Abhisit Vejjajiva Elected New Prime Minister Of Thailand

[Rimmer]

Can't beat an Oxford or Cambridge education, has to be good for the country.

[mrtoad]

I wish him the very best of luck, he is going to need it, with the poor economy, global recession and Toxin continuing to sabotage the country for his own gains.

First thing they should do is cancel Toxins' passport.

[oceano]

Can't beat an Oxford or Cambridge education, has to be good for the country.

This is Thailand if I remember well...the English style is not the right answer.

[Dario]

The red shirt people have ransacked and demolished several cars of Democrat MPs outside Government House. It is to hope that if Suthep Tuegsuban is elected Interior Minister that such things will not happen anymore. If the new government is lean with those mobsters it will go down the drain very quickly.

Protesting is allowed by the Constitution, but not ransacking property. For such criminals water trucks should be positioned and the force of water must be applied without mercy.

Obvious that this comment come from the yellow.

Let say the police / army control the situation, and a 15 years boy die. It will be Athens in Bangkok.

Hold your breath, samgrowth, I'm not a yellow. I'm here since 22 years and come from a country called Switzerland where they would use water cannons, no doubt about that.

[mojaco]

Pronunciation of Name?

Can anyone say how his name is pronounced? Is it perhaps "Wegajiwa?"

It is wait-cha-chee-wa (with the final "wa" cut very short). Following is his name in Thai

อภิสิทธิ์ เวชชาชีวะ

[Plus]

Abhisit ascendance was made possible because Thaksin managed to piss off Newin. Immediately Suthep, the Democrat power broker, has pounced on the opportunity and made approaches to Newin months ago.

I'd love to hear detailed explanations of what went wrong between Thaksin and Newin, who was his clear favourite not long time ago. Publicly Newin was snubbed during the second coming of Samak when Thaksin backed Newin's opponents in PPP headed by his sister and Yongyuth. But what drove Newin to push for Samak's return is anybody's guess.

I believe in the end Newin thought mostly for himself - there's no winning in sticking with Thaksin, he has better future being the all important king maker who is sought and feared by all sides.

For the country it's better if he supports Abhisit long enough to make ride through the crisis and finish off Thaksin. After that it's not really important who will be in the government, they'd all have to do exactly the same things - talk a lot, work a little, steal within reason. There's no sign of another Thaksin on the horison, no one to stir emotions, people will lose interest in politics and Thailand will be its usual self. Stable, laid back, with "let them live" attitude and lots of opportunities for everyone.

[Thai at Heart]

Can't beat an Oxford or Cambridge education, has to be good for the country.

Education is one thing. Unfortunately, he is going to have to get down and dirty to get the countryside to give him any credibility. Is Saraburi the equivalent of the Watford Gap?

Cmon Abhisit, start acting like a statesman and show us what all that education was for. Please!!!

[phuketrichard]

I hope this settle it and Mr T fades away.

AS long as he makes an effort to assist the essan farmers and work with the southern Moslems the country could finally come togeather

[MyphuketLife]

Can't beat an Oxford or Cambridge education, has to be good for the country.

Going to college or a good college does not make him a good leader, time will tell about his abilities to be a good leader or not….

For reference:

USA: Bush went to Yale and Harvard

Cambodia: Pol Pot went to a French college

N. Korea: Kim Jong-il went to college

Zimbabwe: Robert Mugabe went to college

Sudan: Omar al-Bashir went to college

USA: Abraham Lincoln did not go to college

USA: George Washington did not go to college

I think in all countries you will find good leaders that did and did not attend colleges, and you will find bad leaders that did and did not attend college.

Edited December 15, 2008 by MyphuketLife

[davyboy]

"Abhisit proposes to fix that by amending the constitution should he assume the PM post. That could mean yet another referendum." Time magazine interview.

His thoughts from when he thought he was going to walk into power on the back of the last military set up.

Hope he has the balls to tell PAD and the generals/elite clique where to go and change the constitution back to the agreed 97(?) model. If he can achieve that and deliver his promised education and other reforms to the Isaan people then he maybe a very good solution for the present mess. I wish him the best of luck.

