Pojaman Shinawatra Returns Without Thaksin

[george]

Pojaman returns without Thaksin

Ousted Cabinet members declare assets to NCCC

BANGKOK: -- Pojaman Shinawatra, wife of deposed prime minister Thaksin, returned from London with two of her children yesterday, the last day members of the previous Cabinet were allowed to submit their financial reports, one month after their ouster.

Former PM Thaksin managed to submit his reports of assets and liabilities to the National Counter Corruption Commission by the deadline yesterday, said NCCC spokesman Klanarong Chantik. Thaksin had his representatives submit the documents on his behalf.

All 33 members of the previous Cabinet met the deadline for complying with the requirements of the anti-graft law, according to the NCCC spokesman.

Thaksin has been in exile in London since he was overthrown in the September 19 military coup. His request for an early return to Thailand has received a lukewarm response from the ruling administration.

His eldest daughter, Pinthongta, is studying for a university degree in the United Kingdom.

Pojaman arrived yesterday afternoon at Suvarnabhumi Airport after spending almost one month at a London apartment with Thaksin and their three children, a Thai Rak Thai party source said. Also joining her on the Thai Airways flight from London were her children Pan-thongtae and Paethongtarn, as well as Thaksin's trusted aides Padung Limcharoenrat and Pansak Winyuratn.

The source said that Pojaman was likely to have brought with her documents regarding Thaksin's assets declaration.

Pojaman had six pieces of luggage weighing about 130 kg, according to an airport source.

Klanarong said he didn't take a look at the documents presented by the 33 members of the ousted Thaksin government as they were in the process of being prepared for review by NCCC members.

He said the NCCC had to announce the declarations to the public within 30 days. After that, it would consider and verify whether the Cabinet members were suspected of corruption.

Meanwhile, Asset Examination Committee (AEC) secretary Kaewsan Atibodhi yesterday said the panel would look into 20 corruption cases over the first three months of its operation.

The AEC agreed that each of its members must probe at least two corruption allegations. The AEC has accepted nine corruption cases and will accept three more on Tuesday.

"We will try to investigate as many cases as possible in one year. In the first three months, we will try to probe 20 cases,'' he said.

The AEC will appoint 20 teams of experts in different sectors to assist its members. "They are like 20 little armies which will help us search for evidence in each case. The AEC will be the army commander,'' he said.

The AEC will on Tuesday discuss the matter of funds to be used in AEC work including the salaries of members and all officials and workers. The agency has so far been using leftover funds of the Election Commission.

Kaewsan said the AEC's working style is different from that of the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC). "The AEC will be water-tight and faster than the NCCC,'' he said. It would focus on government projects and how serious were the offences.

"If a [suspicious] project is not large, such as a Bt10 million project, but the offence is atrocious, we will probe such cases,'' Kaewsan said.

--The Nation 2006-10-19

[sriracha john]

Khunying Potjaman arrives back in country from London

Potjaman Shinawatra, the wife of deposed prime minister Thaksin, arrived back in Bangkok yesterday. Khunying Potjaman arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport around 3pm on board Thai Airways International flight TG917 from London. Paiboon Damrongchaitham, chairman of GMM Grammy Plc, yesterday tried to enter the airport's gate area to welcome Khunying Potjaman, the source said. However, because Mr Paiboon was not a passenger on any flight, security officers did not allow him to enter the gate area, which is a restricted zone. This prompted Mr Paiboon to have a brief argument with the security officers, said the source. "Don't you know who I am? I'm the boss of the biggest entertainment company in Thailand! How dare you tell me I can't go in!! Rules are for peons, not me!!" Khunying Potjaman joined Mr Thaksin and their family in London on Sept 25, after her husband was ousted in a military coup on Sept 19. She returned on the same day all former political office holders, including her husband, submitted their lists of assets to the National Counter Corruption Commission, and a comic book praising Mr Thaksin was unveiled to the press. hahahaha... how appropriate.. a comic book!... One couldn't make this stuff up any better! The NCCC will disclose the assets lists of the political office holders in the Thaksin administration within the next 30 days and will check the existence of the listed assets and liabilities later on. In the comic book, the ousted prime minister is depicted as a hero. His depiction in the 212-page book surprised journalists. An unidentified man burst into the press room at Government House and asked reporters to help distribute the books to children and teenagers. The man said he represented KK Publishing company executive Pakorn Suksathu, who published the comic chronicling Mr Thaksin's life from childhood to the day he was ousted. The comic book, priced at 150 baht, portrays Mr Thaksin as a hero of the poor. ''He will be back,'' announces a narrator in the story. :D

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/19Oct2006_news03.php

Edited October 18, 2006 by sriracha john

[John K]

I think I am going to be sick.

