Word: thaksin
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...Thaksin, who recently claimed in a newspaper interview that he was down to the last $100 million or $200 million of his fortune, though he has an unknown amount of money stashed overseas, had urged his supporters earlier Friday to accept the court's decision, whatever it might be. He spoke via video from an undisclosed location, having fled the country in 2008 rather than serve a two-year prison sentence for an earlier conviction on conflict of interest charges involving the sale of government land to his wife. He also told supporters that if the ruling went against...
...ruling, the Supreme Court found that Thaksin had abused his power as Prime Minister by issuing executive decrees that gave his company, Shin Corporation, hefty tax breaks and tax holidays, among other actions, thereby decreasing the revenue it shared with the state for its telecommunications concessions. The court also concluded that Thaksin, in violation of Thai law, still controlled the company while serving as Prime Minister. He accomplished this, the court said, by using family members and others as nominees and transferring shares in an intricate web of deals through offshore companies in the British Virgin Islands and other...
...Thaksin was elected Prime Minister twice - in 2001 and 2005 - before being ousted in a military coup in September 2006. At the time, military leaders cited his unbridled corruption and alleged disloyalty to the country's monarchy to justify their action. Under international pressure, the generals stepped down and allowed elections to return a civilian to power after a little over one year of rule, but they still wield considerable power. Although Thaksin has been banned from politics for five years for violating election laws, he remains popular with the rural poor, who feel he was the first Thai leader...
...Both Thaksin's supporters and opponents have a history of inciting chaos and violence in the country. His supporters, called the "Red Shirts" for the color they wear, rioted in Bangkok and Pattaya last April, forcing the cancellation of a summit of Association of Southeast Asian leaders and bringing the army onto the streets of the Thai capital to restore order. Thaksin, who had portrayed himself as a fighter for democracy, lost international credibility when he denied the Red Shirts were inciting unrest even as they were shown on television physically attacking the car of current Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva...
...Thaksin's opponents, called the "Yellow Shirts" for their preferred garb, seized Government House, where the Prime Minister's office is located, and New Bangkok International Airport in 2008 as part of their efforts to oust the elected Thaksin-allied government, which they believed was preparing to dismiss all the cases against him, paving the way for his return to power. That seems ever more unlikely after Friday's court decision, although both Thaksin and his supporters are certain to continue to fight for his eventual return...