Thaksin's assets seized

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-p ... 538013.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8538013.stm)

I don't think Toxin or his family will lay awake at night wondering where the next meal is going to come from............

I don't think Toxin or his family will lay awake at night wondering where the next meal is going to come from............

They've only seized about a Billion pounds. He has another one.

[Beachlover]

I don't think Toxin or his family will lay awake at night wondering where the next meal is going to come from............

No but they may decide to take a first class flight instead of a private jet now.

[Beachlover]

Heh.... some of these are just hilarious:

http://notthenation.com/pages/news/getnews.php?id=873

тАШNationтАЩ Seeks Font Size Big Enough For Final, Final Showdown To End All Showdowns Headline

BANGKOK тАУ Editors at тАШThe NationтАЩ were scrambling this morning to locate a font size bigger than any of the sizes previously used by the paper in the lead-up to FridayтАЩs assets verdict case.


Editor Thaong Kantong was furious when he was told that 108 was the largest font size available and had already been used on the front page 15 times in the previous 24 days.

Shouting across the newsroom, he ordered his graphic designers to find an even bigger font. тАЬWhat do you mean 108 is the limit?тАЭ he said. тАЬThis is much bigger than the 108 size font. There is no 110 or even 112? This is a huge story. I want the headline right across front page top to bottomтАжwhole headline. Can we run the paper horizontally?тАЭ

Asked what the headline would be for FridayтАЩs paper, Thanong said, тАЬIt will depend on the font size and how many letters we can fit but no matter what you will be able to read it from a 100 meters away.тАЭ

http://notthenation.com/pages/news/getnews.php?id=873

[Beachlover]

http://notthenation.com/pages/news/getnews.php?id=870

Thai Media Warns Of Thaksin-Less Doomsday For Journalism

Loss of assets would force reporters to find actual news, look up facts

BANGKOK тАУ The Thai Journalists Association warned today of an impending apocalypse in the local news media if the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions rules to seize all of former Prime Minister Thaksin ShinawatraтАЩs assets.

тАЬIf Thaksin no longer has any money, he will no longer be able to fund the Red Shirts. Without over-simplified, color-coded polarized politics to generate easy, sensationalist headlines, the journalism industry could suffer its worst crisis since the fall of the Thai Communist Party,тАЭ said ThaiRath editor Limpattamapanee Chavarong.

Additionally, the loss of ThaksinтАЩs money would severely curtail the ability for Thai journalists to randomly accuse him of having paid off every organization in the world that fails to parrot the conservative, royalist position of the mainstream Thai media.

тАЬWe could lose up to 75% of our content if itтАЩs no longer feasible to just say that the Economist, Wall Street Journal, Amnesty International, The World Court, the CIA, and the British Parliament are all on ThaksinтАЩs payroll,тАЭ said Thanong Khantong, editor of the Nation. тАЬI might actually have to start looking up facts. It would ruin me.тАЭ

Rumors have surfaced that newspapers and even television news programmes have already designed radical contingency plans to deal with the possibility of a Thakin-free Thai news apocalypse, including the firing of all senior editorial and reporting staff and replacing them with a younger generation of journalists trained in new technologies such as fact-checking and follow-up questioning.

тАЬIt would be a disaster for Thailand,тАЭ said an unnamed board member of the TJA. тАЬIt would effectively end Thai journalism as we know it.тАЭ

The Association has published an open letter to the Supreme Court, printed in its entirely today in several of the nationтАЩs leading dailies, urging the court to leave Thaksin at least some of his money, as an act of economic protectionism for the kingdomтАЩs vital pop-news industry.

тАЬWe remain as committed as ever to serving this great kingdom with the sensationalism of trivial details, speculation of absurd possibilities, and obfuscation of important issues,тАЭ the statement read in part.

тАЬAs the custodians of ThailandтАЩs cultural traditions of myopia, amnesia, and deference to wealth and rank, we humbly seek your extra-legal interference in the free market of ideas and ask you to help us preserve the harmony of brutal, unreported status quo. In return, we promise to opiate the masses with lottery numbers, nationalist paranoia, and soft celebrity gossip,тАЭ it concluded.

Representatives of the industry plan to rally outside the court on Friday, adjacent to the Red Shirts.

