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Bangkok Post
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Thaksin 'secret deal' with Cambodia suspected
Political activist Jatuporn Prompan has raised suspicions regarding former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's recent political activities, questioning whether a secret deal may be behind a series of events that all occurred on the same day. Speaking during his Facebook Live programme "Thailand Must Come First", Jatuporn, a former red-shirt leader, pointed to the sudden withdrawal of the Entertainment Complex Bill, which would legalise casinos, Thaksin's speech promoting soft power at an Otop event at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, and his comments on the current political deadlock at a Nation Group-hosted forum. Jatuporn said that as all this unfolded on the same day, it was unlikely to be a coincidence. He highlighted the promotion of the soft power initiative, which could be seen as a boost for Thaksin's daughter, suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, in her new capacity as culture minister; and Thaksin's dramatic declaration of severing ties with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen after more than 30 years, citing the damage done to Ms Paetongtarn in the wake of their leaked telephone call. Jatuporn suggested the synchronisation of these events appeared too calculated to be coincidental, speculating that they might have been orchestrated as part of a broader political performance. "If this is political theatre, it is being performed with great finesse," he said. "Thai people should not yet be deceived by these illusions," he said. Jatuporn warned that if Hun Sen remains silent in response to Thaksin's remarks, this silence could imply a clandestine agreement involving the withdrawal of the casino bill in exchange for political quietude. He called for close observation of Hun Sen's reaction, saying: "If Hun Sen remains completely silent, it raises suspicions of a deal. But if he hits back, it would indicate that no such exchange took place." Jatuporn also criticised the explanation given for the bill's withdrawal, which attributed the move to the appointment of a new cabinet and insufficient public understanding -- a justification he called unconvincing. Commenting on the leaked audio clip between Ms Paetongtarn and Hun Sen, Jatuporn noted inconsistencies between Thaksin's account and earlier statements. While Thaksin claimed the Cambodian side had initiated the call, others believed Khleang Huot, Hun Sen's close aide and interpreter, was in Cambodia, though Thaksin said he was in Bangkok. "If this is not just a political illusion," he added, "then Hun Sen must retaliate by revealing the names of seven Thai politicians with financial interests in Cambodia, including audio clips, one per day if necessary. But if nothing happens, the casino deal theory gains weight." On Wednesday, Thaksin delivered a keynote address at a forum hosted by media outlets under the Nation Group. When asked if he still regarded Hun Sen, president of the Cambodian Senate, as a "brother", Thaksin replied: "We used to be. But after what he did to my daughter, I was in absolute shock." Thaksin said his daughter was waiting for a call from Hun Sen for three hours at a hotel with some key government figures, but he did not call her. "He later called her private mobile. I started to wonder -- was he really asleep, or was he preparing to record the conversation?"
Bangkok Post
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Thaksin 'secret deal' suspected
Political activist Jatuporn Prompan has raised suspicions regarding former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's recent political activities, questioning whether a secret deal may be behind a series of events that all occurred on the same day. Speaking during his Facebook Live programme "Thailand Must Come First", Jatuporn, a former red-shirt leader, pointed to the sudden withdrawal of the Entertainment Complex Bill, which would legalise casinos, Thaksin's speech promoting soft power at an Otop event at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, and his comments on the current political deadlock at a Nation Group-hosted forum. Jatuporn said that as all this unfolded on the same day, it was unlikely to be a coincidence. He highlighted the promotion of the soft power initiative, which could be seen as a boost for Thaksin's daughter, suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, in her new capacity as culture minister; and Thaksin's dramatic declaration of severing ties with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen after more than 30 years, citing the damage done to Ms Paetongtarn in the wake of their leaked telephone call. Jatuporn suggested the synchronisation of these events appeared too calculated to be coincidental, speculating that they might have been orchestrated as part of a broader political performance. "If this is political theatre, it is being performed with great finesse," he said. "Thai people should not yet be deceived by these illusions," he said. Jatuporn warned that if Hun Sen remains silent in response to Thaksin's remarks, this silence could imply a clandestine agreement involving the withdrawal of the casino bill in exchange for political quietude. He called for close observation of Hun Sen's reaction, saying: "If Hun Sen remains completely silent, it raises suspicions of a deal. But if he hits back, it would indicate that no such exchange took place." Jatuporn also criticised the explanation given for the bill's withdrawal, which attributed the move to the appointment of a new cabinet and insufficient public understanding -- a justification he called unconvincing. Commenting on the leaked audio clip between Ms Paetongtarn and Hun Sen, Jatuporn noted inconsistencies between Thaksin's account and earlier statements. While Thaksin claimed the Cambodian side had initiated the call, others believed Khleang Huot, Hun Sen's close aide and interpreter, was in Cambodia, though Thaksin said he was in Bangkok. "If this is not just a political illusion," he added, "then Hun Sen must retaliate by revealing the names of seven Thai politicians with financial interests in Cambodia, including audio clips, one per day if necessary. But if nothing happens, the casino deal theory gains weight." On Wednesday, Thaksin delivered a keynote address at a forum hosted by media outlets under the Nation Group. When asked if he still regarded Hun Sen, president of the Cambodian Senate, as a "brother", Thaksin replied: "We used to be. But after what he did to my daughter, I was in absolute shock." Thaksin said his daughter was waiting for a call from Hun Sen for three hours at a hotel with some key government figures, but he did not call her. "He later called her private mobile. I started to wonder -- was he really asleep, or was he preparing to record the conversation?"
