Thaksin picks up the tab

Former PM announces launch of his radio station over lunch in Bangkok

Thaksin Shinawatra chatted with his supporters over lunch in Bangkok yesterday. The fugitive former PM treated 200 of his fans, most of them wearing red, to a meal at T Phochana Dong Moon Lek Noodle restaurant on Rama VII road, where he spoke to them via a video link.


Tweets directed Twitter users who couldn't make it to the live broadcast at www.ustream.tv/channel/thaksinlive.


Supporters also talked to their host on mobile phones provided by red-shirt staff.


Thaksin organised the lunch date to promote his Internet radio station, scheduled for launch on September 1, saying he would use it to broadcast hope to Thais and talk about his experience and recipe for success.

Life saving's frozen


"If the government is not biased, it might see [my words] as food for thought," he said.


He also explained that his travel for business meant he would be phoning in his talks for the station's programmes. His recent trips to Africa, he said, were forced on him because his life's savings had been frozen. He complained that allegations of corruption against him suggested he had taken the government's money, while in fact the government had taken his money, adding that he was waiting for justice to take its course.


"Some of us were born to struggle. Sometimes karma means you have to fight. But [I] believe everything will be brighter soon. After this period I foresee paths to happiness," he said through the video link.


"Time to enjoy lunch," he continued. "If I keep talking, things will turn sad. Please enjoy your noodles and satay pork. Eat up! Jae Ta [shop owner], please fill everyone's plates!"

Twitter hacked


A few hours after the virtual get-together with his supporters, Thaksin announced a temporary halt to his posts on Twitter, claiming his account had been hacked.


"Somebody tried to get into my login," he said, responding to a comment posted under his user name, @thaksinlive, that read "@sugree has reached a stage of madness". The comment was later deleted. Twitter guru Sugree Phatanapherom denies all knowledge of the posting.

Source: The Nation

Thaksin confident he can return to Thailand in 6 months: Kwanchai

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is confident that he can return to Thailand in six months, Kwanchai Praiphana, chairman of the Udon Thani Loving Club, said Saturday.
Kwanchai said he met Thaksin in Dubai and he expressed the confidence that the political situation would change and the Democrat-led government would collapse so he would be able to return in six months.
Kwanchai said Thaksin also promised that he would return to serve the people by returning to politics.

Source: The Nation

Thaksin to launch 'Voice TV' network

Fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra has decided to spend more than Bt1 billion in setting up a global television network called "Voice TV", which will start airing from next month, a Pheu Thai Samut Prakan MP said yesterday.
During his phone-in on Sunday night, the birthday boy said he would launch television channels devoted to education, the poor and selling Otop products.
Pracha Prasopdee said the network will be linked to People's Station and MTV and can be viewed on the already existing http://www.voicetv.co.th/ website.
Though the MP refused to reveal which satellite will be used to broadcast Voice TV, he did say that the government would not be able to block its signal.
After having travelled to several countries to gather information, do feasible studies and to talk to businessmen, diplomats and academics over the past three months, Thaksin will be putting his plans in action next month, he said.
In fact, Pracha said, Thaksin might even host his own television programmes.
The Voice TV website, run under the motto "Voice of New Generation", broadcasts Thai and foreign news shows including latest updates on Thaksin and links to his speeches like his phone-in on Sunday to mark his 60th birthday.
Pracha said the website would focus on inspiring the new generation to express themselves and share their opinions, which would offer society new opportunities.
Pheu Thai Party's deputy leader Panpree Pahittanukorn said the party would be happy if the government helped materialise Thaksin's idea of launching three TV channels for Thai citizens because it would not require huge sums.
"We have proposed the idea, and if this government does not want it, it doesn't matter because when we take over we will make it part of the national agenda," he said.
The "big surprise" that Thaksin had promised was revealed on Sunday when he said he was planning to launch 100 TV stations that could be watched across the globe.
He said these TV stations would prove that his support for Thai citizens was still strong, and that three types of shows ready for kick off were related to selling Otop products, tutoring students and soliciting funds for the poor.

