Thaksin says he will return to Thailand in July, despite potential consequences

[Eric Loh]

6 hours ago, candide said:

Thaksin was a crook, we know that.

 

However, he wasn't more crooked than the others by Thai standards, and it's not the reason why he was ousted. He was ousted because he threatened the dominance of the (just as crooked, if not more) yellow-green network.

 

The main merit I attribute to Thaksin is that he opened the Pandora's box of democracy. He has shown average people that their vote counted. He has shown the citizen that they had power. He told them that the bureaucracy was paid by their taxes, and that they should be at the service of the people, and not the opposite (the bureaucracy never forgave him for telling this).

Actually, there probably could not have been a MF victory now, if Thaksin had not opened the Pandora's box before.

I like to summed up Thaksin as a flawed complex politician that creat an economic miracle, lifting millions out of poverty and became the unquestioned champion for the destitute peasantry. He unlocked capital that were denied by the elites and deployed the resources to the poverty stricken provinces and lifting their living standard. He empowered the poor to have a voice in running the country. For this he paid a price and not by the losing in an election but by a military coup. The military should be the guardian of democracy but not in Thailand. They are the existential problem together with the appointed senators, EC and Courts that thumb the scale of democracy 

 

[MrMojoRisin]

28 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

I like to summed up Thaksin as a flawed complex politician that creat an economic miracle, lifting millions out of poverty and became the unquestioned champion for the destitute peasantry. He unlocked capital that were denied by the elites and deployed the resources to the poverty stricken provinces and lifting their living standard. He empowered the poor to have a voice in running the country. For this he paid a price and not by the losing in an election but by a military coup. The military should be the guardian of democracy but not in Thailand. They are the existential problem together with the appointed senators, EC and Courts that thumb the scale of democracy 

 

Flawed?

Complex?

There is nothing complicated in explaining Thaksin.

 

Judged by “Western” standards he certainly should, at the very least, faces charges for his conduct whilst in office.

 

However, judged by the standards in Thailand considered “the norm” he is actually, quite easily, one of the “cleaner” politicians Thailand has ever had.

 

If one is simply consistent, applying the same standards to all actors the truth is self evident.

This is not what the junta lovers do though, they instead hold Thaksin to the gold standard and Prayuth and his buddies to no standard and then try to pass their nonsense conclusions of as rational and reasonable when they are neither.

 

Thaksin will return, there will be trials and retrials under “fairer” courts, he will be cleared and live out his days with his grand kids popping up every now and then for a bit of attention - in short, he is yesterdays news.

 

It’s all Move Forward and Pita from here on in. Can’t wait to see how the junta lovers justify their anti-democracy without the old tried and true Thaksin excuse.

 

Happy days.

[Hunz Kittisak]

A coup won’t be happening or rather not that easy to pull off this time round. 
just need to see the command of the troops has since changed 

[Pedrogaz]

IMHO this is nonsense. Unless there is a 'deal' to keep him out of jail he won't come. End of story.

[Eric Loh]

1 hour ago, MrMojoRisin said:

Flawed?

Complex?

There is nothing complicated in explaining Thaksin.

I will summed that up for you. You can make your own interpretation. 

 

Thaksin’s flaws were that he sought to grow too big, too powerful, too fast against entrenched establishments. 
 

 

[Eric Loh]

1 hour ago, Pedrogaz said:

IMHO this is nonsense. Unless there is a 'deal' to keep him out of jail he won't come. End of story.

He can sought for a retrial based on prosecutorial misconduct and stay out of jail. No deal, just entering into the legal process. Caveat being the MFP and PTP coalition form the government. 

[Artisi]

3 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

He can sought for a retrial based on prosecutorial misconduct and stay out of jail. No deal, just entering into the legal process. Caveat being the MFP and PTP coalition form the government. 

For interest and from memory, 1 or 2 of the judges that ruled him guilty on at least 1 of his trails had been previously appointed by Thaksin when he was PM. 

So for people to keep saying the trail/s where flawed or politically based could be very wrong. 

[Eric Loh]

10 minutes ago, Artisi said:

For interest and from memory, 1 or 2 of the judges that ruled him guilty on at least 1 of his trails had been previously appointed by Thaksin when he was PM. 

So for people to keep saying the trail/s where flawed or politically based could be very wrong. 

Judges are appointed by the King. 

[MrMojoRisin]

1 hour ago, Eric Loh said:

I will summed that up for you. You can make your own interpretation. 

 

Thaksin’s flaws were that he sought to grow too big, too powerful, too fast against entrenched establishments. 
 

