Ex-PM Thaksin asks Thai people if they are better off 14 years since the putsch

 

 

Exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has asked the Thai people about their livelihoods today, 14 years since his government was overthrown in a coup d’état, staged by then Army Commander-in-Chief General Sonthi Boonyaglin.

 

In his Facebook post, addressed to Thai citizens today, to commemorate the 14th anniversary of the putsch, which took place while he was attending the UN General Assembly in New York, Thaksin said that Thai people, now aged between 20 and 30, might have heard their parents talking about their expectations of a better life 14 years ago, with a job, a house, a car and thriving business.

 

Today, however, they are hearing their parents complaining about losing their jobs, cars and houses and business failures, as well as the lack of a future, despite their good education, because Thais have been taken advantage of by global capitalism, because Thailand is lagging in several areas, said the former Prime Minister.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/ex-pm-thaksin-asks-thai-people-if-they-are-better-off-14-years-since-the-putsch/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2020-09-19

 

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14 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Ex-PM Thaksin asks Thai people if they are better off 14 years since the putsch

The rich obviously are, the poor not at all.

Cannot wait to read the drivel from the Thaksin haters, who, by the way, was fairly elected, as was his sister, who was also illegally deposed.

Edited September 19, 20205 yr by Thaiwrath

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19.25 Thanathorn, former leader of the Future Forward party, arrived at the protest site and broadcast his visit on the Progressive movement Facebook Page. He said all problems begin in September 14 years ago.

3 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

Cannot wait to read the drivel from the Thaksin haters, who, by the way, was fairly elected, as was his sister.

 

Along the lines of ' yea but Thaksin ...'

 

They will never admit that what Thailand has now is worse than what it had under Thaksin. To admit this would be to admit they were gullible fools assuming that any change must always be for the better.

 

To admit you were wrong is more than some fragile brains can stand.

Idiot question! Same than ask  after your most close person died: are you happy now? 

Nice to ask when really hard times! Maybe last year get different answer! 

Incredible crowd at Sanam Luang tonight. Lots of people sporting the latest crop top fashions.

Is there a protest going on? You’d never know looking at this website. Maybe we’ll read about it next week. 

29 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

The rich obviously are, the poor not at all.

Cannot wait to read the drivel from the Thaksin haters, who, by the way, was fairly elected, as was his sister, who was also illegally deposed.

 

And it's not as if the voters didn't know he was corrupt when they voted for him (and his sister). 

 

But at least he let some of the wealth trickle down to the masses.  Which the Elite couldn't stand.

 

3 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Is there a protest going on? You’d never know looking at this website. Maybe we’ll read about it next week. 

its in the international news

Edited September 19, 20205 yr by Nout

Just now, Nout said:

its other international news

I looked on True but they seem to be down. If only there were other ways to source news? Oh well, if it’s not on the Nation or mainstream Thai news channels, I guess I’ll never know about it 

Just now, Nout said:

3 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Is there a protest going on? You’d never know looking at this website. Maybe we’ll read about it next week. 

its in the international news

 

Maybe true.  But being about the most important thing happening in Thailand right now, you'd think a Thai based forum would cover it better. 

 

Instead, we get thread after thread about...  The Amnesty, will it be extended?

6 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Maybe true.  But being about the most important thing happening in Thailand right now, you'd think a Thai based forum would cover it better. 

 

Instead, we get thread after thread about...  The Amnesty, will it be extended?

You can read about the demonstrations on FB and Twitter, but on both BBC and CNN the feed has been blocked apparently.

Edited September 19, 20205 yr by Pottinger

In the beginning Thaksin did a lot of good for Thai people, woke up the Civil service

so you could get things done in a day,not a week,introduce free health service for Thais

and Farangs,really took action against drug dealers,(killing them maybe went too far),

BUT...then he realised rolling out populist policies  for the poor,meant he did not have

to spend his own money to buy votes,and would always win elections,I am not sure

if he really wanted to really help the poor,or just a political ploy,but the poor of Isan

maybe felt for the first time someone cared about their plight.

 

Then ,as power does it corrupted him, like our friend in America I think he would

loved to become a dictator,that's what power does to you.

regards worgeordie

 

 

 

5 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

In the beginning Thaksin did a lot of good for Thai people, woke up the Civil service

so you could get things done in a day,not a week,introduce free health service for Thais

and Farangs,really took action against drug dealers,(killing them maybe went too far),

BUT...then he realised rolling out populist policies  for the poor,meant he did not have

to spend his own money to buy votes,and would always win elections,I am not sure

if he really wanted to really help the poor,or just a political ploy,but the poor of Isan

maybe felt for the first time someone cared about their plight.

 

Then ,as power does it corrupted him, like our friend in America I think he would

loved to become a dictator,that's what power does to you.

 

All of that may be true.  But if they held a fair election today, he'd win by a landslide.  Warts and all.  That's democracy.

 

And I fall back on my claim that just about every successful Asian economy started with a strongman who was corrupt and enriched his family for generations.  But kept tight enough control of the trough to allow enough to be left over after the graft to actually grow the economy.  Singapore, S Korea, Taiwan...  Okay, Japan's the exception, but that's because of WW2.

 

1 hour ago, Pottinger said:

Incredible crowd at Sanam Luang tonight. Lots of people sporting the latest crop top fashions.

 

Well, don't presume to start a thread on it because it won't last long.

Forum rules. If you have a scoop it must be passed on to the news team  who will post it for you.

Whilst some will argue that the question is not fair within the Covid environment, one thing is without doubt. Thaksin did more for the poor people of Thailand than anyone who has come into power after him.