Source: The Nation

Thaksin - Thaksin celebrates his 60th with a ballad

Ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra phoned in yesterday to croon "I shall return" as a highlight of his birthday party steeped in religious symbolism at Kaew Fah Temple in Nonthaburi.
About 1,500 well-wishers showed up at the event, hyped up as replete with hi-tech wonders such as the beaming of Thaksin's hologram from Dubai, but it turned out to be low-keyed.While a slideshow featuring his formal presentation of robes to monks was projected on the screen, Thaksin started his phone-in by belting out the ballad about his fugitive life in exile."I thank you for attending my 60th birthday. May the boon from the merit-making ceremony bring you prosperity and happiness and I wish the merit made today will allow me to return home to serve you once again," he said.Thaksin's sister Yaowapha and her husband Somchai Wongsawat chaired the ceremony, with several political figures in attendance such as Deputy House Speaker Apiwan Wiriyachai, Pheu Thai MPs Udomdet Ratanasathien and Pracha Prasopdee, and Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit.The rite commenced with 10 monks chanting about overcoming bad karma. Full-sized images of Thaksin were posted in eight directions, with his supporters standing as guards. After the chanting ended, the pictures were pulled off and placed facing north, a symbol of victory.Later four monks presided over the ceremony designed to exorcise Thaksin from his bad karma.A senior monk and Somchai joined in wielding a sacred knife to cut loose thorny sala vines, called rakam or suffering in Thai, in a move supposed to signify liberating Thaksin from bad luck. Throughout the acts of religious symbolism, monks chanted under a black-tiered umbrella blessing the pictures depicting Thaksin shielded by blessed ropes.The monks also performed the ceremony of receipt of robes for the living as well as the dead. The entire ceremony involved 109 monks.After banishing Thaksin's bad karma, the monks proceeded to chant over face-up alms bowls, believed to lift the curse from face-down bowls reportedly laid by revered monk Luangta Mahabua.Following the religious rite, Somchai set cattle free as part of the merit-making. He also placed eight coins in each monk's alms bowl. Eight is believed to be a lucky number for Thaksin, who was born on a Tuesday.Some 5,000 motorcycle taxis provided free rides for well-wishers, participants and workers to the ceremony.Many people paid Bt100 for a set of offerings to be placed on a mock coffin, in a show of help for Thaksin to overcome his plight.As the ceremony drew to a close, the monks made holy water. People rushed to read the candle drippings floating on the water for winning lottery numbers.After Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in his weekly TV address reminded the birthday boy to come to terms with his fate so he could be happy, Thaksin posted a thank-you note on Twitter for the premier's birthday message.In several provinces around the country, birthday parties were organised by red-shirted supporters for Thaksin.In Sing Buri, Pheu Thai MP Payap Panket held a merit-making ceremony with nine monks.Payap set up a table for his constituents to endorse the petition to ask for a royal pardon for Thaksin.In Udon Thani, red-shirt co-leader Kwanchai Praipana gave alms to 102 monks to make merit for Thaksin.He asked about 1,000 well-wishers to sign a birthday card which he said he would personally deliver to Thaksin in Dubai.In Chiang Mai, red-shirt organisers held a religious ceremony to wish Thaksin a long life at Rong Tham Samakki Temple in San Kamphaeng district, his birthplace.In Chanthaburi, about 200 red shirts presented robes to monks as part of merit-making.Somchai said he wanted everyone to focus on the merit-making rather than superstition."The countering of bad karma is up to individual belief and should not be anticipated as a fix," he said.Thaksin's overcoming his problems was not dependent on the symbolic ceremony, he said.People could decide on their own what they wanted to do on Thaksin's behalf, he said, referring to the petition.The signature campaign was an expression of the people's feelings toward Thaksin, he said, adding that he had no opinion regarding the legality or appropriateness of seeking royal clemency.

Source: The Nation

Thailand-Now, the real "big surprise"

Follow the most talked-about "sae yid" (60th birthday celebration) of the decade as it happens.

We will do it the old-fashioned way _ I'll keep updating this space and you keep refreshing your page. I have both twitter and facebook accounts but for now will let Thaksin Shinawatra boom ahead using the two social network channels. He announced the twitter and facebook plans on Friday and it caused quite a stir in our newsroom. Good old Thaksin. Catch him if you can.

Preamble: Michael, I know you are resting in peace, but if by any chance talks about your memorial service being overhyped have annoyed you, point your critics toward Thailand. Rub it in their faces by asking "Have I ever held a birthday party like that you sorry nitpickers?"
If this whole intro makes me sound like a big nitpicker myself, sorry. It's true that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva launched his hi-5 account a few years ago and I didn't say a word. And there are the likes of President Obama when twitter is concerned. But trying to organise a birthday party of the century and promoting it this way three months after our close shave with a bloodbath? I guess we have the right to be a bit sceptical and anxious.
It is believed that Thaksin will use the occassion to repaint himself as a peaceful man now ready to forgive and forget. That's the only strategy left apparently, after the Songkran turmoil damaged his pretty fine image overseas. He became a tainted good, and a shrewd businessman like him always knows what to do with a tainted good. You don't throw it away. Just add a few new features and relaunch it.
Merit-making events will take place nationwide barring the South. What message he will convey to his supporters and how he will convey it have been a subject of speculation, thanks to his close aides' claims that there will be a "big surprise".
Rumours that he would appear in the form of a hologram have been dismissed but still persisted. We expect some kind of video footages of him making merits in Dubai to be shown one way or another to his supporters to make them feel he is "there" with them.
Events will take place in about a dozen provinces, starting in the morning. Focus will be on the Kaewfah Temple in Nonthaburi, the Uthai-tharam Temple on the Rama IX Road and a public venue in Roi-et. And just because the whole thing is about relaunching a political product doesn't mean it won't be superstitious. Religious ceremonies, according to news reports, include using a holy knife to "cut" or remove karma from Thaksin. I must have been a bad Buddhist because this is the first time I know we can do that.
So, a rumoured hologram and a holy knife will make Sunday quite interesting, if not "exciting" as promised on Thaksin's twitter. My update will start around 10 pm so please stay tuned.
In the meantime, I have compiled some speculations on what the "big surprise" will be. The link is here. http://http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/read.php?newsid=30108234&keyword=tulsat