For once, weтАЩre on the same side as those filthy, ignorant, paid-off, terrorist republicans,тАЭ said Thanong. тАЬI donтАЩt know what IтАЩd do without them.тАЭ

http://notthenation.com/pages/news/getnews.php?id=870

[thrillbill]

lol-- I had to have my second cup of coffee to know the article above wasn't for real! (who puts this "newspaper" of sarcasm together?? (and has the time?) :dontknow:

lol-- I had to have my second cup of coffee to know the article above wasn't for real! (who puts this "newspaper" of sarcasm together?? (and has the time?) :dontknow:People who don't teach English illiteracy in Pattaya?

lol-- I had to have my second cup of coffee to know the article above wasn't for real! (who puts this "newspaper" of sarcasm together?? (and has the time?) :dontknow:


It's too well written to be the usual suspects here.

[Beachlover]

This one really had me laughing...

http://notthenation.com/pages/news/getnews.php?id=862


Green Day Concert Briefly Lets Bangkok Expats Pretend TheyтАЩre Not, Like, 40 Years Old


MUANG THONG THANI тАУ BangkokтАЩs aging, predominantely male population of foreign Gen-X expatriates were treated to a brief respite from their downwardly spiraling, nihilistically detatched lives through a live performance Tuesday night by US-based neo-punk band Green Day.

The concert, which lasted over two hours, featured loud renditions of the bandтАЩs biggest hits from their multi-platinum 1994 album Dookie, bringing back memories of past glories and long-lost feelings of optimism and energy associated with the youth of the audience members, who on average stopped being young around 1999.

тАЬThis is the best concert since the (Red Hot) Chili Peppers came in 2004,тАЭ said Josh Hrbek, a twice-divorced 41-year old tech support manager from Toronto. тАЬMakes me think of the summer after graduation, with my first girlfriendтАжтАЭ Hrbek than trailed off and stared into the distance, and began self-consciously picking at a sore on his lip. тАЬAnyway I hope they play тАШJARтАЩ. That song fucking rocks!тАЭ

Standing and dancing throughout most of the bandтАЩs set, thousands of near-middle aged men from the US, UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and western Europe sang along enthusiastically to mid-1990s hits like тАЬBasket Case,тАЭ тАЬLongview,тАЭ and тАЬWhen I Come Around,тАЭ shaking their fists and jumping as high as their sagging, alcohol-ravaged bodies would allow.

тАЬThese guys totally were the soundtrack of my senior year at Ohio State,тАЭ said Travis Mcnair, a 37-year old legal consultant and father of two. тАЬI feel like I could dance all night!тАЭ McNair then grabbed a chair for balance before taking a seat to catch his breath. тАЬI need a break now.тАЭ

Many of the high-spirited but out-of-shape attendees chose to take long smoking breaks while the band played new songs from its 2009 album 21st Century Breakdown, which none of the fans interviewed had actually heard yet.

тАЬDonтАЩt know the new stuff, but my girlfriend likes it,тАЭ said Calvin Fitz, a 40-year old dive instructor in Pattaya, referring to his 24-year old companion, Nat, who later told NTN that Fitz was not her boyfriend.
тАЬI didnтАЩt even know Green Day was still around, tell you the truth. But itтАЩs great. All my mates are here.тАЭ Fitz then proceeded to attempt to chat up a group of younger, trendily-dressed Thai university girls nearby, who edged away from him nervously.

Green Day, formed in 1987 by vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool, were pioneers of the California-based US punk revival of the mid-1990s, but suffered steady declines in sales as the band attempted to move forward to more mature and progressive styles of music with albums Nimrod and Warning. Despite a revival of the bandтАЩs fortunes with the politically-themed 2004 Grammy-winning album American Idiot, Green Day continues to get its biggest response when performing the melodic youth-pop from Dookie.

тАЬWeтАЩve moved on, really, but I guess a lot of our fans still like the old stuff,тАЭ said Armstrong. тАЬespecially in these Asian venues. ItтАЩs like 70% dudes in here, and I swear I recognize some of them from the Dookie tour in тАЩ95. Guess theyтАЩve been here a while.тАЭ

After a second encore and a prolonged standing ovation, the band exited the stage for good around 1 a.m. and the house lights brought harsh illumination to the exhausted, aching crowd of over-exerted mid-lifers now drenched in flop sweat. тАЬThat was awesome,тАЭ said McNair, while checking his mobile phone for missed calls from his wife. тАЬJustтАжawesome. Hold on, I have to make a call.тАЭ

тАЬHas anyone seen my girlfriend?тАЭ asked Fitz. When informed that she had left the concert half an hour earlier with some colleagues she had run into, he cursed and said he was going to Nana Plaza. тАЬGuess I should stop at home and change first,тАЭ he added, looking at his drenched t-shirt. тАЬSmelling like this I couldnтАЩt even buy love.тАЭ