My God how can the man walk with a set that big?

Edited October 18, 2006 by John K

[LaoPo]

Hmmm.. In george's first message (The Nation) it says Mrs. Pojaman Shinawatra travelled with 2 of her 3 children.

In the second post (Bangkok Post) it says that she travelled alone...

Hmmm...top-journalism ?

That's exactly the problem with journalism in Thailand...nobody is sure what's happening or what is true, or not true.

LaoPo

[Thaddeus]

I think I am going to be sick.

I think I'll join you.

[sriracha john]

Hmmm.. In george's first message (The Nation) it says Mrs. Pojaman Shinawatra travelled with 2 of her 3 children.

In the second post (Bangkok Post) it says that she travelled alone...

Hmmm...top-journalism ?

That's exactly the problem with journalism in Thailand...nobody is sure what's happening or what is true, or not true.

LaoPo

She's fat enough that maybe they mistook her weight as travelling with 2 other people???

[chownah]

Hmmm.. In george's first message (The Nation) it says Mrs. Pojaman Shinawatra travelled with 2 of her 3 children.

In the second post (Bangkok Post) it says that she travelled alone...

Hmmm...top-journalism ?

That's exactly the problem with journalism in Thailand...nobody is sure what's happening or what is true, or not true.

LaoPo

She's fat enough that maybe they mistook her weight as travelling with 2 other people???

Sriracha john,

You have totally outdone yourself here in demonstrating your superb analytical skills and keen wit....the fact that she is overweight is not only true but also exceedingly hilarioius.

There is only one possible comment to make in regards to your postings: "It doesn't get any better than this".

Chownah

[opothai]

HE MAN MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE

but i think i'll send the mrs and kids in first

[yaimar]

Hmmm.. In george's first message (The Nation) it says Mrs. Pojaman Shinawatra travelled with 2 of her 3 children.

In the second post (Bangkok Post) it says that she travelled alone...

Hmmm...top-journalism ?

That's exactly the problem with journalism in Thailand...nobody is sure what's happening or what is true, or not true.

LaoPo

She's fat enough that maybe they mistook her weight as travelling with 2 other people???

Hi Yaimar. re her Size. I think, out of order, as for journalist,s correct or incorrect, yes PLUS thats the problem with "interpretation" of visa rules . In these seemingly changing times. Some of us, are desparate for precise info. So we can, and do, comply. and are not fearfull, of, interpretation, I sat up all night trying to make sense of the strings for marriage?retirement visas. As soon as, sunbelt clarifies, it gets muddied . guess thats the nature of a forum I am however newbie. And I do appreciate the newly aquired info on many subjects. would have saved me a fortune 8 years ago , wonderful stuff

[sriracha john]

Hmmm.. In george's first message (The Nation) it says Mrs. Pojaman Shinawatra travelled with 2 of her 3 children.

In the second post (Bangkok Post) it says that she travelled alone...

Hmmm...top-journalism ?

That's exactly the problem with journalism in Thailand...nobody is sure what's happening or what is true, or not true.

LaoPo

She's fat enough that maybe they mistook her weight as travelling with 2 other people???

Sriracha john,

You have totally outdone yourself here in demonstrating your superb analytical skills and keen wit....the fact that she is overweight is not only true but also exceedingly hilarioius.

There is only one possible comment to make in regards to your postings: "It doesn't get any better than this".

Chownah

Well, I suppose adding a photo of her quite rotund figure would have made it better, but I wouldn't want people to think I was trying to mock her or make her the subject of ridicule.

[guardian]

Pojaman had six pieces of luggage weighing about 130 kg, according to an airport source.

Did she face the same treatment from the customs people imposing the duty-free limit?

[TokyoT]

Hmmm.. In george's first message (The Nation) it says Mrs. Pojaman Shinawatra travelled with 2 of her 3 children.

In the second post (Bangkok Post) it says that she travelled alone...