Sunday, 10.10 am: Good morning everyone. Red-shirted members have been reported to rise up early in some provinces to give alms to monks. In Nakhon Panom, some 300 people took part in a solemn merit making insisting that they came together because of their love for Thaksin. Some 50,000 Nakhon Panom residents were said to have signed the pardon-Thaksin petition.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, in his weekly TV programme, said it was alright for Thaksin to hold such a large-scale "sae yid". "I guess he just wants to be happy," he said. Nice beginning, but then a little swipe. "If his eyes can see dhamma (Buddhist principles) now", Thaksin should know what to do, Abhisit said.
The prime minister woke up to some unpleasant news. His popularity rating, according to an Abac poll, is now one percentage point below Thaksin's (32.9 per cent against 34. It is quite a drop from March when the prime minister enjoyed more than 50 per cent rating whereas Thaksin's was barely above 20 per cent.
Still no more big news about the "big surprise", except that some of his aides claimed the thing would be so touching it would make you cry. Also, Thaksin is expected to heavily touch upon the government's "failure" in handling the swine flu.

On the superstition front, earth garthered from "all the eight directions" will be used in a ceremony to re-inforce Thaksin's stars. Is this against Buddhist teachings? No problem, a Buddhist monk in the province said, because this was a Brahmin ritual that had nothing to do with what Lord Buddha taught.
11 am: Meanwhile, Guinness World Records officials may have been invited to Chiang Mai because birthday organisers said they planned to break a world record on the number of cakes being brought to a birthday party. They plan to have 2,492 people bring one cake each, but it seems the auspicious number is in danger of being overwhelmed by other enthusiastic supporters who also want to bring their cakes. They want a piece of cake in the cake campaign, so to speak.
Reports are starting to come in from various provinces where Thaksin birthday celebrations are taking place. But morning activities have been mostly the same, with people giving alms to monks and performing basic Buddhist rituals. The Kaewfah Temple, hailed as the centre of celebration venue, has been crowded with red-shirted people.
Meanwhile, speculation that Thaksin would display humbleness as the big surprise has all but evaporated after his phone-in on Saturday. He vowed to come back to restore his reputation and "Thailand's dignity" which he said was destroyed by what happened to him over the past few years.
Thaksin is said to have been very touched by a song written for him, prompting new speculation that he would sing "I'll be back" for his supporters today as the big surprise. This matches the claims that the big surprise would be something so touching that tears will flow.
At a temple in Lampang, a "Ngai Baad" (To put an overturned monk's bowl back up) ceremony has been held. Since to overturn a monk's bowl (Kwam Baad) means to disown or boycott, the purpose of this ceremony is obvious.
12.10 pm: Former Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who is Thaksin's former brother-in-law, has joined the ceremonies at the Kaewfah Temple, where a "Ngai Baad" ritual has also taken place.
A lot of "Thaksins" are seen at the temple _ people wearing his masks, a human-sized cut-out of his photo, and a coffin bearing his picture. (Coffins are often used in "sadoh kroh" rituals to repel bad fortunes or turn them into good ones.)
Since private cars are not allowed to park inside the temple, red-shirted members have to park outside, causing quite a traffic nighmare around the venue.
More details on the Abac poll, Abhisit remains much more popular than Thaksin in the South and is still more popular in Bangkok. Thaksin, of course, scores big in the north and northeastern region. In his weekly TV programme, Abhisit said he was not worried by "democratic" competition to increase popularity, but he deplored attempts to block government politicians from many pro-Thaksin constituencies.
In Chiang Mai, rituals have taken place in several locations. One highlighted ritual was to "cut" or remove his karma.

3 pm: It's official now, or so it seems. The "big surprise" is Thaksin singing "I'll be back" in a video footage played out to his supporters at the Kaewfah Temple, who sang along.
Not much else happened when I got stuck in the rain and traffic. We have got hold of Thaksin's written birthday wishes. It was a short message written in his own handwriting. "If you ask me what I wish for on my birthday, I'll say I want to see national reconciliation and strong health and longevity for His Majesty the King," it said.
Thaksin is also known have twittered Abhisit, apparently in response to the latter's "If his eyes can see dhamma" statement. "I'd like to say big thanks and give you my full support for solving national problems. If there's anything I can do, I will be really pleased to help."
Well, I have to admit that both messages sound very nice indeed, which leaves us wondering why it still feels so miserable politically.
4 pm: I know many of you are dying to know the song's lyric and translation, so, here they are. (I did a quick translation, so please forgive any mistake). As to who composed it, we only know it was a "very well-known artist".

Source: The Nation