Arroyo 'unavailable' For Thaksin Meeting

[george]

Arroyo 'unavailable' for Thaksin meeting

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will not meet his Philippines counterpart President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo after flying to the Philippines today, but Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon said it was no snub - Mrs Arroyo was just busy.

The cancellation of appointment is not connected with politics, the Thai foreign minister spun. He said Mrs Arroyo has other engagements. Besides, the appointment was not official as Mr Thaksin is on a private visit.

Mr Thaksin is something of a celebrity to left-wing protesters who are demanding that Mrs Arroyo step down. Earlier this month, they insisted she must follow Mr Thaksin's example.

In reply, the Philippines Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said on national radio in the the Philippines that there was one key difference between the two leaders: "President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has balls."

Mr Kanthathi's spin this morning was that Mr Thaksin's visit to the Philippines was meant both for business and relaxation, and meeting with President Arroyo was meant to be an added benefit to the trip.

--Bangkok Post 2006-04-30

[rono]

Arroyo 'unavailable' for Thaksin meeting

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will not meet his Philippines counterpart President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo after flying to the Philippines today, but Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon said it was no snub - Mrs Arroyo was just busy.

The cancellation of appointment is not connected with politics, the Thai foreign minister spun. He said Mrs Arroyo has other engagements. Besides, the appointment was not official as Mr Thaksin is on a private visit.

Mr Thaksin is something of a celebrity to left-wing protesters who are demanding that Mrs Arroyo step down. Earlier this month, they insisted she must follow Mr Thaksin's example.

In reply, the Philippines Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said on national radio in the the Philippines that there was one key difference between the two leaders: "President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has balls."

Mr Kanthathi's spin this morning was that Mr Thaksin's visit to the Philippines was meant both for business and relaxation, and meeting with President Arroyo was meant to be an added benefit to the trip.

--Bangkok Post 2006-04-30

very confused, thought TS was not a PM, just a nobody like us, so why should a president meet with him?

[nonthaburial]

"GMA has balls" that must account for why she walks funny However and whatever, a nice solid slap in the face for the arrogant one.

Well done Gloria

[Smithson]

Arroyo 'unavailable' for Thaksin meeting

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra

--Bangkok Post 2006-04-30

They're calling him PM again, have I missed something?

[the gent]

I feel so sorry for their Foreign Service which has to try to balance the reality that for most of the world Thailand is an irrelevance with the hubris of the ex Prime Minister ( elect ?) who will not fade away into obscurity to spend his ill gotten gains. The bugger may return and any lack of fawning will doubtless be rewarded accordingly.

I have noticed no mention of Airforce 1. Is he travelling under his own steam or is the hapless Thai taxpayer funding this particular flying pig?

[Joey Boy]

Arroyo 'unavailable' for Thaksin meeting

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra

--Bangkok Post 2006-04-30

They're calling him PM again, have I missed something?

[petedk]

I feel so sorry for their Foreign Service which has to try to balance the reality that for most of the world Thailand is an irrelevance with the hubris of the ex Prime Minister ( elect ?) who will not fade away into obscurity to spend his ill gotten gains. The bugger may return and any lack of fawning will doubtless be rewarded accordingly.

I have noticed no mention of Airforce 1. Is he travelling under his own steam or is the hapless Thai taxpayer funding this particular flying pig?

I have just read in Mondays Bangkok Post that he's back in Bangkok and that "Mr. Thaksin arrived secretly from Hong Kong at about 4.45pm aboard an unscheduled, empty Thai Airways International plane ordered back for replacement"

How convenient for him that an empty plane was available. It would be graet if we other normal people could use unscheduled, empty planes when no seats are available on scheduled flights. I wonder how much he paid.

[ando]

Next thing it will be,-- did Thaksin fly business class or economy?

The conspiracy theories continue.

[Sandstone Art]

Even Malaysia's PM has 'no time' to meet Toxin.

