More from Thaksin's lawyer Thailand sets a poor example to Burma - Huffington Post, August, 2010 ...Thus far, President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have failed to utter a single word about the destruction of democracy in Thailand, while the US House of Representatives passed a bland resolution praising the government's fraudulent "reconciliation" plan. Having failed to do anything to stop Thailand's transformation into a rogue regime, it is time that the US government re-assess its stance and use its leverage to persuade the authorities in Bangkok to end emergency rule, end the systematic repression of opposition voices, and eventually hold elections. While history has shown repeatedly just how important Southeast Asia is to the United States' national interest, letting the Thai regime get away with murder further threatens to compromise regional peace and stability. What is more, a little pressure might go a long way towards promoting democratic values in a country where democracy is now in a state of complete disrepair. (Source: RobertAmsterdam.com) Amsterdam's ghost bloggers don't want to credit 2Bangkok? - August 3, 2010 We posted this photo for the first time on Saturday (July 31). We just noted that the ghost bloggers for Robert Amsterdam posted it on their Thailand blog August 2, but without any photo credit or link... The image on 2B is here. Update: The blog post has been updated with a photo credit for 2Bangkok. Tit for tat - August 2, 2010 From Thaksin's perspective one would have to wonder what possible advantage would it serve for Amsterdam to be responding tit for tat to a blog post. Sowtow's blog: Don't Shoot the Shyster! ...You did a lot of good things for this country, but you got greedy. You got careless. But the Thai people are actually pretty good at reconciliation — it's built into their culture. Put away your wallet and start trusting them...   And Amsterdam's reply: Somtow’s Fantasy World Also Amsterdam chimes in on the Preah Vihear issue: ...Starting a war with Cambodia, destabilizing the region and causing a major international incident, just to suit the agenda of extremists in the PAD, a relatively tiny organization with very few supporters beyond a rump in the Bangkok middle classes, will bring much unwanted attention on Abhisit’s regime. The question he will ultimately have to answer is who is the dog and who is doing the wagging?... Thailand's legitimacy deficit - huffingtonpost.com, July 26, 2010 ... Allow me to state very clearly here that I am not an objective party and have never pretended to be - we have been appointed to defend the rights of the victims of a violent repression. The debate is about who says what, but rather whether or not the Thai authorities have violated the law in the violent crackdown, and whether they hold anyone accountable for the deaths of 90 civilians. Everything else is prevarication and distraction... White Paper: The Bangkok Massacres – A Call for Accountability - robertamsterdam,com, July 22, 2010 [This is the latest initiative from Thaksin and his lobbyist Robert Amsterdam. It actually is quite well thought out as it seeks to harmonize the issues of Thaksin and his desired pardon with the Red Shirt protests and violence. The problem being, if Thaksin has nothing to do with paying for and controlling the Red Shirt movement, why would he pay for a lawyer to lobby internationally for them? And, how can the plight of Thaksin and the Red Shirts be explained in such a way that it does not look like the Red Shirts are merely acting for the goals of Thaksin? The way this is reconciled is to position both Thaksin and the Red Shirts as common victims of unfairness. According to the white paper, this unfairness is being perpetrated by "aristocracy" in the name of protecting the King, but is allegedly really to protect their own interests. The report is classic lobbying--an attempt to redefine and reposition actors in the situation to the benefit of a client. This is the danger for the government. While Amsterdam is not likely to be able to effect a government collapse or pardon for Thaksin, he could be successful in painting the government as an unfair "junta" (Amsterdam has been very successful in doing this to Russia). Considering how tone-deaf Thai governments are to international opinion (not to mention hopeless at explaining themselves) and the real level of extra-judicial violence that undoubtedly did go on, there is a real danger that the Thai image could be negatively impacted by a continued assault.] Abhisit similar to Mugabe? - RobertAmsterdam.com, July 18, 2010 [So far, the Amsterdam blogging effort has not shown much finesse. There are many foreigners both in Thailand and abroad who are interested in understanding the complex and challenging situation as the government attempts to redirect public protest in the face of a concerted effort being directed to effect Thaksin's pardon and return to power. It seems