Thai Election Commission Calls For Dissolution Of Democrat Party

[britmaveric]

Jing buddah love him has no objectivity I wouldnt expect him to be any other way.

[Jingthing]

^things were pretty non-violent until Abhisit decided to shut down red tv. I quite imagine he wishes he could do that one over again and probably will do so the rest of his life.

You're either a non-violent protest movement or not. Just like you can't be half pregnant. Anyone who was paying attention knows for a fact that the reds were poking the government for a month to provoke a reaction, and that the reds were ready with lethal weapons the entire time. Your innocent act has worn out its welcome. Face the facts.

JT, you have claimed in the past that you aren't pro-yellow. So just for a bit of balance, and as a nice tonic for your fellow sparring partners, would you kindly produce a criticism of anything to do with yellows/dems at all, ever. Please, just once....

Check my posting history. I have done this many times. So it is there for the record. For you, now, I am not going to dance like a monkey on demand. Do your homework please before making false accusations. It is VERY annoying. Edited April 13, 2010 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Jing buddah love him has no objectivity I wouldnt expect him to be any other way.

Of course I have been consistently anti-Thaksin and later anti-red. I detested Thaksin from the start of his power. I smelled a corrupt megalomaniac and I turned out to be correct.

[wintermute]

Jing buddah love him has no objectivity I wouldnt expect him to be any other way.

Of course I have been consistently anti-Thaksin and later anti-red. I detested Thaksin from the start of his power. I smelled a corrupt megalomaniac and I turned out to be correct.

Alright tell us the truth..are you angry about Thaksin's "anti-farang" policies back in the day is this why you've been crying bitter tears about this for so long?

[Jingthing]

Jing buddah love him has no objectivity I wouldnt expect him to be any other way.

Of course I have been consistently anti-Thaksin and later anti-red. I detested Thaksin from the start of his power. I smelled a corrupt megalomaniac and I turned out to be correct.

Alright tell us the truth..are you angry about Thaksin's "anti-farang" policies back in the day is this why you've been crying bitter tears about this for so long?

No, that never had ANYTHING to do with my opinion about Thaksin. He actually did some pro foreigner things and some anti-foreigner things. It was about his corruption, his dictator personality, his nauseating ARROGANCE. Later after his mass extra judicial murders, that sealed the deal. You wouldn't believe me anyway, now would you?

Edited April 13, 2010 by Jingthing

[hanuman1]

Jing buddah love him has no objectivity I wouldnt expect him to be any other way.

Of course I have been consistently anti-Thaksin and later anti-red. I detested Thaksin from the start of his power. I smelled a corrupt megalomaniac and I turned out to be correct.

Alright tell us the truth..are you angry about Thaksin's "anti-farang" policies back in the day is this why you've been crying bitter tears about this for so long?

No, that never had ANYTHING to do with my opinion about Thaksin. He actually did some pro foreigner things and some anti-foreigner things. You wouldn't believe me anyway, now would you?

I actually agree with you completely about Taksin. But to paint every red shirted man woman and child as a Taksin fanatic by constantly making sweeping statements about the intransigent, rabble-rousing reds shows lazy thinking. I know Taksin has been a catalyst in the proceedings thus far, but to suggest he is all of what this is about is simplistic to the point of being disengenious. Can't you see past a convicted criminal in exile?

I would share your concern if he was ever rehabilitated into Thai politics, but my faith in Thai people extends a bit beyond considering them sheep.

[way2muchcoffee]

^things were pretty non-violent until Abhisit decided to shut down red tv. I quite imagine he wishes he could do that one over again and probably will do so the rest of his life.

You're either a non-violent protest movement or not. Just like you can't be half pregnant. Anyone who was paying attention knows for a fact that the reds were poking the government for a month to provoke a reaction, and that the reds were ready with lethal weapons the entire time. Your innocent act has worn out its welcome. Face the facts.

