Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s planned homecoming after 15 years of self-imposed exile is generating a mix of excitement and concern in the Southeast Asian country stuck in a political deadlock for the past two months.

 

Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtarn, announced last week that her father was expected to return to Thailand on Aug. 10, as the Pheu Thai Party, the main political vehicle of the Shinawatra dynasty, seeks to form a new government after a general election in May.

 

The announcement has provoked frenzied discussion about the fate awaiting the billionaire businessman, who fled Thailand in 2008 to escape a prison term for several different charges, including corruption and tax evasion. Many Thais are also speculating about what Thaksin’s arrival could mean for the country’s new government.

 

“He is not a murderer – he should come back. Thaksin was only morally guilty and was at risk from dictatorial threats,” said Somsak Jatukam, 61, a taxi driver in Bangkok.

 

by Nontarat Phaicharoen

TOP: Pheu Thai Party supporter holds a placard with photographs of former Thai Prime Ministers Thaksin Shinawatra and Yingluck Shinawatra, during a party election campaign rally in Bangkok, April 28, 2023. Manan Vatsyayana/AFP

 

Full story: https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/thai/thais-react-to-thaksin-shinawatra-imminent-return-from-exile-07312023132527.html

 

-- © Copyright Benar News 2023-08-02

 

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He led a murderous government and was his dynasty was very corrupted, What a role model! A true champion of 3rd world democracy.

9 minutes ago, SoilSpoil said:

He led a murderous government and was his dynasty was very corrupted, What a role model! A true champion of 3rd world democracy.

That is not how the majority of the Thai people saw him and his government when he was re-elected in 2005 by an overwhelming majority.

Thaksin will Make Thailand Great Again! 
the country’s been stagnant for more than a decade. Time for Thaksin to reset and fast forward progress 

38 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

That is not how the majority of the Thai people saw him and his government when he was re-elected in 2005 by an overwhelming majority.

Indeed he and parties associated with him have been re-elected with landslide victories successive times 

this speaks for itself 

Edited August 2, 20232 yr by Hunz Kittisak

13 minutes ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

Indeed he and parties associated with him have been re-elected with landslide victories successive times 

this speaks for itself 

So were Hitler, Mugabe, Hun Sen, Chavez, Erdogan, Putin and even Napolean, just to name a few.

3 hours ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

Thaksin will Make Thailand Great Again! 
the country’s been stagnant for more than a decade. Time for Thaksin to reset and fast forward progress 

Pity the tousands of people killed extrajudicially under his direction won't get to see it. 

27 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Pity the tousands of people killed extrajudicially under his direction won't get to see it. 

Or the missing human right lawyer, ! Tak Bai or Kru Se victims. He has a terrible human rights record, but apparently some of us here are either ignorant or don't care.

 

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“He is not a murderer – he should come back. Thaksin was only morally guilty and was at risk from dictatorial threats,” said Somsak Jatukam, 61, a taxi driver in Bangkok.

Well there you have it... 

11 minutes ago, SoilSpoil said:

Or the missing human right lawyer, ! Tak Bai or Kru Se victims. He has a terrible human rights record, but apparently some of us here are either ignorant or don't care.

 

 

Have human rights abuses vanished after Thaksin? There are already human rights violations before Thaksin. Selective memory? 

29 minutes ago, SoilSpoil said:

Or the missing human right lawyer, ! Tak Bai or Kru Se victims. He has a terrible human rights record, but apparently some of us here are either ignorant or don't care.

 

 

Prayut has disappeared people too. Now the military and PTP might get into bed together. This can't be a good thing for Thailand.

4 hours ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

Thaksin will Make Thailand Great Again! 
the country’s been stagnant for more than a decade. Time for Thaksin to reset and fast forward progress 

 

The young lady was on the headlines for so long  

Is Peua Thai Party going to nominate Seretta as PM rather than the young lady ?  Why ? 

 

BTW circumstances in 2005 and 2023 are very different.

During his absence Thaksin may see things his way, rather than moving on. 

However, The Thai are ready.  

55 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Have human rights abuses vanished after Thaksin? There are already human rights violations before Thaksin. Selective memory? 

Why finding excuses for this criminal? 

Just now, SoilSpoil said:

Why finding excuses for this criminal? 

Why divert my post? 

Thaksin was a democratically elected PM ousted by an undemocratic mean (coup).

The fact that while in exile, he still has such an overwhelming popularity amongst ordinary Thais must be respected and admired.

Any party he forms or a person he supports/nominates consistently gets the highest number of votes in any election any time anywhere.

 

Never understood why so many farangs here hates him. Thaksin could nominate his pet dog for the post of PM and it would win simply because the people like him. You might not like it, but It's a fact.

