Criminal Wanted: Thaksin and Pojamarn

LONDON -Tuesday's violent anti-government protests in Bangkok may be putting some long-distance pressure on Thailand's former prime minister, the telecommunications tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra, as he weighs his options far away from home in London.

Although it was unclear on Tuesday whether Shinawatra had taken any steps to obtain political asylum in Great Britain, after fleeing corruption charges in Thailand earlier this month with his wife, it is clear that the former leader's critics are getting intensely agitated by the perceived lack of urgency in hauling him back before the Thai courts.

Thousands of Thais took to the streets on Tuesday, storming the current government's compound and seizing a state television station. Reportedly brandishing pistols, knives and golf clubs, these rioters were tied to the pro-royalist and pro-military group known as the People's Alliance for Democracy--the very same group that organized a protest outside the British Embassy in Bangkok last week, demanding Shinawatra's extradition.

Although Shinawatra may very well try to claim that these riots demonstrate a credible threat to his life, enough to boost his chances of getting asylum at least, it is unlikely that this will be enough to avoid the pressure of lengthy extradition proceedings.

"When you are extradited, you aren't just thrown onto the streets in Thailand at the hands of the mob," said Colin Passmore, senior litigation partner at law firm Simmons & Simmons. "You are put in control of the judicial authorities. The real issue would be whether he gets a fair trial."

If Shinawatra is to be believed, a fair trial in Thailand is out of the question--he said as much when he fled the country, adding that he also feared for his family's safety. But this will not stop the Thai government from building a case to extradite Shinawatra if it so chooses, and protesters could pile the pressure on until then.

A spokesperson for the British interior ministry refused to confirm whether an extradition application had been filed or whether Shinawatra had applied for political asylum. A spokesman for Manchester City soccer team, which Shinawatra owns, said the Thai billionaire was still going through his available options with his lawyers.

On Monday, Thai prosecutors ordered the seizure of $2.2 billion in cash and assets from Shinawatra, in a bid to back up allegations of corruption and wrongdoing during the former leader's five-year premiership.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/markets/2008/08/26/thaksin-shinawatra-thailand-markets-face-cx_ll_0826autofacescan01.html

By Daniel Ten Kate and Rattaphol Onsanit

Aug. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Thai prosecutors charged former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra with abusing his power, seeking to confiscate $2.2 billion of assets that were frozen after a 2006 coup.

``The court should seize Thaksin's assets as he earned unusual wealth from a conflict of interest,'' Sakesun Bangsomboon, director-general of the Department of Special Litigation, said today. The attorney general's office used a truck to transfer 240,000 pages of legal documents to the court.

The charges add to three cases already accepted by the Supreme Court in Bangkok against Thaksin, who fled into exile earlier this month claiming the judiciary is corrupt. Thai officials have said they may revoke the billionaire's passport and seek his extradition from England, where he owns Manchester City football club.

Before entering politics, Thaksin, 59, won one of two mobile-phone concessions, and was awarded an exclusive satellite franchise. In 1994, when he was appointed foreign minister in a coalition government, Thaksin and his wife disclosed assets worth $2.4 billion. He formed his own party in 1998 and became prime minister in 2001.

``There is no justifiable reason to claim that he and his family are unusually wealthy,'' Pongthep Thepkanjana, a spokesman for Thaksin, said by phone today. ``These are all assets he had before he became prime minister.''

Shin Corp. Sale

In June 2007, an army-appointed investigative body froze most of the proceeds from his family's sale of its stake in telecommunications firm Shin Corp. to Singapore's state-run Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd. for 73 billion baht ($2.1 billion).

During Thaksin's tenure as prime minister between February 2001 and September 2006, Shin Corp. shares rose 48 percent to 31 baht. Thailand's benchmark SET Index more than doubled to 703 points during that time. Thaksin's family sold its stake in Shin on Jan. 23, 2006.

Shin controls Advanced Info Service Pcl, the country's biggest mobile phone company. Its shares doubled to 93 baht while Thaksin was prime minister, in line with the benchmark index. During the same period, Total Access Communication Pcl, Thailand's second-largest mobile phone company and listed on the Singapore Exchange, increased 27 percent.

Since the coup that deposed Thaksin, Shin shares declined 23 percent to 24 baht, and Advanced Info shares dropped 5 percent to 88 baht. Total Access shares increased 44 percent to $1.24 in that time, while the SET Index fell 3.5 percent.

Thaksin's Wife Sentenced

Thaksin's wife, Pojamarn Shinawatra, was sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion last month, the first conviction against a member of his family. Eleven days later the couple claimed the cases against them were politically motivated and fled into exile, prompting the Supreme Court to issue arrest warrants.

Thaksin currently faces three separate trials, with prosecutors accusing him of abusing his power to help his wife buy a large land plot in Bangkok, authorizing a loan to Myanmar that allegedly benefited his family's former company and allowing his government to approve a state lottery in 2003.

The Supreme Court plans to rule on the land case on Sept. 17, the first decision dealing directly with Thaksin in any of the pending litigation.

Source: Thai Prosecutors Charge Thaksin, May Seize $2 Billion (Update1)

A random survey of Thais in the UK conducted by PATCHARIN WONGSATIEN failed to turn up much support for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's plea for political asylum.

Nike, president of the Thai Festival Organisation:

'I quite understand why they did it. If you're in that position, being used to power and having all the money in the world, would you care to spend time in prison? I don't think so.

"I think they are good people, but they were unfortunate to have had bad advice. I mean, when they went back to Thailand from exile last time, they should have kept a low profile in politics. Personally I think they should stand trial in the Thai courts, but they decided that they had to flee because they could not get a guarantee or assurance that the court would grant them bail. Otherwise, I don't think they would have left and made themselves fugitives in another country.

"From my point of view, the possible outcome facing the family if they were to fight all the charges in the Thai courts is dim. Evidence against them is very strong.

