When I looked Google had added the PAD page 6hours previously. The first two 'references' had time-stamps after the time the PAD page was picked up by Google, i.e. they were added later. The third ref. was not time stamped but had been indexed by Google some three hours after the PAD page. Not conclusive, but suspicious.
Andy Gray is indeed employed at the British Embassy in Bangkok but his title is Second Secretary (Airline Liaison Officer) not quite Immigration Liaison Manager, suspicious but again not conclusive.
Not sure why they would have bothered issuing this given that Thaksin is in London already. If he has applied for asylum he can't be thrown out straight away, but this could prevent him returning if he takes a short trip out of the country and save the Government some embarrassment.
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Uk Cancel Thaksin's Visa And Wife'sThaksin in limbo? Very big news it seems
Started by Jingthing, 2008-11-08 00:55
#27
Super Member Posted 2008-11-08 06:03:55
information passed on to foreigneditor@independent.co.uk for verification.
#28
Member Schmember Posted 2008-11-08 06:08:41
http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/tops...s.php?id=131892
Quote Stranded in China By Amornrat Mahitthirook, Nattaya Chetchotiros and Wassana Nanuam The British government has revoked the tourist visas for convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife, Khunying Potjaman, airline employees report. The former premier is believed to be in China. The revocation of the visas effectively bans the couple from entering Britain on their Thai passports, a reliable airline source told the Bangkok Post on Friday night. The source said the notification letter on the visas being revoked was circulated by e-mail to airlines which are members of the Airport Operations Committee yesterday. The source said the letter was sent by Andy Gray, an official at the UK Border Agency who is in charge of immigration at the British embassy in Thailand. The letter made clear that the visas issued for Thaksin and Khunying Potjaman were now invalid and the couple should be prevented from boarding planes to Britain, the source said. Edited by Jingthing, 2008-11-08 06:10:00. #29
Leave my member out of it! Posted 2008-11-08 06:21:28
When I looked Google had added the PAD page 6hours previously. The first two 'references' had time-stamps after the time the PAD page was picked up by Google, i.e. they were added later. The third ref. was not time stamped but had been indexed by Google some three hours after the PAD page. Not conclusive, but suspicious. Andy Gray is indeed employed at the British Embassy in Bangkok but his title is Second Secretary (Airline Liaison Officer) not quite Immigration Liaison Manager, suspicious but again not conclusive. Not sure why they would have bothered issuing this given that Thaksin is in London already. If he has applied for asylum he can't be thrown out straight away, but this could prevent him returning if he takes a short trip out of the country and save the Government some embarrassment. #30
Leave my member out of it! Posted 2008-11-08 06:23:30
This is a weird story. Do you think it might be fabricated? Most likely fabricated. I did a search: http://press.homeoffice.gov.uk/press-relea...s#searchResults Very odd The Nation publish this without double checking the ''news''. LaoPo It sounds strange indeed. The point is : on what ground the british gvt would revoke their visas ???? !!!! And they did apply for political asylum, right ? During the processs, UK can't throw out people like that. And Thailand has absolutly no leverage against the british gvt to do it... so ? Strange, really. Thaksin says he did NOT apply for asylum (can you do that and still bounce around the world?) #31
No-longer bothering with TV Posted 2008-11-08 06:26:54
Thaksin is not in London (or anywhere in the UK) .... last I heard he was in China and planning on a weekend meeting with PPP MP's in the Philipines #32
Rare Species Member Eating Tough Leaves Posted 2008-11-08 06:29:23
And an article by Asian Tribune as well, but citing/copying The Nation newspaper/Bangkok:
http://www.asiantrib...m/?q=node/14080 It's odd that in the middle of the Asian night/morning, Asian news sources have the news* whilst the evening/early night 'Europe and the UK' report nothing so far but maybe the UK Home Office wants it to be like this, entering the weekend. If so, it's rather smart and typical political ''play''. We'll see. * "news" brought by a Second Secretary (Airline Liaison Officer) from the British Embassy in Bangkok, as mentioned by member Phaeton....IF it's true. LaoPo #33
Member in Uranus Posted 2008-11-08 06:41:48
Maybe he refused to put his money in a British Bank and they denied him a visa!!!!!!
#34
Star Member Posted 2008-11-08 06:46:20
Lao Po, search deeper.
I'm sure your faith that every e-mail sent to airlines about visa cancellations is properly documented, verified, and turned into a news story by BBC will be vindicated sooner or later. The leak came from the airlines, apparenty, which makes sense. Do you think Thaksin is watching BBC to confirm his visa cancellation? #35
marquisatal member Posted 2008-11-08 06:52:23
I sincerely hope that it is true! With all the hassle that honest legit farangs have staying here, Criminals like Thaksin should not be allowed into the UK and Thais should face the same visa hassles that legit farangs face here.
