3 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Everytime I see her I think of Catherine Zeta Jones ! Dont know why????

Charlie, you need to check your eyes, senility and memory. Otherwise you do not know what a beautiful woman looks like.☺️

11 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Those who benefit the most from Thailand give little back.  Yingluck could have been the greatest elected Thai leader in history if she had done very little.   She should kick in, as she is responsible for the feckless, nauseating leadership Thailand struggles with today.

sorry disagree ... ' the greatest elected Thai leader in history ' 

you have got to be kidding ....   lol

Do you really think for one minute anybody regionally or any international heads of government actually took one bit of notice about her. She was a shopaholic who couldn't organize a BBQ. She fouled up on the rice scheme that was suppose to benefit the farmers and it turn out to be a scam.

You have your opinion which i respect & i have mine. thx

 

 

Edited March 31, 20206 yr by steven100

Did she also thank them three times?

God bless you and your brother, Yingluck. your brother will always remain enormously popular, especially among the rural population of this beautiful country, which speaks a thousand words. People know the truth as to why he was deeply unpopular among many of Bangkok's rich elite......

Ahh yingy still looking good baby. 

Also nice that you post your thoughts on your homeland. The bonus being that gen prayut will now be spitting out his cornflakes and having a tantrum.

2 hours ago, Tchooptip said:

I felt safer as an expat  in the time o y

 

As an expat I felt safer at the time of Yingluck, Corrupt or not, than now under the generals/army laws.

If she was corrupted she was not xenophobic!

Now they are both!

100% there is absolutely no denying that. Local businesses were doing a lot better than also. 

17 minutes ago, Sujo said:

The bonus being that gen prayut will now be spitting out his cornflakes and having a tantrum.

Reading through this thread I think one or two TV members may also be "spitting" into their cornflakes this morning. ????

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

hell will freeze over first

Yeah the same goes about the current government and them putting up their ill gotten money as well. They all the same. 

4 hours ago, Shocked said:

So the Fugitive Criminal opens her mouth. Try putting some of that corruption money where your mouth is. Donate 100 million bt. Tell your Fugitive Criminal brother to do the same. Otherwise Shut that pie hole. 

AND MR. SMART GUY............ And out all the millions you suggest be donated by them (Taksins). HOW MUCH under this present 'overseeing gov't' would you expect to reach the goal... Of Thailand's Poor (and needy)?????

7 minutes ago, kensawadee said:

AND MR. SMART GUY............ And out all the millions you suggest be donated by them (Taksins). HOW MUCH under this present 'overseeing gov't' would you expect to reach the goal... Of Thailand's Poor (and needy)?????

Indeed yes, by the way, what happened to the rather large sums of money which were reported as having been seized from both Thaksin and Yingluck's various accounts and businesses, perhaps that could be released to help the situation - if 1): anyone knows where it went and 2): once the "necessary expenses" have been covered of course! There again, in view of the turmoil at those times, and the pressure under which the public spirited and reluctant servants of the moves to oust them were working, it is of course completely understandable if such details remain unclear.

Edited March 31, 20206 yr by JAG

If that is a current photo, she is still looking good

20 minutes ago, JAG said:

Indeed yes, by the way, what happened to the rather large sums of money which were reported as having been seized from both Thaksin and Yingluck's various accounts and businesses, perhaps that could be released to help the situation - if 1): anyone knows where it went and 2): once the "necessary expenses" have been covered of course! There again, in view of the turmoil at those times, and the pressure under which the public spirited and reluctant servants of the moves to oust them were working, it is of course completely understandable if such details remain unclear.

Are you interested in 'MY GUESSES' as to where it went?????? Probably same as yours,,,,,,

5 hours ago, ChipButty said:

How about a big donation?

 

Or even returning some of the billions her crime family thieved?

The rap against Yingluck was never that she stole money or accepted bribes. It was that a subsidy scheme designed to give the poorest farmers a guaranteed price for their rice, so that they could plan and invest properly in their farms, increasingly overall productivity, turned out to be, like so many things in Thailand, unmanageable. Lots of money went missing but there was never any credible suggestion that she personally benefitted.

The fury of the middle classes in Bangkok that any money was going to the rural poor ensured that the scheme's problems were distorted and elevated into a national scandal. That was used to justify a "democracy" movement whose sole goal was to push out a democratically elected government that continued to have the support of a substantial majority of the Thai people.

