I Will Return To Post Of Prime Minister: Thaksin

[sriracha john]

^In a country as capricious as Thailand. all of these people can be unbanned as quickly as they were banned.

Examples of unbanning please?

[kaiwatnok]

What just a month ago everyone was going on about how it was looking up that British born Abhisit was to be PM. Now, everyone is slagging him off - is it soemthing to do with the fact that he doesn't like College girls earning extra income by selling their bodies on the internet?

I don't think we can expect him to be puking out new policies left, right and centre as Obama is, Obama has a h3ck of a lot more money behind him - another post here was stating that he was handed a reserve less than a month's worth of civil servant wages! Not a lot to build on. Thaksin made no end of promises, predictions and policy statements - mostly to fool the rural vote into thinking he was a savior that loved the struggling underclasses. Many promises and predictions turn out as hot air, and many of the policies he did put in '30 baht medical' etc sounded good, but never worked - many of the others helped him and his family and companies, but not many others - and certainly not the working classes and below.

I think we need to give him more time before we make a judgement and give him enough rope - this country really doesn't need more change that's for sure.

There is far more going on behind the scenes than many people realise.

It is fact and indisputable that Thaksin was/ is a crook.... a very intelligent crook who would probably like to see himself as President, not Prime minister.

That is why the Traditional power base is so afraid of him, and why the PAD had the backing and support that they did......

Abhisit, by contrast is a traditionalist.... a nice guy, with a good education, but he has been placed where he is as a puppet of the old guard..... (just as somak was previously put in place as puppet of thaksin). this has been confirmed by Abhisits refusal to remove members of his cabinet who had worked with the PAD. A bad move politically, but one i fear he had little control over.

this isn't about online prostitution or 30 bht medical schemes....everything we have seen in the last 18 months is about power...... who has it, who wants it, and who is scared of losing it.

If thaksin is determined to return to power, and rally the troops (red shirts) as it were.... i fear we are looking at things getting far worse before they get better. Bloodshed will be inevitable, and civil war will be very possible. The red/yellow split is also a north/ south split....... if the Army splits too, then we are in big trouble. but i am not sure there is any evidence of this yet.

there is however, definate cause for concern.

[Jimjim]

Thaksin should shut his big mouth and let Thailand heal itself. While he keeps making these nonsense calls, he is only making things worse. What a horribly selfish man.

[Journalist]

Plenty of Asian and/or corrupt/unkind politicians have been discredited, expunged, blackballed, and jailed - but come-backs are made, unpopularity reversed, and convictions and issues surrounding public disgrace can be made to disappear as quickly as they were imposed.

Deng Xiao Ping, Anwar Ibrahim, Benazir Bhutto, Peter Mandelson, Reinhard Heydrich, Nelson Mandela.

The fact that irate forum writers can write 'CONVICTED' in large caps will not change the real world one jot.

Edited February 3, 2009 by Journalist

[kaiwatnok]

Thaksin should shut his big mouth and let Thailand heal itself. While he keeps making these nonsense calls, he is only making things worse. What a horribly selfish man.

....could not agree more.

horrible selfish greedy man...who exploits and cheats his people.

if only the red shirts could see they are just being used....

[Sandstone Art]

Thaksin should shut his big mouth and let Thailand heal itself. While he keeps making these nonsense calls, he is only making things worse. What a horribly selfish man.

He is so alone and getting too lonely, he need to make his 'presences felt' !

That is part of his way of spending 4-5million $ each year.

Only his bad krama will get him in the near future. Nothing else seems to be able to drive some cow-sense into his horribly square skull !

[sriracha john]

Cue the "Abhisit is a puppet controlled by the shady elite" protests

good call, you got it in less than 25 minutes...

Abhisit, by contrast is a traditionalist.... a nice guy, with a good education, but he has been placed where he is as a puppet of the old guard.....

[midas]

Plenty of Asian and/or corrupt/unkind politicians have been discredited, expunged, blackballed, and jailed - but come-backs are made, unpopularity reversed, and convictions and issues surrounding public disgrace can be made to disappear as quickly as they were imposed.

Deng Xiao Ping, Anwar Ibrahim, Benazir Bhutto, Peter Mandelson, Reinhard Heydrich, Nelson Mandela.