Agree totally with you, just let's hope!!

[Tonyzill]

Can't beat an Oxford or Cambridge education, has to be good for the country.

This is Thailand if I remember well...the English style is not the right answer.

Totally agree. He can be the most educated guy going it will not mean a dot to the Thais when it comes to who has money and power. You have centuries of Thai culture and in the end the person who wins over or panders to the rich and powerful will be the one in power (puppet). What have the poor to offer.

The thing with Thaksin is that he is contradictory. He has the money and influence and has brain washed the poor into thinking he will drag them out of poverty. Sorry to say it but in there dreams. All the 30 Baht health programme did was virtually bankrupt the government hospitals as he didnt back it up with government funds. This resulted in the loss of good doctors to the private sector as they were having to work longer hours for less money and poorer care as the facilities and drugs were run down. As for the 1 million baht to generate business in the villages, all that did was put the poor in even bigger debt as this wasnt given to them, they have to pay it back!!!

[animatic]

Try to talk whit a Thai person, they know better about this new PM, all him family come from south Thailand.

All Thai people I know they said one word: Bad.

At the end him is elected from Pad no?

He must to follow the wishes of the party that give to him the power...

Good luck

Funny I have just talked with three Thai's of over 30 years

and all were very positive about the change at the top.

And not one is PAD.

[Tolley]

With a very thin majority and a fragile coalition the new PM is going to have his work cut out for him.

No serious changes are going to happen in thailand unless fundamental reforms of insititutions are made.

This means starting with a total overhaul of the police and military.

Education needs to be changed and remodelled.

The judiciary needs to be seen to be independent.

The way of doing business in Thailand needs to be changed to root out nepotism and cronyism.

Yes there is a big job ahead but i predict that the new PM will have little opportunity to address any of these things seriously as he will be struggling just to survive.

Further the disruption that PAD caused will embolden the red shirts to do likewise and may precipitate more unrest and social dislocation.

Interesting times ahead for sure.

[jbowman1993]

Nothing but class from the redshirts

Several injured in rock throwing by red-shirted people

A reporter and several other people were injured when angry red-shirted supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra threw rocks against vehicles leaving the Parliament compound.

The red-shirted people became angry after Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva was elected the next prime minister.

The protesters blocked the gates of the Parliament for about 30 minutes but were later pushed off by police.

They then waited at a gate and threw rocks at vehicles which were leaving, breaking their windows.

Sitthichai Jaruhiransakul, a reporter of Prachathat, was hit at his nose, causing it to bleed.

The Nation

I would refer to my previous "incapable of losing gracefully" comment.

For myself, I would say that the situation needs to calm down, and hopefully this PM will be able to do that, gracefully. I think at this moment, what we need from the TV pundits are good thoughts and well wishes for the future. The gloom and doom forcasts aren't really helping anything, and frankly, how could Ahbisit possibly fail. Look who his predecessors where? Samak and Somchai. A circus monkey could have managed the country better than those two buffoons.

If you want to point to the reason the Democrats are in power, point it squarely at those two. They set the bar so low that the country basically hit rock bottom. No where left to go but up. Thankfully, we have an intelligent man to help lead us in Thailand ascendancy.

[Boater]

New Prime Minister For Thailand

7:56am UK, Monday December 15, 2008

Thailand's parliament has chosen a new Prime Minister - the country's third in four months.

Oxford-educated Abhisit Vejjajiva is named Thailand's new Prime Minister

British-born opposition Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva secured a majority as supporters of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra surrounded the parliament building.

Protesters threw dozens of metal barricades as police in riot gear blocked them from entering the grounds.

"We are not going to accept this. (Abhisit) did not win the election," said demonstrator Sukhum Wongprasit in a speech outside parliament.

"We will blockade the gates of parliament so they won't be able to come out."

Following the vote, Mr Abhisit thanked fellow lawmakers and the public but said he would not talk about politics until he was officially endorsed by King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Protest at Bangkok airport

The lower house vote follows six months of instability caused by anti-government demonstrations.

Last month, Bangkok's two airports were shut down for a week after protesters took over.

The anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) wants to see Thailand's politics free of the influence of the former PM and Manchester City owner, who was ousted in a 2006 coup after being accused of corruption and abuse of power.

Since elections in December 2007, the country's Constitutional Court has removed two Thaksin-linked prime ministers.

source - http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-New...ound_Parliament

[TAWP]

Try to talk whit a Thai person, they know better about this new PM, all him family come from south Thailand.

All Thai people I know they said one word: Bad.

At the end him is elected from Pad no?

He must to follow the wishes of the party that give to him the power...

Good luck

All the Thai people you know are regional racists, how new.

And PAD had nothing to do with this election in the parliament.

[animatic]

Anyone care to speculate as to how the PAD will react? Will this be enough to keep them from causing any more disruptions?

The PAD supported this from the outset.

I hope he can bring stability to Thailand but the problem is that neither he, nor his party, was elected by anyone!

The red shirts are not happy that their democratically elected government has been overthrown in what they call a 'silent coup'.

They won't accept this and more protests are likely!

It's not over yet!

Sorry but they were elected to a slightly smaller minority than PPP.

NEITHER had an electoral majority or 50.0000001 %

But when PPP's successor couldn't form a coalition this time,

the Dems as second largest ELECTED BLOCK are allowed to go toe to toe

with PPP's remaining elected MP's, and in this case they won.

That's the same rules as in the '97 constitution by the way.

Works in Israel, Italy and many other european countries just the same way.

Pretty stabndard parlimentary procedure for forming a government / cabinet.

The PPP was found guilty of electoral fraud. End of story for them.

Red Shirts can scream all they want, but the party doesn't exist

because the highest court in the land declared them null and void.

This court existed before the coup with essentially the same rules of operation.

The PAD supported getting rid of Thaksin's crony political machine.

That was their main platform and all other things were just tacked on.

PAD didn't direct a Dem win, if another NON-Thaksin-puppet-party

had cobbled together a coalition it would have been acceptable to PAD also.

Edited December 15, 2008 by animatic

[MyphuketLife]

Nothing but class from the redshirts

Several injured in rock throwing by red-shirted people

I would refer to my previous "incapable of losing gracefully" comment.

Lets see PAD shot bullets at the TV van, RED throws rocks? I wonder what one is more deadly?

PAD's dems loose, they go on a 2 year bit that includes things like overtaking government buildings, airports, seaports, trains, kidnapping police, taking news stations, and you call that "losing gracefully"?

The reds did not loose a vote by the poeple the dems did years ago.

[sriracha john]

Here we go.... [from the Nation]

Red-shirted people became angry upon learning the result of PM voting and used metal barriers to block the gates of Parliament at 10:40 am, it was reported.

TNN Channel showed pictures of red-shirted people using metal barriers of police to block the gates.

Supporters of Thailand's ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra throw bricks at cars of some members of parliament after opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva won in a vote to become prime minister at the Parliament in Bangkok December 15, 2008. At least 200 demonstrators blocked access to Thailand's parliament and threw bricks at cars of some MPs after opposition leader Vejjajiva won a thin majority in a vote to become prime minister. The protesters barricaded all gates out of the compound and checked cars trying to leave. Some cars had windows broken with clubs or bricks.

REUTERS

Edited December 15, 2008 by sriracha john

[Moonrakers]

Try to talk whit a Thai person, they know better about this new PM, all him family come from south Thailand.

All Thai people I know they said one word: Bad.

At the end him is elected from Pad no?

He must to follow the wishes of the party that give to him the power...

Good luck

His family comes from the South? And so bloody what if they do?

[MyphuketLife]

Try to talk whit a Thai person, they know better about this new PM, all him family come from south Thailand.

All Thai people I know they said one word: Bad.

At the end him is elected from Pad no?

He must to follow the wishes of the party that give to him the power...

Good luck

All the Thai people you know are regional racists, how new.

And PAD had nothing to do with this election in the parliament.

Because they think he is bad that makes them "regional racists" . If you don't like him your a racist? Interesting....

[MyphuketLife]

Here we go.... [from the Nation]

Red-shirted people became angry upon learning the result of PM voting and used metal barriers to block the gates of Parliament at 10:40 am, it was reported.

