Couple things on the wire about Tasky baby. I sure don’t miss him but I bet he misses Thailand! I know he is loaded but my guess is it kills him that he can’t come to Thailand and show off. Eats him up but thankfully he gets to fly his barber around to keep the coiffed do looking ever so good.
BBC is saying this:
If Mr Thaksin were to be convicted, our correspondent says, that could pose a problem for the English Premier League, as he might - as the new owner of Manchester City football club - be in breach of the League’s rules.
Personally I think the EPL was stupid for letting him buy the team. Kind of casts a sour light across the system in my opinion. Karma. I hope Man City, no matter how much money they spend, sucks all season.
This IHT article about the new book written by a Thai just kills me.
Thaksin occupies himself with golf, karaoke and shopping for handbags for his wife and two daughters. He likes to hop the channel to France to enjoy “real wine and homemade food.” He has booked a class at a golf school in Miami “to check his swing.” He also has eight cellular telephones and 20 SIM cards.
Must be tough being a crook at the Billion Dollar level. I almost want to shed a tear for the poor sap. Please. Extradite him. For punishment I want him to be a cashier at Care4. That would be cool. Excuse me can u double bag the ice cream. Thanks bud. 
Obviously for Sunisa Lertpakawat this was just one big publicity stunt that appears to be working for her. If only she had worn a skimpy outfit for her book photo to really seal her fate. I am sure the political climate will continue to get more interesting as this all plods along.
Stay tuned…
Some British fans were chanting “Thaksin Shinawatra” in a certain Bangkok beer bar during the game at the weekend. The Thai staff looked… confused.
The UK definitely won’t extradite him at the request of a military-appointed government. After the election, if all goes well, they might have a chance.
Of course, at this point Mr T will suddenly develop an undiagnosable illness which will prevent him from travelling. Worked for Pinochet…
View all comments by Bangkok Bad Boy
Yeah he won’t be back but it should be more embarrassing than it is that he was allowed to buy the team.
View all comments by smitty
Where do you get your info?
Thaksins a crook?
I guess if you believe all the rumors put out by the Military Junta during Marshall law and extreem censorship of the press.
So far, all they have pinned on him is some shoddy workmanship at the new airport.
Let’s not forget he was a wealthy telecomunications tycoon long before he got into politics.
O yea, let’s not forget he won 3 elections by landslide.
The 3rd election was boycotted by the opposition because they didn’t have a chance.
View all comments by Khun J
I like when farang talk about Thai politics.
It’s funny.
View all comments by Jack Dawson
kj - I am going on my experiences, the stories I know from other working in Thai politics, Banking and Real Estate development. Thaksin’s wealth grow far faster than anyone else’s during the same period for similar assets. That has been well documented. He was wealthy before sure - but nothing like the wealth one can create when being a severely crooked PM. Everyone knows he bought his elections. Just ask anyone in Buriram about the vote payments.
Thaskin also was the one who created most of the new visa laws affecting foreigners but at the same time sold Thai assets to Singapore. Kind of 2 faced if you ask me. His evil MOC is also the guy who led Thailand into the period of killing the nightlife. So my feelings have little to do with the Junta and their case against him. I wish them well and hope they can get something substantial going against him but whether or not they do has little to do with how guilty he is.
There are only a ton of books out documenting Thaskin’s corruption, his human rights atrocities and so on. Books that were created before he was ousted and not by the Junta. Sure - Thaksin had some great ideas and changed the face of politics. Ashame he was sneaking out elephants full of cash while he was trying to run the country.
JD - thanks for the compliment.
View all comments by smitty
we will shift away from politics and back to Elvis…
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/IH16Ae02.html
View all comments by smitty
Politics always makes for a good discussion thread, but its even more fun after a few beers with a girl on your knee so you can use your mouth for other fun activities when the other side of the argument puts up a good point you do not know how to knock down.
Thaksin was a crook from way back - why else would a police colonel be given the monopoly on mobile phones? It is really sad that a man who had become very wealthy could not stop himself and his family from buying land about to be rezoned, and thought he could change the law to avoid paying a relatively small amount of tax on his huge profits from selling Shin.
All of that being said, he had some good ideas, and, after all, did win the elections. OK so he bought votes, but name a country where politicians do not - all make promises to secure votes - its just a matter of degree. Was Bush’s initial election fairer and more democratic?
