Thaksin Begs For "Royal Kindness"

[animatic]

What a pathetic Toxin lowlife: It greets people who loves democracy...

Here is what it said back then about that democracy is not a goal, but a means to ...

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thaksin-demo...Goal-t4293.html

This article clearly would send warning signals to anyone about Thaksin's intentions.

And likely was the start of his downfall. He TOLD people what kind of power he was jockying for.

Elected to dictator in a few easy steps. Not mandate driven but ego driven.

[younghusband]

The Straits Times has an interesting account of the evening.There were some accompanying photographs which I have not copied.

Nirmal Ghosh

Thailand Correspondent Thaksin therapy

November 02, 2008 Sunday, 04:41 PM

Nirmal Ghosh asks if Saturday's event has changed the Thai political equation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Bangkok

THEY started pouring in midway through Saturday morning, and were still coming in the evening to pack the Rajamangala stadium.

In the end, easily around 70,000 people were on hand, all in red shirts, turning the stadium into a sea of crimson.

The merchandise and the slew of information materials, as well as the packaging – even the chairs outside the stadium proper were red – clearly showed the pro-government, pro-Thaksin Shinawatra camp had after months of fumbling, finally had its act together.

There were shades of the marketing and branding acumen of the erstwhile Thai Rak Thai political machine that Thaksin Shinawatra had rode to power from 2001-2005 before it was demolished in 2006.

It was a calibrated response to the yellow-shirted, royalist People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) which still occupies Government House demanding that the ruling People Power Party (PPP) mentored by Thaksin – a wanted fugitive from the law in Thailand – resign to pave the way for sweeping political reform.

And Thaksin played to the gallery. Swirling lights and epic music provided a buildup to a phoned in question and answer session with Thaksin – reputedly in Hong Kong – followed by a pre-recorded video.

''I have grown old'' he said – and he did look tired.

In a measured address, he said he had been invited to invest in many countries – but was not welcome in his homeland. He mentioned the economic damage Thailand is enduring because of the long political conflict coupled with the growing global recession.

He was ''on message'' as political handlers would say. The crowd listened with rapt attention. And erupted in cheers when he ended.

The show of strength – the PAD has been hard put to muster more than 10,000 people on the streets, much below their halcyon days of early 2006 when Thaksin was in power – meant the battle has been joined.

The taxi driver who took me back home to write up my report, was wearing a red T-shirt and was almost giggling with delight on the long drive from Ramkhamhaeng to Sukhumvit. Like many taxi drivers in Bangkok, he was from Isan – Thaksin's stronghold. As he dropped me off, he announced that he was going right back to the stadium.

The mood at the event – under the banner of the pro-government Truth Today TV station (which if truth be told is considered boring government propaganda by many viewers) the mood was festive but importantly, also orderly.

There was no bad-mouthing or rabble-rousing, and the feared violence did not occur. Most of the crowd was pro-Thaksin, but several I spoke to seemed to resent being branded pro-Thaksin and said they were in favour instead of one person, one vote democracy – and definitely against the idea of military intervention.

The crowd dispersed happily after Thaksin's speech. On the pavements outside the stadium they chattered and sometimes continued cheering, clearly elated by what was a cathartic night after months of pressure from the right wing, royalist PAD.

In contrast late Saturday night - or more accurately in the wee hours of Sunday morning - a group of young men out for the night took a wrong turn and reportedly found themselves stuck among some tyres and barbed wire laid out by the PAD to protect their protest site at Government House. The boys, upset, yelled at the PAD guards who promptly shot at them, hitting one of them in the back.

Earlier on Saturday as I arrived at the stadium around 5pm, I spotted former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama in from the cold. Noppadon – forced to resign earlier this year when a court found he had violated procedure in agreeing that Cambodia could apply for World Heritage status for the disputed Preah Vihear temple – was at a stall busily signing copies of a freshly minted autobiography.

In another stall former cabinet minister Jakrapop Penkair was signing red T-shirts with the word ''Dictator'' on them crossed out in black. The man has a charge of lese majeste – insulting the monarchy – hanging over him, but was grinning from ear to ear as the crowds flooded in.

