Thaksin, The European
With his latest acquisition of yet another, this time Montenegrin passport – these things don’t come for free – former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has not only become a European citizen who could proudly say – based loosely on JFK’s famous speech – Ich bin ein Europäer.
Thaksin has strengthened his position as Thailand’s first truly multinational former head of government. Add the old Thai and newer Nicaraguan and possibly other passports – and you got a true cosmopolitan. I wonder what the Thai constitution says about higher offices and multiple citizenships.
But that many passports can bring you only that much personal freedom. If he’s leaving the hideout wherever he resides his lawyers must be busy planning secure escape routes. An emergency landing with his private jet, an unforseen regulation – and Thaksin could soon be the world’s most famous extradition prisoner.
Thaksin would be the modern world’s first former prime minister and alleged criminal who manages to escape “justice” over a longer period of time, just to mention Fujimori who dared to live a life on the run.
With his new Balkan passport Thaksin inherits a very own Balkanization.
Thaksin was once told by some famous fortune teller that one day he’ll live in exile and lose everything. Thaksin still fights the exception that proves the rule that a man forges his own destiny.
If and when someone makes a film about this man it could be an interesting perspective told maybe by his least biased daughter. What a fascinating historical document it would make, told to include events following succession. That might be the only time the nation is ready to take a good look at its self.
How history will judge him?
It’s in the nature of human history of errors & trials to erect monuments for yesterday’s villains and to tear down the monuments of today’s heroes.
But for this he may have to first survive his own death.
Good to hear from you Peter.
BangkokDan
It’s like we’re watching a Bond villain in action …
He may be collecting passports but we all know there is only one place he wants to be and if I were a betting man I would bet he will be back in Thailand at some point a very free man.
All it takes is money and time … since he has the former and the latter it will only be a matter of time.
I still trust that sooner or later everything finds a balance again in Thailand. It always was like that and will always be like that.
Even though the hiccups inbetween can be rather astonishing.
Thaksin will only be allowed back as a free man if a major, and I mean very major hiccup shakes up the establishment over here.
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