Abhisit Vejjajiva Elected New Prime Minister Of Thailand

[MyphuketLife]

If I reply to your posts, will you reply to mine that was posted BEFORE yours? Or are you going to continue to avoid all hard questions by posting trite counter-questions that is besides the point.

Really feel no need to answer them unless you first confirm that you will indeed respond to the questions posed to you.

look up two posts...

you didn't answer --- you just avoided answering .. again

Explain to us all how this was a silent 'coupe' (sic)

self edit/removed negative comments...

but look down for some good reasons i am inclided to agree it was a silent coup

Edited December 17, 2008 by MyphuketLife

[permanent_disorder]

The 'Silent Coup'

Thailand calms, but maybe not for long.

Wall Street Journal Asia

Thailand's transition to a new government looks set to be completed within days. This is a welcome sign of normalcy in a country that's been wracked by unrest for months. But Thailand's democratic system remains deeply -- perhaps fatally -- wounded.

Yesterday Parliament elected Abhisit Vejjajiva, the leader of the Democrat Party, as the country's next prime minister. His coalition government plans to announce its cabinet appointments within six days. This will bring much-needed stability in the short term. But in the longer term, Mr. Abhisit's coalition is unlikely to resolve the fundamental conflicts that brought about this month's "silent coup" and may have trouble holding on to its tenuous grasp on power.

Mr. Abhisit's government has come to power by riding the dangerous wave of antidemocratic protest that brought the country to a standstill earlier this month. The previous government, loyal to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was ousted by a combination of violent street protesters, with whom the military and police were largely complicit, and an activist judiciary operating under laws written by the military leaders who ruled from 2006-2007.

To get here, Mr. Abhisit's party has done what some describe as a "deal with the devil," luring away pro-Thaksin MPs by offering them important cabinet portfolios and undermining the Democrats' ability to steer policy. This fragile coalition appears to be united only by its desire to be in power. On top of that, the coalition has a slender parliamentary majority -- Mr. Abhisit was elected by a margin of 237-198 -- and by-elections next month will make that majority even slimmer.

The immediate task of the new government will be to help Thailand weather effects of the global financial crisis. Thai officials forecast GDP growth of 2% or less next year, and Thailand's tourism sector, which comprises around 6% of GDP, has been hurt by the recent airport occupations that stranded thousands of travelers. Mr. Abhisit, an Oxford-educated economist, says he will lead his economic team himself, and previously suggested that Thailand needs a large-scale stimulus package.

In the long term, however, the government must consider how to restore the power of elected officials and make Thailand a real democracy again. Elected politicians' roles have been undermined both by the 2006 coup, and by the military-imposed constitution, which mandates that only half the Senate is elected. Mr. Abhisit and his party have in the past said they would support constitutional amendments that would give more power to elected politicians. But given the fragile state of their coalition and the threat that anti-Thaksin protesters, who oppose such amendments, would return, they're unlikely to pursue this agenda.

Mr. Abhisit is Thailand's third prime minister in as many months. While he has the support of the military and the Bangkok elite, it will be difficult for him to win over pro-Thaksin rural voters, who remain angry at ouster of the duly elected government. Thailand's recent turmoil has been a battle between those who benefit from democracy, and those who don't. For now, the latter group is winning. Mr. Abhisit, despite his best intentions, may not be able to do much about that.

Wall Street Journal , DECEMBER 15, 2008.

[MyphuketLife]

Err...2 posts above 'this' (your post here) is jdinasia's reply and his answers to those questions.

How about you do it?

So you agree with JD answers 100% cool.

I did answer why I was inclided to agree it was a silent coupe.... You don't agree as you already responded.

But have failed to answer simple yes no questions... Anyway this is all pointless. Reds break laws its wrong, yellows break laws its ok... fine.

[grandpops]

Wall street journal!

Thats on top of BBC, Al Jazeera, Fox, CNN, Telegraph, Reuters, Times on line, AP,

Kept the PAD tag team off here most of yesterday.

Any quotes from ASTV SR John? Any delights you care to snip from Manger on line! Thought not.

The whole world sees this for what it is... a Coup. And a poorly managed one at that. One that took them over two years to get their man in place, even with their own constitution, courts and election bodies... two years. shame

Once, the Dems are voted out next time, it will be even harder to get them back in. Even the most un-savvy of this lot must now realise they need to be attractive to the rural poor to gain even a semlance of respect.