It is a very stupid move for him to want to meet President Gloria. Toxin will be a walking time bomb in Manila should President Gloria meet him!

Petedk ,

I don't think he needs to pay anything to have the 'empty flight' all by himself. His excuse is good enough that the plane is flying back for 'replacement'.

No wonder Thai Air is in the red for their profits.

[bulmercke]

For globe-trotting Thaksin, it's still business as usual - The Nation -

Published on Apr 30, 2006

Local politics is being steered towards a temporary solution, with a stalemate being broken by judicial process to avert further worsening of the crisis, or so it seems. There remains considerable uncertainty over what will come next and whether the current stand-off between Thaksin's crowd and the pro-democracy movement will end with a bargain satisfactory to both sides.

The Central Administrative Court suspended the election re-runs in southern provinces that had been ordered by the Election Commission, whose dogged attempt to fill the House of Representatives with as many members as possible before the deadline tomorrow has come under severe public criticism.

The ambition of the Thai Rak Thai Party to hold supreme, unchallenged power in the House was suddenly marred by the Court's order. The party stands to lose more if the Constitutional Court eventually rules that the April 2 general election and subsequent re-runs are void. That would disrupt many plans and hidden agendas of the party's hotshots as the caretaker government continues to lurch along like a lame duck without credibility or public trust.

The fate of inactive caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is still murky. A party member sent up a trial balloon during the weekend with the remark that given the sudden twist in the political situation, maybe the party leader should come back in an active capacity.

Thaksin's political hibernation is limited to his official role, and he pursues high-profile meetings abroad as a globetrotting national leader, having chummy talks and coffee sessions with heavyweights such as Messrs Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac and Vladimir Putin.

His claim was that he wanted to ensure that the political turbulence in Thailand had no strong negative impact on bilateral relations with those countries and that it was his prime responsibility to cement the already close ties.

This is so peculiar as to be hardly explicable. Thailand has had more than 16 failed and successful coups d'etat and a few blood-lettings without long-lasting harm to its overall stability and security, not to mention its bilateral relations with allies.

Was there in fact a hidden agenda behind all those visits? It is tempting to speculate so, based on the pending business arrangements between Thailand and those countries and related scandals over financial windfalls.

The brief chat with Blair in London, if it really took place as claimed, may have been intended as a curtain-raiser for more meaningful events when Thaksin was in France. There is the important but unfinished business of Thailand buying a new fleet of Airbus aircraft for Thai Airways International, the national carrier.

There is heated competition between Airbus and Boeing to secure a contract from Thailand. At no point have decisions on the purchase of aircraft been made solely by airline executives based on real commercial viability, but inevitably with the blessing of politicians in power, if not their cronies in or outside the airline's management structure.

The procurement of a huge fleet during the Thaksin government has enriched many key political cronies. What's more, there was also a crucial test of the overall competence of aircraft-manufacturers to win deals from the airline.

The national carrier is supposed to buy a new fleet of Airbus aircraft. Preliminary talks were held during Chirac's visit to Bangkok a few months ago. The chat over coffee in Paris may have included an assurance from Thailand that everything remained on track, though there could be a delay due to certain inconvenient and unexpected obstacles.

Such an assurance would put Airbus at ease but leave Boeing a mite anxious over the firm Thai commitment. Equally on the alert should be aircraft-engine manufacturers, who must have their own people with long-established connections on the inside track to fight for a deal. Losing means a long break until the next orders are planned.

If Boeing stands to lose out to Airbus on the aircraft order, then at least some business should fall into the hands of American firms, in the view of President Bush. That would mean ordering either General Electric or Pratt & Whitney engines instead of Rolls Royce to avoid complete European dominance in the supplies of both aircraft and engines.

Of course, with such hot competition, they must be extremely careful about possible allegations of shady arrangements such as kickbacks, as in the deal for the explosives-detecting devices for Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

What about coffee with Mr Putin in Moscow? Speculation is that a similar assurance about the Royal Thai Air Force's commitment to buying a fleet of SU-30 jet fighters was given here, despite a scandal over some political cronies standing to enjoy personal enrichment.