Next door was a stalwart of Thai politics, Chaturon Chaisang, a cabinet minister in successive Thaksin administrations and briefly leader of the Thai Rak Thai party before it was dissolved by the courts after Thaksin had been removed from power by the military. Chaturon was signing everything in sight and was being besieged as if he was a rock star.

Later he and Jakrapob sang songs on stage before Thaksin's appearance.

A police intelligence officer sat prominently videotaping everyone who came to the event. When I paused to take a picture of him he good naturedly moved the camera to focus on me. The police are probably pleased that the pro-government groups – loosely called the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) have begun putting out their alternative version of the events of recent weeks. One booklet featured pictures of police being battered by PAD security ''guards'' on October 7.

At 6pm when the national anthem played, the stadium reverberated with the sound of 70,000 voices.

At the other end of town the few thousand yellow-shirted PAD supporters still occupying Government House were doing exactly the same thing. But the Rajamangala event has changed the complexion of the game.

''Huge show of strength'' the pro-PAD daily The Nation said in its story under the banner headline ''Thaksin: Reconcile'' with the report focusing on his speech.

The front page was dominated by a fish-eye picture of the full stadium taken around 6pm, with the bleachers still empty.

The Bangkok Post had a similar picture but taken later, with all the seats full. The paper led with the headline ''Only royal kindness can get me home'' – a line from Thaksin's speech, interpreted as a plea for clemency from the King

[steveromagnino]

ASTV delivers many wrong information and is an anti-government channel.

Why, would you have had us watch ITV back in the day (Shin owned), Channel 3 (supported by Maleenont family, part of TRT), Channel 5 (run by army placed there by the Shinwatras) or Channel 7 (controlled via AIS marketing budget) or perhaps you now prefer we watch NBT (reports directly to the PM's office, rebranded by PPP's Jakapop Penkair before his fall from grace, all airtime content providers had to present to him personally showing what they had said positive about TRT, negative about coup, positive about Thaksin, any neutrality was punished, you have to be pro PPP to have time). Or maybe to say something then face the risk of getting sued as was commonplace back then?

ASTV is indeed trash.

However, so are all the other stations.

The truth may set you free.....but you won't hear any truth listening to anything from Senor Thaksin. You won't do much better listening to PAD either.

And BTW just a reminder to all those, 'but he was elected' comments. Anyone elected still must follow laws and rules the same as the rest of us. Whether they are laws regarding rape, assault or other crimininal charges; or specific laws regarding codes of conduct in a job elected or otherwise, playing the popular card as occurred in the asset declaration case (where Thaksin was acquitted despite a decision of "4 no jurisdiction", "4 no requisite intent", and "7 guilty", and where people were saying if the Constitutional Court dared to rule against him, there could have been riots) should not influence a court which must base the decision on the letter of the law, not some second rate popularity contest.

That's the thing of the entire dog and pony show with under 100,000 people turning up; he is trying to play the popularity card or asking for a royal intervention, knowing full well that there will no comment from the other side (after all he lied to the person's face about quitting politics, so he probably should not expect too much and especially given that the person is non partisan officially as shown by the willingness to swear in Somchai Wongsawat, who really has all the makings of a total corrupt twit, but still got sworn in nonetheless).

Whether illegally using a cooking show to push political views, or ownership in CSLoxinfo, politicians should follow laws like the rest of us and the popularity card should be meaningless.

If we operate under popularity, should we therefore give all celebs the right to drive around and kill people without consequence because they are popular? Or cheat in exams? Or sell drugs illegally?

hold up - we do that already ;-)

AS for quoting from Singapore Straits Times, a country well known for lack of freedom of the press and staunch TRT supporters willing to buy AIS without even doing due diligence based on the close relationship between LKY and Thaksin, I would have expected nothing less than this poorly written trash posing as a fair and balanced report. That's about as good as ASTV 5555555555555555555555 so I guess we can watch both to get the true view.

The inside word I have is they were a bit disappointed at the result; the wave of popularity simply isn't there to get him back in.

AS for the comment about Jakapop Penkair, I can only assume the people he is signing autographs for have not yet seen or heard what he said in Thai in LA.

