• 
• 

A close aide to Thaksin was quoted online as saying that the couple had decided to divorce as Pojaman opposed her husband's decision to continue his fight and had been under political pressure for a long time.

Is it a real or tactical divorce?

By all means, it is a tactical divorce for several reasons.

1  The divorce is designed to protect the Shinawatras' wealth-most which is held by Pojaman. Thaksin declared his assets of around Bt500 million after leaving office, compared to Bt8 billion for Pojaman. The two might not want to get into further legal complications over their assets.

2  The Supreme Court's Criminal Division of the Political Office Holders is scheduled to hold a hearing into charges that Thaksin is unusually rich next month. The public prosecutors are charging that Thaksin engaged in a series of policy corruption between 2001 and 2006 to enrich Shin Corp.

3  If Thaksin were to be found guilty, the Supreme Court might rule to forfeit part or all of the Bt76 billion of his family's money now frozen in local banks. This Bt76 billion is being held under the names of Panthongtae Shinawatra, Pinthongta Shinawatra, Banaphot Damapong, Yingluck Shinawatra.

4  Thaksin declared that he and his wife had transferred all of their stocks in Shin Corp to their children before entering politics in 2000. The prosecutors would have to prove that for all those years, between 2000 and 2006, Thaksin and Pojaman were still beneficial owners of Shin Corp stocks as Panthongtae, Pinthongta, Banaphot and Yingluck were acting as their nominees.

5  Both Thaksin and Pojaman have been denied reentry visa into the United Kingdom. All of their three children are now living in the UK. A divorce might help Pojaman to secure a visa to the UK to look after the children.

6  Pojaman has been ruled innocent in the Ratchadaphisek land case, while Thaksin has been sentenced to two years in prison for conflict of interest in helping his wife to secure the bid for the public property. Pojaman is free to return to Thailand or go elsewhere.

7  Pojaman can apply for a visa anywhere in the world without having to face legal complications from Thaksin.

8  But Pojaman has been sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion in a stock deal dated back to the 1997 period. The lower court issued the ruling. She is now appealing the case, which would certainly go to the Supreme Court. This might take years.

9  There have been reports that Pojaman is not happy with Thaksin's determination to win back his political power. A divorce would make it more convenient for both to concentrate on their lives  Pojaman's looking after the kids; Thaksin's fighting his political enemies in Thailand.

10  Thaksin would fight to the death to get his Bt76 billion back. He is willing to pay taxes on this amount, proceeds from the sale of Shin Corp to Temasek Holdings of Singapore.

11  The couple might have faced a hard time together and got into some quarrels, but the original tieup is too tight for a divorce.

These are possibilities  that we can think of. After all, no one knows the answers to their  irreconcilable differences.