Thanathorn admits Thais cannot rely on foreigners to fight for democracy

[Eligius]

I am surprised that many posters took Thanathorn's words to refer to us ex-pats here in Thailand. I don't think he meant us at all. I am sure he was referring to the 'international community'. And he is right: they are NOT going to help the Thais get freedom back. Look at how some of the biggest international players in the entire world are not condemning (far from it!) the recent fake election in Thailand - but are salivating over the opportunity to continue to 'do business' with the Thai faux-elite.

 

By the way, I understand the suspicions some posters hold regarding Thanathorn; I myself was suspicious of him when he first burst upon the scene - and I think we should still maintain a degree of caution. But so far his past life (doing a lot of other-orientated philanthropic work for poorer peoples in the world) and his current display of bravery indicate to me that he is probably the real deal - a genuinely human and humane person who wants his people to be free of tyranny. I don't think he is cast in the mould of some heartless, xenophobic Chinese Thais that posters here have referenced. He really does seem different to me. In fact, he strikes me as a man of destiny. I believe (perhaps stupidly and against all logic) that somehow, somewhen - Thanathorn will become leader of Thailand and will make this place a much fairer society both for his own people and for us!

('Dream on', I hear one or two of you saying!!).

 

[ocddave]

8 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

Democracy with (decidedly Undemocratic) Thai Characteristics 

Sort of like Buddhism with (decidedly Non-Buddhist) Thai Characteristics.

[neeray]

42 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

Anyone who understands Thailand might suspect Khun Thanathorn is just playing to the necessary Thai anti-western sentiment

IMHO, I think you have totally misread his intentions.

And I think you have misread the purpose of his foreign visits.

I appreciate his approach of "drum up support wherever he can get it".

 

Thanathorn is the future of Thailand, IMHO !

[holy cow cm]

26 minutes ago, petemoss said:

Really? When did that happen? I must have missed that. And here's me labouring under the misconception that Prayut and his cronies are still in control of the country.

Smoke and mirrors. I would hope you are being facetious, but if not I would gather you didn't watch the news close enough for how strategically they unfolded let out their little plan to wash everything via media.

[lemonjelly]

3 hours 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... 

I’d presume he’s referring to the lack of diplomatic pressure from foreign countries rather than expats in Thailand..... work permits etc may be an irritating part of our lives but not important to anyone else except immigration etc.

[PatOngo]

Thailand, you cooked your goose, now eat it! It's got nothing to do with foreigners!

[ocddave]

1 minute ago, PatOngo said:

Thailand, you cooked your goose, now eat it! It's got nothing to do with foreigners!

Exactly, let them enjoy their unsafe, polluted, undemocratic, rampant corruption, Perverted Buddhist, military ruled, 3rd World Utopia.

[neeray]

10 minutes ago, Eligius said:

I am surprised that many posters took Thanathorn's words to refer to us ex-pats here in Thailand. I don't think he meant us at all. I am sure he was referring to the 'international community'. And he is right: they are NOT going to help the Thais get freedom back. Look at how some of the biggest international players in the entire world are not condemning (far from it!) the recent fake election in Thailand - but are salivating over the opportunity to continue to 'do business' with the Thai faux-elite.

 

By the way, I understand the suspicions some posters hold regarding Thanathorn; I myself was suspicious of him when he first burst upon the scene - and I think we should still maintain a degree of caution. But so far his past life (doing a lot of other-orientated philanthropic work for poorer peoples in the world) and his current display of bravery indicate to me that he is probably the real deal - a genuinely human and humane person who wants his people to be free of tyranny. I don't think he is cast in the mould of some heartless, xenophobic Chinese Thais that posters here have referenced. He really does seem different to me. In fact, he strikes me as a man of destiny. I believe (perhaps stupidly and against all logic) that somehow, somewhen - Thanathorn will become leader of Thailand and will make this place a much fairer society both for his own people and for us!

('Dream on', I hear one or two of you saying!!).

 

Thank you Eligius for your excellent post. Your first sentence cleared up a repetitive misunderstanding that many posters had. I saw it the same as you. And I see the genuineness of Thanathorn and fully expect and hope that he will one day be the Prime Minister of Thailand.

Up until your post, I kept thinking what a whacky bunch of posts. Again, thank you.

[spidermike007]

I think he is referring to foreign powers, coming to the assistance of the Thai people. It is going to require a monumental effort on the part of the Thai youth. It is not going to come from the older generation, who have been cowed into submission, are conservative beyond imagination, and are way too conventional, and non-confrontational to make this happen. And did I mention apathetic about politics?

