Ex-PMs Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck Shinawatra to establish government in exile

[otherstuff1957]

I haven't read the entire thread, so this might already be posted.

http://robertamsterdam.com/thailand/2014/05/23/statement-consideration-given-to-formation-of-thai-government-in-exile/

So, the story is confirmed as genuine, even if it has not been picked up by other news sources.

[soalbundy]

I'm shocked at the idiocy of most of the posters here. You prefer a military State or an unelected people's council as opposed to the democratically elected PM who did as much as possible for the people in the face of ridiculous tides of opposition?

I'm guessing most of you wouldn't be able to manage a gas station. Let alone a 3rd world country.

You are being sarcastic, right ?

[Rimbuman]

I don't know why somebody with excellent marksman skills isn't sent to Dubai and with 1 short sharp pop all this problem would be over and Thailand would be able to get back to a normal country again.

This what I've been wandering for quite some time as well, why doesn't this dude get capped and die of lead poisoning. All this crap going on here and for a long time nobody doing nothing about it, while everybody knows where it's coming from.

Amazing Thailand.

[BossBar]

The US, UK and other countries were fairly quick to distance themselves from Thaksin shortly after he was deposed - I think it highly unlikely that they would entertain supporting him now. If the Junta want to resolve this they will plan and organise free elections very soon and invite a task force from the UN to control and manage the elections so that they can be seen to be fair. If they impose sanctions it will be because the army has taken over and prevented democratic rule and not because they support Thaksin or other parties involved. It is time for Thailand to climb down of the face saving pedestal and admit that the current official structures are incapable of running a free election. Anyone directly involved in the protests on either side must be banned from standing in the elections because the biggest mistake that most countries make is allowing the people who organise protest to benefit from it in any way. Does anyone know if the PDRC leader has been detained and, if not why not? If the army is to have any credibility it must maintain complete impartiality and govern for as little time as possible.

People here are very smug about their feelings against Thaksin but I think what everyone is afraid of is that even a fair and free election might still see people who support him elected - otherwise why is everyone so scared of letting the public decide?

Is a fair and free election including vote-buying?

Well seeing as how both sides are doing it, no problem i suppose, that is how Thai politics work and if a poor farmer can make a coiple of extra Bht why not. At the end of the day, he is not as stupid as the Dems think. He will just take the cash and then vote for whom he likes. The fat lady on Koh Samui stood for mayor, after the vote count, she was demanding either a recount or re election as according to her, she only got 14000 votes but had paid for 25000.

Guess what ! she is a yellow shirt (Dem). So nabbie, grow up, learn to think for yourself, do not let yourself be controlled by propaganda and stop making such stupid juvenile remarks on TV. All sides do it !

Run out of like's for the day, and i DOUBLE LIKE this post .

[DLock]

Government in exile is a fantasy. Even so, I don't think I'd want my lawyer spouting off about it while I'm in custody of the military.

Yeah that was my first thought .... and she will probably be banned from leaving the country after release anyway.

Which is exactly what Thaksin wants. Then she ends up looking good, like Aung Suu Kyi and the Thai military junta ends up looking like the old Myanmar military junta. The international community, already on Thaksin's side, might take real action.

Comparing Yingluck to Aung Suu Kyi in any capacity is ridiculous. You clearly have no clue who Aung Suu Kyi is and why she was under house arrest.

...and thinking the International Community would do any more than "express concern" or support a convicted felon is even dumber.

Fail.

[Baerboxer]

This government will have more legitimacy than the military junta, hated, not endorsed, even the senate speaker thrown away as as body to appoint an interim PM.

This government will be a focus point for the opposition in the country, organising funds, equipment, printing publications.

And what if they are endorsed after a while?

And what if the second one, who escaped to the uk, endorses them, as the only hope of returning to thailand?

Governments on exile are known from ww2, de gaulle, czekoslavakian, polish and other governments in london

Grow up and get real.

Who in their right mind would recognize a "government" set up and controlled by a fugitive convicted criminal wanted on 15 or so other serious charges, and his sister who had recently been removed from office for acting illegally and has several other cases and investigations pending?

