Thanathorn admits Thais cannot rely on foreigners to fight for democracy

[webfact]

Thanathorn admits Thais cannot rely on foreigners to fight for democracy

 

(Photo) Future Forward party’s Facebook page

 

Future Forward party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has admitted that Thai people must themselves fight for democracy and change and not rely on the support of foreigners “because no foreigners will come to our help.”

 

In his interview with the VOA Thai, which was released on Monday, Thanathorn said that Thai people must wake up and fight against dictatorship if they want a society where there is rule of law, equality for all and democracy.

 

“We cannot get this society from the international community. There is only one way to achieve this. We must build it by ourselves and this is the mission of the Thai people. No foreigners will help to effect changes and restore democracy in Thailand,” said the Future Forward party leader, while on a US tour to explain the political situation in Thailand and to solicit support for the party’s efforts to effect changes in Thailand.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thanathorn-admits-thais-cannot-rely-on-foreigners-to-fight-for-democracy/

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-07-17

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[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

No foreigners will help to effect changes and restore democracy in Thailand

they treat us like dogs and we are in the conversation for 'helping' them ?

[Puchaiyank]

If foreigners did try to help, they would be met with suspicion...agree not purchase alcoholic beverages except at predetermined times...censorship of TV programming, bring with them large sums of baht (must come from out of the country), report to immigration all their movements and trips out of country and agree to ùnanounced  visits by Thai officials at any time...facial recoginition and finger printing, and live constantly with the angst that an immigration official having a bad day could expel them from the country with no recourse...

 

It's all good!  Foreigners are clamoring to do the heavy lifting to bring about a democratic government for Thailand...????

 

 

[Lungstib]

The powers that have ruled for 80 years have ensured that no foreigners living here in Thailand can have any effect so I assume he is talking about outside countries. Why would they care, business is business.

[Oziex1]

Given the way the international community tries to introduce democracy to countries in the Middle East and other places, you don't know how lucky you are Thailand. 

[FarFlungFalang]

12 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

they treat us like dogs and we are in the conversation for 'helping' them ?

I know a lots of dogs that get treated really nice with lots of love and kindness so I see what you mean.

[ezzra]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thanathorn admits Thais cannot rely on foreigners to fight for democracy

Help to fight for democracy without work permit and correct visa? 

the day Thai people will fight for foreigners to better and ease the draconian visa/permit rules making their life difficult and cumbersome, that will be the day foreigners will feel safe enough to help shape democracy in Thailand... 

[FarFlungFalang]

9 minutes ago, Lungstib said:

The powers that have ruled for 80 years have ensured that no foreigners living here in Thailand can have any effect so I assume he is talking about outside countries. Why would they care, business is business.

As does every other country on the planet.So yes business is business.

[geoffbezoz]

1 minute ago, ezzra said:

Help to fight for democracy without work permit and correct visa? 

the day Thai people will fight for foreigners to better and ease the draconian visa/permit rules making their life difficult and cumbersome, that will be the day foreigners will feel safe enough to help shape democracy in Thailand... 

The Thais can not even organise and fight for themselves, never had never will, always always preferring to take a quick buck from anyone, irrespective of their social status, so why should foreigners even want to help them ?

[WeekendRaider]

but not China so much.  he probably means "Amerikee", the land of easy money.  the USA where we have two fake political parties and a very professional mass media.  ahem.  so much so that top science folks this morning say we have a 50% chance of July 2019 being the hottest July ever recorded by humans, even though it is definitely not an El Nino, but only so everywhere else.  not in the USA  [technically it is above neutral as an ENSO but 2019 is just as much an La Nina as a El Nino to the folks who study this, for sure although there is a larger trend already.  gulp. ]

yet this announcement is from the USA.  Columbia University in New York I believe. or NASA something.

 

and then also reported in The Guardian, a UK news website..... but not in the New York Times.   yes?
 

so yeah, I agree with this guy,  and I only just last saw Thanathorn in "real life" while shopping at our afternoon market near Chiangmai.  everyone went nuts with their smartphones, it was like The Beatles arriving or in a movie theatre when I was a kid.

 

back to my point.  another example.  so off the scale, the USA, that Xi can rightfully say he is democratically elected because he is selected by a "real" political party that can actually discuss and make rational policy.  in the USA we can't even talk about the root cause of an impending mega mega "immigration crisis"... yet John Kerry, a Vietnam vet war protest hero, can lecture the EU all the live long day about migration as 'more serious issue than he thinks that they think it is' (not)..... while using the words 'climate refugees' that he cannot say at all when he is at home.  just another lying politician or is he really that stupid?  no one can tell.  I can't.  so as Joe Pesci might ask, do grits really cook different there?  no, I think it is what Thanathorn is "really" talking about.  gosh darn it, why do I have to keep using the words "real" and "fake" all the time?  

because I'm an American.

 

Edited July 16, 2019 by WeekendRaider

[fishtank]

27 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

I know a lots of dogs that get treated really nice with lots of love and kindness so I see what you mean.

