Abhisit Vejjajiva Elected New Prime Minister Of Thailand

[MyphuketLife]

BANGKOK (AFP) – Thailand's new prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Friday protesters who occupied government offices and blockaded Bangkok's airports should be held legally accountable for their actions.

Abhisit, just might prove to be a fare person.... Looks like he is going to hold the PAD accountable for there actions... It will be interesting to see if anything ever comes of it, or if this is just a PR stunt.

If I was one of the PAD leaders I would feel like my back just got knifed, he is going to go after the same people that put him into the PM role! Love it....

I wonder what the people who think the PAD did "nothing illegal" are going to say.

Kasit hailed the shutdown of the capital's city's international airport, which left over 200,000 passengers stranded, as a "new innovation for public protests". http://www.bangkokpost.com/191208_News/19Dec2008_news01.php

Democrat leader and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva favours Mr Kasit. He told party members he needed a foreign minister who could start work immediately he takes office.

Mr Kasit appeared as a regular guest speaker at PAD rallies which demanded the removal of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra

That's pretty heavy punishment dished out by the beloved Primeminister so far to teh PAD leadership.

So leader or speaker speaker at the rallies, and Abhisit favors him.... That to me shows that Abhisit "justice" was just a ploy, a good PR stunt to calm the otherside. Nothing will come of it....

[MyphuketLife]

This man has got completely blinded by his ideological stance, a slave to his PAD hatred.

If he disagrees with PAD he is a biased slave to his PAD hatred, if you agree with the PAD are you a biased slave to the PAD?

[sriracha john]

PTP MP Police Lieutenant-Colonel (don't confuse with Thaksin) SOMCHAI PETPRASERT

Chalerm tipped to be Opposition Leader

The Pheu Thai Party (PTP) will this evening hold a preliminary meeting to nominate the Opposition Leader, MP Somchai Paetprasert said on Friday.

Somchai said the majority of his Party's lawmakers want MP Chalerm Yoobamrung to Lead the Opposition.

- The Nation / 2008-12-19

Edited December 19, 2008 by sriracha john

[Thai at Heart]

Oh, how timely - there's another Thittinan's article in BP. This time he takes a swipe at Democrats.

There are quite a few controvercial points in that analysis:

"When a snap election was called shortly thereafter, Mr Abhisit, as opposition leader, boycotted the polls, setting in train the topsy-turvy electoral environment that induced unprecedented judicial activism and eventually brought on the military coup in September 2006."

There are lots of people who think that election boycott was a right and just thing to do.

There are also lots of people who think that "judicial activism" is nothing more than a sincere and much needed attempt at cleaning politics, and especially elections. What Thaksin did in April 2006 could not be left unpunished.

Or how about this, on Democrat results in 2007:

"resoundingly lost the election"

In fact Democrats got the highest number of MPs in their sixty year history and even beat PPP in party list votes, for their policies, the same policies that Thittinan described as follows:

"But the now-governing party dithered and trapped itself into an anti-Thaksin box, invariably deploring the Thaksin programmes and his rule without proclaiming what the Democrat party actually stood for."

>>>>

This man has got completely blinded by his ideological stance, a slave to his PAD hatred.

Got to giggle about the fact that he believe that Eton will overcome the elitest surroundings of Abhisit's demonstration school in Chula. I can see how studying with international royalty and the son's of merchant bankers and the wealthier echelons of British society has prepared him to solve the grass roots problems of Isaan rice farmers.

Strewth, Eton the lesser of the elitest schools he went to. At least he is out of touch with British education.

Edited December 19, 2008 by Thai at Heart

[Steve2UK]

This man has got completely blinded by his ideological stance

A number of us having been thinking this for some time - but not about Thittinan.

"Pot, kettle etc" must be the most over-used phrase to be found on ThaiVisa these days - pretty much devalued by now. I much prefer the "mote" and "beam" version (Mathew 7 v 3-5).