Whilst Democrat spokesmen can still go on camera and say "The people of the North East are the servants of those in Bangkok" We will all mistrust them.

[MyphuketLife]

Whilst i think that your post is well constructed, it does not detract from the fact that the PAD are not a political party, if the PAD had the balls to create a political party, get voted in to power, then they could ligitimately press for changes...

Not at all. They demanded the government following the laws and doing what is was consitutionally obliged to do - it's the right, and in fact the duty, of every responsible citizen.

You don't need to be win elections to demand that government upholds the rule of law.

If you mean "new politics" proposal, then yes, you have a point, but PAD didn't take over airports to install new politics.

Their fight is against Thaksin and his proxies, new politics is just an idea of a system that would prevent such political confrontations from happening in the first place.

I agree with your sentiments, i just don't agree with the way the PAD went about it!

FF

I agree also, in fact I have stated in other threads that the PAD's stated intentions of removing corruption was admirable, but the actions they took to get what they wanted was wrong. You can’t remove corruption by being corrupt and breaking laws to do it.

But I guess the PRO-PAD have the Bush mentality here “either you support the war in IRAQ or you don’t support our troops”

So if you don’t agree that taking 4 airports, kidnapping police, taking tv stations, stopping trains, overtaking government builds was all ok, then you must be a Thaksin supporter…

Edited December 17, 2008 by MyphuketLife

[TAWP]

Err...2 posts above 'this' (your post here) is jdinasia's reply and his answers to those questions.

How about you do it?

So you agree with JD answers 100% cool.

I did answer why I was inclided to agree it was a silent coupe.... You don't agree as you already responded.

But have failed to answer simple yes no questions... Anyway this is all pointless. Reds break laws its wrong, yellows break laws its ok... fine.

No, I don't agree with JD. Nor have I claimed so. Your dishonesty knows no limits.

No, you hadn't - at the time my post was written - responded in any way why you thought it was a silent coup.

At least we reached the point that you at least admit that when you wrote 'people' it included you too and the response to that was correct. No need to hide behind 'I was only reporting'.

Anyone that breaks laws should answer for it. I'm waiting for Thaksin to own up to it.

[Thanh-BKK]

Imagine the following situation:

The country is in a deadlock. The government, which came to power not through democratic vote but through rampant vote buying (as has been observed and verified) does not give a dam_n for economy or people and it's ONLY agenda is to resurrect one (!) person, who is on the run from the law, a convicted criminal who jumped bail and faces jail as soon as he returns to Thailand.

Yet that man is filthy rich and has the financial power to dictate a whole government to his will. The masses are blindfolded and bribed by 100-Baht-notes at the polling station so they will for ever love this man and won't see all his wrongs, probably because they didn't affect them personally.

Peaceful protests against this situation have been staged for months without effect as the government doesn't care.

So, under THOSE circumstance:

Is it ok to take 4 airports? YES

Is it ok to take the seaport? YES

Is it ok to shut down train service? YES

Is it ok to shoot at TV vans? NO!

Is it ok to overtake a TV station? YES

Is it ok to throw bombs at people? NO!

Is it ok to throw rocks at cars? NO!

Is it ok to block the government voting? YES

Is it ok to kidnap police? NO!

Is it ok to buy votes? NO!

Is it ok to seek the advice of a guy that was banned from politics? NO!

In fact, other countries even in "The Civilized World" are getting, rather regularly, shut down almost entirely by general strikes which can have either political or economic topics. I have personally witnessed (spelling?) one such general strike where there was NO public transport, NO banking, NO post, NO waste disposal, faults in telecommunication, water or electricity supply were NOT fixed et cetera (and ALL manufacturing industries/plants were shut down, although that didn't effect me)..... reason? Labour unions were demanding 0.8 (yes, zero point eight) per cent higher wages! The situation lasted for over one week.

PAD has a long way to go to become "civilized" and get REAL action going.

Oh, by the way, nobody at all was hurt during that strike, because police, fire fighters and medical services are exempted from any sort of strike.

Best regards.....

Thanh

[baht&sold]

Wall street journal!

Thats on top of BBC, Al Jazeera, Fox, CNN, Telegraph, Reuters, Times on line, AP,

Kept the PAD tag team off here most of yesterday.

Any quotes from ASTV SR John? Any delights you care to snip from Manger on line! Thought not.

