Thaksin Flees to Secret Location in Africa

[Gaybutton]

The following two stories appear in THE NATION:

_____

 

Thaksin Flies to Africa after his Passport was Revoked

 

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra defied Thai government last night by leaving Dubai hours after his passport was revoked.

 

Dubai-based 7Days newspaper reported that Thaksin has refused to accept that his passport is cancelled was due to fly to a secret location in Africa.

 

"The government can talk all they want but it's not going to stop us. Every Thai person is entitled to a passport and it cannot simply be revoked," a spokesman travelling with Thaksin said last night.

 

He said Thaksin was in very good form and relaxed. "He's not all that worried, he's really fine, given all that's going on right now," the spokesman said.

 

He talked to 7DAYS as Thaksin called for calm among thousands of his supporters involved in mass anti-government demonstrations.

 

"Basically, we cannot go into Thailand at the moment but he will travel on his passport to other countries.

 

"We are going somewhere in Africa, obviously I cannot say where," the spokesperson said, adding that Thaksin expected foreign governments to continue to accept his passport.

 

The revocation of Thaksin's passport stepped up the Thai government's campaign against the billionaire former prime minister, who now lives in Dubai's Emirates Hills.

 

He fled Thailand in 2006 after he was convicted of corruption charges and has claimed the trial was politically motivated.

 

This week the government placed new charges of incitement on Thaksin for allegedly stirring up the anti-government protests.

 

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has vowed to prosecute all leaders of the rallies, which largely disbanded on Tuesday after troops threatened to use force against thousands of demonstrators.

 

Government spokesman Panitan Wattana-yagorn said Thaksin's passport was withdrawn for inciting protests that forced the cancellation of a summit of Asian leaders on Saturday.

____________________

 

And this:

_____

 

Thaksin Holds Nicaraguan Passport

 

Published on April 16, 2009

 

Fugitive Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is a "special ambassador" for Nicaragua and holds a diplomatic passport issued by the Central American country, the Nicaragua government said on Wednesday.

 

Foreign media reported that Thaksin, who is convicted in absentia on corruption charges in Thai courts, received the passport after a February meeting with Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega.

 

The Thai government stripped Thaksin of his passport this week after finding him behind violent protets that resulted in the cancellation of an Asian summit in Pattaya.

 

The news reported that Ortega appointed him to help attract investment to the impoverished nation.

 

Pro-Thaksin protesters staged violent protests in Bangkok this week, forcing the Thai government to impose emergency laws. Their leaders halted the protest on Tuesday, claiming that they did not want the soldiers to crackdown on the protesters rallying at the Government House.

[Guest Astrrro]

"The government can talk all they want but it's not going to stop us. Every Thai person is entitled to a passport and it cannot simply be revoked," a spokesman travelling with Thaksin said last night.

He fled Thailand in 2006 after he was convicted of corruption charges

 

I though a passport was a privlege not a right. Being a convicted felon is good reason for passport revocation.

[atri1666]

Now he is a citizen of nicaragua with diplomatic passport. No need for him to be scared - money always opens doors.

[bkkguy]

Fugitive Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is a "special ambassador" for Nicaragua and holds a diplomatic passport issued by the Central American country, the Nicaragua government said on Wednesday.

 

perhaps he is giving them some hints on how to do a war on drugs?

 

bkkguy

[Guest]

I wonder if Thailand has an active secret service? Something along the lines of Mossad, although obviously not as effective.

 

If they are any good, Toxin should not be sleeping well.

[Guest fountainhall]

perhaps he is giving them some hints on how to do a war on drugs?

 

Or perhaps how to improve the profits from the drugs trade After all, he does need to replenish his coffers after feeding considerable cash to his red-shirt acolytes - so say nothing of the US$2 billion impounded here.

 

Despite his spokesman's seeming lack of concern, I reckon Thaksin has to be worried now. He openly called for a revolution which did not materialise. All the world witnessed that. He must know that whatever his wealth, he is going to become more and more of a pariah. Plus he is dragging his family down with him. For a proud and vain man, he must be intensely bitter.

[Gaybutton]

The following appears in THE NATION:

_____

 

Nicaraguan Party Queries Thaksin Move

 

Published on April 23, 2009

 

Nicaragua came up in the Thai press in late February when it was named as a country prepared to offer shelter to fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

 

But Nicaragua has not only given Thaksin special citizenship, the Central American state has also granted him a passport.

 

A picture of Thaksin shaking hands with a man believed to be Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega during a visit to the capital Managua was published by a local newspaper, and later released to international media outlets.

 

Sunisa Lertpakawat's second book, 'Thaksin Are You OK?', launched earlier this month, published the pictures of Thaksin with Ortega, and the ousted Thai PM with his Nicaraguan passport. Sunisa claimed she witnessed the incident herself in February while researching the book.

 

Late last year, small countries in the Atlantic and Africa were said to have offered the ex-PM safe-haven and similar roles. Thaksin claimed he had honorary citizenship or advisory positions for trade promotion.

 

Nicaragua was of interest to Thais as Thaksin was reported to have used his Nicaraguan passport to travel.

 

The Foreign Ministry revoked Thaksin's regular passport last week after he urged the red shirts to rise up against Abhisit government and the Asean summit venue in Pattaya was overrun.

 

While Thais were not sure initially whether Thaksin received another passport, the Nicaraguan government said it had granted the fugitive ex-PM a diplomatic passport.

 

Thaksin was to be accredited as an ambassador with a "special mission" to help bring in investment.

 

On Sunday, United Arab Emirates' Arabian Business reported that Thaksin had left the UAE for Nicaragua.

 

Thailand does not have an extradition agreement with Nicaragua, but the Thai government wants to try to negotiate an extradition treaty with the country.

 

At the same time, Nicaraguan media reported opposition MPs questioning what the country would get from Ortega's decision to support Thaksin. Some feared his move could be illegal.

 

Thai papers and news agencies reported that the Nicaraguan opposition party warned Ortega's government, after it granted Thaksin a diplomatic passport, that his position did not warrant such accreditation, even if there were plans to appoint him as an investment consultant for the country.

 

A report in the Nicaraguan press said Vice President Jaime Morales, who is responsible for overseas investor relations, did not have a close relationship with Thai ex-premier. However, Thaksin's appointment as a special ambassador for the country looked to have been recommended by one or more of Ortega's advisors, the media reported.

 

The report said the Nicaraguan government remained quiet about the issue, fearful that it could be lead to a conflict between the two countries.

 

Thais are also interested why Ortega opted to support Thaksin. Some Thai and Nicaraguan media reported that Ortega met Thaksin when he was Thai PM. The relationship allegedly started because Ortega said his country was interested in investment in telecommunication and energy.

 

When Ortega led Nicaragua in the 80s, the government seized property from the wealthy during the 1979 Sandinista revolution. He also led the country through civil war with anti-American and Marxism ideologies. But during his election campaign in 2006, he said he would support foreign investment as he wanted to fight poverty in his land.