De Gaulle and the others you mention weren't convicted crooks on the run.

Any country that recognized a Thaksin lead gang with any degree of legitimacy would be doing it for money and therefore corrupt like him.

[Rimbuman]

I'm shocked at the idiocy of most of the posters here. You prefer a military State or an unelected people's council as opposed to the democratically elected PM who did as much as possible for the people in the face of ridiculous tides of opposition?

I'm guessing most of you wouldn't be able to manage a gas station. Let alone a 3rd world country.

You are being sarcastic, right ?

No, trolling. Lost the plot.

[Neeranam]

I don't know why somebody with excellent marksman skills isn't sent to Dubai and with 1 short sharp pop all this problem would be over and Thailand would be able to get back to a normal country again.

This what I've been wandering for quite some time as well, why doesn't this dude get capped and die of lead poisoning. All this crap going on here and for a long time nobody doing nothing about it, while everybody knows where it's coming from.

Amazing Thailand.

It wouldn't get rid of the whole problem - his son is waiting in the wings

Personally, I want him to stand trial for his horrendous crimes rather than the easy way out, although in hisnext life, he'll be a monitor lizard.

[Andre0720]

US issues non-essential travel warning''

Only holiday travel would qualify as Essental

[wandasloan]

I don't know why somebody with excellent marksman skills isn't sent to Dubai and with 1 short sharp pop all this problem would be over and Thailand would be able to get back to a normal country again.

I have two words for this remarkable post.

Benigno Aquino.

.

[dude123]

Wow, talk about bad timing. I wouldn't want to be YS in detention right now.

Timing is seriously off. He must have saw red when they detained his sister and reacted out of raw emotion.

[Dogmatix]

I can believe that Thaksin is trying to set this up but I can't see which country would give him house room. Much as Hun Sen would like to help I can't see him wanting to deal with a military and economic backlash from Thailand or ostracism from ASEAN which hates to interfere in member states' internal affairs and had no problem with milirary ruled Burma as a member or having the totalitarian states of Vietnam and Laos in the club. It's more likely to be a virtual government-in-exile than a bricks and mortar one.

Any further moves by Thaksin on this are likely to guarantee a lengthy spell in military detention for Yingluck and former members of her last cabinet who might claim they are still in office, e.g. Chalerm and Suraphong. Thaksin might claim to be a legitimate PM himself because he was royally endorsed in 2005 but that would stretch credibility even with Jonathan Head et al.

[wabothai]

Anyone who doesnt realise what is going on by now, really must be of questionable intelligence.

Yes we have read all of your posts.

please mr. Yim, enlighten us all !!

[Morch]

Madness.

This is Thailand!

[Dogmatix]

I don't know why somebody with excellent marksman skills isn't sent to Dubai and with 1 short sharp pop all this problem would be over and Thailand would be able to get back to a normal country again.

This what I've been wandering for quite some time as well, why doesn't this dude get capped and die of lead poisoning. All this crap going on here and for a long time nobody doing nothing about it, while everybody knows where it's coming from.

Amazing Thailand.

It wouldn't get rid of the whole problem - his son is waiting in the wings

Personally, I want him to stand trial for his horrendous crimes rather than the easy way out, although in hisnext life, he'll be a monitor lizard.

That's very unfair on monitor lizards. Thaksin's son is as dumb as Yingluck, if not much more so, and not nearly as photogenic or charming.

[DGIE]

Government in exile is a fantasy. Even so, I don't think I'd want my lawyer spouting off about it while I'm in custody of the military.

and who maybe those idiots states supporting a government in exile?

[Rimbuman]

Click some advertising banners here on TV website to generate some extra money for TV rewarding them for their excellent service

[Baerboxer]

~What we Thai people DO know is how our country runs even though it may not be perfect - you should stay in your own country and sort out Britains many problems - we don't need people like you here - When did you last see a Thai telling your people on a forum how to run their country? If you like Thaksin so much move from London to Dubai NOT to Thailand.