The whole world sees this for what it is... a Coup. And a poorly managed one at that. One that took them over two years to get their man in place, even with their own constitution, courts and election bodies... two years. shame

Once, the Dems are voted out next time, it will be even harder to get them back in. Even the most un-savvy of this lot must now realise they need to be attractive to the rural poor to gain even a semlance of respect.

Whilst Democrat spokesmen can still go on camera and say "The people of the North East are the servants of those in Bangkok" We will all mistrust them.

All being fed 'talking points' (as their facts are scant in reality) from Thaksin's new PR machine no doubt, run by Sam Moon, long time 'BusinessWeek' and 'The Economist' partner. Mr T + bags of cash + a palette to paint = distortions of facts.

Meanwhile, regarding other distortions that the Dems will ignore the grassroots:

Government to continue populist agenda

The Democrat-led coalition government will stick with Thaksin-style populist polices in tackling the country's economic slump, which it believes could be worse than the 1997 financial crisis.

continues here: www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=135443

PS: not a member of any tag-team, simply wish Thailand to finally go forward. Others wish otherwise. To each their own...

[jbowman1993]

I'm sure most of you would rather have Pracha, Snoh, Charlerm, Chaiya, or any other of the Shinacrap family in power them, right?

I'll take the less of two evils every time.

[MyphuketLife]

No, I don't agree with JD. Nor have I claimed so. Your dishonesty knows no limits.

No, you hadn't - at the time my post was written - responded in any way why you thought it was a silent coup.

At least we reached the point that you at least admit that when you wrote 'people' it included you too and the response to that was correct. No need to hide behind 'I was only reporting'.

Anyone that breaks laws should answer for it. I'm waiting for Thaksin to own up to it.

Look post 580 you responded to my answer then in post 586 you stated I had not answered, how could I have not answered if you replied to my answer in your post #580?. also in 586 you told me to look a JDs post for the answers to my quesitons so natural I thought those were also your answers..

Also I have said inclined to agree, but you don't seam to grasp the "inclined" part of my statement, I am not hiding behind anything.

I was not dishonest at all. but you have still failed to answer the questions.

[jdinasia]

Either its illegal or not.

Under what circumstances is taking an airport ok?

You think taking over a TV station to silent the voice of poeple that oppose your actions is ok? So any news station that reports good things about PAD or report negitave about the REDs, it would be within the RED's right to overtake those news stations?

The train service was shut down because the PAD wanted it, it was not a strike, the employees were not fighting wage, or healthcare, or anything job related, so you can not honestly say it was a strike and not PAD supporters.

Kidnapping of police did happen here: happened here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=132378

I don't know the advice that was asked, but one can assume that the two politians were not talking about what flowers to plant in the garden. (although roses are nice )

So you think everything is black and white ---

apparently you do not understand strikes either.

and you never answer direct questions put to you. Sad

Do I believe in civil disobedience? YES

BTW if the police don't see it as kidnapping then how can you?

If you think things are black and white then how do you justify calling the situation here a 'silent coupe' (sic)?

[Guest Reimar]

House speaker to ask royal endorsement on Abhisit this afternoon.

House speaker Chai Chidchob said Wedensday he will be granted an audience with HM the King this afternoon to ask for royal endorsement for Abhisit Vejjajiva to be prime minister.

The event is scheduled at 5pm.

Abhisit, democrat party leader, won votes in the parliament on December 15 to become new prime minister of Thailand.

The Nation

[Guest Reimar]

PM-elect Abhisit to address on TV tonight

By The Nation

PM-elect Abhisit Vejjajiva will make a televised speech on Wednesday night to outline his government's platforms and guidelines, Democrat Party spokesman Buranat Samutarak said.

House speaker Chai Chidchob is scheduled to be granted an audience with HM the King at 5pm to ask for royal endorsement for Abhisit to be prime minister.

After that, Chai will go to Democrat party's headquarter where the ceremony for Abhisit to receive the royal command will take place.

All television channels will air his speech via TV Pool.

Abhisit, democrat party leader, won votes in the parliament on December 15 to become new prime minister of Thailand.

[MyphuketLife]

Imagine the following situation:

The country is in a deadlock. The government, which came to power not through democratic vote but through rampant vote buying (as has been observed and verified) does not give a dam_n for economy or people and it's ONLY agenda is to resurrect one (!) person, who is on the run from the law, a convicted criminal who jumped bail and faces jail as soon as he returns to Thailand.

Yet that man is filthy rich and has the financial power to dictate a whole government to his will. The masses are blindfolded and bribed by 100-Baht-notes at the polling station so they will for ever love this man and won't see all his wrongs, probably because they didn't affect them personally.

