I Will Return To Post Of Prime Minister: Thaksin

[ballpoint]

...compare Thaksin (and Obama for that matter) to Abh(ph)isit. The first two were pumping out real policies that led to real differences from the moment they got into office. Admittedly Thaksin's policies always had a self-enriching aspect as well. But my point is they are real politicians. Anyone can see Abhisit is floundering. What real initiatives has he started working on? It's beginning to look like he is nothing but a pretty face. He's had years in opposition to formulate his policy ideas.

Exactly what I said weeks ago - just a pretty face, like Tony Blair in '97. (Except Blair actually won an election because of his pretty face.)

What? So because Abhisit hasn't personally ordered the shooting of thousands, transferred millions of dollars to his maids bank account or started transferring family members to key positions in his first month in office he's not a "real" politician like Thaksin was? Abhisit has been quietly getting on with business, talking to foreign leaders, passing the ASEAN bill. Already his government have done more than the PPP mob ever did. Yes, there was a rotten fish scandal, but the goverment accepted responsibility, despite it being the suppliers fault, and the minister resigned - how many TRT ministers ever resigned in all their years of office, despite the bird flu cover up, the human rights abuses and all the airport scandals?

[jbowman1993]

Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest (assh@le, corrupt traitor, etc) ?

[jbowman1993]

...compare Thaksin (and Obama for that matter) to Abh(ph)isit. The first two were pumping out real policies that led to real differences from the moment they got into office. Admittedly Thaksin's policies always had a self-enriching aspect as well. But my point is they are real politicians. Anyone can see Abhisit is floundering. What real initiatives has he started working on? It's beginning to look like he is nothing but a pretty face. He's had years in opposition to formulate his policy ideas.

Exactly what I said weeks ago - just a pretty face, like Tony Blair in '97. (Except Blair actually won an election because of his pretty face.)

What? So because Abhisit hasn't personally ordered the shooting of thousands, transferred millions of dollars to his maids bank account or started transferring family members to key positions in his first month in office he's not a "real" politician like Thaksin was? Abhisit has been quietly getting on with business, talking to foreign leaders, passing the ASEAN bill. Already his government have done more than the PPP mob ever did. Yes, there was a rotten fish scandal, but the goverment accepted responsibility, despite it being the suppliers fault, and the minister resigned - how many TRT ministers ever resigned in all their years of office, despite the bird flu cover up, the human rights abuses and all the airport scandals?

Ballpoint - can't reason or use logic with this bunch of parrots. They just plug their ears and scream "LALALALLALALA" as loud as they can.

Edited February 8, 2009 by jbowman1993

[seri thai]

but out of choice i would like to see a Prime Minister who focuses on bridging the huge poverty gap here. It is absolutely criminal. You need someone in power who is from a working mans background so to speak, he/she must appreciate the lives of those who work 14 hr days for 5-7 thousand baht per month trying to support a wife and kid.

I want to see a leader that slows down the country's quest for hurried globalisation and realises that taking care of the poverty problem (low minimum wage etc) is fundamental to future stability when achieving world integration and globalised economic ideals.

cheers

Thats still red revolutionary communist talk around here. and there has been 40 years of U.S. support to thank for that.

Ever tried asking a Thai for a definition of communism or socialism? Interesting exercise....

[rixalex]

...compare Thaksin to Abh(ph)isit. The first two were pumping out real policies that led to real differences from the moment they got into office.

So tell us then, what policies did Thaksin pump out the moment he came to office that made a difference? Can't think of any myself, but i trust you'll enlighten.

Anyone can see Abhisit is floundering. What real initiatives has he started working on? It's beginning to look like he is nothing but a pretty face. He's had years in opposition to formulate his policy ideas.

The country has many issues on its plate right now - globally that's true too. He has to deal with matters, but it's not necessarily about just throwing out policies for the sake of it. Too many times Thai govt suddenly introduces laws without thinking it through.