The fact that irate forum writers can write 'CONVICTED' in large caps will not change the real world one jot.

Yes but not many other countries have experienced the other events

( i.e. closing of airport , occupying govt house etc ) and if he comes back then

may as well forget about Thailand as a serious place to do buisness

[sriracha john]

Plenty of Asian and/or corrupt/unkind politicians have been discredited, expunged, blackballed, and jailed - but come-backs are made, unpopularity reversed, and convictions and issues surrounding public disgrace can be made to disappear as quickly as they were imposed.

Deng Xiao Ping, Anwar Ibrahim, Benazir Bhutto, Peter Mandelson, Reinhard Heydrich, Nelson Mandela.

The fact that irate forum writers can write 'CONVICTED' in large caps will not change the real world one jot.

Not that I do that personally (write 'CONVICTED'), but I was hoping for some examples specific of unbanning banned Thai politicians as I'm not aware of that ever happening.

Thanks for your other listings, but after 40 years of Asia, I've pretty much already sorted out that there are a whole host of other occurrences.

Edited February 3, 2009 by sriracha john

[dinthailand]

What just a month ago everyone was going on about how it was looking up that British born Abhisit was to be PM. Now, everyone is slagging him off - is it soemthing to do with the fact that he doesn't like College girls earning extra income by selling their bodies on the internet?

I don't think we can expect him to be puking out new policies left, right and centre as Obama is, Obama has a h3ck of a lot more money behind him - another post here was stating that he was handed a reserve less than a month's worth of civil servant wages! Not a lot to build on. Thaksin made no end of promises, predictions and policy statements - mostly to fool the rural vote into thinking he was a savior that loved the struggling underclasses. Many promises and predictions turn out as hot air, and many of the policies he did put in '30 baht medical' etc sounded good, but never worked - many of the others helped him and his family and companies, but not many others - and certainly not the working classes and below.

I think we need to give him more time before we make a judgement and give him enough rope - this country really doesn't need more change that's for sure.

Hear Hear...well put, all the other comments are like small stones rattling around in an empty tin...

You refer to the working classes but then say Thailand doers not need any more change!

Strange metaphor and not apt. Can you explain its relevance.

[baht&sold]

Breakingnews

Ex-PM gives opposition morale boost

Bangkok Post 10:07 AM

The exiled ex-premier vows to come back and to lead the country again, but he does not say when. The big problem is that is he willing and ready to face the two-year jailterm awaiting him once he sets foot on Thai territory?

Exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s vow to return home to fight for justice and to lead the country once again has given the Puea Thai party members their badly-needed morale booster at a crucial juncture when the party is without a real leader and is beset with internal feuding. His vow which was made during his phone-in to the Puea Thai party seminar held at Khao Yai in Nakhon Ratchasima on Monday will also embolden his red-shirt loyalists in their attempts to put more pressure on the Abhisit government in order to force a House dissolution to pave way for fresh elections.

But the high spirit felt by the party’s rank and file at the conference room as a result of Mr Thaksin’s tough words will not be sustainable if the exiled ex-premier still remains overseas and continues to dictate the party an ocean away.

Despite his vow to stage a comeback and to become prime minister “if the people still want me”, he has not given a timeframe or a hint about when exactly he will return. With a cloud of uncertainty about when he will come back, the high morale among party members which was induced by Mr Thaksin’s vow will soon decline and dissipate.

The biggest and most immediate problem facing Mr Thaksin should he set foot on the Thai soil is the two-year imprisonment imposed upon him by the Supreme Court in a case of abuse of power in connection with the Ratchadapisek land controversy. Is he willing and ready to spend time behind bars in the same way as Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, whom he referred to as a model freedom fighter during his recent interview given to the Japanese newspaper, Asahi Shimbun?

Continues here

Edited February 3, 2009 by baht&sold

[dinthailand]

Is beyond my comprehension why so many english speaking TV people are so excited about Thaksin and his impossible return to Thailand.