Personally, I don't think it was right that they violated the bail conditions, but for them it's the right move. They have witnessed their lawyers being sent to jail, and also the three-year prison sentence for Khunying Potjaman was enough to convince the family that perhaps it was time to go."

Kampol Nirawan, former political activist during October 14, 1973

student uprising:

'I believe Thaksin's self-imposed exile has put him at a disadvantage. Firstly, he would in effect strip himself of a chance to fight in court because the trial will go ahead in absentia. Secondly, his assets in Thailand will be seized and he also risks having his assets here restrained by a court order since Thai and British police have reciprocal agreement to co-operate in a criminal offence."

Siriruk, a city worker:

'I don't think Thaksin and his wife should have been allowed to leave the country in the first place to go to China, especially when Khunying Potjaman was in effect a convicted prisoner and their court cases were still pending. Personally I think Mr Thaksin, as former leader of the country, showed no respect for the Thai constitution.

"It's utter nonsense what he claimed - that he would not get a fair trial in the Thai justice system and there was not any hard evidence against him and his family. Seeking political asylum here is an easy escape. But I do hope that the English courts would see through him and refuse his application, because he is not facing a death sentence at home nor is his life in danger. The family is very lucky because they are so rich, they can afford to do anything. But they should not be above the law. What I believe is that what goes around comes around. Perhaps they cannot buy their way out of what has come around this time."

Parn, a city worker:

'In my opinion, I don't think his claim that he could not trust the Thai justice system is justifiable. It's more of a case of political miscalculation. After all, his wife has been through the trial in Thailand and has received a jail sentence. I think Thaksin could see that he would face the same fate. That was why they decided to flee.

"As for whether or not he would seek political asylum here, I think at the end of the day he will get away with everything. Look at Rakesh Saksena (fugitive Thai bank adviser), for example. He was never brought back to face trial in Thailand. Having said that, I don't really think Thaksin will apply for asylum here."

Malisa Butterworth, a businesswoman:

'It would be ridiculous if Thaksin and his wife are allowed to claim political asylum here. The 1951 United Nations refugee convention states clearly that the claimant must have a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, belief, political opinion or belong to a particular social group. The question for Thaksin and his wife is: do they fit into any of these categories?

"He (Thaksin) argued that he chose the UK because democracy means more here. But people can see it that the court proceedings in Thailand are carried out under the strict rules of constitution. However, I wouldn't be surprised if he and his wife are allowed to live here. After all, many former world leaders who abused their own people and violated human rights in their countries, like Augusto Pinochet (late dictator of Chile), were welcomed to the UK. Still, I believe its not a bad thing that he left Thailand. At least it helps reduce political temperature and conflicts there."

Supa Korprakong, Home Office employee:

'I don't think Thaksin should be granted political asylum here. It's obvious that he and his wife are trying to run away from the punishment they deserve. If they don't believe in the Thai justice system, why did they go back last time? They did because they thought their friends in the government could help them. Now they know their friends could not help, so they left to spare themselves a jail sentence. It's simple. There is nothing to do with the fairness of our judicial system.

"I feel sorry for Thailand and poor people. The family is so rich but they never want to give anything back to society. When Thaksin was in power, his policy was always for short-term gain. They should look up to Bill Gates. He is rich but he is willing to do something good for others in the world. Unlike Thaksin, whose only interest is to grab as much as he can and who thinks about nothing else except creating his image. He is getting what he deserves."

Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/240808_Perspective/24Aug2008_pers13.php

BANGKOK, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Supreme Court Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions will hand down on Sept.17 a final verdict on a land purchase scandal against ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman, now fugitives in Britain, after concluding the hearings on Friday. Ex-prime minister Thaksin, who was ousted in a bloodless coup on Sept. 19, 2006, and his wife jumped bail and flew to Britain from Beijing after attending the Aug. 8 opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. They did not return to Thailand to appear at a court hearing on Aug. 11, and the court later on the day issued arrest warrants for them. Thaksin was charged with abuse of power by helping his wife purchase a plot of land in downtown Bangkok at a lower-than-market price of 772 million baht (26 million U.S. dollars) in a government auction in 2003, when he was still in office. After toppled in the 2006 coup, Thaksin, his family and close aides were brought to face various accusations and charges of corruption and abuse of power. Pojaman was convicted on July 31 on a separate case of tax evasion and released on bail. Both Thaksin and his wife have denied any wrongdoing in the land deal. The Supreme Court said it has asked the Attorney General as the plaintiff and the two defendants to attend or submit written documents to the Court within Sept. 10 for the case closure, and the final verdict will be handed down on Sept. 17, according to the Thai News Agency. After fleeing to Britain, Thaksin issued a statement saying he and his family faced "injustice" under the politically-interfered judicial system in the country. He has also said he would not return to defend himself in court, but he wanted his lawyers to continue carrying out their duties.

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/22/content_9618273.htm

BANGKOK (AFP) — Thousands of protesters clad in bright yellow marched through central Bangkok to the British embassy on Tuesday to demand the extradition of ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Chanting "Return Thaksin home" and waving banners reading "Most wanted criminals: Thaksin and (his wife) Pojaman", the noisy crowd blocked traffic in one of the capital's main shopping districts.

"We are coming here to submit a letter to the British government asking them to return Thaksin to receive justice in Thailand," Chamlong Srimuang, one of the protest leaders, told the crowd.

A representative of British ambassador Quinton Quayle received the letter from protest leaders, who have demanded a response within seven days.

Bangkok police special branch said that up to 7,000 protesters flooded the streets, while bystanders estimated the crowd to be at least 3,000-strong.

The protesters from the so-called People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) wore yellow T-shirts and headscarfs -- a show of allegiance to the king -- and carried signs in English and Thai.

"Thaksin is not a political refugee but a criminal evading an arrest warrant," one banner hoisted above the crowd read.