I am not suggesting she was not motivated by self-interest. I believe all politicians, in all countries, are. Her political strategy, however, like that of her brother, was to be the party giving the poor majority at least something, after decades of being taken completely for granted by the elites. Thailand is actually a relatively rich country, but it suits the middle and upper classes to keep a large reservoir of people as poor as possible. Their comfort and sense of self-worth, in this deeply hierarchical society, depends largely on keeping others down, economically, socially, and symbolically.

What Thaksin introduced was the sensibility of an effective businessman. He saw that the majority of the country were effectively disenfranchised. If he could throw that majority some basic and much-needed services, they would keep voting for him and it would not matter how much the elites hated him.

Well, ultimately, it did matter for him and, in time, his sister too. He was the richest man in Thailand, she was wealthy too. They both ended up losing a lot of money and property that had nothing to do with their time in government. They both ended up in exile, probably for life.

You don't have to like them, but the Shinawatras were massively better for the Thai people than those who seized power through corrupt judges and guns paid for by the Thai people. Under Thaksin and Yingluck, the economy thrived, the people were happier, and we Westerners were welcome to spend our money in Thailand for pretty much as long as we wanted.

The seeds of growth and progress suggested a Thailand that could possibly move beyond endemic corruption. Every Thai knows the disease that afflicts their country, and only a few benefit from it, at the expense of all their futures. That is why the Shinawatras are still sorely missed by most Thais. Not by the elites and talking heads, but by the majority who have now been left in no doubt that their opinions are of no concern. They are not stupid, they know that the prospects of their children and grandchildren are being systematically drained away into Swiss bank accounts. They feel defeated and devoid of hope.

There is no good future for Thailand without a real, unrigged democracy. There will be a dark cloud over the land until that is restored. It may not happen for decades, or this terrible year could spark terrifying and sudden change that ends with generals swinging from trees.


 

Edited March 31, 20206 yr by donnacha

41 minutes ago, kensawadee said:

AND MR. SMART GUY............ And out all the millions you suggest be donated by them (Taksins). HOW MUCH under this present 'overseeing gov't' would you expect to reach the goal... Of Thailand's Poor (and needy)?????

 

None of them will donate anything. The Shins were good at spending tax payer's money, with their 'commissions" deducted of course. Not their own money of course. Why would you assume they or others would be different?

 

A popular actress maid a rather large donation recently. But otherwise the famous and the wealthy have been socially distancing themselves and their money!

1 minute ago, donnacha said:

The rap against Yingluck was never that she stole money or accepted bribes. It was that a subsidy scheme designed to give the poorest farmers a guaranteed price for their rice, so that they could plan and invest properly in their farms, increasingly overall productivity, turned out to be, like so many things in Thailand, unmanageable.

The fury of the middle classes in Bangkok that any money was going to the rural poor ensured that the scheme's problems were distorted and elevated into a national scandal. That was used to justify a "democracy" movement whose only goal was to push out a democratically elected government that continued to have the support of a substantial majority of the Thai people despite the long-running media campaign against her.

I am not suggesting she was not motivated by self-interest. I believe all politicians, in all countries, are. Her political strategy, however, like that of her brother, was to be the party giving the poor majority at least something, after decades of being taken completely for granted by the elites. Thailand is actually a relatively rich country, but it suits the middle and upper classes to keep a large reservoir of poor people. Their comfort and sense of self-worth, in this deeply hierarchical society, depends largely on keeping others down, economically, socially, and symbolically.

What Thaksin introduced was the sensibility of an effective businessman. He saw that the majority of the country were effectively disenfranchised. If he could throw that majority some basic and much-needed services, they would keep voting for him and it would not matter how much the elites hated him.

Well, ultimately, it did matter for him and, in time, his sister too. He was the richest man in Thailand, she was wealthy too. They both ended up losing a lot of money and property that had nothing to do with their time in government. They both ended up in exile, probably for life.

You don't have to like them, but the Shinawatras were massively better for Thailand than those who seized power. The economy did better, the people were happier, and we Westerners were more welcome. They are missed by most Thais. Not by the elites and talking heads, but by the majority who have now been left in no doubt that their opinions are of no concern.