Edited November 3, 2008 by steveromagnino

[Journalist]

How can anyone be a 'Dictator' in Thailand without the support of....

Military

Monarchy

Urban intelligensia

Courts

None of which were a prop to his government.

People can parrot the word as often as they like and squeal it from the rooftops, getting throughly over-excited on a monday morning.

But he quite obviously (as events subsequently bore out - considering how relatively easy it was to remove him) .....was not a Dictator.

[AlKing]

The Straits Times has an interesting account of the evening.There were some accompanying photographs which I have not copied.

Nirmal Ghosh

Thailand Correspondent Thaksin therapy

November 02, 2008 Sunday, 04:41 PM

Nirmal Ghosh asks if Saturday's event has changed the Thai political equation.

The Straits Time is Singaporean. I suppose they are a little bias becuase they (the Singapore Govt) bought Shin from Thaksin.

However the BBC is not bias. Here is a quote: "The crowd was far larger than any the PAD has managed to attract" http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7704486.stm

I have a feeling that this is the beginning of the end for PAD.

[steveromagnino]

However the BBC is not bias. Here is a quote: "The crowd was far larger than any the PAD has managed to attract" http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7704486.stm

I have a feeling that this is the beginning of the end for PAD.

I don't deny the size of the crowd.

However, 100k on either side is nothing.

The key thing is he no longer has 30+ million people like he did to support his asset declaration.

I agree...I hope this is the start of the death of PAD....but also of PPP and perhaps will give rise to someone, anyone to stand up and actually want to run the country for the good of the people...not of themselves.

Right now the lack of leaders is frigging scary.

[Samuian]

.....edit.... 'but he was elected' comments. Anyone elected still must follow laws and rules the same as the rest of us. Whether they are laws regarding rape, assault or other crimininal charges; or specific laws regarding codes of conduct in a job elected or otherwise, playing the popular card as occurred in the asset declaration case (where Thaksin was acquitted despite a decision of "4 no jurisdiction", "4 no requisite intent", and "7 guilty", and where people were saying if the Constitutional Court dared to overturn the will of the people, there could have been riots) should not influence a court which must base the decision on the letter of the law, not some second rate popularity contest.

That's the thing of the entire dog and pony show with under 100,000 people turning up; he is trying to play the popularity card,...... edit..

...edit.......

If we operate under popularity, should we therefore give all celebs the right to drive around and kill people without consequence because they are popular? Or cheat in exams? Or sell drugs illegally?

Like in Elvis on a shooting spree, looting the Fed and after giving a live performance in Madison square garden and getting standing ovations for hours and shouting crowds "Elvis for President, Elvis for....!"

see todays Bangkok Post comment:

Thaksin's speech has reinforced his doubters' belief that he has not changed - and will never change. He is the same old Thaksin, before the coup and after the coup - a man who blames everyone else but himself for the misfortunes that have befallen him and his family.

is all really needed to say about takky's show...

[Journalist]

see todays Bangkok Post comment:

Thaksin's speech has reinforced his doubters' belief that he has not changed - and will never change. He is the same old Thaksin, before the coup and after the coup - a man who blames everyone else but himself for the misfortunes that have befallen him and his family.

is all really needed to say about takky's show...

Is it really so surprising that a leopard doesn't change his spots. ...."Oh my golly, he hasn't changed a bit...I thought he'd have leanred a wise lesson."

Look how difficult, nay impossible it is to influence the opinion of the most binary, simple hearted member of any forum and one can see why his ideology and self-belief remains unshakeable .

[animatic]

Right now Chamlong Srimuang seems to think he can dictate who should and should not be the Prime Minister. I can't see where he gets his legitimacy from.

At least he has a history bringing down Gen.Suchinda successfully!

Still nobody is really doing anything much about him or any other leader in the PAD, strange isn't it?

Seems that there is a silent acceptance, for the PAD as a counterweight, for much needed check and balance, regarding the proper governance of this country.

While the current government seems busy to do everything possible to show that the PAD's presence is

somewhat legitimate, at least rectified by this governments performance!

