Stories tagged with prime
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Ex-Prime Minister gets a divorce
Ex-Prime Minister gets a divorce
Thaksin Shinawatra, the ousted Prime Minister of Thailand, received an official divorce from his wife, Pojaman, in Hong Kong. The move was reportedly in an effort to save family assets amidst the growing legal case against the former Prime Minister and his wife. The ex-prime minister was recently denied a return to England, where the family was living in exile after being sentenced to jail in Thailand.
Sources close to the family say that the divorce, made official at the Royal Thai Embassy in Hong Kong, was part of a strategy to help the family survive the upcoming trail on further corruption charges in the ex-prime ministers home country. A separation could help the family hold on to some of their assets.
Many of the assets have been kept on Pojaman’s name. With the official divorce, it is likely that the family will be able to keep some assets, even if Thaksin accrues further charges of corruption in a trial set for next month. It is still unknown if there is any political motivation behind the divorce.
"Thaksin and his wife remain very close, and they have grown even closer since their problems began in Thailand," one source said.
Posted by: Andrew on 16 Nov 2008, 10:50 -
Thai PM forced to flee ministry office
As protestors taunted him, threw plastic bottles, and in the ultimate Thai insult, hurled their dirty sandals at him, Thailand’s latest prime minister Somchai Wongsawat was forced to flee a mob of nearly 200 demonstrators who had gathered outside a government ministry office.
The protestors were demanding Somchai’s resignation just one day after the Thai high court convicted the country’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra of corruption charges while he ran the nation between 2001 and 2006. Thaksin, and his cronies, are reviled by the main anti-government group of protestors known as PAD, who claim his administration massively abused power while in office.
Security officials had to whisk Somchai, who is Thaksin’s brother-in-law, away from the building where he was going to speak to the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology. The demonstrators, many whom appeared to work for state phone company, were waiting when he arrived, shouting “murderer” as they swarmed the prime minister.
After holding his meeting inside the ministry building, a tensely smiling Somchai was helped by his security entourage make it through the angry crowd and into a waiting vehicle. But he had to endure a barrage of plastic bottles, hand clappers and dirty sandals to get there. Somchai is under severe pressure to resign, a move he has so far rejected.
Keep up with the latest developments at the Bangkok Post
Posted by: Andrew on 26 Oct 2008, 04:52 -
New Thai PM looks grim after meeting with king
After returning from a royal audience with HM the King at his summer residence in Hua Hin, Thailand’s newly appointed prime minster Somchai Wongsawat had a grim look on his face and little to say about the meeting. When asked by reporters if Somchai had been given any advice by the king, he elusively replied “I'm afraid I can't talk about that."
Rumors have been circulating lately that Somchai may try and dissolve parliament. This has left the ruling People Power Party MPs running around trying to determine if this was true. When asked what Somchai’s next move concerning government was, he simply replied “as long as I'm in this position, I have to keep working. I just can't stay idle.”
Somchai also confessed rather unconvincingly that he “can’t give up” the position of prime minister. After his meeting with HM the King, Somchai looked uptight and absent-minded when speaking with reporters. His comments and responses did not make him appear convincing that he knew what direction the present government was heading in, nor how he planned to guide it.
Somchai’s status has been shaky to say the least after the deadly clashes between police and PAD protestors. With the police seemingly at fault for using excessive force against the protestors, the clock may well be ticking down on Somchai’s brief term in office.
Stay abreast of the latest developments at The Bangkok Post
Posted by: Andrew on 14 Oct 2008, 14:50 -
Thailand’s new PM in trouble already
Following a popular trend in Thai politics to indict whoever is in charge of the government, the kingdom’s newest prime minister Somchai Wongsawat is now under investigation for violating the constitution. Thailand’s Election Commission is checking into Somchai’s involvement in the state-owned telecoms provider, CAT Telecom.
The investigation comes less than one month after the previous prime minister was forced to resign, and just a couple of weeks since Somchai assumed office. The Election Commission is concerned that the shares Somchai holds in Thailand’s CS LoxInfo PCL, an Internet provider, violates the constitution.