Thaksin and Pojaman skipped a required court appearance in a corruption case last Monday and instead fled to England, with Thaksin saying he believed political interference in Thailand would rob him of a fair trial on graft charges.

A warrant has been issued for his arrest, and the Thai attorney general's office has begun considering a possible bid to extradite Thaksin from Britain, where he owns the Premier League football club Manchester City.

Thaksin was overthrown in a coup in September 2006 and returned to Thailand in February this year after 18 months of self-imposed exile in England, vowing to fight the corruption charges.

But instead the cases mounted, and on July 31 his wife was convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to three years in jail.

The PAD has been holding street protests since May demanding the resignation of premier Samak Sundaravej, who was elected in December last year. They accuse Samak of being a puppet of his old ally Thaksin.

Source: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iXiC1ReNCMDh-y8zZJdChK7AuPeQ

Thousands of of protesters led by People Alliance for Democracy marched to the UK Embassy on Wireless Road in Bangkok on Tuesday morning to demand the country not to grant political asylum to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The protesters arrived at the embassy at about 10.30am. Police had to seal off roads in the area, including Wireless and Ploenchit roads.

PAD's leaders; Chamlong Srimuang, Sondhi Limthongkul and Somsak Kosaisuk, submitted a petition to the embassy's representative at about 11.10 am.

The protesters called on the British government not to grant a political asylum to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The petition said Thaksin's request for political asylum in Britain must be turned down.

"If Thaksin is not brought back to face the charges against him in Thai courts, it will further contribute to the political and democratic deadlock and undermine the capacity to transform the public realm," said the letter.

The UK was warned that if Thaksin's request is met, it will set terrible precedence for other rich, powerful, and non-democratic figures in Thailand as well as elsewhere to follow suit.

PAD's letter to the United Kingdom

His Excellency

Mr. Quinton Mark Quayle

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland to Thailand

Your Excellency,

With reference to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife, Khun Ying Pojaman Shinawatra, having jumped bail and fleeing to London last weekend and the subsequent arrest warrants issued by the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders for the above-mentioned fugitives, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) wishes to draw the British Government's attention to the following points:

1) On 14 August 2008, during a session in the House of Representatives, Mr. Tej Bunnag, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, was asked about the impact of Former Prime Minister Thaksin's statement on the image of Thailand's judiciary system. In response, Minister Tej read to the House an official statement by the Kingdom's Foreign Affairs Ministry on Thailand's judicial system saying that "the Thai judicial system's internal, meticulous, and democratic selection process for judges has garnered widespread acceptance and respect from Thai society for its professionalism, high ethical standards, and independence from outside interference. For these reasons, the Thai public has always had strong faith in the integrity and impartiality of the Thai judiciary and knows that it can be counted upon".

(Details of the Foreign Minister's answers are contained in the Press Release of the Department of Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attached herewith.)

2) The original meaning of "democracy" is not merely majority rule but the capacity to do things, especially the capacity to pursue change in the public realm. Through popular, legal, and sovereign measures Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was recently brought on trial.

Thaksin was charged with abusing his power as prime minister by securing insider deals on real-estate purchases for family members. This is the first time in Thai political history that a former prime minister was brought on trial.

No doubt, as part of the governed, we see it as a positive sign, especially in terms of the rule of law and the transformation of the public sphere based on accountability and equality.

It shows that crimes are of great consequences regardless of the perpetrator's identity.

Used to living in a world of fixed heirarchies and gross inequalities, Thaksin fled the indictment to London and is planning to seek asylum in Britain.

Thaksin's request for political asylum in Britain must be turned down. If Thaksin is not brought back to face the charges against him in Thai courts, it will further contribute to the political and democratic deadlock and undermine the capacity to transform the public realm.

If Thaksin's request is met, it will set terrible precedence for other rich, powerful, and non-democratic figures in Thailand as well as elsewhere to follow suit.

3) Given the long and amicable relations between the monarchies as well as the peoples of the two states and taking into consideration the importance of the rule of law and democratization in Thailand, the sensible step to take is to deny political asylum to the fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra, a move that would send the correct democratic message to Thailand and the rest of the world.

People's Alliance for Democracy

Source: http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/08/19/politics/politics_30080927.php

August 19th , 2008

His Excellency
Mr. Quinton Mark Quayle
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland to Thailand

Your Excellency,

With reference to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife, Khun Ying Pojaman Shinawatra, having jumped bail and fleeing to London last weekend and the subsequent arrest warrants issued by the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders for the above-mentioned fugitives, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) wishes to draw the British Government’s attention to the following points:

1) On 14 August 2008, during a session in the House of Representatives, Mr. Tej Bunnag, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, was asked about the impact of Former Prime Minister Thaksin’s statement on the image of Thailand’s judiciary system. In response, Minister Tej read to the House an official statement by the Kingdom’s Foreign Affairs Ministry on Thailand's judicial system saying that

“the Thai judicial system's internal, meticulous, and democratic selection process for judges has garnered widespread acceptance and respect from Thai society for its professionalism, high ethical standards, and independence from outside interference. For these reasons, the Thai public has always had strong faith in the integrity and impartiality of the Thai judiciary and knows that it can be counted upon”.

(Details of the Foreign Minister's answers are contained in the Press Release of the Department of Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attached herewith.)

2) The original meaning of “democracy” is not merely majority rule but the capacity to do things, especially the capacity to pursue change in the public realm. Through popular, legal, and sovereign measures Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was recently brought on trial.

Thaksin was charged with abusing his power as prime minister by securing insider deals on real-estate purchases for family members. This is the first time in Thai political history that a former prime minister was brought on trial.

No doubt, as part of the governed, we see it as a positive sign, especially in terms of the rule of law and the transformation of the public sphere based on accountability and equality.

It shows that crimes are of great consequences regardless of the perpetrator's identity.

