More on the Thaksin
and Al-Fayed connection - November
1, 2003
There must be something controversial in this Nation
article, because they try to make it clear it comes
from The Guardian, not The Nation. Anyway,
there's some info on how Thaksin and Al-Fayed met:
Many have wondered how the Eqyptian
(sic) -born proprietor of the world's best known
department store, Harrods of Knightbridge, came to know
the billionaire prime minister.
About a year after the 1997 economic crisis, a little known
petroleum exploration company, called Harrods Energy, was
looking for work in the Gulf of Thailand.
The then Industry Minister, Suwat Liptapanlop, asked Dr
Surakiart Sathirathai, to handle the request.
Harrods Energy got its exploration license and spent a couple
of years drilling in vain off the Prachuap Khiri Khan coast.
In the meantime, Surakiart dabbled in the new politics of
Thai Rak Thai, as Suwat's Chat Pattana Party waned. Surakiart
introduced Thaksin to Al Fayed, and the two of them hit
it off.
Earlier: On October 30, 2003, 2Bangkok.com
ran this: Thaksin and Al-Fayed
You have probably seen the recent articles about the Prime
Minster wanting to buy Fulham football club:
Thai
premier Thaksin mulls purchase of Fulham football club
- Channel News Asia, October 29, 2003
It was still unclear how Thaksin and Al Fayed became
acquainted. The Egyptian, who owns luxurious Harrods Department
Store in London, visited Thailand in March 2000 at the invitation
of Thaksin, who was standing to become prime minister. &
Al
Fayed: Fulham is not for sale - The Nation, October
29, 2003
Mohamed Al Fayed is an interesting personality. He is the
father of Dodi Al-Fayed who died in the car crash with Princess
Diana. He owns Harrods, the Ritz Hotel in Paris, and other
premiere properties. He has a cool
personal website (there are not many older rich people
who understand how to use the web). The connection he has
with Thailand is that Al Fayed's brother-in-law is arms
merchant and wheeler-deeler Adnan Khashoggi, who was at
one time one of Thailand's most wanted men. He was wanted
along with Rakesh Saxena for being involved in the collapse
of the Bangkok Bank of Commerce in 1996. Khashoggi now resides
in Saudi Arabia beyond the reach of Thai law.
More on the Thaksin and Al-Fayed connection
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