To me, the really sad thing is that you (and some others) make some good points that should be taken into account when trying to form a balanced view of a complex situation. But (such a huge "but", this) those good points get swamped in a slurry of nonsensical statements of "fact", fancy footwork that would put Astaire to shame, wilful ignoring of what doesn't suit your agenda and sheer twistings of convoluted quasi-logic that spirals back on itself like some bizarre version of a Moebius strip.

So - do you still say Thittinan "is NOT a political scientist"?

[Crushdepth]

With a CV like this, well, hmm, actually no. Any more than going to prep-school in England, then Eton and Oxford makes someone a blatant elitist who is out of touch with reality either.

A man this widely published and listened to across the world should I would hope have something to say. Just because you disagree with him doesn't make him out of touch or biased. And having read a couple of the books he worked on, he wasn't absolutely pro-Thaksin either.

It's a pretty impressive CV for a politician - the guy has a good education and a broad range of relevant experience. That's a big plus. You don't have to be a rice farmer to run a country, and it doesn't magically put you 'in touch with the common man' either.

But then Thaksin had a PhD in criminology and look what that lead to

[Thai at Heart]

With a CV like this, well, hmm, actually no. Any more than going to prep-school in England, then Eton and Oxford makes someone a blatant elitist who is out of touch with reality either.

A man this widely published and listened to across the world should I would hope have something to say. Just because you disagree with him doesn't make him out of touch or biased. And having read a couple of the books he worked on, he wasn't absolutely pro-Thaksin either.

It's a pretty impressive CV for a politician - the guy has a good education and a broad range of relevant experience. That's a big plus. You don't have to be a rice farmer to run a country, and it doesn't magically put you 'in touch with the common man' either.

But then Thaksin had a PhD in criminology and look what that lead to

I was referring to Thitinan's CV. Not Abhisits.

Abhisit went to good schools, so do many others. He isn't the only person in the world to go to public school and Oxford and that in no way suggests that he is any more capable than millions of others in the world. He is obviously academically very strong, but whether it will help him in Thai politics is another matter entirely.

Edited December 19, 2008 by Thai at Heart

[permanent_disorder]

"But in Thailand there is at least some doubt about following government orders "

Thats a very genteel way of putting it. Coups d'etat are the only wars that Thai soldiers ever declare.

I wonder what the Thai word for Coup d'etat /Putsch is...likely some euphemism meaning "salvation from the heavens"

everybody loves the army. the putsch was almost like the thai childrens day, kids go and visit the army, can play around with machine guns, jump around on tanks or take a look at dead people..

it's a show, people come to watch.

[JacknDanny]

PTP MP Police Lieutenant-Colonel (don't confuse with Thaksin) SOMCHAI PETPRASERT

Chalerm tipped to be Opposition Leader

The Pheu Thai Party (PTP) will this evening hold a preliminary meeting to nominate the Opposition Leader, MP Somchai Paetprasert said on Friday.

Somchai said the majority of his Party's lawmakers want MP Chalerm Yoobamrung to Lead the Opposition.

- The Nation / 2008-12-19

Go for it Chalerm

It would be like Cameron winning the elections for the Tories, and then Labour immediately announcing that their new leader was John Prescott

You gotta laugh

[sriracha john]

But then Thaksin had a PhD in criminology and look what that lead to

a minor correction, but nonetheless making it even more poignant, is that his degree was in criminal justice.

[MyphuketLife]

"But in Thailand there is at least some doubt about following government orders "

Thats a very genteel way of putting it. Coups d'etat are the only wars that Thai soldiers ever declare.

I wonder what the Thai word for Coup d'etat /Putsch is...likely some euphemism meaning "salvation from the heavens"

everybody loves the army. the putsch was almost like the thai childrens day, kids go and visit the army, can play around with machine guns, jump around on tanks or take a look at dead people..

it's a show, people come to watch.