Anyone can see Abhisit is floundering? No, just the reds see that. To the rest of us he seems composed and assured - speaks articulately too. Whether their is substance to him or not, we'll wait and see. Only the reds are rushing to judgements, but then they had already made their minds up about him. These people are unable to please because all they care about is the return of their beloved fugitive master.

[looping]

As usual with Thaksin he's primary concern is money followed by an insatiable lust for power. If he can get his confiscated funds then he'll be back in business. I guess that he's invested too much in his 'comeback' to give up now. A very sick man I imagine and still a real dander to the very future of Thailand. I always relate him to a 'baddie' on a James Bond movie. For now at least the scales aren't tipped in his favour it would seem, for if they were we may not be able to speak so openly on the matter; anyone remember a few years ago when such a discussion on Thai Visa wouldn't have been possible? If he gets back in, EVER, I'm out of here!!! Actually I'm English so he'd probably have the nerve to kick us all out on the previso that 'we' kicked him out; definately his style. On with the discussion, with regards to Thaksin, never a dull moment! ps I have to add that anyone who still genuinely still supports Thaksin must be either ill informed or really stupid!!!

[SmugFarangBore]

how many TRT ministers ever resigned in all their years of office, despite the bird flu cover up, the human rights abuses and all the airport scandals?

Fair enough. Then how many Democrat MPs will we expect to honourably resign as a result of the human rights abuses of the Thai military towards the Rohigyna boat people conducted already, just a month in on their watch or how many will resign in responsibility of the airport protest and consequent shutdown which involved nothing less than a current minister in the Government and resulted in incalculable loss to the nation, in both financial terms and reputation?

[JetsetBkk]

Ballpoint - can't reason or use logic with this bunch of parrots. They just plug their ears and scream "LALALALLALALA" as loud as they can.

Wow! Good comeback!

[monkfish]

So who would agree that Thaksins crimes justified a MILITARY COUPE?

[SmugFarangBore]

So who would agree that Thaksins crimes justified a MILITARY COUPE?

A military coup can never be justified in a proper democracy.

Thaksin should have been removed from office by legitimate methods.

As nasty a man as Thaksin was the Thai military have a far worse record in Thai politics; dictatorships, coups, human rights abuses - the list goes on and on and on, throughout the last century.

But it is clear as ever that as Prem said a couple of years ago the Thai military only serve one master and it isn't the Government or the Thai people.

Same music, different tune.

[jbowman1993]

So who would agree that Thaksins crimes justified a MILITARY COUPE?

A military coup can never be justified in a proper democracy.

Thaksin should have been removed from office by legitimate methods.

As nasty a man as Thaksin was the Thai military have a far worse record in Thai politics; dictatorships, coups, human rights abuses - the list goes on and on and on, throughout the last century.

But it is clear as ever that as Prem said a couple of years ago the Thai military only serve one master and it isn't the Government or the Thai people.

Same music, different tune.

Yes, lets rehash this some more...it hasn't been done enough yet.

[monkfish]

So why wasn't he removed by legitimate means?

This is real question that bugs me more than even Thaksins crimes.

I think removing a Government from office via coupe is a far greater crime than he ever committed.

[jbowman1993]

[jdinasia]

how many TRT ministers ever resigned in all their years of office, despite the bird flu cover up, the human rights abuses and all the airport scandals?

Fair enough. Then how many Democrat MPs will we expect to honourably resign as a result of the human rights abuses of the Thai military towards the Rohigyna boat people conducted already, just a month in on their watch or how many will resign in responsibility of the airport protest and consequent shutdown which involved nothing less than a current minister in the Government and resulted in incalculable loss to the nation, in both financial terms and reputation?

Let's see ... MP's resigning over a screw up? The Demos already have had one resign over the fish ...

As i do not know anything about the GOVERNMENT ordering the murders of 2600+ people yet like we saw in Thaksin's reign of terror ... it looks as if you are comparing apples to ... sour grapes?