PAD cannot be brought down. It has a very strong backing from ... ..... (sorry i cannot mention, know want to re-register again).

Yes exactly.

Plus ying-yang, left-right, up-down, good-bad.

Can't have one without the other.

A needed counter balance for the current government,

which clearly left on it's own would NOT be serving the public good.

There so far has not been a move made that isn't self-serving,

or looking at making leverage for the next election, again self-serving.

Thaksin can ask for forgiveness,

but FIRST needs to show some contrition, that he apparently is incapable of feeling.

You can whine all you want about evil elites and bla bla bla,

but you MUST wonder why so many strong hands don't dare to DIRECTLY

raise them up at PAD. Only nut case lackeys and extremists are making noise.

If they did it would likely TAR them so badly with the pubkic,

no Kamnan's leaning could get a vote for them ever again.

And Thaksin's own words and actions are exactly what brought him low.

[animatic]

ASTV delivers many wrong information and is an anti-government channel.

Why, would you have had us watch ITV back in the day (Shin owned), Channel 3 (supported by Maleenont family, part of TRT), Channel 5 (run by army placed there by the Shinwatras) or Channel 7 (controlled via AIS marketing budget) or perhaps you now prefer we watch NBT (reports directly to the PM's office, rebranded by PPP's Jakapop Penkair before his fall from grace, all airtime content providers had to present to him personally showing what they had said positive about TRT, negative about coup, positive about Thaksin, any neutrality was punished, you have to be pro PPP to have time). Or maybe to say something then face the risk of getting sued as was commonplace back then?

ASTV is indeed trash.

However, so are all the other stations.

The truth may set you free.....but you won't hear any truth listening to anything from Senor Thaksin. You won't do much better listening to PAD either.

And BTW just a reminder to all those, 'but he was elected' comments. Anyone elected still must follow laws and rules the same as the rest of us. Whether they are laws regarding rape, assault or other crimininal charges; or specific laws regarding codes of conduct in a job elected or otherwise, playing the popular card as occurred in the asset declaration case (where Thaksin was acquitted despite a decision of "4 no jurisdiction", "4 no requisite intent", and "7 guilty", and where people were saying if the Constitutional Court dared to rule against him, there could have been riots) should not influence a court which must base the decision on the letter of the law, not some second rate popularity contest.

That's the thing of the entire dog and pony show with under 100,000 people turning up; he is trying to play the popularity card or asking for a royal intervention, knowing full well that there will no comment from the other side (after all he lied to the person's face about quitting politics, so he probably should not expect too much and especially given that the person is non partisan officially as shown by the willingness to swear in Somchai Wongsawat, who really has all the makings of a total corrupt twit, but still got sworn in nonetheless).

Whether illegally using a cooking show to push political views, or ownership in CSLoxinfo, politicians should follow laws like the rest of us and the popularity card should be meaningless.

If we operate under popularity, should we therefore give all celebs the right to drive around and kill people without consequence because they are popular? Or cheat in exams? Or sell drugs illegally?

hold up - we do that already ;-)

AS for quoting from Singapore Straits Times, a country well known for lack of freedom of the press and staunch TRT supporters willing to buy AIS without even doing due diligence based on the close relationship between LKY and Thaksin, I would have expected nothing less than this poorly written trash posing as a fair and balanced report. That's about as good as ASTV 5555555555555555555555 so I guess we can watch both to get the true view.

The inside word I have is they were a bit disappointed at the result; the wave of popularity simply isn't there to get him back in.

AS for the comment about Jakapop Penkair, I can only assume the people he is signing autographs for have not yet seen or heard what he said in Thai in LA.

Hear hear.

I can't comment more, Steve did it all too well already.

[animatic]

How can anyone be a 'Dictator' in Thailand without the support of....

Military

Monarchy

Urban intelligensia

Courts

None of which were a prop to his government.

People can parrot the word as often as they like and squeal it from the rooftops, getting throughly over-excited on a monday morning.

But he quite obviously (as events subsequently bore out - considering how relatively easy it was to remove him) .....was not a Dictator.

He wasn't YET, but he had goals for the future.

You can read it on his own words.

One goal was for a future we can't discuss...

