tagged w/ Thaksin Shinawatra
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Protests continued in Thailand as protesters stormed a satellite station on Friday, breaching an army cordon and demanding officials lift censorship of their TV channel in the first major confrontation in a three-day state of emergency. Police and soldiers fired water cannon and tear gas in a failed attempt to disperse thousands of protesters who climbed over rolls of barbed wire and forced open the gate of the compound, defying an emergency decree and upping the ante in their broader push for fresh elections.
Thaicom, the company formerly owned by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has yielded to protesters demand for it to put the 'People channel' back on the air following the talks between the protest leader and authorities.Protests continued in Thailand as protesters stormed a satellite station on Friday,... more
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Thai protesters wearing red shirts broke onto the grounds of the country's Parliament Wednesday. They've been protesting for four weeks, calling on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, whose military-backed government is under mounting pressure to call elections. The demonstrators support ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The mostly rural movement has won new support from Bangkok's urban poor but has angered the middle class, many of whom regard the "red shirts" as misguided by Thaksin, a wealthy tycoon who fled into exile to avoid a jail term for graft.Thai protesters wearing red shirts broke onto the grounds of the country's... more
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Haiti Needs Bleaching Cream like Thailand Needs Thaksin
By RE Ausetkmt - POD313.COM
“Thailand is a compassionate nation,” said Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya - “We noticed in the news that the Haitians are all very dark-skinned. This is surely one of the reasons they are living in poverty. With lighter skin they could be more successful.” It is believed that the whitening cream can make the homeless, starving survivors of the earthquake look whiter and brighter in just 14 days, according to the Unilever brochure. It is hoped that by looking whiter, the Haitians might be able to secure more aid.
“White skin is the key to success in life, whether it’s job interviews, finding a mate, or being elected to office,” said Chulalongkorn sociology professor Urmkit Srisomwattanathip. “There’s no reason to believe this is any different".
When I read this I was so angry - I need to make sure this is factual before I expend anymore negative energy. if any one of my Thai vistors can confirm this Please Leave A Comment. I know he does not speak for all the Thai People, obviously. He is just a skrate fool. as far as Unilever I need to explore my cabinets and find out what won't be coming to my house anymore.
Unilever You Can Kiss My Money Goodbye
~RE Ausetkmt
http://www.bloglines.com/blog/POD313?id=12889
Thailand Donates 50,000 Bottles of Whitening Skin Cream To Hait
ihttp://www.notthenation.com/pages/news/getnews.php?id=861Abhisit hopes earthquake survivors will feel “more confident” with lighter, more radiant skin .
BANGKOK – Responding to international criticism that its initial donation of $20,000 was insufficient, the Thai government has generously added 50,000 bottles of whitening skin cream to its aid shipment to earthquake-stricken Haiti.
“Thailand is a compassionate nation,” said Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya - shown on your left. “We noticed in the news that the Haitians are all very dark-skinned. This is surely one of the reasons they are living in poverty. With lighter skin they could be more successful.”The donation is co-sponsored by Unilever Thailand Ltd., which has agreed to provide the 50,000 bottles of Citra Ultra White if the government provides shipping. Along with the whitening cream, there will also be 50,000 copies of Citra’s new brochure, explaining the power of Citra’s double-action anti-aging and brightening formula.“Citra Ultra White lets you look and feel your best,” said Marlene Van Houten, Unilever’s regional marketing director.
“Whether you’re standing in line for UN food shipments, or just sorting through the rubble of your devastated village, Citra Ultra White provides whiter skin and all-day UV protection.”The whitening cream represents the single-largest shipment of its kind ever to a disaster-zone. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said that the generosity of Thais was evident because so many people had encouraged the donation.“Everyone kept talking about how black-skinned the Haitians are,” he said. “At every discussion about aid, the skin color kept coming up.
I see now that the initial pledge of USD 20,000 was very low because in the back of our minds we knew that these black people needed something more than just money.”Many people interviewed for the story seemed to agree with the PM.“I donated some money to help the Chinese after the Sichuan earthquake,” said office worker Vasana Prasarnmit. “But these Haiti people are so dark I don’t want to give them anything. Maybe if they were lighter, like Obama.”