unlikely that many of these strident Amsterdam posts would be seen as anything more than what they are--ghost-written blogs under the byline of Thaksin's lobbyist.] ...In Zimbabwe in particular there are a number of processes and striking parallels between the current conduct of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Democrat Party, and the military, and events that were taking place under Mugabe’s early administration 7-9 years ago, before everything went off the rails. Early on in Mugabe’s rise, we observed 1) an outsourcing of political violence, 2) the creation of a repressive legalistic apparatus, and 3) an exhibition of a “terrorism algorithm” – an inverse relationship between the state’s level of democratic legitimacy and the need to taint opponents as terrorists... Response to Statement of Buranat Samutarak - robertamsterdam.com, June, 2010 ...I wish to clarify for the record that absolutely no statements were made with regard to the Thai royal family during this series of press briefings in Tokyo. Cameras and reporters were present at every moment, and any examination of the transcripts will disprove Buranat’s libelous allegation. Any discussion at the press conference in Japan was limited to discussing the odious lese majeste laws and their abuse by officials of the Democrat Party and its militant wing in the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), used to intimidate and harass not the opponents of the monarchy, but rather their own political competition who may pose a challenge to their power in a free and fair democratic election... Letter to Thai Authorities Demanding Investigation and Access to Evidence - robertamsterdam.com, June, 2010 ...That you immediately commit to facilitate interviews by our clients’ legal counsel of: All military commanders and sublevel commanders that took part in any operations relating to the Protests; All political leaders within the military chain of command relating to its addressing the Protests; and All expert witnesses relied upon by the Thai Authorities, including but not limited to forensic experts... Thaksin's lobbyist refused entry? - thailandnewspaper.asia, June 26, 2010 ...Mr. Buranat has said that an explanation should be sought from Mr Thaksin regarding the numerous false statements made by his lobbyist. Certain parts of Amsterdam’s interviews with foreign press are even, quite deliberately, offensive to the Thai monarchy... Suthep: Thaksin lawyer not allowed to probe Red Shirt unrest - MCOT, June 26, 2010 ...“I would like to note that when Mr Thaksin was premier, many international organisations were seeking to probe the alleged extrajudicial killings of 2,500 people during his 'war on drugs' and also the killings during the unrest by insurgents in the three southernmost provinces. But at the time Mr Thaksin did not allow these agencies to enter the country and spurned the call for United Nations intervention, saying 'The UN is not my father!'... Govt urged to ban Thaksin lawyer - Bangkok Post, June 24, 2010 ...The lawyer also attacked the Thai government's imposition of the emergency decree, saying it was contrary to the rule of law. He said Mr Amsterdam intentionally made these remarks in Japan because a Japanese reporter was killed in the cross-fire on April 10 during the violence between  soldiers and red-shirt protesters... INTERVIEW - Thaksin wants Thai probe to be international-lawyer - Reuters, June 22, 2010 Robert Amsterdam Thailand - Perspectives on politics, international law, and human rights in Thailand This is Amsterdam's ghost-blogged site (like his main page about Russia) with links to articles bolstering Thaksin's claim that the Thai government is anti-democratic and purposely intended to murder Red Shirt protesters. Karl Rove/Robert Amsterdam: can PR experts really save the day? - nowpublic.com, June 22, 2010 ...Mixing true and false information in an attempt to attract media attention to his clients (and ultimately to him) made Robert Amsterdam a lot more than a spin doctor: it made him a propagandist. This strategy is a dead end. Mikhail Khodorkovsky is still in jail in Siberia and Thaksin lives in exile. But Amsterdam regularly makes headlines. Robert Amsterdam, Human Rights lawyer in Japan on June 23, 2010 - FCCJ, June, 2010 For an update on events in Thailand, who better than human rights specialist Robert Amsterdam? Robert Amsterdam has been retained by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to keep the outside world up to speed on the still tense situation in Thailand... Response to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand - robertamsterdam.com, June 18, 2010 ...The de facto government of Thailand needs to worry less about casting undue blame upon individuals, and concern itself with answering a number of the questions outlined above and working toward restoring the minimum semblance of compliance with local and international law. Secretary to the Foreign Minister