Thailand’s General Election: Can the Winner Really Take All?

[heybruce]

10 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

It's obvious, by way of this venue, that most are vested by their imperial/colonial instincts to have Thailand [and other locales worldwide] tow the line of Anglophone reflection and image. 

 

Surprised there hasn't been a call for a civilising mission intervention. 

We'll show the savages how to conduct themselves in the proper. 

 

This backward manner and mindset is still the unconscious prime reasons for their pathetic existence......and been practicing it for ages.

It is obvious that you get your views from text books and debating westerners, not from living and dealing with a variety of Thai people and learning what they think and want.

 

I don't want any country imposing its values, culture, government, economic system or anything else on Thailand.  I want the Thai people, meaning all the Thai people not just the "elites", choosing what is best for their country. 

[sidneybear]

33 minutes ago, heybruce said:

If the autocracy were benevolent and competent there would not be majority support for ending it.

Votes were bought and the young were conned. You call Thailand an autocracy, but you come from a kakistocracy. Think about it: of all the brilliant people that could lead places like the USA or the UK - people we've never even heard of - yet the citizenry are asked to choose between Biden or Trump, Starmer or Sunak. It's laughable that people from places like that think that they're in any way qualfied to criticise Thailand.

[sidneybear]

9 hours ago, candide said:

It's paradoxal to see a foreigner praising a power system for its 'Thai' characteristics, at a time a large majority of Thai people have expressed their will to get rid of it.

I'm Thai, actually. You shouldn't make assumptions about people. That 'large majority' were bought votes (Thaksin was involved) and youth being conned by western backed lackeys who don't care if Thailand ends up as a client state. They'll be kicked out soon though. 

[candide]

5 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

I'm Thai, actually. You shouldn't make assumptions about people. That 'large majority' were bought votes (Thaksin was involved) and youth being conned by western backed lackeys who don't care if Thailand ends up as a client state. They'll be kicked out soon though. 

Of course, "bought votes", "conned by western backed lackeys"! 

Why didn't i think of that before!  ????

[heybruce]

18 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

Votes were bought and the young were conned. You call Thailand an autocracy, but you come from a kakistocracy. Think about it: of all the brilliant people that could lead places like the USA or the UK - people we've never even heard of - yet the citizenry are asked to choose between Biden or Trump, Starmer or Sunak. It's laughable that people from places like that think that they're in any way qualfied to criticise Thailand.

I never claimed democracy is perfect, just better than the alternatives. 

 

I hear repeatedly about vote buying, but have never been presented proof that it exists or that it benefits one party over any other.

 

Voters are sometimes conned.  They can learn from the experience.  The best thing about democracy is that it provides a peaceful way to remove incompetent and corrupt leaders.  Autocracy does not provide that.

15 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

I'm Thai, actually. You shouldn't make assumptions about people. That 'large majority' were bought votes (Thaksin was involved) and youth being conned by western backed lackeys who don't care if Thailand ends up as a client state. They'll be kicked out soon though. 

You are also western.  You present no proof of vote buying.  I stand by my words.
 

Edited June 13, 2023 by heybruce

[candide]

21 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

Votes were bought and the young were conned. You call Thailand an autocracy, but you come from a kakistocracy. Think about it: of all the brilliant people that could lead places like the USA or the UK - people we've never even heard of - yet the citizenry are asked to choose between Biden or Trump, Starmer or Sunak. It's laughable that people from places like that think that they're in any way qualfied to criticise Thailand.

Sure! When one compares Biden or Sunak to the brilliant minds who have been leading Thailand for the last 9 years....????

[sidneybear]

50 minutes ago, candide said:

Of course, "bought votes", "conned by western backed lackeys"! 

Why didn't i think of that before!  ????

I'm not sure why you didn't think of it either. Thaksin is a corrupt fugitive oligarch, and MFF sports a "progessive" manifesto that could have been written by any western woke liberal left politician, and probably was. 

[sidneybear]

48 minutes ago, candide said:

Sure! When one compares Biden or Sunak to the brilliant minds who have been leading Thailand for the last 9 years....????

Proves my point then. A political system that results in a choice between Biden and Trump - two incredibly flawed candidates - is actually a kakistocracy, and therefore has no moral right to lecture Thailand about "democracy", or held up as an example of such. 

[heybruce]

26 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

I'm not sure why you didn't think of it either. Thaksin is a corrupt fugitive oligarch, and MFF sports a "progessive" manifesto that could have been written by any western woke liberal left politician, and probably was. 

Thaksin?  He wasn't a candidate and the party affiliated with him didn't win the election. 

 

And Prayut is....?

 

A progressive manifesto that clearly has far more support than the coup leaders.

Edited June 13, 2023 by heybruce

[heybruce]

43 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

Proves my point then. A political system that results in a choice between Biden and Trump - two incredibly flawed candidates - is actually a kakistocracy, and therefore has no moral right to lecture Thailand about "democracy", or held up as an example of such. 

What leaders does your preferred political system result in?  Who specifically do you think is better qualified to run the country than the people's choice?

[sidneybear]

1 hour ago, heybruce said:

Thaksin?  He wasn't a candidate and the party affiliated with him didn't win the election. 

 

And Prayut is....?

 

A progressive manifesto that clearly has far more support than the coup leaders.

Thaksin wasn't a candidate? You're having a laugh. 

[heybruce]

3 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

Thaksin wasn't a candidate? You're having a laugh. 

Thaksin's name was not on any ballot.  So you have no reply to any part of my post.

 

Most notably, you can't name anyone you think is better qualified to run the government than those elected.

Edited June 14, 2023 by heybruce

[sidneybear]

2 minutes ago, heybruce said:

Thaksin's name was not on any ballot.  So you have no reply to any part of my post.

 

Most notably, you can't name anyone you think is better qualified to run the government than those elected.

Who's the rich daddy of that Pheu Thai candidate then? Go on. Give me a name. You're pulling my leg.

[heybruce]

2 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

Who's the rich daddy of that Pheu Thai candidate then? Go on. Give me a name. You're pulling my leg.

Doesn't matter, Pheu Thai didn't win and Thaksin wasn't a candidate.

 

Who's that brilliant autocrat that you think is better qualified than the people's choice?

 

Who's that brilliant autocrat that you think is better qualified than the people's choice?

 

Who's that brilliant autocrat that you think is better qualified than the people's choice?

 

Maybe if I ask the most important question three times you'll stop dodging it.  But probably not.

 

I'm stating facts, you are dodging them.