JT, you have claimed in the past that you aren't pro-yellow. So just for a bit of balance, and as a nice tonic for your fellow sparring partners, would you kindly produce a criticism of anything to do with yellows/dems at all, ever. Please, just once....

I can offer criticism of the dems/military/yellows.

1) The Dems didn't play nice at all by abstaining from the rigged election after Thaksin dissolved parliament.

2) The military coup was tacitly supported by the Dems.

3) The coup government formed an investigative committee to find as much dirt as possible on the TRT and Thaksin. They found a lot of dirt.

4) A new constitution was pushed onto the people of Thailand by the coup government. The Dems didn't complain.

5) The PAD and its supporters took over government house and stayed there for months. This should not have been allowed to happen. Perhaps if they'd stayed at Makkasan or Sanam Luang or something it would have been less a slap in the face to the Samak and Somchai governments.

6) The PAD took over the airport in a final push. Whether this was planned by the leadership or whether they went out to protest Somchai's arrival and it just worked out that they had control of the airport and kept it is unclear.

7) The Dems finally complained about that, but it was too little too late. Their 'colors' had shown through.

8) The PPP were dissolved due do a constitution the redshirts believe to be invalid. The Dems didn't complain.

9) The Dems and military joined hands to pressure the coalition partners to abandon the newly formed PTP, thus winning control of the government.

10) The Dems are trying to upset the balance of forces created during the Thaksin years in the police and military.

11) The Judicial branch, at the time of a Dem government, has been ruthless and relentless in hounding Thaksin and his family.

12) The Dems are arrogant and claim to be free of corruption when in fact they are not so clean.

It is for all these reasons and more that all wings of the redshirt movement are pissed off. Each wing has a job to do. The protesters baking in the sun the for these last weeks are only one part of a well-organized assault on the present faction of military in power, the Democrats, and their supporters.

Edited April 13, 2010 by way2muchcoffee

[hanuman1]

^things were pretty non-violent until Abhisit decided to shut down red tv. I quite imagine he wishes he could do that one over again and probably will do so the rest of his life.

You're either a non-violent protest movement or not. Just like you can't be half pregnant. Anyone who was paying attention knows for a fact that the reds were poking the government for a month to provoke a reaction, and that the reds were ready with lethal weapons the entire time. Your innocent act has worn out its welcome. Face the facts.

JT, you have claimed in the past that you aren't pro-yellow. So just for a bit of balance, and as a nice tonic for your fellow sparring partners, would you kindly produce a criticism of anything to do with yellows/dems at all, ever. Please, just once....

I can offer criticism of the dems/military/yellows.

1) The Dems didn't play nice at all by abstaining from the rigged election after Thaksin dissolved parliament.

2) The military coup was tacitly supported by the Dems.

3) The coup government formed an investigative committee to find as much dirt as possible on the TRT and Thaksin. They found a lot of dirt.

4) A new constitution was pushed onto the people of Thailand by the coup government. The Dems didn't complain.

5) The PAD and its supporters took over government house and stayed there for months. This should not have been allowed to happen. Perhaps if they'd stayed at Makkasan or Sanam Luang or something it would have been less a slap in the face to the Samak and Somchai governments.

6) The PAD took over the airport in a final push. Whether this was planned by the leadership or whether they went out to protest Somchai's arrival and it just worked out that they had control of the airport and kept it is unclear.

7) The Dems finally complained about that, but it was too little too late. Their 'colors' had shown through.

8) The PPP were dissolved due do a constitution the redshirts believe to be invalid. The Dems didn't complain.

9) The Dems and military joined hands to pressure the coalition partners to abandon the newly formed PTP, thus winning control of the government.

10) The Dems are trying to upset the balance of forces created during the Thaksin years in the police and military.

11) The Judicial branch, at the time of a Dem government, has been ruthless and relentless in hounding Thaksin and his family.