Because, as has been posted in this forum before, some have been affected by the murder of a friend or family member under the direct orders of Thaksin, some want to see Thailand find some sort of recovery and don't see any role for Thaksin in it, being more of a divisive figure than a unifying one, and many see through the lies and greed of this bitter little man and simply want to see justice served, in the same way we want to see it served in the Moo Ham case, the Shin murder case and every other case where the rich and powerful have killed, robbed, tortured or otherwise dragged down the poor and got away with it. Comprehend? If you don't feel enough about the country to come up with an opinion as to how it could be bettered, whether it be red or yellow, then maybe you need to question what you are doing here.

i respect your opinion but disagree. is your logic that well thought out?

the rich and the powerful are NOT in the same camp as Taksin. They wanted him out.

Your last line is quite a statement, shame it's not true though. I was referring to the rich and powerful who have arrogantly broken laws, murdered, or ordered murder, and bought their way out. People like Thaksin Shinawatra, the entire Yoobamrung clan, and the killers of numerous other environmental, legal and human rights activists who spoke up against the illegal actions of the TRT. Even the most ardent red supporter can't believe that they wanted Thaksin out? If Abhisit were ever to be proved to be a fraction of the crook that Thaksin is then I would be as fervently against him as I am against these other carbuncles on the backside of humanity. I guess that's the difference between me and the Thaksin lovers, I would never support a thieving, murdering, lieing, cheating scum bag of an individual, who hasn't the balls to face up to his crimes, to be PM, whereas they obviously would. Cue the "Abhisit is a puppet controlled by the shady elite" protests, but I'm talking about the character of the PM himself. Thai politics is rotten to the core, always has been, maybe always will be, but at the moment Abhisit has still got a measure of integrity, Thaksin definitely hasn't.

I think you have some good points, but, do you agree?, you are rather spoiling it with a lot of personal invective. Being that personal does not win arguments - it gets people's backs up.

I now understand who you meant by the rich and famous - not the same as my definition of the elite.

Your points are interesting and worthy of a forum discussion. Can you simplify them and avoid the flaming.

[selftaopath]

Thank you.

[dinthailand]

What just a month ago everyone was going on about how it was looking up that British born Abhisit was to be PM. Now, everyone is slagging him off - is it soemthing to do with the fact that he doesn't like College girls earning extra income by selling their bodies on the internet?

I don't think we can expect him to be puking out new policies left, right and centre as Obama is, Obama has a h3ck of a lot more money behind him - another post here was stating that he was handed a reserve less than a month's worth of civil servant wages! Not a lot to build on. Thaksin made no end of promises, predictions and policy statements - mostly to fool the rural vote into thinking he was a savior that loved the struggling underclasses. Many promises and predictions turn out as hot air, and many of the policies he did put in '30 baht medical' etc sounded good, but never worked - many of the others helped him and his family and companies, but not many others - and certainly not the working classes and below.

I think we need to give him more time before we make a judgement and give him enough rope - this country really doesn't need more change that's for sure.

There is far more going on behind the scenes than many people realise.

It is fact and indisputable that Thaksin was/ is a crook.... a very intelligent crook who would probably like to see himself as President, not Prime minister.

That is why the Traditional power base is so afraid of him, and why the PAD had the backing and support that they did......

Abhisit, by contrast is a traditionalist.... a nice guy, with a good education, but he has been placed where he is as a puppet of the old guard..... (just as somak was previously put in place as puppet of thaksin). this has been confirmed by Abhisits refusal to remove members of his cabinet who had worked with the PAD. A bad move politically, but one i fear he had little control over.

this isn't about online prostitution or 30 bht medical schemes....everything we have seen in the last 18 months is about power...... who has it, who wants it, and who is scared of losing it.

If thaksin is determined to return to power, and rally the troops (red shirts) as it were.... i fear we are looking at things getting far worse before they get better. Bloodshed will be inevitable, and civil war will be very possible. The red/yellow split is also a north/ south split....... if the Army splits too, then we are in big trouble. but i am not sure there is any evidence of this yet.

there is however, definate cause for concern.

An extreemly perceptive post. Do the Thais have the balls for a fight though? I think there will be a lot of mae bhen rai and compromise in the development of this country. Change will come but slowly.

[dinthailand]

Thaksin should shut his big mouth and let Thailand heal itself. While he keeps making these nonsense calls, he is only making things worse. What a horribly selfish man.

