Thai politics - No country for young men?

By Panu Wongcha-um and Chayut Setboonsarng

 

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, founder of Thailand's Future Forward Party speaks during an interview at the Reuters office in Bangkok, Thailand March 19, 2018. Picture taken March 19, 2018. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A 39-year-old motor parts billionaire and extreme sports enthusiast seeking to shake up Thai politics has been compared to France's Emmanuel Macron and Canada's Justin Trudeau for his youth.

 

But Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit sees little prospect of emulating their electoral success even if the junta, which seized power in a May 2014 coup, holds elections as promised next year after several postponements.

 

"Election laws are unfavourable to us, timing is unfavourable to us, the attitude of the government is unfavourable to us," he told Reuters. "The chance is very slim. But a little hope is better than no hope at all."

 

Thanathorn launched his Future Forward party this month with a big fanfare and a promise to appeal to the youth vote.

 

But the forces that have divided Thailand for a generation are also mobilising - and making plain their enduring presence four years after the coup that ousted a 'red' populist government in the name of ending turmoil with a 'yellow' royalist elite.

 

Thanathorn's party had not even been formally launched before he came under attack from ultra-royalists.

 

"Future Forward... It is the future for those who want to impede the rights of the king," Rienthong Nanna, a retired major-general, wrote on Facebook.

 

Thanathorn declined comment on the monarchy - a subject few dare speak of given the world's harshest lese majeste, or royal insult, laws.

 

He has previously dismissed accusations of being anti-monarchy although his party has also received praise from some of Thailand's most vocal exiles.

 

"The party offers an alternative path," prominent exiled academic and junta critic Pavin Chachavalpongpun told Reuters. "It's a phenomenon that should have happened a long time ago."

 

Thanathorn isn't a total newcomer.

 

Since student days, he has been part of campaigns against poverty and inequality though in recent years he has spent more time helping run the Thai Summit Group founded by his late father and running ultra-marathons in the Arctic and the Sahara.

 

VOTE NEXT YEAR?

 

His emergence comes as the junta starts registering parties ahead of a frequently delayed election now set for 2019. Whether his party will win registration is still in question.

 

Political success in Thailand depends on being able to placate the military and royalist elite, said Joshua Kurlantzick of the U.S.-based Council on Foreign Relations.

 

"In France, there was no junta stopping Macron forming a party," he told Reuters.

 

Piyaphong Klinphan, a junta spokesman, said registration was a matter for the election commission, but the junta would make sure nobody could disturb security or break the law.

 

It has been widely noted in Thailand that Future Forward's orange colour is a mix of the red and yellow of the old rivals, although the party has said this is unintentional.

 

In the "red shirt" camp are supporters of ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the last billionaire to shake up Thai politics, whose populist policies won support from farmers, the poor and the heavily populated northeast.

 

The "yellow shirt" camp represents the traditional privilege of the Bangkok based establishment, strongly pro-army and pro-monarchy.

 

"We need to convince people from all colours to come back and have faith in parliamentary democracy," said Thanathorn, a father of three.

 

His policies include business deregulation and moving decision making out of Bangkok. Thanathorn distances himself from the populism of Thaksin, who was overthrown in 2006 and fled to escape a corruption conviction he says was political. Thaksin's sister, Yingluck, was ousted in the 2014 coup.

 

One of Thanathorn's uncles served as transport minister under Thaksin and politicians from Thaksin's camp have been more welcoming of Thanathorn's party than the ultra-royalists.

 

But Thanathorn's party has barely started to build the grassroots structures that helped parties linked to Thaksin win every election since 2001.

 

In a pro-Thaksin stronghold in Bangkok, only a few kilometres from where Thanathorn launched his party, most of more than 20 people asked by Reuters said they had not heard of him.

 

All said they would stick with the Pheu Thai Party, whose leaders flew to Hong Kong and Singapore last month for meetings with Thaksin that participants said had focussed on preparations for the elections.

 

"My friends and I will still vote Pheu Thai," commented one 58-year-old "red shirt" who gave his name only as Na. "I don't want a young man to lead the country."

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-03-25

"New Blood", with fresh ideas scares the hell out of the Old Chinese blood that has controlled this country for longer then anyone can remember.  

