Thai PM admits to being a Brit

[PepeLePew]

http://www.bangkokpo...ual-nationality

 

 

PM admits holding dual nationality

• Published: 25/02/2011 at 12:00 AM
• Newspaper section: News

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva holds dual Thai and British nationality, the opposition has told the parliament as it continues to pressure Mr

 

Abhisit to come clean about his roots.

 

Mr Abhisit was born in Newcastle in 1964 and became a British citizen by virtue of being born there.

 

He is also Thai as he was born to Thai parents, the Puea Thai Party told parliament yesterday.

 

The British Home Office's UK Border Agency states on its website that anyone born in Britain before Jan 1, 1983, is "almost certainly a British

 

citizen".

 

The only exception is a person born to certain diplomatic staff of foreign missions who had diplomatic immunity.

 

Mr Abhisit can formally renounce his right to British nationality but he has not done this. Mr Abhisit admitted to the House yesterday that he

 

had not renounced his right to hold British nationality, which meant he continued to hold dual British and Thai nationality.

 

It is the first time he has acknowledged holding dual nationality after the opposition started questioning him about it a month ago. It has

 

accused the prime minister of being deliberately evasive, but Mr Abhisit said it was a matter of law.

 

"I admit I have not given up

 

[my] British nationality because it is understood legally that ... if the nationality laws are conflicting, Thai law must be used," he said.

 

He insisted he had made it clear all along that he intended to hold Thai nationality.

 

"Now if I travel to England I need to ask for a visa," he said in response to questioning in parliament.

 

"It is clear that I intend to hold Thai citizenship. Whether that means I hold dual citizenship or not, that's a legal issue."

 

Puea Thai list MP Jatuporn Prompan said Mr Abhisit was a British national under British law.

 

That meant he could be tried in the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity committed when his government engaged

 

in deadly street clashes in Bangkok last year.

 

A charge against Mr Abhisit has been filed with the court by red shirt lawyer Robert Amsterdam. Although Thailand has not ratified the Rome

 

Statute that created the ICC, the red shirts argue that the prime minister could be held to account by the body if he is a citizen of Britain,

 

which is a signatory of the pact.

 

Mr Abhisit said his parents notified the Thai embassy in London of his birth and said he has Thai nationality. He carried a Thai passport. When

 

he studied in Britain as a youngster, he sought a visa to enter the country as a foreign student.

 

 

 

 

Geordie translation courtesy of http://www.geordie.o...k/translate.htm

 

 

Abhisit te come clean aboot his roots like.

 

Mr Abhisit wez born in The Toon in 1964 an became a British citizen bi virtue of bein born there.

 

Hes also Thai as he wez born te Thai parents, the Puea Thai Party telt parliament yesterday.

 

The British Hyem Office's UK Border Agency states on its website tha anyone born in Britain before Jan 1, 1983, is "almost why-aye a British

 

citizen".

 

The ernly exception is a person born te sortain diplomatic staff of foreign missions whee had diplomatic immunity.

 

Mr Abhisit can formally renounce his reet te British nationality but he has not dyun this. Mr Abhisit admitted hyem yesterday tha he

 

had not renounced his reet te ahaad British nationality, which meant he continued te ahaad dual British an Thai nationality.

 

It is the forst time he has acknowledged holding dual nationality affta the opposition started questioning him aboot it a month ago. It has

 

accused the prime minister of bein deliberately evasive, but Mr Abhisit sez it wez a matter of law.

 

"I admit Aa've not given up

 

[my] British nationality cos it is understood legally tha ... if the nationality laws are conflicting, Thai law must be used," he sez .

 

He insisted he had made it cle-ah aal alang tha he intended te ahaad Thai nationality.

 

"Now if Ah travel te England Ah need te ax fre a visa," he sez in response te questioning in parliament.

 

"It is cle-ah tha Ah intend te ahaad Thai citizenship. Whether tha means Ah ahaad dual citizenship or not, that's a legal issue."