The current alternative is much worse and the opportunity to challenge or speak out with impunity seems to be reducing by the day. Could it be that in a couple of years we may look back on the Thaksin period with rosier glasses?
View all comments by Martin
martin - great points. it is a tough call.
one to even talk about it and two to decide which is worse.
I think the decline of press freedom started with Thaksin.
As a foreigner I think Thaksin did more damage to us residing here and doing business here than the alternative.
Sure some PMs promise things in order to get voted.
He blatantly handed out cash for votes.
On a broader subject, one we can’t talk about here, it is all covered in the “Book”. Thailand was trying to be a democracy, in some sense, but Thaksin used the opportunity for large scale corruption instead. It sucks because that set back the democracy clock quite a bit.
I hope for the best in the future but will take a gamble that life without Thaksin over the long haul is a better option.
View all comments by smitty
Hi Smitty,
New Immigration laws were passed/created during Thaksins tenure.
He should hang for that? Exiled, assets frozen? For what?Restricting ‘poor/lowlife’ Farangs from loitering all over the place.
As far as selling Thai assets? What? Where? The company he sold was his company.
He was smart enough to put up Thailands first communications satelite. Shin Satellite.
The Government didn’t do it. They rented transponders from him.
As far as paying taxes on the gains. Who does that?
There is no capitol gains tax.
His wealth?
He was the wealthiest man in Thailand when he took office, no?
The stock market and economy roared while he was in office. Thaksin and any others invested heavily in Thailand did very well.
Again, what did he steal?
Buying elections?
Come on. All the politicians do it. No?
Why should he be the only one that is disallowed?
I’m afraid allot of people are buying into the Juntas BS.
View all comments by Khun J
@J: And those 3,000 people executed without trial in the “war on drugs” (and we know how successful those are) all deserved to die too, right?
10,000 at Sanam Luang yesterday, apparently. These are going to be interesting times…
View all comments by Bangkok Bad Boy
I think the main problem people have with the Shin sale is Telecommunications is an industry in which only Thai citizens are allowed to operate, along with others such as farming. With the eventual selling to Temasek, a Singapore entity, through the use of nominees, this business was being controlled by a foreigner. Hence the recent proposed amendments to the Foreign Business Act. I’m not a tax expert but I believe that a sale of this sort would not be classified as “capital” gains. I think VAT has something to do with it, I know, sounds weird but VAT gets applied to a lot of sales and this might be included in it.
View all comments by bkk22
@KJ: no need to hit below the belt with the “poor/lowlife” farangs comment. These are same people that bring a lot money into your country. Ever here of the trickle down effect? Sure some of the people are somewhat gross but they are creatures of their surroundings. I don’t think there is a need for comments like this.
View all comments by bkk22
j - seems we can just agree to disagree.
I think the whole world has pretty much agreed he was a crook but u seem to believe otherwise. he changed the tax laws and the ownership laws while being a PM to make his sale legit to begin with. it was thought he master minded this move over many years to prepare for a tax free sale to a foreign owner. Many people in the thai universities who don’t agree with the Junta at least agree to this.
The highways to his wife’s properties…
The crooked land deals…
His minister of corruption being the most corrupt.
The list is huge. Is he the only corrupt guy in SE Asia?
Obviously not.
For sure he should have paid taxes. That much is obvious.
BBB - yeah. that was a huge one he got away with and the lawyers that were after him that no one can find. Also his suing every decent reporter during his tenure that was exposing him for the big crook that he was.
bkk22 - great point. I think one of biggest issues with it.
View all comments by smitty
I see your point.
How about, underfunded/lowlifes?
View all comments by Khun J
j - I don’t understand what that is about and how it has anything to do with what this discussion is about?
I can tell that I am not an underfunded lowlife and migrating the new maze of visa and work permits for legit business in Thailand is not always easy. Most of the lawyers and local Thais involved in this tend to agree as well.
View all comments by smitty
@smitty: As a lawyer who has had to devise a strategy to get entertainment groups into Thailand, these rules have caused a fair share of headaches for myself. Couldn’t agree more. I guess it’s more of a case of a few bad apples ruining it for everyone else.
View all comments by bkk22
bkk22 - exactly my point. Due to Thaksin’s highway robbery that almost looks legal - they are over correcting the other way to deal with it. Quite sad.