Used to living in a world of fixed heirarchies and gross inequalities, Thaksin fled the indictment to London and is planning to seek asylum in Britain.

Thaksin's request for political asylum in Britain must be turned down. If Thaksin is not brought back to face the charges against him in Thai courts, it will further contribute to the political and democratic deadlock and undermine the capacity to transform the public realm.

If Thaksin's request is met, it will set terrible precedence for other rich, powerful, and non-democratic figures in Thailand as well as elsewhere to follow suit.

3) Given the long and amicable relations between the monarchies as well as the peoples of the two states and taking into consideration the importance of the rule of law and democratization in Thailand, the sensible step to take is to deny political asylum to the fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra, a move that would send the correct democratic message to Thailand and the rest of the world.

People's Alliance for Democracy

Inner city motorists face traffic chaos tomorrow when the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) plans to march to the British embassy.

The protesters will demand the British government reject any application for asylum by fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The rally will start in front of the CentralWorld shopping centre in Pathumwan and the protesters will march to the embassy on the corner of Withayu and Ploenchit roads.

Police deputy spokesman Pol Maj-Gen Surapol Thuanthong said yesterday about 450 police would patrol the rally.

He suggested motorists avoid the vicinity in the morning as the demonstration will disrupt traffic.

PAD co-leader Sondhi Limthongkul said Mr Thaksin should not be treated as an asylum seeker, but a fugitive fleeing the country ahead of criminal trials. The accusations against him were true, he insisted.

Mr Thaksin did not return after attending the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing on Aug 10, as he had promised the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions. Arrest warrants were then issued for Mr Thaksin and his wife Khunying Potjaman.

The two jumped bail in the Ratchadaphisek land trial, in which the former prime minister is accused of abusing his authority by facilitating his wife's purchase of 33 rai of land in Ratchadaphisek from the Bank of Thailand's Financial Institutions Development Fund five years ago.

Khunying Potjaman was found guilty of tax evasion on July 31 in another case by the Criminal Court, who sentenced her to three years in jail.

Mr Thaksin claimed his decision to flee to London from Thailand was due to concern that he would not receive fair trials due to interference in the Thai judicial system.

The PAD has urged the Office of the Attorney-General and the Foreign Ministry to take serious steps in seeking Mr Thaksin's return.

Mr Sondhi has demanded that the Foreign Ministry terminate both of Mr Thaksin's passports.

No move to cancel his diplomat passport has been made so far.

The government, however, cannot terminate the regular passport.

Tomorrow's planned PAD march has upset the People Power party (PPP).

PPP spokesman Kudep Saikrajang urged the anti-government group to respect the rights of Mr Thaksin and blamed Mr Sondhi for discrediting the former prime minister by posting copies of the arrest warrants against the couple on the internet.

Mr Kudep also criticised the national police office for posting copies of the arrest warrants against Mr Thaksin and Khunying Potjaman at police stations nationwide.

He said he wondered what motivated the police action against the former government leader.

Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/180808_News/18Aug2008_news10.php

As Manchester City threaten to descend into civil war, Goal.com's Will Wood takes a closer look at the City of Manchester club. Will Thaksin Shinawatra stay at the club, or will Mark Hughes be left to pick up the pieces of a flirtation with the big time?

Little over twelve months ago, former Thailand Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, completed the purchase of one of England’s so-called ‘sleeping giants’; a club steeped in history, but one that found itself aspiring to sit side-by-side with Tottenham Hotspur and Everton rather than Manchester United and Chelsea. That said, he was controversial, at least for a while. “Billionaire,” people then said, and with one word the allegations of human rights infringements seemed to evaporate quicker than an football agent’s payment.

Chequebook Out

“Champions League”, Shinawatra himself said, and so the turnstiles at the City of Manchester stadium began to turn. In came former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, greeted by the same fans that surely vilified him as the national side’s boss, but who believed that even the cumbersome Swede could find success with the masses of spending money on offer at Eastlands. Then entered the likes of Martin Petrov, Valeri Bojinov and Elano, most of whom were hardly the household names that billionaires in football are expected to buy, but many of which came with sufficient price-tags on their head to suggest they were far better options than the likes of Danny Mills and Paul Dickov.

Three straight wins in the Premier League, including the 1-0 defeat of arch-rivals Manchester United, saw a mass-eruption of belief that the blue half of Manchester could enjoy the kind of successes usually reserved for the boys from Salford. Shinawatra spoke of his desire to win the league and the Champions League within five years, Elano was starring as his value rose to £20 million – his decline over the proceeding months a symbol of the club's own demise, but that's yet to come – and Eriksson had been embraced to greater lengths than at any point in his England career.

Delicate

And yet it was all so delicate. As the cracks began to appear, and City secured just three league wins in January, February and March, Shinawatra refrained from unifying himself with his manager. Instead, he weakened the foundations of an already teetering campaign, refusing to clarify Eriksson’s position and instead citing the end of the season as the time for reflection. In other words, unless Eriksson miraculously turned round what looked remarkably like a sinking ship, the man that had appointed him just several months earlier would demonstrate the kind of impatience that makes Hearts’ Vladimir Romanov look nonchalant.

What ensued was one of the biggest farces in modern football as Shinawatra’s meagre attempts to have his cake and eat it backfired. Perhaps in the world of politics, where positions of power seem to come before dignity, Eriksson would have clung to his managerial hot-seat regardless of Shinawatra’s blatant thoughts for managerial change at the end of the season. Either way, Eriksson himself knew he was leaving, the club’s fans knew he was leaving and, most significant of all, the players knew he would be leaving.

At the risk of sounding ridiculous, my friendship with one particular City player allowed me an incredible insight into events at the club in the latter half of the season, and it is no wonder Richard Dunne, the captain and immensely popular figure, was close to joining Tottenham Hotspur upon the season’s end. While the 28-year old claimed earlier this week that City “won't be made weaker by business decisions,” he was speaking with his heart rather than his head. Nor is it any surprise that some of the younger, highly-rated players considered their future at the club as their tutor, Eriksson, was forced out by an owner whom they had shared little more than a greeting with spending less and less time in England.