 

The “entrenched establishment” were never going to accept any level of “democratic power”. It was not that Thaksin “sought to grow too big, too powerful, too fast” but that he sought to grow at all. The fault was not Thaksin’s, it was/is the “entrenched establishment”.

[Eleftheros]

On 6/2/2023 at 9:40 PM, bignok said:

If I was super rich like him I would forget Thailand. Go enjoy a more sophisticated region.

He already did - he's a citizen of Montenegro.

[bignok]

39 minutes ago, Eleftheros said:

He already did - he's a citizen of Montenegro.

So why every year we hear he wants to live in Thailand?

[roger101]

In the interview at the beginning of these post he says something that makes a lot of sense. Read the last paragraph and especially the last sentence.

[Felton Jarvis]

No “consequences” for the moneyed elite. Welcome back, Thaksin. Hope to see you as PM again someday.

[schultzlivgthai]

On 6/2/2023 at 9:40 PM, bignok said:

If I was super rich like him I would forget Thailand. Go enjoy a more sophisticated region.

All the money in the world can’t buy you a family, unless of course it’s girls in Pattaya lol

[bignok]

2 minutes ago, schultzlivgthai said:

All the money in the world can’t buy you a family, unless of course it’s girls in Pattaya lol

Not everyone likes their family. 

[scorecard]

Just now, bignok said:

Not everyone likes their family. 

Agree with that, famiies can be extremely hurtful, saw this with my dad, his parenst and siblings hated him for no good reason. By extension they hated my mum and me.

 

Eventually dad disowned all of them because of the nasty vindictive letters sent to me whilst I was on active duty in Vietnam, by my grandmother, about how bad my dad was. All proven to be total lies. Grandma was a very vindictive old lady. Ultimately the whole family went it's own way with no further contact. Familes are not always nice. 

 

Why,

[scorecard]

8 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

I like to summed up Thaksin as a flawed complex politician that creat an economic miracle, lifting millions out of poverty and became the unquestioned champion for the destitute peasantry. He unlocked capital that were denied by the elites and deployed the resources to the poverty stricken provinces and lifting their living standard. He empowered the poor to have a voice in running the country. For this he paid a price and not by the losing in an election but by a military coup. The military should be the guardian of democracy but not in Thailand. They are the existential problem together with the appointed senators, EC and Courts that thumb the scale of democracy 

 

Some truth in that but the paymaster wasn't a saint.

 

Far from it. He did some very unethical / immorral things. 

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, bignok said:

So why every year we hear he wants to live in Thailand?

He's driven, he can't give up the thought of another chance at the trough and at the same time has delusions that he's above the law.

[fondue zoo]

Is it just me or does the number of grandchildren he needs to come back and wet nurse increase with every interview?

[Artisi]

5 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Judges are appointed by the King. 

On the recommendation of who, Santa Claus? 

[candide]

21 minutes ago, Artisi said:

On the recommendation of who, Santa Claus? 

Certainly not the government!

 

As a general principle in Thailand, elected people have little power on appointed people who mainly appoint each other. It may vary according to the Constitution and the type of court. The basic principle is that they are selected by a panel or committee, in which appointed people have a large majority of votes. For high courts, the Senate may have some approval power.

Ex

"Under Section 36 of the Regulation of the Judicial Service Act B.E. 2543 (AD 2000), the Judicial Service Commission shall consist of: (1) the President of the Supreme Court, as chairman; (2) 12 qualified members of all levels of Courts, four persons from each level (i.e., the Supreme Court, the Appeal Court and the Court of First Instance); and (3) 2 qualified members who are not and were not judicial officials and who are elected by the Senate."

http://thailawforum.com/articles/charununlegal4.html

 

 

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, fondue zoo said:

Is it just me or does the number of grandchildren he needs to come back and wet nurse increase with every interview?

Could be, i suspect his ego and his belief he's a saint grows bigger...

[candide]

31 minutes ago, candide said:

Certainly not the government!

 

As a general principle in Thailand, elected people have little power on appointed people who mainly appoint each other. It may vary according to the Constitution and the type of court. The basic principle is that they are selected by a panel or committee, in which appointed people have a large majority of votes. For high courts, the Senate may have some approval power.

Ex

"Under Section 36 of the Regulation of the Judicial Service Act B.E. 2543 (AD 2000), the Judicial Service Commission shall consist of: (1) the President of the Supreme Court, as chairman; (2) 12 qualified members of all levels of Courts, four persons from each level (i.e., the Supreme Court, the Appeal Court and the Court of First Instance); and (3) 2 qualified members who are not and were not judicial officials and who are elected by the Senate."

http://thailawforum.com/articles/charununlegal4.html

 

 

Additional comment

In the 1997 constitution, the Senate had more power and was elected, so there could have been some indirect influence if elected Senators had the same political orientation as the government.