Peaceful protests against this situation have been staged for months without effect as the government doesn't care.

So, under THOSE circumstance:

Is it ok to take 4 airports? YES

Is it ok to take the seaport? YES

Is it ok to shut down train service? YES

Is it ok to shoot at TV vans? NO!

Is it ok to overtake a TV station? YES

Is it ok to throw bombs at people? NO!

Is it ok to throw rocks at cars? NO!

Is it ok to block the government voting? YES

Is it ok to kidnap police? NO!

Is it ok to buy votes? NO!

Is it ok to seek the advice of a guy that was banned from politics? NO!

In fact, other countries even in "The Civilized World" are getting, rather regularly, shut down almost entirely by general strikes which can have either political or economic topics. I have personally witnessed (spelling?) one such general strike where there was NO public transport, NO banking, NO post, NO waste disposal, faults in telecommunication, water or electricity supply were NOT fixed et cetera (and ALL manufacturing industries/plants were shut down, although that didn't effect me)..... reason? Labour unions were demanding 0.8 (yes, zero point eight) per cent higher wages! The situation lasted for over one week.

PAD has a long way to go to become "civilized" and get REAL action going.

Oh, by the way, nobody at all was hurt during that strike, because police, fire fighters and medical services are exempted from any sort of strike.

Best regards.....

Thanh

I don't agree and that’s fine, I don't think either will change the other persons mind. I can say I have a very very very small understanding of why people think shutting down the airport was ok. I understand the argument but do not agree with the argument at all.

The one thing I cannot even understand the argument, is why it is OK to overtake TV stations? It is ok to silence people that don't agree with your actions?

[TAWP]

No, I don't agree with JD. Nor have I claimed so. Your dishonesty knows no limits.

No, you hadn't - at the time my post was written - responded in any way why you thought it was a silent coup.

At least we reached the point that you at least admit that when you wrote 'people' it included you too and the response to that was correct. No need to hide behind 'I was only reporting'.

Anyone that breaks laws should answer for it. I'm waiting for Thaksin to own up to it.

Look post 580 you responded to my answer then in post 586 you stated I had not answered, how could I have not answered if you replied to my answer in your post #580?. also in 586 you told me to look a JDs post for the answers to my quesitons so natural I thought those were also your answers..

Also I have said inclined to agree, but you don't seam to grasp the "inclined" part of my statement, I am not hiding behind anything.

I was not dishonest at all. but you have still failed to answer the questions.

You mean your factual incorrect statement that PADs closing on Suvanapumi created the new PM in #580 was your answer?

And no, I didn't tell you to look at #586 for my answer...I have no idea where you got that idea from.

With your logic I have already answered your questions by stating that anyone that breaks the law should answer to it.

[Jai Dee]

London mayor in tribute to Thai PM-elect

The Mayor of London has paid tribute to his fellow Eton schoolmate, Abhisit Vejjajiva, who has become the new prime minister of Thailand, UK media reported Wednesday.

Abhisit, 44, who is also known as Mark, was born in Newcastle to Thai parents and attended Eton and Oxford University before becoming Thailand's premier.

London Mayor Boris Johnson said: "Mark is a man of intense integrity and high intellectual gifts."

Democrat party leader Abhisit won votes in the Parliament on Monday, becoming the fourth party leader to the position.

Source: The Nation - 17 December 2008

[MyphuketLife]

Either its illegal or not.

Under what circumstances is taking an airport ok?

You think taking over a TV station to silent the voice of poeple that oppose your actions is ok? So any news station that reports good things about PAD or report negitave about the REDs, it would be within the RED's right to overtake those news stations?

The train service was shut down because the PAD wanted it, it was not a strike, the employees were not fighting wage, or healthcare, or anything job related, so you can not honestly say it was a strike and not PAD supporters.

Kidnapping of police did happen here: happened here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=132378

I don't know the advice that was asked, but one can assume that the two politians were not talking about what flowers to plant in the garden. (although roses are nice )

So you think everything is black and white ---

apparently you do not understand strikes either.

and you never answer direct questions put to you. Sad

Do I believe in civil disobedience? YES

BTW if the police don't see it as kidnapping then how can you?

If you think things are black and white then how do you justify calling the situation here a 'silent coupe' (sic)?

Look I did answer, go look. Is everything black and white, NO. Do I think its ok to shut down airports for political reasons NO.