12) The Dems are arrogant and claim to be free of corruption when in fact they are not so clean.

It is for all these reasons and more that all wings of the redshirt movement are pissed off. Each wing has a job to do. The protesters baking in the sun the for these last weeks are only one part of a well-organized assault on the present faction of military in power, the Democrats, and their supporters.

Thank you. Any one of these points from JingThing would have been a breathe of fresh air. Instead, we have to satisfy ourselves with the surprising truth that in fact he is not a dancing monkey.

[LaoPo]

^Jing loves Mao!! As many times as he repeats that over/over - def think so.

Not as much as I fancy you, BM.

Seriously, the reds have Maoist leaders, its a fact.

Where did you find the facts that the reds have Maoist leaders, Jingthing?

Any links to prove your claims ?

And, what do you consider to be a Maoist and where did those so called red Maoist-leaders get their Maoist training ?

Maybe you ought to be a little bit more careful when you write such non-confirmed and non-existing ghost-alike-Maoism theories...

The Maoism you talk about is dead, even in China; since Deng Xiaoping.

We aren't exactly waiting for another McCarthyism period in Thailand, are we?

LaoPo

[LaoPo]

..... Thaksin is advocating a republic. That's what this fight is about, didn't you know?

Thinking of one possibly, but "advocating" one? Can you give a single instance of anything he has said to support your claim?

Methinks the man doth prostrate too much.

Why do you think Kasit made these extremely brave comments today? The "good guys" want to own this issue.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thai-Ministe...ll-t355955.html

That's an interesting question Lannarebirth!

Personally, I think the man needs a shrink since he doesn't (and didn't) behave like a true Diplomat, using language seldom heard on the stages of international politics but what he's up to now.....I don't know.

I don't know if it's to be called "extremely brave" or extremely stupid.

I prefer the latter since I don't think he's a true Diplomat nor Gentleman, no matter what he thinks about his opponent(s) in the political Arena.

Even the Greeks and Romans behaved better than he does.

LaoPo

[wintermute]

Thai foreign ministers have almost always been the sort who may have worked as circus clowns in their past. I still remember when they sent a delegation to the U.S. to try and petition the white house to get books censored regarding (you know who). It seems lacking tact and knowledge of how the rest of the world works is a requirement for the position.

[yoshiwara]

..... Thaksin is advocating a republic. That's what this fight is about, didn't you know?

Thinking of one possibly, but "advocating" one? Can you give a single instance of anything he has said to support your claim?

How coy.

[tonywebster]

Jing buddah love him has no objectivity I wouldnt expect him to be any other way.

Of course I have been consistently anti-Thaksin and later anti-red. I detested Thaksin from the start of his power. I smelled a corrupt megalomaniac and I turned out to be correct.

Alright tell us the truth..are you angry about Thaksin's "anti-farang" policies back in the day is this why you've been crying bitter tears about this for so long?

No, that never had ANYTHING to do with my opinion about Thaksin. He actually did some pro foreigner things and some anti-foreigner things. It was about his corruption, his dictator personality, his nauseating ARROGANCE. Later after his mass extra judicial murders, that sealed the deal. You wouldn't believe me anyway, now would you?

so considering all the above mentioned traits know belong also to the dems can we expect to see a more balanced approach from you, or will you just continue to ignore the dems failings as usual?

[Jingthing]

^Jing loves Mao!! As many times as he repeats that over/over - def think so.

Not as much as I fancy you, BM.

Seriously, the reds have Maoist leaders, its a fact.

Where did you find the facts that the reds have Maoist leaders, Jingthing?

Any links to prove your claims ?

And, what do you consider to be a Maoist and where did those so called red Maoist-leaders get their Maoist training ?

Maybe you ought to be a little bit more careful when you write such non-confirmed and non-existing ghost-alike-Maoism theories...

The Maoism you talk about is dead, even in China; since Deng Xiaoping.