[younghusband]

AS for quoting from Singapore Straits Times, a country well known for lack of freedom of the press.... I would have expected nothing less than this poorly written trash posing as a fair and balanced report.

Here we go again.George Orwell pointed out long ago that those who disliked his opinions always stated his books and articles were poorly written.As it happens, and with all due modesty I am quite well placed to assess, and leaving out all comment on content, Nirmal Ghosh writes rather elegantly and clearly.

The fact of the matter is that Steve, whom I normally respect, has lost his composure here so that his post is mostly just a rant.The advice I always give in cases like this where the poster is clearly intelligent and well informed but has momentarily "lost it" is to cool down.The most devastating attacks I have seen on Thaksin have always been calm, incisive and fact based.

[unforgiven]

Can I be first to start the rumour that people were paid Bht 200, supplied with transport and given food to attend - the money was under the seats

That's been their M.O( motis operandie) since inception.Well used strategy in americas rural areas....................new aplication different dog>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ha ha wake up!

[Journalist]

How can anyone be a 'Dictator' in Thailand without the support of....

Military

Monarchy

Urban intelligensia

Courts

None of which were a prop to his government.

People can parrot the word as often as they like and squeal it from the rooftops, getting throughly over-excited on a monday morning.

But he quite obviously (as events subsequently bore out - considering how relatively easy it was to remove him) .....was not a Dictator.

He wasn't YET, but he had goals for the future.

You can read it on his own words.

One goal was for a future we can't discuss...

Ok, I hear what you're saying. If you have them, can you please PM me those comments about this stated ambition or point me in the right direction.

Have been trying to get an interview with him, but far from easy to pin down.

[unforgiven]

AS for quoting from Singapore Straits Times, a country well known for lack of freedom of the press.... I would have expected nothing less than this poorly written trash posing as a fair and balanced report.

Here we go again.George Orwell pointed out long ago that those who disliked his opinions always stated his books and articles were poorly written.As it happens, and with all due modesty I am quite well placed to assess, and leaving out all comment on content, Nirmal Ghosh writes rather elegantly and clearly.

The fact of the matter is that Steve, whom I normally respect, has lost his composure here so that his post is mostly just a rant.The advice I always give in cases like this where the poster is clearly intelligent and well informed but has momentarily "lost it" is to cool down.The most devastating attacks I have seen on Thaksin have always been calm, incisive and fact based.

here.. here!!!!

[TAWP]

AS for quoting from Singapore Straits Times, a country well known for lack of freedom of the press.... I would have expected nothing less than this poorly written trash posing as a fair and balanced report.

Here we go again.George Orwell pointed out long ago that those who disliked his opinions always stated his books and articles were poorly written.As it happens, and with all due modesty I am quite well placed to assess, and leaving out all comment on content, Nirmal Ghosh writes rather elegantly and clearly.

The fact of the matter is that Steve, whom I normally respect, has lost his composure here so that his post is mostly just a rant.The advice I always give in cases like this where the poster is clearly intelligent and well informed but has momentarily "lost it" is to cool down.The most devastating attacks I have seen on Thaksin have always been calm, incisive and fact based.

It's really sad that you are so one-eyed that you have to attribute one of the more stable poster's post here a labels of 'rant' just because you couldn't find any easy pot-shots in his post.

However, unlike you and your claim towards Steve, I wouldn't say that your style is any different from the many other hundreds of posts you have produced in the same style.

[jayjayjayjay]

Could 90,000 of these fit in Rajamangla stadium?

in referrence to your question, no, but they do fit into gov house grounds

[sriracha john]

Have been trying to get an interview with him, but far from easy to pin down.

If you follow her lead, you need to go to London... cry a lot in front of him... but in the end, you'll end up with not just an interview, but an entire book deal...

Government sources said Thaksin arrived in Hong Kong yesterday, where he will record an eight-minute message for today's gathering of his supporters.

*London...Cambodia...Chiang Rai...and now, Hong Kong, sheesh... here's that book from one of Thaksin's girlfriend...

[Jai Dee]

Thaksin call fails to sway critics

Reference to royal mercy seen as 'presumptuous, disrespectful'

Ousted prime minister and fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra should repent if he truly seeks forgiveness and reconciliation, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday.