Having already removed the well-respected chief executive, Alistair Mackintosh, and nullified Paul Tyrell, the director of communications, Shinawatra had free reign to mould his putty as he saw fit. City fans must have glanced south and towards Aston Villa, mouthing the words ‘what could have been’ as they saw a group of young, British players reminiscent of their own. While the likes of Ashley Young, Gabriel Abgonlahor and Nigel Reo-Coker helped Martin O’Neill’s side to sixth in the Premier League and developed what promises to be a new era at Villa Park, City’s own crop of promising youngsters, the likes of Joe Hart, Micah Richards, Stephen Ireland and Micahel Johnson, could only watch as their club collapsed around them.

Dramatic

This may all seem very dramatic. The club have, after all, appointed one of the countries most highly-rated managers in Mark Hughes, they finished eighth last term and they have recently completed the £20 million signing of Jô. Yet crucially, the lynchpin of it all, Thaksin, still finds himself in a precarious position with regards to charges of fraud from his homeland, predictably accompanied by numerous bids for extradition by the current Thai government. His wife, Potjaman, has already been convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to three years, though she remains out on bail. How can a flourishing tree grow when its very roots remain weak?

Central to the club’s plight this summer was the fact that, in a Peter Ridsdale-esque fashion, Shinawatra reportedly secured borrowings to purchase the club against the £800 million of money frozen by the Thai regime when he fled the country for Britain last summer. Confident that the money would eventually be released, the 59-year old allegedly took out high-interest loans that are now bringing the club and its owner to their knees as he struggles to finance the repayments without full access to his excessive fortune.

Part of the downfall of Leeds came about when the club decided to enlist the help of Ray Ranson’s company, Registered European Football Finance, to recruit players without incurring the transfer fees. It worked both ways, however, and while the players’ values rose, the club’s precarious finances could not be resolved through the sale of the same players who had been bought in the buy-to-let agreements. Incidentally, Ranson attempted to buy City prior to Shinawatra taking over -how things could have been much rosier had he done so!

You need only read Hughes' comments last week regarding communication at the club to get an insight into the turmoil each and every employee is facing. The last thing a new manager should be concerning themselves with is an undermining of their authority. Yet that is exactly what the disciplined and outspoken former Blackburn Rovers manager had to do as representatives of the owner attempted to conclude the sale of Vedran Corluka to Tottenham Hotspur and Stephen Ireland to Sunderland to ease the finances for at least a few months.

Mayhem

Amid all the mayhem, the new campaign got underway as City hosted FC Midtjylland in the UEFA Cup second-round qualifying round. All of City’s efforts from last season were invested in the tie, but an abysmal performance saw the visitors from Denmark walk away with a 1-0 win. Their manager spoke of poor fitness levels and early season jitters, but then they were hammered 4-2 by Aston Villa and all of a sudden the gaps in their squad and beyond have been further exposed.

Granted, three of the goals came courtesy of Abgonlahor’s sensational performance which included a stunning seven-minute hat-trick, but there was an ill-ease about City’s performance that suggested that there was more to the defeat than a lack of player conditioning. The game with West Ham United next weekend takes on an even greater significance, and it’s hard to imagine Hughes and Hammers manager Alan Curbishley’s post-match drink will be anything other than a sombre affair as both take heed of their respective positions. A loss for City would send them into the second-leg of their UEFA Cup tie, as well as domestic games away to Sunderland and at home to Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Chelsea, on minus confidence.

As Hughes and O’Neill shook hands in the aftermath of Sunday’s clash, you could not help but feel that in the current climate, it was a meeting of two clubs heading in opposite directions. While O’Neill enjoys the understated support of Randy Lerner, Hughes is left to pick up the debris of Shinawatra’s ongoing battle with his former nation. A sinking ship can be stabilised, but it requires all hands on deck and an experienced and committed captain, and it is the latter than should concern City fans.

Source:

"Poisoned trees, poisoned fruits.''

So said former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in his handwritten statement issued last week in London to inform the Thai judiciary and all his supporters that he would not come back in the near future to stand trial on the corruption and malfeasance charges brought against him by either the Office of the Attorney-General or the now defunct Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC).

Mr Thaksin, who is now a fugitive on the run since an arrest warrant was issued against him by the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders, did not elaborate on the message he intended to convey with the poisoned trees, poisoned fruits comment.

But it is widely understood that he meant the existing constitution, crafted by an assembly appointed by the military junta which ousted him from power two years ago, and the ASC are the poisoned fruit.

In the narrow mindset of the ex-premier, his cronies and members of the People Power party (PPP), certain provisions of the charter were drafted with the intention of clipping the wings of Mr Thaksin and going after his assets.

The charter and the ASC have been blamed for the misfortune befalling Mr Thaksin, his family and the PPP.

Which explains why his faithful followers in the PPP have persistently attempted to rewrite the charter to remove all these ''unfair'' provisions. The recent failed attempt by party members to amend a clause to ban street protests that were not first granted permission from authorities was apparently just a diversion to distract public attention away from other amendments.

But for Mr Thaksin's opponents, he was seen as the poisoned tree and the actual cause of all the political ills affecting the country for the past couple of years.

He was regarded as the unpredictable mutated product of the so-called People's Constitution, the 1997 charter which was thrown out by the junta.

Mr Thaksin and his cronies had taken full advantage of loopholes in the 1997 charter for their vested interests. They managed to dominate the House and the Senate through money politics and also managed to cripple the checks-and-balances mechanisms in the charter.

The former Election Commission, headed by Pol Gen Vassana Permlarp, for instance, was a complete farce and a sham. The Senate, which was supposed to maintain checks on the Thaksin regime, was useless.

