Gov Plans To Give Phuket To Singapore

[george]

Gov plans to give Phuket to Singapore (or so says Sondhi)

Political firebrand and failing media mogul, Sondhi Limtongkul, has announced that he has discovered a plot to give Phuket to Singapore.

In an interview with his own newspaper – which can be read, in Thai, at www.manageronline.com – K Sondhi said: “…there is a plan to give the whole of Phuket island to Singapore … there was an order to build a landfill in the sea and they will let foreign investors come in to manage that area.

This is not different from selling pieces of national land to benefit his own flock,” he concluded, referring, it is believed, to the Ao Phuket project in Saphan Hin and caretaker Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra.

Later in the interview K Sondhi – whose latest English language newspaper has ceased publication and who allegedly still owes millions to former employees of his failed Asia Times newspaper - referred to the Thaksin government system as “evil”.

Phuket Post was surprised to discover that local government officials had yet to hear of the plan to give Phuket to Singapore. Sutin Uthaithammarong, vice-president of Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) told the Post that, although he had not yet read or heard K Sondhi’s claims, he thought it very unlikely.

“How can someone give Phuket to another country? It’s impossible. If it was going to happen, I would have been one of the first protesters rising up against it.”

K Sutin went onto explain that the Ao Phuket project is still very much in the planning stages. “There is nothing clearly decided yet, and it must first go before a public hearing to see if it will really benefit the people. Both good and bad sides of the project still have to be considered – such as how they will deal with the infrastructure.”

K Sutin believes that the OrBorJor would block any plans to include a casino or more entertainment venues on the landfill site. “Sapan Hin should stay a natural area for local people, visitors and tourists, just like it has always been.”

Local businessman, Chawana Kiatchawanasawee, told the Post that he believed K Sondhi was in fact referring to the number of foreign investors currently in Phuket and was not specifically referring to Thailand handing control of Phuket to Singapore.

“There are more foreign investors here, but I still believe in Thai law. The government should also give some respect to Phuket people. We are the local people here – what they plan to do with this island needs to be considered very carefully.”

On the Ao Phuket project, K Chawanna said that he had not been paying close attention to recent developments, but had some serious concerns about the need for the project “Is it really necessary to develop that project? Don’t forget that Sapan Hin is public land for local people to relax. The government can’t say that it is only a decaying sea. It needs to have some real benefits for local people.

--Phuket Post 2006-09-18

[OldAsiaHand]

Sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

[markg]

Has to be.

Or Sondhi really has lost the plot.

Doesnt Phuket bring in the most revenue for any province in Thailand?

Can't imagine HM the King agreeing to one centimetre of land being ceeded to any country.

Clearly <deleted> mate.

[Rinrada]

Thought for a minute I could see Phoo.kt tied up along side Sentosa

...and then maybe Kampuchea could take back Patti with Chiang Mai could going home to Burma....

who wants the Plaza/Cowboy/pats..place...... old Sondhi..yes ...always good for a laugh...

[chuchok]

All the followers of Sondhi take a bow.......

[womble]

Sondhi is a fool, some of the stuff he comes out with is utter rubbish. He's a crook just as much as Thaksin is, I dare say if he was PM it would probobally be even worse and more corrupt than it is with Thaksin at the helm.

[BkkPundit]

Or Sondhi really has lost the plot.

Has lost the plot? Sondhi is a conspiracy theorist extraordinaire. This is not the first time he has pulled a conspiracy theory out of a hat - go look at his Wiki page for more.

[Steph1012]

Sondhi is a fool, some of the stuff he comes out with is utter rubbish. He's a crook just as much as Thaksin is, I dare say if he was PM it would probobally be even worse and more corrupt than it is with Thaksin at the helm.

Thats right. Many expats and posters on this site arrived during the Thaksin era and have no first hand knowledge to draw of earlier times.

It's no more corrupt these days, its just different snouts in the trough. And un-trendy as it is to say so, the country is financially in better shape now than at anytime before and there is the beginnings of a health care system.

Thai politics is an animal unlike any other. I just wish people would be more objective rather than follow the trend of the day, take sides and paint every single move in a negative light.

AND!! I am not a TRT supporter by any means. Just objective.

[Ricardo]

I think Sondhi is off-mark with this rumour.

