Ppp - Politicians (or Pimps) Pursuing Power

[jbowman1993]

Following the first week of the PPP cabinet in office has been a sad and pathetic comedy of errors, except I'm not laughing.

Many on TV claim that most of us are "Anti-Thaksin" and by proxy "Anti-PPP". With results like this, is there any wonder why? We have a PM who lies openly and repeatedly, even about issues 30 years in the past. Say what you will about "Old Ginger" Surayud - He never lied. He was a man of honesty and integrity, caught in a next to impossible situation. The "Pro Thakin" group will use this statement to say that I am a junta supporter. (Anyone who is critical of Thaksin and his cronies must be a supporter of the 2006 coup, apparantly)

I am neither. I am anti military AND Anti Thaksin and his proxies. While the military tried to rid our country of the biggest egomaniac this side of GW Bush, they failed to take into account that they didn't have a much better alternative. So we are stuck in the middle of two evils. Isn't there another choice? Aren't you all tired of this?

I want another choice. Where is my Thai Barack Obama?

[samran]

I never had a problem with the junta. The fact that they werent' democratically elected doesn't bother me. At least we had competent ministers who knew their portfolio - despite what the detrators said. And yes, the former PM was an honourable guy.

It isn't as if there was terribly much democracy on the PPP side of things anyway. A collegue of mine -in her mid 20's - was offered to stand for a seat up Prae way for PPP. Her family is 'the family' up there. She declined, as being an MP was going to eat into her skiing schedual over the next couple of months, and then her European soujorns over the summer (though given that she was the first choice for the seat says alot about the PPP's real street cred in representing the poor).

Anyway, an aunt of hers ran. And won. And now is the Energy Minister. Aparently, she turns off her lights when she leaves the room. That is her experience. The last bloke (Dr Piyasawat) was "Mr Energy", and knew a thing or two about the topic.

I wonder what it would take to be Interior Minister? Maybe having a rampaging cop killer son is the qualification you need.

And to be a PM these days, requires experience in gunning down student actavists.

So yeah, I'd like the junta back too.

[ade100]

Well as most of us on the forum, I would imagine, do not have a vote in Thailand, there is not a lot we can do. Unless, that is, we all lobby our home countries to invade Thailand and put a decent government in place. The US seem to be doing a pretty good job with this sort of thing of late. Brits are bit out of practice but I’m sure it would come back to them.

[lannarebirth]

Who's Barack Obama?

[howtoescape]

Who's Barack Obama?

Someone who works for billionaires.

[Prakanong]

Well as most of us on the forum, I would imagine, do not have a vote in Thailand, there is not a lot we can do. Unless, that is, we all lobby our home countries to invade Thailand and put a decent government in place. The US seem to be doing a pretty good job with this sort of thing of late. Brits are bit out of practice but I'm sure it would come back to them.

ROFL

Yeah - they should be careful what they wish for.

An illegal coups ousts a democratically elected leader - the most successfull at the polls in the banana republic that is Thailand - in comes a imposed govt that did absolutely bugger all followed by an elected mob that is even worse.

Its great to laugh from outside the zoo at the chimps tea party

[soundman]

Well as most of us on the forum, I would imagine, do not have a vote in Thailand, there is not a lot we can do. Unless, that is, we all lobby our home countries to invade Thailand and put a decent government in place. The US seem to be doing a pretty good job with this sort of thing of late. Brits are bit out of practice but I'm sure it would come back to them.

ROFL

Yeah - they should be careful what they wish for.

An illegal coups ousts a democratically elected leader - the most successfull at the polls in the banana republic that is Thailand - in comes a imposed govt that did absolutely bugger all followed by an elected mob that is even worse.

Its great to laugh from outside the zoo at the chimps tea party

Well, if the Thai people wanted a bunch of baboons to guide their future - they certainly got it. All it cost was a few bananas.

[Ricardo]

Sorry Prakanong, but I can't take too much pleasure, in seeing a country I love & live in having problems like this.

And Thaksin wasn't an elected PM, just an appointed caretaker one, at the time of the coup, but only because he was incapable of running a straight election, even when he/TRT would probably have won it fair-and-square !

Meanwhile the PPP did get the most seats, despite only equalling the Dems on the party-vote, and a PPP-led coalition-government is what Thailand has, let's hope that they can get their act together, and run the country well for the sake of all its citizens, despite a shaky start. And appointing various cronies & crims as advisers, despite Samak's dis-satisfaction, with the initial Cabinet proposed.

Lets also hope that the Dems are an active opposition, and extend their party-organisation & contacts with the voters, so that they win next time, if there is a next time, and the new government learn from past mistakes how to run a fairer election.

[Prakanong]

Well as most of us on the forum, I would imagine, do not have a vote in Thailand, there is not a lot we can do. Unless, that is, we all lobby our home countries to invade Thailand and put a decent government in place. The US seem to be doing a pretty good job with this sort of thing of late. Brits are bit out of practice but I'm sure it would come back to them.

ROFL

Yeah - they should be careful what they wish for.