Only the judiciary managed to escape Mr Thaksin's power grab and still remains independent from political interference.

The conviction of his wife, Khunying Potjaman, her half-brother Bannapot Damapong and private secretary Kanchana Honghern for tax evasion by the Criminal Court and the trial of Mr Thaksin by the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders on the Ratchadaphisek land scandal should testify to the judiciary's independence and its new role as a checks-and-balances mechanism against political abuses while the legislature has become dysfunctional.

Thus it came as no surprise Mr Thaksin picked the fight against the judiciary the day he escaped to London instead of returning home to stand trial on the land controversy.

In his statement, Mr Thaksin accused the judiciary of being biased against him and of adopting a double standard.

In a quick response, the court issued an arrest warrant for him and his wife.

Mr Thaksin could have laid low and avoided offending the judiciary with his self-serving criticism. Probably at the moment of desperation while he was writing his statement, he thought his day would come some day in the future that he would be coming back in a triumphant manner and deal with what he alleged was a biased justice system.

But for the time being, he has different status. That of a fugitive.

-----

Veera Prateepchaikul is Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Post Publishing Co Ltd.

Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/180808_News/18Aug2008_news24.php

"Everybody is laughing at us . . . again. But this is Manchester City, we'll still come here, 40,000 of us every week," insists one valiant club fan.

Owner Thaksin Shinawatra leaves the club in uncertain times

The words of this one City fan sum up the mood of the masses.

The start of a new season is meant to be a time for optimism among football fans, a few weeks when everybody can look to the future and hope.

But it's proving hard to find optimists here at the ticket office outside the City of Manchester Stadium.

Following this club has always been a rollercoaster ride - at the moment you get the impression the supporters just crave stability.

Billionaire chairman Thaksin Shinawatra is wanted in his home country of Thailand on charges of corruption and abuse of power, plus £800m of his assets have been frozen pending a verdict.

Speculation has surrounded the future of new manager Mark Hughes and there are whispers that star players like Vedran Corluka and Stephen Ireland could be leaving.

All in all, City fans feel they have every reason to be downcast as the new Premier League gets under way.

"It's the uncertainty that is getting to people," says Kevin Parker from the Man City Supporters Club.

"People are looking at the financial side of all this and worrying because you think of what happened to Leeds United.

"Look at them now, they're in a division we were in seven or eight years ago and we don't want to go back to that."

A top 10 finish and a place in the UEFA Cup wasn't enough to keep Sven Goran Eriksson in his job as City manager and his successor has been busy this week answering questions about the situation on and off the pitch.

I am very focused on what I aim to achieve here and that means success on the pitch.

Manchester City Manager Mark Hughes

"I had a meeting with all the players this week and the contents will remain private," Mark Hughes told reporters.

"Basically we needed to make the group aware that I'm in charge and will make decisions that will affect players."

Hughes added that every football club attracts its share of speculation and that he believes most of it is not grounded in fact.

What is fact is that an arrest warrant has been issued in Thailand for City's owner.

Mr Thaksin maintains the charges are politically motivated and an attempt to remove him from politics.

We'll soon find out what affect the coverage of his situation has had on City's players and their motivation.

Source: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Manchester-City-FC-Faces-A-Gloomy-Season-As-Thai-Owner-Facing-Arrest/Article/200808315079604

The anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) plans to march to the British embassy here on Tuesday to rebut critical remarks made by Thailand's fugitive ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra against the Thai judiciary system, a PAD core member said Saturday.

Pipop Thongchai, a core leader of the PAD, said the protest coalitions members and supporters would march from the Makkawan Bridge to the British Embassy with the purpose of explaining to the international community that charges made by Mr. Thaksin against the Thai judiciary system were untrue.

Mr. Pipop said he would also explain to the embassy that Mr. Thaksin, his wife Mrs. Pojaman and the ousted cabinet ministers are also facing charges pending in court.

Booted from office in a bloodless coup on Sept 19, 2006, multi-billionaire Thaksin and his wife flew from Beijing to London, bypassing a court date in Bangkok, after attending the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

They failed to appear on Monday at the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions to defend themselves against charges related to the Bangkok land scandal which occurred in 2003 while he was in power.

In a statement faxed to media outlets in Bangkok on Monday from London, Mr. Thaksin cited his personal safety concerns and interference in the judicial process by political forces set against him among the reasons for his fleeing Thailand.

The Court on Monday issued arrest warrants for the couple and also confiscated bail totaling Bt13 million (US$389,000).

Praising the Thai judicial system on the case, Mr. Pipop said more foreign investors are now hoping to invest in Thailand because they are gaining more confidence in doing business in this country.

He ehphasised that the planned march to the embassy in central Bangkok would be peaceful.

Meanwhile, national police chief Pol. Gen. Patcharawat Wongsuwan said he had ordered Bangkok police to be patient and provide security to the PAD members while the gather at the British embassy.

Gen. Patcharawat said concerned Thai government agencies are now trying to extradite Mr. Thaksin to face trial here and that there is no need for the PAD to pressure the agencies. (TNA)

Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=129695

It could only happen to Manchester City. Mark Hughes has been forced to distance himself from reports of an early exit from Eastlands as the club's erstwhile owner seeks political asylum in Guildford. The theatre of base comedy has plunged to a new low. Though few Blues will see the funny side, their despair giving way to wondering just how their club was allowed to collapse into this mess.

