What’s next for Thailand is that Prayuth is going to appoint himself prime minister, Prasarn as finance minister etc and over a period of 18-24 months the interim government with a rubber stamp legislature on hand are going to embark on a series of reforms that most people here are not going to like much.
Some of the thrust of this reform will probably deal with vote buying which Khemthong and other posters on NM believe, perhaps rightly, is of exaggerated importance, since it now represents merely a occasional and rather miniscule transfer of wealth to rural areas with no bearing on the outcome of elections. However, it would be interesting to see the actual effect on elections of laws that really made vote buying extremely difficult. Theoretically it should make no difference whatsoever and, consequently, must be worth trying to eliminate the anti-Thaksin argument that vote buying deligitimizes democracy.
What remains to be seen is whether any attempt will be made to right the imbalances highlighted by Daniel S #16.1. Decentralisation with elected governors and other local elected officials would do little or nothing to reduce corruption but could do a lot to break up the central budget and increase the level of govt spending in the regions to be more in line with their share of population and GDP. Even though the red shirt leaders and Thaksinite politicians are unlikely to ever agree to this, it is most likely that it would benefit the people in the North and Northeast much more than the people of the South and Central regions, while Bangkok would lose out significantly. Breaking up the central budget would make it much harder for national politicians to break off large chunks to fill their own pockets and would result in Democrat Party governors in control of most of the country from Bangkok to the Malaysian border.
David Brown #1. An interesting point that the red shirts are now aligned with the King in wanting to reinforce the succession of his designated heir, while the “ultra royalists” are said by the red shirts to be risking a devastating civil war for the sole purpose of disrupting the designated succession. Yet, on the other hand there are countless articles in the NM archives written by red shirt sympathizers that are unsympathetic towards the designated heir. All very confusing.
Reading much of the uninformed comments here is extremely painful.if arbitrary detention secret trials trampling on free speech silencing of academics and journalists is the answer to Thaksin’s alleged corruption then give me the corruption any day.
That is just propaganda you are parroting. How many suicides? What was his name, didn’t he actually have gambling debts?
You have been mislead deliberately in order to keep you from realizing the truth. I am very sorry for Thais who have no choice.
Maybe we don;t want to go to jail for our opinions.
Everyone start wrritng letters, to the UN , to your govt. to everyone, let them know Thailand needs to stop the lies, grow up and join the world- or become increasingly an isolated failed state. Yes, I can well see a N Koren like state replete with mandated patriarchal worship
I agree what the contact was say.
Each person should love their own mother land even they born or grow up other country.
Remember you body blood still Asian, Asian people have moral and friendly heart.
Thailand have a good king.
Thailand is a freedom country not talk about religion, gender, color of skin, education level, rich or poor can be friend together. That is the special of Thai than other country.
Thank you Mr. Marshall,
Mr Rees comments are now consistently accusing ANU articles on this subject of not being relevant or having value. I submit it is his comments that are irrelevant and valueless, and the voting seems to agree.
The scariest thing I’ve read so far is academics being rounded up, “especially those who support a repeal of lese majeste laws”
Bangkok Post May 25, p 3
What next after the coup of the century? An insidious campaign of intimidation, arrest and holding incommunicado of Red shirt intellectuals, lecturers, journalists; the destruction of the Pheu Thai party, the uprooting of a whole democratic culture, and rubbishing the Rule of Law. Military courts where defence lawyers are not permitted. What else?
You claim to not like press banning, yet on a Thai based news blogger site’s comment section, you are lamenting this site’s numerous insightful revelations on the root of the problems- and calling for this site to be banned in Thailand.
I’m glad I found this site, for years now I have suspected the nation is rotten to the very core, and now my suspicions are corroborated.
What an interesting comment that about Thai education. Even a prominent journalist from the Bangkok Post in one of his more daring articles once stated that Thais are not educated but brainwashed from childhood. No wonder the rich and privileged are so twisted and alienated from reality.This is the main problem of Thai society.They are ignorant and inhabit a feudal society, and this spells disaster for the future.
Oh that Jon. I’ve seen first hand how you stifle liberal opinions on the discussion forum of the Bangkok Post.
Now any criticism of the coup any forums are not being allowed.
Truly, only a revolution can change anything, I certainly don’t want to be around for it. My advice to foreigners is to get out now, while the getting is good.
Thank you for demonstrating so well the mindset which is at the core of Thailand’s problems: blind partisanship, the inability to see or understand anyone else’s point of view. The fact that there are so many people like you in Thailand, on both sides, is the major cause of the terrible situation the country is in now.
Jaidee,
I don’t know where you have learned about “freedom of expression” but you seem to have missed some crucial lessons if you consider what Rose has been doing the use of her basic human right. Of course, by saying what she has been doing, I’m not referring to only what are presented in this article.
Will you call police if someone posts a video on the social media repeating how much she hates you while stamping her foot angrily on your photo, plus calling you something like mother f**k**. Isn’t that “harassment”? Correct me if I’m wrong. But I’m sure that can never be regarded as freedom of expression.
“True Visions bans 14 international news broadcasts in fear of violating NCPO’s orders.”