Hrbek seemed the most enthusiastic of them all, continuing to hop up and down in front of his seat after the show was over. тАЬIтАЩm so pumped. I could go all night. WhoтАЩs up for something?тАЭ But after conferring with his friends about the after-hours pub options, Hrbek opted instead to go home and listen to his Smiths CDs alone in the dark.

http://notthenation.com/pages/news/getnews.php?id=862

[Beachlover]

http://notthenation.com/pages/news/getnews.php?id=874

Pojamon Insists Bt34 Billion Baht Earned By Paethongtan At McDonaldтАЩs

BANGKOK тАУ Just before the Supreme Court verdict on seizure of assets belonging to her ex-husband Thaksin Shinawatra, Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra told reporters today that all of her personal assets were the wages of her youngest daughter PaethongtanтАЩs 4-month stint working at McDonaldтАЩs in 2005.

тАЬPaethongtan worked very hard and saved all her earnings, and then gave them to me,тАЭ explained Pojamon. тАЬAt first I told her to keep it but she insisted she wanted to help me take care of the family. She is a very devoted daughter.тАЭ

According to court documents PojamanтАЩs net worth after her separation from Thaksin is about Bt34 billion. At current McDonaldтАЩs hourly wages it would require 156 years to earn that amount. Presented with these figures, Pojamon credited Paethongtan with having worked тАЬlots of overtime.тАЭ

http://notthenation.com/pages/news/getnews.php?id=874

There is no necessary relationship between these two facts so I'm sure it is sheer coincidence but the verdict on Thaksin's wealth may have given a fillip to some formerly bed-ridden patients of Bangkok hospitals, so much so that they're able to return home after stays of several months.

[Hmmm]

There is no necessary relationship between these two facts so I'm sure it is sheer coincidence but the verdict on Thaksin's wealth may have given a fillip to some formerly bed-ridden patients of Bangkok hospitals, so much so that they're able to return home after stays of several months.

I wasn't 100% sure of the exact meaning of that published report today. We may be simply talking about a short outing, after which there will be a return to hospital.

But the notion that hospitals are safer than elaborate residences is not so far-fetched. However there is some question as to what forces one might require protection from. The scurrilous suggestion has been made that problems may lie much closer to one's family (or in it).

I don't think Toxin or his family will lay awake at night wondering where the next meal is going to come from............

They've only seized about a Billion pounds. He has another one.

His family aren't going to get all the balance back, however, as they still owe a separate 12 billion baht to the taxman - when its all settled they will probably be worth about a twentieth of Thailand's richest family who also, according to Forbes magazine, made 99.9% of their wealth in one generation (but without Thaksin's obvious business interests).

His family aren't going to get all the balance back, however, as they still owe a separate 12 billion baht to the taxman - when its all settled they will probably be worth about a twentieth of Thailand's richest family who also, according to Forbes magazine, made 99.9% of their wealth in one generation (but without Thaksin's obvious business interests).

I am not sure what the latest figures are or how they compare to other third world countries, but sources have said that the wealth of Thailand is held by just 12% of the population!

His family aren't going to get all the balance back, however, as they still owe a separate 12 billion baht to the taxman - when its all settled they will probably be worth about a twentieth of Thailand's richest family who also, according to Forbes magazine, made 99.9% of their wealth in one generation (but without Thaksin's obvious business interests).

I am not sure what the latest figures are or how they compare to other third world countries, but sources have said that the wealth of Thailand is held by just 12% of the population!

And that goodness for that, right girls? I mean, how many 300 baht bj's do you think you'd be getting if the wealth were more evenly distributed here?

[Beachlover]

[quote="Gone Fishing":3tc6kae4]His family aren't going to get all the balance back, however, as they still owe a separate 12 billion baht to the taxman - when its all settled they will probably be worth about a twentieth of Thailand's richest family who also, according to Forbes magazine, made 99.9% of their wealth in one generation (but without Thaksin's obvious business interests).

I am not sure what the latest figures are or how they compare to other third world countries, but sources have said that the wealth of Thailand is held by just 12% of the population!

And that goodness for that, right girls? I mean, how many 300 baht bj's do you think you'd be getting if the wealth were more evenly distributed here?[/quote:3tc6kae4]

You mean "thank" goodness right, Arsehole? I mean Fuck Face. :blackeye:

I think many Thais have this "live in the moment" mentality and you don't tend to accumulate and grow your wealth in that mindset.