#36
Rare Species Member Eating Tough Leaves Posted 2008-11-08 06:53:51
Lao Po, search deeper. I'm sure your faith that every e-mail sent to airlines about visa cancellations is properly documented, verified, and turned into a news story by BBC will be vindicated sooner or later. The leak came from the airlines, apparenty, which makes sense. Do you think Thaksin is watching BBC to confirm his visa cancellation? ...You almost flatter me Plus but I'm not a Private Eye you know. However I checked some Chinese websites but there's nothing, absolutely nothing and the Chinese newspapers would know if he's in China or if Thaksin would have stfranded in China. The China Daily has a Total of 787 documents found in 1-20 pages on Thaksin and the latest was from Nov. 3. But..who knows, but the UK Home Office ?  LaoPo #37
Senior Member Posted 2008-11-08 07:01:19
Is there a BritishVisa.com forum?
maybe we can send Dr. Thak there to bitch #39
Nocturnal Spooner Posted 2008-11-08 07:06:51
I sincerely hope that it is true! With all the hassle that honest legit farangs have staying here, Criminals like Thaksin should not be allowed into the UK and Thais should face the same visa hassles that legit farangs face here. Have you any idea how difficult it is for a Thai to get a UK visa? #40
Star Member Posted 2008-11-08 07:08:49
Apparently Thaksin and Pokemon are still in Hong Kong following his phone-in to Rajamangala Stadium and the airlines have been informed by British immigration authorities not to fly them to UK due to their revoked visa status.
http://www.manager.co.th/Politics/ViewNews...D=9510000132381 #41
Star Member Posted 2008-11-08 07:24:21
Lao Po, apparently it was an e-mail sent to arilines by ariline liason officer at Bangkok Embassy.
Do you tink he cc'd it to news media? Do you think Cathai Pacific staff forwarded this e-mail to South China Morning Post? I understand if one of hundreds to airlines employees here who saw the mail couldn't pass the chance to leak it to Manager, but it might as well turn out to be a prank. The move itself is not surprising - criminal convictions and visas don't go very well toghether. Thaksin might try entering on another passport and applying again, but still there's this issue of conviction. #42
marquisatal member Posted 2008-11-08 07:42:31
I sincerely hope that it is true! With all the hassle that honest legit farangs have staying here, Criminals like Thaksin should not be allowed into the UK and Thais should face the same visa hassles that legit farangs face here. Have you any idea how difficult it is for a Thai to get a UK visa? Yes I have, but they only have to go through the hassle once, have a Thai friend married to a Brit for the past five years, she is now a fully fledged citizen. How many Brits married to Thais here have become citizens by virtue of marriage and have the right to work? #43
Nomark Posted 2008-11-08 07:43:32
What about his big house in Weybridge and flat in Knightsbridge? Did that not net him an investment visa of some sort?
Or perhaps he has been deemed to have been undertaking activities not compatible with his visa status. Or the whole thing is PAD fabrication. 
#44
Rare Species Member Eating Tough Leaves Posted 2008-11-08 07:47:02
Lao Po, apparently it was an e-mail sent to arilines by ariline liason officer at Bangkok Embassy. Do you tink he cc'd it to news media? Do you think Cathai Pacific staff forwarded this e-mail to South China Morning Post? I understand if one of hundreds to airlines employees here who saw the mail couldn't pass the chance to leak it to Manager, but it might as well turn out to be a prank. The move itself is not surprising - criminal convictions and visas don't go very well toghether. Thaksin might try entering on another passport and applying again, but still there's this issue of conviction. To be honest Plus.....I haven't the slightest idea HOW such messages are sent by the Home Office to their various Embassies, world wide, or in this case to an airline liaison officer from the British Embassy in Bangkok. However I do know that very important messages (this is one I may presume) like this are NOT sent by means of an email but rather by personal courier mail or secured fax-lines (messages from London Home Office to Bangkok). I still think it's a bit odd that this airline officer would send out -open- emails to all kinds of airlines, asking/telling NOT to have the Shinawatra's board their planes (to the UK), isn't it ? Personally I would think that in the case of high profile individuals the UK would be more discrete so to say, especially if such an individual was a former PM of a befriended state. But, as said, I don't know and have no idea how this political game is played but we all know that the Brits are Masters, playing political games. LaoPo #45
Star Member Posted 2008-11-08 08:05:36
he's off to P.I.
 Keep rollin' rollin' rollin' - Limp Bizkit Thaksin and Northeastern MPs to meet in Philippines A number of MPs from the Isaan Patana faction will take their vacation in the Philippines this weekend and may meet with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, MP Paijit Srivarakarn said on Friday. Paijit said he was uncertain if Thaksin would fly in to meet the MPs although the former prime minister had reportedly made telephone calls for the meeting arrangement. - The Nation / 2008-11-08 #46
Star Member Posted 2008-11-08 08:50:31
Lao Po, I seriously doubt that visa cancellation notices are sent by diplomatic courier mail. It's not such a big thing, really.
