Thaksin 'carries 6 passports'

News » Politics

Thaksin 'carries 6 passports'

Published: 22/05/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Thaksin Shinawatra is now carrying six passports issued by foreign countries, Puea Thai MP chief Chalerm Yubamrung says.

Mr Chalerm recently visited the former prime minister in Dubai but was unable to give details of which countries had issued Thaksin with the passports.

Nicaragua reportedly issued Thaksin with a diplomatic passport when he was selected to promote the country's trade and investment.

Thaksin may also have obtained a passport from Montenegro. Mr Chalerm yesterday confirmed Thaksin planned to buy an island off the Montenegrin coast in the Adriatic Sea.

Mr Chalerm said his trip to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) focused on business opportunities. No political issues were raised with Thaksin, he said.

Thaksin often travelled from place to place in a helicopter he bought from the owner of the luxury Harrods store in London, Mr Chalerm said.

The former prime minister is living in exile after fleeing the country while awaiting trial on charges of abuse of power while in office over the Ratchadaphisek land deal.

Thaksin is reportedly based in Dubai where he has major business interests.

The government has tried to restrict his movements by cancelling his Thai passport.

Mr Chalerm insisted he had no idea if Jakrapob Penkair, a co-leader of the anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), was staying with Thaksin.

Mr Jakrapob fled Thailand after the Songkran riots to escape charges that he and his fellow UDD leaders had instigated violence.

Meanwhile, Pol Maj Gen Visanu Prasartthong-osod, chief of the Royal Thai Police Office's foreign affairs division, said the latest checks had found Thaksin had entered the UAE and there was no evidence he had left again. If he had left, he might have done so using a different name.

The foreign affairs division has asked Interpol's UAE branch to check if Thaksin has travelled under another name.Pol Maj Gen Visanu believed Thaksin was still in the UAE, using it as a base to contact his supporters in Thailand.

He said his division had yet to translate copies of Thaksin's interviews with foreign media considered to be defamatory to the monarchy.

Keep this article in your social bookmark:

Latest stories in this category:

Share your thoughts

For more candid, lengthy, conversational and open discussion between one another, use our Forum

Report objectionable comments click here. Include: discussion #, commenter name, comment date / time as it looks on the page. Example: discussion 15: 09/01/2009 at 10:00 AM.

LOBO13

Discussion 14 : 25/05/2009 at 05:31 PM14
Oh Da Passports from 3rd world countries that do not count all of there budgets and land put together is less than Texas.
also he can not accualy go tho these countries there not safe for anyone. in this world or Political corruption you can by anything.
let me put another way if a nucular boom droped on each of these countries and demolished everthing it would have caused 30 Bath in total Damages.
Nong Anne

Discussion 13 : 25/05/2009 at 03:50 PM13
For one fact, we all loved Thaksin for so many years when Thailand was booming and when he could pay back the debt created by the Democrats. So what is all this crying about?

For fact he and his family was not poor when he became PM first time. For fact he did see the needs of the poor because he's from the north and before we had another PM from Ampoe Phrao Suan Ligpai and he did good for the country as well. When things goes wrong it comes from PM's that does not come from the poorer areas of Thailand so if you want change, choose a PM from Issan next time and then at least Issan will be OK for a while.

Thaksin is a person and does not have a heart made of stone, but some her are really throwing stones on him like if they were any better. Is that what Buddhism or your parents have thought you? What a shame... For me Thaksin is a hero..
Outsider

Discussion 12 : 25/05/2009 at 04:10 AM12
Can anyone guarantee that any leader in this world is not corrupted, if they are not corrupted and desperate for more power and money. Why be a leader and have authority? I don't mind to have a corrupted leader who care for the poor. The percentage of poor is more then the riches, and that show that he is willingly to help the majority poor people.That's why most IISAN people supported him. Those who hate him are just because they can't get anything out of him or either blind followers.
jira

Discussion 11 : 24/05/2009 at 09:04 PM11
I believe the government isn't actually doing much, as abisit realized the priorities. I think the press is just finding things to write about. Nice going BP.
Papaya

Discussion 10 : 23/05/2009 at 04:00 AM10
sure, he has passports from Nicaragua, Somali,
Kenia, Burundy, Kaiman-Islandsand, and Ghana.
Whitebread

Discussion 9 : 22/05/2009 at 06:45 PM9
If only the Thai gov put this much effort and focus into actually helping the country move forward. The country is in a horrible shape you don't have time for this useless drama. Its like a little kid crying over spoil milk. Forget about Thaksin move on.
Ananpur

Discussion 8 : 22/05/2009 at 02:32 PM8
*** A number of Pheu Thai MPs have reportedly plans to travel to Dubai by next Thursday to convince ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra to withdrawal his support for MP Somchai Phaetprasert from Nakhon Ratchasima as the new party leader.***
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
This I found in another Thai/English newspaper.
Does anyone need more proof that Taksin is still
pulling the threads in Thailand. That indeed he ist still running the country. The law- the government- the finances- the press.
That everything the people in Thailand are being served is 'wishful Thinking'.

+ some naive joker is trying to solve the riddle why in heavens name he (taksin) can not be caught.

AMUZING THAILAND indeed
skippy

Discussion 7 : 22/05/2009 at 12:46 PM7
Did he also wear a monocle and have a furry white cat on his lap? was he protected by leggy female guards wearing track suits? i fear he has sinister plans to take over the world.
BangkokDan

Discussion 6 : 22/05/2009 at 10:21 AM6
I love this kind of fact-checking journalism.

The average range of a helicopter is about 300 kilometers.

He's traveling in a helicopter? So much for Mr. Chalerm grasp of what's going on.
khris

Discussion 5 : 22/05/2009 at 09:52 AM5
The only problem for Thaksin is Earths gravitational force. Otherwise he does not have any problem.

There is plenty of papermoney specially in Dubai, a city made of plastic trees.

Its very easy to buy, Helicopters and jets when the seed money is not his money.

This is the true case of a senile paper billionaire old man on the loose.
An Indiana Jones.

1 2 Next Last

Thaksin 'carries 6 passports'