I know what western democracy is like because I have lived under it and participated in it most of my life. The last few years I have seen alot about what Thai democracy is like and I can say they are the same. Democracy is inefficiend, ugly and ripe for corruption. However, it is the only system of government that is fair to most and unfair to few. What Thailand does not have is western style law enforcement and a military that meddles in politics. Fix law enforcement and fix the military and they would probably be okay.

Not really.

Thai democracy does not have political parties with coherent platforms or agendas. It's simply coalitions of people trying to obtain power.

In the West, parties usually have some sort of general idealogical stance or framework.

It is true that in Thailand the military not only meddles in but essentially oversees and directs politics.

Wow I hope it is all over before I arrive next week :-)

You and me both

PM is talking now on radio............

Just right now he is talking trush why he arrived late at the radio station...........

lol at the people pointing to Samak and the PPP as standard-bearers of democracy.

Or that Sondhi will gain political power and that all of his proposals will actually come to fruition.

A lot of reports seem to also paint this as Small Urban Educated Elite v the Rural Poor.

1) Thaksin is not poor.

2) The South is poor. And they don't vote PPP.

EUh, The South is not poor, you need to get your info straight! Been living in the SOuth for over 10 years most people here have there rubber and palm oil plantations and are doing pretty well.

Edited September 4, 200817 yr by likewise

Well most families have. However I agree their does in general seem to be a fair standard of living in the rural communities.

No Resignation today it seems

I'm always amused to read people's criticism of Thailand's 'vote-buying'. Sorry, but I'm struggling to understand the difference between buying votes by telling the electorate "Vote for me and I'll reduce your taxes by $20 a week" and "Vote for me and I'll give you 1000 baht". Somehow the Thai method, whilst I don't support it by any means, seems more honest!

I just told the wife about this "news", and she asks why it is not being reported on TV? Then I log on to here and see it is merely a rumor. Passing on rumors this way is not very helpful, in my estimation, anyone can dream up stuff like that. Let's see what happens tomorrow, huh?

samak the bungling fool dreamed up a rumor that he was going to get arrested at the airport once. it never happened of course.

but that was newsworthy enough for the newspapers at least.

its truly amazing people actually votes for this moron. and will probably continute to vote for whoever the next puppet is

People who vote for the likes of Samak and Thaksin are the uneducated masses and as long as Thailand does nothing to improve the educational system in this country (standards and access to a full 12 years of school), nothing will change. The elite like to keep the upcountry folks dumb to keep them down, but what the elite get in return is the likes of Samak and Thaksin running the country.

You have hit the nail square on the head.

A very big percentage of village people have never gotten much further than the next couple of villages. They know zip about democracy or how a democracy works.

While they continue to sell their votes nothing is gonna change any time soon. Not in my life time (nor my children's either)

Samak is on radio now, apparently insisting to stay on

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej went on air on the Radio Thailand at 7:30 am and indicated so far that he would stay on as the prime minister.

-- The Nation 2008-09-04

No Resignation today it seems

Hey Bo, that u?

lol at the people pointing to Samak and the PPP as standard-bearers of democracy.

Or that Sondhi will gain political power and that all of his proposals will actually come to fruition.

A lot of reports seem to also paint this as Small Urban Educated Elite v the Rural Poor.

1) Thaksin is not poor.

2) The South is poor. And they don't vote PPP.

EUh, The South is not poor, you need to get your info straight! Been living in the SOuth for over 10 years most people here have there rubber and palm oil plantations and are doing pretty well.

I think the deal is that if you are generalizing and comparing the southern region with the Isan region, most people would say that Isan is poor.

Hey Bo, that u?

Eh? Bo? Mai khow jai

lol at the people pointing to Samak and the PPP as standard-bearers of democracy.

Or that Sondhi will gain political power and that all of his proposals will actually come to fruition.

A lot of reports seem to also paint this as Small Urban Educated Elite v the Rural Poor.

1) Thaksin is not poor.

2) The South is poor. And they don't vote PPP.

EUh, The South is not poor, you need to get your info straight! Been living in the SOuth for over 10 years most people here have there rubber and palm oil plantations and are doing pretty well.

Most people in Songkhla own plantations?

I'm always amused to read people's criticism of Thailand's 'vote-buying'. Sorry, but I'm struggling to understand the difference between buying votes by telling the electorate "Vote for me and I'll reduce your taxes by $20 a week" and "Vote for me and I'll give you 1000 baht". Somehow the Thai method, whilst I don't support it by any means, seems more honest!

And maybe more honest then army generals attacking their own government for the benefit of the groups that patronize them.

