Thaksin Shinawatra playing golf with his buddy Hun Sen (Photo: Reuters)Golf buddies hatch bold investment idea for Cambodian casino town, with Thailand likely to benefit, too / Thaksin and Potjaman parting picked by sassy gossip column / Khunpluem family mounts comeback after last year's poll defeat
The Cambodian border town of Koh Kong could become a "second Hong Kong" after former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra convinced a Dubai-based investor to pour money into what many reckon could be the most budget-intensive project in the town.
Koh Kong, which has a single, large, self-contained casino, has been a drawcard for mostly Thai and some foreign gamblers crossing from Trat.
But it sorely lacks wider appeal to tourists.
Soon funds may start pouring in from abroad to help turn the town into a world-class tourist destination to rival Hong Kong.
The project reportedly won the nod from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Mr Thaksin's golfing buddy, while the two men were on the green at one of Phnom Penh's five-star golf resorts on April 5 and 6.
A source said Mr Thaksin struck up the conversation by mentioning a proposal he had in mind to put Koh Kong on the world tourism map and give Hong Kong a run for its money.
The former prime minister envisioned a grand scheme to re-invent Koh Kong and expand the humble town into a multi-hub destination studded with shopping centres, eateries and entertainment venues in addition to its casino.
Mr Thaksin feels the town could easily charm visitors with its natural beauty and marine tourism activities.
Hun Sen appeared warm to the idea and appreciated Thailand's neighbourliness in taking the initiative to help boost his country's economy.
But many aspects of the project remain murky. It was unclear how much the unnamed Dubai investor will put into the ambitious development, which targets Thai, Southeast Asian and American visitors.
It could not be predicted when the project will get off the ground, either.
Fans of the project believe there would be a huge commercial windfall for Trat, which would become a gateway to the "second Hong Kong".
The source said Pad Supapa, the owner of Koh Kong's casino and an influential economic policy adviser to the Hun Sen government, has welcomed the mega-development proposal with open arms.
Koh Kong could ride Asia's next wave of economic boom towns. Some American companies are seizing the opportunity to take a slice of it, the source said.
The modernisation of the seaside town, giving reciprocal benefits to the two countries, could bode well for the unsettled dispute between Thailand and Cambodia over the eastern territorial waters.
Don't mention the 'D' word
A sassy column on a popular website has it that Thaksin and Khunying Potjaman Shinawatra are going their separate ways after 30 years of marriage.
The anonymous columnist claimed Mr Thaksin has fallen head over heels for a teen singer. Photos of him and the singer taken in England where he stayed during his self-imposed exile were no secret. So the assumption was that Khunying Potjaman's patience was running low and she wanted a divorce.
But Khunying Potjaman's close aides were quick to dismiss such speculation.
It was true that Khunying Potjaman had demanded a divorce, but that was back when Mr Thaksin started his political career.
His shareholdings in Thai and overseas firms far exceeded the 5% legal ceiling for a political office-holder. That gave her a headache and she wanted to part.
Mr Thaksin eventually tendered his resignation as foreign minister before the court handed down its ruling. That was after the former telecom tycoon had been talked into going into politics by then Palang Dharma party leader Chamlong Srimuang. Mr Thaksin was foreign minister from 1994 to 1995. Later he founded the Thai Rak Thai party.
When Mr Thaksin made history with Thai Rak Thai by leading it to victory in the 500-member parliament in the 2001 elections, giving him the premiership, she started liking the trappings of power. Divorce has never been mentioned since.
When his political career came to an abrupt end with the coup in September 2006 and her classmates from Saint Joseph's Convent school abandoned her, Khunying Potjaman sent her long-time secretary to spy on her husband when he was out of sight.
It became impossible for Mr Thaksin to develop any sort of romantic relationship abroad.
These days, his schedule is tight with a tour of 99 temples to try to reverse bad luck. If he is in town, sometimes he spends time at his old office at Shinawatra Tower 3 on Vibhavadi Rangsit road, preparing to pass on his real estate business to his eldest daughter Pinthongta who just earned a master's degree.
Rumours that the couple are parting after spending 30 years together sound unlikely, as Mr Thaksin has always put his family first and he has given all the credit to his wife for his having come this far.
Down, but not yet out
The Khunpluem family has made a comeback, after an election setback late last year.
Their surprising loss in the general election in their home province, Chon Buri, to the Democrat party in December knocked them down - but not out.
On Sunday, the family of Chon Buri tycoon Somchai Khunpluem, aka Kamnan Poh, won seats in the Chon Buri provincial administration. It is also likely to secure the Pattaya mayoralty this Sunday.
After Kamnan Poh was found guilty two years ago by the Supreme Court of corruption in the purchase of 140 rai of public land in tambon Khao Mai Kaew, worth 93 million baht, for use as a garbage dump, the political foothold of the powerful Khunpluem family was shaken.
The family lost to the Democrats in the Dec 23 election after Sonthaya Khunpluem, Kamnan Poh's eldest son, was suspended from politics for five years together with his disbanded Thai Rak Thai party.
The family is now forced to focus on local politics to keep its power intact, and is succeeding, thanks to its longstanding support base among villagers.
Withaya Khunpluem, Mr Sonthaya's brother, won the election for chief of the Chon Buri provincial administration organisation and his teammates won seats on the Chon Buri council last Sunday.
Now the youngest brother, Itthipol Khunpluem, is vying to be the mayor of Pattaya.
Kamnan Poh's sons have contributed to public life in Chon Buri for a long time, and have managed to distance themselves from their father's image.
Most political observers expect Mr Itthipol will win.
Mr Itthipol holds a master's degree from overseas and has run a five-star hotel owned by his family. His brother Withaya's victory shows the Khunpluem family still has a reliable voting base in the province.
For Sunday's election, he has two competitors.
Alisa Phansak is a former senator and the daughter of Sutham Phansak, a former Pattaya councillor and the owner of Tiffany's Show, a transvestite cabaret.
His other rival, Surat Mekhawarakul, is a businessman and former president of the Pattaya Business & Tourism Association. He earlier vied for the same post but lost to Niran Watanasartsathorn.
Mr Itthipol has floated development projects for Pattaya while Miss Alisa focuses on infrastructure development and Mr Surat on conservation and education. Mr Itthipol has the upper hand as his two competitors share the same voter base. Control over the tourist city with an annual development budget of three billion baht is within his reach.