"It is unfortunate that Thaksin appears determined to sway [public] sentiment instead of showing remorse, although he should seriously reflect on his performance," he said.

Abhisit and many Thaksin opponents have voiced strong disapproval for his defiance of his conviction for conflict of interest in the Ratchadaphisek land case.

Thaksin has also come under criticism for what is seen as his presumptuousness in saying during his phone-in on Saturday that nothing can bring him back from exile except royal mercy and the will of the people.

Former graft buster Sak Korsaengruang said Thaksin had overestimated himself by trampling on the law and the judicial system.

"As a rich man, Thaksin can pay for signatures to endorse his petition for royal intervention to save himself," he said, arguing that Thaksin is misleading the public with his perceived injustice when he subscribes to legal manipulations.

He said if Thaksin had no confidence in the judiciary, then he should not try to sue his opponents, including members of the Assets Examination Committee.

Former AEC member Udom Fuangfung said he would not react to the remarks of Thaksin, who is a convict.

Thaksin's spokesman Pongthep Thepkanchana said there were no plans to petition for a royal pardon for the ex-premier. There might be a misunderstanding because Thaksin did not mention seeking amnesty, he said.

He said he saw no repercussions from Thaksin's phone-in on Saturday.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said he did not keep tabs on Thaksin's remarks, so he was not in a position to comment.

"From what I was told, the rally was peaceful and the crowds dispersed in an orderly manner after Thaksin's call-in," he said.

The National Police chief and the Metropolitan Police commissioner both assured him that the situation was under control, he said, allaying concerns about a violent clash of opposing crowds as had been feared.

People's Alliance for Democracy co-leader Pipop Thongchai said Thaksin's remarks drove a deeper wedge in society.

"Social divisions, particularly among the grassroots people, have widened," he said.

PAD co-leader Chamlong Srimuang said Thaksin was disrespectful when he tried to link his return to the revered institution.

PAD spokesman Suriyasai Katasila said Thaksin was trying to sow distrust by convincing his supporters that royal intercession could end or prolong his exile.

Democrat Party spokesman Buranat Samutharak said the ex-premier should serve his two-year jail term in order to pave way for the petitioning for a royal pardon.

The turmoil will persist so long as Thaksin fails to realise that the more he tries to sway sentiment, the deeper the political rifts, he said.

Democrat MP Thaworn Senniam said Thaksin acted selfishly for trying to whitewash himself at the expense of society.

Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the military would not speculate on the meaning of what Thaksin said. Army chief General Anupong Paochinda had no specific instructions on the matter, he said.

Law Society of Thailand president Det-udom Krairit said it was up to the courts to rule whether Thaksin's remarks could be construed as contempt.

Source: The Nation - 03 November 2008

[Plus]

How can anyone be a 'Dictator' in Thailand without the support of....

Military

Monarchy

Urban intelligensia

Courts

What a confusing question!

First of all, dictators don't need support, they need control to stay in power, that's why they are dictators.

- Thaksin's cousin was made Army Chief in those days and promoted his boys above everyone else.

- We can't talk about support from monarchy, but Thaksin's desire to get a foot in those doors was not very well hidden.

- I can't even begin to understand why support of the urban intelligensia's is needed to be a dictator. They are usually the first ones against the wall when new dictators come, and first ones on the barricades when it's time for dictators to go.

- courts is only one part of judicial branch, Thaksin had complete control over police and prosecution, there were no cases for courts to consider to begin with, and only a few courts dared to take up cases against his administration, notably Administrative Court. When the question of Shin sale came up - the courts simply refused to consider it, and so people took to the streetsas there was not a single venue for seeking justice left in the country.

[sriracha john]

Thaksin call fails to sway critics

Reference to royal mercy seen as 'presumptuous, disrespectful'

Thaksin's spokesman Pongthep Thepkanchana said there were no plans to petition for a royal pardon for the ex-premier. There might be a misunderstanding because Thaksin did not mention seeking amnesty, he said.

Just when will, if ever, Pongthep clearly explain what Thaksin DID mean by...