Either way, the message was "intercepted" not on between Home Office and emabissies route, it's when airlines needed to be informed, and I doubt they would be informed by diplomatic mail either. Even if ecrypted, the message was leaked AFTER it was recieved, and, apparently, it was translated into Thai already when it appeared on PAD affiliated sites (that would explained Nation's poor English in online story). Airlines were 'advised', they can still carry him to London, he can pay his way back if he was refused entry. Normally this kind of people are not allowed to board because it would be airline responsibility if he was stranded. They always check for visas or "good to go" passports before boarding to save themselves troubles later on, but they are not immigration authorities. The fact that they put Thaksin in this "standard" category shows how much respect they pay to his "former PM" status - he goes through the system like everyone else. He still has a diplomatic passport, btw, he doesn't need visa to travel on that one, no one can stop him, not on airline level anyway. #47
The Darkside Blogger Posted 2008-11-08 09:38:57
Here's the full story in the Nation. Sounds pretty authoritative to me. But Who knows for sure?
ASYLUM SETBACK UK cancels visas of Thaksin, wife By The Nation Published on November 8, 2008 The British Embassy has revoked entry visas of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman. UK cancels visas of Thaksin, wife The cancellation, which was decided while the couple were outside England, has been notified to airlines yesterday. The decision was made by the United Kingdom Border Agency, and the notification email was signed by Bangkok-based Immigration Liaison Manager Andy Gray. The email read: "Dear All, The United Kingdom Border Agency has revoked the UK visas held by the following Thai nations: Thaksin Shinawatra. Thai Passport Number D215863 Potjaman Shinawatra. Thai Passport Number D206635 The UK visas contained in the passports of the individuals listed above are no longer valid for travel. Airlines are advised not to carry these passengers to the UK" *** end ***** The embassy would not comment on the report. Contacted embassy officials said they "cannot comment on policy matters." It was a big political blow for Thaksin, who was believed to be on his way from China to the Philippines yesterday. It was understood that the cancellation had to do with the recent court rulings that found Pojaman guilty of tax evasion and Thaksin guilty of breaking the conflict of interest law in the Ratchadapisek land purchase scandal. Their children's British visas are still valid. A senior People Power Party politician who has been in China this week answered The Nation's phone contact but replied to the inquiry about Thaksin's visa situation with only "I don't know. I don't know." Thaksin has always described England as a "democratically mature" country as compared to Thailand. But he always denied having applied for asylum although he said England would be the country where he wanted to live in exile. Last Saturday, in a controversial long-distance phone-in from Hong Kong, Thaksin accused his political opponents of breaking his family apart. In the same address, he also begged for royal pardon or a popular show of force to bring him back to Thailand. "Nobody can bring me back to Thailand, except royal kindness of HM the King or the power of the people," Thaksin said. He also claimed that many countries have offered him "honorary citizenship", "which made me a bit sad because I could do many things for anybody else in the world, but nothing now for my country." The statement triggered a major controversy in Thailand, with Thaksin being accused of trying to drag HM the King into politics. The UK visa move, however, gave Thaksin's statement a whole new perspective, making him sound more like someone desperate to find refuge rather than trying to provoke a political reaction. It is not immediately known, however, whether Thaksin was aware of the impending visa cancellation before he left England the last time. A source familiar with the UK legal and diplomatic thinking said the cancellation could have been based on "the different statuses" of Thaksin between the time he was issued the visa and now. The Supreme Court only found Thaksin guilty in the Ratchadapisek land case late last month, weeks after he fled Thailand during the Beijing Olympics. He fled with his wife, who only days earlier had been found guilty of tax evasion. England has been under the world community's watchful eyes when Thaksin is concerned. Diplomatic observers have said a decision whether or not to give Thaksin asylum would generate strong ramifications on England's relations with Thailand, as well as London's reputations when democracy, foreign relations and legal principles are concerned. #48
Senior Member Posted 2008-11-08 09:43:07
Wow! What happens next? Quote "Dear All, The United Kingdom Border Agency has revoked the UK visas held by the following Thai nations: Thaksin Shinawatra. Thai Passport Number D215863 Potjaman Shinawatra. Thai Passport Number D206635 The UK visas contained in the passports of the individuals listed above are no longer valid for travel. Airlines are advised not to carry these passengers to the UK" http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/11/08/pol...cs_30087916.php what wonderful news to wake up to this morning, thank the gods for old mother england #49
Senior Member Posted 2008-11-08 09:52:51
ASTV: British Embassy Revokes Thaksin's Visa PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul announces on PAD stage that the U.K. embassy has revoked the visas of both Thaksin and Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra. The PAD leader cited a Manager newspaper's report that the embassy has revoked both fugitives' visas. The order reportedly takes effect today. TOC / 2008-11-08 Wouldn't Sondhi be embarrassed if this turned out to be a hoax? Naaaaah. #50
Super Member Posted 2008-11-08 09:58:08
Here's the full story in the Nation. Sounds pretty authoritative to me. But Who knows for sure? ASYLUM SETBACK UK cancels visas of Thaksin, wife By The Nation Published on November 8, 2008 The British Embassy has revoked entry visas of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman. Well to me it sounds as authoritative as Winnie the Pooh.It's a hoax unless I'm much mistaken.I especially relish the quote from diplomatic observers couched in the usual semi-literate Nation house style.England has in reality on this matter only been "under the world community's watchful eyes" in PAD fevered imagination. Having said that I doubt whether the British authorities would be happy with Thaksin actively engaged in overseas politicking, ie summoning followers to Manila etc.But overall it's amusing to see how easily some people are taken in. |
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