Hmmm...top-journalism ?

That's exactly the problem with journalism in Thailand...nobody is sure what's happening or what is true, or not true.

LaoPo

She's fat enough that maybe they mistook her weight as travelling with 2 other people???

Well on the up side I don’t think anyone would ever mistake her for Taxsins “minor” wife.

[Sandstone Art]

Wonder how much all the maids serving in the London apartment is worth in those proxy shares/ assets value being transfered to them.

Riches maids ever in the UK now

[TokyoT]

If Pojaman Shinawatra also had to submit such a report would Taxsin count as an asset or a liability?

Come to think of it I wonder how much of Taxsins assets have been transferred to Pojaman’s accounts in the past 30 days? Did Taxsins asset declaration have to include any information about his wife’s assets?

[Plus]

Send the wife first - clever move. They do this in Afganistan, in areas where there are many landmines.

I'm more interested in that comic book, and in what the junta is going to do about it. Potjamarn is a mighty general herself, they better watch her day and night. She didn't come for spa treatment.

[cclub75]

The comic book, priced at 150 baht, portrays Mr Thaksin as a hero of the poor. ''He will be back,'' announces a narrator in the story. :

That the key point with those psykos dictators : no regret, no remorse, no shame... Never. Ever.

They will continue, until their death, to believe that they are right, and everybody else is wrong. It's total paranoia.

Therefore, and unless the current thai authorities take proper, real and efficient actions (which I start to doubt) to stop Thaksin and to clear his network... the guy will return.

Edited October 19, 2006 by cclub75

[digitele]

I'm more interested in that comic book, and in what the junta is going to do about it. Potjamarn is a mighty general herself, they better watch her day and night. She didn't come for spa treatment.

Got that right. I heard from a high ranking TPD officier they are doing just that.

Any Thaivisa folks near Charunsanitwong Soi 69 in BKK?

Also heard the yearly re-shuffle in TPD is set for Oct 24th and will be very interesting...

[digitele]

That the key point with those psykos dictators : no regret, no remorse, no shame... Never. Ever.

They will continue, until their death, to believe that they are right, and everybody else is wrong. It's total paranoia.

Therefore, and unless the current thai authorities take proper, real and efficient actions (which I start to doubt) to stop Thaksin and to clear his network... the guy will return.

Correct. These people are scary and rich........

[Tony Clifton]

Hmmm.. In george's first message (The Nation) it says Mrs. Pojaman Shinawatra travelled with 2 of her 3 children.

In the second post (Bangkok Post) it says that she travelled alone...

Hmmm...top-journalism ?

That's exactly the problem with journalism in Thailand...nobody is sure what's happening or what is true, or not true.

LaoPo

She's fat enough that maybe they mistook her weight as travelling with 2 other people???

Been told and also read that two out of three of their children are just as dumb as luggage. That could easily confuse customs and journalists.

Which one is the boy?

Edited October 19, 2006 by Tony Clifton

[kmart]

Another shady little done deal from the murkiest corridors of power, with smirks and wai's all round.

He wouldn't send "the boss" without some "all clear" from the generals.

Macchiavelli For Dummies.

[Old Man River]

The comic book, priced at 150 baht, portrays Mr Thaksin as a hero of the poor. ''He will be back,'' announces a narrator in the story. :

That the key point with those psykos dictators : no regret, no remorse, no shame... Never. Ever.

They will continue, until their death, to believe that they are right, and everybody else is wrong. It's total paranoia.

Therefore, and unless the current thai authorities take proper, real and efficient actions (which I start to doubt) to stop Thaksin and to clear his network... the guy will return.

CClub75, spot on, although I wouldn't doubt the CNS's intention to stop the former PM. When the very highly respected President of the Privy Counselors compares Dr. Thaksin with Hitler, then they are serious in blocking all his attempts to ever again cease power in Thailand.

While this comic book looks innocent at face, it isn't. This is a well thought out strategic play by Dr. Thaksin. From what has been reported, the 212 page comic book does not attack the CNS, but rather talks up Dr. Thaksin as the people's hero. Written material supporting Dr. Thaksin is not currently against the law. If the CNS is seen by the people upcountry to be censoring its printing and distribution, it will hurt their efforts to win these people over (national reconciliation). If they don't censor it and people upcountry read it, it will have the same affect. Dr. Thaksin won't stop until he is either stopped or he no longer has any support base.

