Thai netizens mostly endorse Thaksin’s vow to return

[faraday]

5 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

Just consider that "big pharma" also sink billions into research, make losses on some research, pay large salaries to informed scientists and medicos, Yes they make large profits, but take large risks. 

I am sure you take their products if prescribed and enjoy the benefits of their large investments in health and research.

Saved millions of lives>> have you?

 

You just commented on my last paragraph - which was a slightly, but true, 'throwaway line'.

 

So really, your post could be considered irrelevant.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

45 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Perhaps you should properly research your claims above, you're less than correct/accurate on several counts. Perhaps you should also speak with some farang who were living/working in Thailand at the time and watching this matter every day, I have little doubt many would disagree with your words. 

I live in Thailand constantly since 25 years. Is that good enough for you?

And I have some first person information about the activities which were called war on drugs. Scary! Innocent people did die. And innocent people had to pay to not get arrested or killed by the police. 

 

It's no surprise people disagree. It's a difference if someone lives in Bangkok or a red village.

I also understand that many people liked the idea that drug dealers were killed and that war on drugs improved the drug situation in Thailand. But extrajudicial killings should never be supported by people who pretend to support democracy. 

[jvs]

37 minutes ago, connda said:

If Thaksin is backed by US interests, and if the US interests feel that Thaksin can provide in-roads to establishing "a significant counter-presence" to Chinese influence in SE Asia that can't be obtained with a less amenable Prayut government - then a Thaksin return may actually turn into a reality riding on the back of public discontent over the handling of the 'pandemic', anemic vaccine procurements which had the appearance of favoring only two vaccines held by local Thai stakeholders leading to massive shortages, favoritism in vaccine distributions, as well as the destruction of the economy for many lower and middle-class citizens and their small businesses. 

A very long sentence.

I have a short answer,Thaksin is chinese!

[The Cipher]

Huh. Yet another politician looking to play up the crisis for political gain. Who woulda thunk it?

[jvs]

1 hour ago, Eric Loh said:

Government - lack accountability and gross mismanagement

The same can be said about Thaksins government.

I just googled this and i am posting the first thing that came up.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/78-thai-muslims-suffocate-in-military-custody-1.1163713

Happened while Thaksin was in charge,he was responsible in the end.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

40 minutes ago, Phoenix Rising said:

Pleeeeease tell me you're not so naive that you actually believe the army "intervened" because of altruism?!?!

Why don't you tell me and others why so many people supported the coups which removed Thaksin and his little sister?

If he and his sister were such great people then more people would have complained about the coups.

Sure, there were also other reasons - there is never just one reason. 

My point is that the peaceful coups, with no guns fired, wouldn't have happend if people would not have been fed-up with Thaksin.

[OneMoreFarang]

43 minutes ago, Phoenix Rising said:

So democratic processes like elections should only be respected when the outcome is to your liking? 

Just read my posts again.

I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.

[mommysboy]

Despite a very obvious tendency to promote his own wealth, he did actually seek to address the plight of the poor in Thailand, and was instrumental in developing the universal health care scheme. What we've had since has not been good imo.

 

[daveAustin]

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

I did't see him forking out some, little some, of his vast fortune to help any Thai people during this harsh economic times either by helping with food or god forbid try to buy some vaccines on the open market and spend some of the multi billions he made on the back of his people, re-elect him? for what benefits? so he can make MORE money?... he's no leader, he's an opportunist...

How do you know?

Yes he made money—he’s a businessman—but he also improved the lives of many ordinary Thais. This current abomination have done F all bar making it’s crony mates richer. 

[OneMoreFarang]

40 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

It's a shame Thaksin cannot just give himself amnesty for everything just as the junta leaders have done. By not being able to do so, at least shows some semblance of accountability. 

 

So no, the two are not the same. 

 

And then there's the small matter of who runs the courts and hands out selective judgements on who should be punished and for what. If you are able to dictate who is above the law and who should be punished then you have a distinct advantage. No need for cake boxes stuffed full of cash to sway judges decisions when you actually are in control and they do what you tell them. 