....could not agree more.

horrible selfish greedy man...who exploits and cheats his people.

if only the red shirts could see they are just being used....

and the yellow shirts aren't??

A faint parallel was Northern Ireland: Too many Catholics, Too many Protestants, Not enough Christians.

Some points in this forum are too extremist and vindictive. Think a middle way.

[hammered]

The battle for the PTP sitting MPs has begun. Newin's split was act one. By-election defeat was act two. The law stopping 20-40 PTPers defecting to the new party was act three. Red demo was fightback part one or act four and now we have fightback part two or act five in Thaksin's I will return as PM announcement. Once again we see the battle in which the winner emerges electorally powerful if not omnipotent as before.

As to Thaksin's popularity. Nobody knows exactly where it stands now. No doubt it is less than before but how much less. Certainly it is noticeable that the PTP lost most of the by-elections where his son campaigned. The popularity though can increase as things get difficult fo rth ecurrent government. At by-election time, up until now and while longer few would really not be giving the government an opportunity. That can and probably will change.

Where does his popularity come from? It is for different reasons. A small amouint of his hardcore supporters no doubt like his belligerent never say appraoch towards fighting oppopnets. A great many people liked the policies and loans. Some no doubt just liked the indvidual. Many were convinced also by traditional power brokers in TRT. The problem now is not really with those who like him but with those who liked the polices - why would nt they also like the current governments policies too? and with those swayed by power brokers - what happens when power brokers change sides?

Thaksin has probably been forced to come out into a position he didnt want to be in with this announcement. The party and reds appeal without him are diminishing and just arent strong enough to attract support at a level required. The party also lacks other charismatic figures and Thai media have been carrying reports of some of the old heavyweights moving away from the Shin clan. Thaksin had to move now to try and thwart a break up of his alliance in the face of a politcal reality - government without a Thaksin proxy party for the foreseeable future.

Thaksin has always been willing to take a risk but it reamins to be seen if this time it will pay off or he indeed still retains the pull he used to. It may be that he can hold the disparate groups in his alliance together. However, if another big name goes he will start to look weaker than he would want to. His own mishandling of Newin created the conditions for that desertion. Has he learned from that is another question.

Some questions relating to the strengths and weaknesses of Thaksin are going to be answered as this plays out.

Edited to add: I note that some discussion on Thai webboards over Thaksin's sanity with claims he has gone over the edge

Edited February 3, 2009 by hammered

[ballpoint]

Is beyond my comprehension why so many english speaking TV people are so excited about Thaksin and his impossible return to Thailand.

Because, as has been posted in this forum before, some have been affected by the murder of a friend or family member under the direct orders of Thaksin, some want to see Thailand find some sort of recovery and don't see any role for Thaksin in it, being more of a divisive figure than a unifying one, and many see through the lies and greed of this bitter little man and simply want to see justice served, in the same way we want to see it served in the Moo Ham case, the Shin murder case and every other case where the rich and powerful have killed, robbed, tortured or otherwise dragged down the poor and got away with it. Comprehend? If you don't feel enough about the country to come up with an opinion as to how it could be bettered, whether it be red or yellow, then maybe you need to question what you are doing here.

i respect your opinion but disagree. is your logic that well thought out?

the rich and the powerful are NOT in the same camp as Taksin. They wanted him out.

Your last line is quite a statement, shame it's not true though. I was referring to the rich and powerful who have arrogantly broken laws, murdered, or ordered murder, and bought their way out. People like Thaksin Shinawatra, the entire Yoobamrung clan, and the killers of numerous other environmental, legal and human rights activists who spoke up against the illegal actions of the TRT. Even the most ardent red supporter can't believe that they wanted Thaksin out? If Abhisit were ever to be proved to be a fraction of the crook that Thaksin is then I would be as fervently against him as I am against these other carbuncles on the backside of humanity. I guess that's the difference between me and the Thaksin lovers, I would never support a thieving, murdering, lieing, cheating scum bag of an individual, who hasn't the balls to face up to his crimes, to be PM, whereas they obviously would. Cue the "Abhisit is a puppet controlled by the shady elite" protests, but I'm talking about the character of the PM himself. Thai politics is rotten to the core, always has been, maybe always will be, but at the moment Abhisit has still got a measure of integrity, Thaksin definitely hasn't.

