Thursday, May 10, 2007

Thaksin Shinawatra

In a season full of City public relations disasters (the Ben Thatcher and Michael Ball incidents, Joey Barton in general, the home goal scoring drought, etc.), the worst could still be forthcoming...

MCFC's serious consideration of Thaksin Shinawatra's acquisition offers is very disappointing in my opinion. In light of Mr. Shinawatra's well documented poor human rights record as a former Prime Minister, I can only hope that our club will inevitably come to its senses and reject Shinawatra's overtures.

The great public relations damage that accepting Shinawatra's bid would cause far exceeds the benefit that would be gained from his financial prowess in my view. Liverpool FC for example was condemned by groups such as Amnesty International for entertaining Shinawatra's interest in LFC three years ago. Out of curiosity, do the majority of fellow City supporters share these viewpoints?

vote it up!

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

No I don't share these viewpoints - the skewed view of the former Thai premier is nothing but media lead and any comment worth any credit would have researched properly into the person and see how he benefited the Thai nation

Anonymous said...

It's far too easy to come out with assertions like this. The guy is first and foremost a businessman...these human rights issues really are nothing more than media hype and it would benefit to actually have details of these issues rather than an ubsubstantiated reference to it.
As a City fan, I don't believe we can be rejecting investment on hearsay. This could be a valuable change for a club which is slowly slipping into the footballing wilderness. Be it a publicity stunt or not, Thaksin's investment would be mutually beneficial. He'd get publicity, but he's hardly going to want it to be negative....this guy wants to make a mark and I hope it's with us.

As for Liverpool, I don't believe that deal fallign through had anything to do with Amnesty and human rights.

Oh, and ask the rural communities of Thailand what they thought of him...

Anonymous said...

Sorry Brian but I also disagree with your analysis. Take a look at Wikipedia and you will see that during his time as Prime Minister he halved rural poverty. He increased access to health care from 76% of the population to 96%, and increased access to university education for lower income groups. He reduced corruption, cut HIV rates and increased access to HIV medication. Human rights violations appear to be mainly connected to a drive to counter a boom in the Thai drug market and target drugs dealers. So there are at least reasons to be cheerful, not the least of which is that since leaving office he has stated his desire to devote himself to charitable activities, and he has the money to do so. If City happen to be one of the charitable concerns that he takes up, so much the better, and maybe he will be just as ruthless at driving us towards where we all want to be.

Anonymous said...

he also cut down on prostitution- limited drugs running throught these bars...who owns the bars- the generals who took over in the bloodless cout.
- he took a strong resistance to drug lords...negotiation with small time dealers to get straight to the top dogs...and indeed there were shoot-outs

- i can only see good from the takeover- make the club a viable business and force in the league

Anonymous said...

Is he into Crown Green Bowling?

Arthur Boggride
Essex

Anonymous said...

what's wrong with his human rights record. So he exectued drug trafikkers. Good on him. People who peddle drugs peddle death themselves. Other posters on here are correct. I have read many positive stories about him on the web. My research suggests that the majority of Thai's loved him. Especially the lower classes.
Rob - Brisbane.

Brian Koski said...

My opinions on Mr. Shinawatra being a poor fit for MCFC are based on the significant public relations damage I feel a Shinawatra regime would bring to the club, as opposed to moral reasons.

The gentlemen above make great points in communicating the benefits Shinawatra provided for the Thai people. Its not fair, but those qualities are not emphasized by the media, at least not in my neck of the woods.

The message I hear out here in America through the media is that Man City is seriously considering acquisition offer(s) from a deposed dictator accused of human rights offenses. Again, whether this is a fair portrayal or not isn't the point in my opinion.

These are the messages being sent, and as a result, our associations with Mr. Shinawatra have already led to further embarrassment for the club, and City once again being a punchline for bad humor.

After a season full of bad publicity due to several ridiculous incidents (and ineptitude on our home pitch), I'm tired of seeing the club I support shed in an embarrassing media light time and time again. Because of these incidents, MCFC in particular should be very conscious of and sensitive to our image as a club going forward.

