Suthep Thaugsuban - A reversal of fortune

[webfact]

A reversal of fortune

By KAS CHANWANPEN 
THE NATION

 

File Photo

 

BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT, SUTHEP THAUGSUBAN IS HEARING FAR FEWER CHEERS THAN HE ONCE DID
 

FIVE YEARS ago he found himself at the peak of his political career when leading protests outside Parliament by the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC). But today, Suthep Thaugsuban sees his popularity in a slump as he returns to the same streets, though for a different purpose.

 

Everywhere he went in 2013 and 2014, Suthep would meet with a large, cheering crowd calling out his nickname at the time, “Lung Kamnan”, as they fought together to oust a regime they viewed as corrupt. Once the movement achieved its goal of bringing down the government, Suthep, to prove that the fight had not been for his personal gain, pledged to never again return to politics.

 

But now the former PDRC secretary-general is back in the game. Although he maintains that he will not take up any political position, his fellow PDRC fighters just cannot look at him the same way they did five years ago.

 

The picture now is almost sad, as everywhere he goes to seek members for his party, Action Coalition for Thailand (ACT), the once popular protest leader has met with cool responses and sometimes heated confrontation.

 

One former protester, to show his loss of faith in Suthep, even handed him back the whistle he’d blown during the anti-government demonstrations. Whistles, used in shrill protest in the thousands, became the symbol of the now-defunct PDRC movement.

 

“He should have stopped. Back in 2013, Suthep really had the time of his life,” said political activist Sombat Boonngamanong. “He would have been remembered beautifully if only he hadn’t decided to return to politics.”

 

Sombat said he was not surprised by the negative feedback Suthep is getting.

 

“Five years ago they had this common agenda of removing the government. Protesters knew he could do it and they trusted him to,” Sombat said. “But now, it’s another election. Suthep’s just not someone people think can represent them in Parliament. He’s unsaleable.”

 

But Suthep couldn’t avoid returning to the campaign trail either, the veteran political activist said. If he didn’t, his party would be only a wallflower. After all, negative feedback is still feedback, and it keeps the party relevant in politics and in the media.

 

The bitterness towards Suthep has at least pressured other former PDRC members to come out and show their support for ACT. Sombat referred to John Nuvo, a rock star popular in the 1990s who was a strong PDRC supporter. He recently announced that he was rooting for ACT, though he stressed that it was not because of Lung Kamnan.

 

Since the pro-junta wing could be relying on Suthep’s popularity in a bid to return Prayut Chan-o-cha to the premier’s post after the election next year, Sombat said, it should be feeling the repercussions from recent events surrounding Suthep.

 

Attasit Pankaew, a political scientist at Thammasat University, said the decline in Suthep’s popularity reflected the disappointment PDRC members felt about Suthep and his failure to keep his promise.

 

However, it’s too soon to predict whether ACT and the pro-junta wing might meet with disaster, Attasit said. They still had time to reverse the game, he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30358330

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-12

[Thaiwrath]

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

Suthep’s just not someone people think can represent them in Parliament. He’s unsaleable.”

He should have stayed out of politics, like he promised he would.

Mind you, he is not the only person involved in front line politics here, who really thinks they are far more popular than they actually are !

[Samui Bodoh]

"...BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT, SUTHEP THAUGSUBAN IS HEARING FAR FEWER CHEERS THAN HE ONCE DID.."

 

There are fewer cheers because people have learned that he is a corrupt, lying weasel.

 

Suthep's mistake was coming into the sunshine; some things can't function in the light of day.

 

Please, for the sake of Thailand, go back to your diseased little rat hole.

 

 

[Chang_paarp]

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

There are fewer cheers because people have learned that he is a corrupt, lying weasel.

 

That revelation would not have as a surprise to anyone who could read.

[zzaa09]

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT, SUTHEP THAUGSUBAN IS HEARING FAR FEWER CHEERS THAN HE ONCE DID.."

 

There are fewer cheers because people have learned that he is a corrupt, lying weasel.

 

Suthep's mistake was coming into the sunshine; some things can't function in the light of day.

 

Please, for the sake of Thailand, go back to your diseased little rat hole.

 

 

His fair comeback and social pardons have backing from the usual influences.

If there was any justice whatsoever, he'd still be rotting in the hoosegow.

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Suthep’s just not someone people think can represent them in Parliament. He’s unsaleable.”

all of us should feel fortunate about this; bad man

[Lupatria]

When I started reading the news on TV today I thought radioactive waste may be a big threat to the country, but on a second thought...

[mfd101]

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT, SUTHEP THAUGSUBAN IS HEARING FAR FEWER CHEERS THAN HE ONCE DID.."

