Sure, when the EC -firmly in the hand of the opposition- rules, that people who were registered for advance voting outside their residence and were obstructed from voting last Sunday can’t vote on 2nd February (because the people who would want to vote, wouldn’t vote for the right option anyway in their eyes ), then that is really democracy and corruption-fighting at it’s best!
This is getting rather tiring:
a.) Could you please finally get over Thaksin! He’s almost continuously in exile since 2006, the amnesty is dead and won’t be revived in the foreseeable future and you can hardy call him a dictator if he isn’t able to revoke the rather ridiculous verdict about the Ratchadaphisek land deal. Sure he has still a lot of influence on PT and his sister, but you can hardly call him a tyrant if he has to rely on Skype to get his message across.
b.) As we have established above, you can hardly call a country with a government with such limited powers a dictatorship (just scroll up a bit to comment 25.1ff, even Peter Cohen said “…the other message is that Thailand IS A Democracy, irrespective of its serious problems”).
There was a moment in Thai history when Thaksin was on the brink on becoming almost a dictator, when in 2006 the wimpy Dems boycotted the election and he got 460 of the 500 seats, but you couldn’t really blame him for the Dems wussiness.
c.) The Dems are unable to reach out to a majority of the upcountry voters (maybe except for some rubber farmers in the South), they never developed any policies that would have made them attractive. Despite the fact that already 70% of the national budget is spent in Bangkok, they seem to want to widen the rural/urban divide instead of proposing policies to close the gap.
d.) The contempt and disrespect the protesters show for the majority of the Thai population seems to me a sign that their main concern isn’t democracy or even fighting corruption, but the fear they will loose part of their piece of the cake to the “buffaloes”.
“Good people” don’t need to insult whole groups of fellow countrymen.
This little set of posts is funny. Mr. Cohen can’t believe that Forbes studies anything, but even if they did he wouldn’t believe it because it doesn’t accord with what he believes.
Thaksin has been using American lobbysts for years to clean up his image and avoid to have to explain his fortune after the last issue of Forbes in 200 something that cost him his seat of prime minister for lying about his fortune
Really? Is that “The point that the anti-government protestors and the Democrat party are making?” That’s what they would like everyone to believe, yes. So why is it that perhaps the majority of folks believe their actions are simply a naked power grab by interests who know they can’t gain power through democratic processes?
None of the above, rather an important generally non-partisan stabilizer for a young semi-democracy. Furthermore, your blaze assertion that the king “didn’t have any problems with these unsavoury dictators” is really quite extreme and ill-considered.
“Red Shirts gathered…and Abhisit responded with bullets” after enduring SIX months of the Red Shirts marauding around Bangkok like barbarians at the gate, after the Red Shirts assassinated the government’s head of security, after tolerating the Red Shirts building 20 foot high barriers in the CBD to fortify their main encampment, after the Red Shirt’s provocation of taking army personnel prisoner, commandeering army vehicles, using public buses as battering rams, attempting to blow up an LPG transporter in downtown Bangkok and huge oil storage tanks in the suburbs ,after the Red Shirts urged supporters to gather with full can of gasoline to “Burn Down Bangkok”, after Red Shirts rushed army positions with hand grenades, etc. After you omit to give any context to your ludicrously slanted summation, Mr. Pavin, you are scarcely in a position to criticize someone (whoever they may be) for stating the bloody obvious about Rajprasong. I can see why you’re a favorite of one-eyed Red Shirt supporters.
As a matter of interest, what was the full message on Sunai’s T-shirt – something about “love” and “the police”? It sounds like a hard sell amongst the majority of Thais, who from my experience, have a pretty low opinion of this particular institution. But given the partisan politics of the police (in general) to Thaksin’s cause and overt failure to do their duty to maintain law and order during the present conflict, I guess a little love needs to be extended from one side of the growing divide.
