Catching the Thai Houdini won't be easy

It will be extremely difficult to apprehend fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra because he has a plethora of strategists and communications experts to advise him. Every move he makes, every word he says, is normally well scripted. The only time that these cronies have no control over Thaksin is when he is alone and with a mobile phone. He loves to talk and demonstrate that nobody can do anything to him. Above all, he wants to show that he has outwitted everybody. Even his team of professional "twitters" and bloggers have little idea of what he is thinking. They just do their jobs in making sure that Thaksin gets the support and sympathy of the world, especially from young Thai people who don't read anything longer than 40 words at a time.

Obviously, charging Thaksin with terrorism has heightened the awareness of some Western, as well as Asean governments, which are still friendly with him. They perhaps realise that they have to do something now, as he is no longer an ordinary man, let alone innocent as he loves to portray himself. He is a master manipulator on a global scale. Some of these countries are hypocritical because, deep down, they hope that Thaksin will one day return to power in Thailand and give them big investment projects - a favourite Thaksin trademark - with little or no public participation or scrutiny.

In the case of Montenegro, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya was right in saying that this tiny breakaway state of the former Yugoslavia must now think hard about harbouring Thaksin, especially if it wants to eventually join the European Union. It is sad that the government of this lovely nation has been so irresponsible in defending him and giving him safe haven, and, worst of all, giving him citizenship. It will probably not be hard to prove that Thaksin's new passport is just another commercial transaction. Obviously, with his wealth, he can promise all kinds of investment opportunities to his host. Montenegro's government needs foreign investment to shore up its creditability.

Thaksin has hired a new lawyer, Robert Amsterdam, to fight for and protect him. The lawyer-cum-lobbyist's aggressive strategy will be visible soon. Thaksin is indeed proud that he can pay all the prominent people in any profession to do his dirty work for him. When he was a rank-and-file member of the Phalang Dharma Party in the late 1990s, Thaksin boasted repeatedly that for the right amount of money you could get anyone to work for you. Everybody has a price. Since his ouster in 2006, he has given all sorts of assignments, overtly and covertly, at the national, regional and global levels, to undermine the Thai state and every institution that prevents him from returning to Thailand.

The international community will cooperate with Thailand if the government and legal system can show that it is accountable and transparent. This is not a military government, as claimed in certain quarters. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva must turn his words into action and show that he follows international norms and standards in maintaining the rule of law and order. Only concrete results will mitigate Thaksin's global public relations machine and put an end to his selfish scheming and political agitation from abroad. Foreign governments that harbour him must realise that they are also playing a role in destabilising another country.

We cannot let him use his unlimited wealth and money-grubbing "experts" to destroy Thailand. But to do that, we have to get our own act together.