We aren't exactly waiting for another McCarthyism period in Thailand, are we?

LaoPo

Maoism is not dead and doesn't have to anything to do with modern China! If you don't understand that, google is your friend.

You do understand that is common knowledge and a fact that an important faction of the red shirt movement are indeed Maoists and different flavors of fellow communists? You do also realize a lot of their rile the masses up class warfare rhetoric is undeniably communist? This is n't about McCarthyism. My parents grew up singing The Internationale and I am proud about that. This is about facing facts, about what the red shirt movement leadership includes and what it might mean for the future of Thailand. (In the context of what totalitarian governments of the FAR left or the FAR right can mean in total misery for countries in this very region.)

The Red Shirts are broadly divided into three groups. The hard core group is led by guys like Sae Daeng or Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdiphol and Gen Pallop Pinmanee. The non-violent or academic group is represented by people like Dr Weng Tojirakarn. Within this group, there are many Maoists, socialists and those who would like to uproot the Thai regime. The hit and run group is represented by people like Arisman Phongruengrong. The three hard-headed buddies -- Veera Musikaphong, Jatuporn Phromphand and Natthawut Saikua -- are the face of the overall Red Shirts rally.

http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/thanong/2010/04/08/entry-1 Edited April 13, 2010 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

so considering all the above mentioned traits know belong also to the dems can we expect to see a more balanced approach from you, or will you just continue to ignore the dems failings as usual?

Three points --

1. I don't accept your premise.

2. I have answered a similar question from you before. It is tedious for readers to be subjected to the same thing, over and over again, so my policy is to not repeat my answers.

3. This forum is supposed to be about discussing the content of TOPICS. Not about being pesky and launching assaults at individual POSTERS. You seem to have a problem with that concept. You may get my response if you focus on the topic and content AND you are saying something just a little bit NEW.

Edited April 13, 2010 by Jingthing

[Fishbucket]

The dems should have been dissolved 9 months ago.

Corrupt.

[LaoPo]

Maoism is not dead and doesn't have to anything to do with modern China! If you don't understand that, google is your friend.

You do understand that is common knowledge and a fact that an important faction of the red shirt movement are indeed Maoists and different flavors of fellow communists? You do also realize a lot of their rile the masses up class warfare rhetoric is undeniably communist? This is n't about McCarthyism. My parents grew up singing The Internationale and I am proud about that. This is about facing facts, about what the red shirt movement leadership includes and what it might mean for the future of Thailand. (In the context of what totalitarian governments of the FAR left or the FAR right can mean in total misery for countries in this very region.)

The Red Shirts are broadly divided into three groups. The hard core group is led by guys like Sae Daeng or Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdiphol and Gen Pallop Pinmanee. The non-violent or academic group is represented by people like Dr Weng Tojirakarn. Within this group, there are many Maoists, socialists and those who would like to uproot the Thai regime. The hit and run group is represented by people like Arisman Phongruengrong. The three hard-headed buddies -- Veera Musikaphong, Jatuporn Phromphand and Natthawut Saikua -- are the face of the overall Red Shirts rally.

http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/thanong/2010/04/08/entry-1

You keep on writing about Maoists and the facts of their presence and existence within the reds....yet you fail over and over to come up with real facts.

Now you come with a blog article, written by Mr. Thanong Khanthong, a staff member of The Nation, not exactly known for it's friendliness towards the reds, to put it mildly Biased it a better word...

SO: if he says: "there are many Maoists, socialists and those who would like to uproot the Thai regime..." it must be true...right?

What a nonsense; if there are people opposing to a(ny) regime, in this case Thailands', they are painted as Maoists, socialists and undeniable communist ?

How weird.

I asked you for evidence but you failed Jingthing. Please try not to believe everything you read or hear.

PS:

I'm really puzzled what the The Nationale, the French Anthem or L'Internationale, has to do with the McCarthyism in the USA I wrote about...