I spoke to many Thais at the time about why was he so popular. The answer was always the same. They all knew someone who was better off under his 'buy the vote' policies. Yes, they knew that there was corruption. That has always been the case. But under Thaksin, many poor people's lives improved. That was a first.

His timing is perfect. (Although the argument is not technically fair. Covid has changed the rules.)

However, if one person can move this country forward, he is high on the list. There are others but the current government has removed them from the playing field.

Another thing. Thaksin understands ecomics and he also understands what motivates people. Both of these are AWOL in today's government.

1 hour ago, rkidlad said:

Is there a protest going on? You’d never know looking at this website. Maybe we’ll read about it next week. 

I thought you would had figured it out from the censored international TV channels ????

1 hour ago, rkidlad said:

Is there a protest going on? You’d never know looking at this website. Maybe we’ll read about it next week. 

It was live on FaceBook

1 hour ago, rkidlad said:

I looked on True but they seem to be down. If only there were other ways to source news? Oh well, if it’s not on the Nation or mainstream Thai news channels, I guess I’ll never know about it 

It was all day on the website we are not allowed to mention

2 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

The rich obviously are, the poor not at all.

Cannot wait to read the drivel from the Thaksin haters, who, by the way, was fairly elected, as was his sister, who was also illegally deposed.

I expect that most of those farangs have died or been forced to leave Thailand.  14 years is a long time and I am depressed knowing how quickly time has passed.

 

In respect to the former PM Thaksin, he is still obsessed with having his revenge and regaining  his lost face. Right or wrong, that period is over. He cannot go back in time.  He's like the old guy who sits on the stoop,  waving his cane and yelling at the kids  making too much noise when they play on the street.

 

And to those who will criticize the man now for being opportunistic. Well, in the good old days of the anti Thaksin posturing in TVF, if the position was reversed and Thaksin or Yingluck still around, his detractors and critics would be ripping into him because of the Covid19 response. Their Covid19 response would have been little different than the current administration's.

2 hours ago, rkidlad said:

I looked on True but they seem to be down. If only there were other ways to source news? Oh well, if it’s not on the Nation or mainstream Thai news channels, I guess I’ll never know about it 

 

What do you expect?  The nation cant even be called bootlickers since they are so much more than that. The people behind The nation hate these protesters since they are a direct threat to their money and welfare.

 

Dont forget how these old wrinkled up maniacs were crying for a escalation every single day during the cambodian border conflict. 

Edited September 19, 20205 yr by Okis

Although I lean more towards Thaksin and his sister, who are by no means perfect, let us not forget that a "bought" people are not in any way better off as a nation of "suppressed and poor" people. Neither side tried to raise the country up and out of poverty or misery. Both profited in their own ways. The only real difference between them [the Thaksins] and the current lot [generals, army and those who must not be named] is that the former gave back a few hundred Baht every now and then. This is, and will remain for a long time to come, a banana republic. Poor, uneducated, untrained, inappropriately prepared folk working long hours for peanuts while others rake in untold fortunes. But, thanks to social media, the internet, etc., there are young people growing up who see the imbalance and are starting to speak out against this, and other topics. 

It has to go pear shaped, sooner or later. 

Many people are unemployed no thanks to the government closing off the borders to foreigners.

 

So Thaksin is using this opportunity to attack the present government.

 

Their hare-brained rich tourists scheme won't affect much considering all the requirements.

Edited September 19, 20205 yr by EricTh

The farmers are as they finally got paid for their rice

5 hours ago, worgeordie said:

In the beginning Thaksin did a lot of good for Thai people, woke up the Civil service

so you could get things done in a day,not a week,introduce free health service for Thais

and Farangs,really took action against drug dealers,(killing them maybe went too far),

BUT...then he realised rolling out populist policies  for the poor,meant he did not have

to spend his own money to buy votes,and would always win elections,I am not sure

if he really wanted to really help the poor,or just a political ploy,but the poor of Isan

maybe felt for the first time someone cared about their plight.

 

Then ,as power does it corrupted him, like our friend in America I think he would

loved to become a dictator,that's what power does to you.

regards worgeordie

 

 

 

I like the way you present your opinion as fact there. 

Can find coverage on YouTube  dw.news

They said 100,000 crowd.   Not sure about that. 

6 hours ago, rkidlad said:

I looked on True but they seem to be down. If only there were other ways to source news? Oh well, if it’s not on the Nation or mainstream Thai news channels, I guess I’ll never know about it 

It's on the other paper.

4 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

I expect that most of those farangs have died or been forced to leave Thailand.  14 years is a long time and I am depressed knowing how quickly time has passed.

 

In respect to the former PM Thaksin, he is still obsessed with having his revenge and regaining  his lost face. Right or wrong, that period is over. He cannot go back in time.  He's like the old guy who sits on the stoop,  waving his cane and yelling at the kids  making too much noise when they play on the street.

 

And to those who will criticize the man now for being opportunistic. Well, in the good old days of the anti Thaksin posturing in TVF, if the position was reversed and Thaksin or Yingluck still around, his detractors and critics would be ripping into him because of the Covid19 response. Their Covid19 response would have been little different than the current administration's.

A long rant about Covid, & not much else.

At least you're not labelling people 'uneducated fools' like you have a number of times.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/19/thousands-gather-in-thailand-for-anti-government-protest-bangkok

As far as protest gatherings go it's all quiet on the Issan front.  I though there was several protests in different locations???  Maybe I got the dates confused?