I think you have some good points, but, do you agree?, you are rather spoiling it with a lot of personal invective. Being that personal does not win arguments - it gets people's backs up.

I now understand who you meant by the rich and famous - not the same as my definition of the elite.

Your points are interesting and worthy of a forum discussion. Can you simplify them and avoid the flaming.

The original poster asked why some of us get so excited about the prospect of Thaksin returning. It's hard, if not impossible, to leave opinions out of a reply to such a question. And I had no intention in flaming by describing Thaksin et al in the manner as I see them. Have you seen the names given to Moo Ham in his thread? Why is it okay to call this killer every name under the sun (and quite rightly so in my opinion, again), but not Thaksin, the indirect killer of many?

I also never used the terms "rich and famous" in my posts, and only introduced the term "elite" in the second one.

More opinion: Had the PPP chosen an untainted PM, gotten on with running the country to the best of its abilities and stopped trying to interfere with the judicial system for the sake of one man, I would have been one of their supporters. Since they managed to achieve none of these, I find myself as one of their critics. I'd like to see the country move forward. It seems to me that many of the TRT/PPP/PTP supporters only desire is to see them back in power, Thaksin taking his place at their head, and let the country face the consequences.

[TAWP]

I guess Thaksin is banned from politics for years ahead, and have to serve a jail term as well. Until then it's unlikely IMHO.

The coup-makers of the 2006 takeover "convicted" Thaksin. As soon as they are on the run, which shouldn't be long now, no jail term will be necessary. Neither Thaksin nor the leaders of the PAD will rot in jail.

Atleast now we know how you can be a Thaksin-fan when facts doesn't bother you in your quest for slogans...

[JackFord]

Wako Tako has more U-turns than the BangNa Trad!

[sriracha john]

Despite his vow to stage a comeback and to become prime minister “if the people still want me”, he has not given a timeframe or a hint about when exactly he will return. With a cloud of uncertainty about when he will come back, the high morale among party members which was induced by Thaksin’s vow will soon decline and dissipate.

That's not entirely true. We know exactly when he's returning to Thailand. It's December 25, 2008.

Former TRT MP and former PPP MP and current PTP MP Pracha Prasopdee

Pracha claims Thaksin would return to Thailand

PTP MP Pracha Prasopdee claimed Monday he had learned that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra would return to Thailand on Thursday.

"Wait and see what will happen on December 25. I've heard there will be a big surprise on Christmas Day," Pracha said.

Asked whether that important person would be Thaksin, Pracha replied: "I've learned so".

- The Nation / 2008-12-22

[UncleFrank]

My crystal ball says:

This mob will cop all the flak for the dreadful economy this year and the protests will grow for them to resign.

Fair elections won't be held as they won't give power back to the rural electorate.

The military will further tighten their grip on power and we'll see some real trouble.

People will be begging for Thaksin to return.

Anything else?

Exactly.

Things were much better when Thaksin was running the show.

[baht&sold]

Exactly.

Things were much better when Thaksin was running the show.

That's 'simply deep'... slightly reminiscent of:

Alas, most would indeed like Mr Thaksin to return (for varying reasons) :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I09IrlyjY8

(the last bit still wets the eyes;)

Edited February 3, 2009 by baht&sold

[sriracha john]

Alas, most would indeed like Mr Thaksin to return (for varying reasons) :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I09IrlyjY8

(the last bit still wets the eyes;)

Hard to believe the tearful life-long lovebirds divorced less than 10 months later...

[Samuian]

I'll return to post of prime minister: Thaksin

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra Monday vowed to fight his way back to the post of prime minister and vowed to return to Thailand.

He made the announcement through a 20-minute phone-in to the Pheu Thai Party seminar in Nakhon Ratchasima.

During the phonein, he affirmed to the MPs and executives of Pheu Thai that he would fight against his opponents for justice.

"I would like to tell the people that I'll be ready to return to the post of prime minister again if the people are also ready," Thaksin said.

