New “Thaksin’s wave” peculiar in its timing

[snoop1130]

This picture taken on March 25, 2019, shows exiled former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra being interviewed by Agence France-presse in Hong Kong. (Photo by ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)

 

Politics, whether it’s an extreme dictatorship, mild fascism, or full-blown democracy, is all about magnifying opponents’ faults and belittling your own in the full glare of the public. Motives are to retain power, or get it, or come back to it. Thaksin Shinawatra cannot escape that reality, so the biggest question concerning his current resurgence is: How risky is it?

 

Some will say risks do not exist for someone who has nothing to lose. Others will say Thaksin is not that someone, especially if he still wants to return to Thailand as a hero and “through the front gate of the airport.”

 

Those in-between view him as a politician with not much to lose currently, but with a goal ambitious enough to require smart implementation. If he is defeated in the present showdown with the Thai government, he will just retreat into his shell and nothing much will change, although his supposedly great chances may never come again.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/new-thaksins-wave-peculiar-in-its-timing/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-08-11

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[david555]

No problem for me when he "could " come back , as i remember in his era Thailand was fun , as the Thais smiled more than now the grim smile under P. already so many years 

Edited August 11, 2021 by david555

[Rookiescot]

While I would prefer Thaksin to the current administration you have to ask the question.

Can Thailand really not find better leaders than this?

[zzaa09]

8 minutes ago, david555 said:

No problem for me when he "could " come back , as i remember in his era Thailand was fun , as the Thais smiled more than now the grim smile under P. already so many years 

Less we forget the dark underbelly of the Shinawatra's regimes. 

[david555]

1 minute ago, Rookiescot said:

While I would prefer Thaksin to the current administration you have to ask the question.

Can Thailand really not find better leaders than this?

the ideal leader for Thailand is not born yet i fear ..... only he  T can count already on a winning majority at start ..... (the reason why the BKK Hiso plotted against him)..... say's enough  ????

[internationalism]

o yes, more of incomprehensible dribble from deranged junta apologist Tulsathit Taptim.

Thai politics is not anymore about reds and thaksin.

It's about future forward and students on the streets

Edited August 11, 2021 by internationalism

[david555]

1 minute ago, zzaa09 said:

Less we forget the dark underbelly of the Shinawatra's regimes. 

Oh .... but that opens a big list for so many before  him ...... "a sheep " don't survive in  this dirty politic world ????

[zzaa09]

8 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

While I would prefer Thaksin to the current administration you have to ask the question.

Can Thailand really not find better leaders than this?

Surely we could.

Yet, they have to be "allowed" to exist and flourish - which really hasn't existed forever.

Any inquire regarding the possibilities of such independent or alternative opposition would be clearly moot. 

[KhaoNiaw]

He's certainly not what the new generation of demonstrators are looking for. 

[david555]

Just now, KhaoNiaw said:

He's certainly not what the new generation of demonstrators are looking for. 

That is also true, but are they the majority ...? it s a young movement born out of pure justified  frustration 

I believe they hope for the ideal Thailand in such , but that shall take many years to come ,first have to be dealt with the old hiso group 

[grego49]

24 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

While I would prefer Thaksin to the current administration you have to ask the question.

Can Thailand really not find better leaders than this?

I believe they did but he has been banned for 10 years

[clivebaxter]

41 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

While I would prefer Thaksin to the current administration you have to ask the question.

Can Thailand really not find better leaders than this?

Yes but they get banned and arrested under any charge they can make up

[lolalol]

53 minutes ago, david555 said:

No problem for me when he "could " come back , as i remember in his era Thailand was fun , as the Thais smiled more than now the grim smile under P. already so many years 

Serious question. 

 

When I first came to Thailand around 2017~2018, Thais smiled a lot. Very natural and beautiful smiles. 

When I came back around 2019~2020, I sensed that Thais smiled a lot less. Very fed up looking smiles. 

 

Q1. Did Thais smile more before 2017?

 

Q2. What happened between 2018 & 2019 to make Thai smiles fade away?

 

[zzaa09]

44 minutes ago, internationalism said:

o yes, more of incomprehensible dribble from deranged junta apologist Tulsathit Taptim.

Thai politics is not anymore about reds and thaksin.

It's about future forward and students on the streets

How romantic.

Students that protest but don't know why they protests all the while missing the bigger picture of why they might be protesting. 

Taking to the streets does little - as it's been obvious for months, even years. 

 

Speaking of FFP or Progressive Thailand or whatever they're calling themselves today - do they really feel a kinship with the rotating gangs of fashionable protesters? In their own secret corners, I don't believe they do. 

[Nickelbeer]

Thaksin was far superior to any government since. All charges should be dropped and he should come back and run again. He would win by a landslide.

[internationalism]

10 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

How romantic.

Students that protest but don't know why they protests all the while missing the bigger picture of why they might be protesting. 

Taking to the streets does little - as it's been obvious for months, even years. 

 

Speaking of FFP or Progressive Thailand or whatever they're calling themselves today - do they really feel a kinship with the rotating gangs of fashionable protesters? In their own secret corners, I don't believe they do. 

yes, students have 3 demands, later expanded to 10 demands. Well known for a year now. Were translated to english.

Here an article from american scholar residing in khoen kaen

https://www.newmandala.org/the-ten-demands-that-shook-thailand/

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, internationalism said:

o yes, more of incomprehensible dribble from deranged junta apologist Tulsathit Taptim.