I don't have a right to vote in thailand, but i do have rights to my opinions and discuss them publicly.

You do have the right to vote, but you don't use this privilage and even try to staffle a political discussion claiming your superiority.

There is a majority of thai, who don't agree with your politics. You are trying to shut them up.

If you haven't realised, this is a forum for expats, foreigners in thailand. I do qualify to be here. You, as thai, should not dictate, what i should say here. You should not dictate, where i should live. You should not tell me, who i should love or hate.

You have a closed, narrow minded, xenophobic and autoritarian brain, not compatibile with a contemporary world around you. That's why you and thailand is faling in so many aspects. And you are not able to survive in a contemporary world alone. The world has learned from history, with strugles, wars, civil unrest and formed stable parliamentary democracies. You are failing to learn from this history

And you happily lie. You have no idea what the majority of Thais think. How do you know if they agree with this poster or not, What you really mean is you don't agree. Or can you show us all your research and prove otherwise.

To save you embarrassing yourself through lack of knowledge, Yinggy didn't get a majority of the votes cast when she was elected.

The majority of Thais I know, all support the ousting of a very inept and corrupt PTP regime.

[Eric Loh]

Lots of emotion running wild but do hold on for a minute and think.

Amsterdam speaking out openly of a government in exile? Shouldn't this be kept quiet. Me think this is just a verbal threat to Prayuth not lean too much on one side and seem that he is heeding the warning signs.

Then there is no royal endorsement for the coup unlike previous which has significant meaning. Prayuth dissolve the upper house with a pro PDRC speaker. That's a signal that he will not go all the PDRC way.

There are also rambling in the North of pro government generals not happy with the turn of events which Prayuth have to appease and compromise.

Yingluck also has a very warm cordial relationship with Prayuth and have approved many of the budget that the military asked. So far we have not seen outbreak of violences which may be a result of some assurances by Prayuth to Yingluck. He can't afford to lean too hard on the Shins and risk an uprising. Remember he did said he don't want a Syria or Egypt here. If the reforms are amicable, Taksin government in exile will never happen.

[wandasloan]

I can believe that Thaksin is trying to set this up

Why? Since he has said absolutely nothing about it up to the time of your post, why can you believe it?

I can believe that Thaksin is trying to set this up but I can't see which country would give him house room. Much as Hun Sen would like to help I can't see him wanting to deal with a military and economic backlash from Thailand or ostracism from ASEAN which hates to interfere in member states' internal affairs and had no problem with milirary ruled Burma as a member or having the totalitarian states of Vietnam and Laos in the club. It's more likely to be a virtual government-in-exile than a bricks and mortar one.

Any further moves by Thaksin on this are likely to guarantee a lengthy spell in military detention for Yingluck and former members of her last cabinet who might claim they are still in office, e.g. Chalerm and Suraphong. Thaksin might claim to be a legitimate PM himself because he was royally endorsed in 2005 but that would stretch credibility even with Jonathan Head et al.

Reminder. Alice in Wonderland. Remember how she couldn't have more tea since she'd had none?

What moves has Thaksin already made that he can make more? He made a couple of tweets, the first in 250 days, after martial law was declared and has not even said anything since then, and specifically has said to this moment nothing about the coup and certainly not a word about a government in exile.

If Thaksin is going to set up a government in exile, do you not think Thaksin might make a mention of it at some point? After which THEN you can believe it? Or is the collective wisdom of the ThaiVisa Rumour Editor plus the ThaiVisa Panel Of International Foreign Affairs Experts enough for you to go on?

.

[Morch]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

The banner should read "Thaksin and Yingluck the comedy duo appearing daily".

Yes indeed, and they will be a comedy duo, that is until the first foreign nation recognizes them Should the U.N., E.U., U.S., Japan or another major country recognize them as the rightful leaders of a government in exile, then the comedy will not be so funny for those military leaders who put themselves out on a limb. If they do indeed set up a government in exile then I think that the U.N. would likely be the first to recognize them and start sanctions against Thailand

First of all any sanctions will not affect Thailand as much as you hope they will... Thailand is a VERY self sufficient nation.