"But if the people give up, it will also be tantamount to my defeat as well."

-- The Nation 2009-02-02

Don't see much sign of that. Hiding under a rock with a phone, making increasingly ridiculous calls in an effort to try and raise a little stink whenever things aren't going to plan isn't exactly fighting for justice. He'd sound a little more convincing if he'd stayed to face his opponents rather than fleeing. He saw how the red shirts demonstration fizzled out on Saturday and he's worried that Abhisit is doing okay and the majority of the people are giving him a chance, so he's getting desperate. The man's scum.

"I am mentally fit".... is a good one!

and while his lackeys were busy applauding him on his "Phoney-in" they are just as busy claiming not to work and not to have anything on the agenda for him!

Very honest bunch, his cronies, honest as he ever was!

Beware this country of his/their return, the return of "Taxinomics", the making of Thai Incorp. and him as the CEO!

[Sao Jiang Mai]

He is absorbing and charismatic and thoroughly entertaining. I miss, and still enjoy hearing about and from Thaksin. However, I rue the day he ever comes back to Thailand. Not one man is worth the trouble we have all gone through for. As someone mentioned he is the most divisive polititian this country has seen at at this time we don't need that, or him. He is a criminal, let him make his little rambling phone calls from abroad, we can discuss and disect and get all riled up, but after we leave this forum we will return to our busy lives and slowly forget about him. I hope.

[leanester]

I am not an expert in all this kind of political stuff. But all I know is that many people from my neighborhood, and surrounding neighborhoods, support Thaksin. The teenagers now get brainwashed by their parents and they speak without having a real view of the things that happen in their country. That's something really sad to see. But the workers, the "low class" hard workers that work at schools, or that have their onw little shops and dont own any company or are not rich, think that Thaksin was someone who helped the poor people, and besides of having his problems, like any politician, he did good things for the country and for them. As a foreigner I cannot give my opinion, I was not here when everything happened. But I can say what I hear from Thai people, and so far, the only things I've heard from him (again, besides the problems and stuff that every person in the goverment have) were good.

[Sao Jiang Mai]

He could have been mother Theresa, but he is still a convicted criminal. And he wasn't mother Theresa. Doesn't matter what your wife or friends think of him. He is a criminal. The man deserves to be in jail.

[Journalist]

A self-made millionaire. He won two elections comfortably. It took a military coup to get rid of him. An anti-establishment maverick.

Nearly three years to come up with a hatful of charges, which whilst not trivial, ....were not exactly the unveiling of a secret Holocaust.

He and his party pursued by a judiciary for whom stamping the conviction sheet appeared to be a pre-ordained conclusion.

Of course people are still interested in him. He'll be front page news in Thailand till the day they put him in the ground !

<edit: cremate him >

Edited February 3, 2009 by Journalist

[hammered]

A self-made millionaire. He won two elections comfortably. It took a military coup to get rid of him. An anti-establishment maverick.

Nearly three years to come up with a hatful of charges, which whilst not trivial, ....were not exactly the unveiling of a secret Holocaust.

He and his party pursued by a judiciary for whom stamping the conviction sheet appeared to be a pre-ordained conclusion.

Of course people are still interested in him. He'll be front page news in Thailand till the day they put him in the ground !

<edit: cremate him >

Indeed. His impact on Thai politcs will discussed, analysed and written about for long after his death and no doubt from diverse perspectives. The question is though, will he actually personally get back to politics in Thailand again or are his days of active politics over?

[Journalist]

Paradoxically. a divisive figure, yet also one who has the widest appeal. If there was an election tomorrow, and Thaksin was allowed to run at the head of a party. I think he would win.

In the same way that Osama Bin Laden would probably win an election with universal suffrage held tomorrow in Saudi Arabia.

I think there is more chance of a deal being struck in a smoke filled room that one day sees Thaksin return - all it needs is for him to give some latitude in the direction of his opponents and accommodate them in the traditional way. I understand there are some echelons in which he has cultivated good relations that could be fruitful in 5-10 years.

What are the chances of all this happening. I'd say fifty-fifty. I wouldn't want to offer odds against it, but I wouldn't say it was odds-on either.

Edited February 3, 2009 by Journalist