Whether or not Mr. Shinawatra deserves it, he is a controversial figure who many people associate with dictatorship, corruption, and human rights violations. The negative publicity that this brings in my opinion does not justify the benefits Shinawatra can offer the club. Better to be patient and find a suitor who doesn't carry such inflammatory baggage.

Anonymous said...

Brian Koski - All this information is as free to you to find in the 'good old U.S of A' as it is to us. It's on the internet. Surely in the land of the free you enjoy full access and no censorship. Maybe when compared to George Bush you will find Mr Shinawatra a little more palatable. I am sure there are parts of the world that would bring Dubya's human rights into question. Maybe he could find it in his heart to help the Zimbabwean people...sorry, no oil.
Rob
Brisbane.

Anonymous said...

I agree totally with Brian on the 'City-and-Thaksin' issue. As a Thai -- but not exactly a football expert -- all I can say is 'City' won't know what hit them if this deal goes through!

And as for the rest of the comments on your page, Brian, I think they are mostly just the victims of today's successful (but not necessary ethical) work of 'PR' companies.

Anonymous said...

Whilst like all City fans I would welcome such a potentially rich benefactor taking over at City I believe there are wider issues at stake. Yes we have all done a ‘wiki’ search but that is not always factual as we know.

His record on human rights is not impressive and whilst I echo the thoughts of many on the fate of Drug traffickers I believe his reign at Thai PM should be scrutinized in details before we sell our soul to him. A few searches on the web will start alarm bells ringing in some quarters. When PM he changed the legislation about selling interests in Thai assets to foreign parties, 2 days later his Shin corporation sold off a large chuck of his Telecoms business to Singapore’s Temasek Holdings, netting his family a cool $1.5 billion !!. A matter the Thais still wish to discuss with him. God how he will love our corrupt Footballing elite. Ask yourselves with Thailand’s strict financial controls how he managed to get this money out of the country?
If reports are to be believed he may only be looking at increasing his publicity at home by buying into the premiership, his managerial style is described as ‘megalomaniac’ do you think he would want to pick the team as well? It is also rumoured that he might also use City as feeder club for Thai players again to curry favour at home and so boost his obvious political ambitions and rehabilitation with the Thais. Do we really want this man at our Club?

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/05/02/opinion/opinion_30033177.php

Anonymous said...

Hold on - Everyones saying he's worse than abramovich! bet if someone took a look into his murky past...

Oh and to the Thai bloke, as a Thai and a rag (you said you wern't a football expert!) - whats so wrong with his human rights record? you failed to explain!

Swiss Tony

Anonymous said...

Swiss Tony- Nobody is saying he is like Abramovich, better or worse. ANd if my memory serves me right Channel 4 (UK) did do a documentory on him about 18 mths ago, guess what no bodies found burried, as for whether he should have got his hands on the Oil co. in the first instance well you can thank old wobbly Boris for that opportunity.

Anonymous said...

swiss tony,
I do not owe you any explanation. And.. by the way.. a rag? Listen to yourself!

Anonymous said...

Bloody hell, is this Newsnight?

Of most concern is the link with Thailand and ladyboys, we already have a greek one playing up front and I for one do not want to come across any more (bad choice of words I now realise).

Goodnight.

Anonymous said...

If we put aside whatever Mr. Shinawatra did when he was a Prime Minister.....

lets not forget that he was a great Entrepreneur before he got into politics, he became the richest man in Thailand. he must have some brain and vision ?

Bad image to the club ? He was a Prime Minister of Thailand....and still in close contact with leaders of top nations. He can call Blair or Bush on his mobile anytime for tea, I bet Abramovich can't do that...

The world leaders are not avoiding Mr. Shinawatra, only the new Thai Government is ...What " great public relations damage ?" would he do MCFC ?

