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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?"
Bangkok Post
09-07-2025
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Thaksin talks up new ‘soft power' push
After being conspicuously quiet during two weeks of high political drama in Thailand, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra returned to the public eye on Wednesday with a splash — talking up his daughter's favourite project. Thaksin was the headline attraction at the SPLASH — Soft Power Forum 2025, unveiling an ambitious roadmap to elevate Thailand's creative industries onto the global stage. At the heart of the new campaign is the transformation of the Otop (One Tambon, One Product) venture that Thaksin introduced two decades ago into ThaiWORKS, a 21st century platform that will give all participants better chances of success. Speaking on the theme 'Crafting the Future: From Otop to ThaiWORKS and Beyond', Thaksin emphasised the transformative potential of soft power in driving economic growth and national unity. The government is promoting soft power across various aspects of Thai culture — including food, film and fashion — to attract tourists, draw investment and strengthen international relations. The SPLASH event, taking place at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center until Friday, has drawn widespread attention from both domestic and international media. It also marked Thaksin's first public appearance since the Hun Sen audio clip controversy that resulted in the suspension of his daughter Paetongtarn from the prime ministership. While the planning for SPLASH began months ago, this week's event just happened to coincide with Ms Paetongtarn moving into her new position at the Ministry of Culture, a key driver of soft power promotion. Although he did not grant interviews, Thaksin greeted supporters warmly and appeared in high spirits. During his address, the 75-year-old billionaire reflected on the origins of the Otop initiative, inspired by Japanese village-based production models, in 2003. He recounted its early success, noting that sales grew from 2 billion baht in the first year to over 40 billion baht the following year, with exports reaching Japan. 'As fans of Japanese culture and products, we studied the Japanese Otop model and recognised that without strong design, packaging, and marketing, Thai craftsmanship remains limited by outdated paradigms,' he said. He also envisions evolving Otop into ThaiWORKS — a platform that integrates design, technology and global marketing to empower local artisans and entrepreneurs. 'Twenty years ago, I founded a political party with the vision: Think new, act new, eyes on the stars, feet on the ground,' he said. 'Today, we face an economic crisis because we remain stuck in outdated paradigms. We must dream big but stay rooted. We need to adapt to a broader world while maintaining strong cultural foundations. 'Thai artisans have great potential — but Otop needed modernisation,' he said. Strategic plans were discussed, including the ambitious goal of placing Otop products in flagship stores on Fifth Avenue and the Champs-Élysées. He noted a key challenge: most Thai brands — especially those from local communities or SMEs — are too small to compete globally. A potential solution is collaborating with established Thai brands to help smaller producers scale up. He also proposed a social enterprise model in which intellectual property rights are held collectively by Thais. Thaksin is reported to have used his own money to engage Peter Arnell, a global branding expert known for his work with Samsung, to help with the new endeavour. Mr Arnell has already created a ThaiWORKS page on his corporate website, though there is little content there so far. Thaksin said ThaiWORKS would also work with local small businesses affected by rising competition from Chinese imports, exploring co-branding strategies and development of independent Thai brands.
Bangkok Post
06-07-2025
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Event to highlight Thai 'soft power'
The government is inviting the public to attend "Splash -- Soft Power Forum 2025", touted as Southeast Asia's largest soft power showcase, from Tuesday to Friday at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok. Government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said on Sunday the event, held under the theme "Thailand's Opportunities in the Creative Cultural Industry", is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Culture, the Department of Cultural Promotion and the National Soft Power Strategy Committee with support from the private sector, local communities and international networks. It also brings together two former prime ministers, along with the incumbent, to address participants. The event aims to advance Thailand's soft power and elevate its presence on the global stage. It will highlight 14 creative industries, from food and fashion to film and tourism, as tools for sustainable economic growth. A key feature of the event is the Visionary Stage, where top thinkers, creators and leaders from Thailand and abroad will share insights and experiences. Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, in her capacity as culture minister, will on Tuesday open the event with a speech on "Thailand Rising: Tourism, Education and the New Soft Power Frontier". On Wednesday, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will speak on "Crafting the Future: From Otop to ThaiWorks and Beyond". Meanwhile, former prime minister Srettha Thavisin will join a discussion with Thai boxer Buakaw Banchamek and taekwondo champion Panipak Wongpattanakit on "Rethinking Thai Sports in a Disruptive Era" on Thursday. The forum will also feature interactive exhibitions, business networking opportunities, expert-led workshops and immersive tech-driven experiences. Admission is free with advance registration at "This is a rare opportunity to learn from national leaders and leading experts while gaining inspiration to turn cultural value into economic power," the government spokesman said.