The point that that the anti-government protestors and the Democrat party are making (which apparently some posters find so difficult to acknowledge)is that, ironically, Thaksin has used the democratic system to install a corrupt party machine with him as the autocratic ‘big-boss’ and to fight against all democratic checks and balances – except for the electoral mandate his party machine delivers and with which he cloaks his parliamentary dictatorship.
When you say Thai people, you are referring to the few hundred thousand Bangkok supporters.
When the world say Thai people, they are generally referring to the millions of eligible voters. Last count, about 41 million.
BTW, have not really read, what reforms, Suthep (guy who ordered shooting of civilians) wants except for ;
1. Let me rule for 12 uninterrupted years
2. Get rid of Thaksin
How that two statement can be construed as “reforms” beats me. Maybe my IQ is not low enough?
“I was wondering, what does “Islamic financial superpower” mean?”
Whatever PM Najib WANTS it to mean, which can mean anything and nothing.
Given the billions of dollars spent on proselytisation and construction of Islamic schools worldwide, doesn’t it stand to reason that Saudi Arabia and Iran would qualify as
“Islamic financial superpowers,” given the enormous amount spent on proselytisation and Islamic schools (Salafi/Wahhabi) by the former, and proselytisation (Shi’a Islam) by the latter, of which Iran has devoted $250 million to Malaysia alone, in a not-so-subtle attempt to influence PM Najib’s foreign policies and spread Shi’a Islam in Malaysia, even knowing that it is illegal and subject to Malaysia’s (Shaf’i-based Sunni) Shari’a Law courts. This has not dissuaded Iran in the slightest. So, who is the superpower, the ‘influencer’ or the influencee’ ?
The middle class + elite needs to understand that there is a price to pay from abandoning the opportunities of social compromise that comes with democracy. I doubt many want a society plagued with ongoing social unrest, or even civil war.
The majority of Thais have already woken up. Now is the time for you to wake up: Suthep, Abhisit and all you whistle-blowers. If you force the people majority to a powerless position, do not expect stability and prosperity ever after. What does it take for you to gain some insight?
Fact Check: Would this be the same fair and impartial court that today could not find enough evidence to issue warrants for his (and others) arrest? In any case you are being disingenuous because you know you would not call him a fugitive even if the deadline wasn’t extended and he was on the lam.
Well, looking back over the past month or two of polls posted at that Bkk University site, it appears that there is a fair amount of variation in public opinion, enough so that ‘widespread’ would be apt one day and ‘narrow’ another.
Yes Jim
And don’t forget the whistle mob has to be financed by someone and also remember this money will have to be recouped once the self appointed council has been set up.
Oh I know Suthep is receiving bags of money from the mob but I understand that is for his personal expenses. BTW I wonder if he has to pay tax on this.
Maybe i need to explain – i am a reporter, not police officer, prosecutor or judge. I am not god either, and therefor won’t be able to provide answers for everything.
If you are that obsessed to find an answer to your questions, then i would suggest that you stop stalking me here on new mandala, and do your own investigations.
Democrats boycott is simply knowing that they cannot win an election. Its like me going up against Roger Federal in a tennis match. If it is for fun great, if it is for my survival, I would withdraw too. Federal abuses the tennis racket and ball… he hits too fast!
To put it another way… what the heck were the Democrats doing when they were in power? powdering their noses. If they are kosher, they would have done all the “electoral reforms” needed. BUT hei, why do that when they can always depend on a coup or two.
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Middle class rage threatens democracy
Sure, when the EC -firmly in the hand of the opposition- rules, that people who were registered for advance voting outside their residence and were obstructed from voting last Sunday can’t vote on 2nd February (because the people who would want to vote, wouldn’t vote for the right option anyway in their eyes ), then that is really democracy and corruption-fighting at it’s best!
