Visa For Thaksin Issued Under U.S. Laws: U.S. Ambassador Kristie Kenney

[coma]

Thaksin is the one who got elected. He is only a criminal of the Govt who illegally overthrew the freely elected old Govt. I don't much care one way or the other, but that's the way I see it. I really don't know but I guess he is kind of a leftist, a populist, and we all know where that ends up, bankruptcy every time, and the US is on the same path if things don't change fast. However Thailand is not the US. Woman and older people simple will not get certain jobs. The barriers are higher to advance for most of the country. So it surprises me to hear myself say this, but for Thailand, some wealth re-distribution may be a good thing.

I am sorry to be so blunt but this statement is wrong. No criminal in a democracy is found guilty by the government, legally elected or otherwise. They are found guilty by the high court of that country which in turn is bounded by the laws within the constitution. The constitution is what defines an individual as being a criminal once convicted by the court. Thaksin therefore, by definition of the law of the land and the constitution is a convicted felon. On the run.

Was Mr Victor Booth convicted of any crime when the US demanded his extradition from Thailand to the US ??? NO!!

[rakman]

maybe the NASA deal is part of this

If it was, didn't work out too well for NASA.

[mamypoko]

Pretty sure courts are in the judicial branch of government....but I'm just spit balling here.

ref: #31

Edited August 14, 2012 by mamypoko

[givenall]

maybe the NASA deal is part of this

Actually I think US is desperate to get ahead of China and they make deal when and where they can to reduce China's influence but it too little and too late

[KireB]

Thaksin's version of democracy and the American version are a match made in heaven.

[mamypoko]

Thaksin's version of democracy and the American version are a match made in heaven.

??because..........................??

[maidu]

To defend the ambassador a little bit, I seriously doubt that SHE made this call and she is only doing her diplomatic job in defending it. Doesn't mean she is telling the truth ... obviously.

Was she blinking Morse Code for "This is B.S." as she gave the interview?

got a laugh from me, thanks.

Fact remains, many Thais are denied visas for little ding dong reasons, and often unfairly. Last time I checked, the US expressly does not issue visas for fugitives running from the law. They broke the rules, and Ms Ambassador is compelled to do her job by trying to wrap it in pink paper with a white bow. It stinks of favoritism, both for political and wealth reasons. Am annoyed with my country for breaking rules for the scoundrel Thaksin. Even T's own lawyer distanced himself from the decision.

[h90]

Is she joking or what ? I know people who have been refused visas into the US because they have traffic violations against their name. Hahaha. Joke.

But did they have billions and the sister in charge of major oil and/or gas resources?

The law says: greed comes first.

[h90]

maybe the NASA deal is part of this

If it was, didn't work out too well for NASA.

yes it did....they told somewhere they can load that equipment for "measure radiation"(????) on some Thai airplanes. Which won't be as good but maybe sufficient for the "weather" studies.

[h90]

To defend the ambassador a little bit, I seriously doubt that SHE made this call and she is only doing her diplomatic job in defending it. Doesn't mean she is telling the truth ... obviously.

Was she blinking Morse Code for "This is B.S." as she gave the interview?

got a laugh from me, thanks.

Fact remains, many Thais are denied visas for little ding dong reasons, and often unfairly. Last time I checked, the US expressly does not issue visas for fugitives running from the law. They broke the rules, and Ms Ambassador is compelled to do her job by trying to wrap it in pink paper with a white bow. It stinks of favoritism, both for political and wealth reasons. Am annoyed with my country for breaking rules for the scoundrel Thaksin. Even T's own lawyer distanced himself from the decision.

Well I don't know the regulations in USA but it might be that Ms. Ambassador is NOT doing her job. If her job is to do the best for USA than she failed. She should have told that he bought his way at the corrupt US government.

[GentlemanJim]

To defend the ambassador a little bit, I seriously doubt that SHE made this call and she is only doing her diplomatic job in defending it. Doesn't mean she is telling the truth ... obviously.

Precisely ! Now then where is Assange and Wiki leaks to uncover what the US state Department really think? ...oh bugger!

It is slightly amusing that The Ambassador says that the issue of a visa was not a political matter, as it clearly was. It is well known that Thaksin is a convicted fugitive criminal. By issuing a visa there can only be one process really, and that is that the US are not recognising the court decision because of the (incorrectly) perceived politics that may have surrounded it. Therefore whichever way you look at it, the decision to issue a visa is wholly a political decision, either that or precedent has just been set that known criminals with serious criminal charges against them, who are on the run are entitled to a visa to enter the USA. I don't think it is the latter option, so it must be political.

[nurofiend]

obviously this also has a bit to do with US/SE Asian relations as the US push to get some grip in china's back yard, aren't they finally cleaning up all that agent orange in vietnam atm?

it also makes a statement to how they view thaksin's conviction and the thai judiciary, as one democrat pointed out already.

[davejones]

Most people would be refused a visa to the US if they has a criminal record. This is not the normal procedure at all. If the Democrats were in power then Thaksin wouldn't have been given a visa.

Edited August 14, 2012 by davejones

[kevinsan]

Surprised he was issued a visa. Since all politicians are whores...

[culicine]

What else can she say...

