This winter I faced legal charges for copyright infringement. The officers from the cyber-crime unit of the Thai Police told me not to worry about the sentence. They said it would be about $100US, however several lawyers warned that I could face deportation plus the declaration of persona non grata, which would have meant my exile from Thailand. My trial proved the police right. The lawyers had only been after my money. Still I had experienced the apprehension of uncertainty, although nothing like ex-PM Thaksin must have felt this weekend upon reading that the UK had revoked his visa to England while he was traveling in Asia.
His ownership of ManCity’s football team did not save the deposed leader from this ignominy. His wife was also banned from entering Britain.
Persona non grata the two of them and now they have to ask themselves where to go from wherever they are now. He’s building a mansion in China. The Communist country is close to Thailand. His presence there could cause problems, so Thaksin’s second option might be the Bahamas, which has offered him honorary citizenship.
Honorary could prove to be very temporary and Thaksin could find himself in the same situation as Gary Glitter last summer.
A man with only one place left to go.
Home.