Soros may face angry Thais
Soros may face angry Thais
BANGKOK (AP): American financier George Soros - who many blame for plunging Thailand into an economic crisis - is being labeled a "Satan" and threatened with physical violence during his visit here next week.
Soros is likely to face protests when he addresses the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand on Thursday and police are prepared to arrange extra protection if requested.
Thais, including senior officials and academics, say they will make Soros "feel the same pain we do." They blame his currency speculation for depleting Thailand's foreign reserves and igniting a mid-1997 crisis that spread to other Asian countries.
Most analysts say the crisis was born of many factors, including reckless borrowing by Thai entrepreneurs, a weak financial infrastructure and widespread corruption.
Leading the attack, Bangkok mayor Samak Sundaravej described club members as "half-wits" for inviting Soros to talk on "The Crisis Of Global Capitalism" at the prestigious Oriental Hotel.
"The same goes for Soros for accepting the invitation. Doesn't he feel ashamed coming to see our misery which resulted from his sinister actions?...He really deserves a good bang on the head," Samak said.
But local press reports said Samak wouldn't make good on an earlier threat to punch Soros in the head, since this would be against the law.
Internet message boards and chat rooms have been full of anti- Soros content in recent days with "Satan, Anti-Christ and thief" used to describe him.
One visitor to a popular Thai-language Web site, using the pseudonym "Patriot," said Thailand "cannot ensure his safety. This guy is bad. The world will be better off without him."
One visitor offered a 1,000 baht reward for anyone who pelts him with feces, while another promised twice the amount for a cream pie attack.
"Soros is no ordinary businessman. Whatever he does must yield interest for him," said Thongroj Orncharn, an economist at Kasetsart University. "He wouldn't come here just to give a talk but probably sees an investment opportunity that isn't necessarily good for Thais."