5 hours ago, SoilSpoil said:

So were Hitler, Mugabe, Hun Sen, Chavez, Erdogan, Putin and even Napolean, just to name a few.

Please show evidence of international observers overseeing the elections of Mugabe, Putin and Hun Sen.

To compare Mr T's electoral success with those dictators is disingenuous. But hey, red meat for the Thaksin hate mob on here.

19 minutes ago, Red Forever said:

Please show evidence of international observers overseeing the elections of Mugabe, Putin and Hun Sen.

To compare Mr T's electoral success with those dictators is disingenuous. But hey, red meat for the Thaksin hate mob on here.

So can any poster prove conclusively that internationally accredited observers watched and commented that the election processes were well accepted where the paymaster or his sister were involved.

Edited August 2, 20232 yr by scorecard

"...Thaksin was only morally guilty and was at risk from dictatorial threats,” said Somsak Jatukam, 61, a taxi driver in Bangkok."

 

Khun Somsak needs to do some further close reading of the real information of the events. 

32 minutes ago, Danny Australia said:

Thaksin was a democratically elected PM ousted by an undemocratic mean (coup).

The fact that while in exile, he still has such an overwhelming popularity amongst ordinary Thais must be respected and admired.

Any party he forms or a person he supports/nominates consistently gets the highest number of votes in any election any time anywhere.

 

Never understood why so many farangs here hates him. Thaksin could nominate his pet dog for the post of PM and it would win simply because the people like him. You might not like it, but It's a fact.

But if there was no vote buying very probably a quite different story. And yes most of the parties have engaged in some form of vote buying.

48 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Why divert my post? 

But why find excusues for a man who has been charged, convicted and sentenced to jail on a number of serious charges?

5 minutes ago, scorecard said:

But why find excusues for a man who has been charged, convicted and sentenced to jail on a number of serious charges?

By a skewed court and acting on political expediency? 

56 minutes ago, SoilSpoil said:

Why finding excuses for this criminal? 

Because "this criminal" made the lives of the majority of Thais better.

Can't make an omelette without....

19 minutes ago, scorecard said:

"...Thaksin was only morally guilty and was at risk from dictatorial threats,” said Somsak Jatukam, 61, a taxi driver in Bangkok."

 

Khun Somsak needs to do some further close reading of the real information of the events. 

K Somsak represent the real people when he spoke his mind. Not parroting narratives of the establishment like some do here. 

21 minutes ago, Red Forever said:

Because "this criminal" made the lives of the majority of Thais better.

Can't make an omelette without....

are you trying to convince me that corruption on industrial scale made the life of ordinay Thais better? Are you in the time sharing business?

7 hours ago, webfact said:

as the Pheu Thai Party, the main political vehicle of the Shinawatra dynasty

And no one sees that as a problem?

The only thing Thaksins return will stir is a hornets nest.

24 minutes ago, Red Forever said:

Because "this criminal" made the lives of the majority of Thais better.

Can't make an omelette without....

Check what was the average household debt BEFORE and AFTER his tenure in government before claiming he made the lives of the majority better.

2 hours ago, sscc said:

 

The young lady was on the headlines for so long  

Is Peua Thai Party going to nominate Seretta as PM rather than the young lady ?  Why ? 

 

BTW circumstances in 2005 and 2023 are very different.

During his absence Thaksin may see things his way, rather than moving on. 

However, The Thai are ready.  

I have a feeling Thaksin is hoping that Seretta will lose the vote and then they can make a deal with the senators and military to put Paetong in as PM the following week.

 

Problem with that is that anyone that the Senate backs at this stage will be seen as a military puppet but the MFP and a lot of PT supporters.

 

Frankly Mr T coming home is the wrong move for his party. 
The mililtary supporters that wear Yellow will not be happy. MFP supporters will still be in the streets.

 

The PT has only 2 outcomes that saves them.    

1. BJT joins the 8 coalition parties including MFP

2.  PT goes through the motions staying with the coalition and not making any deals other than saying they will not touch 112  gets defeated in 2 votes and says ok you want it you got it Anutin becomes PM and gets nothing passed.  All it takes is a budget defeat and no confidence is on the table.  There is no way the government gets anything done except for Marijuana laws.  The budget will be a disaster.

 

In the UK/Canada or Aus the automatic action to all his would be to sit down with either the queen or the Queen's rep to resolve it. (Canada 2008 is close to what we are going through here)

Not that she or now he can mandate anything but they can discuss and negotiate/RESOLVE ISSUES. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008–2009_Canadian_parliamentary_dispute

Edited August 2, 20232 yr by kingstonkid

6 minutes ago, LukKrueng said:

And no one sees that as a problem?

Political family is a problem? I can name you quite a few. 

31 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Political family is a problem? I can name you quite a few. 

Corrupt political families are the problem. It's called Nepotism.