"ไม่มีใครที่จะเอาผมกลับประเทศไทยได้หรอก นอกจากพระบารมีที่จะทรงมีพระเมตตา หรือไม่ก็พลังของพี่น้องประชาชนทุกท่าน จริงไหมครับ" อดีตนายกรัฐมนตรี กล่าว

Matichon.

Supposedly this is the Thai version which I would translate as meaning HM the King rather than Royal and as saying "if not the King's pardon then the power of the people".

[LuckyFive8888]

only thaksin can really explain what he meant... the message is the same, 'it's not my fault'.

what i don't get is that he always try to involve the revered institution that has nothing to do with him and his politics, OR is he trying to say it does???? - that's very direspectful indeed!

Edited November 3, 2008 by LuckyFive8888

[clausewitz]

AS for quoting from Singapore Straits Times, a country well known for lack of freedom of the press.... I would have expected nothing less than this poorly written trash posing as a fair and balanced report.

The fact of the matter is that Steve, whom I normally respect, has lost his composure here so that his post is mostly just a rant.

Steve attacks the press if they hint of not supporting his pals in PAD. I think the idea of real democracy rankles many Thai's in bangkok. Steve:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Battle-Popul...il-t215630.html

I grew up in NZ so I am well familiar with the Herald, the lack of knowledge of most of their reporters. I also know they work for not much money and often would like to learn; that's why to some degree I've been surprised an offer extended to this writer has not been taken up, but I digress.....

Note the Herald is new zealnds leading newspaper, the Strait Times is Singapore's. But then he feels the Economist is also a rag for not supporting PAD(he hasn't weighed in on Time yet, which also came down on PAD)

Edited November 3, 2008 by clausewitz

[AlKing]

Can I be first to start the rumour that people were paid Bht 200, supplied with transport and given food to attend - the money was under the seats

I am not surprise IF it is true, infact, I believe it is true. However it is far less that 300 to 500 calimed to be paid by PAD (free food & tax free).

On the other hand, if I am employed to put 200 under every seat, I would just put 100, even skip some seats, keeping the balance for myself. Also, I would video the whole process as evidents, and email Thaksin the clip to ask for a 10 million pound random. Else I will post the clip in youtube.

[sriracha john]

Thaksin, believed to be making the call from Hong Kong, said he was suffering from karma not of his making.

Chamlong Warns Thaksin Not to Distort Karma Teaching

PAD Leader Chamlong Srimuang is warning ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra not to distort Buddhist teachings by referring his downfall to the karma that he did not deserve.

He said that Thaksin’s claim during his telephone address on Saturday, which suggested that he is facing the karma of a sin he did not commit, was a distortion of Buddhist teachings.

As a prominent Buddhist practitioner, Chamlong said the most certain things in life are aging, sickness, death, farewell, and karma.

He then stated that people have to pay for the karma they owe, therefore, it is undeniable that Thaksin is facing his own due.

Chamlong also said that Thaksin’s karma has caught up with him sooner than he believed, as the Thai court just sentenced him behind bars for two years for conflict of interest, while his brother-in-law is now implicated in adultery rumors.

He advises PM Somchai Wongsawat to come clean or deny the rumors as soon as possible because staying mum could be interpreted as guilt.

- TOC / 2008-11-03

[Scott]

I, for one, would certainly not believe that someone as high ranking as the PM would be involved in something as sorid as adultery! Surely this never happens here, or anywhere else for that matter!

By the way, I thought Karma was something happens after you die?

[jayjayjayjay]

~ snip ~

As are their editors who routinely fill this Website with their garbage.

nice little kick in the guts there TG,,,,,,, good one.

[Plus]

That was his parting shot, too. At the moment Thaigene is banned.

For kicks in the guts, as JJJ attested.

[Koo82]

Which nicely balances the Pro-goverrnment STATIONS

that also deliver much wrong information.

ying-yang, left-right, up-down, good-bad.

Can't have one without the other.

I prefer the NBT. They tell the truth with evidence in a calm manner, unlike the ASTV.

[Plus]

Why do you think that what NBT tells is the truth, Koo?