Middle class rage threatens democracy
This is getting rather tiring:
a.) Could you please finally get over Thaksin! He’s almost continuously in exile since 2006, the amnesty is dead and won’t be revived in the foreseeable future and you can hardy call him a dictator if he isn’t able to revoke the rather ridiculous verdict about the Ratchadaphisek land deal. Sure he has still a lot of influence on PT and his sister, but you can hardly call him a tyrant if he has to rely on Skype to get his message across.
b.) As we have established above, you can hardly call a country with a government with such limited powers a dictatorship (just scroll up a bit to comment 25.1ff, even Peter Cohen said “…the other message is that Thailand IS A Democracy, irrespective of its serious problems”).
There was a moment in Thai history when Thaksin was on the brink on becoming almost a dictator, when in 2006 the wimpy Dems boycotted the election and he got 460 of the 500 seats, but you couldn’t really blame him for the Dems wussiness.
c.) The Dems are unable to reach out to a majority of the upcountry voters (maybe except for some rubber farmers in the South), they never developed any policies that would have made them attractive. Despite the fact that already 70% of the national budget is spent in Bangkok, they seem to want to widen the rural/urban divide instead of proposing policies to close the gap.
d.) The contempt and disrespect the protesters show for the majority of the Thai population seems to me a sign that their main concern isn’t democracy or even fighting corruption, but the fear they will loose part of their piece of the cake to the “buffaloes”.
“Good people” don’t need to insult whole groups of fellow countrymen.
Who can stop the Thaksin system?
To Nancy,
I am 100% sure that the other camp does exactly the same thing what you have said about Thaksin. And it is an addition to the Lese-Majeste Law.
Who can stop the Thaksin system?
This little set of posts is funny. Mr. Cohen can’t believe that Forbes studies anything, but even if they did he wouldn’t believe it because it doesn’t accord with what he believes.
Who can stop the Thaksin system?
Thaksin has been using American lobbysts for years to clean up his image and avoid to have to explain his fortune after the last issue of Forbes in 200 something that cost him his seat of prime minister for lying about his fortune
Middle class rage threatens democracy
Really? Is that “The point that the anti-government protestors and the Democrat party are making?” That’s what they would like everyone to believe, yes. So why is it that perhaps the majority of folks believe their actions are simply a naked power grab by interests who know they can’t gain power through democratic processes?
Princess Chulabhorn’s politics
None of the above, rather an important generally non-partisan stabilizer for a young semi-democracy. Furthermore, your blaze assertion that the king “didn’t have any problems with these unsavoury dictators” is really quite extreme and ill-considered.
Princess Chulabhorn’s politics
“Red Shirts gathered…and Abhisit responded with bullets” after enduring SIX months of the Red Shirts marauding around Bangkok like barbarians at the gate, after the Red Shirts assassinated the government’s head of security, after tolerating the Red Shirts building 20 foot high barriers in the CBD to fortify their main encampment, after the Red Shirt’s provocation of taking army personnel prisoner, commandeering army vehicles, using public buses as battering rams, attempting to blow up an LPG transporter in downtown Bangkok and huge oil storage tanks in the suburbs ,after the Red Shirts urged supporters to gather with full can of gasoline to “Burn Down Bangkok”, after Red Shirts rushed army positions with hand grenades, etc. After you omit to give any context to your ludicrously slanted summation, Mr. Pavin, you are scarcely in a position to criticize someone (whoever they may be) for stating the bloody obvious about Rajprasong. I can see why you’re a favorite of one-eyed Red Shirt supporters.
Thoughts of a pro-government leader
As a matter of interest, what was the full message on Sunai’s T-shirt – something about “love” and “the police”? It sounds like a hard sell amongst the majority of Thais, who from my experience, have a pretty low opinion of this particular institution. But given the partisan politics of the police (in general) to Thaksin’s cause and overt failure to do their duty to maintain law and order during the present conflict, I guess a little love needs to be extended from one side of the growing divide.
Middle class rage threatens democracy
The point that that the anti-government protestors and the Democrat party are making (which apparently some posters find so difficult to acknowledge)is that, ironically, Thaksin has used the democratic system to install a corrupt party machine with him as the autocratic ‘big-boss’ and to fight against all democratic checks and balances – except for the electoral mandate his party machine delivers and with which he cloaks his parliamentary dictatorship.
