^ well, when I say "educating the masses" im not talking about telling them what to do, who to vote for, etc, but to raise their political awareness.

Yeah like one of Thaksin's former security guards, who was the boyfriend of a family member told us Thaksin was going around saying "******** * ***** *** ****** ******* ** ****!".

Makes the stuff on television seem like bed time stories for children.

It's hard to believe he really said that...

LaoPo

Wouln't it be nice, to have a seperate thread, to 'complete this sentance' ?

I don't really have a strong opinion yet but I just bought a book called "Thaksin" writting by Pasuk Phongpaichit who is a professor at Chulalongkorn Uni. So far it is one of the best reads I've had in awhile and gives a lot of insite in Thaksin and also to the culture surrounding him and how he played it.

Thaksin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaksin

Brought Thailand into the communications age as a businessman.

As Prime Minister, won 3 elections by landslide. Brought Thailand back from the financial crisis.

A winner who was ousted by a corrupt military.

Edited September 14, 200718 yr by UnknownPoster

Thaksin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaksin

Brought Thailand into the communications age as a businessman.

As Prime Minister, won 3 elections by landslide. Brought Thailand back from the financial crisis.

A winner who was ousted by a corrupt military.

agree totally ,the thai's didnt know how good they had it ,yes he made a few mistakes ,ie drug killings for one ,but this is dog eat dog ,if you sell drugs you deserve whats coming ,in my eyes he was good for the country ,commanded respect from other heads of state ,and was trying to bring thailand into the 21st century........

A man, who despite having allegedly earned a PhD at a Western university, struggled with even basic English during his Elmer Fudd-sounding sound-bites.

Edited September 14, 200718 yr by sriracha john

Do you think Thaksin Shinawatra will be remembered as a man of great courage and vision, or a man who abused his power for self gain and wealth ?

Both depending on who's doing the remembering.....

As above..

But if I were writing it, I would put it this way:

"formed the country's first populist party to attract the votes of the majority rural poor - though many say synically in order to enrich his family and big business supporters. This frightened the elite ubanite parties who had traditionally enriched themselves through factionalized politics and family 'connections' within a corrupted bureaucacy and via wide-spread vote-buying across the country. In the end, the established parties, with the endorsement of the leader of the privy council, sponsored a military coup that resored the 'old' order so they could return to their system of money patronage."

Anyone disagree?