Then let the majority decide through majority rules.

Nobody is arguing if there should be elections, people are arguing if there should be elections immediately at the demand of a minority on the streets.

Perhaps you'd like to tell us why you think there should be elections immediately.

Isn't it relative? Cuba will someday have a freely elected government, but not now, not yet.

What's wrong with having election immediately?

Then let the majority decide through majority rules.

Nobody is arguing if there should be elections, people are arguing if there should be elections immediately at the demand of a minority on the streets.

Perhaps you'd like to tell us why you think there should be elections immediately.

And on that note, when does Mr. Abhisit wants to have an election? Someone said end of the year.

Well, why not 2 years from now or 3 or 4. What's the rush? I can certain find data to support this.

A year from now --- economy not good yet. Let's not have election.

2 yrs from now --- another natural disaster devasted the nation, let's postponed.

3 yrs --- economy still bad...

4 yrs --- tourism is down

10 yrs --- there's a virus outbreak. Thailand can't afford to have political election....

There's no really good time to have an election, if you were appointed to that position already.

All you are advocatiing is a return to the staus quo for Thailand. Do you not think the Thai people deserve better? Isn't it better to break the cycle of protest to coup to interim government to protest to coup etc...

Wait 9 months only and start a new cycle of legitimate vote for legitimate government. Your way only opens the door to diisident groups thinking they can oust a government by protesting and marching. That is not the democratic way, and it should not be the Thai way either.

Your attitude and the red shirt leaders attitude is 100% selfish and the Thai people as I said deserve better.

All you are advocatiing is a return to the staus quo for Thailand. Do you not think the Thai people deserve better? Isn't it better to break the cycle of protest to coup to interim government to protest to coup etc...

Wait 9 months only and start a new cycle of legitimate vote for legitimate government. Your way only opens the door to diisident groups thinking they can oust a government by protesting and marching. That is not the democratic way, and it should not be the Thai way either.

Your attitude and the red shirt leaders attitude is 100% selfish and the Thai people as I said deserve better.

You are right. Thai people deserve better. I also hope the cycle will stop. So in that nine months, you are ok,

I am ok. I have food on my table. I have a job. I go on with my life. But what about the people that are suffering

during these 9 months. The ones that don't have money. The ones that are sick and don't have a way to go see doctors.

The ones that are getting the short end of this deal? We don't know that them, we don't recognize them, we don't hear their pleas.

Afterall, We are safe, we have our computers, we are fine.

They should ok right? Can't we all just wait? If these people have to suffer or die while waiting for the government to change,

not just for them but for their families. It is ok, you said.

Then let the majority decide through majority rules.

Nobody is arguing if there should be elections, people are arguing if there should be elections immediately at the demand of a minority on the streets.

Perhaps you'd like to tell us why you think there should be elections immediately.

And on that note, when does Mr. Abhisit wants to have an election? Someone said end of the year.

Well, why not 2 years from now or 3 or 4. What's the rush? I can certain find data to support this.

<snipped>

Why not 2, 3 or 4 years from now? Because that would be beyond the term of the government. Nobody is advocating or much less suggesting that this government stay beyond its term. All that is being advocated by some is that the government be allowed, as if their right, to call elections when they decide, not when the opposition would prefer. What you support is not far removed from having a coup in that a government is being forced to step down.

I think we've gone a little off-topic here. Please find another forum on which to discuss World War II. A number of posts deleted.

Whats wrong with an election? Nothing, except it has to be a real election and nobody is capable of that here. They all want money for thier vote and think this is ok when it is completely opposite of democracy and a true election. So if an election was held RIGHT NOW. Half the country would take money to vote for the wrong guy. Thailand isn't even close to ready for an election. In a country with real rules and laws people would instantly go to jail for buying votes, here no one is held accountable.

All you are advocatiing is a return to the staus quo for Thailand. Do you not think the Thai people deserve better? Isn't it better to break the cycle of protest to coup to interim government to protest to coup etc...

Wait 9 months only and start a new cycle of legitimate vote for legitimate government. Your way only opens the door to diisident groups thinking they can oust a government by protesting and marching. That is not the democratic way, and it should not be the Thai way either.

Your attitude and the red shirt leaders attitude is 100% selfish and the Thai people as I said deserve better.

You are right. Thai people deserve better. I also hope the cycle will stop. So in that nine months, you are ok,

I am ok. I have food on my table. I have a job. I go on with my life. But what about the people that are suffering

during these 9 months. The ones that don't have money. The ones that are sick and don't have a way to go see doctors.

The ones that are getting the short end of this deal?