[cdnmatt]

I think many Thais have this "live in the moment" mentality and you don't tend to accumulate and grow your wealth in that mindset.

I think that's because (the majority of?) Thais are brought up, and taught that the heart is the most important thing. In the West, we're taught the mind is the most important thing, and logic and rational reasoning is the best way to go. We're taught to surpress our emotions and use our intellect, whereas Thais are taught to be more in-tune with their heart, and follow their emotions more.

At least, that's my new theory of the month.

[Beachlover]

I think many Thais have this "live in the moment" mentality and you don't tend to accumulate and grow your wealth in that mindset.

I think that's because (the majority of?) Thais are brought up, and taught that the heart is the most important thing. In the West, we're taught the mind is the most important thing, and logic and rational reasoning is the best way to go. We're taught to surpress our emotions and use our intellect, whereas Thais are taught to be more in-tune with their heart, and follow their emotions more.

At least, that's my new theory of the month.

Well, your last month's theory on Thai anger management is visibly at work now with the Red Shirts out and about lobbing grenades at Bangkok Bank branches. Perhaps it won't achieve anything at all but hey... it lets the steam off after that infuriating verdict huh?

Blah blah blah.

The fact is, that most of the boys who end up selling their asses are irresponsible and lazy.

Irresponsibility + laziness + poor education system + poor distribution of wealth = 300 baht bj's.

So, stop over-analyzing the situation and just sit back and, er, enjoy. Right girls?

[Beachlover]

I think that's because (the majority of?) Thais are brought up, and taught that the heart is the most important thing. In the West, we're taught the mind is the most important thing, and logic and rational reasoning is the best way to go. We're taught to surpress our emotions and use our intellect, whereas Thais are taught to be more in-tune with their heart, and follow their emotions more.

Hmmm... would explain my former BF's lunatic career decisions. Smart boy finished uni early... owned a little business, had some fantastic jobs and a terrific career lined up but kept chopping and changing. He's traveled to more countries than I have. Why did he come out to Australia? Because an astrologist told him his future wasn't in Thailand.

Talking about it he looks into my eyes and I know he can see I'm wondering how on Earth does he make these decisions and as if words aren't necessary he beams back at me with this content smile. He is very a much a follow your heart guy... I mean, I know Western guys who are the "follow your heart" types but he is in a totally different league to them LOL.

I guess this is part of getting to know and understand Thai boys.

[cdnmatt]

I mean, I know Western guys who are the "follow your heart" types but he is in a totally different league to them LOL.

Yeah, we're "follow your heart" too in a way, but we're not really taught to follow our hearts, if that makes any sense. We're taught to excel, and be the best you can be, not follow our hearts. We're taught rational, logical thinking is always the best way to go, and it's the way to achieve our dreams, even if it's not what we actually want to do.

It's just a Buddhist thing. With lots of Thais, what's inside your heart and soul is by FAR the most important aspect of life, regardless of rational and logical thinking. We're taught the other way around in the West. We're taught what's inside your mind is the most important thing, and the heart comes second.

In general, Thais will use emotion before intellect, whereas Westerners will use intellect before emotion. Definitely not always the case of course, but in general... just the way we're raised. Neither is good or bad, but just different.

I am not sure what the latest figures are or how they compare to other third world countries, but sources have said that the wealth of Thailand is held by just 12% of the population!

If your "sources" are correct (and I have to confess to some doubt, as I would have thought the figure was nearer 5% or less), then Thailand compares very favourably with the UK, for example, where according to HM Revenue and Customs (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=2) over 70% of the wealth is held by 10% of the population and the poorest 50% of the population own less than 7% of the country's wealth (less than 1% if you exclude housing) - and those figures exclude those resident overseas, with trust funds, properties in trust, etc. The figures for the USA compare even less favourably.

... and Thailand is not a "third world country".




because (the majority of?) Thais are brought up, and taught that the heart is the most important thing. In the West, we're taught the mind is the most important thing, and logic and rational reasoning is the best way to go. We're taught to surpress our emotions and use our intellect, whereas Thais are taught to be more in-tune with their heart, and follow their emotions more.
It's just a Buddhist thing. With lots of Thais, what's inside your heart and soul is by FAR the most important aspect of life, regardless of rational and logical thinking.

Sorry Matt, but your theory of the month is utter crap. Taught by who? Thais in general (and many Asians) suppress their emotions far more than most Westerners, and Buddhism has nothing to do with "what's inside your heart and soul". If you take the trouble to learn about Buddhism and ignore the trappings and animism it is one of the most "rational and logical" of all religions. What you and others see as "living in the moment" is simply "sanook" - and unless you understand what sanook means you are wasting your time trying to rationalize Thai behaviour.