Second, if you think the US is going to host this embarrasment of a government you have another thing coming, it is one thing to issue sterile statements and another to stand defiant and assist a possible civil war in a country that the US really needs to be on side with militarily.

The US needs Thailand more than Thailand needs the US.

Thailand could ride out sanctions for years pal. They don't export billions of gallons of oil or anything really that a country gets massive wealth from.

Rice?...... Plenty of countries will still buy it.

Thailand does NOT depend on the west as much as you have deluded yourself to believe.

Finally..... The army have only just started digging through the dirt, and I would assume in a month or so, they will have so much evidence of corruption and state sponsored terrorism on the lot of them, they will probably all find themselves in the international criminal court.

It won't be too long before the army can prove they have done the right thing to the world, and if Laos or Cambodia want to play host to them, then they ought to watch their own backs.

Doesn't really matter if Thailand is self-sufficient or not (it isn't, but that a whole new topic).

The USA is just to thinly stretched on too many diplomatic, military and economic fronts.

Maintaining limited sanctions on both Iran and Russia is hard enough. Not very likely that

they could implement and enforce additional meaningful sanctions on Thailand, and that

is without considering getting other countries to follow suit.

[oldsailor35]

This government will have more legitimacy than the military junta, hated, not endorsed, even the senate speaker thrown away as as body to appoint an interim PM.

This government will be a focus point for the opposition in the country, organising funds, equipment, printing publications.

And what if they are endorsed after a while?

And what if the second one, who escaped to the uk, endorses them, as the only hope of returning to thailand?

Governments on exile are known from ww2, de gaulle, czekoslavakian, polish and other governments in london

Grow up and get real.

Who in their right mind would recognize a "government" set up and controlled by a fugitive convicted criminal wanted on 15 or so other serious charges, and his sister who had recently been removed from office for acting illegally and has several other cases and investigations pending?

De Gaulle and the others you mention weren't convicted crooks on the run.

Any country that recognized a Thaksin lead gang with any degree of legitimacy would be doing it for money and therefore corrupt like him.

In the eyes of Hitler they were. But of course he needed no court to find anybody guilty of anything, you know, the sort of government that Benito Suthep thinks he is going to set up.

[Pralaad]

Would love to see a country endorsing a convicted criminal on the run and soon to be convicted sister on the run. Mind you convictions are not for political activities but for abuse of power and fraud

I was talking not about the country, but about number one, your beloved

Who is my beloved ? My disabled dog?

[BlackCedar]

So much for his ' I've quit politics' mantra. Note to self: never believe the man.

It would be irresponsible of him to allow this current dictatorship to continue their human rights violations unchallenged. He is far from perfect to be sure, but when given the choice between a quasi-corrupt politician and a violent military dictatorship, I'd pick the imperfect politician every time.

Would expect nothing less from you....

[mikemac]

The US, UK and other countries were fairly quick to distance themselves from Thaksin shortly after he was deposed - I think it highly unlikely that they would entertain supporting him now. If the Junta want to resolve this they will plan and organise free elections very soon and invite a task force from the UN to control and manage the elections so that they can be seen to be fair. If they impose sanctions it will be because the army has taken over and prevented democratic rule and not because they support Thaksin or other parties involved. It is time for Thailand to climb down of the face saving pedestal and admit that the current official structures are incapable of running a free election. Anyone directly involved in the protests on either side must be banned from standing in the elections because the biggest mistake that most countries make is allowing the people who organise protest to benefit from it in any way. Does anyone know if the PDRC leader has been detained and, if not why not? If the army is to have any credibility it must maintain complete impartiality and govern for as little time as possible.

People here are very smug about their feelings against Thaksin but I think what everyone is afraid of is that even a fair and free election might still see people who support him elected - otherwise why is everyone so scared of letting the public decide?

Is a fair and free election including vote-buying?

Well it's not exactly free, but the PTP believe it is fair if they pay enough for the votes.

My mother-in-law in Surin says it is the only reason they get a 100% participation rate during the elections, in their village, because everyone knows there will be a little cash floating around.