Surely he knows that his old buddy Thaksin would never give Phuket to Singapore, when he can find some way to sell Phuket to Singapore, instead ?

Tax-free, naturally.

Edited September 19, 2006 by Ricardo

[Ricardo]

Thats right. Many expats and posters on this site arrived during the Thaksin era and have no first hand knowledge to draw of earlier times.

It's no more corrupt these days, its just different snouts in the trough. And un-trendy as it is to say so, the country is financially in better shape now than at anytime before and there is the beginnings of a health care system.

Thai politics is an animal unlike any other. I just wish people would be more objective rather than follow the trend of the day, take sides and paint every single move in a negative light.

AND!! I am not a TRT supporter by any means. Just objective.

Good point.

I myself knew Thailand for 20 years, as a frequent tourist, and then married-to a Thai, before coming to live here. And I definitely get a different view of things now.

I even thought Thaksin was good, for the country, for the first couple of years. After all, he was rich already, so didn't need to be corrupt. Oh well - live and learn.

Another major influence has been the arrival of the internet, and TV, enabling us to see and hear far more, of what is going on, and what other expats think about it.

[Scott]

So the question is: Will you be able to buy land in Phuket then?

[Old Man River]

Sondhi is a fool, some of the stuff he comes out with is utter rubbish.

Usually, Khun Sondhi starts with something that has a small resemblance to a fact, giving his comments some credibility, and then he expands on it so people believe everything he is saying.

As it relates to Ao Phuket, the government has been having discussions with investors. Amounts which need to be invested start at THB 63 billion, so small players need not apply. While I have no knowledge that the Singaporean government is looking at the project, given their focus on large, long term projects it would not be surprising that they would be interested as are large investors from other countries.

[maxx]

*

Edited September 19, 2006 by maxx

[kmart]

"Political Firebrand" read: Gobshite. The Sondhi guy comes out with even more ludicrous claims and nationalistic crap than the object of his ire. Clue: Why does he hate the TRT so much?

Just like any dodgy businessman (Chuwit; Preechai; etc), he'll climb on a political soapbox whenever he feels sidelined, or has his snout too far down the trough.

[maxx]

*

Edited September 19, 2006 by maxx

[boppia]

Phuket Post is a well respected news source so this must be true. George, please check out Foxnews and TheOnion.com for more great stories. Why post this slanted garbage? has Thaivisa been taken over by Rupert Murdock?

[hammered]

Sondhi is a fool, some of the stuff he comes out with is utter rubbish.

Usually, Khun Sondhi starts with something that has a small resemblance to a fact, giving his comments some credibility, and then he expands on it so people believe everything he is saying.

As it relates to Ao Phuket, the government has been having discussions with investors. Amounts which need to be invested start at THB 63 billion, so small players need not apply. While I have no knowledge that the Singaporean government is looking at the project, given their focus on large, long term projects it would not be surprising that they would be interested as are large investors from other countries.

It is likely that when Temasak paid quite a lot for Shin they were thinking of future more profitable deals. This could very easily be one of such deals, and if so would definitely attract an attack by Khun Sondhi using nationalist rhetoric.

Edited September 19, 2006 by hammered

[Old Man River]

Sondhi is a fool, some of the stuff he comes out with is utter rubbish.

Usually, Khun Sondhi starts with something that has a small resemblance to a fact, giving his comments some credibility, and then he expands on it so people believe everything he is saying.

As it relates to Ao Phuket, the government has been having discussions with investors. Amounts which need to be invested start at THB 63 billion, so small players need not apply. While I have no knowledge that the Singaporean government is looking at the project, given their focus on large, long term projects it would not be surprising that they would be interested as are large investors from other countries.

It is likely that when Tamesak paid quite a lot for Shin they were thinking of future more profitable deals. This could very easily be one of such deals, and if so would definitely attract an attack by Khun Sondhi using nationalist rhetoric.

Like most governments, the Singaporean government is a long term player. More likely to be Capital Land though as that is the real estate arm of the Singaporean government and is currently investing heavily into Bangkok with Khun Chareon as their Thai partner (no nominees in these investments as Khun Chareon is one of the wealthiest in the country).

[hammered]

Sondhi is a fool, some of the stuff he comes out with is utter rubbish.