If Thaksin plays his high-stake business game, preferring European aircraft and engines, as well as Russian jet fighters, to American products, then he could get a cold shoulder instead of hot coffee the next time he wants to visit the White House.

Business talks over black tea with Chinese leaders and green tea with Japanese leaders should be more wide-ranging than in European cities. For politicians, international business deals not only yield lucrative results and forge closer ties but create long-term mutual benefits as well.

Sopon Onkgara

>>>>>>>>

In short, it was business as usual, using his position as PM to benefit himself and his self-serving cronies. Well done, the Philippines and Malaysia for not wanting to have anything to do with this guy, even if it was for their own interests.

NEXT PAD RALLY - TOMORROW - 2nd. MAY - SANAM LUANG - THE STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY CONTINUES -

[ando]

I just love The Nations impartial reporting style. One week they are saying Thaksin is a washed up has been not worthy of being granted a meeting with international leaders and next thing they are accusing him of making high level secret tade deals with leaders of other countries.

Wish they could make their mind up which it is.

So funney really.

[ando]

OK, I will stick my neck out and predict that the PAD rally tomorrow will be Lucky to attract more than 10,000 supporters. Nowhere near the supposed 100,000 that massed at the peak of their euphoria.

There will be a long spiel about how they intend to follow the Royal wishes and allow democratic elections, but then there will be a a rallying call stating that if they dont get their own way they will take to the streets again bigger and better than ever. And of course through the whole thing there will be a commentary on how they intend to get rid of Thaksin.

It will be a bit of a joke really watching them going through their dieing throes and congratulating themselves on achieving absolutely nothing except harming the country immensely and almost destroying democracy in Thailand.

Any of the pro-PAD lot out there prepared to make a prediction on how things will go? Or are they all just retrospective political experts?

I'll eat humble pie if I am wrong and I wont rub it in if I am right. How many others are willing to stand up to the line and have a go?

[bulmercke]

OK, I will stick my neck out and predict that the PAD rally tomorrow will be Lucky to attract more than 10,000 supporters. Nowhere near the supposed 100,000 that massed at the peak of their euphoria.

There will be a long spiel about how they intend to follow the Royal wishes and allow democratic elections, but then there will be a a rallying call stating that if they dont get their own way they will take to the streets again bigger and better than ever. And of course through the whole thing there will be a commentary on how they intend to get rid of Thaksin.

It will be a bit of a joke really watching them going through their dieing throes and congratulating themselves on achieving absolutely nothing except harming the country immensely and almost destroying democracy in Thailand.

Any of the pro-PAD lot out there prepared to make a prediction on how things will go? Or are they all just retrospective political experts?

I'll eat humble pie if I am wrong and I wont rub it in if I am right. How many others are willing to stand up to the line and have a go?

Well, I attended the rally at Sanam Luang on 7 May (if I'm correct) and there were certainly more than 10,000 people there. I don't see tomorrow's rally being much different.

It will be 10,000 + 1 ....not discounting my good self!

The Nation today has said that tomorrow's rally: "would be to encourage the Administrative Court, the Supreme Court and the Constitution Court to find a solution to the political impasse following His Majesty The King's statement last Tuesday.

However, they would first present themselves to police today to prevent any possible trouble in the event the police asked for an arrest warrant from the court to arrest them tomorrow."

Those are the responsible actions of a movement (PAD) having to deal with the pernicious actions of a judiciary acting unfairly in the interests of the ruling TRT party.

ando - you ask how things will go in the future.

Personally, I'm not sure and I seem to be alone in thinking that Thaksin will surprise everyone and get out of politics completely, but then there's the question of his vested interests and the matter of doing all he can to protect them by staying in politics for exactly that reason.

