Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is determined to return to Thailand in July, after about 17 years of living in exile, regardless of the risk that he will be forced to serve the 10-year prison term from which he fled.
His birthday is on July 26th.
In a recent interview, recorded in Singapore, Thaksin reiterated his plan to return to Thailand, adding “I have said before and have reconfirmed that. I am waiting for Ung Ing (Paetongtarn, his daughter) to set the date, the timing.”
He said that he wants to be able to care for his seven grandchildren, to relieve the burden on their parents, so they can focus on work.
According to extracts from the interview, when asked whether he may become prime minister again, Thaksin claimed that he is too old to play politics, adding “It is beyond my era. This is the era of the new generation, not an era of the old people. We old people can offer advice to, but not force (the new generation) because we cannot catch up with them. We old people may understand the children, but it is like the understanding of English by people who learned English in Thailand, who are no match for those who grew up abroad and who are more proficient in the language.”
He said “I have a long history, but my future is short. The new-generation has a short history but a long future. They have better vision for the future than we do, because we have short future.”
Asked if we are in a “new world”, Thaksin replied “Yes, in English it is called a paradigm shift. The way the young people think has changed. We old people think we can catch up. I read a lot, but only up to a certain level. Not up to their profound level of thinking.”
