• 
• 

Seri Wongmontha, the director of Rajabhat Suan Dusit University's doctorate programme and a marketing communications expert, said yesterday the move was designed to create a good image for Thaksin while whitewashing his bad reputation.

The virtuous work of the foundation could make good news that takes the place of bad news about him, Seri said.

However, the attempt could only build or reinforce a good image of Thaksin in the eyes of those who already like him or hold no strong distaste towards him. It would not convert anyone's feelings.

"Creating a foundation is a good thing. But if you killed a person and you built 10 ubosot as compensation, they could not replace each other," he said.

The circumstances now are different from when Thaksin set up his Thaicom Foundation, he added.

"Thaksin must fight with every means now. The UK's revocation of his visa means he'll have more difficulty travelling to other countries, including America and Europe. Those countries might consider the UK's reasons and be reluctant to welcome Thaksin," he said.

"So Thaksin must try to deflate the sentiment, although running a foundation cannot erase his previous behaviour in reality."

Thaksin, chairman of the foundation, wrote on its website www.buildingbetterfuture.org that the foundation, which has the Thaicom Foundation as a partner, would reveal its full board of advisers in February.

The foundation is already reviewing four proposals for projects that have requested its support and several projects will be announced in the new year, the website said.

The foundation has Sam Moon as acting executive director. He described Thaksin as one of only a "handful of a new generation of Asian leaders who could become a 'Clinton from Asia'".

The website was registered on November 6 and advertisements about the foundation were published in two international media on Monday.

Noppadon Pattama, formerly a lawyer for Thaksin, said he had not talked to the ex-PM about the foundation. However, Thaksin needs time to prove whether it is political, he said.

Thaksin is using the working style of US president-elect Barack Obama, who is surrounded by smart people, he added.

Thaksin must have ways to manage his funds when large sums of money are offered to leaders joining the foundation and Thaicom is a partner, Noppadon said.

Panithan Wattanayakorn, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, said if Thaksin were serious in running the foundation and really getting out of politics, he would win more supporters and also end political conflicts. Otherwise, it would hurt him in the long run.

"We have to wait and see the real function of the new foundation. If Thaksin is serious about the foundation and is sending a signal of quitting politics and turning to non-profit organisations, this will be his new role," he said.

"Thaksin might want to build an established foundation like the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, or he is doing what millionaires like Warren Buffett do," Panithan said.

The Building Better Future Foundation's objective of promoting leaders could raise questions about whether there was a political motive. If Thaksin just runs the foundation as a propaganda tool or a continuation of his political activities, he would engender much more opposition, Panithan said.

The ousted premier has not been recognised as a founder of non-profit foundations but is widely known as a politician. The funds Thaksin gave to the Thaicom Foundation when he started it were too little compared to his status at that time. It was five years after the establishment of the Thai Rak Thai Party, Panithan said.

Although he put more money into Thaicom after the 2006 coup, personnel running the foundation are still his family and close friends, he added.