We all know Thaksin’s idea of FDI is people coming for expensive holidays and leaving. Not living here or trying to make businesses here. I had work permits in both HK and China. Was a far easier process, cheaper and did not require me to leave the country to process.
View all comments by smitty
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article-southeastasia.asp?parentid=38308
The extra-judicial killings of over 3,000 alleged drug-dealers is the one that worries me the most about his democracy.
View all comments by kwai mai sabai
KMS - I love your handle. I chuckle each time u comment.
Agreed. Also from the same people:
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=17093
Thaksin started the decline of press freedom in Thailand.
What is sad to me is the Junta and u know who actually having to step in and deal with Thaksin knowing that even though he was pulling things off legally he was also further putting Thailand in the dark ages. Democracy clearly stunted over this.
Also the liquor laws and nightlife curfews started under his watch but yet the Thais do whatever they want and tourism has suffered as a result.
View all comments by smitty
I don’t know what it means but a lot of bar-girls say it to me after I tip them AND give them taxi fare. B:-D
View all comments by kwai mai sabai
The issue is not so much whether Thaksin was honest or not (I think we are pretty much all agreed he was not) and that he tried to stifle objections and indulged in overkill in the South, causing an upsurge in “insurgency” (sounds like Bush in Irag), but whether the alternative is better or worse.
At least when Thaksin was PM there was a constitution that claimed to protect democracy and the people did have the chance to vote him out. From my limited understanding of the proposed new one, this option goes and our friends in uniform have constitutional control and well as actual control. Budget spending on the uniforms has already increased by 50% as a share of the total. I read that it used to be 19% of the total budget (in a country which has no serious enemies!!!)
View all comments by Martin
The Army is the most corrupt, followed closely by the police, then ministers.
The whole place is corrupt.
Why not let the people vote and decide. O yea, they did, and elected Thaksin 3 times by landslide.
View all comments by Khun J
Khun J: Yeah, I’m sure those votes were worth every penny he paid for them.
I hear that the Issan folks are being paid 200-300 baht each to vote No on Sunday. Some things never change…
View all comments by Bangkok Bad Boy
To be clear. I never said that this is me picking the Junta over Thaksin. I can’t vote and foreigners have very little say in the matter. We all know who runs the place. End of story. Yes. SE Asia is corrupt but Thaksin took it to a new level and the Junta is reacting to that. Hence the new constitution.
kj - for u tp keep harping that because Thaskin was voted in makes it okay is so funny. He bought all the elections. Everyone knows it. You also seem to believe that illiterate people in Isaan get the whole picture. One of Thailand’s biggest problems is dealing with the vast education difference and business issues that differ vastly from the countryside to the city. Thaksin played that dynamic very well.
We could all go on and on with this subject. Which is great. I have been around long enough and have done my fair share of reading. Thaskin is a crook. End of story.
He set off a landslide of events now that probably have set the country back democratically for years. Really tough to say at this point.
I am happy he is gone but sure I am not quite sure what the future holds but no one ever really does anyway in a country that is run by the oldest Monarchy in the world. Least we forget.
Some of the latest books on Thaksin and the book that shall not be named cover all this pretty well and predicted a lot of what is going on now.
View all comments by smitty
I think most of us can agree that corruption is an endemic part of this country’s society, and that the current junta is just as corrupt as was Thaksin’s, and those that preceded him.
One aspect of Thaksin’s reign was that he was excessively arrogant and flaunted his power and actions, much to the dismay of the REAL power in this country. Most corrupt politicians and beauracrats are smart enough to keep a low profile.
Unfortunately, the current junta is on course to set up a system that will ensure the most corrupt of Thai institutions (the military) continue to run the country through the draft consititution being voted on this weekend.
On a more important topic, let us know if you’re open during the election as soon as you find out.
View all comments by DJ
I think that one of the worrying things I have seen recently is a wave of Nationalism and anti Falang sentiment. Not by the general Thai public but the new Jaunta, polaticians and people like KhunJ who belive we’re all lowlife falang. I hope this doesn’t seep down to Mr and Mrs Joe Thai
View all comments by FalangRakThai
I believe that Sunday is a referendum on an issue, rather than an election with actual candidates, the bars will be allowed to remain open. That’s what I’ve heard elsewhere, but obviously Smitty and pmmp will know better than me…
View all comments by Bangkok Bad Boy
BBB’s got it right. The latest on the 18th and 19th, everything will be OPEN. However, today they said they will tell us for sure so still a possibility of closure but unlikely. I’m keeping http://www.bigmangobar.com updated with current status on the matter.