I think you're living in some kind of fantasy world. The poor have Thailand were just as poor under the Thaksin puppet parties as they are now and changing the ruling party from one to another will have absolutely no effect on that, except perhaps to make it worse considering public debt doubled during the TRT/PTP years.

In fact the current government has so far accomplished more towards general social welfare in a shorter period of time than Thaksin did in both his terms. The only way to bring more to the have-nots is through education and raising taxes for the rich, two things Thaksin et al never showed any interest in. In fact, quite the opposite. The fastest and most efficient way to increase needed social assistance is through increasing the national tax base. While the Abhisit gov't has proposed the first ever property taxes, Thaksin did his best to evade millions in income tax. Thaksin also lowered taxes for the rich, lobbying for the abolition of capital gains on SET transactions, hardly a benefit to the poor.

The Abhisit gov't has made education free for all for the first time in modern Thai history. As for health care, the Abhisit gov't has gone beyond the 30-baht plan by doing away with fees altogether for qualifying patients so health care is cheaper than ever before.

I don't know anyone who knows the political scene and the individual players who believes that Jatuporn, Chalerm, etc have any concrete plans at all that will help the poor. It's all just rhetoric as far as I can see.

Then let the majority decide through majority rules.

Nobody is arguing if there should be elections, people are arguing if there should be elections immediately at the demand of a minority on the streets.

Perhaps you'd like to tell us why you think there should be elections immediately.

Um, because the present government, sock puppet of the junta, is not legitimate?

I think you're living in some kind of fantasy world. The poor have Thailand were just as poor under the Thaksin puppet parties as they are now and changing the ruling party from one to another will have absolutely no effect on that, except perhaps to make it worse considering public debt doubled during the TRT/PTP years.

An uninformed view.  According to the New York Times, 

"people using mobile phones in the vast, rice-growing northeast had more than doubled to 5.3 million.  Incomes in the northeast rose nearly 50 percent during the Thaksin government and even more in the provinces east and south of Bangkok."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/world/as...t=cse&scp=1

The Red Shirts are rationally pursuing their economic interests as every group is presumed to do in a pluralistic society.

Edited April 4, 201016 yr by CaptHaddock

I think you're living in some kind of fantasy world. The poor have Thailand were just as poor under the Thaksin puppet parties as they are now and changing the ruling party from one to another will have absolutely no effect on that, except perhaps to make it worse considering public debt doubled during the TRT/PTP years.

An uninformed view. According to the New York Times,

"people using mobile phones in the vast, rice-growing northeast had more than doubled to 5.3 million. Incomes in the northeast rose nearly 50 percent during the Thaksin government and even more in the provinces east and south of Bangkok."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/world/as...t=cse&scp=1

The Red Shirts are rationally pursuing their economic interests as every group is presumed to do in a pluralistic society.

What they are pursuing is debt forgiveness as what your statistics don't show is that household debt more than doubled during the Thaksin years. I also recall a poll from that era where some provinces in the NE showed that over 50% of monthly household income went to phone services. Roi Et being one place I can remember right off the top of my head.

Edited April 4, 201016 yr by lannarebirth

I think you're living in some kind of fantasy world. The poor have Thailand were just as poor under the Thaksin puppet parties as they are now and changing the ruling party from one to another will have absolutely no effect on that, except perhaps to make it worse considering public debt doubled during the TRT/PTP years.

An uninformed view. According to the New York Times,

"people using mobile phones in the vast, rice-growing northeast had more than doubled to 5.3 million. Incomes in the northeast rose nearly 50 percent during the Thaksin government and even more in the provinces east and south of Bangkok."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/world/as...t=cse&scp=1

The Red Shirts are rationally pursuing their economic interests as every group is presumed to do in a pluralistic society.

What they are pursuing is debt forgiveness as what your statistics don't show is that household debt more than doubled during the Thaksin years. I also recall a poll from that era where some provinces in the NE showed that over 50% of monthly household income went to phone services. Roi Et being one place I can remember right off the top of my head.

Precisely, the NY Times research was poorly carried out, probably with help from red fixers. Talk to Baker, Pasuk et al for the real figures, or the TDRI.

Then let the majority decide through majority rules.

Nobody is arguing if there should be elections, people are arguing if there should be elections immediately at the demand of a minority on the streets.

Perhaps you'd like to tell us why you think there should be elections immediately.

Um, because the present government, sock puppet of the junta, is not legitimate?

Um, as much as you may hate this, it very much is legitimate, just as the governments of Samak and Somchai were before, and no matter how many thousands of times you repeat the lie, it will always remain a lie.