Thread: Has Pojaman fled?

Has Pojaman fled?


By The Nation

Speculation rises over whether Shinawatras will return for hearing on Monday


Education Minister Somchai Wongsawat, brother-in-law of the former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, said yesฌterday he didn't believe Thaksin and Pojaman would flee overseas, but he said he never talked to them about their plans.

"They are Thai people so they must live in Thailand. Why do they have to seek asylum? I am confident they will not seek asylum," said Somchai, who is also a deputy prime minister.

Khunying Pojaman, wife of the former PM, flew to China with her adopted brother and secretary on Tuesday amid rumours they would seek "political asylum" abroad.

Pojaman, Bhanapot Damapong and Kanchanapa Honghern quietly left Thailand at 10.40am from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok to Beijing on Tuesday.

They were seen to carry several bags with them. Some of her three children broke down in tears as they saw her off.

Reports have been rife that they would flee abroad after the Criminal Court sentenced the Pojaman, her brother and secretary to three years jail after finding them guilty of seeking to avoid paying tax of Bt546 million on a share deal in the late 1990s.

The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political OfficeHolders has summonsed both Thaksin and Pojaman, who are defendants in a trial over the purchase of a prized block of land on Ratchadaphisek, to give final testimony Monday.

So there is renewed interest over whether the pair, particularly Pojaman, will return for the case. The court is due to give its verdict on the Ratchada case on Sept 16.

Thaksin has been expected to return from China on Sunday. He flew to Japan on August 1 to give a special lecture, and was reportedly due to attend the opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing, today.




i wonder if the bookies are taking bets

There ain't a judge in the country that can't be bought, and they have enough money to buy all of em at once..

Does she have to pay the 546 million baht of tax or just do the time?

Originally Posted by gjbkk

"They are Thai people so they must live in Thailand.

Classic example of a local combining ignorance with conceitedness.

Originally Posted by gjbkk

Some of her three children broke down in tears as they saw her off.

What a piss-poor reporter. Try using "one", "two", or "all" instead of "some" and you'll not look like a numbskull.

Originally Posted by blackgang

There ain't a judge in the country that can't be bought, and they have enough money to buy all of em at once..

if what you say is true, I wonder why they have found her guilty

So what exactly were the terms of her bail? That she remain on the planet?

Originally Posted by Smeg

Classic example of a local combining ignorance with conceitedness.

Well spotted.

Originally Posted by Smeg

Originally Posted by gjbkk

"They are Thai people so they must live in Thailand.

Classic example of a local combining ignorance with conceitedness.

Maybe he just means they cannot, as Thais are rubbish at adapting?

I would have thought that she would have been tied to Thailand. Imagine that being sentences to three years in jail but being allowed to leave the country. TIT! I guess this is a way for the courts to 'do their job' and a wat for the ugly bitch to get off. With a change or two in government maybe their will be a way they will find her innocent. If the Shitwatras are smart they will truely go international like Murdock and find a new home with the rest of the people like them around the world. As long as they keep away from the US I will be happy with that. The Brits seem to like them and their money so maybe they should stay there. The further away from LOS the better IMHO.

Interesting that both of the co-conspirators - the 'adopted' brother and the secretary - are both in the party to "visit" Beijing.... WTF

E. G.

Originally Posted by El Gibbon

Interesting that both of the co-conspirators - the 'adopted' brother and the secretary - are both in the party to "visit" Beijing.... WTF

E. G.

And, again, contrast this with the woman who didn't get bail for her alleged lese majeste laws . . .

A truly messed up way of thinking and priorities

panama hat -- And, again, contrast this with the woman who didn't get bail for her alleged lese majeste laws . . .

A truly messed up way of thinking and priorities

five-million-baht bail was dispropotional in terms of the wealth these people have accumulated and again I must agree with panama hat. A truly messed up way of thinking and priorities

Thaksin, Pojaman to return to Thailand on Sunday
August 8, 2008

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife, Khunying Pojaman, will return to Thailand Sunday night.

A source said the couple had booked tickets to return to the kingdom on Thai Airways International's Flight TG615, scheduled to land at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport at 9:45 pm Sunday.

nationmultimedia.com

Originally Posted by thehighlander959

I am not so sure about that. Her visa will have to be reviewed as she is now a convicted felon.

I've heard that in some countries convicted felons get their passports yanked- wonder what the actual rules are about that LOS.

If Blighty won't allow the Toxins to stay I'm sure they'll have no trouble getting asylum in the motherland (China), where they can cool their heels until their triumphant return.

Its all about making Mr Thaksin loose face with his political support base. Pojaman is just a pawn in this political power play and is unlikely to serve time. She will be out on bail for years while the appeals go on and when its all forgotten down the road in a year or two the jail sentence will be lifted. Justice will have been seen to have been done.

For sure they are fleeing. Their kids broke down at the airport. A sure sign of not going to see each other for a long time.

Originally Posted by Travelmate

For sure they are fleeing. Their kids broke down at the airport. A sure sign of not going to see each other for a long time.

Yep. Flee the country and leave the kids behind. Really?

^ Been done before and why not this time?

If they can get the sentence down to two years on appeal it can the be suspended.If it stays at three years and the appeal fails she will do time for the crime(I don,t think so) the loss of face for a major Thai political family especially the Matriarch of the family getting a jail sentence will hurt Toxin, his priority will be to ensure she does not spend time in jail, if that means taking her out of the country he will do that, what country will take her not the USA she is a convicted felon. The UK will have to look at her visa again as she now has a criminal record. I think the net is closing in on them, the problem is they have enough money to run if it all goes pear-shaped.

Originally Posted by thehighlander959

what country will take her not the USA she is a convicted felon.

No, we know the US would never grant exile to dictators . . .

Rich people don't go to jail in Thailand. The judges know that too. Well, the smart ones anyway.

Exiled with the frozen money going into the public coffers is about the best we can expect.