 

There are fewer cheers because people have learned that he is a corrupt, lying weasel.

 

Suthep's mistake was coming into the sunshine; some things can't function in the light of day.

 

Please, for the sake of Thailand, go back to your diseased little rat hole.

 

 

Ha ha. Now tell us what you really think!

[JAG]

https://goo.gl/images/UGz7cm

[Stone Inscription 1]

Most everyone knew he was just a stooge of the military and Bangkok elites. They feared losing power, prestige and influence to the popular Shinawatras; therefore, they set up Suthep as a frontman to make it seem that the people wanted a return to the days of Phibun and Sarit.

[robblok]

This certainly is one guy we don't need in Thailand, like Thaksin both of them are deeply divisive. We need fresh non corrupt people. Suthep certainly is corrupt.  Its time for him to go. Better even if they convict him for corruption.. then he can shake hands with his enemy in Dubai when he runs.

 

He did a great job at removing the Shins with full support of the populace but broke his promise. It was a good way to try to redeem himself. But his motives were different then removing the corruption. 

Besides the guy hates foreigners and is just an other corrupt politician. I am quite happy he is not popular anymore.

Edited November 12, 2018 by robblok

[lvr181]

5 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT, SUTHEP THAUGSUBAN IS HEARING FAR FEWER CHEERS THAN HE ONCE DID.."

 

There are fewer cheers because people have learned that he is a corrupt, lying weasel.

 

Suthep's mistake was coming into the sunshine; some things can't function in the light of day.

 

Please, for the sake of Thailand, go back to your diseased little rat hole.

 

 

So sad, too bad, never mind. The lying a hole gets what he deserves - NOTHING.

[Eric Loh]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“Five years ago they had this common agenda of removing the government. Protesters knew he could do it and they trusted him to,” Sombat said.

What a cop out bs. The protesters fell hook, line and sinker to a low life who plotted with the military to remove the government on the day that Yingluck won the election. There was no common agenda but a sinister plot by the establishment who fear losing dominance and the money that goes with it. A little too late for regret as those gullible protesters caused Thailand to lose 4+ years of economic momentum and a battered world image. 

[ReMarKable]

I imagine the same lot of TV posters who are denouncing him now,  were they same who 5 years ago wanted to remove the corruption of the Shinawatras and rape Yingluck.  It was very hard back then to post against his campaign.  Remember after the coup, that guy who kept posting to give Prayut a little more time and he will reform government and would received 1000s of likes?

[Ulic]

Just a former corrupt politician looking to elbow his way back to a prime position at the trough. 

[Artisi]

It is certainly a shame that a real and ruthless strong man wasn't leading the coup who could have put the cleaner thru' all the blood sucking corrupt politicians and rid Thailand of the ongoing scourge  -- permanently.  The softly softly lets save face is just BS to corrupt people . 

[sjaak327]

6 hours ago, robblok said:

This certainly is one guy we don't need in Thailand, like Thaksin both of them are deeply divisive. We need fresh non corrupt people. Suthep certainly is corrupt.  Its time for him to go. Better even if they convict him for corruption.. then he can shake hands with his enemy in Dubai when he runs.

 

He did a great job at removing the Shins with full support of the populace but broke his promise. It was a good way to try to redeem himself. But his motives were different then removing the corruption. 

Besides the guy hates foreigners and is just an other corrupt politician. I am quite happy he is not popular anymore.

Full support of the populace ? Then why did he sabotage the election ? Because he knows he did not have full support of the populace of course. Your posting a claim you cannot possibly substantiate. He should be in jail for disrupting an election that was fully constitutional and had approval from the head of state. 

 

Furthermore, he did not remove the "shins", he did not even remove the government, Prayuth removed the government by means of a coup.  

 

His protest was never about corruption, how could it possibly be, he makes Thaksin looks like a small child when corruption is concerned. People that believed him are so utterly stupid and naieve, it defies believe. 

Edited November 12, 2018 by sjaak327

[robblok]

1 hour ago, sjaak327 said:

Full support of the populace ? Then why did he sabotage the election ? Because he knows he did not have full support of the populace of course. Your posting a claim you cannot possibly substantiate. He should be in jail for disrupting an election that was fully constitutional and had approval from the head of state. 

 

Furthermore, he did not remove the "shins", he did not even remove the government, Prayuth removed the government by means of a coup.  

 

His protest was never about corruption, how could it possibly be, he makes Thaksin looks like a small child when corruption is concerned. People that believed him are so utterly stupid and naieve, it defies believe. 

