Thaksin: I'm Old And Already Retired

[Ricardo]

Issued just prior to the Constitution Court throwing out the election (see Supreme Court thread)

Caretaker PM remains tight-lipped over his political future

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra still holds his card close to his chest when asked about his political future.

Pol. Lt. Co. Thaksin refused to say if he would make a political comeback. He said, however, that he had a lot of energy left because he was not working now.

The Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party leader also declined comments on the political situation, saying he should rather not because he was “jobless”.

- TNNBPRD

Isn't Kofi Annan's job coming vacant soon ? There would be a real challenge for DL.

[Heng]

while most other currencies are just the equivalent of $3000 USD.....

HSBC Singapore minimum monthly balance of a US$ savings account is 1000 US$.

Minimum amount required to open is 500 US$.

Fixed at DBS is 500,000 THB and around $3000 USD equivalent for most other currencies.

Last time I was at HSBC in Singapore, the minimum to open a fixed foreign currency account (with foreign currency: Thai Baht) in hand the rates were similar. I'm pretty sure they are even higher now.

From their website - http://www.hsbc.com.sg/sg/personal/deposit...cc/default.htm:

Foreign currency savings account

The account to help you manage your foreign currency needs

Benefits and features

Wide range of major currencies

Attractive daily interest

Easy-to-read monthly statements

Minimum of US$500 (or its equivalent) to open an account

Foreign Currency Savings Account

You can select from a wide range of major currencies:

Type of currency

Average balance

US dollar

1,000

Sterling

600

Australian dollar

1,300

Hong Kong dollar

7,800

Japanese yen

100,000

Euro

1,000

I was talking about fixed foreign currency accounts. Savings accounts bring in foreign currency to banks like what lemonade stands do for the business world. And the point was that huge numbers of regular Thai folks keep their funds abroad (Singapore and HK are popular... but Singapore even more so because of its proximity and zero income tax on interest income) often by literally carrying their Baht abroad, and there's no reason to think that someone like Thaksin wouldn't do the same (not the carrying part) with funds already abroad in electronic form.