Not by Thais you don't.

[Date Masamune]

I don’t talk about politics with Thai people for obvious reasons but I have one Thai friend who always wants to engage. Her and her husband are working cooks, have many foreign friends. What I get from her most is she just wants the freedom to speak freely. She is very intelligent and understands even how in America it does not mean real Democracy. Something to think about.

[kellersphuket]

Thailand is for thais!!

 

Run your own country the way you want to by all means, just dont come crying to the international community for a big money bail out when your economy implodes from years of corruption and mismanagement.

[petemoss]

1 hour ago, Puchaiyank said:

If foreigners did try to help, they would be met with suspicion...agree not purchase alcoholic beverages except at predetermined times...censorship of TV programming, bring with them large sums of baht (must come from out of the country), report to immigration all their movements and trips out of country and agree to ùnanounced  visits by Thai officials at any time...facial recoginition and finger printing, and live constantly with the angst that an immigration official having a bad day could expel them from the country with no recourse...

 

It's all good!  Foreigners are clamoring to do the heavy lifting to bring about a democratic government for Thailand...????

 

 

I do all of the above willingly. I really wish that I could help Thai people to bring democracy to the country I love.

 

Unfortunately my hands are tied. We all know that one word out of place and we'd be on the next plane out of here, if we're lucky.

 

Also, a large percentage of Thai people would not want or appreciate our help, it's all about "face".

 

Crack on guys, you're just going to have to manage without me.

 

I'll just sit this one out and watch from the bleachers. Not really expecting much action in this game though.

 

 

Edited July 17, 2019 by petemoss

[30la]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Thanathorn admits Thais cannot rely on foreigners to fight for democracy

If the Thais are not able to fight for their democracy it is certainly better that they do not rely on outside help!

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, geoffbezoz said:

The Thais can not even organise and fight for themselves, never had never will, always always preferring to take a quick buck from anyone, irrespective of their social status, so why should foreigners even want to help them ?

 Well perhaps Khun Thanathorn is saying, to have credibility we (the Thai people) need to step up and do the work to build democracy. Imposed / pushed from outside won't work, we don't own it as our own achievement / our own hard work to achieve a democratic country and society.

 

Perhaps this is like building your house yourself, you're proud of what you ultimately achieved, you own your achievement and along the way you (me) learned many good lessons and also realized what doesn't work and what can damage your house and we learned what protections we need to establish and maintain.

 

I think he's saying 'we (Thai people) need to do the work to build and own democracy'.

 

And I have no doubt Khun Thanathorn realized there is a long and hard road ahead with many bumps, however in nearly 40 years he's the only person I've seen who speaks with reality.  

 

Edited July 17, 2019 by scorecard

[Jimbo in Thailand]

——

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Thanathorn admits Thais cannot rely on foreigners to fight for democracy

The current extremely lazy spineless 'sabai sabai' culture/society waiting for a miracle—by others—just doesn't cut it.  YES, the local citizens are getting exactly what they deserve.  But sadly, too many of us retired expats who loved Thailand enough to pull up stakes and move here are caught between a rock and a hard place.

Edited July 17, 2019 by Jimbo in Thailand

[sammieuk1]

The only thing you can rely on is more of the same abject misery as LOS falls apart for foreigners????

[Reigntax]

1 hour ago, WeekendRaider said:

but not China so much.  he probably means "Amerikee", the land of easy money.  the USA where we have two fake political parties and a very professional mass media.  ahem.  so much so that top science folks this morning say we have a 50% chance of July 2019 being the hottest July ever recorded by humans, even though it is definitely not an El Nino, but only so everywhere else.  not in the USA  [technically it is above neutral as an ENSO but 2019 is just as much an La Nina as a El Nino to the folks who study this, for sure although there is a larger trend already.  gulp. ]

yet this announcement is from the USA.  Columbia University in New York I believe. or NASA something.

 

and then also reported in The Guardian, a UK news website..... but not in the New York Times.   yes?
 

so yeah, I agree with this guy,  and I only just last saw Thanathorn in "real life" while shopping at our afternoon market near Chiangmai.  everyone went nuts with their smartphones, it was like The Beatles arriving or in a movie theatre when I was a kid.

 

back to my point.  another example.  so off the scale, the USA, that Xi can rightfully say he is democratically elected because he is selected by a "real" political party that can actually discuss and make rational policy.  in the USA we can't even talk about the root cause of an impending mega mega "immigration crisis"... yet John Kerry, a Vietnam vet war protest hero, can lecture the EU all the live long day about migration as 'more serious issue than he thinks that they think it is' (not)..... while using the words 'climate refugees' that he cannot say at all when he is at home.  just another lying politician or is he really that stupid?  no one can tell.  I can't.  so as Joe Pesci might ask, do grits really cook different there?  no, I think it is what Thanathorn is "really" talking about.  gosh darn it, why do I have to keep using the words "real" and "fake" all the time?  

because I'm an American.