Yup, that is democracy all right.
“Democracies die behind closed doors.”–Judge Damon J. Keith
The vote buying rap is irrelevant, no credible organization has shown it to be decisive. The people from the north and northeast vote for Thaksin’s parties because they actually improved their lives. Duh. What reason should they vote for the royalists’ parties?
Poor Joke lives in a bubble where the facts cannot enter.
An excellent read – no other piece has added this much needed context to the presidential debate and what it stands for. The putrid smell from Prabowo’s campaign stinks all the way to heaven, which no wax body double could ever mask. Prabowo’s Sukarno symbols are more transparent because his body is really Suharto’s rotting corpse, while Jokowi has already changed things for the better, is not self-serving, and is even, most extraordinarily, attempting to buck the way of doing politics.
However, a note of caution is surely in order here, because if Jokowi is elected, we could get less of Sukarno’s slogans and more of the emperor’s new clothes. Despite his best intentions, Jokowi may be bound not only by the image of a powerful past president, but by a system that he may not be able to change. Assuming politics IS about invoking powerful people for a moment, could it be explained how Jokowi’s appointment of Jusuf Kalla as his running mate (whose speech to a Pemuda Pancasila conference in ‘an act of killing’, betrays a ‘rotting corpse’ scarcely different to Prabowo’s) shows an appetite for a new kind of politics? Is this a pragmatic move, and a means to an end of election winning? An attempt to take on an elder statesman to supply gravitas, or what?
Time magazine just ran an attempt to take down the Obama-Jokowi comparison, which was far less informative than the above. Nevertheless, thinking about that comparison does draw attention to a) how much hype has surrounded Jokowi’s campaign, like Obama’s, and b) how Jokowi may be unable (if not unwilling) to change much of any. Again, time (history, not the magazine) will tell if the comparison holds, and I hope it doesn’t. But until then, probably best to hold the horses leading the funeral cortege.
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Thailand, what next?
George, all of above!
Thailand, what next?
What’s next for Thailand is that Prayuth is going to appoint himself prime minister, Prasarn as finance minister etc and over a period of 18-24 months the interim government with a rubber stamp legislature on hand are going to embark on a series of reforms that most people here are not going to like much.
Some of the thrust of this reform will probably deal with vote buying which Khemthong and other posters on NM believe, perhaps rightly, is of exaggerated importance, since it now represents merely a occasional and rather miniscule transfer of wealth to rural areas with no bearing on the outcome of elections. However, it would be interesting to see the actual effect on elections of laws that really made vote buying extremely difficult. Theoretically it should make no difference whatsoever and, consequently, must be worth trying to eliminate the anti-Thaksin argument that vote buying deligitimizes democracy.
What remains to be seen is whether any attempt will be made to right the imbalances highlighted by Daniel S #16.1. Decentralisation with elected governors and other local elected officials would do little or nothing to reduce corruption but could do a lot to break up the central budget and increase the level of govt spending in the regions to be more in line with their share of population and GDP. Even though the red shirt leaders and Thaksinite politicians are unlikely to ever agree to this, it is most likely that it would benefit the people in the North and Northeast much more than the people of the South and Central regions, while Bangkok would lose out significantly. Breaking up the central budget would make it much harder for national politicians to break off large chunks to fill their own pockets and would result in Democrat Party governors in control of most of the country from Bangkok to the Malaysian border.
Thorns of the Thai rose
David Brown #1. An interesting point that the red shirts are now aligned with the King in wanting to reinforce the succession of his designated heir, while the “ultra royalists” are said by the red shirts to be risking a devastating civil war for the sole purpose of disrupting the designated succession. Yet, on the other hand there are countless articles in the NM archives written by red shirt sympathizers that are unsympathetic towards the designated heir. All very confusing.
Thailand, what next?
Reading much of the uninformed comments here is extremely painful.if arbitrary detention secret trials trampling on free speech silencing of academics and journalists is the answer to Thaksin’s alleged corruption then give me the corruption any day.
ANU No Coup
That is just propaganda you are parroting. How many suicides? What was his name, didn’t he actually have gambling debts?
You have been mislead deliberately in order to keep you from realizing the truth. I am very sorry for Thais who have no choice.
ANU No Coup
Maybe we don;t want to go to jail for our opinions.
Everyone start wrritng letters, to the UN , to your govt. to everyone, let them know Thailand needs to stop the lies, grow up and join the world- or become increasingly an isolated failed state. Yes, I can well see a N Koren like state replete with mandated patriarchal worship
Thorns of the Thai rose
I agree what the contact was say.
Each person should love their own mother land even they born or grow up other country.
Remember you body blood still Asian, Asian people have moral and friendly heart.
Thailand have a good king.
Thailand is a freedom country not talk about religion, gender, color of skin, education level, rich or poor can be friend together. That is the special of Thai than other country.
ANU No Coup
Thank you Mr. Marshall,
Mr Rees comments are now consistently accusing ANU articles on this subject of not being relevant or having value. I submit it is his comments that are irrelevant and valueless, and the voting seems to agree.