View all comments by pmmp
You expect the TRT to not but votes when the opposition is doing the same thing? Are you saying the people that ran against him are squeaky clean?
The facts are, Thaksin won 3 landslides and would win again.
By the way. Groups that watch elections say the Thaksin election was the most fair election Thai in history.
In all honesty, I’m glad to see the new govt screwing up so badly. Keeps the economy down and therefore more chicks in the bars.
View all comments by Khun J
Khun J: Are you Thai or farang? Why have you got such major wood for Thaksin? Do you have a source for the “fair election” quote?
View all comments by Bangkok Bad Boy
Thaksin Shinawatra comes from a middle class Chinese family in Chaing Mai. He was a regular joe cop, who was sent to Houston in the early 1980s to learn from US cops. He noticed the extensive use of computers in the Houston PD and returned to Thailand determined to sell computers into the Thai police.
He married the daughter of the head of procurement for the Thai police. Enough said. He became the sole supplier of IT equipment to Thai police, and eventually to pretty much the entire Thai government.
He then convinced TOT and CAT management (state-owned monopoly suppliers of telco services in Thailand) to give him a ‘concession’ to run Thailands first and at that time only mobile phone company. He persuaded them not to enter this business themselves, and not to allow others to enter this business for periods of time, and even when they did to have different ‘concessions’ and payment terms that made them uncompetitive. The terms of this ‘concession’ agreement between Shin and TOT/CAT has NEVER been made public or even found by successive Ministers of IT of Thailand - and they have spent a lot of time looking.
This was ALL corrupt. From beginning to end. That is how he became Thailand’s richest person in the first place. His wife was the dealmaker, and became known in business circles as Ms 15%. When he was taken before the supreme court for not disclosing assets and control as an elected PM, he moved all his assets into the hands of family, friends and family servants. At one point several years ago, his maid, driver and cook (all illiterate Thais from the North) owned more equity stakes in Thai listed stocks than anyone else in the country. But he still got off from the supreme court in a 8-7 decision….leave it to imagination how the 8 judges who voted for him fared in later years….
Then he spent his money to get elected as PM, and proceeded to use Government money rather than his own to buy votes in rural Thailand through populist schemes like village loans and cheap health care that the Thai economy cannot long term sustain as payments (and is now heavily in debt as a result). He then got laws passed to ensure that any asset sales he made would be tax free, and sold his national assets to a foreign government (Singapore, through their Temasak investment vehicle)without paying tax just before he knew that increased scrutiny of the Thai telco market would ensure a more level playing field and declining value of his stakes. The sale also directly contravened laws in place designed to stop foreigners having majority control of national infrastructure or assets.
Somewhere in all of this he managed to arrange for the extra-judicial killings of thousands of people, including many Muslims in Southern Thailand - the repercussions of which are still being dealt with.
And this is the new owner of Manchester City.
View all comments by Mochalover
No major wood for Khun Thaksin but his daughter looks doable.
I am if favor of elections and following the will of the people.
He won by landslides. You can’t buy results like that.
The majority of the population like the guy. That’s why the other parties boycotted the last election. Wouldn’t put up candidates for fear of losing face.
I’m not saying the guy is squeaky clean. Certainly he is no more corrupt than any other Thai businessman or politician. They all play by the same rules.
The guy is a winner in business and politics.
Man City should be looking good soon.
View all comments by Khun J
Khun J - you are right in almost all that you say. Especially that his daughter looks doable! But he is not a winner….he overplayed his hand.
View all comments by Mochalover
hope they go down
totally unrelated but it came from the heart
rush of blood as im getting ready for a night of debauchery in the plaza then up RCA - whos with me? noone? ok - ill go alone…. again
View all comments by myspace.com/penfold_xxx
Thaksin is planning on bringing 2 Thai players into Man City… So looks like thats the end of Man City then. Acute businessman.
Doesn’t matter who you vote for the government always win.
A larger percentage of Thai’s I speak to say they like Thaksin. I believe this is due to lack of education and knowledge.
Would someone like to point out a country with good democracy.
View all comments by Young Royal
The people spoke.
Perhaps only the stupid and gullible voted for him but he did win.