[jbowman1993]

how many TRT ministers ever resigned in all their years of office, despite the bird flu cover up, the human rights abuses and all the airport scandals?

Fair enough. Then how many Democrat MPs will we expect to honourably resign as a result of the human rights abuses of the Thai military towards the Rohigyna boat people conducted already, just a month in on their watch or how many will resign in responsibility of the airport protest and consequent shutdown which involved nothing less than a current minister in the Government and resulted in incalculable loss to the nation, in both financial terms and reputation?

Let's see ... MP's resigning over a screw up? The Demos already have had one resign over the fish ...

As i do not know anything about the GOVERNMENT ordering the murders of 2600+ people yet like we saw in Thaksin's reign of terror ... it looks as if you are comparing apples to ... sour grapes?

I would say that with the situation in the world economy deteriorating so rapidly, we all better pull together. So, lets get Charlerm in there as PM. He'll be the savior of Thailand, surely!

[ballpoint]

So why wasn't he removed by legitimate means?

This is real question that bugs me more than even Thaksins crimes.

I think removing a Government from office via coupe is a far greater crime than he ever committed.

As opposed to removing it in a hatchback?

[monkfish]

So who would agree that Thaksins crimes justified a MILITARY COUPE?

A military coup can never be justified in a proper democracy.

Thaksin should have been removed from office by legitimate methods.

As nasty a man as Thaksin was the Thai military have a far worse record in Thai politics; dictatorships, coups, human rights abuses - the list goes on and on and on, throughout the last century.

But it is clear as ever that as Prem said a couple of years ago the Thai military only serve one master and it isn't the Government or the Thai people.

Same music, different tune.

Yes, lets rehash this some more...it hasn't been done enough yet.

how many TRT ministers ever resigned in all their years of office, despite the bird flu cover up, the human rights abuses and all the airport scandals?

Fair enough. Then how many Democrat MPs will we expect to honourably resign as a result of the human rights abuses of the Thai military towards the Rohigyna boat people conducted already, just a month in on their watch or how many will resign in responsibility of the airport protest and consequent shutdown which involved nothing less than a current minister in the Government and resulted in incalculable loss to the nation, in both financial terms and reputation?

Let's see ... MP's resigning over a screw up? The Demos already have had one resign over the fish ...

As i do not know anything about the GOVERNMENT ordering the murders of 2600+ people yet like we saw in Thaksin's reign of terror ... it looks as if you are comparing apples to ... sour grapes?

I would say that with the situation in the world economy deteriorating so rapidly, we all better pull together. So, lets get Charlerm in there as PM. He'll be the savior of Thailand, surely!

[jbowman1993]

So who would agree that Thaksins crimes justified a MILITARY COUPE?

A military coup can never be justified in a proper democracy.

Thaksin should have been removed from office by legitimate methods.

As nasty a man as Thaksin was the Thai military have a far worse record in Thai politics; dictatorships, coups, human rights abuses - the list goes on and on and on, throughout the last century.

But it is clear as ever that as Prem said a couple of years ago the Thai military only serve one master and it isn't the Government or the Thai people.

Same music, different tune.

Yes, lets rehash this some more...it hasn't been done enough yet.

how many TRT ministers ever resigned in all their years of office, despite the bird flu cover up, the human rights abuses and all the airport scandals?

Fair enough. Then how many Democrat MPs will we expect to honourably resign as a result of the human rights abuses of the Thai military towards the Rohigyna boat people conducted already, just a month in on their watch or how many will resign in responsibility of the airport protest and consequent shutdown which involved nothing less than a current minister in the Government and resulted in incalculable loss to the nation, in both financial terms and reputation?

Let's see ... MP's resigning over a screw up? The Demos already have had one resign over the fish ...

As i do not know anything about the GOVERNMENT ordering the murders of 2600+ people yet like we saw in Thaksin's reign of terror ... it looks as if you are comparing apples to ... sour grapes?

I would say that with the situation in the world economy deteriorating so rapidly, we all better pull together. So, lets get Charlerm in there as PM. He'll be the savior of Thailand, surely!