 

Puea Thai list MP Jatuporn Prompan sez Mr Abhisit wez a British national under British law.

 

Tha meant he could be tried in the International Criminal Court fre alleged crimes against humanity committed when his government engaged

 

in deadly raa clashes in Bangkok last year.

 

A charge against Mr Abhisit has been filed wi the court bi red short lawyer Robert Amsterdam. Although Thailand has not ratified the Rome

 

Statute tha created the ICC, the red shirts argue tha the prime minister could be held te account bi the body if hes a citizen of Britain,

 

which is a signatory o the pact.

 

Mr Abhisit sez his parents notified the Thai embassy in Lunnen of his birth an sez he has Thai nationality. He carried a Thai passport. When

 

he studied in Britain as a youngster, he sowt a visa te enter the cuntry as a foreign student.

 

 

 

http://news.xinhuane.../c_13748381.htm

 

Thai PM admits holding British nationality

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is seen at the parliament in the capital city of Bankok, Feb. 24, 2011. Abhisit on Thursday admitted that he holds a British nationality but has never taken any benefit of being a citizen of the U.K. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)

 

BANGKOK, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Thursday admitted that he holds a British nationality but has never taken any benefit of being a citizen of the U.K.

 

Abhisit told the parliament that he was born in Newcastle in England and at the time, he automatically became a British national. Both of his parents are Thai.

 

"When I was studying in English, I studied as a foreigner," the premier said. "If I had made use of being a British national, I would not have had to pay any tuition."

 

Members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday deliberated on the Abhisit government's performance in 2009, a belated agenda that the House was supposed to deliberate last year. The meeting was televised live nationwide on a state-run television.

 

Abhisit said he has submitted his government's performance report to the House since May 2010, but it was the House decision to set a date on its deliberation.

 

He said he always wants to be a Thai national, but did not give up his British nationality because he did not see any reason to do so.

 

The premier was talking about his dual nationality as it was mentioned by opposition MP Jatuporn Promphan in his deliberation.

 

There is no voting on Thursday's meeting, which is likely to continue until late in the evening.

Edited February 24, 2011 by Pepe Le Pew

[benny31]

Does he really like British people?

[Chris50]

Bet he does not have to pay double going into all the tourist sites we have to after all he is a farang is he not?

cheers chris

[lostagain]

Al reet lads an lasses , tha is the second time Aa've seen a reference te "Geordie" on this forum in the past week. Yee are aware wheyaye tha forced me te gan gandie it up te determine what wez actually bein sez .

[arbiez]

Aside from provoking a political argument, why is this an issue? Doesn't R9 have dual citizenship? (US/Thai)

Edited February 25, 2011 by arbiez

[hazze]

Does seem a bit of a non-issue.

Unless they can use his British citizenship to try him for the protest stuff.

Sounds more like bluster than something that will actually happen though.

 

Love the geordie tanslation

Makes me think of sid the sexist from viz:

 

Edited February 25, 2011 by hazze

[PepeLePew]

Aside from provoking a political argument, why is this an issue? Doesn't R9 have dual citizenship? (US/Thai)

 

 

Unless they can use his British citizenship to try him for the protest stuff.

 

 

Exactly hazze. As Thailand is not a signatory to the treaty in question Thai citizens cannot be tried under it. If they can prove British Citizenship then a warrant could be issued. Of course the warrant would only be effective in a country within the treaty but it could make travel awkward.

 

I also agree it is probably a non issue arbiez. If UK citizenship could be proven they would then have to prove a definate link between the PM and the events in question. Even then I doubt the international community would be keen to press forward in what is obviously an internal political issue.

 

I just thought it was of interest but to be honest the Geordie angle was what made me post it way ay!

[hazze]

Exactly hazze. As Thailand is not a signatory to the treaty in question Thai citizens cannot be tried under it. If they can prove British Citizenship then a warrant could be issued. Of course the warrant would only be effective in a country within the treaty but it could make travel awkward.