Thai politics is not anymore about reds and thaksin.

It's about future forward and students on the streets

Students on the streets?

Are students who want to improve the country arsonists? Would they show up anywhere were they know an aggressive mob wants to create trouble? 

What happened today on Thai streets has nothing to do with peaceful protests and no peaceful protester would mix up with that mob. And that brings obviously up the question: Who are these people in the aggressive mob? What do they want? And who organizes them and pays for them? Which brings us back to the title of this thread.

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, zzaa09 said:

1 hour ago, Rookiescot said:

While I would prefer Thaksin to the current administration you have to ask the question.

Can Thailand really not find better leaders than this?

Surely we could.

Yet, they have to be "allowed" to exist and flourish - which really hasn't existed forever.

Any inquire regarding the possibilities of such independent or alternative opposition would be clearly moot. 

They have to exist and a majority must vote for them.

But that is not what is happening in Thailand. The masses vote again and again for corrupt politicians or family members of those corrupt politicians. And then they are somehow surprised when they have a corrupt government.

A few years the could habe voted for Abhisit. And honest highly educated guy. But he was obviously not what most Thais wanted... (and yes I know Suthep was part of that deal)

[ikke1959]

Under Thaksin, the country was much better than nowadays. However the biggest was that he was very greedy and did not want to pay tax over several transactions. It ended for him and so the happiness of the people. Greed in Thailand is biggest problem.. Why can not someone be satisfied when he has already billions???

[david555]

6 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

They have to exist and a majority must vote for them.

But that is not what is happening in Thailand. The masses vote again and again for corrupt politicians or family members of those corrupt politicians. And then they are somehow surprised when they have a corrupt government.

A few years the could habe voted for Abhisit. And honest highly educated guy. But he was obviously not what most Thais wanted... (and yes I know Suthep was part of that deal)

(and yes I know Suthep was part of that deal)

 

Here lies already a very big reason for Thailands mess ..... P. should have  ordered him to a Budhist  monastery high in Tibet for the rest of his life .... one problem solved 

Edited August 11, 2021 by david555

[OneMoreFarang]

3 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

Under Thaksin, the country was much better than nowadays. However the biggest was that he was very greedy and did not want to pay tax over several transactions. It ended for him and so the happiness of the people. Greed in Thailand is biggest problem.. Why can not someone be satisfied when he has already billions???

I remember when Thaksin started in politics. He told the people he is already rich and he does not need to get richer in politics. And the people believed him. And then, not much later, he had to admit what he called an "honest mistake", hiding assets in the name of his maids, drivers, etc. Yeah, very honest.

And then he did all the time those honest mistakes. And he was not only corrupt, he showed to all Thais and the world that he is corrupt and can get away with it. Obviously he gave the masses a few crumbs and the masses loved him. Stupid! 

I was here when Thaksin brought people hope when he started and I was here in the years when many people saw when Thaksin enriched himself. And I was here when the "first" coup happened and people gave flowers to the soldiers because they were happy that finally someone stood up against Thaksin. That was a joyful time.

 

It seems many people who think Thaksin is good were not here or closed their eyes to reality. He is a criminal and he always was a criminal. What is so difficult to understand about that obvious fact?

[daveAustin]

^^ Still infinitely better than the current set up.  I was also there then and the place was a whole lot poorer and a whole lot happier. Smart phones, social media and subsequent ‘smaller’ world have been detrimental too. 
 

He was bent but did a lot of good; wouldn’t call him a crim. That’s how it works there, they’re mostly all the same. It’d take the likes of Thanathorn to break the mould, but he’d be seen off as too straight.

 

A Thaksin return would elicit a huge sigh of relief. 

[OneMoreFarang]

10 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

A Thaksin return would elicit a huge sigh of relief. 

... in the red villages.

And how long would he survive in Bangkok?

[Denim]

2 hours ago, Rookiescot said:

 

2 hours ago, Rookiescot said:

Can Thailand really not find better leaders than this?

No. Thaksin or his sister are the best you can hope for right now.

 

If this is tough to swallow best get used to more government by the military.

 

Protesters get their wish, Prayuth resigns and Prawit takes over. Protesters happy

and go home to celebrate their victory .

 

Yea right

[MrJ2U]

He and his sister were voted in.

 

This is a junta thats ruining this country.

 

Theres no comparison.

 

Now theres talk about having a convicted heroine dealer succeeding Pryutt.

 

My Thai wife said that this government is the worst in Thai history.  That seems to be the sentiment of many Thais.

 

There is no comparison.

 

 

[MrJ2U]

7 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

... in the red villages.

And how long would he survive in Bangkok?

Move the capital to Sakon Nakhon.

 

Problem solved.

[off road pat]

3 hours ago, david555 said:

No problem for me when he "could " come back , as i remember in his era Thailand was fun , as the Thais smiled more than now the grim smile under P. already so many years 

Not everybody had fun,...https://www.hrw.org/news/2008/03/12/thailands-war-drugs

[david555]

2 minutes ago, off road pat said:

Not everybody had fun,...https://www.hrw.org/news/2008/03/12/thailands-war-drugs

yes those poor drugdealers ......, they never ruined someone's lives ...????

Edited August 11, 2021 by david555

[Anton9]

I arrived in Thailand when Yingluck was the PM and life was so much better.

[it is what it is]

8 minutes ago, Anton9 said:

I arrived in Thailand when Yingluck was the PM and life was so much better.

 

better for who? my thai friends were very happy to see the back of her