Middle class rage threatens democracy
When you say Thai people, you are referring to the few hundred thousand Bangkok supporters.
When the world say Thai people, they are generally referring to the millions of eligible voters. Last count, about 41 million.
BTW, have not really read, what reforms, Suthep (guy who ordered shooting of civilians) wants except for ;
1. Let me rule for 12 uninterrupted years
2. Get rid of Thaksin
How that two statement can be construed as “reforms” beats me. Maybe my IQ is not low enough?
The rule of law and Malaysia’s middle income trap
Greg,
“I was wondering, what does “Islamic financial superpower” mean?”
Whatever PM Najib WANTS it to mean, which can mean anything and nothing.
Given the billions of dollars spent on proselytisation and construction of Islamic schools worldwide, doesn’t it stand to reason that Saudi Arabia and Iran would qualify as
“Islamic financial superpowers,” given the enormous amount spent on proselytisation and Islamic schools (Salafi/Wahhabi) by the former, and proselytisation (Shi’a Islam) by the latter, of which Iran has devoted $250 million to Malaysia alone, in a not-so-subtle attempt to influence PM Najib’s foreign policies and spread Shi’a Islam in Malaysia, even knowing that it is illegal and subject to Malaysia’s (Shaf’i-based Sunni) Shari’a Law courts. This has not dissuaded Iran in the slightest. So, who is the superpower, the ‘influencer’ or the influencee’ ?
Middle class rage threatens democracy
The middle class + elite needs to understand that there is a price to pay from abandoning the opportunities of social compromise that comes with democracy. I doubt many want a society plagued with ongoing social unrest, or even civil war.
The majority of Thais have already woken up. Now is the time for you to wake up: Suthep, Abhisit and all you whistle-blowers. If you force the people majority to a powerless position, do not expect stability and prosperity ever after. What does it take for you to gain some insight?
Middle class rage threatens democracy
Fact Check: Would this be the same fair and impartial court that today could not find enough evidence to issue warrants for his (and others) arrest? In any case you are being disingenuous because you know you would not call him a fugitive even if the deadline wasn’t extended and he was on the lam.
Middle class rage threatens democracy
Well, looking back over the past month or two of polls posted at that Bkk University site, it appears that there is a fair amount of variation in public opinion, enough so that ‘widespread’ would be apt one day and ‘narrow’ another.
The rule of law and Malaysia’s middle income trap
This is an interesting article that discusses developments in the financial sector in Malaysia.
I was wondering, what does “Islamic financial superpower” mean?
https://theconversation.com/malaysia-plans-to-be-the-first-islamic-financial-superpower-19922
Bangkok’s last Red Shirt fortress
There used to be Stan G. Whatever happened to him? Now we have Vichai.
Middle class rage threatens democracy
Yes Jim
And don’t forget the whistle mob has to be financed by someone and also remember this money will have to be recouped once the self appointed council has been set up.
Oh I know Suthep is receiving bags of money from the mob but I understand that is for his personal expenses. BTW I wonder if he has to pay tax on this.
Ramkhamhaeng: A view from inside the stadium
And what is the point of that diatribe?
Maybe i need to explain – i am a reporter, not police officer, prosecutor or judge. I am not god either, and therefor won’t be able to provide answers for everything.
If you are that obsessed to find an answer to your questions, then i would suggest that you stop stalking me here on new mandala, and do your own investigations.
Middle class rage threatens democracy
Democrats boycott is simply knowing that they cannot win an election. Its like me going up against Roger Federal in a tennis match. If it is for fun great, if it is for my survival, I would withdraw too. Federal abuses the tennis racket and ball… he hits too fast!
To put it another way… what the heck were the Democrats doing when they were in power? powdering their noses. If they are kosher, they would have done all the “electoral reforms” needed. BUT hei, why do that when they can always depend on a coup or two.