Brother, Where Art Thou?

• Share

To their detractors, Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra (left) and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (right) are crony capitalists who bully their opposition and the media. To their supporters, they're men of action, a welcome contrast to ineffective leaders of the past. Now, however, both have problems: Thaksin faces street protests demanding he resign over the $1.87 billion sale of his family's Shin Corp. media empire, while Fininvest media mogul Berlusconi, trailing in the polls before Italy's April 9-10 election, is accused of conspiring to give false testimony in a corruption case against him. They have other things in common, too.

THAKSIN SHINAWATRA	SILVIO BERLUSCONI
Well, They're Not Poor
Although Thaksin split up his assets when he became Prime Minister, his family is worth about $2 billion	According to Forbes, Berlusconi's $12 billion fortune makes him the world's 25th richest person
Communicators
Shin Corp. owns Thai mobile-phone operator AIS as well as a major television network	Fininvest, which controls Italy's three major private tv channels, also has holdings in publishing and film
Soccer Fans
Thaksin's 2004 bid for Champions League winners Liverpool F.C. fizzled	Berlusconi has owned the losing side, A.C. Milan, since 1986
Quotable Quips
"Mercury is no good, so ... I am going to request not to speak." (Refusing to answer press questions for astrological reasons last November)	"We have the most beautiful secretaries in the world." (Advising Wall Street bankers on why they should invest in Italy in 2003)
Cowboy Cred
Earned Ph.D. in criminal justice from Texas' Sam Houston State University	Spent a night at George W. Bush's Crawford, Texas ranch in 2003
Altar Boys
Alum of Brothers of St. Gabriel Montfort College, Chiang Mai	Graduated from a Salesian college in Milan