The constitution states that no member of Parliament may hold shares in a company that has business relations with a state enterprise. CS LoxInfo PCL has a contract with CAT Telecom, the country’s state-owned telecommunications service provider. If Somchai is found guilty, he would be kicked out of Parliament and thus be deposed as prime minister.
"I have no worries at all," Somchai told reporters, stating that he had done nothing illegal and was happy to defend himself in court if need be. The Election Commission’s probes typically take 30 days to reach a conclusion. Hopefully Somchai can get a bit of work done before his time is up.
Check out the Bangkok Post for the latest developments
Posted by: Andrew on 04 Oct 2008, 08:27 -
Thailand’s new PM is related to Thaksin
Like a bad rash that just go away, Thailand’s ruling PPP coalition has appointed Somchai Wongsawat, brother-in-law of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, as the country’s new prime minister. After receiving the support of his political party and the official endorsement of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Somchai was sworn in.
In a brief 5-minute speech to the public, Somchai called for national unity in these times of economic hardship and social strife. "We should compromise, forgive and have mercy for each other. We are facing other problems: people's lives are difficult because of economic problems and we are getting less foreign investment amid the failure of international companies," Somchai said.
The question is can he deliver the goods or will the stasis of the present government linger on. PAD anti-government, anti-Thaksin protestors have been camped out in the prime minister’s offices for 3 weeks as they try to remove the elected government run by the PPP. The PAD vowed immediately to continue their protests until the entire PPP party and its associates are removed from government.
Leaders in the PPP tried to reinstate the previous prime minister, Samak, just days after the constitutional courts forced him to step down, but opposition within the PPP boycotted the motion. Although Somchai is a respected public servant and former judge, it is still unnerving that he’s connected to the Thaksin family dynasty.
Posted by: Andrew on 21 Sep 2008, 11:27 -
Thai PM forced to step down
Thailand’s controversial Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his cabinet were forced to step down following the verdict of the Constitutional Court, which ruled that Samak had broken the Thai constitution by continuing to host his television cooking show while serving as PM.
Samak initially suggested that he would get his PPP party to reinstate him as PM within days, but divisions within the PPP have suddenly and surprisingly emerged helping make Samak’s decision to fade into the background much easier. While this is something of a victory for the anti-government PAD protestors, they have vowed to fight on even harder to finish off the current government.
The court’s ruling was broadcast live on radio and television, prompting cheers from much of the country. Samak’s cooking show, aptly named “Tasting and Complaining,” has been on the air for seven years and is very popular among Thais. But the Thai constitution states that the prime minister cannot undertake any other employment while in office. Samak said he would accept the ruling, bringing the first chapter of Thailand’s present political flux to an end.
In his defense, Samak said he only received compensation for the ingredients he used in his weekly show and transportations costs. Sakchai Khaewwaneesakul, the manager of the cooking show, said he paid Samak US$560 per show, a seemingly vast amount of baht for the ingredients used in Thai dishes.
Posted by: Andrew on 13 Sep 2008, 07:25 -
King endorses PM Samak
People Power Party leader Samak Sundaravej has been endorsed by His Majesty the King to officially become Thailand's 25th prime minister.
The royal endorsement comes a day after the former Bangkok governor was elected by House of Representatives on Monday.
Samak lead by 310 to 163 votes, easily beating Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, who was candidate of the lone opposition party.
Mr Samak later received a good luck tap on the head from a senior monk.
Phrakru Palad Sopit Chotikul, from Wat Arun Rajavararam (Temple of Dawn), also gave the new prime minister a Buddha statue and put a necklace around his neck bearing an amulet.
Thai and international media waited outside Mr Samak's home in Bangkok's Buengkum neighbourhood hoping for some interaction with the new PM, although he stayed in his house and had no plans to leave according to his aide.
More on Thailand
Posted by: Andrew on 29 Jan 2008, 15:20