Thailand in the News Week Ending 10/31/09

PETA Saving Seals in Bangkok

Photo Courtesy Reuters

Obviously no one told PETA that the seal trade in Thailand is nill. Canadians on the other hand are not and this week PETA decided to protest the Canadian slaughter of seals not in Canada, which would have been the obvious choice, but in Bangkok at the Canadian embassy. Well, they had one woman painted to look like the Canadian flag protest in front of the building which houses the Canadian embassy.

I’m not sure who should be more embarrassed…PETA, due to the fact that they really didn’t plan this out well or Canada because they don’t even have their own embassy building. PETA has previously protested zoo’s in the region with a high profile exhibition in Malaysia, the photo op there was brilliant.  Either way I have a feeling even the seals laughed at this one.

Photo Courtesy AP

Krispy Kreme Coming to Thailand

Photo Courtesy FreakingNews.com

Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation announced this week that it has entered into an agreement with KDN Company Limited for the development of 20 franchise Krispy Kreme retail shops in Thailand over the next five years. I was just thinking the other day that this is exactly what Thailand needs, I forgot to put it on the list.

I’ve said before that the one thing I hate about Thailand is the influence of fast food western culture. I’ve been told in the past that it’s a good thing and this will provide jobs just like KFC, Burger King, McDonald’s and Starbucks do. Still, it doesn’t change the fact that more and more Thai’s are eating at these places and becoming unhealthy and fat just like westerners. And, of course, it gives western tourists every reason not to try Thai food and stick to their horrible diets.

I would start a fast food Thai restaurant and run them all out of business but then I realized there are already thousands of these fast food joints…they are called street carts!

Banking Fugitive Arrives in Bangkok

Photo Courtesy AP

Rakesh Saxena, who was once a financial advisor to the Bangkok Bank of Commerce back in the 90′s, was extradited back to Thailand this week after living in Canada for 13 years.

Saxena helped to embezzle $88 million from the Bangkok Bank of Commerce and left the bank with a further $3 billion in bad debt which led to it’s collapse and the subsequent domino effect that triggered the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

During his tenure as financial advsior for the bank Saxena helped disguise millions of dollars of fraudulent loans meant for friends of bank management and prominent politicians, some of which are still under the spotlight. While he was not alone in this debacle he has always been high on the hit list, so high that Thailand has been in Canadian courts fighting for his extradition for the last 13 years. This week the Canadian supreme court finally cleared the way for his return, then promptly returned him.

Originally Saxena fled Thailand and was arrested in British Columbia but released under house arrest while court preceding’s were ongoing. He claimed that his life would be in danger if returned to Thailand. Considering one of his top business associates was a Saudi arms dealer he may have been right.

Allegedly Saxena, while under house arrest in Canada, continued his global business dealings and helped to finance the attempted coup in Sierra Leone. Real nice guy. Unfortunately Saxena had a stroke last year which may have an effect on the 20 charges pending against him. Coupled with the fact that there are some very influential people in high places that he could expose this could turn out to be a very interesting case to watch.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said:

(The government) is serious about this case … there will be no protection for those involved,” he said. “If anyone is implicated, they will have to answer to the charges.

Thaksin Not to Live in Cambodia

Photo Courtesy MCOT

Former Prime minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in the 2006 coup decided not to live in Cambodia this week. The Prime minister of Cambodia offered Thaksin a very nice house to live in and a job as an economic advisor to Cambodia. I’m not sure how well Thaksin would do for the Cambodian people but I bet he could advise the Cambodian Prime Minister very well on exactly how to sell off parts of the country for his own gain.

Much chest beating took place during the week with Thailand officials saying they would have Thaksin extradited if he moved to Cambodia and Cambodian officials saying they would refuse to extradite him. While Thaksin would love to be this close to Thailand again I think even he knows that doing so by living in Cambodia will hurt his cause more than help it.

With tensions still high over land surrounding the 900-year-old, cliff-top Hindu temple known as Preah Vihear and Cambodia boosting their military budget I think Thaksin made a wise choice. If you live in Malaysia or Burma look for Thaksin coming to a town near you real soon and don’t be surprised if he winds up being your neighbor.