TNN Channel showed pictures of red-shirted people using metal barriers of police to block the gates.

Supporters of Thailand's ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra throw bricks at cars of some members of parliament after opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva won in a vote to become prime minister at the Parliament in Bangkok December 15, 2008. At least 200 demonstrators blocked access to Thailand's parliament and threw bricks at cars of some MPs after opposition leader Vejjajiva won a thin majority in a vote to become prime minister. The protesters barricaded all gates out of the compound and checked cars trying to leave. Some cars had windows broken with clubs or bricks.

REUTERS

This is wrong and they should be jailed. The police should have rushed in and arrested these fools.

All I take from this is that neither side (yellow or red) are capable of peaceful protests.

[Jingthing]

The VAST majority of Thais (something like 90 percent based on a Bangkok Post survey) wish that the opposing sides in this conflict find peaceful compromise. Given that Abhisit will presumably have the police and military on his side to break up any "unpleasantness" from the red shirts, there is real chance he can lead Thailand out of this political mess. The economic mess won't be so easy. And what about Thaksin, the elephant in the room, or outside the room? I actually do not think Thailand is as divided as the press says. The silent majority are NOT activists and just want to live normal lives. I think the US is actually more politically divided than Thailand, at least until recently.

Edited December 15, 2008 by Jingthing

[Carguy]

Can't beat an Oxford or Cambridge education, has to be good for the country.

Going to college or a good college does not make him a good leader, time will tell about his abilities to be a good leader or not….

For reference:

USA: Bush went to Yale and Harvard

Cambodia: Pol Pot went to a French college

N. Korea: Kim Jong-il went to college

Zimbabwe: Robert Mugabe went to college

Sudan: Omar al-Bashir went to college

USA: Abraham Lincoln did not go to college

USA: George Washington did not go to college

I think in all countries you will find good leaders that did and did not attend colleges, and you will find bad leaders that did and did not attend college.

[snuggzzz]

........................methinks that Thailand's Political rivals shouldstep back from the brink of civil war and give this guy a chance......

[Carguy]

Can't beat an Oxford or Cambridge education, has to be good for the country.

Going to college or a good college does not make him a good leader, time will tell about his abilities to be a good leader or not….

For reference:

USA: Bush went to Yale and Harvard

Cambodia: Pol Pot went to a French college

N. Korea: Kim Jong-il went to college

Zimbabwe: Robert Mugabe went to college

Sudan: Omar al-Bashir went to college

USA: Abraham Lincoln did not go to college

USA: George Washington did not go to college

I think in all countries you will find good leaders that did and did not attend colleges, and you will find bad leaders that did and did not attend college.

George W got into Yale and Harvard as a legacy student-meaning because daddy Bush and grampa Bush went there and gave lots of money to them. Pol Pot went to University on a scholarship where he learned to hate all the rich kids he went to school with. Don't know about the rest.

[bunnaag]

Chalerm has to clean out a ministerial office a second time.Who is looking after the toilets of the country now?Or are his sons permanent government officials?

[kurtgruen]

Congratulations!

Thank you, too, to all those who voted for a Democrat Government today. A good step in the right direction.

Mon and Kurt

Chiang Dao

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi.

Now did the yellows EVER attack cars with bricks WITHOUT BEING ATTACKED FIRST..?? I am not aware of such news.

You can talk about them shooting bullets as much as you want, while i did NOT support that action it was clearly after THEY had been attacked by an opposing mob FIRST.

Who is sitting in these cars that has attacked in any way, shape or form any member of the red-shirt-brigade?

Here we see very clearly who the pigs are. They wear red shirts (or head bands and masks).

Regards

Thanh

Edited December 15, 2008 by Thanh-BKK

[MyphuketLife]

I think the US is actually more politically divided than Thailand, at least until recently.

You may be right… although with Obama’s clear win I don’t know I agree that US is more divided than Thailand, but the US is not having un-peaceful "protests", so while the US may be divided, the citizens are engaging in democratic politics not anarchy and violent protests. But then agian the US political climate has nothing to do with what is going on in Thailand.