clarifies misconceptions in Robert Amsterdam’s statements - MFA, June 17, 2010 ...But there were also those armed with lethal weapons who resorted to violence, sometimes indiscriminately, to create havoc and to try to bring down a legitimate government. The rule of law must therefore be enforced. It was therefore regrettable that Mr. Amsterdam had conveniently overlooked the facts about the illegal and violent nature of the protests and made many baseless, falsified and truly outrageous allegations against the Thai government, much to his own discredit... Thailand's duty to investigate Bangkok killings under international law - robertamsterdam.com, June 15, 2010 [A strangely subdued offering from Thaksin's lawyer, first pointing to various aspects of international law and then acknowledging that few in the international community seem to be as outraged as he is at the Thai government's treatment of the protesters.] ...A credible argument can be made that Thailand's failure to investigate these recent killings is an even further step away from democracy, rule of law, and basic legitimacy of the state... Thailand brings in Podesta Group - PR Week, June 10, 2010 The government of Thailand hired the Podesta Group to "help protect the international reputation" of Thailand, according to a federal filing. The firm is providing message development, media relations, and media training. The three-month contract has a monthly budget of $80,000... List of Podesta clients and Podesta on Wikipedia Thai PM Seeks Confrontation, Not Reconciliation - RobertAmsterdam.com, June 10, 2010 Thailand Lacks Creditability to Investigate Bangkok Killings - RobertAmsterdam.com, June 10, 2010 Shinawatra wants to return home - lejdd.fr, June 9, 2010 [French-language interview with Robert Amsterdam.] ...They fear an election. They fear having to be accountable for the murders of 90 Thais during the demonstrations. They fear being accused of arbitrary arrests and crimes against humanity. They have plenty of reasons to be afraid! ...Other countries have remained silent for a crime against humanity was in progress! This silence must end. The issue is well beyond the simple person Shinawatra. In Thailand, there has been a deliberate campaign to destroy the people because of their political affiliation. In the 21st century, it should not exist... The provincial lawyer who is helping plot an emirate coup - Guardian, June 6, 2010 [Interesting lessons for Thaksin, who has been behind a number of lobbying activities to destabilize Thai governments since the 2006 coup.] ...The plot, led by British solicitor Peter Cathcart, involves the use of Washington political lobbyists, PR agencies writing fake blogs and Twitter accounts, and a newspaper advertising campaign in the US. The coup attempt is remarkable in its choice of modern communications and political lobbying, rather than the traditional resort to violence... Thaksin's last option to topple the Abhisit government - Bangkok Post, June 5, 2010 ...This is consistent with Thaksin's hired gun, Mr Amsterdam, who told the media he wanted the United Nations, as a neutral party, to mediate between the government and the red shirts after the clashes on April 10 at Khok Wua intersection, which resulted in 25 deaths and many hundreds of injuries. It seems Thaksin has conveniently forgotten his famous remark, ''The UN is not my father'', uttered as he rejected attempts by critics who had called on the United Nations to investigate his regime for the more than 2,000 extrajudicial killings under the umbrella of his war on drugs... The hyperreality of Thai propaganda: A response to the Nation - robertamsterdam.com, June 2, 2010 [While most of the articles that come out of Robert Amsterdam's online presence have a clearly sterile and canned quality (no doubt because professional ghost writers are creating them daily), occasionally Amsterdam's personal voice is clear. One example is today's prickly response to something the Nation wrote about him.] ...But luckily everyone is free to read the full text of this editorial, because no draconian government has ordered for it to be blocked. Luckily everyone can hear about the innocence of the smiling military and the Oxford-educated unelected Prime Minister because no one is sending regular death threats to his lawyers and publishing their addresses to hate groups. Having worked in Russia, Nigeria, and Venezuela, I've never seen more thuggish incivility... EDITORIAL: Thaksin lawyers' probe will have credibility issues - The Nation, June 2, 2010 ...If Knoops is what Amsterdam says he is, then the Dutch lawyer should know the difference between "lobby" and "legality". If he wants to become a lobbyist for Thaksin, then that's fine. But he should have the integrity to say so and not hide behind another profession just to hoodwink the public. Statement: War crimes expert joins investigation of Bangkok deaths - robertamsterdam.com, May 31, 2010 ..."The Thai junta's