I am not sure if you realize that The Nationale was a socialist, communist and anarchist anthem ?

But maybe you're talking the American version of The Nationale.

But, if so, I am more and more puzzled about your opinions since even the American version of The Nationale was about the working and suppressed classes...not exactly the group of people you're standing for in Thailand....

Arise, you prisoners of starvation!

Arise, you wretched of the earth!

For justice thunders condemnation:

A better world's in birth!

No more tradition's chains shall bind us,

Arise you slaves, no more in thrall!

Nice song....

LaoPo

[yoshiwara]

Maoism is not dead and doesn't have to anything to do with modern China! If you don't understand that, google is your friend.

You do understand that is common knowledge and a fact that an important faction of the red shirt movement are indeed Maoists and different flavors of fellow communists? You do also realize a lot of their rile the masses up class warfare rhetoric is undeniably communist? This is n't about McCarthyism. My parents grew up singing The Internationale and I am proud about that. This is about facing facts, about what the red shirt movement leadership includes and what it might mean for the future of Thailand. (In the context of what totalitarian governments of the FAR left or the FAR right can mean in total misery for countries in this very region.)

The Red Shirts are broadly divided into three groups. The hard core group is led by guys like Sae Daeng or Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdiphol and Gen Pallop Pinmanee. The non-violent or academic group is represented by people like Dr Weng Tojirakarn. Within this group, there are many Maoists, socialists and those who would like to uproot the Thai regime. The hit and run group is represented by people like Arisman Phongruengrong. The three hard-headed buddies -- Veera Musikaphong, Jatuporn Phromphand and Natthawut Saikua -- are the face of the overall Red Shirts rally.

http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/thanong/2010/04/08/entry-1

You keep on writing about Maoists and the facts of their presence and existence within the reds....yet you fail over and over to come up with real facts.

Now you come with a blog article, written by Mr. Thanong Khanthong, a staff member of The Nation, not exactly known for it's friendliness towards the reds, to put it mildly Biased it a better word...

SO: if he says: "there are many Maoists, socialists and those who would like to uproot the Thai regime..." it must be true...right?

What a nonsense; if there are people opposing to a(ny) regime, in this case Thailands', they are painted as Maoists, socialists and undeniable communist ?

How weird.

I asked you for evidence but you failed Jingthing. Please try not to believe everything you read or hear.

PS:

I'm really puzzled what the The Nationale, the French Anthem or L'Internationale, has to do with the McCarthyism in the USA I wrote about...

I am not sure if you realize that The Nationale was a socialist, communist and anarchist anthem ?

But maybe you're talking the American version of The Nationale.

But, if so, I am more and more puzzled about your opinions since even the American version of The Nationale was about the working and suppressed classes...not exactly the group of people you're standing for in Thailand....

Arise, you prisoners of starvation!

Arise, you wretched of the earth!

For justice thunders condemnation:

A better world's in birth!

No more tradition's chains shall bind us,

Arise you slaves, no more in thrall!

Nice song....

LaoPo

The Internationale is a revolutionary anthem of the working class.

Your slipping in of the term suppressed classes has no reference either in the activities of the First or Second Communist Internationals.

Not that you would know the difference between the First, Second or even the Third International which was corrupted by Stalin.

The Thaksin red supporting Thai Communist Party has of course roots in the Stalinist tradition.

If you want an anthem more suited to the leadership of the Thai reds, this version of the Red Flag is more appropriate:

'I've got the foreman's job at last.

You can stick the red flag up your ar_e'

[ChiangMaiFun]

Yes they were made a better offer than before today, 6 months, and the red shirts rejected it. They refuse to negotiate, numerous times now. They are bringing this country to civil war. How can foreigners support the reds anymore? Remember all the red fellow travelers here who claimed they were non-violent protests and Thaksin was like Gandhi? Do you still believe that?

