Thaksin Hires US Lobbying Firm

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This is interesting, considering that during his CNN interview only a few days ago Thaksin stated that he is all through with politics. If that is the case, then why hire a lobbying firm? If he is not trying to remain in politics, then what is his purpose? Is he perhaps looking for a job? I doubt that. Why is he doing so much world traveling and why, if he is out of politics, would he seek to meet with government officials of the countries he visits? It seems that he is up to something, but what? Whatever it is, I hope it will be benign.

 

The following appears in THE NATION:

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Ousted PM Hires US Lobbyist Firm

 

Hong Kong - Ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has signed up a firm of American political lobbyists to seek support in Washington, a report said Friday.

 

Thaksin, who was unseated in a military coup in September, met with lobbyists from Barbour, Griffith and Rogers (BGR) in Hong Kong last week, the South China Morning Post reported.

 

BGR describes itself on its website as America's "leading Republican government affairs and consulting firm" and has close ties with the Bush administration.

 

Among the BGR team that met Thaksin was Stephen Rademaker, the former US assistant secretary of state for international security, said the newspaper, quoting unnamed sources.

 

Also present was Ed Rogers, the firm's co-founder and previously a staffer in the White House of former presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush senior.

 

He has denied having any further political ambitions but the junta has been infuriated by his travels to capitals across Europe and Asia since he was deposed.

 

The Thai government has withdrawn Thaksin's diplomatic passport, and this week it issued a strong rebuke to Singapore for allowing him meet a top cabinet member there.

 

Alan VanderMolen, Asia-Pacific president of Edelman, which Thaksin has recently hired as his public relations consultants, confirmed he had been in Hong Kong but gave no details on the purpose of the trip.

 

"He was here last week. As far as I know, he was here as part of his travels around the world since he left office," VanderMolen told AFP.

 

Thaksin Shinawatra, was in Tokyo on Friday, but Japanese officials said they had no plans to meet him out of concerns over relations with the current Bangkok government, according to Associated Press.

 

Thaksin arrived in Tokyo late Thursday on his first visit to Japan since being toppled from office in a Sept. 19 bloodless military coup.

 

"Now is time for me to relax, get together with my family, see my old friends,'' Thaksin said Thursday after arriving at Narita international airport outside Tokyo.

 

Meanwhile Japanese officials said they were aware of Thaksin's visit but had no plans to meet the former leader.

 

"There are no meetings scheduled between Mr. Thaksin and Japanese government officials,'' said Foreign Ministry official Masahiro Yoshida.

 

"We have our relations with the current Thai government to consider. ... We are aware that the government is very sensitive about this issue,'' he said.

 

AP quoted Chika Takada, an official at the Thai embassy in Tokyo, as saying Bangkok was aware of Thaksin's visit but had not plans to interfere. "His visit is purely private and does not concern us,'' Takada said.

 

Thai media reported Friday that the former leader was scheduled to give a speech at the prestigious Tokyo University and receive an honorary degree there.

 

University spokeswoman Kayoko Hayashi, however, said none of the school's main departments had plans to receive Thaksin. She said the university was checking with its professors about the reported visit.

 

The former leader's private visit to Singapore earlier this week sparked a diplomatic row between Thailand and Singapore.

 

Thailand's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday withdrew an invitation to Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo to visit the country and suspended an exchange program of civil servants following Thaksin's meeting with a top Singaporean official.

 

Thaksin planned to stay in Japan for about a week, according to public broadcaster NHK.