No Resignation today it seems

No - not much of a resignation speech - not impressed with The Nation getting our hopes up like that!

JxP

Hey Bo, that u?

Eh? Bo? Mai khow jai

Sorry Wolfie. A friend has the same avatar.

Ah crap...

Listening to the PM on the TV just now and he said "I can't resign because I was elected"...

(He failed to aknowlegde the fact that the election was a sham and the EC has voted unanimously to dissolve the PPP for vote buying...)

"The Election Commission Tuesday voted unanimously to seek an order of the Constitution Court to dissolve the People Power Party.

The Election Commission Tuesday voted unanimously to seek an order of the Constitution Court to dissolve the People Power Party in connection of vote buying by its former deputy leader Yongyuth Tiyapairat."

SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT...

I just told the wife about this "news", and she asks why it is not being reported on TV? Then I log on to here and see it is merely a rumor. Passing on rumors this way is not very helpful, in my estimation, anyone can dream up stuff like that. Let's see what happens tomorrow, huh?

samak the bungling fool dreamed up a rumor that he was going to get arrested at the airport once. it never happened of course.

but that was newsworthy enough for the newspapers at least.

its truly amazing people actually votes for this moron. and will probably continute to vote for whoever the next puppet is

People who vote for the likes of Samak and Thaksin are the uneducated masses and as long as Thailand does nothing to improve the educational system in this country (standards and access to a full 12 years of school), nothing will change. The elite like to keep the upcountry folks dumb to keep them down, but what the elite get in return is the likes of Samak and Thaksin running the country.

Rather like the US then. Just keep feeding the people Fox News and lots of soaps and unreality shows, and you get to pilfer other countries in the name of 'patriotism' and the 'war on terror'.

Samak says he support the lenient measures of the military to deal with protesters

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said on Thursday he supports lenient measures of the military to deal with the protesters who seized the Government House.

He was speaking live on Radio Thailand.

-- The Nation 2008-09-04

(He failed to aknowlegde the fact that the election was a sham and the EC has voted unanimously to dissolve the PPP for vote buying...)

Well its better he rides out this storm *then* his party gets dissolved. If he simply resigned now, PAD would claim a victory and would be doing the same sh1t next time someone get elected that they dont like. I think he cant resign now, he has to find a way to beat PAD then let the courts dissolve his party afterward.

No Resignation today it seems

No - not much of a resignation speech - not impressed with The Nation getting our hopes up like that!

JxP

Is The Nation still part of Sondhi's former media empire? Does he still indirectly control it?

My source confirms that Samak will announce his resignation in the morning.

If he doesn't, I will run naked through the PAD crowd.

Please let us know where and when.

My source confirms that Samak will announce his resignation in the morning.

If he doesn't, I will run naked through the PAD crowd.

Please let us know where and when.

LOL this could be entertaining

BREAKING NEWS

Samak Sundaravej will NOT resign as PM

Samak denies he plans to resign

BANGKOK: -- Speaking live on Radio Thailand, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej denied that he planned to announce his resignation on radio Thursday morning.

"How could I resign? I cannot resign," Samak said.

"I will stay on to protect democracy of this country. The whole world is watching us."

-- The Nation 2008-09-04

..................so now you are going to run naked through the crowds at PAD - pls let us know that time and place and l am sure the Nation would like to have exclusive pictures.. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My source confirms that Samak will announce his resignation in the morning.

If he doesn't, I will run naked through the PAD crowd.

Please let us know where and when.

My source confirms that Samak will announce his resignation in the morning.

If he doesn't, I will run naked through the PAD crowd.

Please advise what time you will start your run.

Edited September 4, 200817 yr by Artisi

I just told the wife about this "news", and she asks why it is not being reported on TV? Then I log on to here and see it is merely a rumor. Passing on rumors this way is not very helpful, in my estimation, anyone can dream up stuff like that. Let's see what happens tomorrow, huh?

samak the bungling fool dreamed up a rumor that he was going to get arrested at the airport once. it never happened of course.

but that was newsworthy enough for the newspapers at least.

its truly amazing people actually votes for this moron. and will probably continute to vote for whoever the next puppet is

People who vote for the likes of Samak and Thaksin are the uneducated masses and as long as Thailand does nothing to improve the educational system in this country (standards and access to a full 12 years of school), nothing will change. The elite like to keep the upcountry folks dumb to keep them down, but what the elite get in return is the likes of Samak and Thaksin running the country.

Right on!!!!!!!

Finally some one with some kind of common sense says something right.

wow!

I keep reading many comments here and the majority of them are so full of BS. Most comments are F----- stupid, maybe just like the person that wrote them.

Diehard

Would have been a classic if it was April 1st.