 

Is there an English translation of what you are trying to say?

[phantomfiddler]

Never heard anything so ridiculous. We are treated like scum by the authorities, we have absolutely no rights whatsoever, and they talk about us not helping them ? What a bunch of ungrateful rabble we are !

[Reigntax]

20 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 Well perhaps Khun Thanathorn is saying, to have credibility we (the Thai people) need to step up and do the work to build democracy. Imposed / pushes from outside won't work, we don't own it as our own achievement / our own hard work to achieve a democratic country and society.

 

Perhaps this is like building your house yourself, you're proud of what you ultimately achieved, you own your achievement and along the way you (me) learned many good lessons and also realized what doesn't work and what can damage your house and what protections we need to establish and maintain.

 

I think he's saying 'we (Thai people) need to do the work to build and own democracy'.

 

 

They had close to what could have eventually evolved into a real democracy at various times.

The Thais just failed by their lack of both interest and determination to keep it.

[scorecard]

1 minute ago, Reigntax said:

They had close to what could have eventually evolved into a real democracy at various times.

The Thais just failed by their lack of both interest and determination to keep it.

Some truth in that however IMHO Khun Thanathorn realizes that and it's all part of his most recent speech.  

Edited July 17, 2019 by scorecard

[Reigntax]

1 minute ago, phantomfiddler said:

Never heard anything so ridiculous. We are treated like scum by the authorities, we have absolutely no rights whatsoever, and they talk about us not helping them ? What a bunch of ungrateful rabble we are !

You are correct but at least we have options.

The Thai majority are treated the same. 

[scorecard]

22 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

Never heard anything so ridiculous. We are treated like scum by the authorities, we have absolutely no rights whatsoever, and they talk about us not helping them ? What a bunch of ungrateful rabble we are !

Why is this thread suddenly loaded with me, me, me stuff. Thailand never promised me or anybody utopia, we all came here realizing 'i'm moving to  third world country fraught with numerous problems'.

 

Khun Thanathorn is focused on developing Thailand and so he should be.

Edited July 17, 2019 by scorecard

[scorecard]

5 minutes ago, Reigntax said:

You are correct but at least we have options.

The Thai majority are treated the same. 

'We are treated like scum...'

 

Is that really true or is Thailand just trying to get things in order, as you find in many countries.

Edited July 17, 2019 by scorecard

[Reigntax]

7 minutes ago, scorecard said:

'We are treated like scum...'

 

Is that really true or is Thailand just trying to get things in order, as you find in many countries.

From what I have experienced the majority are also treated much the same in various aspect of their daily life. It also seems that once a person gets into a position of having a small amount of power such as a government position, even at the lowest level, that they immediately think much the same and use their position to belittle other, not so fortunate, Thais.

 

 

[scorecard]

5 minutes ago, Reigntax said:

From what I have experienced the majority are also treated much the same in various aspect of their daily life. It also seems that once a person gets into a position of having a small amount of power such as a government position, even at the lowest level, that they immediately think much the same and use their position to belittle other, not so fortunate, Thais.

 

 

Sure, this happens, as it can be in other countries. I remember well as a child going with my mother of father to a government office in Australia and my parents being spoken to rudely, even aggressively and loudly by the gov't officers. All now changed.  

 

I've tried to read everything Thanathorn has written and said, and I suspect the above is one of the things he wants to change. It's a tall order and I hope he gets the right folks behind him to achieve these changes.

 

Edited July 17, 2019 by scorecard

[FarFlungFalang]

1 hour ago, geoffbezoz said:

The Thais can not even organise and fight for themselves, never had never will, always always preferring to take a quick buck from anyone, irrespective of their social status, so why should foreigners even want to help them ?

I'm sure you are aware of previous efforts of some Thais fighting for themselves and the results of their efforts which tend to be very violent which might lead to the preference of a quick buck rather than a quick bullet.

[soalbundy]

2 hours ago, YetAnother said:

they treat us like dogs and we are in the conversation for 'helping' them ?

A bit exaggerated, officialdom can be difficult sometimes but Thais on the whole are OK, I can't remember a time where I have been treated badly here but I am in Isaan and it's laid back. No 'we' aren't in the conversation, he was talking about the international community, not a few zealous grumpy expats that would go on the barricades for them (I'll be the one hiding behind the wall)

[Reigntax]

6 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Sure, this happens, as it can be in other countries. I remember well as a child going with my mother of father to a government office in Australia and my parents being spoken to rudely, even aggressively and loudly by the gov't officers. All now changed.  

 

I've tried to read everything Thanathorn has written and said, and I suspect the above is one of the things he wants to change. It's a tall order and I hope he gets the right folks behind him to achieve these changes.

 

I think he is a breath of fresh air and a hope for the future.

He just has to survive all the prosecutions which will come from every corner and for every minor issue.

The established certain don't want someone like him making life better for the average Thai. Their power and wealth is dependent upon maintaining status quo.

Edited July 17, 2019 by Reigntax