It is believed that the whitening cream can make the homeless, starving survivors of the earthquake look whiter and brighter in just 14 days, according to the Unilever brochure. It is hoped that by looking whiter, the Haitians might be able to secure more aid.
“White skin is the key to success in life, whether it’s job interviews, finding a mate, or being elected to office,” said Chulalongkorn sociology professor Urmkit Srisomwattanathip. “There’s no reason to believe this is any different.
”The Haitian government has tentatively accepted the donation, but has surprisingly appealed for more non-whitening aid.“We have nothing,” said a local Haitian aid worker with the UN. “We need shelter, food, clean water. There are hundreds of children dying every day from dysentery. Please help us. For god’s sake, wake up and see the suffering.”
http://www.notthenation.com/pages/news/getnews.php?id=861Haiti Needs Bleaching Cream like Thailand Needs Thaksin
By RE Ausetkmt - POD313.COM... more
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"PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – A Thai man went on trial Tuesday for allegedly spying on Thailand's former prime minister while he was in Cambodia as a guest of the government, a case that threatens to worsen a diplomatic feud between the two nations.
The trial in the capital of Phnom Penh follows Cambodia's decision last month to name former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra its special economic adviser. The appointment and Thaksin's subsequent visit to Cambodia angered the government in Bangkok and resulted in a recall of ambassadors from both sides.
Thai national Siwarak Chothipong, an employee of the Cambodia Air Traffic Service, which manages flights in the country, was accused of stealing Thaksin's flight schedule before his Nov. 10 arrival and sending it to the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh.
Thaksin stayed five days, getting red-carpet treatment as he talked to Cambodian economists.
Siwarak, 31, was arrested Nov. 12 and charged with stealing information that could impact national security. If found guilty, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Siwarak acknowledged in Municipal Court that he saw the flight schedule and passed the details on to Thai embassy First Secretary Kamrob Palawatwichai who was later expelled from the country. But he denied stealing the document."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091208/ap_on_re_as/as_cambodia_thailand_2;_ylt=ArNQtJuamEd9l4zQ4nJfIjP9xg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTE2M2xrZWJxBHBvcwMxBHNlYwN5bi1yLWItbGVmdARzbGsDZXYtYWxsZWdlZHRo"PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – A Thai man went on trial Tuesday for allegedly... more
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Thailand's fugitive ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrived Tuesday in Cambodia following his appointment as economic adviser to the government, fueling tensions between the neighboring countries.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he would seek Thaksin's extradition and announced that his Cabinet had approved ending talks with Phnom Penh on disputed maritime borders.
The toppled leader was to deliver a lecture Thursday to more than 300 economists while in Phnom Penh.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Thaksin flew into the Cambodian capital's military airport aboard a private plane. State televison showed that Thaksin arrived with a party of less than 10 people and was driven into Phnom Penh under very tight security provided by bodyguards of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Thaksin's surprising appointment by Hun Sen has soured already poor relations between the two neighbors, which have had small but sometimes deadly skirmishes over their land border in the past year.
Thailand responded to the appointment by withdrawing its ambassador from Phnom Penh, and Cambodia retaliated in kind.
Abhisit said that if Cambodia did not extradite Thaksin, Thailand "will be ready with the proper response." He did not elaborate.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gT1tc_XLj6vFWTIJ4YxCIcjDB-qgD9BSH6G00Thailand's fugitive ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrived Tuesday in... more
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There was hope that this stand off would soon come to an end but it now seems that the protesters have yet again got one up on the police. Around 2000 Peoples Alliance for Democracy (PAD) forced 150 police officers to retreat 1km away from their barricade.
They are trying to oust Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat,through direct action, they claim that he is a pawn of Thaksin Shinawatra, the Prime Minister ousted by a military coup in 2006.
It seems there is popular support for the government and the protesters so how will this situation end?There was hope that this stand off would soon come to an end but it now seems that the... more
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Thailand's political crisis is growing. The Constitutional Court has forced Prime Minister Samak Simdaravej to resign and no obvious replacement is in sight.
Thailand's political crisis is growing. The Constitutional Court has forced Prime... more
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Thailand's beleaguered Prime Minister, Samak Sundaravej, has said he will not resign despite mounting pressure.