Again. I’ll say this, he is better than the current group and better than the previous group.
View all comments by Khun J
kj - so what u are saying is Thaksin is a better option than what we got cause stupid people voted for him and he won?
Yeah - I just don’t get it buddy.
Thailand ain’t perfect but I will take a shot with the current group over the corrupt dude who was trying to remove freedom of press, kill the nightlife and ditch the Farang.
thanks though…
View all comments by smitty
I disagree.
The current group is a disaster and are controlled by military thugs.
The Thai military is mafia on steroids. Not to be trusted for one second.
View all comments by Khun J
kj - to be clear I think we firmly established early on that we don’t agree. What I don’t get is where any of your facts are to establish your premise other than he got voted in.
Big deal.
I have never said any one of these groups is perfect but I could do without the dictator for all the reasons I previously espoused and as have others on this post.
The Military, with someone else pulling the strings, has always run the country. Nothing has changed. Thaksin was supposedly the change agent but somewhere along the way decided to focus on getting him and his family rich rather than fix the country. He got caught. So they, the people who actually run the place, decided to get rid of him.
Next…
View all comments by smitty
It’s Ok to disagree but please consider my opinion a bit more.
Smitty said:
“…he got voted in. Big deal.”
It is a big deal. He was elected 3 times, no tanks, no guns, no freezing assets.
Thai people like him and voted him in…and more importantly would elect him again. Some powerfull clicks in Bangkok don’t like him, some southern terrorists don’t like him, some people that read the censored Bangkok Post don’t like him.
The facts are The majority of Thai people like him.
And where are your facts to establish your premise he robbed the country?
Why would the Countries most successfull entraprenur need to steal anything?
If you look at his pre politics wealth and the Thai stock market returns, you may find he didn’t need to steal anything to get where he is today. He may have even gotten richer by staying out of politics and concentrating on business.
The guy is a master business man,.. scratched and clawed his way to the top. I admire that.
I will agree, he is no Saint and his civil right record regarding the drug war was not to my liking.
On the other hand, most Thais approved of the drug war as I recall.
So far he has been convicted of nothing.
Just some wild gossip and accusations by a military dictator.
View all comments by Khun J
kj - we can go on and on. he bought the votes.
yes - he has not been convicted but he has been asked to come defend his case and he won’t. Seems if he was the MR innocent you purport then this would not be an issue.
I think mochalover summed it up well in his comment to this thread. He was corrupt from day one and everyone knows it. You seem to think that since he was never convicted he is innocent but any more than you can say the Mitary is guilty I could say Thaksin is guilty.
So let’s just agree to disagree and move on.
Not much else can be said I guess.
I find it funny though that he had to hide all his “honestly” earned money, dodge taxes, flee the country and so on if he is such a good and honest dude. But I will let that slide and watch the Man City games with pride knowing how much he has done for my host country.
View all comments by smitty
Yup. I’ll still be cheering on Man City today though - however bad Thaksin was, he’s not as bad as Man U…
View all comments by Bangkok Bad Boy
Not disagreeing with you Smitty but just wanted to clarify the flee the country statement. Thaky was out of the country in New York City representing Thailand at a United Nations conference when the coup went down last September. He just hasn’t bothered to return to face the court charges against him. Maybe that’s what you meant by flee?
I’m holding my breath to see if he ever does come back to Thailand. Somehow I doubt it! Any bookies taking bets?
I’d also be very interested to know what happened to all the drugs and money belonging to the drug dealers after they were summarily executed. I know it usually confiscated as evidence in the trial — but if there is no trial? If I was a crooked cop I’d be tempted to recycle it.
View all comments by kwai mai sabai
It was fairly well known that there was suspicions of a coup coming when Thaksin left for the UN meeting. Hence the Thai airways chartered flights full of some of their belongings, money and well - more money.
I am sure he won’t be back and it will be interesting too see how he settles knowing he can’t come back.
Sucks man u were so pathetic tonight…
View all comments by smitty
Looks like a “yes” vote:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6953456.stm
Next up, democracy. At least until next time…
View all comments by Bangkok Bad Boy
Most Thais knew that if they don’t get this beast passed it would just prolong any chance of real elections. I think it is a step in the right direction and might hope to clear up the current malaise of inaction so that the economy can get back on track.
View all comments by smitty
What are the chances the military junta fixed the vote?
