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."