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Barred by Britain, exiled Thai PM seeks new home
Associated Press - November 15, 2008
Grant Peck, Bangkok – Thailand's former prime minister once used tax havens to shelter his fortune. Now, as a fugitive facing jail time, he is seeking a haven for himself.
A Thai court found Thaksin Shinawatra guilty of conflict of interest in a land deal and handed down a 2-year sentence last month. Thaksin already had fled to London, where he reportedly owns a multimillion dollar apartment and a mansion in the suburbs. Then Britain canceled his visa while he was out of the country.
As of Friday, he was in Hong Kong; a close associate said he would be leaving soon. It's anybody's guess where he's headed. Thai media are full of speculation. Bermuda? Dubai? The Central African Republic?
Thaksin was prime minister from 2001 to 2006, when he was toppled in a military coup. He still wields influence with the current government, and protesters have occupied the main government office in Bangkok for three months seeking to force his allies from power.
Thaksin's conviction stems from his time as prime minister, when his wife bought land from a state agency, violating a ban on officials and spouses making contracts with the government. They also face several more serious charges.
The former leader is believed to have hundreds of millions of dollars at his disposal. And he has a Thai diplomatic passport, a courtesy given to former prime ministers that allows him visa-free entry to 40 countries.
But as pressure mounts on the government to withdraw that privilege, Thaksin is looking increasingly like a man without a country.
"His primary concern will be to move to a country without an extradition treaty with Thailand," said Dan Nardello, a former US federal prosecutor who heads Nardello & Co., an investigations firm with offices in New York, London and Washington.
"While it is difficult to generalize, former leaders in similar situations also tend to turn to countries where they have a pre-existing personal or professional connection – for example, countries in which Thaksin was seen as instrumental in supporting trade," Nardello said.
Jakrapob Penkair, a Thaksin political ally, confirmed reports that the former prime minister is in Hong Kong. Reached by phone Friday, he said Thaksin would be leaving soon, but declined to say where he was headed.
China is frequently mentioned as a possible sanctuary. Thaksin has business associates there and was "on vacation" in the country this week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
However, China is unlikely to let Thaksin stay unless the Thai government signals its approval. Bangkok is an important political and trade partner for Beijing, and China has an extradition treaty with Thailand.
The two other places often mentioned, the Bahamas and the United Arab Emirates, don't have extradition treaties with Thailand.
Fugitives and celebrities have long favored the Bahamas, including the late Robert Vesco, an American financier and major contributor to Richard Nixon's presidential campaign.
The Caribbean archipelago's attractions include no taxes on income, capital gains or inheritances. Any foreigner who buys a home worth at least $500,000 can become eligible for permanent residence.
Officials in the Bahamas say Thaksin has not sought asylum. "To the best of my knowledge, I am not aware of any request, nor has any honorary citizenship been granted for the former prime minister of Thailand," said Brent Symonette, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs.
Likewise, officials in Bermuda, a British territory, shot down reports he could be headed there. "I know nothing about it. It's absolutely not true," Premier Ewart Brown said.
The United Arab Emirates has played host to out-of-favor overseas officials in the past. But an immigration department official in Dubai said he was unaware of any interest by Thaksin in coming to the UAE.
Long shots include some impoverished African countries – Togo, the Central African Republic and Chad – that are reportedly seeking Thaksin as an economic adviser.
Many African nations have sheltered out-of-power leaders from elsewhere on the continent, and some have agreed to deals brokered by more powerful nations looking for places to stash unsavory ex-leaders.
"Lots of countries would welcome him with open arms because he is business-savvy and policy-savvy. He can be an asset to any government," said Jakrapob, the Thakin ally. "But he likes being close to home. He likes Asia. He likes being close to his constituents."
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