View all comments by Khun J
I heard plenty of reports of TRT supporters paying people to vote “no”, hence the “no” vote from Issan. Haven’t heard of anyone being paid to vote “yes”.
View all comments by Bangkok Bad Boy
“I heard plenty of reports..”
Reports approved by the junta, no doubt.
More propaganda, that’s all.
View all comments by Khun J
*shakes head*
I’m actually talking about first-hand reports from friends in Issan.
But since you refuse to give any credence to anything said by anyone who doesn’t agree 100% with your own “propaganda”, I see no point in continuing this conversation.
Maybe one day you’ll open your eyes, but I doubt it. Sad…
View all comments by Bangkok Bad Boy
Interesting discussion.
I too need to come clean. I have had business dealings myself with Thaksin and have met him several times.
I always found him to be personable and easy to talk with. In his favor, I can list many things:
- He came from reasonaby humble beginnings to become one of the wealthiest people in Thailand, and yes his family were very charitable without publicity
- He was a breath of fresh air to Thai politics. He ran the government reasonably effectively, in an executive style. He got things done. He was charismatic and made Thai’s feel proud of their leader for once.
- He helped take Thailand from a badly broken economy after the 1997/8 Asian financial crisis into one of the fastest growing economies in Asia. He restored confidence.
- Uniquely for Thai leaders, he seemed to really care about the rural poor and implemented many programs to try to assist them. This made him immensely popular, especially in the North and in Isaan.
- He did not like the fact that Thailand was globally renowned for drugs, delinquency and prostitution, he is a very proud and nationalistic Thai. He set about trying to do something about these problems.
On the negative side of the ledger is an equally impressive list:
- He became one of Thailand’s wealthiest people through corrupt means (as documented in a previous post). However, there is nothing new here and unfortunately this is pretty much standard operating procedure in Thailand. He is really no worse in that regard than any other rich person in the country.
- He became increasingly autocratic once in power and gradually either removed or emasculated all the checks and balances built into the Thai constitution. He became increasingly intolerant of any criticism. Something about power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely? Thai journalists began to feel unsafe in their own country.
- He totally mismanaged his relationship with the real centres of power in Thailand which are the royal family, the privy council, and military leaders.
- He sanctioned and supported the extra-judicial killngs (a polite euphonism for murders) of drug dealers, drug users and even family members of drug-related people, the true tally of which has never been made known.
- He also mismanaged the extreme muslim militancy in the deep south, supporting outrageous actions by the Thai army that further alienated people in the south and has made the crisis there far worse than it could have been.
- Once in power, he implemented a number of populist measures, that while popular (that is what makes them populist) are mostly not long-term sustainable and cannot be supported by the budget of the Thai government. In any sophisticated economy, people would see through this tactic and not be convinced. But in Thailand….well…enough said.
- He also began to demonstrate increasing amounts of xenophobia, and seemed set on a course to curtail foreign involvement within the Thai economy, while still welcoming foreign visitors and money (a difficult thing to achieve)
- Most of his solutions to problems were extremely simplistic and often counter-productive. His attacks on teenage drinking targetted the night life areas mostly frequented by foreign tourists, not Thai teenagers, for example.
- Despite being extremely wealthy, many of his assets were tied up in equity and not easily translated into cash, and were mostly tied up in one group of companies. In any case, it does not matter how wealthy you are, it is never enough for some people, because you are always competing with other more wealthy people you come into contact with. He never stopped being corrupt, and being in the powerful position he was gave him, his family and his close network unparalleled opportunities to create wealth. His corruption was also a form of pay-back to his extended network of contacts that he owed favors to.
The current government is, of course, amazingly inept and a total joke (with one or two exceptions of cabinet ministers). In economic terms, they are an embarrassment.
The Thai people want to move on. Although the turnout was low, and the majority less than convincing, the new constitution (which is deeply flawed IMHO) was passed on Sunday. Now the country moves forward to elections. The sad part is that I see nothing on the horizon that gives me confidence that the political turmoil in Thailand will come to an end even after those elections. And I see no one in current Thai politics that has the intelligence, leadership, economic understanding and moral qualities required to inspire.
But then I look on the bright side. 20 years ago, Korea was great for male visitors. Terrific looking girls, cheap prices, superb night scene. Today it mostly sucks big time, as the entire country got rich. Most Korean girls won’t even give a foreigner the time of day now. For purely selfish reasons, I hope the same does not happen to Thailand anytime soon…..