According to Khun Thanong, Managing Editor of The Nation newspaper, the reasons given by General Sonthi for the coup was the division of the country, corruption and lese majeste. The vast majority in Thailand would prefer the CNS not have to resort to violence. Proving corruption won't be enough as the people upcountry (Dr. Thaksin's democratic power base) are used to leaders and corruption. That is the normal way of life. Lese Majeste isn't, and that is what needs to be proven. Let's hope that it is.

[mijan24]

LaoPo[/color]

She's fat enough that maybe they mistook her weight as travelling with 2 other people???

Remember It's not over until the "FAT" lady sings.

[sriracha john]

touche', mijan... touche'....

I caught her singing a bit on some news highlight reel.... Lordy, it was awful.

Just get a metal gardening claw and rake it across my eardrums... it would have less painful.

Edited October 19, 2006 by sriracha john

[John K]

The comic book, priced at 150 baht, portrays Mr Thaksin as a hero of the poor. ''He will be back,'' announces a narrator in the story. :

That the key point with those psykos dictators : no regret, no remorse, no shame... Never. Ever.

They will continue, until their death, to believe that they are right, and everybody else is wrong. It's total paranoia.

Therefore, and unless the current thai authorities take proper, real and efficient actions (which I start to doubt) to stop Thaksin and to clear his network... the guy will return.

I could be wrong so someone please verify this, but I think Hitler did something like this.

Edited October 19, 2006 by John K

[sriracha john]

[Neeranam]

Paiboon Damrongchaitham, chairman of GMM Grammy Plc, yesterday tried to enter the airport's gate area to welcome Khunying Potjaman, the source said

I used to teach both of their daughters. Very nice girls.

[Tony Clifton]

Paiboon Damrongchaitham, chairman of GMM Grammy Plc, yesterday tried to enter the airport's gate area to welcome Khunying Potjaman, the source said

I used to teach both of their daughters. Very nice girls.

Did you get a salary increase comparable to what the gardener and maid got ?

Edited October 20, 2006 by Tony Clifton

[sriracha john]

You can't go home again

No news could be hotter than the rumoured attempt of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra to return to Thailand, after seeking asylum in London for a month following the September 19 coup staged by the then-named Council for Democratic Reform.

On the street, some people are surprised by this news. Why would he attempt to come home when there are so many problems that could give him sleepless nights? Under his leadership, the government was notorious for corruption, and the Army exploited this notoriety to justify its course.

Indeed, with such a huge pot of money, Thaksin should rather enjoy his "holiday", relaxed and happy. From news reports, we have learned that his wife, Khunying Pojaman, before flying to London this last time, withdrew about Bt20 million from her bank account. Moreover, Thaksin must be living with all sorts of credit cards, and spending should be comfortably accommodated, given that his assets have not been frozen as feared. So, why would he try to come back?

Street talk says he may be experiencing unfavourable reactions from Thais in London. What if he went out to dine at a place where Thais loved to go and was suddenly surrounded by people giving him the evil eye? Imagine when his order, probably grilled duck, arrived, and his fellow Thai diners started tapping their glasses with forks while glaring at him. That would have to be unbearable for a man who had shown little tolerance for opposition.

It sounds convincing, considering reports that the Thai community has shown strong resentment towards Thaksin. This may explain why Thaksin is trying so hard to return home. Whatever happens, nowhere can be more comfortable than home, no matter what awaits.

- The Nation

-------------------------------------

Another account has Thaksin actually being booed and otherwise jeered in public by Thais in London...

[sriracha john]

Poor Pojaman... perhaps she's now regretting coming back to Thailand....

It's a shame there was so much corruption during Thakky's regime. These investigators have so much work now, all due to Thakky's unrelenting greed.