An illegal coups ousts a democratically elected leader - the most successfull at the polls in the banana republic that is Thailand - in comes a imposed govt that did absolutely bugger all followed by an elected mob that is even worse.

Its great to laugh from outside the zoo at the chimps tea party

Well, if the Thai people wanted a bunch of baboons to guide their future - they certainly got it. All it cost was a few bananas.

All joking apart its quite sad really.

The future growth and development of Thailand look pretty shakey. Of course they are not likely to go backwards but others will stretch away from them in the region and others will come up behind and pass them.

Put your money on Vietnam as taking over Thailands role in the nearby region.

[jumnien]

I really don't think Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos are exactly poised to overtake Thailand. Nevertheless, I am compassionate for the many militarists lamenting the fall of the Junta. Oh, those nasty elections!

[soundman]

Well as most of us on the forum, I would imagine, do not have a vote in Thailand, there is not a lot we can do. Unless, that is, we all lobby our home countries to invade Thailand and put a decent government in place. The US seem to be doing a pretty good job with this sort of thing of late. Brits are bit out of practice but I'm sure it would come back to them.

ROFL

Yeah - they should be careful what they wish for.

An illegal coups ousts a democratically elected leader - the most successfull at the polls in the banana republic that is Thailand - in comes a imposed govt that did absolutely bugger all followed by an elected mob that is even worse.

Its great to laugh from outside the zoo at the chimps tea party

Well, if the Thai people wanted a bunch of baboons to guide their future - they certainly got it. All it cost was a few bananas.

All joking apart its quite sad really.

The future growth and development of Thailand look pretty shakey. Of course they are not likely to go backwards but others will stretch away from them in the region and others will come up behind and pass them.

Put your money on Vietnam as taking over Thailands role in the nearby region.

Concur. Most on this forum allready know my take on the subject.

It really is a pity that this country I love, my adopted home, is going down the toilet before my eyes & there isn't a thing I can do about it - all for one man's greed and ambition.

[Prakanong]

Sorry Prakanong, but I can't take too much pleasure, in seeing a country I love & live in having problems like this.

And Thaksin wasn't an elected PM, just an appointed caretaker one, at the time of the coup, but only because he was incapable of running a straight election, even when he/TRT would probably have won it fair-and-square !

Meanwhile the PPP did get the most seats, despite only equalling the Dems on the party-vote, and a PPP-led coalition-government is what Thailand has, let's hope that they can get their act together, and run the country well for the sake of all its citizens, despite a shaky start. And appointing various cronies & crims as advisers, despite Samak's dis-satisfaction, with the initial Cabinet proposed.

Lets also hope that the Dems are an active opposition, and extend their party-organisation & contacts with the voters, so that they win next time, if there is a next time, and the new government learn from past mistakes how to run a fairer election.

As I said all joking aside it is quite sad. The place just seems to be becoming a basket case. Yes it was in the past but we are in a globalised world now where communications are quicker and the competition is everywhere.

The place just seems stagnant and not dynamic compared to other places I visit in the region for business and pleasure. Crimes like the murder of the two Canadians plus plenty of others seem to be more common and are met with indifference by Thai society.

I was chatting with a colleague last week and she is talking about how to get out of the place before her 6 month old daughter needs an education. She is Thai married to a Thai chinese and she holds a north American passport.

She was talking of Canada or the UK but I also suggested Singapore as it was closer and they would both get good jobs there - its sad to see a Thai returner want to get away.

[Changian]

Say what you will about "Old Ginger" Surayud

You mean say things like he commanded troops during the Black May uprising in 1992 and admits to leading troops into the Royal Hotel that was being used as a field hospital where his troops were filmed beating up and stamping on injured demostrators lying on the floor.

[britmaveric]

Congrats to new PM/Cabinet - may they do right for Thailand.

Edited February 12, 2008 by britmaveric

[slapout]

I would place "pimps" a little higher up the food chain than politicians.

[freitag1]

All the important and influential people here just extort money from Thailand to finance their life here or more and more overseas. Most educated people who somehow make it here plan to buy some property in another country. Everybody who achieves something here seems to look for a way to leave the country. This is one of the reasons I won't buy any property here.

The future doesn't look bright at all for this country and it makes no sense to invest in it if even the most affluent Thais prefer to spend their money somewhere else. Who should build this country if everybody who would be capable of doing so prefers to leave?

[jumnien]

Say what you will about "Old Ginger" Surayud

You mean say things like he commanded troops during the Black May uprising in 1992 and admits to leading troops into the Royal Hotel that was being used as a field hospital where his troops were filmed beating up and stamping on injured demostrators lying on the floor.

Samak's greatest mistake so far, and it is inexcusable, occured during the interview with Dan Rivers on CNN. He said he would not pursue prosecution of the coup makers. First they killed innocent Thais as mentioned above, then they seized the democratically elected government, then they shredded the constitution; and Samak decides not to pursue them and even allowed Sonthi to hold a Thai passport and leave the country. An atrocity!