I wonder how many of those 50,000 who got the visa have criminal record in their home country that the US embassy knows about that

I thought visas couldn't be granted under such circumstances...? So convicted criminals on the run are ok, as long as their governments don't request their extradition? sheeshhh

[dionys]

I love this review I really love it.

I love this review I really love it.

+1

[Johpa]

The US government can't even bring to trial its own citizens accused of financial crimes. Why should it be concerned about Taksin?

And historically, the staff at the US embassy in Bangkok is primarily concerned, for visa considerations, that you be a Sino-Thai (unless married to a US citizen) and that you have funds to support yourself. Thaksin qualifies on all accounts.

[Misterwhisper]

Fugitive criminals of the world, rejoice! Ambassador Kenney has confirmed that Thaksin's visa was "granted in strict compliance with existing laws and regulations". If taken as a precedent, this effectively means that from now on the cited "strict rules and regulations" obviously allow for the issuing of visitor visas to people with a criminal record. I am not merely talking about a measly 1-month suspended jail sentence for a traffic violation, I am talking about a full-blown, 2-year, non-suspended sentence on a corruption charge, where the convicted additionally has jumped bail - a very serious offence in any country, but obviously not serious enough for the U.S. government to deny a visa.

[Misterwhisper]

I always thought you had to apply in the country where you are a resident, is he classed as a resident of the UAE, or did he use his other passport

Since Ambassador Kenney in connection with Thaksin's visa explicitly mentioned an annual quota of some 50.000 Thai citizens being granted U.S. visas, I would deduct that he actually used his Thai passport.

[annabel]

The US was honour to have the bilateral cooperation on extradition and criminal assistance...>>>US Ambassador Kristie Kenney said Tuesday.

Is she American or Thai...?? Her English is weird nah???

[mamypoko]

The US was honour to have the bilateral cooperation on extradition and criminal assistance...>>>US Ambassador Kristie Kenney said Tuesday.

Is she American or Thai...?? Her English is weird nah???

Psst....print media

[sharecropper]

I'm no fan of Thaksin, but the fact remains he was a democratically elected PM who was illegally ousted from power by a military coup, whose protagonists then went on to grant themselves amnesties.

Is it any wonder the politically-sophisticated world doesn't see it through Thai-tinted spectacles? Nor many Thais either.

[Thai at Heart]

Well, he surely didn't apply in Bangkok, so I would imagine she can have deniability about the actual final processing of the application other than to say, it has to surely be in compliance with US law.

[MikeOboe57]

The US decided that denying a visa for the de facto PM of Thailand would not be suitable to promote their efforts to gain a stronger foothold in SE Asia.

[scotbeve]

I can understand why the USA isn't extraditing if the current Thai government isn't asking for that (why would they, the PM is his sister in case you didn't know ) but I don't approve of the special treatment for the granting of the visa. Considering how many law abiding Thais are denied tourist visas to the USA, this is a sickening display of hypocrisy. Who can possibly believe that the USA government didn't know there was a huge political implication to allowing his visit? Who can possibly believe that the USA government thought he was coming to the USA for an innocent tourism holiday?

Jing, why didn't the last administration and Interpol ask for extradition from MANY countries he visited... or did I miss something? Enlighten please.

[scotbeve]

Is she joking or what ? I know people who have been refused visas into the US because they have traffic violations against their name. Hahaha. Joke.

So... to all you war correspondents on here, did you find any wikileaks info or something of that sort of info which states or implies irregularities in the issuance of Thaksins US visa?

[Skywalker69]

I'm no fan of Thaksin, but the fact remains he was a democratically elected PM who was illegally ousted from power by a military coup, whose protagonists then went on to grant themselves amnesties.

Is it any wonder the politically-sophisticated world doesn't see it through Thai-tinted spectacles? Nor many Thais either.

Thaksin resigned, he didn´t manage to form a coalition, during the coup he was a illegal "Caretaker Premier". He didn´t want to let go of power.

Read the link from The Guardian.

http://www.guardian....!--NoParse10-->

[MikeOboe57]

Is she joking or what ? I know people who have been refused visas into the US because they have traffic violations against their name. Hahaha. Joke.

So... to all you war correspondents on here, did you find any wikileaks info or something of that sort of info which states or implies irregularities in the issuance of Thaksins US visa?

Why don't you look for that yourself?

Hint:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html

[mamypoko]

I'm no fan of Thaksin, but the fact remains he was a democratically elected PM who was illegally ousted from power by a military coup, whose protagonists then went on to grant themselves amnesties.

Is it any wonder the politically-sophisticated world doesn't see it through Thai-tinted spectacles? Nor many Thais either.

Thaksin resigned, he didn´t manage to form a coalition, during the coup he was a illegal "Caretaker Premier". He didn´t want to let go of power.

Read the link from The Guardian.

http://www.guardian....!--NoParse10-->

Resigned and didn't want to give up power.

[mamypoko]

Is she joking or what ? I know people who have been refused visas into the US because they have traffic violations against their name. Hahaha. Joke.

So... to all you war correspondents on here, did you find any wikileaks info or something of that sort of info which states or implies irregularities in the issuance of Thaksins US visa?

Why don't you look for that yourself?

Hint:

http://travel.state..../visa_1750.html

U.S. State Dept. site now posting wiki leaks leaks?