And they could ask what football's authorities did to stop it happening in the first place. The answer is very little indeed.When former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra bought the club last summer amid much fanfare, many observers wondered just how a man on corruption charges who has long been accused of human rights' abuses was allowed to take over a Premier League club.Surely safeguards against such a thing existed? Yet Dr Thaksin sailed past the 'fit and proper persons' test supposedly set down to any prospective owner by the Premier League.Tuesday saw Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore say that his organisation is monitoring the situation at City closely. A classic case of bolting the stable door after the horse has bolted. Too little too late. The damage looks likely to be already done.With Thaksin having fled Thailand rather than answer charges of corruption and fraud, his wife also skipping bail from appeal after being found guilty of similar charges, City's chances of gaining access to Thaksin's £800m fortune became just higher than zero.Reports suggest that Sven Goran Eriksson's heavy spending of last summer is still yet to be paid for, with much of the money owed to European banks.There are scant funds for new manager Hughes to spend as the transfer window creaks shut. Young stars Verdran Corluka and Stephen Ireland were put up for firesale only for Hughes to cling on to them as both seemed destined for the Eastlands exit.Hughes has described recent events as a 'difficult week'; typically understated from a former Blackburn and Wales boss who also bears the look of a bemused man. Hughes is a fighter and will keep fighting, that is his nature. If only the Premier League had shown a fraction of his determination in a fight to keep bad pennies out of the English game.Questions have been asked of several owners over the last few years; Roman Abramovich had his doubters on his arrival at Chelsea and Sacha Gaydamak's ownership of Portsmouth was under heavy suspicion. However, neither of these Russian émigrés faced criminal charges at the time of their purchase of their respective club.Thaksin was able to seize control of City, despite it being public knowledge that a major proportion of his assets were being impounded by Thailand's government. This may also have begged questions whether he truly possessed the assets to buy and then run a Premier League club.Players Alan Smith, Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer have been withdrawn from England duty in recent years when facing criminal charges. No such action on ownership was taken by a Premier League too happy to count the cash and congratulate itself on becoming a global brand.Some of those, including outgoing chairman John Wardle, who received the £81.6m Thaksin paid for the club are said have expressed regret at making the wrong decision. Rumours of unpaid solicitor's bills arising from the sale abound too.The depth of City's problems is yet to be fully revealed. By then, with Thaksin said to have placed the club in the hands of his children via shell companies, there may be little that the Premier League can do to change the situation. Those likely to suffer most are the club's fans and Hughes, who seems set to be denied the chance to take the step to a bigger club he stated as his desire on leaving Blackburn.As a result of their inaction on Thaksin's takeover, the Premier League may suffer further loss to a reputation already sullied by the '39th game' fiasco. It would only be fit and proper that it did.

Source: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=562509&sec=england&&cc=4716

The Supreme Court Friday refused to allow two lawyers of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra to withdraw themselves from the case.

The two lawyers, Khamnuan Chalopatham and Anek Khamchum, reasoned to the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions that their clients no longer wanted to use their service.

The two lawyers also asked the court to dismiss the case on ground that the defendants had fled aboard and were outside the court's jurisdiction.

But the court ordered the two lawyers to continue to represent the couple and refused to dismiss the case.

The court said the two defendants simply forfeited their right to fight the case.

The court also ordered the two lawyers to proceed with presenting testimonies of five defence witnesses to the court as initially scheduled.

Source: http://nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30080682

The warrant for Thaksin has the statue of limitations for 15 years and the one for Pojaman is enforced for 10 years.

The Supreme Court issued the warrants on Monday after Thaksin and Pojaman jumped bails and failed to report themselves on the Ratchadapisek land case.

As the two fugitives have fled to London, the next step for police is to coordinate with the Office of the Attorney General to initiate the extradition request, Police spokesman Lt General Watcharaphol Prasanratchakit said.

Meanwhile Wichit Plangsrikul, a lawyer of Thaksin said the Royal Thai Police's distribution of the warrants across the country could be deemed as an abuse against the couple.

"The move is not suitable and might have broken the law because they deliberately defamed them. The police might have broken the law. The police did not need to do that because Thaksin had said he and his family would live in the United Kingdom,'' he said.

Wichit said Thaksin was not yet a convict because he had not been convicted by any court so he did not believe that the Attorney General could take recourse the extradition treaty to bring Thaksin back.

He said Thaksin had not yet sought exile in the United Kingdom but if he did he would cite the interference in the judiciary and his personal safety as the reason.

Thaksin had instructed him and his lawyers to pursue the libels cases against those involved in put him on the trial on graft charges and fight on his behalf in those cases.

Source: http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/08/14/politics/politics_30080547.php

Thailand's Ministry of Foreign affairs have said that they were considering revoking the diplomatic passport of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who fled to Britain with his wife on Sunday, prompting the country’s Supreme Court to issue arrest warrants for them.

Thailand's Ministry of Foreign affairs have said that they were considering revoking the diplomatic passport of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who fled to Britain with his wife on Sunday, prompting the country’s Supreme Court to issue arrest warrants for them.

Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag said their supreme court must officially inform his ministry of Thaksin’s flight from the country amid a corruption probe, which would then begin the process of determining whether the billionaire’s diplomatic passport would be voided, the Thai News Agency reported.

Thaksin is known to have two passports, and the consequences of losing his official passport is likely to be little more than symbolic for the Manchester City owner.

According to the Thai News Agency, Bunnag said officials from his ministry would need to speak with the Thai embassy in London, as well as the British Home and Foreign Offices, regarding the possibility of extradition to Thailand.

A Thai foreign ministry official said they had not received any information as to whether Thaksin, and his wife, Khunying Pojaman, who is on bail after being sentenced on July 31 to three years in prison on tax evasion charges, would seek political asylum in Britain.

In a faxed statement to news outlets in Bangkok, Thaksin explained his weekend flight to Britain, saying he was forced to flee because his political foes were tinkering with the judicial system to get rid of him and his family.