I must get my wife to ring her tonight and tell her about the latest news regarding the junta paying the money owed. There will be a lot of relieved people in her village. Wonder what her thoughts will be regarding the PTP.

[bunuel]

For an example closer to home, the Asian island nation of Timor Leste survived 25 years of brutal Indonesian military occupation to become Asia's newest nation in May of 2002. During the occupation, Nobel Peace prize winner Jose Ramos Horta led the government in exile, while Xanana Gusmao led an actjve guerilla resistance on the ground against the TNI, the Indonesian army. Given the American and Australian backing for Indonesia, Timor Leste appeared like a lost cause until the Asian economic collapse of 1997 brought down the Suharto dictatorship with a thud. The new Indonesian government , desoerate for cash, made a deal with former colonial power Portugal and the EU to allow a referendum in TL run by the UN on independence in exchange for financial assistance. Ramos Horta represented TL at these negotiations - Xanana Gusmao was in an Indonesian jail. The referendum on East Timorese independence was held in 1999, and, in soite of wide spread attemots at violent voter intimidation, the East Timorese voted 78.5 % for independence. The TNI, after burning some 80 % of the country to the ground, left, and a UN administration called UNTAET was created to run the country for 2 years until complete independence in 2002. Jose Ramos Horta was elected

Prime Minister, and Xanana Gusmao President in TL's first elections. 12 years later, TL remains a fairly stable democracy, with Mr. Gusmao as Prime Minister. Mr. Ramos Horta is now Special Representative for the UN Secretary General in the African country of Guinea Bissau.

While Timor Leste is clearly very different from Thailand, the one lesson one can draw here is that history can be full of surprises. After the Indonesian invasion and annexation of the former Portuguese colony in 1975, most observers thought TL would suffer the same fate as the former Dutch New Guinea, annexed by the Indonesians in the early 1960's.

The same might be said about the peaceful end of apartheid in South Africa - which also came as a big

surprise to many - as did the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Bottom line is that one needs to keep an open mind, because you never know!

uote name="Diplomatico" post="7879994" timestamp="1400979460"]

What would a Govt in exile be able to accomplish? Other than keeping the hate fires burning brightly.

I think the objective is that - in the case of international intervention - the government in exile would be allowed to return to power if the junta were overthrown. Memory may fail me but I think that's happened in other countries with "governments in exile". (No, I can't provide an example but I think it's occurred, historically speaking.)

Iran!!

Ah, yes. Couple of countries on the African continent too, methinks.

[Larry]

Ah,hubris...thy name is Thaksin!

I've been coming to/living in Thailand ever since the campaign that led to Thaksin's election.

I saw him as a Thai Carnegie or Gates.....a man who made his billions and decided enough was enough, and would devote the rest of his life to improving his country (especially the many have-nots).

The first term, he had a coalition government, and pushed through many sensible and much-delayed reforms (30 baht health insurance, OTOP). There was an air of excitement and the country was developing rapidly. I had many long discussions with other farang who didn't care for him. I would answer their objections with "he is not responsible to us...but to his electorate." The second term he won an absolute majority, and the mask began to drop. The abuses came more often, and I stopped defending him, and began apologizing for my own stupidity. He was arrogant, possessed of overweaning pride, and (as we later found out) greed and corruption. If he had only ended that TV appearance in which he bragged about selling his family's telecommunications interests to Temasek (the sovereign wealth fund of Singapore) and not paying taxes, with something along the following lines..."despite that, I will put one-third of my profits in a fund to improve education, health and conservation in this country." No demonstrations, derogatory songs about the square-faced man, nor any coup would have succeeded. Finally, the 80% getting milked by the elite would use their minds and breathe free.

But Thaksin had two tragic flaws - avarice and hubris. So sad...The people needed (and still need) a good, creative leader who would make Thailand a more egalitarian, educated country, full of opportunity for all. A leader who would have clean hands and speak truth to power. In short, Thaksin could have ascended the heights, but instead, he's still playing in the muck. The results...eight wasted years and more to come. With Asean integration on the doorstep, this could not have come at a worse moment.

