Thai Prime Minister "buys 30%" of LFC

[Hermes]

According to 5 live news a Sunday paper is reporting that the Thai prime minister has bought 30% of LFC shares for £65m.

 

The deal will be announced by the club tomorrow.

[Hermes]

There must be some truth in this, the club press officer said there will be no comment from the club "today".

[Paul]

If shares are simply changing hands, this news is of no practical value to us. However, if it's a rights issue and they are new shares, that means we've effectively got £65m from nowhere to spend on players, which could lend a significant degree of credence to the Van der Vaart rumours. Interesting stuff. Hopefully we'll hear more tomorrow.

[Al Campbell]

Steve Morgan can't buy shares but a man presiding over a country with one of the worst human rights records in the world can. Nice to see our priorities in order.

[Paul]

Steve Morgan can't buy shares but a man presiding over a country with one of the worst human rights records in the world can. Nice to see our priorities in order.

 

I know very little about this. Can you elaborate please, Al?

 

I found this on the story:

 

Thai PM stays mum on Liverpool purchase

Reuters

Sunday May 9, 2004 11:06 AM

 

 

BANGKOK, May 9 (Reuters) - Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was tight-lipped on Sunday after being asked about a report that he was going to buy a stake in English premier league club Liverpool.

 

"I can't say anything yet. That would be poor etiquette," Thaksin, a billionaire telecom tycoon-turned-politician, told reporters while playing golf.

 

A report in the Thai-language Thai Rath newspaper quoted Deputy Commerce Minister Pongsak Ruktapongpisal as saying Thaksin would sign a deal on Monday to buy a 30 percent stake in Liverpool for 4.6 billion baht ($115.7 million).

 

The deal would entitle him and his partners to commercial rights in Asia. Liverpool would also set up a soccer academy in Thailand and help with the country's professional league, the paper said.

 

Liverpool would fly a representative to sign the deal on Monday, the paper added.

 

 

PONGSAK DENIAL

 

But Pongsak, who was playing golf with the prime minister on Sunday, told Reuters he gave no such interview.

 

"I'll admit there have been negotiations but no agreement has been reached, so how can they sign a deal on Monday?", he said.

 

Thaksin declared an interest in buying a stake in Liverpool in February after his bid for English premier league rivals Fulham failed last year.

 

Thai media have reported that local beer baron Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi was also keen on joining Thaksin in the Liverpool bid.

 

The Thai Rath report on Sunday said Thaksin would set up a company with private partners for the soccer purchase.

 

Thaksin, estimated to be worth $1 billion by Forbes magazine in 2002, watched the value of his family's holdings soar along with a surging Thai stock market last year.

 

The family controls Thailand's largest telecom group, Shin Corp

 

SHIN.BK>, which has interests ranging from television to the Internet.

 

Charoen is a major shareholder in Thai beer maker Thai Beverages, which produces top-selling Chang Beer and several brands of whisky such as Mekhong and Saeng Som, and makes a profit of more than $250 million a year.

 

($1=39.75 Baht)

[Vincent Vega]

I know very little about this. Can you elaborate please, Al?

 

I found this on the story:

 

Thai PM stays mum on Liverpool purchase

Reuters

Sunday May 9, 2004 11:06 AM

 

 

BANGKOK, May 9 (Reuters) - Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was tight-lipped on Sunday after being asked about a report that he was going to buy a stake in English premier league club Liverpool.

 

"I can't say anything yet. That would be poor etiquette," Thaksin, a billionaire telecom tycoon-turned-politician, told reporters while playing golf.

 

A report in the Thai-language Thai Rath newspaper quoted Deputy Commerce Minister Pongsak Ruktapongpisal as saying Thaksin would sign a deal on Monday to buy a 30 percent stake in Liverpool for 4.6 billion baht ($115.7 million).

 

The deal would entitle him and his partners to commercial rights in Asia. Liverpool would also set up a soccer academy in Thailand and help with the country's professional league, the paper said.

 

Liverpool would fly a representative to sign the deal on Monday, the paper added.