I should not have written full support, but quite a big part of the population some red shirts included were helping to dispose of YL.

 

Prayut did not remove YL.. your incorrect, she was already removed. 

 

Could you substantiate your claim that he is more corrupt then Thaksin ? I find it hard to believe but it could be possible but better back your claims up. 

[robblok]

6 hours ago, ReMarKable said:

I imagine the same lot of TV posters who are denouncing him now,  were they same who 5 years ago wanted to remove the corruption of the Shinawatras and rape Yingluck.  It was very hard back then to post against his campaign.  Remember after the coup, that guy who kept posting to give Prayut a little more time and he will reform government and would received 1000s of likes?

I was pro removal of YL, but never Pro Suthep.. but he was the right tool for the job.

[jayboy]

11 hours ago, robblok said:

This certainly is one guy we don't need in Thailand, like Thaksin both of them are deeply divisive. We need fresh non corrupt people. Suthep certainly is corrupt.  Its time for him to go. Better even if they convict him for corruption.. then he can shake hands with his enemy in Dubai when he runs.

 

He did a great job at removing the Shins with full support of the populace but broke his promise. It was a good way to try to redeem himself. But his motives were different then removing the corruption. 

Besides the guy hates foreigners and is just an other corrupt politician. I am quite happy he is not popular anymore.

Mostly bilge I'm afraid

 

1. Thaksin's party has dominated and refashioned the Thai political world and has consistently been able to win the Thai peoples' support at general elections. Suthep, essentially a Southern political/mafia boss, doesn't have anything like Thaksin's popularity or influence. Most people don't know what his policies are. 

 

2. Your suggestion Suthep has to go is meaningless. Go where? He holds no office and isn't standing at next year's election.

 

3. His alleged corruption isn't the issue even though most people understand his Southern influence and what that implies.

 

4. His street protests preparing the way for the coup most certainly (after the blanket amnesty was dropped) did not have the support of most Thai people.

 

5. Your comment about Suthep wanting to redeem his corruption is inane. Do you seriously suggest that was his motive?

 

6. There is no evidence at all he hates foreigners. Actually, he is an Anglophile of sorts and sent his son to a smart English public school (Charterhouse).

 

7. He is still reasonably popular with his core followers - the Southern camp followers/thugs and the Bangkok Sino Thai middle class (admittedly less so now than before). The more significant point is that he serves no useful purpose for the Military Junta with whom he liaised closely before the coup. (One is reminded of Sondhi Limthongkul who came a nasty cropper after having served his usefulness - so Suthep would do well to pipe down)

 

If you don't understand Thai politics and are generally ignorant about it, there is the option of keeping shtum until you have something worth saying.

 

[sjaak327]

6 hours ago, robblok said:

I should not have written full support, but quite a big part of the population some red shirts included were helping to dispose of YL.

 

Prayut did not remove YL.. your incorrect, she was already removed. 

 

Could you substantiate your claim that he is more corrupt then Thaksin ? I find it hard to believe but it could be possible but better back your claims up. 

I never said Yingluck, I said the "shins' which to me means the PTP government that was deposed off in a coup, not by any judicial means (as if that means anything in Thailand !!!!!!). Again you make a claim that you cannot possibly substantiate, why did Suthep disrupt the elections, if a large part of the population wanted to get rid of Yingluck or PTP ? And why did Prayuth stage a coup, instead of waiting for scheduled elections, the answer is obvious, large parts of the population would have voted again for PTP, as they have done the past 17 years,

 

You can use google right, his transgressions are amply documented. That he never was convicted is because he is protected by the "impartial" judiciary, nothing more and nothing less. he should be in jail for disrupting the elections in 2014, a criminal offence. But just as his involvement in the 2010 massacre, he never even got investigated, because apparently the NACC has bigger fish to fry, such as the showcase trial against Yingluck, that went through in record time...  What a surprise !

Edited November 12, 2018 by sjaak327

[robblok]

9 hours ago, sjaak327 said:

I never said Yingluck, I said the "shins' which to me means the PTP government that was deposed off in a coup, not by any judicial means (as if that means anything in Thailand !!!!!!). Again you make a claim that you cannot possibly substantiate, why did Suthep disrupt the elections, if a large part of the population wanted to get rid of Yingluck or PTP ? And why did Prayuth stage a coup, instead of waiting for scheduled elections, the answer is obvious, large parts of the population would have voted again for PTP, as they have done the past 17 years,

 

You can use google right, his transgressions are amply documented. That he never was convicted is because he is protected by the "impartial" judiciary, nothing more and nothing less. he should be in jail for disrupting the elections in 2014, a criminal offence. But just as his involvement in the 2010 massacre, he never even got investigated, because apparently the NACC has bigger fish to fry, such as the showcase trial against Yingluck, that went through in record time...  What a surprise !