[mikecat]

Ho ho ha ha, you people make me laugh, you wanted a coup and now you got one and soon you will reap all the benefits. For those of you laughing and scoffing at Yingluk and Thaskin beware, Governent in exile is simply a warning, it aint over yet by a long chalk and when its all over the cycle will start again and who will be in power the Reds ha ha ho ho.

[Baerboxer]

Dream on,

There is no money to be stolen unless you governing inside Thailand ,

Who in the rest of the world is going to recognise a convicted criminal fugative as a Countries leader, other than maybe a few countries also run by criminals.

You really do have such a short memory Gunna! Don't you know that Nelson Mandela was a convicted criminal.

Just like Thaksin, he was put through a kangaroo court by his political enemies, but eventually came out on top. So in your ignorance, i think that you had better watch out for the likes of Thaksin and the reds. Anyhow, good luck in your dreams, they can only fail in the long run, because the masses are against your lot ruling the roost down in Bangkok.

Jeez, do you really think Nelson Mandela and Thaksin are similar.

Mandela never denied he broke the law, served his time and when finally freed rose to be one the greatest leader the world has seen. He never allowed things to bitter him, took vengeance and certainly wasn't a common thief. He brought a very divided and unjust society together and avoided the total destruction of his country through vision, leadership and honesty.

Thaksin fled his punishment, avoids appealing or facing 15 other charges, has lied and cheated and been caught, refuses to obey the law, openly favors and enriches his family at the county's expense, finances rebellion and is quite prepared to destroy his country in his vain lust for power and greed to wealth.

See the difference?

No.......... you probably can't.

[Rimbuman]

For an example closer to home, the Asian island nation of Timor Leste survived 25 years of brutal Indonesian military occupation to become Asia's newest nation in May of 2002. During the occupation, Nobel Peace prize winner Jose Ramos Horta led the government in exile, while Xanana Gusmao led an actjve guerilla resistance on the ground against the TNI, the Indonesian army. Given the American and Australian backing for Indonesia, Timor Leste appeared like a lost cause until the Asian economic collapse of 1997 brought down the Suharto dictatorship with a thud. The new Indonesian government , desoerate for cash, made a deal with former colonial power Portugal and the EU to allow a referendum in TL run by the UN on independence in exchange for financial assistance. Ramos Horta represented TL at these negotiations - Xanana Gusmao was in an Indonesian jail. The referendum on East Timorese independence was held in 1999, and, in soite of wide spread attemots at violent voter intimidation, the East Timorese voted 78.5 % for independence. The TNI, after burning some 80 % of the country to the ground, left, and a UN administration called UNTAET was created to run the country for 2 years until complete independence in 2002. Jose Ramos Horta was elected

Prime Minister, and Xanana Gusmao President in TL's first elections. 12 years later, TL remains a fairly stable democracy, with Mr. Gusmao as Prime Minister. Mr. Ramos Horta is now Special Representative for the UN Secretary General in the African country of Guinea Bissau.

While Timor Leste is clearly very different from Thailand, the one lesson one can draw here is that history can be full of surprises. After the Indonesian invasion and annexation of the former Portuguese colony in 1975, most observers thought TL would suffer the same fate as the former Dutch New Guinea, annexed by the Indonesians in the early 1960's.

The same might be said about the peaceful end of apartheid in South Africa - which also came as a big

surprise to many - as did the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Bottom line is that one needs to keep an open mind, because you never know!

uote name="Diplomatico" post="7879994" timestamp="1400979460"]

What would a Govt in exile be able to accomplish? Other than keeping the hate fires burning brightly.

I think the objective is that - in the case of international intervention - the government in exile would be allowed to return to power if the junta were overthrown. Memory may fail me but I think that's happened in other countries with "governments in exile". (No, I can't provide an example but I think it's occurred, historically speaking.)

Iran!!

Ah, yes. Couple of countries on the African continent too, methinks.

Certainly the shin's haven't ground to come close to any of this because of their history, they'l never be part of the solution.