 

One day the youth will stand up to the army here. It must happen. It will happen. It has to happen, for the nation to progress. The army holds the nation back on a hundred levels, the army is useless, exists without merit, takes advantage of their power and extreme wealth, and does nothing for the people. They must be taken out of the picture, eventually, in order for Thailand to move forward. They literally serve no useful purpose for Thai society, and suck the blood of the nation. 

[Eligius]

1 minute ago, neeray said:

Thank you Eligius for your excellent post. Your first sentence cleared up a repetitive misunderstanding that many posters had. I saw it the same as you. And I see the genuineness of Thanathorn and fully expect and hope that he will one day be the Prime Minister of Thailand.

Up until your post, I kept thinking what a whacky bunch of posts. Again, thank you.

Thank you so much, Neeray, for your comments (above).

YES! I agree with you. I do believe that Thanathorn is a genuinely well-intentioned guy. When I look at him, listen to him, observe his concern for poorer, underprivileged peoples in his student days and later, and above all when I see the risks he is taking with his very liberty (perhaps even his life) for the sake of the oppressed Thai people  - I have to respect and even admire him. 

I somehow have this gut feeling that one day, after many years perhaps, Thanathorn will emerge as Prime Minister of Thailand. I may be wrong, of course - but somehow I do have this strong intuition that, against all the odds, it will happen ...

[nervona81732]

Democracy????? Oh you mean mob rule! Democracy is about who has the biggest megaphone of , wait for it , propaganda ( disinformation pales to ) propaganda. The whole thing is smoke and mirrors. 

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Weren't you one of the posters celebrating the military coup and subsequent military rule?

Let's get this right.

 

I saw the need to put a stop to yinglucks lack of management and her gangs lack of ethics (go ahead at the instructions of the CM shins to make fake country to country rice deals and more) get the boy back through unscrupulous 3 am votes, and the deliberate break down of the checks and balances.

 

I didn't strongly support suthep but I did see a need to somehow throw the shins and their scaly leaches out, Other poster have a million times labelled me as a  'junta hugger' and more, a bit of research will show that I was criticizing the junta from the start.

[Fex Bluse]

22 minutes ago, neeray said:

IMHO, I think you have totally misread his intentions.

And I think you have misread the purpose of his foreign visits.

I appreciate his approach of "drum up support wherever he can get it".

 

Thanathorn is the future of Thailand, IMHO !

I respect your opinion but I am unconvinced. Have seen far too many fake Thai attempts at this over the decades. 

 

They have lost my initial good will/trust but verify/innocent until proven guilty. 

 

I now have learned it's far more efficient to regard them all with suspicion and then acknowledge only their actions and results rather than their usually meaningless words. 

[KiChakayan]

He needs to set up, an efficient communication unit Europe, where media need to be reminded that in the eighties they were quite loud about about the regimes in Chili and Argentina, while they remain silent about the current situation here. A disgrace if you ask me, and a symptom of the collapse of democracy in the western world, were big money controls the media.

[scorecard]

1 minute ago, Fex Bluse said:

I respect your opinion but I am unconvinced. Have seen far too many fake Thai attempts at this over the decades. 

 

They have lost my initial good will/trust but verify/innocent until proven guilty. 

 

I now have learned it's far more efficient to regard them all with suspicion and then acknowledge only their actions and results rather than their usually meaningless words. 

Obviously a very valid point, strong valid viewable / feelable results is the only ultimate measure.

 

But I, and many others, see Khun Thanathorn as the best bet to work towards and get the real scores on the board.  

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, petemoss said:

I agree, if you are talking about the Thai Elite. Wealthy Thai Chin family, born into relative entitlement. If he ever did get into power, I'm sure his first task would be to increase his own family's wealth and power. Remember Taksin?

 Read Thanathorn's history, he's not a thaksin.

 

 

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, Fex Bluse said:

Anyone who understands Thailand might suspect Khun Thanathorn is just playing to the necessary Thai anti-western sentiment. 

 

He was recently in EU to bolster support to democracy. 

 

Meanwhile, here in Thailand, his opposition were fomenting the anti-western sentiments of Thais, saying things like

 

... "don't let the international community mess up our Thai efforts" and

 

... "don't allow westerners to meddle in Thai affairs" 

 

Now he's back in Thailand doing the necessary 'farangs are bad routine' to win back political points to prove he is a "real" Thai. 

 

For the people who long thought he is some kind of newly modern Thai savior, or even represents significant progress, I still encourage you all to think deeper about the real soul of the nation which is decidedly xenophobic. 

 

The young Thais dislike western ideas sns influence just as much as their grandparents, despite their superficial interests in iPhones and high fashion. 