crackdown against its own people has not stopped," Mr Amsterdam said. "At least 140 people have been arrested. Most have been held for more than a week without charge and have been denied access to a lawyer, in breach of basic human rights and international law. The military-backed Abhisit regime is flagrantly breaching its obligations as a member of the international community and the United Nations Human Rights Council. It is thumbing its nose to the international community and trampling on the rights of its people..." Thaksin lawyer prepares war crimes case - abc.net.au, May 31, 2010 ...PETER CAVE: Can I take you up on just one point, the use of weapons. The Thai Government says it faced an armed uprising - that the Red Shirts were shooting at them. ROBERT AMSTERDAM: That is completely bogus and I can tell you as a witness who was in their compound, that is completely bogus and you can ask any of the independent observers that were there and that is why they went around murdering journalists... More press releases from Thaksin's lawyer Thailand and the Criminalization of Dissent - robertamstersam.com, May 25, 2010 ...This kind of conduct drags Thailand down to the level of countries like Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe, where the criminalization of protest reigns supreme. The Red Shirts risked their lives and suffered considerable casualties because their democratic choices and popular will had been repeatedly disqualified and stolen. Until that central grievance is addressed, all other accusations are only distractions... Statement from Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra - robertamstersam.com, May, 2010 Statement: The Mask Comes Off the Thai Junta - robertamstersam.com, May 25, 2010 Thaksin's lawyer documents army abuse of Red Shirts - www.abc.net.au, May 20, 2010 [If this were 2006, Amsterdam's approach could have worked. Back then there was little written on Thai politics and very little interest in the country internationally. However, since then huge amounts have been written on Thailand and much effort has been spent trying to understand the present situation. In the face of thoughtful and detailed articles (such as "Death before amnesty in Thailand" and "Thailand's bitter divisions widened by bloodshed"), it seems insulting and ridiculous for a top-flight spin doctor to think he can reduce these events to generic terms and expect people not to ask why Thaksin is paying him to speak for the Red Shirts. On top of all this, it is surprising how poor an interviewee he is and how visibly annoyed he quickly gets on camera during questioning.] ...ELEANOR HALL: Now a statement that Dr Thaksin released overnight says he has no authority to negotiate on behalf of the Red Shirts and yet he's paying you to act for them. So what exactly is the former Thai PM's relationship with the protesters? ROBERT AMSTERDAM: No, no. He's not... I think we're getting confused. That's not what I said. Let's be clear. He sent me to assist them in annunciating and trying to get some third party to mediate. That's not acting for them. That's trying to just help bring them into some form of dialogue. It's very different. ...ELEANOR HALL: Just before we move on to the negotiations or your attempt to work negotiations here I just want to clarify - are you certain that Thaksin Shinawatra is providing no financial help to the protesters, apart from paying you? ROBERT AMSTERDAM: Again I, look let's be clear. I find all these questions about him and money and everything else frankly ridiculous. I just left a campsite where there were thousands of people who had slept under the stars for weeks and weeks trying to get their message about their desire for some form of democracy out there. They risked their lives. They took bullets for this. I think you actually, it's a shame on people to try to focus on whether or not he and a number of others may have tried to help in some way. ...ELEANOR HALL: And what's Thaksin Shinawatra telling you about how he feels about the state of his country at the moment? Is he worried about civil war? ROBERT AMSTERDAM: He is terribly worried, shocked and horrified by what the government has done. I think that you've had a government turn on its own citizens in an absolutely incredible way, with live bullets, killing journalists indiscriminately... Thaksin: Thailand must observe rights of arrested protest leaders - RobertAmsterdam.com, May 20, 2010 ...I resolutely reject all allegations with regard to any illegal or violent activities in the Kingdom of Thailand, and underscore the fact that this heroic and inspiring grassroots movement is completely autonomous and independent from myself. Let me state this clearly: the struggle of the red shirts is a struggle for the democratic rights of the citizens... Injustice for Thaksin? The drug-war dead must weep - The Nation, June 13, 2007 Former Thai PM's lawyer condemns crackdown - BBC, May 19, 2010 Red Shirts had good