Thaksin’s latest self-exile comes less than six months after his return to Thailand after a 2006 military coup that ousted him as Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, Bangkok’s supreme court is continuing with their probe into a corruption case against the Thaksins involving their purchase of prime Bangkok real estate in 2003. The purchase from the Bank of Thailand at a bargain price took place while Thaksin was Prime Minister. Thaksin and his wife deny any wrongdoing.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2548613/Thaksin-Shinawatra-could-face-deportation--Football.html

Fantasy football is fun but the reality is funnier. Nobody could make it up. A Premier League referee is suspended because he did not tell the authorities that, allegedly, he owes £60,000 yet the four leading clubs will kick off the season this weekend £2bn in debt and hardly shouting it from the rooftops.

There was a time when anyone could take over a football club without having to prove he could run a whelk stall, let alone a country. Who else but Manchester City could find themselves in the singular situation of being owned by a former prime minister of Thailand who has fled a corruption hearing back home, denying all charges and leaving behind £800m in frozen assets with no undersoil heating? Meanwhile Thaksin Shinawatra has been snapped shopping in Guildford, that notorious refuge for former Asian rulers on the run.

Before Thaksin turned up at City some of their supporters doubtless associated Thailand solely with Siamese cats and thought it was still being run by Yul Brynner. The Premier League has mumbled about waiting for the outcome of the Thaksin's trial in absentia before deciding whether he is a fit and proper person to be in charge at Eastlands. Either way, Richard Scudamore must be thanking his lucky stars that Robert Maxwell did not buy Manchester United while learning to float.

Football always did swim against the tide. As the country enters a period of financial restraint the Premier League has spent another summer tightroping it, like Blondin, across a financial Niagara Falls. Leaving aside the fanciful sums which clubs are said to be willing to pay - like the £78m Chelsea are apparently itching to spend on Kaka - the sums actually agreed still beggar belief.

Robbie Keane, for whom Liverpool have paid Tottenham £20.3m, is a proven striker but he is 28, had barely played Champions League football before Wednesday night, and will need to form an instant and prolific partnership with Fernando Torres to convince Anfield's arguing American owners that Rafael Benítez has not paid too much for too little.

Reports that Sir Alex Ferguson was considering bidding £20m to bring Thierry Henry to Manchester United from Barcelona may have been designed to gee up Dimitar Berbatov's move from Spurs. The notion of Ferguson parting with such a sum for the former Arsenal man, who will be 31 tomorrow and has had problems with sciatica, is indeed fantastic. Yet this is a world in which the English transfer record remains the £30.8m Chelsea paid Milan for Andriy Shevchenko two summers ago, since when the Ukrainian has shuttled between treatment room and bench while making only sporadic appearances in matches.

The usual noises are being made about football's extravagance at a time of economic hardship, but it was ever thus. At the beginning of the 1980s the nation was being told to tighten its belt yet Manchester City still spent £1.43m on Steve Daley and £1m on Kevin Reeves; these were then huge sums and to the majority of clubs below the top level, would be huge sums still. Garry Birtles, one of the sales of the century, moved from Nottingham Forest to Manchester United for £1.25m and came back two years later for £300,000. He cost United roughly £86,000 a goal.

Yet wages rather than transfer fees are the main drain on the modern game. Players are often accused of greed when they reject contracts which would bring them several times in a week what the average wage-earner gets in a year. But it is a bit like the world of film and pop stars, where vast sums are so regularly earned and spent that within these circles they become the norm. As footballers approach 30, moreover, they sense that their future earning power is limited so they go for as much as they can while they can. It is less a matter of greed than gut instinct.

Not that it is all about money even now. To play at the top level and win international caps players need to appear regularly in the Champions League. The likes of Berbatov and Gareth Barry know that however well they perform for Tottenham and Aston Villa, the chances of their making the Champions League while staying put are remote. Once they have reached their late 20s they have to make a move, which Barry will probably do eventually even though he cannot now play in the group stages of this season's Champions League having appeared for Villa in a Uefa Cup qualifier on Thursday.

This is what the polarisation of the Premier League has brought about. Manchester City, meanwhile, will be thinking more about a line from The King and I: 'He had a thousand dreams that won't come true . . .' And wake up in a cold sweat.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/aug/16/premierleague.manchestercity

The Premier League is facing an unprecedented trial of its fit and proper persons test after arrest warrants were issued for the Manchester City owner, Thaksin Shinawatra, in Thailand yesterday. His next step may be to apply for political asylum in Britain but, should he be convicted in Thailand in his absence, the Premier League would be prepared to reassess his suitability to own a club.

In what would be an unprecedented case the Premier League would take legal advice before making a decision that could result in Thaksin having to sell his stake in Manchester City. Whether the league would recognise a conviction in Thailand should Thaksin receive political asylum has yet to be determined. The league could yet be spared that difficulty if Thaksin elects to sell the club, although a City spokesman yesterday said the businessman has no such plans.

Under the fit and proper persons test "any director is automatically disqualified if convicted of one of a number of offences by a 'competent court' anywhere in the world". Thaksin is currently a "fit and proper" owner as he has not been convicted. He has denied the charges, claiming they were politically motivated.

Legal officials in Bangkok have confirmed the case against Thaksin will continue in his absence. The Thai authorities may also seek to extradite the billionaire and his wife unless they are granted political asylum. Two weeks ago Thaksin's wife, Pojaman, was sentenced to three years in jail for tax fraud but was granted bail.

Richard Scudamore, the Premier League chief executive, said: "If we feel the rule has been breached, we will invoke it. We will not turn a blind eye to issues of a serious nature. As always, we will take advice from the Home Office and the Foreign Office."

A court in Bangkok issued the warrants after the deposed Thai prime minister and his wife fled to Britain on Sunday rather than face corruption charges. They travelled to London from the Olympic opening ceremony in Beijing . Thaksin claimed "that there is a continuation of dictatorship in Thai politics ... which is followed by interference in the justice system".

Of more concern to City fans is the club's increasingly uncertain financial future. Thaksin is unable to release an estimated £800m in assets frozen by the Thai government in June last year and was seeking new investors in the club prior to his latest exile.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/aug/12/manchestercity.premierleague1

Source: http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=13846