Daughter of Thailand PM Gets Burger Job

BANGKOK: -- If Paetongtarn Shinawatra thought she could keep a low profile Monday on her first day working at McDonald's, her hopes were dashed when her father, Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, dropped by for a takeaway.

Thaksin, who became one of Thailand's richest men by investing in telecommunications, let the phalanx of reporters trailing him know that even in the family of a billionaire, the younger generation must learn the value of money and hard work.

"Thai kids, when they finish school, they don't know how to work," said Thaksin, as his giggly daughter stood by. Paetongtarn, 17, will be earning $0.60 per hour in her part-time job.

"I just want her to have the experience and to know about life, because she is the youngest child and when she was born her parents already had status," he said. "Money isn't the main issue. We want her to find experience."

Thaksin didn't say how long he expected his daughter to work at the fast-food restaurant.

Paetongtarn's older sister and brother are among the country's richest shareholders, thanks to a law forcing Cabinet ministers and their wives to give up their shares in most public companies. Thaksin transferred his holdings to his two oldest children in exchange for token payments.

But Paetongtarn will have the satisfaction of knowing she is following in her parents' footsteps.

When Thaksin studied for his undergraduate degree in criminal justice at Eastern Kentucky University in the United States, he worked at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. And when he pursued a doctorate at Sam Houston State University in Texas in the late 1970s, his wife Potjaman helped pay the bills with a job at Burger King.

--The Nation 2004-03-30

Daughter of Thailand PM Gets Burger Job

BANGKOK: -- If Paetongtarn Shinawatra thought she could keep a low profile Monday on her first day working at McDonald's, her hopes were dashed when her father, Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, dropped by for a takeaway.

Thaksin, who became one of Thailand's richest men by investing in telecommunications, let the phalanx of reporters trailing him know that even in the family of a billionaire, the younger generation must learn the value of money and hard work.

"Thai kids, when they finish school, they don't know how to work," said Thaksin, as his giggly daughter stood by. Paetongtarn, 17, will be earning $0.60 per hour in her part-time job.

"I just want her to have the experience and to know about life, because she is the youngest child and when she was born her parents already had status," he said. "Money isn't the main issue. We want her to find experience."

Thaksin didn't say how long he expected his daughter to work at the fast-food restaurant.

Paetongtarn's older sister and brother are among the country's richest shareholders, thanks to a law forcing Cabinet ministers and their wives to give up their shares in most public companies. Thaksin transferred his holdings to his two oldest children in exchange for token payments.

But Paetongtarn will have the satisfaction of knowing she is following in her parents' footsteps.

When Thaksin studied for his undergraduate degree in criminal justice at Eastern Kentucky University in the United States, he worked at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. And when he pursued a doctorate at Sam Houston State University in Texas in the late 1970s, his wife Potjaman helped pay the bills with a job at Burger King.

--The Nation 2004-03-30

Touching story. Teaching her egalitarianism.

The advertizing coverage that MacD has received from this has been amazing. I wonder if it was free.

When Thaksin studied for his undergraduate degree in criminal justice at Eastern Kentucky University in the United States, he worked at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. And when he pursued a doctorate at Sam Houston State University in Texas in the late 1970s, his wife Potjaman helped pay the bills with a job at Burger King.

Just how substantiated is this oft repeated claim?

I personally have never worked in a fast food outlet.... matbe this is the cause of all my problems.

Give me a f#cking break. If she really wants to know all about the real world I can help. She can give me all her stock and claim to any inheritance and I can pay her 10,000 baht a month to hang around and show me love.

When Thaksin studied for his undergraduate degree in criminal justice at Eastern Kentucky University in the United States, he worked at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. And when he pursued a doctorate at Sam Houston State University in Texas in the late 1970s, his wife Potjaman helped pay the bills with a job at Burger King.

i got to admited the man is awesome, he doesn't come from a rich family, made it on his own, you got to give him credit for that, other than that he could be a little bit more honest.

When Thaksin studied for his undergraduate degree in criminal justice at Eastern Kentucky University in the United States, he worked at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. And when he pursued a doctorate at Sam Houston State University in Texas in the late 1970s, his wife Potjaman helped pay the bills with a job at Burger King.

i got to admited the man is awesome, he doesn't come from a rich family, made it on his own, you got to give him credit for that, other than that he could be a little bit more honest.

He comes from a very privaleged family. That much I know. Anyone with more details, feel free to post. Still, anyone who becomes a billionare is impressive.

When Thaksin studied for his undergraduate degree in criminal justice at Eastern Kentucky University in the United States, he worked at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. And when he pursued a doctorate at Sam Houston State University in Texas in the late 1970s, his wife Potjaman helped pay the bills with a job at Burger King.

i got to admited the man is awesome, he doesn't come from a rich family, made it on his own, you got to give him credit for that, other than that he could be a little bit more honest.