In a radio address to the nation, he said he would not bow to the demands of anti-government protesters.
On Tuesday Mr Samak imposed a state of emergency in Bangkok after his supporters and opponents clashed in the capital, leaving one person dead.
Protesters say the government is a front for Thaksin Shinawatra - the former prime minister, now in exile.
"I am not resigning," Mr Samak said, adding that he had a popular mandate to govern.
"These people want the government to quit, but how could I do that if the entire world is watching? It would be embarrassing to do so," he said.
He would not dissolve parliament, he said, adding that he would stay "to preserve democracy and to protect the monarchy".
Mr Samak's comments came shortly after the Thai foreign minister, Tej Bunnag, who was a close adviser to the king, had offered his resignation.
Thailand's beleaguered Prime Minister, Samak Sundaravej, has said he will not... more
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Thailand's Supreme Court issued arrest warrants Monday for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife after they fled to England rather than face court cases in Thailand.The Supreme Court for political office holders ordered the warrants and seized 13 million baht ($389,222) in bail deposited by the billionaire former first couple who missed a scheduled appearance before the court Monday after spending the weekend in Beijing to attend the Olympics.'I have decided to live in England,' Thaksin said in a hand-written statement he sent to Thai television stations to explain his failure to return to Thailand.Thaksin will presumably seek political asylum in England where he owns the Manchester City football club and several properties.In his statement, Thaksin claimed that his court cases were part of a campaign by his political enemies to keep him out of politics.'What has happened to me and my family is the fruit of a poisoned tree,' said Thaksin, who argued that his political enemies had biased the investigations into corruption charges against him in the aftermath of his overthrow by a military coup on Sept 19, 2006.Thaksin and his wife Pojaman flew to London Sunday night from Beijing where they had attended the opening ceremony of the Olympics Friday.The Supreme Court July 29 granted Thaksin and Pojaman permission to travel to Beijing on the stipulation that they returned to Thailand Monday to stand trial later this week in the Ratchadaphist land case, in which the couple stand accused of abusing power in a land purchase deal in 2003 when Thaksin was still prime minister.The couple had booked return tickets on Thai Airways International (THAI) flight 615 Sunday night but never boarded the plane.Thaksin faces at least four corruption and abuse of power cases from his controversial premiership while his wife was sentenced to three years in prison on a tax evasion charge July 31. She had appealed the verdict.Thaksin was prime minister for two terms from 2001 until Sept 19, 2006, when he was toppled by a military coup on charges of corruption, dividing the nation and undermining democracy and the monarchy.The Shinawatra's three children - son Panthongtae and daughters Pinthongta and Paethongtan - departed Bangkok for London Saturday.Political observers viewed Thaksin's decision to seek asylum abroad as the end of his political career.'His political career is effectively finished in the event that he seeks asylum or goes in to exile because if the court cases go against him he will be a fugitive,' said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies (ISIS) at Chulalongkorn University.Although he is closely allied to the People Power Party, that leads the current government, Thaksin's political clout has not protected him from the Thai judiciary which is pressing several cases against the former first couple and has already sentenced his wife to jail.Thaksin was in self-exile, mostly in London, for more than a year after the coup and only returned to Thailand in February to face several corruption charges.In 2007 he purchased the Manchester City football club.A former policeman who became a billionaire telecommunications' tycoon, Thaksin came to power on a populist platform in 2001.He remains one of Thailand's most popular, and controversial, political figures.Thailand's Supreme Court issued arrest warrants Monday for former prime minister... more
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Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is on the run from the law. So, too, is his wife, Pojaman. They have fled to London rather than face a corruption trial in this country’s Supreme Court.
And in an attempt to portray himself and his wife as victims, Thaksin issued a statement from the British capital on Monday, saying they had sought exile because their political enemies were interfering with the justice system and were out ‘’to finish myself and my family.’’
‘’What has happened to me is like a poisoned fruit that came from a poisoned tree,’’ the 59-year-old, who led the country from January 2001-September 2006, said in a hand-written statement faxed to local media organisations. ‘’These individuals see me as a political enemy. They have no consideration to judicial system, truth and legal principle.’’
