Article

2006-09-20 Southeast Asia

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Posted by Fred 2006-09-20 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11128 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 I heard a rumor that the $1.9 BILLION (tax-free) that he pocketed from the sale of Shin telecom is still banked in Thailand. I suspect he'll have a real hard time accessing cash from a Manhattan hotel room! And I doubt he'll be very welcome back in Bangkok.... His best option right now is probably to start sucking up to Chavez, big time.

Posted by Scooter McGruder 2006-09-20 00:17|| 2006-09-20 00:17|| Front Page Top

#2 The 1.9 billion tax free was perfectly legal, the Thai SEC investigated and said so. The controversy is really about selling to foreigners (Singapore in this case).

FWIW I think this coup against a duly elected head of government is going to end badly.

Posted by phil_b 2006-09-20 01:21|| 2006-09-20 01:21|| Front Page Top

#3 Naw, the military coup is a staple of Thai politics. They've been overdue for one... and your average Thai on the street hates Thaksin (as you say, for selling to foreigners). The army chiefs apparently have the backing of the King, and that's all the legitimacy anyone needs in Thailand. It's fait accompli.

Posted by Scooter McGruder 2006-09-20 01:36|| 2006-09-20 01:36|| Front Page Top

#4 Thai on the street hates Thaksin

Guess that's why Thaksin won a landslide election victory in 2005 with more than 60% of votes cast.

Posted by phil_b 2006-09-20 04:50|| 2006-09-20 04:50|| Front Page Top

#5 Why are some being happily snarky about the government of a SE Asian country being handed over to an appeasement-minded Muslim?

Posted by JSU 2006-09-20 06:56|| 2006-09-20 06:56|| Front Page Top

#6 Phil, that was 2005. Have you talked to any Thais on the street lately? I have.

And by the way, Gen. Sondhi may be a Muslim, but he's no Islamist. He's got a record of being pretty heavy-handed in cracking down on the southern insurgents. He might actaully be a genuine moderate Muslim -- Thai first, Muslim second.

Posted by Scooter McGruder 2006-09-20 12:18|| 2006-09-20 12:18|| Front Page Top

#7 Coincidentally, I was in Thailand last week. Didn't come across any seething resentment of Thaksin. I know the urban elites don't like him, but they never did.

Posted by phil_b 2006-09-20 17:19|| 2006-09-20 17:19|| Front Page Top

#8 Ah well, when I was there two months ago I got an earful from a taxi driver and several street vendors (and I didn't bring up the subject). Khun put Thai mai?

Posted by Scooter McGruder 2006-09-20 17:50|| 2006-09-20 17:50|| Front Page Top

#9 Kahp, pohm poot nit noi. Chawp kohn Thai mahk mahk.

Posted by .com 2006-09-20 17:56|| 2006-09-20 17:56|| Front Page Top

#10 damn...he's regressing

:-)

Posted by Frank G 2006-09-20 18:40|| 2006-09-20 18:40|| Front Page Top

#11 LOL, Frank... Naw, not really, that just says:

"Yes, I speak a little. I like the Thai people very much."

Kowjai, farang? (Do you understand, you honkey-assed foreigner?) LOL.

Posted by .com 2006-09-20 18:46|| 2006-09-20 18:46|| Front Page Top

#12 I heard a rumor that the $1.9 BILLION (tax-free) that he pocketed from the sale of Shin telecom is still banked in Thailand. I suspect he'll have a real hard time accessing cash from a Manhattan hotel room! And I doubt he'll be very welcome back in Bangkok.... His best option right now is probably to start sucking up to Chavez, big time.

In that case he might be better off going back to Thailand and throwing himself on the mercy of the court.

Posted by Abdominal Snowman 2006-09-20 18:50|| 2006-09-20 18:50|| Front Page Top

#13 LOL - I figured as much - just wanted to yank the tiger's tail

Posted by Frank G 2006-09-20 19:05|| 2006-09-20 19:05|| Front Page Top

#14 Incorrigible tease!

Posted by .com 2006-09-20 19:09|| 2006-09-20 19:09|| Front Page Top

#15 From the Times: General Sondhi Boonyaratglin, is a broadminded Muslim who has favoured a policy of engagement with insurgents and become a hero of liberal Thais.

Otherwise, I agree with Zhang in the other thread. This is a anti-democratic, anti-modernizing coup that politicizes the monarchy.

Posted by phil_b 2006-09-20 19:12|| 2006-09-20 19:12|| Front Page Top

#16 Frand G & .com - Get a room. ;-p

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2006-09-20 19:23|| http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/page/15bk1/Home_Page.html]">[http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/page/15bk1/Home_Page.html] 2006-09-20 19:23|| Front Page Top

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