 

Using antiquated laws arbitrarily also helps, as we have seen with Thanatorn when he questioned the vaccine procurement process. 

 

Emergency decrees and other statutes allow you to make it up as you go along... how cool is that?

 

No, the two are definitely not the same animal, my friend. 

Do you remember former (DSI) director-general Tharit Pengdit?

And you complain about selective judgements. 555 

[Phoenix Rising]

7 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Why don't you tell me and others why so many people supported the coups which removed Thaksin and his little sister?

If he and his sister were such great people then more people would have complained about the coups.

Sure, there were also other reasons - there is never just one reason. 

My point is that the peaceful coups, with no guns fired, wouldn't have happend if people would not have been fed-up with Thaksin.

And you're COMPLETELY missing the point, which is that an elected leader was removed by an institution (the Thai army) that is unelected and accountable to no one.

If the people of Thailand wanted Thaksin out they should have gotten the chance to vote him out of office, not have that decision forced upon the by the guardians of the old elite.

[Neeranam]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

He has been met with overwhelmingly positive responses from many Thai netizens, especially as they grow increasingly frustrated with the current government’s mishandlings and inaction over the pandemic.

MANY?

 

Most of these netizens are probably too young to remember what Toxin did to suspected drug dealers in 2003. If you are too young, he basically ordered thousands to be murders before trial. 

 

 

[Eric Loh]

10 minutes ago, jvs said:

The same can be said about Thaksins government.

I just googled this and i am posting the first thing that came up.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/78-thai-muslims-suffocate-in-military-custody-1.1163713

Happened while Thaksin was in charge,he was responsible in the end.

 

It was one of the worst incident committed by the military in the restive deep south, Army Commander General Prawit refused to take any responsibility or account for the death. He is now the deputy PM. Thaksin too make silly statement like the men were weak from fasting. He is now in exile. 

[OneMoreFarang]

11 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

Despite a very obvious tendency to promote his own wealth, he did actually seek to address the plight of the poor in Thailand, and was instrumental in developing the universal health care scheme. What we've had since has not been good imo.

And Hitler built the Autobahn. 

There is seldom only black and white. Also some bad people did some good things in their lives.

[Neeranam]

10 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

How do you know?

Yes he made money—he’s a businessman—but he also improved the lives of many ordinary Thais. This current abomination have done F all bar making it’s crony mates richer. 

How did he improve their lives, apart from giving them handouts in exchange for votes?

 

He certainly didn't help foreigners, raising visas to 1900 from 500, and raising the price of Permanaent Residency to 190,000 from 19,000. 

[Neeranam]

Just now, OneMoreFarang said:

And Hitler built the Autobahn. 

There is seldom only black and white. Also some bad people did some good things in their lives.

And Tony Soprano had a Christmas fund for orphans. 

[Phoenix Rising]

13 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Just read my posts again.

I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.

Let's just say we differ in our opinions on what you do and don't understand.

[Neeranam]

16 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

Despite a very obvious tendency to promote his own wealth, he did actually seek to address the plight of the poor in Thailand, and was instrumental in developing the universal health care scheme. What we've had since has not been good imo.

 

All just a smokescreen. Don't be fooled by this clever conman. Of course, he did control the media. 

 

Chuan Leekpai did much better things and not for his own profit. There was a health insurance for 500 baht a YEAR. There was the SSS, there was the Voluntary Health Card Scheme. 

[Neeranam]

36 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I also understand that many people liked the idea that drug dealers were killed and that war on drugs improved the drug situation in Thailand.

SUSPECTED drug dealers were killed. In reality, many of the police's competitors in that industry were killed, especially around Khon Kaen and Kalasin, where I had first-hand experience.

What makes you think that war improved the drug situation in Thailand? Maybe it's obvious to me, working in a drug rehab center.

[Denim]

Ah .......Here comes Tony now with his guard of honour :

 

[Phoenix Rising]

11 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

All just a smokescreen. Don't be fooled by this clever conman. Of course, he did control the media. 

 

Rubbish. He tried to control the media by intimidating publications and journalists critical of him but at no time did he "control the media". Actually, the freedom of the press was at its highest during his time in office.

