Putting Pub Brawls Behind To Become A Ministerial Aide

[Prakanong]

The Isanese created the PPP - ROFLMAO

Samak, Chalerm and co are the elites of the country too. These are the people with power and influence just as those with aritocratic or economic power.

Politics 101 for the political illiterate.

[Plus]

The elusive "elites" seem to include anyone you don't like.

Chalerm, reportedly, is a persona non grata in "elite" circles, Samak, apart from his family roots and dedication to monarchy has nothing "elite" about him, too. These guys have always been men of the people, salt of the earth. Urban poor is their only support base (Samak's control of army votes is long gone).

Isanese voted for them, when they could have voted for "elite" Abhisit instead.

It's time for them to own up for their choices, there's no one else to blame.

[steveromagnino]

While indeed they are elite in terms of power, they are certainly not the choice of the so called Bangkok Elite. Versace sales in Thailand slumped the day that Chalerm said in an interview that he liked the brand.

What they are good at, like Thaksin, is pretending to be poor and one of the poor. When in fact they have little in common, well except for Samak, with the rural poor.

It is all smoke and mirrors. Fact is, these 3 are loved by the rural poor of Isaan.

As is another great hero, Newin Chitchob.

There is no question that the people who swept PPP into power are the rural poor from the north and northeast.

BKK and the south voted democrat, the central area had a few others.

PPP is simply TRT repackaged (and there were a couple of other small parties Ruam Jai Thai and one other that were marginally different flavours also ex TRT just in case PPP wasn't rural enough) and that is what the poor want. Plus they get the bonus of having their heroes in power. What could be better????!

Which is the most persausive argument for Singaporean style democracy....we just don't have LKY figure; instead we have a Marcos type billionaire based out of HK at the moment who runs a footy team.

[Old Man River]

The Isanese created the PPP - ROFLMAO

Samak, Chalerm and co are the elites of the country too. These are the people with power and influence just as those with aritocratic or economic power.

Politics 101 for the political illiterate.

Thai Politics 101. Nothing is as it seems.

[BigSnake]

What a Shame a disgrace to the country. buddha help us all.

[slapout]

Bangkok Post today 21/2/08 says our boy Wan and others got their appointment. Ran a good record of his past antics, but I noticed it was all accused, charges. (The post words) He should get along good with PM, as they both seem to have the same temperment. Wonder where the other siblings are going to get a real job to keep them in money for their various activities. Military service,or police work seem to be out, maybe they could be sent south to implement some of their fathers ideas. Odds may not suit them, nor the type of individual they may run into.

[opengoal]

Dems will never win Isaan; I was telling them just earlier today to pull finger and get a real potential coalition farmer party who can win and keep the seats in the NE

Politicians who win elections in Isan and Democrats are incompatible, it has never worked, and probably never will.

What they should do is win big enough elsewhere and then try to show TRT fans that there are other ways of lifting Isan out of poverty, something that really works.

Generally speaking, Isanese must change their ways, it's unavoidable, they can't go on like that and rely on milking central government forever. This long term problem is probably the worst legacy of TRT's populism, and people knew and warned the country about it ong time ago, and Democrats realised it probably earlier than anyone else. Unforunately it was "give Thaksin the chance" brigade of half wits that ruled the day in 2000.

Democrat voter base is growing, while Isan is shrinking, time is on Dems side, they just need to be patient.

They are doing it in service of the nation, they shouldn't be motivated by results only, or they will never pull it through. If Democrats collapse, there's no hope for this country whatsoever.

I am sorry but just how much has Isaan milked the central government?

There has been almost no investment or development there in the past and they have been told to accept their lot in life, ie its fate and what happens happens - absolute <deleted> and just like the rest of Asia they want modernity.

Slowly but surely they are coming to realise the power of the ballot box after being shit on for years, investment and development going elsewhere.

Yes they need to change, but change by getting educated, seeing the rule of law as desirable and not the thuggery that is allowed under this and previous governments.

The march to modernity means equality of opportunity, better education and better health care leading to decreased child mortality etc.

Oh wait a minute - they are just poor uneducated subsisdtence farmers - they should just have suffient for their needs - a bowl of rice, backbreaking work in the rice fields and sending their daughters to marry farang at best or work in bar's at worst - they should know their place in life eh?

Can you remind me which eminent person preached about self sufficiency! Better education means knowledge. Knowledge is power..... we cant have that now

Another point worth considering is the cost of getting elected. A friend of mine knew the family of a wannabe independant politician who blew over 25,000,000 baht, in isaan, and still did not get elected.

Edited February 21, 2008 by opengoal

[John K]

This is just a very sad thread for Thailand. I only read the first page but that was enough to know that only the wrong people qualify for government office.

[Tilokarat]

This is not good news for democracy in Thailand, but when people mentioned the Democrat Party my mind drifted to that great pants-around-the ankles Democratic politician in the United States - Edward 'Teddy' Kennedy. Good old Teddy is rumoured to have left his secretary at the bottom of a lake but still managed to reach elevated heights in American politics. One might also mention Richard Daly in Chicago too. So while what is taking place in Thai politics may not be for the genteel of mind, it is not unprecedented in politics here and there. And how much money is getting thrown around in the U.S. at the present time trying to determine a leader for those great American democratic parties, all two of them?

In other words, let us place this in perspective. How many governments in Asia are clean? How many governments in the world are clean? Should we be surprised by what is taking place in the corridors of power in Thailand? Should we place all the blame for Thailand's political ills on the Lao voters in Issan? Give me a break.

[Plus]

Even Thailand had governments better and cleaner than this.

Even the PM himself is disappointed with his Cabinet.

[Heng]

You have to raise and train your own elephants before you go up against an army of elephants.

[steveromagnino]

You have to raise and train your own elephants before you go up against an army of elephants.

this is army of kwai

[Artisi]

You have to raise and train your own elephants before you go up against an army of elephants.

this is army of kwai

This statement certainly lowers the intelligence of the poor hard working kwai.

[steveromagnino]

You have to raise and train your own elephants before you go up against an army of elephants.

this is army of kwai

This statement certainly lowers the intelligence of the poor hard working kwai.

indeed both the kwai and the dtua ngern dtua tong also known as the Hia can expect to hear their names used in vain with a greater regularity under the current Samak administration.

[Heng]

You have to raise and train your own elephants before you go up against an army of elephants.

this is army of kwai

Same same. You have to have your own kwai before you send your peons out to lay down in front of their stampeding kwais. Otherwise you just get trampled and forgotten.

[steveromagnino]

Same same. You have to have your own kwai before you send your peons out to lay down in front of their stampeding kwais. Otherwise you just get trampled and forgotten.

Which is why before they say Thai rak Thai, but then the government is invaded with army, so now we have to change and replace with

Kwai ruk kwai.