Do I understand strikes NO, if you are not happy with your job for what ever reason quit, don't hold the company hostage to get what you want. No one forces you to take said job if its that bad quit and find a job that offers what you want... simple really.

as far as kidnapping did the police make a statement that it was not kidnapping? but kidnapping is "the unlawful act of capturing and carrying away a person against their will and holding them in false imprisonment " So tell me how them taking the police against the polices will does not fit??? Spin away

[grandpops]

I'm sure most of you would rather have Pracha, Snoh, Charlerm, Chaiya, or any other of the Shinacrap family in power them, right?

I'll take the less of two evils every time.

I'll take democracy if its all the same to you.

You can have your Army overthrowing democratically elected governments, your Army constitution, your Army appointed Judges, your Army puppet if you like.

It's your call, but please don't pretend its anything other than that. Lets hear you defend it as such. Lets here the PAD tagteam sing the praises of this coup withoug mentioning Thaksin etc.

Come on boys, lets have it. A whole positive statement without any but Thaksins's if thaksin had/hadnot etc.

[MyphuketLife]

No, I don't agree with JD. Nor have I claimed so. Your dishonesty knows no limits.

No, you hadn't - at the time my post was written - responded in any way why you thought it was a silent coup.

At least we reached the point that you at least admit that when you wrote 'people' it included you too and the response to that was correct. No need to hide behind 'I was only reporting'.

Anyone that breaks laws should answer for it. I'm waiting for Thaksin to own up to it.

Look post 580 you responded to my answer then in post 586 you stated I had not answered, how could I have not answered if you replied to my answer in your post #580?. also in 586 you told me to look a JDs post for the answers to my quesitons so natural I thought those were also your answers..

Also I have said inclined to agree, but you don't seam to grasp the "inclined" part of my statement, I am not hiding behind anything.

I was not dishonest at all. but you have still failed to answer the questions.

You mean your factual incorrect statement that PADs closing on Suvanapumi created the new PM in #580 was your answer?

And no, I didn't tell you to look at #586 for my answer...I have no idea where you got that idea from.

With your logic I have already answered your questions by stating that anyone that breaks the law should answer to it.

Yup that was the short answer in 580, #586 you stated I had not answered your question, but to look at JD's answers to my questions.

But again you fail to answer the questions. instead you want to argue.

If you truly believe that any one that breaks the law should answer to it, then does that mean that you think the people who illegally overtook an airport (even after a court order to leave) should be introuble with the law?

[jdinasia]

again MPL is being dishonest

"it is either legal or illegal" is a black and white statement

you NEVER answered HOW is what has happened a 'silent coupe' (sic)?

[Jai Dee]

Abhisit to announce stimulus package next month

Prime minister-elect Abhisit Vejjajiva said Wednesday his government would announce economy stimulus package next month.

He said the package would include measures to cope with rising unemployment to help laid-off workers.

He said the government would base the package on inputs from business operators and employees.

Source: The Nation - 17 December 2008

[baht&sold]

The one thing I cannot even understand the argument, is why it is OK to overtake TV stations? It is ok to silence people that don't agree with your actions?

UDD protesters storm Thai PBS TV Station in Chiang Mai

TV channel accused of false reporting

(you mean like in this Bangkok Post article?)

=====================

Personally, I share in the hope by a majority here for a more optimistic future for Thailand.

However, this won't be accomplished by comparison's of lawlessness by one side or the other...

Now, can we all please move forward?

Now is the time to work towards a better path ahead, by all sides, for all sides, and ultimately for all Thailand (for a change).

[MyphuketLife]

You mean your factual incorrect statement that PADs closing on Suvanapumi created the new PM in #580 was your answer?

Can you can say with 100% certainty that not one person that voted for Abhisit did it because they were fearful of the PAD's actions if they did not vote the way the PAD wanted them to?

[MyphuketLife]

UDD protesters storm Thai PBS TV Station in Chiang Mai

TV channel accused of false reporting

(you mean like in this Bangkok Post article?)

=====================

Personally, I share in the hope by a majority here for a more optimistic future for Thailand.

However, this won't be accomplished by comparison's of lawlessness by one side or the other...

Now, can we all please move forward?

Now is the time to work towards a better path ahead, by all sides, for all sides, and ultimately for all Thailand (for a change).

Yes exactly like that or when the PAD did it.

Why can't you guys seem to grasp that I don't care if the PAD or the REDS do it... I think its wrong.... The sides do not matter to me.