 

Thanathorn is probably just like all other Thais before him. No significant differences. 

"....Now he's back in Thailand doing the necessary 'farangs are bad routine' to win back political points to prove he is a "real" Thai. ...."

 

When / where did he say 'farangs are bad....'?

[Eligius]

4 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 Read Thanathorn's history, he's not a thaksin.

 

 

I agree. I have never encountered a Thai politician like Thanathorn before in all my years in or associated with Thailand. He really is a breath of fresh air. Could he eventually prove to be a sell-out? Of course it is possible. But so far - I see not even the slightest nano-sign of that.

I believe he is far and away the best hope for Thailand's future.

[nong38]

Thais have to do it for themselves, if they don't like what is on offer now its up to them to change things.

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, Lucius verus said:

Its not our fault. Why would farangs want to help ungrateful Thais anymore? All they want from us is money and free homes for their poor families.

Soi dogs are higher up the pecking order than farangs.

What do farangs legally own?

You want democracy then get rid of all the thousands of useless army generals and bring back Thaksin. He's greedy but millions  love him. Good for the economy.

You're on your own Thais!

You dug your own hole so lie in it.

 So you believe Thailand is just poor families in esan who get some support from a farang.

 

Time to get out and about and see that Thailand is a much bigger much more comprehensive picture, all different to the above.

[klauskunkel]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Thanathorn admits Thais cannot rely on foreigners to fight for democracy

can't help, no work permit

[ujayujay]

Nobody can help Thailand in his so called "Democracy"

[scorecard]

2 minutes ago, ujayujay said:

Nobody can help Thailand in his so called "Democracy"

So what do you think his (Khun Thanathorn's) democracy is?

[Isaanbiker]

“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.

 

   How could an Alien be helpful? 

[Eric Loh]

37 minutes ago, Eligius said:

I am surprised that many posters took Thanathorn's words to refer to us ex-pats here in Thailand. I don't think he meant us at all. I am sure he was referring to the 'international community'. And he is right: they are NOT going to help the Thais get freedom back. Look at how some of the biggest international players in the entire world are not condemning (far from it!) the recent fake election in Thailand - but are salivating over the opportunity to continue to 'do business' with the Thai faux-elite.

That's my impression too that he was referring to the democratic foreign governments. I too am disappointed with the failures of foreign governments for not coming out with stronger condemnation of the recent sham election and the decline in democracy over the last decade. In any case, Thailand will probably ignore the strong words from the foreign governments. Sanctions may be too harsh and not necessary work. Bottom line, Thais will have to fight their own battle and hopefully starting with Thanathorn. 

[petemoss]

7 minutes ago, scorecard said:

So what do you think his (Khun Thanathorn's) democracy is?

Actions speak louder than words. We will only know the answer to that if and when he comes to power.

 

A bit like Taksin, although I do think Taksin is the best leader Thailand has had, that's a very low bar.

[Fex Bluse]

21 minutes ago, scorecard said:

"....Now he's back in Thailand doing the necessary 'farangs are bad routine' to win back political points to prove he is a "real" Thai. ...."

 

When / where did he say 'farangs are bad....'?

Thais, as a rule, don't communicate directly. 

 

Their communication must be 'read between the lines'.

 

I regard his 'foreigners will not help' statements not for their face value but as saying,

 

" there is no need for us to rely on foreigner powers, and I am not relying on foreign powers, and we all know foreign powers should not meddle in Thai affairs " 

 

I think we know how the elite are rabid anti foreigner in this regard, so I interpret his statements thusly. 

 

Thais are not westerners. They don't mean what they say. 

[Bezdomny]

Thailand  dont have large oils reserves, so there is no interest for Uncle Sam to export their democracy.

[scorecard]

13 minutes ago, petemoss said:

Actions speak louder than words. We will only know the answer to that if and when he comes to power.

 

A bit like Taksin, although I do think Taksin is the best leader Thailand has had, that's a very low bar.

  ?

 

14 minutes ago, petemoss said:

Actions speak louder than words. We will only know the answer to that if and when he comes to power.

 

A bit like Taksin, although I do think Taksin is the best leader Thailand has had, that's a very low bar.

So how about answering my question:

 

So what do you think his (Khun Thanathorn's) democracy is?

 

[White Christmas13]

40 minutes ago, scorecard said:

"....Now he's back in Thailand doing the necessary 'farangs are bad routine' to win back political points to prove he is a "real" Thai. ...."

 

When / where did he say 'farangs are bad....'?

Yes I like to know that as well why does he talk to me? he knows I am a farang

and I am on his friends list