Anonymous said...

could,nt care less if he's killed a million drug smugglers.this club needs huge investment,to stop us going the way of Forest,Wolves,Ipswich etc.Anythings better than the present set up.

Anonymous said...

It's his public relations that are in danger of being ridiculed if he buys City.Most Thais I know treat them as the laughing stock they truly are.All I can say is he has the backing of one of the world's most reputable financial houses. Pity he hadn't the backing of his army after he siphoned off billions and impoverished many in his country. Sounds like he and Wardle are made for each other.... Despondent Blue...

Anonymous said...

... the point being if he is bent, & the Thai authority manage to bring legal proceedings against him or even justify their case to a british judge, i)his assets could be frozen(ie City)leaving us worst than we are now ii)City's reputation being dragged thru' the mud

Anonymous said...

I know many folks here in the USA that root against AC Milan simply because of Silvio Berlesconi. I imagine City will have the same sort of taint around it if Shinawatra were to gain control of the club. City is already being seen in some quarters as a "thuggish" team. This won't help matters in the least.

Kartik said...

Of all the speculated buyers of English clubs only Stan Kroenke (of Arsenal and David Dein fame) has any sort of background in the game. I was recently in Denver and saw the excellent job he's done building a new stadium for the local MLS club he owns and also building an Academy (which is rare for American clubs) and a state of the art training facility. If his attempts to takeover Arsenal are not fruitful I would seriously court him if I were Wardle and the board.

Kartik said...

I meant to say of the foreign propsective buyers of English clubs. Most of the potential British buyers are footy men and would do an excellent job making City truly mediocre, which is better than the present set up.

Anonymous said...

Hold on Anonymous - City seen as the 'thuggish' club? Just one moment. I recall Roy Keane wrecking Alf Inge Haaland's career in a derby match. I recall Francis Burns wrecking Colin Bell's career in a derby match. I recall George Best breaking Glyn Pardoe's leg in four places and the doctor battling to save his life on the touchline because of the severed artery. But it's a strange thing - I can't recall a single United player whose career has been finished in a derby match. Stop talking shit.

Anonymous said...

When I worked in Saudi Arabia, we had two Thai technicians working with us. Superb craftsmen, but their names were totally unpronouncable. We all ended up calling them City and United. United got hit by a bus, and City stayed on as long as I was there. Maybe it's an omen!

Anonymous said...

What rot!

Franky Shinatra did untold good for the people of Thailand.

He will do great things for City too.

Anonymous said...

Still seeing crap about the Thatcher incident. I've seen thirty 'elbows out' incidents this season that were far worse than Thatchers, The dick-head hit the advertising hoarding and knocked himself out. SP had an attack of the vapours and let him go - we should have got a couple of million for him, but no. Same old City - we let him go for a song. Stop going on with this crap - you aren't helping!

Anonymous said...

Hey Rob-Brisbane

I don't believe that the right honorable Mr. Koski has ever come out in support of George Bush buying the team. Although Mr. Bush has Oil Money also. And judging by the mediocre job he did in running the Texas Rangers (Baseball) I'm sure he wouldn't support the Geo. Bush Purchase of MCFC. Though he might be ok with a Jeb Bush led club. You'll have to ask him.

and BTW we are kind of busy in Iraq, perhaps YOU could find it in your heart to get the rest of Europe to step in to help Zimbabwe, They aren't doing a damn thing. Oh yea, they don't seem to care, oil or no.

at this minute The US & UK are a little busy in Iraq.

Anonymous said...

Also in Afghanistan

Kickin' ass - drug smugglers, reds, terrorists. Thaksin will fit right in.

I seem to have lost the track of this discussion!

Anonymous said...

As a committed blue of 37 years I say, Lets give it a go coz us beggars cant be choosers

Anonymous said...

King (Rama) No.5 (The King and I) led Thailand into the 20th Century.
Thaksin was and could still be the best person to lead Thailand into the 21st Century.
He would be a huge asset to any business, including MCFC.
Don't believe everything in the press.