80 Years Of Democracy In Thailand

[eggomaniac]

Might consider a similar poll about the next 100 years!?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Had to put in a null vote.. I don't believe Thailand has a democracy at all.

[Huey]

I voted for the second choice stormy ride, sunny breaks. good for them. Democracy doesn't always come easy. In the States we had to fight, bleed, and die for it many times over. And even then 80 years into our fledgling democracy the only citizens who could vote where white men, shit, I wouldn't have even been a citizen but a mere slave 80 years into our democracy. Here in Thailand everyone can vote and some of the poorest, most ill educated ones even get paid to do so.

[thaihome]

I voted for the second choice stormy ride, sunny breaks. good for them. Democracy doesn't always come easy. In the States we had to fight, bleed, and die for it many times over. And even then 80 years into our fledgling democracy the only citizens who could vote where white men, shit, I wouldn't have even been a citizen but a mere slave 80 years into our democracy. Here in Thailand everyone can vote and some of the poorest, most ill educated ones even get paid to do so.

And for the 40 or so years, you had to be white man that owned property to vote.

I think you will find every western democracy had voting restictions in its early years.

TH

[slapout]

Winnie said quickly what personal insurmountable differences seem reluctant to do, address the real issue.

[lovelomsak]

I voted for the second choice stormy ride, sunny breaks. good for them. Democracy doesn't always come easy. In the States we had to fight, bleed, and die for it many times over. And even then 80 years into our fledgling democracy the only citizens who could vote where white men, shit, I wouldn't have even been a citizen but a mere slave 80 years into our democracy. Here in Thailand everyone can vote and some of the poorest, most ill educated ones even get paid to do so.

And for the 40 or so years, you had to be white man that owned property to vote.

I think you will find every western democracy had voting restictions in its early years.

TH

YES THEY ALL GET A VOTE IT SEEMS BUT IF THEY VOTE IN THE WRONG PARTY JUST GET 2000 PEOPLE TOGETHER HOLD THE AIRPORT HOSTAGE AND GET THE PARTY IN POWER DISSOVLVED AND TAKE POWER

[elkangorito]

Eggo, I think you could've been a bit more decisive with your poll choices.

I voted 'a totally failed lab experiment that is set to blow up'.

Edited March 26, 2010 by elkangorito

[mark45y]

Agree with Winnie. Thailand never has had a democracy. You need to add another question to the poll so I can vote. Question should read, "Thailand never had a democracy."

[PhilHarries]

^Thailand has a democracy, just not your definition of democracy.

[mark45y]

^Thailand has a democracy, just not your definition of democracy.

And Burma has free elections, just not my definition of free elections!

18 coups in the past few years does not a democracy make.

Thailand has had a defacto military dictatorship since 1932.

[pnustedt]

Had to put in a null vote.. I don't believe Thailand has a democracy at all.

Me too

[PhilHarries]

^and everytime they have an election the people are free to vote for whoever they like.

That they sell their votes for a couple of hundred Baht means they get what they desire. They then need the military to come in every few years and wipe the slate clean so they can start again.

If Thailand truly wants to be a democracy it first has to get some real politicians who represent THE PEOPLE not the bunch of self serving stuffed shirts they have now.

How do you know any politician is lying? His lips are moving.

How do you know a Thai politician is corrupt? If his heart is beating he's cheating.

I don't understand why expats get so worked up about the form of government they live under. It's not your business, you have absolutely no say in the matter now cough up your taxes and <deleted>. The Thais don't give a flying duck what government is in charge as long as they're free to make money. The current problems are entire due to external agitation and if the military or government had done the sensible thing a few years ago a certain person would be feeding the fish.

[mark45y]

^and everytime they have an election the people are free to vote for whoever they like.

That they sell their votes for a couple of hundred Baht means they get what they desire. They then need the military to come in every few years and wipe the slate clean so they can start again.

If Thailand truly wants to be a democracy it first has to get some real politicians who represent THE PEOPLE not the bunch of self serving stuffed shirts they have now.

How do you know any politician is lying? His lips are moving.

How do you know a Thai politician is corrupt? If his heart is beating he's cheating.

I don't understand why expats get so worked up about the form of government they live under. It's not your business, you have absolutely no say in the matter now cough up your taxes and <deleted>. The Thais don't give a flying duck what government is in charge as long as they're free to make money. The current problems are entire due to external agitation and if the military or government had done the sensible thing a few years ago a certain person would be feeding the fish.

I think it is important to realize the actual governmental system in Thailand. If it is a democracy the people are in charge. If it is a military dictatorship, the person who appoints the generals is in charge. If it is a police state the person who controls the police is in charge.

In my heart I applauded Google’s decision to pull out of China. Because I abhor censorship in any form. In my brain I wondered why they would do something so silly. In my wallet I didn’t invest in Google.

I think it is the same thing in Thailand. I look at the political system and current events to determine when to convert currency to Thai baht.