There is no good future for Thailand without a real, unrigged democracy. There will be a dark cloud over Thailand until that is restored. It may not happen for decades, or this terrible year could end up sparking terrifyingly, sudden change, and generals swinging from trees.

 

 

Yingluck was simply her brother's puppet. Put in place as a show the Shin family were still dominant in their political vehicle; to ensure her brother's contrived pardon of all crimes, past present and future, was pushed through; and as a bag lady to ensure payments were routed to the boys and girls in the party hierarchy. No other reason.

 

The last Shin regime wanted to get their hands on a 2.2 trillion baht loan, which would be controlled by them, without any parliamentary scrutiny or checks and balances. Based on the creative accounting demonstrated in the rice scheme, would you trust them? That would have put generations of Thais into debt and made the Shins one of the richest political dynasties in the world, if not the richest. 

 

The Shins are no better or worse than the others. They misjudged just how much the Thai people, the hiso elites, and the military would tolerate. And that misjudgment legacy lives on.

3 hours ago, Tarteso said:

I miss she...have sex appeal

 

3 hours ago, AnnaBanana said:

Hi Sis...

Maybe they're Freemasons... or something.

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

sorry disagree ... ' the greatest elected Thai leader in history ' 

you have got to be kidding ....   lol

Do you really think for one minute anybody regionally or any international heads of government actually took one bit of notice about her. She was a shopaholic who couldn't organize a BBQ. She fouled up on the rice scheme that was suppose to benefit the farmers and it turn out to be a scam.

You have your opinion which i respect & i have mine. thx

The greatest elected Thai leader would be somebody who did nothing.  She would have been great at that.  She was perfectly suited to do nothing.  Nobody expected anything from her. The Thai people, during her time in office, were unmolested and had hope.   The best leaders in history did very little, including not raising taxes.  Her support of the rice scheme, and then allowing people to steal from it ruined a perfectly good country and gave the Thai people a military fop.

 

Obama adored her.  So much so, he probably spent time in the dog house.  

 

Tell me of a great statesman around during her time in office. 

 

Anyone elected fairly does not go around bashing others who do the same.  Winning is winning.    And had she done nothing at all, Thailand would be in much better shape today.  Vietnam will outpace Thailand in the near future, and she is partly to blame for that. 

5 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Everytime I see her I think of Catherine Zeta Jones ! Dont know why????

and the song says.... love is in the air 555

18 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Or even returning some of the billions her crime family thieved?

They are all f_cking thieves, have been for as long as I can remember and will continue to be till after my memory is long passed! Civilian, military, red or yellow!

2 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

They are all f_cking thieves, have been for as long as I can remember and will continue to be till after my memory is long passed! Civilian, military, red or yellow!

looks like somebody is having a bad day  555

38 minutes ago, kensawadee said:

Are you interested in 'MY GUESSES' as to where it went?????? Probably same as yours,,,,,,

It might be interesting to :watch"this space...

3 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

looks like somebody is having a bad day  555

Not at all, I'm feeling great! ????

1 minute ago, PatOngo said:

Not at all, I'm feeling great! ????

good to know, keep it up ✌️

28 minutes ago, donnacha said:

The rap against Yingluck was never that she stole money or accepted bribes. It was that a subsidy scheme designed to give the poorest farmers a guaranteed price for their rice, so that they could plan and invest properly in their farms, increasingly overall productivity, turned out to be, like so many things in Thailand, unmanageable. Lots of money went missing but there was never any credible suggestion that she personally benefitted.

The fury of the middle classes in Bangkok that any money was going to the rural poor ensured that the scheme's problems were distorted and elevated into a national scandal. That was used to justify a "democracy" movement whose sole goal was to push out a democratically elected government that continued to have the support of a substantial majority of the Thai people.

I am not suggesting she was not motivated by self-interest. I believe all politicians, in all countries, are. Her political strategy, however, like that of her brother, was to be the party giving the poor majority at least something, after decades of being taken completely for granted by the elites. Thailand is actually a relatively rich country, but it suits the middle and upper classes to keep a large reservoir of people as poor as possible. Their comfort and sense of self-worth, in this deeply hierarchical society, depends largely on keeping others down, economically, socially, and symbolically.