View all comments by Mochalover
So, the bottom line seems to be this;
(1)He is no different than any other Thai Politician or Busnessman.
(2) Thailand thrived during his time in office.
View all comments by Khun J
Khun J - that is a VERY selective summary of my post! BTW - you could say the same about Hitler in Germany until about 1939. Just because Thailand thrived (for a while) does not make him or his actions in office right or excusable. And just because most (not all) Thai businessmen and politicians are corrupt, does not make the fact that Thaksin was too right or excusable either.
In the later parts of Thaksin’s rule things went decidedly pear-shaped. His egomania and paranoia led him to actions (like selling Shin to Singapore) that even many of his supportees considered a step too far. It was just so brazen. And the Thai economy was already hurting in 2005/6 relative to other S.E. Asian countries - well before the coup.
I do not care much for Thaksin, but don’t hate the guy. I welcomed the coup at the time it happened, because I felt it defused a situation that looked as if it was going to get very nasty and violent. I have been underwhelmed by the coup leaders since then, but do not want to see Thaksin return or have anything more to do with Thailand as he is clearly now a major destabilizing force, and it will be the innocent and poor whose blood gets spilled if trouble happens.
But I suspect we have bored everyone to death on this topic…so enough from me on it.
View all comments by Mochalover
Just a thought about the Korean girls thing ML. Yes, they’re richer now so they have more choice, but the younger people are less and less xenophobic by the year than the older generation. Many of them are happy to date foreigners. Just not foreigners twice their age and weight.
View all comments by Donny
I will close out my time on this post with my final comment. I think it is all a lesser of evils in Se Asian countries and I take the ousting of a corrupt dictator(FYI - Thaksin), the new referendum and the chance of moving as good signs.
I think the AWSJ article sums it up well. The vote, Thaksin, the monarchy and so on.
Written by - Mr. Thitinan is director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University.
FYI Khun J - they are not the propaganda arm of the Junta.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118764495563203331.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Despite what u think Khun j - I don’t read the local papers. I like the Atimes, ASWJ, and I talk to a lot of people who teach at the unis. No one I know thinks that Thaskin was anything less then one of the biggest examples of a corrupt prime minister on a level never seen before seen in SE Asia. Granted he did some good things but I think some of his fixes are coming back to haunt Thailand as we speak.
Either way - onward and upward. Karma lasts a long time. My guess is he will get his eventually.
View all comments by smitty
You guy put up some good arguments and agree that him coming back at this point would not be helpfull.
I do think that most of the folks that read this blog were upset the Thermae got closed at 2am during Thaksins time in office and would support anyone that keeps the bars open all nite.
See you at the next argument.
Take care all.
View all comments by Khun J
At last, we agree on something
View all comments by Bangkok Bad Boy
Amen. Khun J. Keep it real…
View all comments by smitty
People catch this in the AWSJ today?
http://nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/19/headlines/headlines_30049529.php
I agree with a lot of what he is saying needs to happen but I love how he portrays himself as having done nothing wrong.
View all comments by smitty
I hadn’t seen the article before, but in reading it I’d have to say that there is nothing in it that I disagreed with. I’m no great defender of Thaksin, but I really really don’t like what’s happened in Thai politics/government over the past 366 days.
View all comments by werewolf
We have hashed over this pretty well in the comments but I just thought this letter was interesting. Thaksin had to go in my mind but clearly the vacuum in the government has not been filled and that has lead to some issues. It is a big catch 22. Thaksin in many ways took advantage of a fledgling start at democracy by committing highway robbery but now the pendulum has swung the other way in hopes of keeping that from happening again. What a mess.
View all comments by smitty
One of the major reasons for the coup - never really discussed now -was the imminent likelihood of bloodshed on the 20 Sep 2006 - today. Two opposing camps headed directly for each other and … as rumour has it (call it propaganda if you will) a third group charged with shooting people on BOTH sides of the fence - and then martial law - under which the resignation of the then PM would be on held until a new eRection.
View all comments by psi100th
psi - interesting. heard this from an old timer before who talked about this similar behavior during the other bloody demonstrations of yesteryear. The book that shall not be named mentions some of this as well. It is a bit more complicated than any of us are aware is my guess.
View all comments by smitty