bannork

Jim, I'm a MF lover, not a junta lover. MF want to reform Thailand, as their banned predecessor, FF did Thaksin just wants to offer the peasants crumbs, here you are , 10,000 baht, now shut up. He and his party are conservatives, the leaders millionaires and billionaires who want to change nothing substantial in Thailand, the red shirts, just peasants to be bought off with thrown bones. Jatupon left when the idiot finally realised the soul of Thaksin is a merchant, not a democrat. Many others will follow, Nattawut, Chaturon Chaisaeng, etc when they finally see Pheua Thai is all and only about Thaksin

Thaksin has benefited from the Thai judicial system more than once. He hid his shares in the names of his domestic staff for years and yet declared it was 'an honest mistake' Of course, people do it every day, putting investments in their driver's and maids' names for years. Now why could that be? It couldn't be to manipulate stock prices, surely?. He got off, just. Another case where Thaksin's lawyers handed a box with lots of luvely cash under a generous lunch box to judges adjudicating one of his cases. I believe the donors were sent down but not Thaksin of course, he distanced himself naturally. Several civil servants are, and have served time for Thaksin's corrupt policies, loans to state banks that couldn't be guaranteed, the guaranteed 15,000 baht scheme for every tonne of rice, regardless of quality or origin. The civil servants are in the slammer but neither Thaksin nor Yingluck cares.. BTW, Jim, the title of the thread is Thaksin so it doesn't mean posters are obsessing about him, it's just that some of us realise his paternal, family politics belongs in the dustbin

It took Thaksin 18 years to apologise.

Thaksin let the army take the rap for that though I don't remember any serious demotions or punishments. The youths were stacked one or top of each other like logs, with their hands behind their backs. They suffocated on the drive to the camp. Thaksin, of course, had to make a crass comment: ' They were weak from fasting at Ramadan, that hastened their demise.' The same when Somchai ( I forget his surname) a prominent human rights lawyer and a muslim in the Deep South, went missing, abducted in broad daylight on Ramkhamhaeng road.. Thaksin remarked, ' He probably had an argument with his wife and wanted to get away for a while.' Somchai's body has never been found. Thaksin, arrogant and uncaring. Still the same

No Jim, if he comes back, he'll say that statement was " an honest mistake". His ego is far too large to be content with playing Lego or Snakes and Ladders,though his party has many cobras who jump parties at the drop of a hat.

He's confident Pita cannot be PM, not enough votes from the Senate and/ or banned from standing as PM. So PT will have a crack at gaining the PM vote. To get the Senators' votes, they'll have to ditch MF and bring on the usual tired suspects, Bhumjaithai, Palang Pracharat, etc. Here's how it will play out imo PT- 141 votes Bhumjaithai - 71 Chart Thai Pattana- 10 There's a few more single digit parties that would join so let's add another 10 votes, total 231. I guess Wan Noor's Pracharat join so now 240 MPs Not enough to form a majority so guess who has to join? Yes Pravit and his Palang Pracharat with his 40 MPs, some ex-PT MPs) plus all his senators to vote himself or Settha as PM. Part of the deal is to let Thaksin come home. So, imo, PT will betray MF and their 'reputation' as progressive, democracy lovers will go down in flames. Left in Opposition - MF, Thai Sang Thai, possibly Prayuth's UTNP, possibly Democrats, rough total: 151+6+36+25, total 218 votes.

Zoot Money played with many artists. He played on Kevin Coyne's 1976 live album if I remember right.

So now MF are the enemy of the establishment, Thaksin is no longer the bogeyman, and so desperate is he to come home, he might agree to join up with those that overthrew the government of his sister, whilst agreeing to meekly keep a low profile upon his return. It wouldn't surprise me But if Pheua Thai join the military backed parties, which they pledged.not to do, they lose all credibility as a progressive force. Luminaries like Nattawut and Chaturon Chaisaeng would have to resign. And how could Prayuth's party, eternal enemies of Thaksin join with the devil?

Here's a catchy headline: According to the paper that cannot be named, the junta's leading lawyer, Wissanu, said a comprehensive complaint filed against Pita accusing him of holding media shares could snowball, leading to annulment of the entire election.

There's a distinct possibility Pita will be suspended and then banned, so MF will lose the premiership. Thus the least they can do is demand the House Speaker's position

Thaksin got rich by monopolies. Regarding Zelensky, his courage has won the admiration if the Western world. What act of bravery has Thaksin ever done? I remember his speech to the red shirts that as soon as the bullets fly, he'll be back in Thailand manning the barricades. Instead he went shopping in a Parisian department store. A supreme act of bravery, dodging shopping carts.

MF should remain resolute demanding the post. If, as seems likely, Pita is suspended/ banned, unable to be PM. PT then will have both the premiership and House Speaker.

So intelligent he's spent years living in exile. So intelligent he lost the election. Calling Zelensky a clown was one of his more stupid remarks

Settha from PT and Anuthin, leader of Bhumjaithai, together watching Leicester City get relegated from the Premier League.

I like what Nattawut Saikleua, a prominent former Red Shirt leader, said yesterday. He said PT must remain with MF as the voters chose them by a large majority. He said to not come first was a lesson for PT and the following months will be a litmus test for the party. Can it strengthen itself as a political party, become a political institution truly believing in democracy and working for the people, or will it be an empty vessel devoid of ideals, aimlessly drifting? The message is clear. If PT withdraw from the coalition and joing Bhumjaithai, Pravit, The Democrats, the latter two previously sworn enemies of PT, then PT can no longer claim to be fighting for democracy.

They were expecting a landslide yet they came in second, that hurts, sour grapes. My enemy's enemy can be my friend. Citing the historical fact that it's unprecedented in Thai politics for the parties that came first and second to join hands in a coalition is a nonsense argument. Guess what? Every invention was unprecedented! The pollsters should sound out the Red shirts Fan Club: should PT join hands with Pravit and Bhumjaithai to bring Thaksin home? I believe many would say yes

70s tax dodgers running with the Pack.

Simply. . wonderful

Pheu Thai want to give the man a fish ( the one time payment of 10,000 baht to every adult Thai ). Move Forward want to teach the man how to fish. A fundamental difference. Another sign of the conservative and questionable nature of PT is shown in one of their choices for House Speaker, namely Suchart Tangcharern. This man has changed parties several times and faced allegations of corruption as far back as 1996. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1996/05/08/Thai-government-faces-corruption-charges/1202831528000/

Pichit is not in Issan. It's lower north or upper central Thailand. Get it right for Thailand's sake, Thaiger