Guest fountainhall Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 Amidst all the conflicting news about the floods, this little item seems to have slipped under most radars - Kwanchai Priaphana, the chairman of Udon Thani Loving Club, said former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra would return to Thailand in December. "He will 100-per cent return to Thailand in December 2011 because he misses Thailand a lot and he wants to come back home," Kwanchai was quoted by INN news agency as saying. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Thaksin-to-definitely-return-in-December-Kwanchai-30168464.html Quite what the Udon Thani "Loving CLub" is, I have no idea. But Thaksin's return for his daughter's wedding has long been rumoured. At one time, it was thought the government would have had some sort of amnesty in place to enable that to happen, but the floods have presumably scuppered that idea.. Quite how a convicted felon can return and escape jail still eludes me. Although, of course, this it Thailand! Quote
pong Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 perhaps in a rubber boat with boots on and in a raincoat with some sandbags in his entourage to show off how dumb the Thai were to to let him in earlier? Oh no-that would make dear sister loose the face too much........... 2nd Try: he will politely explain to BKKians that that would be their expected fate becse they had the nerve to not vote for him..........You see; My hometown CMai was not flooeded-or at least not so much Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted October 25, 2011 Posted October 25, 2011 The Nation also has a report that he is "buying" a stack of water pumps from Korea which apparently will be delivered tomorrow. Two issues with that. 1. Why wait till now to buy these pumps when the crisis has been at hand for weeks? 2. Is he actually "paying" for them as the headline states? Or has he merely "ordered" them as the article states? If the latter, no doubt the government will end up paying the bill. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Kwanchai-Thaksin-buys-pumps-from-Korea-for-govt-to-30168463.html Sounds so like the Thaksin-inspired proposed purchase of Liverpool football club in 2004. Everyone thought he had said he would buy the club for the nation. Everyone, apart from Thaksin himself, who later was very clear in saying the government would pay for it it!! This is what The Guardian wrote at the time - His chief negotiator in the Liverpool deal, deputy commerce minister Pongsak Ruktapongpisal, speaks almost lyrically as he imagines the impact the Liverpool brand will have on his country. "In Thailand there are a lot of Liverpool fans, close to one million probably," he says. "So when we join up with Liverpool it will make many people alert to exercise and sport. It will point them in a better direction and protect them from drugs, especially people living up country in remote areas who might have nothing to do. It's good for them to play sports and so we chose one of the most famous teams to be our brand." Thaksin's spokesman, Jakrapob Penkair, who has also been involved in the discussions with Liverpool, says his boss is skilfully manipulating the Thai psyche. "Thailand is a country where most people are attracted by good things," he said. "They like to be associated with them. And Liverpool is exactly that. It is much more than just a team or a name. It is a management system, a symbol of gentlemanship [sic]." The ebullient Jakaprob says Thaksin believes such brand association is the way forward, particularly for developing countries seeking to build a more wide-ranging appeal. "I'm sure other countries will follow," he says. "It's just that Thailand is going for it faster than others." It is unclear how Thaksin will finance the purchase of Liverpool shares (and specifically whether Thai public money will be involved) http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2004/may/11/sport.comment1 Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose! Quote