Please produce any post that has likened Thaksin to Gandhi - it is another example of slur and spin - you use the term 'fellow travellers' which is a Communist term - it is derogatory and insulting - as is your Maoist references in other posts. I suspect the reds may accept three months but not six - they have the upper hand with the Army Cheif calling for dissolution and the Dems being caught out by the EC.

[neverdie]

And no, I don't support Thaksin. He should take responsibility for any wrongdoing he has done, just like Abhisit and the hypocritical Democrats.

It's impossible to be a redshirt supporter without being a Thaksin supporter. The redshirts support Thaksin. There is no gray area here.

A very, very politically naive statement.

Ohhh goodness me, now things have gone full circle

[geriatrickid]

..... Thaksin is advocating a republic. That's what this fight is about, didn't you know?

Thinking of one possibly, but "advocating" one? Can you give a single instance of anything he has said to support your claim?

How coy.

But, delightfully insightful and so very true. So, Miss Thang, can you give a single instance of anything Mr. Thaksin has said to support the original claim. Instead of trying to sabotage, provide something factual.

[rixalex]

... the 80,000 baht Samak received for his 4 tv cooking shows are quite comparable to the 258,000,000 baht TPIPL paid to the Democrat Party ...

A minor point, but actually it was 8,000 baht.

A minor point indeed, but one you have got incorrect:

http://thaicrisis.wordpress.com/2008/09/08...tutional-court/

[geriatrickid]

... the 80,000 baht Samak received for his 4 tv cooking shows are quite comparable to the 258,000,000 baht TPIPL paid to the Democrat Party ...

A minor point, but actually it was 8,000 baht.

A minor point indeed, but one you have got incorrect:

http://thaicrisis.wordpress.com/2008/09/08...tutional-court/

Wow, 80,000 baht. That's so biggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg. Samak must have gone all out with that reimbursement of his expenses. What is that? A game of golf, round of drinks and dinner at a hi so golf club?

What's ironic is that the man RIP, was able to respond to the PAD seizures peacefully. He didn't kill anyone during the yellow shirt seizure of government house or the airport. It is unfortunate he is not around to help Abhisit. His restraint and diplomacy make Abhisit look like a neophyte.

[anotherpeter]

... the 80,000 baht Samak received for his 4 tv cooking shows are quite comparable to the 258,000,000 baht TPIPL paid to the Democrat Party ...

A minor point, but actually it was 8,000 baht.

A minor point indeed, but one you have got incorrect:

http://thaicrisis.wordpress.com/2008/09/08...tutional-court/

Wow, 80,000 baht. That's so biggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg. Samak must have gone all out with that reimbursement of his expenses. What is that? A game of golf, round of drinks and dinner at a hi so golf club?

What's ironic is that the man RIP, was able to respond to the PAD seizures peacefully. He didn't kill anyone during the yellow shirt seizure of government house or the airport. It is unfortunate he is not around to help Abhisit. His restraint and diplomacy make Abhisit look like a neophyte.

So it matters how big the payment is, not the fact that it's against the law? That's good for the country.

And wasn't it Somchai that was in charge during the airport fiasco. And he didn't need to use diplomacy to solve the problem, he just got banned.

[ChiangMaiFun]

... the 80,000 baht Samak received for his 4 tv cooking shows are quite comparable to the 258,000,000 baht TPIPL paid to the Democrat Party ...

A minor point, but actually it was 8,000 baht.

A minor point indeed, but one you have got incorrect:

http://thaicrisis.wordpress.com/2008/09/08...tutional-court/

Wow, 80,000 baht. That's so biggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg. Samak must have gone all out with that reimbursement of his expenses. What is that? A game of golf, round of drinks and dinner at a hi so golf club?

What's ironic is that the man RIP, was able to respond to the PAD seizures peacefully. He didn't kill anyone during the yellow shirt seizure of government house or the airport. It is unfortunate he is not around to help Abhisit. His restraint and diplomacy make Abhisit look like a neophyte.

you probably meant novice as neophyte is a Catholic term - I can be pedantic this early in the morning - shame on me!