[billd766]

6 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Judges are appointed by the King. 

But on whose recommendations?

[billd766]

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

Some truth in that but the paymaster wasn't a saint.

 

Far from it. He did some very unethical / immorral things. 

And the military are saints?

 

Things like 2 military coups?

 

Stealing the whole country at the point of a gun?

 

Not holding elections that gave the Thai people the choice of who THEY wanted to vote for?

 

Rewriting the constitution in their own favour?

 

Granting themselves amnesty for all past, present and future acts?

 

Selecting the entire from their mates without ANY consultation of the Thai people?

 

Killing Muslims in Tak Bai. Prayuth was in charge of that.

 

Killing a nurse in a wat. That was the army as well.

 

Compared to that, Thaksin WAS a saint.

[hotandsticky]

34 minutes ago, billd766 said:

And the military are saints?

 

Things like 2 military coups?

 

Stealing the whole country at the point of a gun?

 

Not holding elections that gave the Thai people the choice of who THEY wanted to vote for?

 

Rewriting the constitution in their own favour?

 

Granting themselves amnesty for all past, present and future acts?

 

Selecting the entire from their mates without ANY consultation of the Thai people?

 

Killing Muslims in Tak Bai. Prayuth was in charge of that.

 

Killing a nurse in a wat. That was the army as well.

 

Compared to that, Thaksin WAS a saint.

Thaksin was not…..by a loooong way.

 

In any event it is none of your business (nor mine), you are an alien - move on if you don’t like it/can’t accept it.

[bannork]

40 minutes ago, billd766 said:

And the military are saints?

 

Things like 2 military coups?

 

Stealing the whole country at the point of a gun?

 

Not holding elections that gave the Thai people the choice of who THEY wanted to vote for?

 

Rewriting the constitution in their own favour?

 

Granting themselves amnesty for all past, present and future acts?

 

Selecting the entire from their mates without ANY consultation of the Thai people?

 

Killing Muslims in Tak Bai. Prayuth was in charge of that.

 

Killing a nurse in a wat. That was the army as well.

 

Compared to that, Thaksin WAS a saint.

Don't compare Thaksin to the army, compare him to other politicians.

He was far richer than the clans' leaders. He was more dominant, more oppressive because of his money.

He had the opportunity with his huge majority to truly develop and advance Thailand, but instead he enriched his family, companies and close business associates.

He belongs to the past if Thailand can truly move forward.

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

And the military are saints?

 

Things like 2 military coups?

 

Stealing the whole country at the point of a gun?

 

Not holding elections that gave the Thai people the choice of who THEY wanted to vote for?

 

Rewriting the constitution in their own favour?

 

Granting themselves amnesty for all past, present and future acts?

 

Selecting the entire from their mates without ANY consultation of the Thai people?

 

Killing Muslims in Tak Bai. Prayuth was in charge of that.

 

Killing a nurse in a wat. That was the army as well.

 

Compared to that, Thaksin WAS a saint.

"And the military are saints? et all....

 

No I didn't say they were saints and they aren't saints, not al all.

 

That doesn't change the fact that the pamaster did a number of unethical, immorral things, broke many laws etc., was charged with specific offences, was found guilty on decicive evidence and convicted, with jail sentences.

 

And seems right now to be assuming he can walk in and be mr. nice guy all forgiven.

 

No, he ain't a saint. 

 

Edited June 4, 2023 by scorecard

[billd766]

18 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Thaksin was not…..by a loooong way.

 

In any event it is none of your business (nor mine), you are an alien - move on if you don’t like it/can’t accept it.

Of course it is my business as it is everybody who lives in Thailand's business.

 

Thaksin affected my life when I was living here, and he may do so again or not. Something that NOBODY actually knows yet.

 

Since when have you had the authority to tell people to move on if they don't like it in Thailand?

 

Yes I am a foreigner who is married to a Thai and I have an 18 year old Thai son as well.

 

If you don't like my comments, then don't bother to read them. You could put me on your ignore list, I promise that I will not care or cry, or even take your own unwanted and unwarranted comment to me, and move on yourself.

 

You may not have noticed but this is an open forum and anybody can comment how they wish subject to the mods.

[Eric Loh]

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

But on whose recommendations?

Judges in Thailand are appointed (and removed) by the king. All appointments are subject to initial approval by a judicial commission.

Read more: https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Thailand-JUDICIAL-SYSTEM.html##ixzz83frru6As