I don't see any issues with that... I am sure the guns were not loaded (well my western biased thinks they were unloaded).... The dead people is a little wierd, but I am sure the kids learned something. I looked at the images in your links it looks like the kids have a good time

[MyphuketLife]

Go for it Chalerm

It would be like Cameron winning the elections for the Tories, and then Labour immediately announcing that their new leader was John Prescott

You gotta laugh

He looks more like a taxi cab driver than an opposition leader

[Bangyai]

BANGKOK (AFP) – Thailand's new prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Friday protesters who occupied government offices and blockaded Bangkok's airports should be held legally accountable for their actions.

Abhisit, just might prove to be a fare person.... Looks like he is going to hold the PAD accountable for there actions... It will be interesting to see if anything ever comes of it, or if this is just a PR stunt.

If I was one of the PAD leaders I would feel like my back just got knifed, he is going to go after the same people that put him into the PM role! Love it....

I wonder what the people who think the PAD did "nothing illegal" are going to say.

It is more likely that Aphisit has said this to mollify his critics rather than any real intention to bite the hand that feeds him.

If the noise to punish those within the PAD that have broken the law becomes too loud it may be necessary for a few sacrificial lambs to be offered up to the alter of expedience. They will be arrested, let out on bail, go to court, be charged and fined and then the whole thing will blow over without anyone actually paying a fine or going to prison. There will be new ' burning issues ' and things will move on but nothing will come of this ' show ' of even handedness .

IMO , the 6 red shirt protesters who have been singled out by the police for punishment will also get kid glove treatment and are unlikely to go to prison. This is just a move by the authorities to inform people that the police are ' back at work ' and that any future protesters may not be treated so leniently. At least for now that is.

[ballpoint]

PTP MP Police Lieutenant-Colonel (don't confuse with Thaksin) SOMCHAI PETPRASERT

Chalerm tipped to be Opposition Leader

The Pheu Thai Party (PTP) will this evening hold a preliminary meeting to nominate the Opposition Leader, MP Somchai Paetprasert said on Friday.

Somchai said the majority of his Party's lawmakers want MP Chalerm Yoobamrung to Lead the Opposition.

- The Nation / 2008-12-19

Another kick in the pants for the families of all those murdered and terrorised by the Yoobamrung sons. And PPP/PTP have the gall to say they are for the people.

[Steve2UK]

Thitinan has been branded quotemeister on BP. His analysis have sonmetimes been right, sometimes wrong and sometimes in between. One problenm for foreign media is that there arent that many sources to quote and some of those potetnial sources dont want to be quoted at a time of politcal upheavel as it could affect their career!

Giles is a marxist basically and his analysis tends to follow some strain of marxist thought on history. Mostly he has been anti-government and anti-PAD although recently he has tended to be far more anti-PAD and rumour has it he has worn red

At the end of the day these guys are just as likely to make a correct analysis as any other person. Watching people like these and Baker get it all wrong over Samak was mildly amusing. However, at the end of the day the academic based world and the academic based media stress credentials and published papers etc over what the geezer on the street knows although to be honest there is no evidence to suggest that an a cademic actually knows more than the avreage guy unless you actually accpet all that academic elitism that infests western society. Oh no going off and doing a lefty analysis here Funny thing that wonder what Giles would think of his word carrying weight because he was part of an academic elite....

Truth is with politics anyone can be right or wrong and academics through overanalysis are just as likely to be right or wrong as the next person who has some knowledge of the situation and I would say most of the Thai public would qualify there.

Sits back and waits to get slaughtered by the academic and paper worshipping brigade. Oh and for the record my educational achievemnet is quite high so dont listen to everything I say.........)

[my bold highlighting above]

Not sure if you mean Bangkok Post or Bangkok Pundit when you say BP? Either way, that doesn't detract from Thittinan's credentials to warrant paying attention to what he he has to say - hopefully as one of many voices from several corners. Plainly, I agree with your main points. For someone to dismiss him out of hand simply because he says what they don't like to hear or disagree with is just irrational.