CORRUPTION

Scrutiny panel adds Potjaman land deal to list

The assets scrutiny committee yesterday added three more cases to its investigation and appointed members to its sub-committees to investigate the eight corruption cases it had already accepted. The three new investigations include a land purchase deal reportedly involving Potjaman Shinawatra, the wife of ousted prime minister Thaksin. Panel spokesman Sak Korsaengruang said the two- and three-digit lottery scheme initiated by the Thaksin government was another case included in the first round of examinations. Besides the lottery scheme case, the others are the Shin Corp-Temasek deal, the procurement of CTX bomb scanners, the Airport Link rail project, the electricity cable-laying project for Suvarnabhumi airport, an Export-Import Bank loan to the Burmese government, procurements for a rubber sampling project and the Ua Arthorn low-cost housing project. The only case which needs further assessment by the panel, and is not ready for investigation by a sub-committee, is the Central Laboratory project initiated by former deputy agriculture and cooperatives minister Newin Chidchob. The land sale case involves the sale of a 33-rai plot in Ratchadaphisek that was handled by the Financial Institutions Development Fund. Khunying Potjaman is alleged to have bought the land in 2003 for 772 million baht, much lower than market value. Probably just put it on her MasterCard. Mr Akhom yesterday welcomed the panel's decision to proceed with the case, adding Khunying Potjaman had only two rivals when she tendered a bid for the land and he believes it was collusion to pave the way for her to win the bid. He said the land price had doubled from 772 million baht to about 1.5 billion only two days after Khunying Potjaman secured the deal. Both Mr Thaksin and his wife were clearly the wrongdoers in this case, Mr Akhom said. Wow!... there's a nice return on any investment. Double your money in two days!

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/25Oct2006_news02.php

Edited October 25, 2006 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Bank Of Thailand finds suspicious cheques

Company paid Bt130 million to two linked to major party; officials follow 'money trail'

The Bank of Thailand has found that Golden Technology Industrial Park Ltd issued two cheques worth more than Bt130 million made payable to two people associated with a big political party.

Weerachat Sribunya, BOT's director, Legal Proceeding Office, said: "We have found the trail of money."

Golden Technology Industrial Park, linked to Krisda Mahanakorn, issued two cheques; one worth around Bt100 million, and the other Bt30 million, were made payable to two people associated with a major political party.

"But we don't know what the money is for," he said, and refused to disclose the names of those related to the political party.

Golden Technology was one of the non-performing-borrowers of the state-run Krung Thai Bank. The company was partly blamed for the high amount of Krung Thai Bank's non-performing-loans worth around Bt40 billion during the tenure of Viroj Nualkhair, the former president.

Golden Technology sought Bt9.9 billion from Krung Thai Bank by using a 4,000 rai plot of land close to Suvarnabhumi area as collateral, saying it needed the money to refinance debts with Bangkok Bank worth Bt8 billion, and the other Bt1.9 billion to acquire new land.

However, the Bank of Thailand later found the company used only Bt4.45 billion to refinance the debt borrowed from Bangkok Bank - the other Bt3.5 billion was misused.

The scandal happened about two years ago when banking authorities discovered that Krung Thai Bank misallocated loans worth a combined Bt40 billion. It was forced to set aside loan-loss reserves to cover the high level of non-performing loans. Later on, Viroj was forced out of his presidency.

At the same time, Tarisa Watta-nagase, the Bank of Thailand's governor-designate, said the bank would look into the allegations over the land sold to a spouse of a politician.

The Assets Examination Committee (AEC) is investigating whether Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra, the wife of the deposed prime minister, might have violated the law with her Bt772 million purchase of land on Ratchadaphisek Road in Bangkok.

The law prohibits state officials and their spouses from engaging in contractual agreements with state agencies.

Former senator Chirmsak Pinthong said yesterday he personally raised the issue a few years ago that Pojaman Shinawatra's land purchase contained irregularities as established in the Counter Corruption Act.

However, the National Counter-Corruption Commission refused to take any action.

He then filed the case with the Crime Suppression Division. The commander of the division Maj-General Kosin Hinthao accepted the case but had made no progress since then, Chirmsak said.

A source said on Sunday the Assets Examination Committee (AEC) was investigating whether there was any evidence of Thaksin's acknowledgement in the transaction.

As the wife of a prime minister, Pojaman may not have been legally entitled to buy the plot - which was government property - the source added.

Pojaman bought the plot in 2003 from the Financial Institutions Development Fund, the government's financial-rescue arm.

Under anti-graft law, prime ministers and other Cabinet members cannot enter into business contracts with the state.

Moreover, Article 122 of the Counter Corruption Act stipulates the ban on Cabinet members applies to spouses as well. The ban covers equity stakes in companies engaging in joint ventures with the government.

The Nation