[Purdey]

While not making a political statement here (not my country) I did notice things being done under the deposed PM. As a farmer once told me, the others want to eat the whole cake. T just wants a slice and gives some back to the poor.

[Khabib]

3 hours ago, Bert got kinky said:

I totally agree with this.

It seems that there are many on this board who were not living in Thailand under Thaksin's reign or are (conveniently) ignorant of the facts.

He lined his own pockets with money that belonged to the Thai people and then went into hiding out in Dubai when he got found out.

When he had established his new base of operations he then got his sister into power, as his proxy, so that he could rape the country's coffers some more.

On top of this he orchestrated an extra-judicial killing campaign disguised as his 'War on drugs',  in which 2,200 people were killed in a 3 month period.

Conveniently, some of the slain drug dealers happened to be political opposition.

 

The idiot currently in power really does have to go but who in their right minds would want to replace him with a criminal of this magnitude?

 

 

 

 

I was here during Thaksin's time, and he was kicked out whilst he was visiting the UN (I think). Sure, he wasn't a particularly honest man, but he did a lot of good for the poorer people, and I recall the country as a considerably more happy place. It was a government considerably more friendly to us people, than the current ones.

[Neeranam]

1 minute ago, Khabib said:

I was here during Thaksin's time, and he was kicked out whilst he was visiting the UN (I think). Sure, he wasn't a particularly honest man, but he did a lot of good for the poorer people, and I recall the country as a considerably more happy place. It was a government considerably more friendly to us people, than the current ones.

What do you mean by 'us people'?

 

Do you know who increased the price of a yearly extension by 390%?

[NoshowJones]

7 hours ago, ezzra said:

I did't see him forking out some, little some, of his vast fortune to help any Thai people during this harsh economic times either by helping with food or god forbid try to buy some vaccines on the open market and spend some of the multi billions he made on the back of his people, re-elect him? for what benefits? so he can make MORE money?... he's no leader, he's an opportunist...

Aren't all major politicians? But surely he would do a lot better than this "there will be no coup" self elected PM.

[couchpotato]

3 minutes ago, Khabib said:

I was here during Thaksin's time, and he was kicked out whilst he was visiting the UN (I think). Sure, he wasn't a particularly honest man, but he did a lot of good for the poorer people, and I recall the country as a considerably more happy place. It was a government considerably more friendly to us people, than the current ones.

In the 1st term yes...2nd term..nahh

[Khabib]

1 minute ago, Neeranam said:

What do you mean by 'us people'?

 

Do you know who increased the price of a yearly extension by 390%?

Us people, as in foreign. At that time, I used to live here doing monthly border runs, as I was much younger then. Didn't cost me much for any visa, regardless of %.

[Khabib]

2 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

In the 1st term yes...2nd 

To be honest, I was drunk too often to pay too much attention to it. I just recall the atmosphere then being "the good old days".

[OneMoreFarang]

17 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

56 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I also understand that many people liked the idea that drug dealers were killed and that war on drugs improved the drug situation in Thailand.

SUSPECTED drug dealers were killed. In reality, many of the police's competitors in that industry were killed, especially around Khon Kaen and Kalasin, where I had first-hand experience.

What makes you think that war improved the drug situation in Thailand? Maybe it's obvious to me, working in a drug rehab center.

There is no doubt that drug dealers were killed. And there is little doubt that lots of people who had nothing to do with drugs were deliberately killed.

I heard from many Thais at that time that drugs were a lot more expensive than usual and fewer people used drugs at that time. And I think that is positive news.

But obviously that is no excuse to kill innocent people.

My comment was about the fact that lots of people like Thaksin because he made sure fewer people used drugs at that time. And that aspect is understandable.

 

[Neeranam]

Just now, Khabib said:

Us people, as in foreign. At that time, I used to live here doing monthly border runs, as I was much younger then. Didn't cost me much for any visa, regardless of %.

Well you don't remember when Taksin had a war on visa runners, making two the maximum. 

390% increase might not be much to you, but think how much more that is for the government. There were many areas where he showed his dislike for foreigners here, like commenting that foreigners should never be able to own land here, when he had just bought property in London.