Regarding Giles wearing red - it's no rumour. I saw him wearing a red T-shirt on (I think it was) Channel NewsAsia when he did a down-the-line interview. The T-shirt carried a logo that I remember thinking at the time was probably UDD and would certainly have picked up on it with a question to him if I were producing that interview. Given that he's a self-acknowledged Marxist, I naturally filter what I hear him say through that lens - but that's a world away from dismissing everything he has to say out of hand. Again - completely irrational.

[Bangyai]

[Truth Today was even according to many PPP supporters a shoddy propoganda piece that was poorly produced. They may be better off without it.

Not wishing to argue with you but I would be interested to read what critical PPP supporters have said of the ' Truth Today ' programme if you can post the link.

I have watched the programme several times ( and ASTV ) and found Wirat Musikapong an effective speaker with a good sense of humour. I've never seen him angry or flustered unlike some of the ASTV speakers. Also I notice that he uses the ' pee nong ' line of address a lot less than some others on both sides who use it in just about every sentance.

This ' pee nong ' line sounds so insincere coming from some people that it is more likely to cause a cringe than any empathy for the speaker.

[marshbags]

December 19, 2008 : Last updated 05:19 pm

Puea Pandin Party riding astride both the coalition and the opposition

Puea Pandin Party leader Pracha Promnok on Friday admitted his party was divided over the support for the Democrat-led coalition.

Pracha said about 16 MPs will be in the coalition alliance while his faction of 12 MPs will not be part of the Abhisit Vejjajiva government.

He said his faction is to stay right in the middle and not siding with the coalition nor the opposition.

The Nation

Unquote

Sitting ( conveniently ) on the fence is the correct terminology in this case

marshbags

[warfie]

But then Thaksin had a PhD in criminology and look what that lead to

a minor correction, but nonetheless making it even more poignant, is that his degree was in criminal justice.

that is so ironic....

[sriracha john]

Red alert coming...

Edited December 19, 2008 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Ex-PM Thaksin supporters rally at state-owned TV station

BANGKOK, Dec 19 (TNA) – More than 100 red-shirted supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra demonstrated Friday at the NBT television broadcast studios on Friday against the removal of a popular pro-Thaksin political talk show, while another group of protesters surrounded a Bangkok police station and called for the release of one of its members arrested for throwing bricks at parliamentarians' vehicles.

Disgruntled protesters of the pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), led by Shinawat Haboonpad, submitted a letter to NBT Director Suriyong Hunthasarn, asking for an explanation of the cancellation of the group's TV show 'Truth Today'.

The NBT Director said, however, that the removal of the show is not political and that no politician is behind the station's decision.

"'In the contract it clearly indicates the removal of the show is possible in the event there is a special programme which needs to be broadcast at the same time. The station only has to inform the change in advance," Mr. Suriyong explained.

When asked about the 'Truth Today' contract which expires December 31, Mr. Suriyong said the renewal of the contract depended on the consideration of the station management.

Protest Leader Shinawat said that the group would gather at Parliament from December 28 as the government is scheduled to deliver its policy statement on December 29 and 30.

Mr. Shinawat said that the gathering is to show the UDD's opposition to the Democrat-led government and vowed that the group will protest through peaceful means.

Meanwhile, hundreds of red-shirted demonstrators surrounded Dusit district police station on Friday, demanding that police release a group member who was earlier arrested for attacking parliamentarians as they left Parliament on Monday.

Chokechai Kamleu, who vented his anger after the Monday vote, was arrested Thursday and confessed he was the man seen in media photographs throwing a brick at a sedan belonging to a Democrat MP.

The UDD protesters however did not find Mr. Chokechai at the station as he had been transferred to Dusit district court. So they vowed to besiege the station until Mr. Chokechai is released on bail.

