Thaksin Sinawatra visits Dawei deep-sea port in Myanmar

Thaksin visits Dawei deep-sea port

Published: 22 Mar 2013 at 11.05
Online news:

Deposed former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra visited Dawei in Myanmar on Thursday, reportedly to inspect the progress of the Dawei deep-sea port project.

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is greeted by well-wishers as he arrives for his birthday party in Hong Kong in this file photo from July 26. Mr Thaksin reportedly visited the site of the Dawei deep-sea port in Myanmar on Thursday. The government is expected to hold a 30% share in the project. (AFP photo)

A report by Myanmar-based Eleven Media said that Mr Thaksin and his entourage were welcomed by project development committee members at Dawei Airport after flying in by private jet from Yangon.

The deep-sea port will be built on a 25-square kilometre site that includes the coastal area of Dawei beach, a forest and an old oil palm plantation.

A special purpose vehicle (SPV) in Thailand was set up earlier this month to handle all project management after Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD) struggled for two years to get the project off the ground.

All investments in Dawei will be transferred to the SPV, in which the Thai and Myanmar governments would hold equal shares, expected to be 30% each.

Official details of Mr Thaksin’s visit, or the reason for it, have not been released.

Mr Thaksin is not the only notable former prime minister to visit Myanmar this week. Former British PM Tony Blair was reportedly the talk of the hotel when he was spotted striding through the lobby at the Governor’s Residence on Saturday in Yangon, according to the Express.

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whatajoke
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Discussion 11 : 23 Mar 2013 at 07.5111
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Two disgraced former prime ministers visiting Myanmar in the past week, i suppose its par for the course when there's a gold rush going on. I wish someone would quietly advise that country to choose its guests a bit more tactfully if it wants to be accepted n the world stage.
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leash72
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Discussion 10 : 23 Mar 2013 at 01.3110
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Howell...."he is well known to be thoroughly corrupt and for his complete lack of ethics, morals and honesty"

That could be well applied to Tony (The Truth" Blair. Strange that they were both in the same region.

Ooops!!
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ringmaster
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Discussion 9 : 22 Mar 2013 at 23.019
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So the Thai and Burmese governments each have a 30% share in the project. Who owns the other 40%?
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howell
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Discussion 8 : 22 Mar 2013 at 19.358
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Spot on dao. Investors will be put off by Thaksin's visit : he is well known to be thoroughly corrupt and for his complete lack of ethics, morals and honesty and his savvy understanding of economics 101 as seen in the rice pledging scam disaster.
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nitnoi
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Discussion 7 : 22 Mar 2013 at 19.257
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Tony Blair is an English ex PM. He finished his term as PM. The other man is different. Whose government hold the 30% share? If it is for Thai government it should have legitimated person represent the country, not the man on a run from the law.
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Victor
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Discussion 6 : 22 Mar 2013 at 19.246
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Special purpose vehicle (SPV)? How fast can it go?
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siamitude
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Discussion 5 : 22 Mar 2013 at 18.025
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Thaksin is making money... because unfortunately money is the only key that open the door of Thai political game.
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oldexp
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Discussion 4 : 22 Mar 2013 at 13.414
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.. reportedly to inspect the progress of the Dawei deep-sea port project.
Good business man checks where his money is.
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JustHuman
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Discussion 3 : 22 Mar 2013 at 12.163
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Just want to show that he is still very much in-charged and want nobody to doubt that! Also to tell everyone that he is using my own jet and own money to do the good jobs for the Country for Free. Lastly, to show that all the neighboring countries are his good friends, he can go in/out anytime he feels like it. So.... be your own judge!
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jacksprat
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Discussion 2 : 22 Mar 2013 at 12.032
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He always did get along well with the Burmese generals.
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