FarAwayBen

The bottom line is that Thaksin got results, despite local corruption. That's all that really matters in the end. He was effective. If he had a higher agenda, which he apparently did, it's unimportant to the average farmer because he improved the quality of living out here. All the poor care about are the tangible manifestations of his policies to help the poor. But you are correct. Local elected officials make it very difficult to effect change in the provinces. A good example are all the half completed roads which remain that way for years because the government funding "ran out" while the local Phuu Yai Baan's mia noi gets a nice new home or a pickup. Somehow, Thaksin found a way around this. I don't pretend to know his methods, I just know that they worked and suspect that lifestyle improvement is at the core of his popularity. Not the 500 baht people might have received to vote for one guy instead of someone else, though that goes a long way too because people out here are generally quite uninformed.

Whatever the Reds are up to in Bangkok, I don't know. I just know that the government that won the majority of the vote was ousted out of power and replaced by what we have today. It seems like the people with the most sway in Thailand aren't really interested in democracy. If they were, they'd work harder to find ways to win elections rather than staging a coup every time a government is popularly elected. Figuring out how to effectively help the poor would accomplish that. I don't care what color shirt they wear, just get results. Thaksin figured out how to do that and thus proved it was possible, why can't anyone else?

Thaksin got results because he aided the local corruption.

The PPP did NOT win the majority of votes. They formed government with a coalition of smaller parties.

Even after the PPP was disbanded, the PTP (ex-PPP MPs) could have continued in government, but they lost the support the BJT-Newin MPs.

The Democrats were able to form a coalition government with the of the BJT and other smaller parties (ie a majority of MPs).

The reds are protesting because they are no longer in government. But that's the way democracy works. The majority rules.

Like I said, whatever works. Don't really care, just get it done.

Agreed.

Our groundwater well went dry this April, just like many others in Isaan. Fortunately Mr. Thaksin installed a water tower in our village before he was ousted 4 years ago so we don't have to drink muddy buffalo piss water or wait for the government trucks to fill up the local tanks. The next village over was not so lucky and getting water has been a big problem. Thaksin had plans to give them the water tower they needed but the Thai Army had other ideas back in 2006. It's the people that got water towers, or tractor loans, or houses subsidized by Thaksin, or got a local village economy created who were among the majority that voted for Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party. Real life farmers concerned with surviving in dignity. No politician is without corruption, but give me one who improves my lifestyle, for example by making running water available in my home all year round and I'll vote for him every time. Abhisit has done nothing for my village.

Life in the countryside is about what the average farmer needs to survive one day at a time. That's why millions haven't marched on Bangkok. They're too busy fishing, catching crickets, carrying water from the local tanks or rivers, and getting ready for the rice planting season so they can feed their families. Many of them are in Bangkok already, but again, working. They cannot afford to take time off because they have to send money home to Isaan to feed wives, children and parents. It's day to day income, living paycheck to paycheck, cricket to cricket, bottle of water to bottle of water, which most people with a sizable savings account wouldn't understand. Thaksin, as corrupt as he may have been, was one of few, like the beloved King, who seemed to acknowledge the real needs of the average Thai farmer. The average farmer's mind is not concerned with Bangkok. It's in the fields.

That is why it is so sad that the red leaders from these areas in Issan won't allow any government help in these regions. There have been attempts by the Abhisit government to make things better in Issan, (even using populist practices like Thaksin), but they are stonewalled by the leaders of these communities who can't allow the people to change their "religion" away from "Thaksin is our saviour, and the only one who cares about us". If they realized that others are willing to assist, it would destabilize the power grip these red Pu Yais have on their communities.

I wish it wasn't this way, and Thaksin's "democracy you can eat" quote is one of the few things that I agree with him on. The people do need help, but this protest isn't about helping them, it's about helping the man who threw them some of their own bones after he had stripped the meat off them to keep for himself.

The bottom line is that Thaksin got results, despite local corruption. That's all that really matters in the end. He was effective. If he had a higher agenda, which he apparently did, it's unimportant to the average farmer because he improved the quality of living out here. All the poor care about are the tangible manifestations of his policies to help the poor. But you are correct. Local elected officials make it very difficult to effect change in the provinces. A good example are all the half completed roads which remain that way for years because the government funding "ran out" while the local Phuu Yai Baan's mia noi gets a nice new home or a pickup. Somehow, Thaksin found a way around this. I don't pretend to know his methods, I just know that they worked and suspect that lifestyle improvement is at the core of his popularity. Not the 500 baht people might have received to vote for one guy instead of someone else, though that goes a long way too because people out here are generally quite uninformed.

Whatever the Reds are up to in Bangkok, I don't know. I just know that the government that won the majority of the vote was ousted out of power and replaced by what we have today. It seems like the people with the most sway in Thailand aren't really interested in democracy. If they were, they'd work harder to find ways to win elections rather than staging a coup every time a government is popularly elected. Figuring out how to effectively help the poor would accomplish that. I don't care what color shirt they wear, just get results. Thaksin figured out how to do that and thus proved it was possible, why can't anyone else?

if some people commit an act of terrorism.. it's some people.

if some australians set off a bomb, you cannot punish all australians

if some women set off a bomb, you cannot punish all women..

if some polkadot-shirters set off a bomb, you cannot blame all polkadot-shirters.

there are individuals under the shirts..

most of whom would be non-violent and against the attack.

This is the most intelligent post I have read tonight. The usual culprits are again frothing at the mouth. Me thinks this forum has a strong yellow tinge and a great deal of the posters would not have a clue about Thailand outside the protected western shelters of Bangkok, Pattaya or Phuket. Is good for a laugh though.

Agreed.

Our groundwater well went dry this April, just like many others in Isaan. Fortunately Mr. Thaksin installed a water tower in our village before he was ousted 4 years ago so we don't have to drink muddy buffalo piss water or wait for the government trucks to fill up the local tanks. The next village over was not so lucky and getting water has been a big problem. Thaksin had plans to give them the water tower they needed but the Thai Army had other ideas back in 2006. It's the people that got water towers, or tractor loans, or houses subsidized by Thaksin, or got a local village economy created who were among the majority that voted for Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party. Real life farmers concerned with surviving in dignity. No politician is without corruption, but give me one who improves my lifestyle, for example by making running water available in my home all year round and I'll vote for him every time. Abhisit has done nothing for my village.

Life in the countryside is about what the average farmer needs to survive one day at a time. That's why millions haven't marched on Bangkok. They're too busy fishing, catching crickets, carrying water from the local tanks or rivers, and getting ready for the rice planting season so they can feed their families. Many of them are in Bangkok already, but again, working. They cannot afford to take time off because they have to send money home to Isaan to feed wives, children and parents. It's day to day income, living paycheck to paycheck, cricket to cricket, bottle of water to bottle of water, which most people with a sizable savings account wouldn't understand. Thaksin, as corrupt as he may have been, was one of few, like the beloved King, who seemed to acknowledge the real needs of the average Thai farmer. The average farmer's mind is not concerned with Bangkok. It's in the fields.

good information. i like to hear personal recommendations like this. thanks for giving me a starting point.

Can anyone recommend a hotel in Bangkok with parking that has rooms under 1000 baht per night. My wife and I are driving down and would like to know where we can sleep and leave our pickup then taxi around in the day. My preference is the Rakamhaeng Rd area, but anywhere else will do.

thanks!

ben