Protesters have collected Bt20,000 for the bond that will be presented for Mr. Chokchai's bail application.

Police said it was the decision of the court whether to release Mr. Chokechai on bail or not.

[JacknDanny]

Go for it Chalerm

It would be like Cameron winning the elections for the Tories, and then Labour immediately announcing that their new leader was John Prescott

You gotta laugh

He looks more like a taxi cab driver than an opposition leader

The picture is not of Chalerm.

Believe me in real life he looks even less of an opposition leader and more of a complete Thug..........mmm wait a minute

[sriracha john]

Go for it Chalerm

It would be like Cameron winning the elections for the Tories, and then Labour immediately announcing that their new leader was John Prescott

You gotta laugh

He looks more like a taxi cab driver than an opposition leader

The picture is not of Chalerm.

His identity was even put in ALL CAPS under his photo.... but whaddya goin' do with these newcomers, eh Jack?

[MyphuketLife]

Ex-PM Thaksin supporters rally at state-owned TV station

<snip>

Meanwhile, hundreds of red-shirted demonstrators surrounded Dusit district police station on Friday, demanding that police release a group member who was earlier arrested for attacking parliamentarians as they left Parliament on Monday.

<snip>

I hope they don't overtake the station, I hope they stay outside and protest peacefully.

Same for the police station

In the event they get violent, they (even though the PAD didn't ) should be arrested.

I have doubts, but I strongly hope this stays a peaceful protest.

[MyphuketLife]

Go for it Chalerm

It would be like Cameron winning the elections for the Tories, and then Labour immediately announcing that their new leader was John Prescott

You gotta laugh

He looks more like a taxi cab driver than an opposition leader

The picture is not of Chalerm.

His identity was even put in ALL CAPS under his photo.... but whaddya goin' do with these newcomers, eh Jack?

chastise them maybe?

Let me correct my post "he looks more like a taxi cab driver than a PTP MP Police Lieutenant-Colonel SOMCHAI PETPRASERT

[sriracha john]

Two Hundred Red Shirt Protesters Demand Release of Suspect

Two hundred pro-PTP protesters have closed off the Ratchawat Intersection in Dusit district and demanded that police release one of the suspects who was arrested for violently attacking MPs as they were leaving Parliament on Monday.

Police have issued 6 arrest warrants for those who were involved in instigating chaos and violence against Democrats and other coalition MPs who voted for Abhisit Vejjajiva as premier on Monday. One man has been arrested and is currently under police's custody.

The protesters have closed off the road and threatened to stay for 3 days and 3 nights.

- TOC / 2008-12-19

[MyphuketLife]

Two Hundred Red Shirt Protesters Demand Release of Suspect

Two hundred pro-PTP protesters have closed off the Ratchawat Intersection in Dusit district and demanded that police release one of the suspects who was arrested for violently attacking MPs as they were leaving Parliament on Monday.

Police have issued 6 arrest warrants for those who were involved in instigating chaos and violence against Democrats and other coalition MPs who voted for Abhisit Vejjajiva as premier on Monday. One man has been arrested and is currently under police's custody.

The protesters have closed off the road and threatened to stay for 3 days and 3 nights.

- TOC / 2008-12-19

And then they just leave if the police don't release the guy?

If they are blocking streets, the water canons should come out.

[jdinasia]

Two Hundred Red Shirt Protesters Demand Release of Suspect

Two hundred pro-PTP protesters have closed off the Ratchawat Intersection in Dusit district and demanded that police release one of the suspects who was arrested for violently attacking MPs as they were leaving Parliament on Monday.

Police have issued 6 arrest warrants for those who were involved in instigating chaos and violence against Democrats and other coalition MPs who voted for Abhisit Vejjajiva as premier on Monday. One man has been arrested and is currently under police's custody.

The protesters have closed off the road and threatened to stay for 3 days and 3 nights.

- TOC / 2008-12-19

And then they just leave if the police don't release the guy?