And how can you make a statement like bolded above when you in the same post you are doing it.

[MyphuketLife]

again MPL is being dishonest

"it is either legal or illegal" is a black and white statement

you NEVER answered HOW is what has happened a 'silent coupe' (sic)?

Black and white correct... but with law, well thats the case. You define a set of rules, if some one follows the definitions of the rules then its legal if some one breaks the definitions its illegal.

also you asked "Do you think everything is black and white?" and I replied no. But I guess you need me to explian so "my tv shows me many colors, the grass is green sometimes brown, the sky is normally blue, the sun is yellow"

I also did state why I was inclined to believe it was a silent coup, but in case you still wonder the Wall Street Journal has a nice recap...

Edited December 17, 2008 by MyphuketLife

[TAWP]

You mean your factual incorrect statement that PADs closing on Suvanapumi created the new PM in #580 was your answer?

Can you can say with 100% certainty that not one person that voted for Abhisit did it because they were fearful of the PAD's actions if they did not vote the way the PAD wanted them to?

Uh...surely it is YOU, who are making outrages claims, that has the burden of proof?

I'm not sure what you want to reduce this forums news-section too.

[Thai at Heart]

UDD protesters storm Thai PBS TV Station in Chiang Mai

TV channel accused of false reporting

(you mean like in this Bangkok Post article?)

=====================

Personally, I share in the hope by a majority here for a more optimistic future for Thailand.

However, this won't be accomplished by comparison's of lawlessness by one side or the other...

Now, can we all please move forward?

Now is the time to work towards a better path ahead, by all sides, for all sides, and ultimately for all Thailand (for a change).

Yes exactly like that or when the PAD did it.

Why can't you guys seem to grasp that I don't care if the PAD or the REDS do it... I think its wrong.... The sides do not matter to me.

And how can you make a statement like bolded above when you in the same post you are doing it.

The inherent problem now is that what appeared good for the goose is also good for the gander. By allowing PAD free reign to act as they wished, I don't hold the UDD in disdain for their actions. The powers that pulled the strings behind the scenes throughout the PAD mess, are getting nothing more than they deserve.

[TAWP]

Yup that was the short answer in 580, #586 you stated I had not answered your question, but to look at JD's answers to my questions.

But again you fail to answer the questions. instead you want to argue.

If you truly believe that any one that breaks the law should answer to it, then does that mean that you think the people who illegally overtook an airport (even after a court order to leave) should be introuble with the law?

What?!

I didn't tell you to look at JDs post as an answer from me to your questions. Is this a language issue? In all honesty, what is your mother tongue?

And I have already answered your questions.

Now it's your turn: Explain how PADs illegal takeover of an airport made the election of a new PM a silent coup.

[MyphuketLife]

You mean your factual incorrect statement that PADs closing on Suvanapumi created the new PM in #580 was your answer?

Can you can say with 100% certainty that not one person that voted for Abhisit did it because they were fearful of the PAD's actions if they did not vote the way the PAD wanted them to?

Uh...surely it is YOU, who are making outrages claims, that has the burden of proof?

I'm not sure what you want to reduce this forums news-section too.

you thought my reason for being inclined to agree that it was a silent coup was wrong. So I asked you a question How is asking do you think... making "outrages claims"?

[Siripon]

You mean your factual incorrect statement that PADs closing on Suvanapumi created the new PM in #580 was your answer?

Can you can say with 100% certainty that not one person that voted for Abhisit did it because they were fearful of the PAD's actions if they did not vote the way the PAD wanted them to?

You must know that in Thailand the only party that is prepared to be in the opposition is the Democrats, every other party will do anything to be in the government. Now Snoh has refused to be opposition leader, don't be surprised if Pracharaj try to join the Democrats.

The PPP formed 2 governments and both failed because of fierce and often illegal protests by the PAD backed by elements in the army.

Why? Because The PPP plainly put its efforts into helping Thaksin only, when Samak tried to toe a more independent line his own party ,the PPP, turned its back on him- he could have been re-elected by them.

If the PPP had tried to govern the country as a whole and left the constitution alone the PAD protests would have gone nowhere.

So Suthep chatted up Newin, anyone can see there's no future with Thaksin, 6 law cases waiting for his return, time to move on and to a party with competent, decent politicians.

If Aphisit can offer some sweeteners to the grassroots, and of course he will, don't be surprised to see both the PAD and the red shirts soon consigned to the history books.