(and by "sanook" I am not referring to the poster of that name!)

[cdnmatt]

GF, what the hell are you talking about? Buddhism is the most inward religion / spirituality in the world. There's no outside God to praise and worship, and basically the entire thing revolves around who you are as an individual, and who you are on the inside.

[Beachlover]

Sorry Matt, but your theory of the month is utter crap. Taught by who?

Oh here we go... drag out the scrolls and manuscripts. Son, fetch me ma abacus will ya. It's matt bashing time.

No one's trying to teach anything here. It's a friendly discussion. Alien concept to you, I know.

[Beachlover]

I mean, I know Western guys who are the "follow your heart" types but he is in a totally different league to them LOL.

Yeah, we're "follow your heart" too in a way, but we're not really taught to follow our hearts, if that makes any sense. We're taught to excel, and be the best you can be, not follow our hearts. We're taught rational, logical thinking is always the best way to go, and it's the way to achieve our dreams, even if it's not what we actually want to do.

It's just a Buddhist thing. With lots of Thais, what's inside your heart and soul is by FAR the most important aspect of life, regardless of rational and logical thinking. We're taught the other way around in the West. We're taught what's inside your mind is the most important thing, and the heart comes second.

In general, Thais will use emotion before intellect, whereas Westerners will use intellect before emotion. Definitely not always the case of course, but in general... just the way we're raised. Neither is good or bad, but just different.

Generally makes sense. Wouldn't apply to all Thais, obviously, and I don't think it's so much of a Buddhist thing, but it explains a lot.

If you take the trouble to learn about Buddhism and ignore the trappings and animism it is one of the most "rational and logical" of all religions.The theory version not Buddhism as it is practised. Look what's happened to my religion!

[Hmmm]

I am not sure what the latest figures are or how they compare to other third world countries, but sources have said that the wealth of Thailand is held by just 12% of the population!

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandal ... airs-fair/ (http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2009/12/16/fairs-fair/)

Pasuk Phongpaichit:
"We have known for sometime that the income distribution in Thailand is bad. Look at this comparison. Thailand is now one of the most unequal societies in terms of the income gap between the richest 20% and the poorest 20%. In countries, like Japan and Northern Europe which value equity, the gap is only 3 to 5 times. Elsewhere in Europe and N. America: 6 to 8 times. Among neighbors in Asia: 9-12 times. Thailand is in the range of 13-15 times.

Below Thailand there are only African states with civil wars, and Latin American countries with endemic populism.

WhatтАЩs more, over the last thirty years, our distribution has been getting worse, while our neighbors have got better.

Recently we have got the first information on the distribution of wealth тАУ assets like land, investments, and cash savings. The distribution is much, much worse than for income. The gap between the top 20% and the bottom 20% is 70 times."

Most excellent. The wider the better -- just like their legs.

Most excellent. The wider the better -- just like their legs.Quite so, although I believe that those whose profiles say that they are looking for active or versatile guys half their age are more likely to be the ones spreading their legs?

HTF would I know, ass licker?

Quite so, although I believe that those whose profiles say that they are looking for active or versatile guys half their age are more likely to be the ones spreading their legs?


Only HALF their age?

They must either have learned to settle for what they can get, or they have spotted the drones in Sunee!

:laughing3: :laughing3:

Yes, it looks like the fat old dirty grandpa, you know -- the frequent visitor to NZ from Thailand -- is looking for boys at least a third to a quarter his age.

Yes, it looks like the fat old dirty grandpa, you know -- the frequent visitor to NZ from Thailand -- is looking for boys at least a third to a quarter his age.Absolutely, you have me banged to rights, again. :glasses7:

[Beachlover]

HTF would I know, ass licker?

This decades old exchange would make a hilarious script one day... Someone should archive it or something.

GF, what the hell are you talking about? There's no outside God to praise and worship .....

Agreed - which is precisely why it is "one of the most "rational and logical" of all religions". There is little "rational and logical" about praising and worshipping an "outside God" whose existence is based primarily on blind belief.


.... basically the entire thing revolves around who you are as an individual, and who you are on the inside.

No, Matt, "the entire thing" revolves around becoming enlightened by understanding the Four Noble Truths and following the Eightfold Path. The basic principle of Nirodha, which is the most basic element of the Four Truths, is that you have to overcome selfishness, craving and following your emotions - pretty well the exact opposite of what you are saying.