I can google Thaksin his trangressions too and people like you would say he is not convicted. Why is it that you use a different rule for Suthep. Mind you i despise the guy as much as I do Thaksin no love lost here. 

 

Anyway if you were in BKK you could have seen the large part that wanted to stop her. I am sorry that your hero's are a corrupt bunch of crooks just like their adversaries and that they sometimes get stopped by the public and army. Had they been a lot less careful YL would never have been removed as easy as now. When someone wants to kill you no need to give them a gun and load it like YL did with the amnesty and rice program. All the ammunition they needed to remove her. Arrogance of Shins led to their downfall (same arrogance that will lead to the downfall of the junta and will catch up with more Thai politicians / junta leaders)

[robblok]

11 hours ago, jayboy said:

Mostly bilge I'm afraid

 

1. Thaksin's party has dominated and refashioned the Thai political world and has consistently been able to win the Thai peoples' support at general elections. Suthep, essentially a Southern political/mafia boss, doesn't have anything like Thaksin's popularity or influence. Most people don't know what his policies are. 

 

2. Your suggestion Suthep has to go is meaningless. Go where? He holds no office and isn't standing at next year's election.

 

3. His alleged corruption isn't the issue even though most people understand his Southern influence and what that implies.

 

4. His street protests preparing the way for the coup most certainly (after the blanket amnesty was dropped) did not have the support of most Thai people.

 

5. Your comment about Suthep wanting to redeem his corruption is inane. Do you seriously suggest that was his motive?

 

6. There is no evidence at all he hates foreigners. Actually, he is an Anglophile of sorts and sent his son to a smart English public school (Charterhouse).

 

7. He is still reasonably popular with his core followers - the Southern camp followers/thugs and the Bangkok Sino Thai middle class (admittedly less so now than before). The more significant point is that he serves no useful purpose for the Military Junta with whom he liaised closely before the coup. (One is reminded of Sondhi Limthongkul who came a nasty cropper after having served his usefulness - so Suthep would do well to pipe down)

 

If you don't understand Thai politics and are generally ignorant about it, there is the option of keeping shtum until you have something worth saying.

 

1) did i ever say Suthep and Thaksin were equally popular.. I never did I only know i dislikethem equally. 

2) He said he was going to stay out of politics.. he is a liar.. with go I mean get lost out of politics. I would have tough someone with your presumed education would understand that i meant that.

3) For you its no issue.. for me its an issue just like others their corruption is an issue. I don't care what side they are on. 

4)Prove it, no way to prove it either way.

5) You have a serious reading problem his motive was to get in power and become corrupt again. (that is what i write after redeeming) I said by removing the Shins he did a good deed even evil can do good things and no he did not do it for that but for me it has redeeming qualities to topple Taksin. But far from enough in my eyes to cover all his transgressions.

6)I have seen comments about his hatred of foreigners in the past I will look it up were remarks of him that were quite denigrating of foreigners. 

7)I guess you missed the topic title that was called a reversal of fortune showing he is a lot less popular than before so my comment was right. (normally your far more on the ball)

8)Yes that true but if you totally misread someones posts and make stupid assumptions its in general also better to shut up.

[sjaak327]

21 hours ago, robblok said:

I can google Thaksin his trangressions too and people like you would say he is not convicted. Why is it that you use a different rule for Suthep. Mind you i despise the guy as much as I do Thaksin no love lost here. 

 

Anyway if you were in BKK you could have seen the large part that wanted to stop her. I am sorry that your hero's are a corrupt bunch of crooks just like their adversaries and that they sometimes get stopped by the public and army. Had they been a lot less careful YL would never have been removed as easy as now. When someone wants to kill you no need to give them a gun and load it like YL did with the amnesty and rice program. All the ammunition they needed to remove her. Arrogance of Shins led to their downfall (same arrogance that will lead to the downfall of the junta and will catch up with more Thai politicians / junta leaders)

Her government was removed by illegal means is all that matters here. The rice program was a prominent part of her campaign for which she received a huge mandate, you are making claims you cannot possibly substantiate. What remains are fact, and the fact is that Thaksin and his allies have won every general election this century, and except for Samak, with landslide election victories. Again, the fact that both Suthep and Prayuth were terrified for elections, just highlight that you underestimate the Shinawathra's electoral popularity. Nothing more and nothing less. 

[geronimo]

Suthep ousting a corrupt government? Talk about the kettle calling the pot black ????????????????