 

I also agree it is probably a non issue arbiez. If UK citizenship could be proven they would then have to prove a definate link between the PM and the events in question. Even then I doubt the international community would be keen to press forward in what is obviously an internal political issue.

 

I just thought it was of interest but to be honest the Geordie angle was what made me post it way ay!

 

Definatly of interest.

And the Geordie angle is still making me chuckle

[PepeLePew]

Few more details. His name is Mark and he grew up in a 2 bed flat currently worth £69'595 ( +/- 3'500'000 THB)

 

http://www.mirror.co...15875-22951732/

 

 

 

Thailand Prime Minister is actually a Geordie called Mark

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has been revealed as a Geordie. The embattled Newcastle-upon-Tyne born politician's birth certificate reveals his real Christian name is Mark, while his place of birth was the UK's north east district of Victoria, where his childhood home was a humble two bedroom flat - 32 Marondale Avenue - the current property is worth around £69,595.

 

<iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=32+Marondale+Avenue+newcastle&aq=&sll=54.979313,-1.553342&sspn=0.009186,0.01929&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=32+Marondale+Ave,+Newcastle+Upon+Tyne,+Tyne+And+Wear+NE6+4HJ,+United+Kingdom&ll=54.979403,-1.552596&spn=0.009137,0.01929&z=14&layer=c&cbll=54.979431,-1.552397&panoid=EzpUk4dZbrA3U04T8fLPbw&cbp=13,180.58,,0,3.69&output=svembed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=32+Marondale+Avenue+newcastle&aq=&sll=54.979313,-1.553342&sspn=0.009186,0.01929&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=32+Marondale+Ave,+Newcastle+Upon+Tyne,+Tyne+And+Wear+NE6+4HJ,+United+Kingdom&ll=54.979403,-1.552596&spn=0.009137,0.01929&z=14&layer=c&cbll=54.979431,-1.552397&panoid=EzpUk4dZbrA3U04T8fLPbw&cbp=13,180.58,,0,3.69" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>

 

The youngest of three children, Mark Abhisit was born at Newcastle's Princess Mary Maternity Hospital in 1964, to former medical professors, Athasit Vejjajiva and Sodsai Sutabyt, a Thai Chinese (Hakka) family from Bangkok who lived in the UK.

 

Vejjajiva, 46, who says he still supports Newcastle United, revealed he holds dual nationality in the Thai Parliament this week. He even previously held a British passport but is understood not to have renewed it.

 

The revelation throws into question Abhisit's political position and means he could face an international court over human rights abuses in a crackdown on pro democracy suporters last year in which 92 died and 1800 were injured.

 

After months of controversy, during a debate in Parliament this week, he admitted to the Thai assembly: "I was born in England but I consider myself a Thai."

 

Vejjajiva's dual nationality was first raised in a January 31 filing to the International Criminal Court (ICC) submitted on behalf of the Red Shirt pro-democracy movement, requesting an inquiry into crimes against humanity committed during the military's crackdown against protesters in April and May 2010.

 

His British citizenship means he can be sued in international court over alleged abuses during his administration's crackdown on anti-government protests last year.

 

Until now, however, Abhisit has never admitted to his British citizenship. Born in 1964, Mark Abhisit was educated at Eton, alongside the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, and then Oxford University, where he gained a first class degree.

 

The British PM cancelled a Christmas family holiday in Thailand to avoid sending the wrong message on human rights abuses after Vejjajiva said he had invited the Cameron family.

Edited March 1, 2011 by Pepe Le Pew

[lostagain]

He was probably trying to avoid being associated with the legion of British mongers that frequent Thailand ....

[PepeLePew]

He was probably trying to avoid being associated with the legion of British mongers that frequent Thailand ....

 

I doubt if many of them went to Eton! (current fees)

[murrinman]

if hes a pom would he be a member of the BARMY ARMY could imagine at the mcg boxing day test full of piss and bad manners singing and carrying on having a good old laugh