Ministry pushed over former PM Thaksin's passport

[webfact]

DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT NO D215863
Ministry pushed over former PM's passport
The Nation

Ex-democrat MP notes Thaksin was once foreign minister, with diplomatic status

BANGKOK: -- The Foreign Ministry should come clean on whether fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who also served as foreign minister early in his political career, still holds some kind of Thai passport, former Democrat MP Watchara Petthong said yesterday.

Suspicion had been cast by former foreign minister Prasong Soonsiri, who claimed that all foreign ministers were issued a diplomatic passport for life, he said.

Norachit Sinhaseni, permanent secretary of the Foreign Ministry, has the responsibility to clarify the situation, and if there is a lack of transparency, he would have to be held accountable, Watchara said.

Any attempt at a cover-up would not work, he said. Some bureaucrats are also dragging their feet in the belief that the military's National Council for Peace and Order will not stay in office for long and that Thaksin will eventually return to power, he said.

If national police chief Somyot Poompanmoung fails to pursue promptly the government's bid to strip Thaksin of his police title, Watchara will take action against Pol General Somyot by lodging a complaint with the National Anti-Corruption Commission, he said.

This is not a threat against the police chief, he insisted - police should expedite this to protect the force's integrity. The law should apply equally to everyone, and Thaksin is no exception, he said.

Maj-General Weerachon Sukhon-tapatipak, a deputy government spokesman, reconfirmed a report from the Foreign Ministry that two ordinary Thai passports belonging to Thaksin had been cancelled last Tuesday.

What is more, Thaksin's diplomatic passport No D215863 had been taken back on December 15, 2008, he said.

Monk Phra Suthep Paphakaro said that when he was deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban, the government of Abhisit Vejjajiva had tried to rescind Thaksin's police title but had to follow due process and the attempt could not be pushed through.

Rushing things would have amounted to a personal vendetta. It was also not certain whether His Majesty the King's endorsement was needed, he said.

Revoking Thaksin's passports is standard practice in the case of a criminal running from justice, said Phra Suthep, former leader of last year's anti-government protests in Bangkok that led up to the coup.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Ministry-pushed-over-former-PMs-passport-30261403.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-02

[EricBerg]

Does this mean it's possible the bad guy still is holding a Thai diplomatic passport????? Bureaucrats hiding that fact because they expect the shinaclan back in power within some time????? That can't be true... can it?

[smedly]

I honestly do not believe they have a clue what passports Thaksin has - he bought them no matter how you look at it

Criminal charges have got to follow this absolute nonsense

[NongKhaiKid]

A simple soul like me could suggest that there should be a record somewhere in the ministry but we know just how accurate or inaccurate Thai records can be depending on what's needed.

[eggers]

For former Democrat Watchara Petthong to criticise the Foreign Ministry is a farcical; what did the Democrat Gov't do to revoke Thaksin's Passports on premise he was a convicted fugitive???

Revoked his diplomatic passport & left him with at least 2 other Thai passports!

Bunch of kow-towing wimps!!

Then, Phra Suthep states "Revoking Thaksin's passports is standard practice in the case of a criminal running from justice", why did it take 9 years to occur???

Any other criminal, would have been at time of conviction!

At least PM Prayut & junta are showing won't tolerate crap from anyone.

[Tatsujin]

The only thing you need to know about the Police-General Somyot Poompanmoung is this:

As a condition of being appointed to the National Legislative Council (NLC), prospective members were required to reveal their assets and liabilities. The disclosures by would-be NLC members of their assets shocked many Thais. "Police Chief Somyot Poompanmuang and his wife's net worth was revealed to about 355.8 million baht (roughly $11 million) [sic], raising questions about how a lifelong career in the public service could have made him a millionaire many times over."

[DLock]

When your Thaksin gets home...you boys are gonna get it...

[Tatsujin]

A simple soul like me could suggest that there should be a record somewhere in the ministry but we know just how accurate or inaccurate Thai records can be depending on what's needed.

The newest Diplomatic Passport for Thaksin was issued at Yingluck's behest during the flooding fiasco, and many records were "lost" from that time, so I doubt we'll ever find any proper paperwork trail ... it was really nice of them to also hand-deliver the passport to him overseas ... a great service which I hope they will extend to all Thai's living overseas.

[chilli42]

"Some bureaucrats are also dragging their feet in the belief that the military's National Council for Peace and Order will not stay in office for long and that Thaksin will eventually return to power, he said." This is all you need to know about the passports and police rank issues.

[h90]

"Some bureaucrats are also dragging their feet in the belief that the military's National Council for Peace and Order will not stay in office for long and that Thaksin will eventually return to power, he said." This is all you need to know about the passports and police rank issues.

They should be all fired and replaced with people who are doing their job.

[mikemac]

Thaksin has more passports than Jason Bourne.........................

[alocacoc]

I'm sure, Thaksin is about to laugh oneself silly. Everyday new News-Reports about the big chaos. He still dominate the press. That's ridiculous. When this madness will stop? Only a rhetoric question. ROFL

[Basil B]

I would suspect apart from the obvious corruption and abuse of office some officials were under pressure to issue clandestine (undocumented) passports of which I bet Uncle "T" has one or two...

[waza]

First you see them

Then you don't..

Oh well plenty more left

Edited June 2, 2015 by waza

[h90]

I'm sure, Thaksin is about to laugh oneself silly. Everyday new News-Reports about the big chaos. He still dominate the press. That's ridiculous. When this madness will stop? Only a rhetoric question. ROFL

But it also let him look bad, or not? I don't know.

[jcb2001]

Wouldn't it be a lot easier and clearer if the Thai Foreign Minister sent out a letter to all Thai Embassies to disseminate to their host countries that all Thai passports, (diplomatic, official, and regular) issued to Mr. T are now null and void.

[Dogmatix]

Looks like things might get harder for other Thai fugitives who haven't organised their alternate travel docs yet. St Christopher and St Kitts is about to raise the cost of citizenship from the current US$250,000. Letting criminals and Iranians etc has already created problems for genuine locals travelling abroad. Canada has just cancelled their right to visa free travel.