This is why they should have political debates. It’s easy to hide behind a slogan and smile, but let’s see you have a battle of ideas. 

 

This guy is certainly saying the right things. I’d like to see how he measures up to criticism and scrutiny. Prayut would never do that, and that pretty much tells you all you need to know about him. 

58 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

"Election laws are unfavourable to us, timing is unfavourable to us, the attitude of the government is unfavourable to us," he told Reuters. "The chance is very slim. But a little hope is better than no hope at all."

He’s off to a good start, key skill for all politicians is to blame others for when things go wrong. 

 

He’s  ahead of the game, though,  and is doing it before it actually happens. 

 

Not saying he’s wrong though. 

 

Far from it. 

Edited March 25, 20188 yr by Bluespunk

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

A 39-year-old motor parts billionaire and extreme sports enthusiast seeking to shake up Thai politics has been compared to France's Emmanuel Macron and Canada's Justin Trudeau for his youth.

Compared to Justin Trudeau aka Mr. Dressup?. I think this guy Thanathorn has more potential than a man born into a political family  (Trudeau or Castro, you decide) who enjoys showing off his cute socks at gatherings of world leaders and dressing up Bollywood style while in India at Canadian taxpayers expense.

It seems that North Americans have, at times, two clowns, TRUMP and TRUDEAU ..

Thai politics.   'No country for honest men'

After watching the top man do his weekly nation spiel a couple of days ago (first time I have watched the full thing) I honestly could not believe what I was watching and hearing, there is no way that this guy can hold a genuinely intelligent, open debate with another party leader. I just dont see it being allowed if I'm honest, and I dont think he is so daft as to not realise this... This is going to be an interesting time in Thailands progression coming up..

 

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

This is why politics in Thailand doesn't work. 

USA? Been this way for a long long time...

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Another billionaire bidding for political power on a platform of fighting poverty and equality.

 

Wasn't one enough?

This country has never been represented by other than the rich elite, old and new.

Thaksin harnessed the working class vote by releasing the purse strings somewhat, especially with the health scheme.

It would be good for Thai democracy if a party was formed which unashamedly announced and promised to stand for the working class. Plus kept it's word - but therein lies the problem.

I remain somewhat sceptical about Thanathorn - although I sincerely hope he proves my caution ill-placed. One of the warning bells or red flags is that he immediately is talking about 'deregulation' - in other words, smashing whatever workers' rights are in place, so that Big Business (of which he is a pre-eminent member, from birth upwards) can have everything its own way (and to hell with rules about workers' rights, the environment, etc.). 

 

I may be wrong on this. But already there are signs that he is another Obama - all talk ('change, change - change you can believe in') and little actual substance. Just a prettier face and less oppressive jackboot (not difficult, is it?) than the incumbents.

 

Still - I am more than willing to let him prove himself. If he is  a REAL alternative - he will be smashed to smithereens anyway by the junta and their forces. If he is phoney - he will be allowed to run and garner votes, just enough to split off Pheu Thai (or similar) from grasping real power again ...

 

I am more than mildly skeptical, I am deeply skeptical of this man.

 

However, the simple fact is that while we would all like a poor, incorruptible 'Robin Hood' to appear, rise up and save Thailand from itself, it ain't gonna happen. May I simply point out that Thailand has never experienced a peaceful transition of power from one popularly elected government to another, much less any of the Democratic norms we consider... well, normal in Western countries?

 

The best we can hope for at this stage of Thailand's political development is somebody who will run a (relatively) clean administration, survive through their term of office, and then leave shortly after the end of their first or second term.

 

I would be willing to give this guy a chance at that, mainly because I don't see any other person who could/would do it and the only kind of person who actually can do it is likely a lot like him; rich and connected.

 

Yes, a bit depressing, but... ya gotta start somewhere.

 

A wise man once said "when you walk into a bar and the women are below your standards, lower your standards!".

 

Perhaps a similar idea should apply to Thai politics...

 

Thailand remains fearful of change,even after all the evidence of corruption and money wasting..old ways and somtum give a sense of comfort and peace..Thailand will never ever change

24 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I am more than mildly skeptical, I am deeply skeptical of this man.