[lannarebirth]

..... Thaksin is advocating a republic. That's what this fight is about, didn't you know?

Thinking of one possibly, but "advocating" one? Can you give a single instance of anything he has said to support your claim?

Methinks the man doth prostrate too much.

Why do you think Kasit made these extremely brave comments today? The "good guys" want to own this issue.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thai-Ministe...ll-t355955.html

That's an interesting question Lannarebirth!

Personally, I think the man needs a shrink since he doesn't (and didn't) behave like a true Diplomat, using language seldom heard on the stages of international politics but what he's up to now.....I don't know.

I don't know if it's to be called "extremely brave" or extremely stupid.

I prefer the latter since I don't think he's a true Diplomat nor Gentleman, no matter what he thinks about his opponent(s) in the political Arena.

Even the Greeks and Romans behaved better than he does.

LaoPo

I'm gonna go with brave on this one till proven otherwise. He's going to take heat from the monarchists but anyone with a brain I think could see its a plan by HM.

[animatic]

... the 80,000 baht Samak received for his 4 tv cooking shows are quite comparable to the 258,000,000 baht TPIPL paid to the Democrat Party ...

A minor point, but actually it was 8,000 baht.

A minor point indeed, but one you have got incorrect:

http://thaicrisis.wordpress.com/2008/09/08...tutional-court/

Wow, 80,000 baht. That's so biggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg. Samak must have gone all out with that reimbursement of his expenses. What is that? A game of golf, round of drinks and dinner at a hi so golf club?

What's ironic is that the man RIP, was able to respond to the PAD seizures peacefully. He didn't kill anyone during the yellow shirt seizure of government house or the airport. It is unfortunate he is not around to help Abhisit. His restraint and diplomacy make Abhisit look like a neophyte.

As PM he wasl also able to exert control over those broadcasters that decided to run or not run

this production companies products and thus their revenue stream.

So he had a clear conflict of interest with this production company.

So they had a vested interest in stroking his ego

to make sure their products got to air,

and their ad time sold.

Not to mention that PM's are enjoined from holding interests or working for media companies

doing business with state concessionaires. This was only fractionally about the money he took,

but about his influence and conflict of interest.

Plus this was blatently a political talk show, with one point of view; Samak's.

'Talking While Cooking',... you see which word comes FIRST?

Sure he cooked, but he told his side of all things political while he cooked.

So they paid him to talk his political line too.

Let's also remember he LIED IN COURT over this too.

It never was solely about 5,000 baht paid for his services to his driver.

Samak responded to PAD seizures peacfully???? Just look at Sept 2nd 2008

and the red attack on PAD encampment, allowing for the SOE that didn't work...

nothing peaceful at all there. PPP lawmakers providing free booze, and rabble rousing on stage,

even walking along with the soon to be rioters for awhile. Then one red death and much carnage.

Samak got his SEO... but for nothing.

It did reveal the depths of depravity that side would go to at that time,

we have seen a new low this last week... not much lower to go.

Edited April 14, 2010 by animatic

[Lancelot]

This does sound like a forthcoming face saving exercise...

I think you put your finger on it. As I read the article, the commission was citing the Democrats as a whole, not Apisit specifically. Any way, the guy is in an impossible position, his army commander seems reluctant to support him and the Reds appear to be gaining momentum.

But its not over till its over

[rixalex]

... the 80,000 baht Samak received for his 4 tv cooking shows are quite comparable to the 258,000,000 baht TPIPL paid to the Democrat Party ...

A minor point, but actually it was 8,000 baht.

A minor point indeed, but one you have got incorrect:

http://thaicrisis.wordpress.com/2008/09/08...tutional-court/

Wow, 80,000 baht. That's so biggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg. Samak must have gone all out with that reimbursement of his expenses. What is that? A game of golf, round of drinks and dinner at a hi so golf club?