If they are blocking streets, the water canons should come out.

And again you show that you approach things with a "black or white" bias. (edit--yes feel free to read that "Western" bias)

If they are blocking a street who cares? If it is a peaceful protest then using force is not an appropriate response.

edit continued ---- there is no harm in civilized protest the harm happens when like in September the police fail to keep a group from being attacked or in October when the police attack a peaceful group with military ordinance

Edited December 19, 2008 by jdinasia

[h90]

Two Hundred Red Shirt Protesters Demand Release of Suspect

Two hundred pro-PTP protesters have closed off the Ratchawat Intersection in Dusit district and demanded that police release one of the suspects who was arrested for violently attacking MPs as they were leaving Parliament on Monday.

Police have issued 6 arrest warrants for those who were involved in instigating chaos and violence against Democrats and other coalition MPs who voted for Abhisit Vejjajiva as premier on Monday. One man has been arrested and is currently under police's custody.

The protesters have closed off the road and threatened to stay for 3 days and 3 nights.

- TOC / 2008-12-19

And then they just leave if the police don't release the guy?

If they are blocking streets, the water canons should come out.

And again you show that you approach things with a "black or white" bias.

If they are blocking a street who cares? If it is a peaceful protest then using force is not an appropriate response.

Look at his Avatar....he prefers the guy in the backgrounds politic style.

[jdinasia]

MyPhuketLife's avatar just shows the bias he claims not to have ... not difficult to pick out from just his posts.

[permanent_disorder]

"But in Thailand there is at least some doubt about following government orders "

Thats a very genteel way of putting it. Coups d'etat are the only wars that Thai soldiers ever declare.

I wonder what the Thai word for Coup d'etat /Putsch is...likely some euphemism meaning "salvation from the heavens"

everybody loves the army. the putsch was almost like the thai childrens day, kids go and visit the army, can play around with machine guns, jump around on tanks or take a look at dead people..

it's a show, people come to watch.

I don't see any issues with that... I am sure the guns were not loaded (well my western biased thinks they were unloaded).... The dead people is a little wierd, but I am sure the kids learned something. I looked at the images in your links it looks like the kids have a good time

i just added it to put in perspective how the public perception of the army in thailand is. for sure the kids had a good time and the visit at the anatomy faculty must have been a big day for the kids and educational as well.

watching dead people is something fascinating for certain thai people. the days after the tsunami i was a volunteer, helping tourist victims to find their friends, or get their treatment in a hospital or the new passport and also try somehow to ease their trauma and psycho stress. there was a lot of chaos on a levels. and also a lot of thai students as volunteer, lot of them got in my opinion a little bit to excited over the dead people. and an often asked question by them was 'did you see dead people?' that was a little bit to strange for "my" european tourists with their european tabus. such question inappropriate.

but don't think i overvalue the link behind 'dead people', i just added the anatomy faculty trip because it looks so wierd. my kind of humour. actually it is the most normal situation (in a humanist viewpoint) in contrast with the other situations i linked in relation to kids day.

or of you look at the photos of october 76, lot's of onlookers around, also kids. but this was not my main point here.

i just want to show how the army is loved and integrated in the thai society. or how the the army itself build their propaganda image. the days after the 2006 coup almost looked like a typical thai children day. with all the yellow flowers for the army and so on. on the weekend a small family trip to dusit, go to the zoo and also watch the tanks on royal plaza. take a pic junior holding a gun. camouflage was a fad in kids fashion. for an us-american observer maybe an other issue as for an european, in continental europe the civilian society had war experience. i heard the stories from the older generation in my family, like many others europeans. in us-america it's more stories of home coming soldiers. thats make a difference, how a society sees the army. and with all the liberals and pacifists they have over there they will see it with other eyes. and in the eastern half of europa the army was symbol of the dictatorship until '89 but in public propaganda the peoples army of the 'good people'.