Condemnation of the coup
“no condemnation from the majority of Thais.”
Because dissent has been criminalized.
The scariest thing I’ve read so far is academics being rounded up, “especially those who support a repeal of lese majeste laws”
Bangkok Post May 25, p 3
Thailand, what next?
What next after the coup of the century? An insidious campaign of intimidation, arrest and holding incommunicado of Red shirt intellectuals, lecturers, journalists; the destruction of the Pheu Thai party, the uprooting of a whole democratic culture, and rubbishing the Rule of Law. Military courts where defence lawyers are not permitted. What else?
Thailand’s information war
You claim to not like press banning, yet on a Thai based news blogger site’s comment section, you are lamenting this site’s numerous insightful revelations on the root of the problems- and calling for this site to be banned in Thailand.
I’m glad I found this site, for years now I have suspected the nation is rotten to the very core, and now my suspicions are corroborated.
Thorns of the Thai rose
What an interesting comment that about Thai education. Even a prominent journalist from the Bangkok Post in one of his more daring articles once stated that Thais are not educated but brainwashed from childhood. No wonder the rich and privileged are so twisted and alienated from reality.This is the main problem of Thai society.They are ignorant and inhabit a feudal society, and this spells disaster for the future.
Thailand, what next?
Oh that Jon. I’ve seen first hand how you stifle liberal opinions on the discussion forum of the Bangkok Post.
Now any criticism of the coup any forums are not being allowed.
Truly, only a revolution can change anything, I certainly don’t want to be around for it. My advice to foreigners is to get out now, while the getting is good.
Thailand’s invitation to violence
Thank you for demonstrating so well the mindset which is at the core of Thailand’s problems: blind partisanship, the inability to see or understand anyone else’s point of view. The fact that there are so many people like you in Thailand, on both sides, is the major cause of the terrible situation the country is in now.
Thailand, what next?
Compare public expenditure between Bangkok and the Northeast in the World Banks “Improving Service Delivery Report” , 2012.
Maybe this has something to do with it. There is no inequality here at all
Bangkok North-east
GDP -25% GDP – 12%
Population – 17% Population – 34%
Public Expenditure – 72% Public Expenditure – 6%
And the bangkok mobs still lose their marbles when PT attempt to address this imbalance
http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2012/05/09/000333037_20120509003158/Rendered/PDF/685510ESW00PUB0y0Note0master0120501.pdf
Thorns of the Thai rose
Jaidee,
I don’t know where you have learned about “freedom of expression” but you seem to have missed some crucial lessons if you consider what Rose has been doing the use of her basic human right. Of course, by saying what she has been doing, I’m not referring to only what are presented in this article.
Will you call police if someone posts a video on the social media repeating how much she hates you while stamping her foot angrily on your photo, plus calling you something like mother f**k**. Isn’t that “harassment”? Correct me if I’m wrong. But I’m sure that can never be regarded as freedom of expression.
Thailand, what next?
The democrats also buy votes in the South
Thailand, what next?
“True Visions bans 14 international news broadcasts in fear of violating NCPO’s orders.”
Yup, that is democracy all right.
“Democracies die behind closed doors.”–Judge Damon J. Keith
The vote buying rap is irrelevant, no credible organization has shown it to be decisive. The people from the north and northeast vote for Thaksin’s parties because they actually improved their lives. Duh. What reason should they vote for the royalists’ parties?
Poor Joke lives in a bubble where the facts cannot enter.
Sukarno’s two bodies
An excellent read – no other piece has added this much needed context to the presidential debate and what it stands for. The putrid smell from Prabowo’s campaign stinks all the way to heaven, which no wax body double could ever mask. Prabowo’s Sukarno symbols are more transparent because his body is really Suharto’s rotting corpse, while Jokowi has already changed things for the better, is not self-serving, and is even, most extraordinarily, attempting to buck the way of doing politics.
However, a note of caution is surely in order here, because if Jokowi is elected, we could get less of Sukarno’s slogans and more of the emperor’s new clothes. Despite his best intentions, Jokowi may be bound not only by the image of a powerful past president, but by a system that he may not be able to change. Assuming politics IS about invoking powerful people for a moment, could it be explained how Jokowi’s appointment of Jusuf Kalla as his running mate (whose speech to a Pemuda Pancasila conference in ‘an act of killing’, betrays a ‘rotting corpse’ scarcely different to Prabowo’s) shows an appetite for a new kind of politics? Is this a pragmatic move, and a means to an end of election winning? An attempt to take on an elder statesman to supply gravitas, or what?
Time magazine just ran an attempt to take down the Obama-Jokowi comparison, which was far less informative than the above. Nevertheless, thinking about that comparison does draw attention to a) how much hype has surrounded Jokowi’s campaign, like Obama’s, and b) how Jokowi may be unable (if not unwilling) to change much of any. Again, time (history, not the magazine) will tell if the comparison holds, and I hope it doesn’t. But until then, probably best to hold the horses leading the funeral cortege.
Sukarno’s two bodies
“Or probably how they going to push the country into a communist or probably worst state.”
Still have problems with Communism eh, McCarthy? Sad