"Reconciliation", is fine in cash registers, cash drawers and receipts at the end of the day.

Or between the prodigal son and the parents, or estranged families after many years.

But if ignoring laws and giving a free pass to graft is ALSO reconciliation,

it is a dangerous and useless definition. Sounds more like Lloyd George's appeasement.

I think it is Neville Chamberlain who was linked to the British Conservative appeasment policy towards the expansion plans of Hitler. The Munich agreament was supposed to ensure peace in Europe but was in fact the prelude of World War 2. The lesson seems to be be that by appeasing a dictator (or a big boss ?) one is seen as weak and therefore more demands are made. But then appeasement and loss of face have a certain dynamic that is important in Thai politics

Yes, thank you, Chamberlain. (sorry Mr George.)

Yes, and it is that face saving dynamic of appeasement that Thaksin is playing on so cynically.

For The Remians Of The Day, we shall wonder which is the best course,

in the morning all will be clear.

Yes, the morning after a general election, when democracy is restored.

I think it a stretch to compare the two, giving Thaksin far more credit then he has earned.  He's not building an image of Rome in SEA, he's just a manipulative businessman that likes to feel power.

He wants some of the money back and you can always print more.  Its not worth blood, and hes not worth that much ether.

Some of the real issues that are grass roots, the trues that are mis-used will remain and re surface with a better chance of resolution because they will be sponsored by more legitimate leadership, thats being held up by this continuing soap.

It is always easy to be absolute to the grave, when its others that will do all the dieing.

I don't believe in "reconciliation".

Thaksin should return and serve his time. Everything else is just smokescreen nonsense that is attributed to all kinds of "divisions" instead.

This may come as a shock, but I doubt any Thais could care less what you think about reconciliation.

Not quite as shock as you believe - I was aware that I was posting on an English language Internet forum geared mostly to foreigners.

Yes, the morning after a general election, when democracy is restored.

We just had one...

Many farang I know have said many times that "Thais don't learn," which is true. The Thai response to the 1997 financial meltdown and collapse of the economy was the creation by Thaksin & Co. of the Thais Love Thais political elephant which sought to establish a corporate melding of the country into a self serving one party government in absolute control of the economy to thwart and minimize foreign influence and leverage over both.

At least enuff Thais who bought into that then have since decided they didn't like Thaksin and his TRT's purposes and intents as they unfolded into ugly reality. Slow learners are always better than those who don't learn at all.

Slow learners are always better than those who don't learn at all.

All to true.

Better to eventually get what's happening, than to go along endlessly, mindlessly with blinkers on,

till you die too early caused by your own apathy, or myopia...

Edited September 12, 200916 yr by animatic