 

 

PONGSAK DENIAL

 

But Pongsak, who was playing golf with the prime minister on Sunday, told Reuters he gave no such interview.

 

"I'll admit there have been negotiations but no agreement has been reached, so how can they sign a deal on Monday?", he said.

 

Thaksin declared an interest in buying a stake in Liverpool in February after his bid for English premier league rivals Fulham failed last year.

 

Thai media have reported that local beer baron Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi was also keen on joining Thaksin in the Liverpool bid.

 

The Thai Rath report on Sunday said Thaksin would set up a company with private partners for the soccer purchase.

 

Thaksin, estimated to be worth $1 billion by Forbes magazine in 2002, watched the value of his family's holdings soar along with a surging Thai stock market last year.

 

The family controls Thailand's largest telecom group, Shin Corp

 

SHIN.BK>, which has interests ranging from television to the Internet.

 

Charoen is a major shareholder in Thai beer maker Thai Beverages, which produces top-selling Chang Beer and several brands of whisky such as Mekhong and Saeng Som, and makes a profit of more than $250 million a year.

 

($1=39.75 Baht)

 

Paul

 

Check out Amnesty International's website. Some grim reading.

[Liverpoolway]

Could you sum up the points for why you think Thailand have "one of the worst human rights records"? I've tried to have a look at this before, and I haven't really seen anything there that can't compare to e.g USA.

 

As for Morgan vs Thaksin: Morgan wasn't willing to pay full value for a share issue, while Thaksin might be. It's a financial decision, not a personal vendetta vs Morgan.

 

And if this is a share issue, which I expect it to be, then it wouldn't mean an extra £65 million to spend. That's the Leeds way, and would be doomed to be a failure. Liverpool could probably spend about £25 million from it, and even then they would have to ensure the total wages don't increase. This is a one off payement, and should be treated as such as well.

[WaltonRed]

id rather see morgan take control than all this,could be okay but gut feeling says its not good.i also agree over the human rights,y not get gaddafi in to?

[Anubis]

On the plus side, could lead to some new 'motivational' training for the players.....

[Vivaldo]

On the plus side, could lead to some new 'motivational' training for the players.....

 

Lol

 

10 press ups or your working on the corner for 4 weeks :o

[Liverpoolway]

As for the human rights issue:

 

http://web.amnesty.org/library/eng-usa/index

http://web.amnesty.org/library/eng-fra/index

http://web.amnesty.org/library/eng-deu/index

http://web.amnesty.org/library/eng-rus/index

http://web.amnesty.org/library/eng-tha/index

 

Russia and USA have many times as many human rights violations as Thailand have, and the only major difference between Thailand and countries such as France or Germany is that they have capital punishment in Thailand.

 

There are two major human rights issues here:

- The authorization for the police to use "deadly force", as self defence, in the war against drug dealers.

- Capital punishment

 

You'll find that USA have the same issues, and many more....

[Vivaldo]

Anyway if someone is willing to invest 65 million pound then clap clap from me

[Vivaldo]

But wait what does this mean

 

The Thai Rath report said the deal would entitle him and his partners to commercial rights in Asia. .

 

????

[Vincent Vega]

As for the human rights issue:

 

http://web.amnesty.org/library/eng-usa/index

http://web.amnesty.org/library/eng-fra/index

http://web.amnesty.org/library/eng-deu/index

http://web.amnesty.org/library/eng-rus/index

http://web.amnesty.org/library/eng-tha/index

 

Russia and USA have many times as many human rights violations as Thailand have, and the only major difference between Thailand and countries such as France or Germany is that they have capital punishment in Thailand.

 

There are two major human rights issues here:

- The authorization for the police to use "deadly force", as self defence, in the war against drug dealers.

- Capital punishment

 

You'll find that USA have the same issues, and many more....

 

Yeah, but the American president and the Russian president are not looking to invest £65m into our club, whereas the Thai prime minister is. Doesn't the human rights abuse record under this guy leave you feeling a bit uneasy. There's surely got to be a better way to raise funds than to go crawling to this dubious character.