Yeah, I would drink to if I spent all my time complaining about a 4 year old coup lol

[ballpoint]

So why wasn't he removed by legitimate means?

This is real question that bugs me more than even Thaksins crimes.

I think removing a Government from office via coupe is a far greater crime than he ever committed.

But seriously, who would have removed them? You seem to forget that just because someone is democratically elected doesn't mean they can walk all over the laws and human rights. Just ask Richard Nixon. In his case, there was an impartial justice department able to make the decision, in Thailand there is no such impartial agency. You also don't seem to realise that in every coup since Prem was PM, the military has handed power back to the people through elections, rather than hang onto it as is usual in other coup affected countries. In fact, Thailands arguably most honest PM, Anand Panyarachun, was installed by the military in order to sort out the country following the overthrow of the Chatichai Choonhaven government. As another poster has said, the army answers to one institution. It doesn't take much of a leap to work out that, in the lack of any civilian agency with the power to police a corrupt government, the military is the chosen method here.

[monkfish]

So why wasn't he removed by legitimate means?

This is real question that bugs me more than even Thaksins crimes.

I think removing a Government from office via coupe is a far greater crime than he ever committed.

But seriously, who would have removed them? You seem to forget that just because someone is democratically elected doesn't mean they can walk all over the laws and human rights. Just ask Richard Nixon. In his case, there was an impartial justice department able to make the decision, in Thailand there is no such impartial agency. You also don't seem to realise that in every coup since Prem was PM, the military has handed power back to the people through elections, rather than hang onto it as is usual in other coup affected countries. In fact, Thailands arguably most honest PM, Anand Panyarachun, was installed by the military in order to sort out the country following the overthrow of the Chatichai Choonhaven government. As another poster has said, the army answers to one institution. It doesn't take much of a leap to work out that, in the lack of any civilian agency with the power to police a corrupt government, the military is the chosen method here.

Thanks for the explanation, military coup it does seem like the most logical solution now.

[monkfish]

Would it be possible for a high court to dissolve a Government in Thailand?

[luangtom]

Anything, yes, anything is possible in this LOS. He could be welcomed back and lo and behold we have the same rough-shod treatment of "suspected" bad guys, indiscriminate executions, pay-offs at the polling-places and it will be received with a smile by those in the Isaan and elsewhere that still think they got rural electricity because of Thaksin and got quick-loans they could not pay-off and will again.....all with a smile. It will still be puzzling to farangs and to the rest of the world, but, afterall, it is the LOS, isn't it?

[Guest Reimar]

Would it be possible for a high court to dissolve a Government in Thailand?

I think it's possible but depend on the evidence you have

[h90]

So who would agree that Thaksins crimes justified a MILITARY COUPE?

3000 dead in the war against drugs would justify anything that does not cost any lifes including a military coupe.

Just the coup should have been done BEFORE this 3000 people died (recall half were just normal people without any drugs).

Every fan of Thaksin should ask himself if he would love Thaksin the same if they would have shoot his wife or son....

[justanothercybertosser]

3000 dead in the war against drugs would justify anything that does not cost any lifes including a military coupe.

Just the coup should have been done BEFORE this 3000 people died (recall half were just normal people without any drugs).

Every fan of Thaksin should ask himself if he would love Thaksin the same if they would have shoot his wife or son....

Only that the coup was not about the dead in the war against drugs. The military was a willful collaborator in the drug war, and the coup happened 3 1/2 years later.

It was not about human rights violations either. As we have seen - during the military installed government none of the human rights violations committed in the south were prosecuted or punished.

Edit:

Just one was always brought into the media - that was the case of Somchai the lawyer. But that was a safe case - only police was supposedly involved in his disappearance. The cases though Somchai disappeared for - never a word. Because there was clear military involvement.