‘’My family and I have been continuously treated unjustly,’’ added the man who was a billionaire telecommunication tycoon before being elected to his first term as prime minister. ‘’I ask that all my supporters remain with me a bit longer.’’
The flight of the Shinawatras, the most powerful political family in the country, marks a dramatic about-turn to the promises they made to the public after returning home barely six months ago after spending 18 months in exile. Thaksin announced that he would fight the slew of corruption cases brought against him and his wife in the courts.
All the corruption cases that the Shinawatras face were the result of investigations by a special commission appointed by a military junta that staged a coup in September 2006, driving the twice-elected Thaksin from power. These include an alleged corrupt land deal in Bangkok, for which Thaksin and Pojaman were to appear in the Supreme Court on Monday morning.
During his five years as Thailand’s leader, Thaksin was not known for respecting the truth, justice and fairness that he now wants for himself and his family. He gained notoriety for applying pressure and intimidating his critics, ignoring the law and violating human rights. Among flagrant violations was a ‘’war on drugs’’ that he launched to rid the country of its narcotics networks, where 2,500 people were killed in an orgy of death, many of them innocent civilians.
The new realities the Shinawatras faced in Thai courts was brought home on Jul. 31. That day, a criminal court convicted Pojaman, her adopted brother, Bhanapot Damapong, and her secretary, Kanchana Honghern, of tax fraud. Pojaman was sentenced to three years in jail.
Since then, there was growing speculation that the Shinawatras would flee. The permission that the Supreme Court granted to the former premier and his wife to leave the country last week to visit Japan and then attend the Beijing Olympics added to that view. The Shinawatras’ flight from justice was confirmed Sunday evening when they failed to board a Bangkok-bound plane from the Chinese capital.
‘’Their escape will not stop the case from proceeding. The court will try them in absentia. That is what happens in corruption cases,’’ says Somchai Homlaor, a human rights lawyer. ‘’Thaksin has no reasonable grounds to say that the trial will not be fair. His wife’s case proved it.’’
It is also bound to create a diplomatic issue between Thailand and Britain, because there is an extradition agreement between the two countries that still remains in effect, Somchai explained in an interview. ‘’It is now the duty of the public prosecutor to extradite Thaksin under that extradition treaty.’’
But analysts doubt that Bangkok would pursue such a measure since the current coalition government, led by the People Power Party (PPP), is closely linked to Thaksin. He only returned to the country after the PPP and its junior partners triumphed at the December elections, ending 16 months of rule by a military-backed government.
**continues, click link to read**Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is on the run from the law. So, too, is... more
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Ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has said he will not return to Thailand from the UK.
In a statement released to the Thai media, Mr Thaksin said he and his wife would remain in the UK, "where democracy is more important". Mr Thaksin is on bail over corruption charges but failed to make a scheduled Bangkok court appearance on Monday. Thailand's Supreme Court has now issued an arrest warrant for the billionaire, who owns Manchester City football club. Mr Thaksin says the charges are politically motivated and an attempt to remove him from politics.
The former leader had been due to return to the Thai capital on Sunday after a court allowed him to attend the Olympic Games opening in Beijing.
He and his wife - who is on bail pending an appeal after she was jailed for three years for tax fraud - were to appear before the Supreme Court in a case involving the allegedly unlawful purchase of land. Instead Mr Thaksin issued a statement announcing his decision not to return home. "What happened to me and my family and my close relations resulted from efforts to get rid of me from politics," he said in the hand-written statement.
"These are my political enemies. They don't care about the rule of law, facts or internationally recognised due process." Mr Thaksin apologised to the Thai people for his decision to live in the UK, where his daughter is attending university and where he owns several properties, as well as the Manchester City football club.
(continued at link)Ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has said he will not return to Thailand... more
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Deposed Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra returned Thursday from 17 months in exile to face corruption charges, saying he hopes to restore his reputation. Police took him into custody but a court quickly granted bail, officials said.
Thousands of supporters — many dancing, beating drums and singing — gathered at Suvarnabhumi International Airport for his arrival aboard a Thai Airways flight from Hong Kong.
Thaksin had tears in his eyes as emerged faced supporters. He knelt and touched the ground with his forehead, hands clapsed together in the Thai greeting.Deposed Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra returned Thursday from 17 months in... more
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