What Thaksin introduced was the sensibility of an effective businessman. He saw that the majority of the country were effectively disenfranchised. If he could throw that majority some basic and much-needed services, they would keep voting for him and it would not matter how much the elites hated him.

Well, ultimately, it did matter for him and, in time, his sister too. He was the richest man in Thailand, she was wealthy too. They both ended up losing a lot of money and property that had nothing to do with their time in government. They both ended up in exile, probably for life.

You don't have to like them, but the Shinawatras were massively better for the Thai people than those who seized power through corrupt judges and guns paid for by the Thai people. Under Thaksin and Yingluck, the economy thrived, the people were happier, and we Westerners were welcome to spend our money in Thailand for pretty much as long as we wanted.

The seeds of growth and progress suggested a Thailand that could possibly move beyond endemic corruption. Every Thai knows the disease that afflicts their country, and only a few benefit from it, at the expense of all their futures. That is why the Shinawatras are still sorely missed by most Thais. Not by the elites and talking heads, but by the majority who have now been left in no doubt that their opinions are of no concern. They are not stupid, they know that the prospects of their children and grandchildren are being systematically drained away into Swiss bank accounts. They feel defeated and devoid of hope.

There is no good future for Thailand without a real, unrigged democracy. There will be a dark cloud over the land until that is restored. It may not happen for decades, or this terrible year could spark terrifying and sudden change that ends with generals swinging from trees.


 

That is probably the best, dispassionate summary of the saga of the Thaksin governments, the reasons for their removal, the current situation and the prospects for the future that I have seen on this forum. Well said.

24 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Yingluck was simply her brother's puppet. Put in place as a show the Shin family were still dominant in their political vehicle; to ensure her brother's contrived pardon of all crimes, past present and future, was pushed through; and as a bag lady to ensure payments were routed to the boys and girls in the party hierarchy. No other reason.

 

The last Shin regime wanted to get their hands on a 2.2 trillion baht loan, which would be controlled by them, without any parliamentary scrutiny or checks and balances. Based on the creative accounting demonstrated in the rice scheme, would you trust them? That would have put generations of Thais into debt and made the Shins one of the richest political dynasties in the world, if not the richest. 

 

The Shins are no better or worse than the others. They misjudged just how much the Thai people, the hiso elites, and the military would tolerate. And that misjudgment legacy lives on.

The arguments ( on both sides) are stale, but as ever you simply ignore the fact that she was elected to office ( it didn't take three months to "compute" the results either) and was widely supported by probably a majority of Thais throughout her time in office.

29 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

Yingluck was simply her brother's puppet.

Doesn't matter. The formula of giving the poor at least some consideration was a strategy worth repeating. Regardless of their reason for doing it, the net result was massively positive for the country. The people knew that and, for that reason, kept electing them. Whether you think they were right or wrong, it was their vote. 
 

 

29 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

The Shins are no better or worse than the others.

I do not expect those in power to be angels, but it would be a terrific break for Thailand to sometimes have leaders with the intelligence to at least slightly counterbalance their greed with common sense.

The Shins were significantly better for Thailand than the army and the elites.

 

29 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

The last Shin regime wanted to get their hands on a 2.2 trillion baht loan, which would be controlled by them, without any parliamentary scrutiny or checks and balances. Based on the creative accounting demonstrated in the rice scheme, would you trust them? That would have put generations of Thais into debt and made the Shins one of the richest political dynasties in the world, if not the richest.

So much stuff was completely fabricated during the energetic heaves to get him out, I have no idea what is true. What I know logically, however, is that a man who gains power by votes is a very different proposition from one who seizes power with guns. If you think anyone at all is now acting as guardian over the nation's wealth, or in a position to stop them funneling money into their own accounts and those of the stakeholders necessary to keep them in power, you simply don't understand what is happening right in front of your eyes.

The imperfect democracy at least had the vitality of being a democracy, giving the Thai people a sense of participation and ownership. When you take that away, you remove something vital to the health and fairness of an economy. Hobbling the spirit of a people is far more expensive, far more ruinous than anything you're alleging the Shins tried to run off with.

 

Edited March 31, 20206 yr by donnacha

I'd rather like to see her face than the other one. 

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Yingluck posts support for medical personnel

Just how many of these support posts will there be?

9 hours ago, webfact said:

“I thank you and admire your sacrifice.

As we thank you for yours.... how is Dubai this time of year?