[slapout]

mark; your first paragraph, although, somewhat astute, would get an award for presentation, if you left out "in Thailand" The system here reminds me of 3 or even more, one legged men at a non handicapped a.. kicking contest. Besides being physically/mentally unprepared for failure, they can not recognize it when they get kicked in the a..

[Pakboong]

^and everytime they have an election the people are free to vote for whoever they like.

That they sell their votes for a couple of hundred Baht means they get what they desire. They then need the military to come in every few years and wipe the slate clean so they can start again.

If Thailand truly wants to be a democracy it first has to get some real politicians who represent THE PEOPLE not the bunch of self serving stuffed shirts they have now.

How do you know any politician is lying? His lips are moving.

How do you know a Thai politician is corrupt? If his heart is beating he's cheating.

I don't understand why expats get so worked up about the form of government they live under. It's not your business, you have absolutely no say in the matter now cough up your taxes and <deleted>. The Thais don't give a flying duck what government is in charge as long as they're free to make money. The current problems are entire due to external agitation and if the military or government had done the sensible thing a few years ago a certain person would be feeding the fish.

There are no democracies where votes are not sold. They are just not sold for a mere 200 baht.

[PhilHarries]

There are no democracies where votes are not sold. They are just not sold for a mere 200 baht.

If you refer to the fact that in "developed democracies" people vote for the party whose policies suit them personally and financially I'd broadly agree with you. Political idealism has gone out of the window and it's all "what's in it for me" these days. The main difference between democracy and dictatorship is that you get to choose the mindless ar5eholes that screw up the country and p1ss off the people. Then in four years you get the opportunity to hoof them out and try the other bunch of mindless ar5eholes who will screw up the country and p1ss off the people.

If it is a democracy the people are in charge.

That's the theory, unfortunately given the lack of political education in Thailand the people don't realise that the politicians are supposed to be public servants. To their mind all they are doing is electing their own masters as they still live in the vestiges of a feudal society.

The problem with democracy is that you either follow the right wing course and p1ss off half the country or the left wing and p1ss off the other half. Or alternatively you follow a centre path and p1ss off everybody.

[mark45y]

^and everytime they have an election the people are free to vote for whoever they like.

That they sell their votes for a couple of hundred Baht means they get what they desire. They then need the military to come in every few years and wipe the slate clean so they can start again.

If Thailand truly wants to be a democracy it first has to get some real politicians who represent THE PEOPLE not the bunch of self serving stuffed shirts they have now.

How do you know any politician is lying? His lips are moving.

How do you know a Thai politician is corrupt? If his heart is beating he's cheating.

I don't understand why expats get so worked up about the form of government they live under. It's not your business, you have absolutely no say in the matter now cough up your taxes and <deleted>. The Thais don't give a flying duck what government is in charge as long as they're free to make money. The current problems are entire due to external agitation and if the military or government had done the sensible thing a few years ago a certain person would be feeding the fish.

There are no democracies where votes are not sold. They are just not sold for a mere 200 baht.

Voting is irrelevant. If the powers that be don’t like the government, it is changed, see 17 coups in recent memory.

[mark45y]

There are no democracies where votes are not sold. They are just not sold for a mere 200 baht.

If you refer to the fact that in "developed democracies" people vote for the party whose policies suit them personally and financially I'd broadly agree with you. Political idealism has gone out of the window and it's all "what's in it for me" these days. The main difference between democracy and dictatorship is that you get to choose the mindless ar5eholes that screw up the country and p1ss off the people. Then in four years you get the opportunity to hoof them out and try the other bunch of mindless ar5eholes who will screw up the country and p1ss off the people.

If it is a democracy the people are in charge.

That's the theory, unfortunately given the lack of political education in Thailand the people don't realise that the politicians are supposed to be public servants. To their mind all they are doing is electing their own masters as they still live in the vestiges of a feudal society.

The problem with democracy is that you either follow the right wing course and p1ss off half the country or the left wing and p1ss off the other half. Or alternatively you follow a centre path and p1ss off everybody.

This is not Thai related.

[Huey]

Y

I voted for the second choice stormy ride, sunny breaks. good for them. Democracy doesn't always come easy. In the States we had to fight, bleed, and die for it many times over. And even then 80 years into our fledgling democracy the only citizens who could vote where white men, shit, I wouldn't have even been a citizen but a mere slave 80 years into our democracy. Here in Thailand everyone can vote and some of the poorest, most ill educated ones even get paid to do so.

And for the 40 or so years, you had to be white man that owned property to vote.

I think you will find every western democracy had voting restictions in its early years.

TH

YES THEY ALL GET A VOTE IT SEEMS BUT IF THEY VOTE IN THE WRONG PARTY JUST GET 2000 PEOPLE TOGETHER HOLD THE AIRPORT HOSTAGE AND GET THE PARTY IN POWER DISSOVLVED AND TAKE POWER

Yes, and nobody got, lycnhed, had the dogs set on them, or hosed down from fire trucks. And they still got to keep all the money they got paid for voting for the folks that got dissolved. And your point? Other than the fact that your "Caps-lock"key works?