reason to protest - The Australian, May 19, 2010 [This is an editorial by Robert Amsterdam. There has been so much thoughtful writing and analysis of the Thai situation it seems strange one would contend that the government flip flopped on elections or that the Red Shirts wanted to avoid violence. It is also unbelievable that this editorial makes no mention at all of the arson and rioting.] ...The unlawful deployment of force used by the Thai authorities against the protesters, their flip-flopping on the issues of elections and their unwillingness to meet the protesters' pleadings for negotiations to avoid violence speaks volumes about their legitimacy to govern... Thaksin should ask for his money back - May 19, 2010 We are still waiting for some world-class pressure to be delivered by Thaksin's lobbyist Robert Amsterdam. So far it has been bland blog posts (A Sense of Injustice in Thailand), sloganeering tweets ("It's not too late to avoid this human rights atrocity through principled intervention. There exists a choice for govt."), and an interview with Al-Jazeera in which he was clearly unprepared for the reporter's questions. Not surprisingly, the interview is not highlighted on his blog. It may be that a poor or simplified understanding of the situation combined with being hired too late (the first advice spin doctors always have is "you should have called me sooner") have resulted in this anemic performance so far. Thailand Report: Big firms shutter Bangkok offices and Thaksin hires Amsterdam - AM Law, May 19, 2010 ...As for Amsterdam, he's trying to muster international support for the Red Shirt cause after the group's leaders turned themselves in to avoid more casualties... Amsterdam says he flew to Hong Kong early Wednesday (EST) with several of Thaksin's Thai lawyers because "we could no longer function in Bangkok." "The [Thai] government is going to use these protests as a pretext to try to go after my client, because they are just deathly afraid of him," Amsterdam says. "Now we are going to investigate and document the absolutely extra-legal behavior of the Thai government and military." Amsterdam says the Obama administration has been "incredibly quiet" about what is unfolding in Thailand. "The writing is on the wall that this [Thai] government is not long for this earth," Amsterdam adds. "Abhisit has to resign and they have to call for elections." Statement of Thaksin Shinawatra - robertamsterdam.com, May 19, 2010 Thailand has a chance if Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva can stop the killings - CSMonitor, May 18, 2010 ...Dissolve parliament now and give Thailand a chance to reset itself before it is far too late. [This article probably indicates the present Thaksin strategy on an international level. We think it is no coincidence that a former Thai Rak Thai government official is coming out with the same Robert Amsterdam talking point about the government randomly shooting people and international law being violated.] Al-Jazeera asks: Is Thaksin funding this protest, Mr Amsterdam? - blog.nationmultimedia.com, May 18, 2010 Surprisingly tough questioning of Robert Amsterdam by Al-Jazeera. Before Amsterdam comes out again to breezily meet the press, he will have to be ready with better responses to any tough or skeptical Thaksin-related questions. Among other thing he says Thaksin is both "absolutely not" funding the protests and later that he has "no idea." Among the points he returns to: "international tribunal," "random attacks on civilians," "international mediator" and "international third parties brought in." These would be things to stall the cessation of the rally, but at the same time they are things no nation would normally assent to. We are not sure if the Al-Jazeera questions are representative of the international press' understanding and view of the situation. If they are, Thaksin's lobbying effort will have to become more sophisticated. It may not be possible for a Thaksin-appointed lobbyist to have the expectation that he can avoid mentioning Thaksin while trying to reduce the present situation to a government shooting innocent people. Here comes the lobbying - May 17, 2010 As we had previous noted, get ready for a lot of aggressive "analysis" from Amsterdam in an attempt to reframe this debate as government violence against peaceful protest. At the same time they will rebooting Thaksin's image to be a wronged elder statesman railroaded by false charges. Video: CNN interview with Robert Amsterdam in Bangkok - CNN via RobertAmsterdam.com, May 16, 2010 The temporary Thai-ification of this blog - RobertAmsterdam.com, May 16, 2010 Given the serious political crisis unraveling in Thailand and the fact that Robert Amsterdam is currently on the ground in Bangkok, we are planning to publish quite a lot of related content on this space in the coming days until a new platform is decided upon. Statement from Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra - PRNewswire, May 16, 2010 ...I call for the United Nations to immediately engage to act as facilitator for this negotiation. That organization should not allow itself to be silenced by a prime minister who failed to understand that a right to life is a core universal value that unites us all as one. Thaksin sending his lobbyist to Bangkok: "Press Release: Time for International Community to Act on Thai Political Crisis, says Thaksin Lawyer" - May 15, 2010 [It is interesting how this exactly mirrors the immediate claims of the Red Shirt leadership that they are "unarmed, peaceful protestors." Although the press release is dated May 12, it was released on May 15.] ...Observing events in Bangkok, Amsterdam stated that the use of live ammunition without warning on unarmed, peaceful protestors represents "a disproportionate response" in violation of the Thai constitution and basic human rights under international treaties... What to expect from Thaksin's new lobbyist Robert Amsterdam by Ron Morris, May 13, 2010 There is no doubt that Thaksin and the Red Shirts need an image update internationally. Beginning with the Songkran riots in 2009 and continuing through the present protests this year, the Red Shirt movement has seen its image muddied. The international press has cast a jaundiced eye on Thaksin and the Red Shirts, in most cases refusing to simply delineate the rallies as simply rich vs poor and usually implicating Thaksin as a background cause. The Red Shirts, unfamiliar with international expectations of non-violence, define themselves as peaceful--unless, of course, they become so dissatisfied that they are justified in fighting (more on this very Thai concept here). On top of this, Thaksin is clearly under pressure from his host countries not to be seen as leading a political movement from afar. Public relations for an international audience from either Thaksin or the Thai government are nonexistent. Both sides continue to put out bizarrely Thai-centric websites and blogs that have no resonance with non-Thai readers. Thaksin's public comments to his followers center around the classic Thai "big man" speech: how much and how hard he works and suffers. The culturally understood meaning of this is that his followers and underlings can feel satisfied that he is working hard and thus they can work hard and sacrifice too. Of course, this logic of this is completely lost on non-Thais. The government is even worse. Not only is Prime Minister Abhisit focused inwardly on political parties and the military (as every Thai PM inevitably is), but he seems uncomfortable with social media and uses it inconsistently. The government website touted as a source of official information in English--capothai.org--is just a listing of official pronouncements--as if non-Thais would be somehow dazzled and respectful of the "officialness" of the information presented. So Thaksin needs an effort promoting his cause in a way that is understandable to an international audience. Amsterdam and Peroff is exactly that: less lawyers and more high-profile public relations. An aggressive strategy undertaken by Amsterdam and Peroff would fit with Thaksin's previous major lobbying effort, USA for Innovation, carried out by the PR company Edelman. Unlike Edelman, known for setting up fake websites and grassroots movements to influence public opinion, Amsterdam and Peroff is known for turning its clients into symbols of miscarriages of justice through articles and blog posts written by Robert Amsterdam. This means we can expect articles, press releases, and opinion pieces in major outlets like Huffington Post demonizing the government and touting the Red Shirts, but written from the perspective of a reasoned opinion piece. Along with this will likely be an advocacy blog for democracy in Thailand delivered on behalf of the Red Shirt movement. When the USA for Innovation issued press releases and other articles on behalf of Thaksin's cause in 2007, the international media uncritically carried these along with USA for Innovation's fake history despite the "organization" having been set up just the month before. Amsterdam and Peroff is a much more up-front and nuanced foe for the government. It has demonstrated an aggressive and extensive use of social media and has a respected history of altering international opinions of those it represents--most notably Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky who is now seen internationally as a victim of the Kremlin's antidemocratic meddling in business activities. Points that might be put forward for an international audience by Amsterdam and Peroff * The prominence of the military in Thai politics (this was one of the key Edelman talking points put forward in 2007). Not that there is any immediate danger of a coup, but keeping pressure on the military not to act further pressures the Prime Minster and limits his options to control an unruly protest. * How human rights of the protesters