky Mr Lee Harvey Ozwald is no longer with us IMO.

I know what you mean but Oswald was just a fall-guy...a patsy...a red-herring set-up to attract attention away from the actual perpetrators who assassinated JFK simply because he wouldn't go along with the masters of war to Vietnam. It's all about money. Big money.

Bingo. The military industrial complex is running the US and in turn, dictates policy to the rest of the world.

And yes, if Thakky got a visa to travel to the US, it is very much "do as we say, not as we do" scenario.

[theajarn]

So the democrats screwed up Thailand's record with NASA, thinking the US wouldn't give Thaksin a visa if they didn't allow them to use U-Tapao.

Whose foot is in whose mouth now??

[theajarn]

Seems strange the American autjorities let a criminal on the run into USA while Julian Assange is being hounded for telling the honest truth

A friend of Bush some years back if you recall....cronyism is found the world over. Charges of his are in Thailand, not the world courts nor is there much US interest in Thailand on the world scene. We've also had criminals running the show on many occasions, just not as obvious as Thaksin.

Yeah, Bush is no stranger to letting criminals in his bed. Guess who was flying out of America -- one of the ONLY *special* flights allowed at that -- right after "911" happened; courtesy of George W. Bush himself.

[mayday49]

Mr. "T" is going to give a campaign speech supporting republican George "Georgie Boy" Romney....

[Baloo22]

Any mention of America brings the nutters out here. ...

You hit the nail on the head with that one! The tin-foil hat brigade certainly came out for this thread.

[annabel]

Might be some Realpolitik at play in the USA just in case Thaksin does get back into power.

Why would he be so useful to the USA? What would be the interest of the USA if he gets back to power?

The biggest risk is indeed to extradite him, and that upon his return, mass riots start.

Maybe that's what the USA wants in view of the NASA project delay ???

[Misterwhisper]

Why is this news?

When Thaksin experiences a bad bout of diarrhoea, it's splashed (sorry for the pun ) all over the front pages.

When Thaksin farts because he ate some spoiled guacamole, it's a national headline.

When Thaksin thinks it's too bloody cold in winter in Montenegro, it's reported across the kingdom.

What is it with the Thai media's obsession with Thaksin?

The media should let him die - at least in their headlines - and refuse him valuable newspaper space. That alone would go a long way towards real reconciliation.

Finally free yourself from Thaksin's lingering, malevolent specter and find peace in the process!

[Scott]

Without the information on the application for a visa, it is very difficult to speculate. We don't know what type of visa he applied for and received. Is it a tourist visa or a business visa?

Having a criminal record does complicate the visa process, but it does not preclude someone from getting a visa. There are some crimes that will exclude an applicant from a visa, such as crimes against humanity and some drug convictions (trafficking).

In order for him to be extradited, there has to be an extradition order. An extradition order would occur at a high level--I believe the Foreign Ministry. His sister is PM, so it's likely that there is no extradition order.

He would have to overcome two presumptions to be given the visa: First, that he would become a public charge and second, that he is likely to remain in the US.

(Also, an off-topic post has been deleted)

Edited July 6, 2012 by Scott

[nurofiend]

If this is not more of his " legal spokesman's bs" he and his personal henchmen must have had a high old time applying for permission to travel to the US. I know of a couple of cases where the "Homeland Security", after questioning, denied the applicantsry, on moral grounds . Granted they were female with suspect moral backgrounds, but Taksin has probably f..ked more people than they ever dreamed of.

The last time this was mentioned, was from the same source, who announced Thaksins intention to travel to England. Never heard any conformation that that trip took place either.

"The last time this was mentioned, was from the same source, who announced Thaksins intention to travel to England. Never heard any conformation that that trip took place either."

Trust me it happened, he went to the UK, they let him in, he went to a football match, was pictured doing so. Though I did hear that after the game he was extraordinarily renditioned to a safe house in Somalia where abhisit and kasit were waiting with buckets of water and towels........

"I know of a couple of cases where the "Homeland Security", after questioning, denied the applicantsry (sic), on moral grounds . Granted they were female with suspect moral backgrounds"

Stop it, please..............

i remember someone on here suggesting the pics of him at man city were possibly photoshopped!

[Buchholz]

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has, for the past few months, sought and received visa to enter the United States, his legal adviser Noppadon Pattama said on Friday.

Two words, Noppadon.

Prove it.

We all know Thaksin is not adverse to displaying his travel documents.

So simply prove it because the say-so of a discredited banned politician claiming another discredited banned politician has an American visa is.... discredited without proof.

.

Edited July 6, 2012 by Buchholz