Thai PM begins new regime in exile

The Australian ^ | 9/21/06 | Richard Lloyd Parry, David Brown and Richard Beeston

[correctthought]

Thai PM begins new regime in exile Richard Lloyd Parry, David Brown and Richard Beeston September 21, 2006 THAILAND'S deposed Prime Minister began a new life as a political refugee in London last night, where he started to rally supporters and took the first steps towards establishing a government in exile. As the leader of the military coup tightened his grip over the country and announced that a new Prime Minister would be appointed in two weeks’ time, Thaksin Shinawatra touched down at Gatwick from New York.

He was accompanied by several aides and was expected to be joined by Kanthathi Suphamongkhon, his Foreign Minister. The arrival of the billionaire businessman-turned-politician put the British Government in an embarrassing position. It said that Mr Thaksin was welcome here as a private visitor, but pointedly refused to endorse his return to power. “It is not for us to say that he should be reinstalled,” Margaret Beckett, the Foreign Secretary, said. “We have called for a return to democratic government.” Mr Thaksin has close personal and business interests in Britain and is a frequent visitor to London, where he recently brought a luxury home. It is believed that he will be reunited there with his wife, who left Thailand on Tuesday, and their two daughters and son.

British officials said that there was a tacit agreement with the new Thai military authorities to allow the ousted Prime Minister to remain in London, but that could change if he attempts to rebuild his power base and launch a political comeback from Britain. “There is the intriguing possibility that he could be considering a government in exile,” Jason Abbott, a specialist in South-East Asian politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London

[Hoosier-Daddy]

The Thai version of "While You Were Out".

[Cringing Negativism Network]

Can he maybe, move to Caracas?

[killjoy]

took the first steps towards establishing a government in exile.

ROTFLMAO. This is the reason this ass is out of power. His ego got the best of him. He still doesn't get it.

[Zhang Fei]

Key passages:

Bangkok is vulnerable to outside pressure, however. Yesterday the White House said that it was “disappointed in the coup” and demanded that democracy be reinstated. Washington also gave warning that bilateral relations, including important commercial ties, could be damaged. Britain, Australia and other trading partners issued similar calls.

In Thailand, opinions were mixed. A poll of 2,000 Thais indicated that four out of five supported the coup, although conversation on the streets of Bangkok suggested that many people were troubled by the events of the past 24 hours.

“I think Thaksin did many good things, as well as bad,” said Preecha Suksai, 50, a taxi driver. “Before, I had to pay money to gangsters in the taxi queue and drugs were rampant in my village. Now that’s all over.”

“I’m wearing a yellow shirt to show the soldiers that we are on the same side,” said Sunny, a retired government official. “But I’m also worrying about our country's image in the West.

“It’s like we are going backward to the undemocratic period, although this is the softest coup I have known.”

I have to wonder whether Thailand is going the way of Burma or the Philippines. Neither example inspires much confidence.

[Zhang Fei]

Key passages:

Bangkok is vulnerable to outside pressure, however. Yesterday the White House said that it was “disappointed in the coup” and demanded that democracy be reinstated. Washington also gave warning that bilateral relations, including important commercial ties, could be damaged. Britain, Australia and other trading partners issued similar calls.

In Thailand, opinions were mixed. A poll of 2,000 Thais indicated that four out of five supported the coup, although conversation on the streets of Bangkok suggested that many people were troubled by the events of the past 24 hours.

“I think Thaksin did many good things, as well as bad,” said Preecha Suksai, 50, a taxi driver. “Before, I had to pay money to gangsters in the taxi queue and drugs were rampant in my village. Now that’s all over.”

“I’m wearing a yellow shirt to show the soldiers that we are on the same side,” said Sunny, a retired government official. “But I’m also worrying about our country's image in the West.

“It’s like we are going backward to the undemocratic period, although this is the softest coup I have known.”

I have to wonder whether Thailand is going the way of Burma or the Philippines. Neither example inspires much confidence.