The Star
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Thaksin pushes for entertainment complex, legalisation of online gambling
BANGKOK: Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra addressed the ongoing debate surrounding the government's Entertainment Complex policy during a special broadcast of "Breaking Through Thailand's Deadlock," aired live on Nation TV on Wednesday (July 9). The show was hosted by three senior editors from the Nation Group. Thaksin responded to comments made by Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, who claimed that the decline in Chinese tourism to Thailand—down by 70-90%—was primarily due to the Thai government's Entertainment Complex policy. Anutin suggested that the Chinese government had previously issued multiple warnings about the policy. Thaksin responded by stating that the reality was that the issue coincidentally aligned with the Bhumjaithai Party's policy of opposing the Entertainment Complex, which is why it became such a major news story. Thaksin clarified that the policy had not yet been implemented and therefore had no impact on the tourism sector. He pointed out that the actual issue was related to safety concerns, which were being addressed through the government's push for Smart City development. Thaksin stated that once Smart Cities are established, they would enhance safety and ensure greater protection for tourists. Additionally, Thaksin emphasized that the installation of AI-powered cameras across the country would significantly increase safety, further alleviating concerns over tourist security. When asked whether changing the Interior Minister would improve safety, Thaksin replied that it should indeed enhance safety, particularly regarding call centres and fraud. He also pointed out that some Chinese nationals running call centres in Thailand frequently travel through Myanmar, residing in apartments worth billions. Thaksin clarified that people viewed the entertainment complex as a casino, but in reality, it was an investment in tourism. He compared it to a country investing in a ski resort, which would rely on additional revenue streams, such as concerts, to make it financially viable. The Entertainment Complex would offer a variety of entertainment, including a casino, which would take up no more than 10% of the space. He stressed that not everyone could access the casino, as there would be a strict Know Your Customer (KYC) system in place to ensure that only those with legitimate income could participate. Thaksin himself, as a politician, was not allowed to enter casinos in Thailand. He added, 'It's not like anyone can just walk in without any income or tax records. These people have learned from the casinos in Cambodia; it's completely different.' When asked whether the government, with its slim majority and lack of stability, should continue pushing this policy, Thaksin responded, 'We can't afford to wait. We need to take action. If the government doesn't make it, then there will be another election. We do what we can and do our best.' He said he told his daughter, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 'Our duty is to work for the country, to give it our all. Whatever comes of it, that's what we'll get. We can't afford to say 'wait.' We must act now.' He also stated that Thailand's economy is losing a tremendous opportunity due to underground activities, especially online gambling, which involves a massive annual turnover of 150 billion baht. Each online gambling session generates 2.5 to 4 million baht, but the money flows out of the country without contributing to the domestic economy. This does not include the money lost through licensed gaming content that Thai people play, which amounts to over 50 billion baht, nor the 70-80 billion baht lost due to scams like call centre fraud. Combined, these figures total more than 280 billion baht, not to mention the money involved in drugs and other illegal activities circulating outside the system. All of this represents the underground economy, which is estimated to be worth around 300 billion baht annually, causing Thailand to miss out on potential revenue or the chance to bring this off-the-books economy into the formal system. Another important point he raised was that legalising online gambling could allow Thailand to control and address the impacts on affected groups, especially the youth. Thaksin proposed that if online gambling were brought into the open with strict regulations, such as using Digital ID for identity verification before playing, setting an age limit to prevent those under 20 from participating, and implementing a real-time monitoring system via a dashboard, it would allow the government to manage it effectively. He explained, 'Today, we know exactly who is playing and which network they're using—whether it's True, AIS, NT, or 3BB—but we can't do anything because it's all underground. If we bring it into the open, we can control it better, collect taxes, and protect children from being exploited. If someone develops a serious addiction, we can immediately intervene and offer treatment.' Thaksin emphasised that the underground economy must be addressed, stating, 'We need to be bold enough to talk about it and take action, because today, it's becoming 'half of the country's GDP' that isn't accounted for in the system. If we continue to ignore it, we'll miss out on a huge opportunity.' - The Nation/ANN