 

However, the simple fact is that while we would all like a poor, incorruptible 'Robin Hood' to appear, rise up and save Thailand from itself, it ain't gonna happen. May I simply point out that Thailand has never experienced a peaceful transition of power from one popularly elected government to another, much less any of the Democratic norms we consider... well, normal in Western countries?

 

The best we can hope for at this stage of Thailand's political development is somebody who will run a (relatively) clean administration, survive through their term of office, and then leave shortly after the end of their first or second term.

 

I would be willing to give this guy a chance at that, mainly because I don't see any other person who could/would do it and the only kind of person who actually can do it is likely a lot like him; rich and connected.

 

Yes, a bit depressing, but... ya gotta start somewhere.

 

A wise man once said "when you walk into a bar and the women are below your standards, lower your standards!".

 

Perhaps a similar idea should apply to Thai politics...

 

The standard has been lowered constantly no matter who is in power be it thieves like the Shinawara’s or incompetents like the Juntra. This guy is no different when his utmost observation is the country is not set up for rich a holes young males like him. That has been one of the country’s biggest problems is that it bows and scraps to rich a holes like him wharever their back ground may be.

And your anology is ridiculous. Why the hell would one be in a bar looking for a women when one can raise there standard elsewhere. Jeez you rely on your wisdom from a barstool...why is that not surprising of intelligence offered from within Thailand. 

Edited March 25, 20188 yr by Roadman
Spelling

I dont know the guy but the old parties have failed . YL allowed billions of corruption to happen. That was on a scale far larger as what has happened at the center of the poor. Billions vs millions.

The democrats just can't get the votes and won't change to get them.

That leaves new parties to try. We know the old parties were bad this guy deserves a chance. We just have to hope he is not an other Thaksin in it to enrich himself even more.

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Edited March 25, 20188 yr by Rimmer

2 hours ago, Lemonltr said:

It would be good for Thai democracy if a party was formed which unashamedly announced and promised to stand for the working class. 

That might work for the working class, but what about Somchai in his hammock? A sizable population especially in the NE of the country. 

49 minutes ago, Roadman said:

The standard has been lowered constantly no matter who is in power be it thieves like the Shinawara’s or incompetents like the Juntra. This guy is no different when his utmost observation is the country is not set up for rich a holes young males like him. That has been one of the country’s biggest problems is that it bows and scraps to rich a holes like him wharever their back ground may be.

And your anology is ridiculous. Why the hell would one be in a bar looking for a women when one can raise there standard elsewhere. Jeez you rely on your wisdom from a barstool...why is that not surprising of intelligence offered from within Thailand. 

When there's no other bar to go to one must make do.

"Future Forward... It is the future for those who want to impede the rights of the king," Rienthong Nanna, a retired major-general, wrote on Facebook."  This is the kind of attitude future generations are up against. God help them.

4 minutes ago, stephen tracy said:

"Future Forward... It is the future for those who want to impede the rights of the king," Rienthong Nanna, a retired major-general, wrote on Facebook."  This is the kind of attitude future generations are up against. God help them.

The scary thing is that the real dinosaurs (Jurassic and all that) ruled for over 100 million years! Let's hope that Thai dinosaurs have a shorter lifespan!

4 hours ago, Creasy said:

Thai politics.   'No country for honest men'

Unfortunately, I think that's true for every country.

Some baiting, bickering and flames have been removed

12 hours ago, rooster59 said:

A 39-year-old motor parts billionaire and extreme sports enthusiast seeking to shake up Thai politics has been compared to France's Emmanuel Macron and Canada's Justin Trudeau for his youth.

At least they must have been doing something right to get the chance to rukes to country, disragarding their age.

23 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Thaksin, who was overthrown in 2006 and fled to escape a corruption conviction he says was political

 

See ? the good thing about being a businessman cum politician is that when you get caught red-handed stealing huge amounts of money from the country and/or the people, you can always claim that the indictment was 'politically motivated'.

 

Here's a lesson to all business men who regularly engage into illegal activities - embezzlement, abuse of power, money laundering, tax evasion etc : to protect your wealth and reputation, become a politician too ! If you get caught, you can immediately scream that you're the victim.

 

 

Edited March 26, 20188 yr by Yann55