are being violated and how international law is being violated by the government * How the government is (supposedly) not democratically elected * How the government is engaging in censorship * Keying in on government pronouncements like "CRES okays live rounds against protesters" * Attacks on a wide range of unrelated issues to besiege the government--such as intellectual property violations and sex trafficking (this was also an Edelman tact) Goals of this public relations effort * Improving the image of the Red Shirts and turning them into a symbol of non-violence and democracy. * Setting the groundwork for a future pro-Thaksin government to take power--probably as part of a coalition. In such a circumstance, the danger of a coup must be forestalled and international perceptions and pressure must be set well beforehand to allow a big Peau Thai Party win to stand. * Countering successful Thai government efforts in silencing Thaksin. It is clear in recent weeks Thaksin has been under intense pressure internationally for bankrolling and controlling the protests for near term political goals. This has made it difficult for him to reside in other countries while claiming he is not engaging in politics (or even revolution) from afar. It is key that the Red Shirt movement in Thailand be seen as being about democracy and fairness for the poor again. First press release from Amsterdam and Peroff on behalf of Thaksin: Fearing Crackdown, Protestors in Thailand Prepare to Document Possible Human Rights Abuses Additional Amsterdam and Peroff links Thaksin's new international lobbying effort begins: Defending a controversial figure against ‘the people with bayonets’ - The Globe and Mail, May 14, 2010 ...A government that is based out of a military barracks, whose genesis of power is a 2006 military takeover, who is operating on a constitution [introduced in 2007] that does not reflect the people’s will and was adopted during a period of strong military control … this is not a legitimate government. It’s very important that Canadians and others not allow the people with bayonets to use those bayonets to justify their ability to rule... From Ex-Thai PM Thaksin hires law firm to aid protesters, AFP: ...Amsterdam & Peroff, which has office in Toronto, London and Washington, said it had been appointed by Thaksin "to assist in the current contentious struggle for the restoration of democracy and rule of law" in Thailand... Thailand's ousted leader Thaksin hires international lawyer - Radio Australia, May 6, 2010 ...LAM: And finally Robert Amsterdam, is this a first for your law firm to represent a ousted leader with a view to restoring his leadership? AMSTERDAM: That is not our brief. You have not presented our brief properly. Nothing like this constitutes a first for our firm. We've been involved..... LAM: So you just want to set forward a clear legal framework for any reconciliation process. You are not actually acting on Thaksin's behalf to try and restore him to power? AMSTERDAM: I have stated clearly what our brief is and that is the brief we intend to perform in this country. We just are still acting in a number of other countries for various other political leaders. So no, this is nothing new to our firm, nothing new to our experience. Our firm's speciality often relates to dealing in politically charged environments... Robert Amsterdam's blog: "Robert Amsterdam - Perspectives on Global Politics and Business" Another Robert Amsterdam blog: Corporate Foreign Policy How can a big time lawyer find time to write all these blog posts? The blogs are run/managed/outsourced (?) to K Social Media Consulting founded by James Kimer: ...Past clients have included Rolls-Royce, Lockheed Martin, 3M, and Amsterdam & Peroff.  He has maintained successful blogs and social media campaigns on behalf of various clients since 2006... Kimer's philosophy meshes almost exactly with Amsterdam's. From this page: ...In addition to straight-forward business promotion, my area of specialty has focused on contentious international political and legal issues, and the management of powerful awareness campaigns on the issues which surround these disputes.  I believe that it is not enough to be knowledgeable of media and technology or even to be what they industry terms “a good talker,” but rather, the best consultants should totally immerse themselves into the client’s business, country, and subjects of interest, become known and respected among the leading voices, and work to engage the client’s rightful role in the public debate regarding issues which concern them.... A highly critical article on Amsterdam: Who Really Is Robert Amsterdam? - Borba, May 10, 2009 Robert Amsterdam continues to attack Singapore government on Huffington Post - temasekreview.com, November 12, 2009 Robert Amsterdam on Wikipedia Example of an advocacy website set up by Amsterdam and Peroff: Michael Kapoustin (interestingly the domain is registered by "Domain Discreet")