Edited February 8, 2009 by justanothercybertosser

[justanothercybertosser]

Yeah, I would drink to if I spent all my time complaining about a 4 year old coup lol

Yeah, how that drink affects memory... the coup was only 2 1/2 years ago, and ended one year ago. It still very much affects the country as it brought the military right back into politics.

Edited February 8, 2009 by justanothercybertosser

[justanothercybertosser]

So why wasn't he removed by legitimate means?

This is real question that bugs me more than even Thaksins crimes.

I think removing a Government from office via coupe is a far greater crime than he ever committed.

But seriously, who would have removed them? You seem to forget that just because someone is democratically elected doesn't mean they can walk all over the laws and human rights. Just ask Richard Nixon. In his case, there was an impartial justice department able to make the decision, in Thailand there is no such impartial agency. You also don't seem to realise that in every coup since Prem was PM, the military has handed power back to the people through elections, rather than hang onto it as is usual in other coup affected countries. In fact, Thailands arguably most honest PM, Anand Panyarachun, was installed by the military in order to sort out the country following the overthrow of the Chatichai Choonhaven government. As another poster has said, the army answers to one institution. It doesn't take much of a leap to work out that, in the lack of any civilian agency with the power to police a corrupt government, the military is the chosen method here.

Wrong. Every successful coup since Prem was PM is only two coups. The first one ended with the massacre in May '92. Which i would not exactly call "the military has handed power back to the people through elections". And this coup the military made sure to leave some safe guards for themselves, such as ISOC (responsible, for example, for the recent and ongoing Rohingya scandal) and a amnesty for the coup makers in the constitution.

How to get rid of Thaksin? If the Democrats would have managed to come up with some policies during their years in opposition than maybe they would not have needed military and PAD to get themselves back into power, but would have got there through elections. But they did not have any own policy. They still haven't - the copied Thaksin's dual track economy, and call it now "economic stimulus package".

And as the most corrupt element of Thaksin's government - Newin Chidchob - is now coalition partner of the Democrats, Suthep - Democrat deputy PM - recnetly implicated in a case of votebuying, one can hardly call this government any less corrupt than Thaksin's.

Corruption will not disappear by changing the ruling party, but by dismantling the patronage networks and forcing the army out of politics.

Edited February 8, 2009 by justanothercybertosser

[monkfish]

The Cabinet also awarded the 242 members of the military-appointed National Legislative Assembly - a third of them active or retired generals and half of them senior bureaucrats - an extra 104,330 baht ($4,432) a month, the salary of a mid-level manager.

new_thai_pm.jpgCoup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin will also see his salary double. He will get an additional payment of nearly 120,000 baht each month for chairing the CNS, roughly equal to his monthly military salary, according

to The Bangkok Post newspaper.

His deputy, Air Chief Marshal Chalit Phukphasuk, will receive nearly 114,000 baht while the other five CNS members will receive 110,000 baht, over and above their military salaries.

The coup leaders have also been given positions on the boards of several state firms.

Is this true? If so seems they were not much better than Thaksin!

[justanothercybertosser]

Is this true? If so seems they were not much better than Thaksin!

It is true.

And there are more nice things, such as ISOC, support for the PAD, and much more that will be obvious over the next months/years.

[nakachalet]

reading dif responses to tucksin's statement and his followers' activities made me shudder about thailand's future. gov't representatives in more developed countries will quickly resign when inappropriateness becomes an issue, but such is not the case in thailand. tainted officials will have a facelift and return even more indignantly trying to seize even more power, claiming democracy. even more sadly, a segment of thais won't mind being abused, and that their beloved country has been plundered.... just so they can go on living--if one can call it a living. it is fortunate that many underpaid local and farang teachers are encouraging their students to speak up and express themselves about injustice and abuse in various forms. introspectively, i am also beginning to question my own self; having a grand time and living off such abundantly blessed country such as thailand, what can i do to give something positive back, so that my children, grandchildren and the local thais can continue to enjoy a decent life here? oh, yes, one small positive thing i can do is to start a new thread called--what can i do, in return, to enhance local thais to better lives?