Thaksin heads off to Japan : Trips seen as a test of bilateral relations

Thaksin heads off to Japan : Trips seen as a test of bilateral relations.

POST REPORTERS

Deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra reportedly left Singapore for Japan yesterday in a move seen as a test of relations between the military-installed interim government and the countries he's choosing to visit. It was reported that Mr Thaksin had originally planned to fly back to London where one of his daughters is attending university but changed his mind and flew to Japan instead.

While in Singapore, Mr Thaksin called on Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar.

He flew to Singapore shortly after the Foreign Ministry announced it was revoking diplomatic passports held by him and his wife, Potjaman.

The revocation, which was made on Jan 10 and will take effect from Jan 25, means the former prime minister will have to switch to a normal passport. He will then have to apply for visas to enter most countries.

The ministry gave little detail as to why it stripped him of the red passport beyond saying it served national security. Observers said it was clearly intended to restrict his movements overseas.

He has been regularly moving between a number of countries since he was ousted in the Sept 19 coup while on an official engagement in New York.

International relations expert Panithan Watanayakorn said Mr Thaksin's relative ease in mobility has apparently kept him in the news, which is a way of preventing him from falling into obscurity, especially to his supporters back home.

The CNS last week called on the broadcast media to refrain from airing comments made by him through his legal adviser Noppadon Pattama and to limit their coverage of Mr Thaksin in the interests of national unity.

Mr Thaksin's freedom to travel has also put pressure on the CNS and the government, criticised by some quarters for failure to bring him to justice for alleged corruption and mishandling of national affairs.

Mr Panithan insisted Mr Thaksin's journeys were a litmus test of bilateral relations between Thailand and the countries he has visited so far, including China and Singapore.

The academic said it would be interesting to see if Mr Thaksin was still able to ''exercise his charisma'' in those countries.

However, he said he believed the countries would choose the current government over a person ''who is already history.''

Former prime minister Chuan Leekpai said Mr Thaksin's wealth meant he was free to travel as he pleases.

Bangkok Post
Monday January 15, 2007