The Star
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Thaksin reveals the scandalous audio clip of Paetongtarn and Hun Sen
BANGKOK: Thaksin Shinawatra, former Prime Minister of Thailand, shared his insights during an exclusive interview at the 55 Years Nation Exclusive Talk: Breaking Through Thailand's Crisis Chapter 1 event, aired live on Nation TV on Wednesday (July 9). The discussion, moderated by three editors-in-chief of Nation Group, focused on various pressing issues, including the controversial audio clip involving Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, which has become a major political issue. The incident could significantly affect the moral standing of the current Prime Minister. Addressing the situation, Thaksin explained his past relationship with Hun Sen, describing them as once being like brothers. However, he expressed shock and disappointment upon learning of what Hun Sen had done to his daughter. Thaksin referred to the secret recording of their private phone conversation and its subsequent public release. "The situation started when my daughter mentioned that she planned to speak with Hun Sen through Khliang Huot (a close aide of Hun Sen who also acted as a interpreter) and arrange a call with him. She invited Defence Minister Phumtham (Wechayachai), Foreign Minister Maris (Sangiampongsa), and Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr Phrommin Lertsuriyadet to join her, as she wasn't going alone. They waited for three hours, but Hun Sen said he was asleep and even sent a photo to prove it," Thaksin shared. He continued, "I told my daughter to return, and everyone disbanded. However, later, Hun Sen personally called my daughter's phone. That was really painful. Originally, we had intended to resolve matters through dialogue." Reflecting on the deteriorating relationship, Thaksin said, "When things end, they end. I questioned what went wrong. I reviewed everything from Thursday night to Friday morning, and Nation TV reported on troop movements along the border. I was furious. I called Huot and asked, 'Are we about to go to war?' I demanded they pull back the troops and settle things through the JBC (Joint Boundary Commission) mechanism." Thaksin continued, explaining that while Hun Sen withdrew the troops on Sunday, the Thai military had planned to close the border. "Even though Cambodian troops were withdrawn on Sunday, by Monday, we closed the border, which angered him. When Paetongtarn later posted that his actions were unprofessional, Hun Sen became angry. But I want to emphasise that we have not yet reached the point of declaring war, as we can still resolve this through the JBC talks," Thaksin said. Thaksin also recalled a similar incident in 2003, when there was a claim that Thai actress Kob Suwanant had said Siem Reap belonged to Thailand, which she never said. This led to the burning of the Thai embassy in Cambodia. "I immediately instructed them to protect the embassy and Thai nationals. I also ordered the military commander to ensure security. If things weren't under control by dawn, I would have sent commandos and the HTMS Chakri Naruebet to assist. That was my approach," he said. "Today, I don't know what to say anymore. I only sent one message to Hun Sen: 'What you are doing today is damaging both sides. We were once very close, but I never expected it to turn out like this.'" Thaksin clarified, "The negotiations that day were with Hun Sen, not with the Prime Minister. But given the situation, I owe the public an apology. I made a mistake in dealing with someone like him (Hun Sen)." "Today, there's no need to worry. There won't be any war. There's no fighting. Right now, it's just a matter of each side trying to outdo the other. Whoever dives better wins." Thaksin emphasised that he did not want a third country to mediate, adding, "As I said, if we no longer talk, then what can we do? " Thaksin also revealed details about Cambodia's underground businesses, stating, "I don't know the specifics, but I know there are financial connections from Thailand involving labour going to Cambodia's labour advisers. Some of the funds are transferred back and forth, amounting to over a hundred million. I know there are financial links involving Mr. K and Cambodia's labour advisers, but whether he is close to Hun Sen or not, I'm not sure." - The Nation/ANN