[Hermes]

There are two major human rights issues here:

- The authorization for the police to use "deadly force", as self defence, in the war against drug dealers.

- Capital punishment

 

They are human rights issues? If we had those here the rights of the victims would be upheld, but that's a GF debate surely..

[Liverpoolway]

Vincent Vega, I think you'll find that Thaksin has actually improved the human rights record in Thailand (with the exception of the reintroduction of capital punishment), and moved them in a direction towards more and more democracy. He's also turned the country around economically.

 

True, he has introduced a more aggressive "war against drugs", and true they have reintroduced the use of capital punishment, but other than that you'll find that other human rights issues involves things that you'll find in Europe as well.

[Hermes]

RADIO 5 LIVE - "Ric Parry is currently in Thailand and will sign the contracts tomorrow, a press conference will be held in Bangkok".

[Original202]

"Riverpool Riverpool, la la la"

 

Don't like the sound of this. :-(

[Paul]

I like the sound of the cash, but what's in it for them? That point about commercial rights in Asia also worried me. Is this another deal for the short term or are we doing the right thing for our future stabilty and income? I seem to remember when we took Granada's cash we sold them our media rights in perpetuity, which seems stupid to me. Hopefully this deal is weighted in our favour.

[Nunavut Patrick]

easyjet has announced they are dropping their Liverpool-Copenhagen/Oslo/Rekyvik routes and are investing in the Asian market, with Bangkok-Liverpool flights.

 

Let's hope they don't hire Brucie and put him near the floodlight switch!!!

 

About human rights- one thing to remember is that it is Western ideology that defines what exactly are human rights. Other sovereign states put the collective welfare of society ahead of individualistic rights. But since the white European patriarchal view is hegemonic in the world today, human rights reflect the Eurocentric vantage point.

[Hermes]

But since the white European patriarchal view is hegemonic in the world today, human rights reflect the Eurocentric vantage point.

 

Oh right, I didn't think of it that way. Thanks for enlightening me.

[Vivaldo]

I like the sound of the cash, but what's in it for them? That point about commercial rights in Asia also worried me. Is this another deal for the short term or are we doing the right thing for our future stabilty and income? I seem to remember when we took Granada's cash we sold them our media rights in perpetuity, which seems stupid to me. Hopefully this deal is weighted in our favour.

 

But on the other hand if the board do pull off a great deal and LFC DO benefit from all commercial sales over the far east in return for "helping setup a academy and helping with the national league" as reported on five live then imagine the revenue......which would be good but then...

...imagine the parrydome with 50000 thais singing ynwa, just kidding that could not happen? Could it?

[danhaddad]

I like the sound of the cash, but what's in it for them? That point about commercial rights in Asia also worried me. Is this another deal for the short term or are we doing the right thing for our future stabilty and income? I seem to remember when we took Granada's cash we sold them our media rights in perpetuity, which seems stupid to me. Hopefully this deal is weighted in our favour.

 

What's in it for them..

 

I read today that it could be an attempt to increase the PMs popularity.

A Liverpool Academy will be set up in Thailand as part of the deal, with the best players being PROMISED the opportunity to come and join Liverpool. This gives young Thais the realistic dream that they could one day join Liverpool.

 

 

 

Liverpool are already hugely popular in Thailand, but this deal will ensure that merchandising over there will increase rapidly, so the deal could be very financially lucrative in the long term.....

 

Also we can expect a pre-season friendly in Thailand each year!!

[Hermes]

I'm beginning to think that this story is a hoax, put up by Parry to to cover himself.

 

Apparently he travelled with 3 companions, Martin Edwardes and 2 Newcastle United directors................to Bangkok!!!!!!!

 

 

mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[Paul]

Liverpool are already hugely popular in Thailand, but this deal will ensure that merchandising over there will increase rapidly, so the deal could be very financially lucrative in the long term.....

 

Yes but if they have the commercial rights to the Asian market, they get the cash, not us. Seems like the Granada deal: get some cash now and worry about the future, in the future (so to speak).