One thing's for certain - if Sondhi or that matter anyone of the other four PAD leaders were arrested and detained in custody on these ludicrous charges then there would be two hundred thousand on the streets within twenty-four hours.

No doubt about it!

[tettyan]

I have noticed no mention of Airforce 1. Is he travelling under his own steam or is the hapless Thai taxpayer funding this particular flying pig?

My insider source confirms it's the latter.

After all that's happened, there's still not an ounce of shame in the man. Nor in his family, who by the way, still also gets to accompany him at the public purse's expense.

[Plus]

I just love The Nations impartial reporting style.

You just read an opinion piece, not even editorial.

[bquick]

Must have being quiet embarrased about it.

Kinda feel sorry for the guy as losing face really hurts for some who are into all that jive. At least it wasn't africa anyway. It was only the philipines and there will be more news tommorow so the public can forget about it quickly.

[bulmercke]

I have noticed no mention of Airforce 1. Is he travelling under his own steam or is the hapless Thai taxpayer funding this particular flying pig?

My insider source confirms it's the latter.

After all that's happened, there's still not an ounce of shame in the man. Nor in his family, who by the way, still also gets to accompany him at the public purse's expense.

Who is your 'insider source' as a matter of interest.....I would be interested to know!

Incidentally, Thaksin was full of magnanimity when he announced that he would not seek the premiership again a few weeks back.....but.....time has a funny habit of nurturing grievances that at the time were surpressed.

What with the recent very public slights he's had to endure this last weekend and the humiliation of having to step-down under duress...he's sure to be back spitting venom and seeking revenge on any he perceived as having done him wrong!

Round two!

This whole matter of Thaksin and parliamentary reform aint over yet by any means.

Edited May 1, 2006 by bulmercke

[jdinasia]

OK, I will stick my neck out and predict that the PAD rally tomorrow will be Lucky to attract more than 10,000 supporters. Nowhere near the supposed 100,000 that massed at the peak of their euphoria.

There will be a long spiel about how they intend to follow the Royal wishes and allow democratic elections, but then there will be a a rallying call stating that if they dont get their own way they will take to the streets again bigger and better than ever. And of course through the whole thing there will be a commentary on how they intend to get rid of Thaksin.

It will be a bit of a joke really watching them going through their dieing throes and congratulating themselves on achieving absolutely nothing except harming the country immensely and almost destroying democracy in Thailand.

Any of the pro-PAD lot out there prepared to make a prediction on how things will go? Or are they all just retrospective political experts?

I'll eat humble pie if I am wrong and I wont rub it in if I am right. How many others are willing to stand up to the line and have a go?

have you actually READ any posts in here?

several people have pretty well predited most of the major eents since the Parlaiment was disbanded.

what is your problem with the PAD?

That people saw a major issue with credibility of the PM and stood up to him Peacefully and pretty effectively?

But you did pretty well call what will happen at the next rally .... a smallish group with less rhetoric ... slightly more polite ... with some ideas for political reform and enough fair warnings that things must change

[thailand_property_search]

For globe-trotting Thaksin, it's still business as usual - The Nation -

The brief chat with Blair in London, if it really took place as claimed, may have been intended as a curtain-raiser for more meaningful events when Thaksin was in France. There is the important but unfinished business of Thailand buying a new fleet of Airbus aircraft for Thai Airways International, the national carrier.

No doubt so that Toxin knows wheter to buy shares in Thai airways with his ill gotten gains (or maybe he will buy them and sell them to thai airways for a nominal fee ).

Can we add insider trading to the list?

Edited May 2, 2006 by thailand_property_search

[Ricardo]

Next thing it will be,-- did Thaksin fly business class or economy?

The conspiracy theories continue.

Does this really matter, just so long as this private citizen & his friends paid for their own tickets, and were not a burden to the Thai taxpayers ?

Wonder what TG charge, for an exclusive-use charter, HKG-BKK one-way, out-of-interest ?