Usually, Khun Sondhi starts with something that has a small resemblance to a fact, giving his comments some credibility, and then he expands on it so people believe everything he is saying.

As it relates to Ao Phuket, the government has been having discussions with investors. Amounts which need to be invested start at THB 63 billion, so small players need not apply. While I have no knowledge that the Singaporean government is looking at the project, given their focus on large, long term projects it would not be surprising that they would be interested as are large investors from other countries.

It is likely that when Tamesak paid quite a lot for Shin they were thinking of future more profitable deals. This could very easily be one of such deals, and if so would definitely attract an attack by Khun Sondhi using nationalist rhetoric.

Like most governments, the Singaporean government is a long term player. More likely to be Capital Land though as that is the real estate arm of the Singaporean government and is currently investing heavily into Bangkok with Khun Chareon as their Thai partner (no nominees in these investments as Khun Chareon is one of the wealthiest in the country).

Yes, thank you. Capital Land is the company that were named as the one to watch for involvement in land deals after the Temasak Shin takeover, and of course Khun Charoen is often seen as linked to Mr. Thaksin and the TRT. Anyway, I'm sure if there were even a whiff of a rumor in this Khun Sondhi would use it to his advantage with a lot of nationalist rhetoric.

[veteran]

:TIT:

[John K]

Well I suspect he was trying to make a metaphor of it, not to good of a job, needs practice.

I guess first Shin to Singapore, and Kood island to Cambodia. Perhaps we will soon see the Grand Palace listed on real estate websites. Can’t live here? Can’t get a visa for more than 90 days? Don’t worry, we can even have it moved to your country. Then they can build a high end shopping mall on the site.

Cutting up THE KINGDOM of THAILAND for profit is just wrong.

[jimbob]

Phuket Post is a well respected news source so this must be true. George, please check out Foxnews and TheOnion.com for more great stories. Why post this slanted garbage? has Thaivisa been taken over by Rupert Murdock?

I think the point of the article was to highlight how outrageous and innaccurate the "conspiracy" is. Of course the media can't say so and so is full of s&!^ without getting sued for loss of face so that is left to the reader to figure out.

Anyway, I think Singapore could do a much better job of running Phuket. Good infrastructure, good water supplies etc.

[Samuian]

It utterly amazing what some posters in this forum claim to 'know'!

[boppia]

Chuchok and womble are you packing for Chiangmai? You might find more people who agree with you up there.

[thaigene2]

Well now aren't you glad Sondhi didn't become PM??

[fxm88]

Political firebrand and failing media mogul, Sondhi Limtongkul, has announced that he has discovered a plot to give Phuket to Singapore.

That's crazy! That'd be like Australia giving Perth away!!!1! HAHAHA!! Or something.

[Lourens]

*

You made two good points there maxx

[pete_r]

Thats right. Many expats and posters on this site arrived during the Thaksin era and have no first hand knowledge to draw of earlier times.

It's no more corrupt these days, its just different snouts in the trough. And un-trendy as it is to say so, the country is financially in better shape now than at anytime before and there is the beginnings of a health care system.

Thai politics is an animal unlike any other. I just wish people would be more objective rather than follow the trend of the day, take sides and paint every single move in a negative light.

AND!! I am not a TRT supporter by any means. Just objective.

Good point.

I myself knew Thailand for 20 years, as a frequent tourist, and then married-to a Thai, before coming to live here. And I definitely get a different view of things now.

I even thought Thaksin was good, for the country, for the first couple of years. After all, he was rich already, so didn't need to be corrupt. Oh well - live and learn.

Another major influence has been the arrival of the internet, and TV, enabling us to see and hear far more, of what is going on, and what other expats think about it.

Well said, Steph1012 and Ricardo.

Thaksin is not better or worse than Sondhi (and most other politicians) when it comes to corruption, he is only richer. And the difference in wealth may come not from corruption but from the millions of phone calls the Thais make every day, which counts as legitimate business. Of course he may have got this business by "semi-il-legal" means, but who hasn't in Thailand?

Just my humble opinion

[the swagman]

Sonti is dangerous sick man.

[Tony Clifton]

Sonti is dangerous sick man.

Why? Is he infected with HN51?