He comes from a very privaleged family. That much I know. Anyone with more details, feel free to post. Still, anyone who becomes a billionare is impressive.

and in such a short time too CMT ... truly a miracle

And when he pursued a doctorate at Sam Houston State University in Texas in the late 1970s, his wife Potjaman helped pay the bills with a job at Burger King.

--The Nation 2004-03-30

This must be where he learned to "Have it his way"

He comes from a very privaleged family. That much I know. Anyone with more details, feel free to post. Still, anyone who becomes a billionare is impressive.

There was a big writeup about his family in The Nation or Bangkok Post last Oct. or Nov. Told of how his great grandfather? came from China 104 years ago and did alright for starting a couple of business's in CM area. Thaksin himself almost went broke when he bought a bunch of computers and then rented them to the govt.

TS has bought McDonald's?

.. and probably with some spare change he happend to have slushing in his pocket ...

i got to admited the man is awesome, he doesn't come from a rich family, made it on his own, you got to give him credit for that

No I haven't!

I wouldn't give him the steam off my... the time of day!

The son zips around town in a yellow Lamborghini (or is it a Maserati?), while the daughter slings burgers at McDonald's. Sounds fair to me!

When Thaksin studied for his undergraduate degree in criminal justice at Eastern Kentucky University in the United States, he worked at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. And when he pursued a doctorate at Sam Houston State University in Texas in the late 1970s, his wife Potjaman helped pay the bills with a job at Burger King.

I'm going a bit off subject but has somebody in this forum ever attended a conference/meeting with Thaksin in english?

The least I can say is that his knowledge of the english language is pretty poor,...

This after studying years in the States and even getting a PHD there, do they teach in Thai at Sam Houston State University?

I've often wondered that myself, Bluecat. Mind you, former prime minister Banharn Silipa-Archa managed to "earn" his masters degree with a large part of it written in French!

Of course upon completion he was so exhausted he'd forgotten what it all meant!

I think I might buy one of them doctorates meself!

He must be mad to put his own daughter in the spot light like this just so he can get some publicity.She will now be the target of crackpots or even kidnappers.

She is not a normal girl no matter how hard he might try to portray it,she is the daughter of a very wealthy man,who also happens to be fighting a terrorist war in the south,or has he forgotten.

 

I'm going a bit off subject but has somebody in this forum ever attended a conference/meeting with Thaksin in english?

The least I can say is that his knowledge of the english language is pretty poor,...

This after studying years in the States and even getting a PHD there, do they teach in Thai at Sam Houston State University?

Maybe he got his papers on Khao San road???

she gets 60cents and hour heh??? Does he get any free shakes and shares?

McDonald's in Thailand don't serve shakes...

the war on poverty EH ????? thaksin has stated he wants the minimum wage in thailand to be 10,000 bht a month , but takes great pleasure in his daughter working for 23 bht an hour , seems to me he doesnt give a shit about others being exploited by huge american corporations !!!!!!!! maybe he would if his daughter needed the money !!!!!

personally, i cant understand why anyone would buy that <deleted> anyway when living in LOS , beautiful food everywhere !!!!!!!!!!

"thai ruk thai" ......hahaha cough cough splutter splutter. Shouldn't she be working as a som tum vendor rather than at a farang multinational food chain ???

"thai ruk thai" ......hahaha cough cough splutter splutter. Shouldn't she be working as a som tum vendor rather than at a farang multinational food chain ???

Ha! She could've worked for that Thai burger chain, "Hoburger"...any of those still around? It had such a great name (lousy burgers, though).

Just PR Stunt-obvious ploy to say his family is like every other family and they need to work for a living. I'm not impressed!

"thai ruk thai" ......hahaha cough cough splutter splutter. Shouldn't she be working as a som tum vendor rather than at a farang multinational food chain ???

Fully agreed. What a Yellow Banana this man is. If he is the PM of Thailand he should make his daughter sell street hawker food. See what education in the West does to a man. he forgets that he is a Chinese Thai. tsk tsk.

We should boycot McDonalds and go to Burger King instead!

McDonald's in Thailand don't serve shakes...

Do they still have Biggie Frys?

personally, i cant understand why anyone would buy that <deleted> anyway when living in LOS , beautiful food everywhere !!!!!!!!!!

Amen, possom...

personally, i cant understand why anyone would buy that <deleted> anyway when living in LOS , beautiful food everywhere !!!!!!!!!!

Amen, possom...

I am with you on this one Boon Mee