What's ironic is that the man RIP, was able to respond to the PAD seizures peacefully. He didn't kill anyone during the yellow shirt seizure of government house or the airport. It is unfortunate he is not around to help Abhisit. His restraint and diplomacy make Abhisit look like a neophyte.

As has already been stated, it wasn't the size of the money involved that was the issue, it was more to do with the fact that it was against the law and added to which, Samak lied in court. No matter what the offence, be it captial one murder or a parking ticket, as a PM, if you lie in court, there should be consequences. Perhaps you disagree.

And i only mentioned the sum involved to correct someone else's misinformation. Perhaps you would prefer misinformation like this to go uncorrected?

[Publicus]

Or, in this case, throw out the whole machine or blow up the dam_n building that houses the machine and start over.

Pol Pot tried that. It gets very ugly.

Yes, a significant faction (the Maoists) of the reds are talking that way, and yet we STILL have westerners showing support for that movement. It boggles the mind.

Yes Jingthing, however I prefer to call that particular faction of the Red Shirts Naxalites - it has a more contemporary ring and better fits their rhetoric and, now, their tactics also.

I wouldn't try to elevate the desperation of the monomaniac, money and power driven Redshirt-Thaksin mob to the level of the Naxalites of India. The Naxalites envisgage a new world order, a new global socioeconomic order along the lines of Trotsky in the young USSR and, as there and then, the Naxalite movement since its origins in the 1960s has become more along the lines of Stalin in its mindset, posing a direct and serious threat to the democracy of India. The Redshirts have their grievances but they are about Thaksin, whether Thaksin can control Thailand by returning to it, which many Redshirts now doubt, or control Thailand from abroad, which is perfectly acceptable and the realistic goal of the Redshirts.

It is the latter aspect of the Naxalites, their disregard of, their contempt towards democratic systems and structures of government that we can see in the Redshirts and that, over time (even from the beginning) we have repeatedly and convincingly seen in Thaksin. It is Thaksin himself who absurdly and cynically compared himself to Gandhi, not any poster at TVF. It is Thaksin who said the country is run by psychotic homosexuals but it is Thaksin himself who is psychotic and the meglomaniac. It is Thaksin who won't pick himself up, dust himself off and get on with his life. Thaksin is not obsessed about lifting the rural poor of Thailand out of their relative impovershment, nor is Thaksin driven to lose his sanity in pursuit of the country's lowest socioeconomic grouping. Thaksin is possessed by and with himself, money for himself, power for himself. The Redshirts are interested in themselves and in themselves only, but are not the only group in the country who are guilty of this blind selfishness, as the elites themselves also and certainly have their own narrow one dimensional focus.

As a republican I don't fear a radical change. It's been pointed out in Asia itself that both big deal personalities of Thailand have to go before Thailand can begin to take its first baby steps towards some reconciliation, common understanding and rationally shared purpose. But alas, I wander too far afield from the present irreconcilable situation and circumstance.

Abhisit may well have to step aside but for whom? To those who have not been regular readers of TVF or who have not been active posters over some appreciable period of time, I would point out that we have long since recognized that Thai culture, society, civilization is incapable of producing a Mandella, a Suu Kyi, a Havel, a Walesa or any transformative leader of stature and who has the credibility nationally or globally to be the focal point to lead the country into a 20th century society and civilization (yes, twentieth century).

That the army is divided is not a news bulletin. I've posted previously that my amazement is that the conscripts who are the rank and file continue to obey and follow the generals when in fact the conscripts are those Thais who derive from the same socioeconomic status as the Redshirts. The one point from the BBC analysis presented in this thread is that there is in fact a new division in the armed forces, which is that the rank and file are now viewed by the generals as less than reliable than in the past in following orders against such groups as the Redshirts. Still, as the BBC piece pointed out, the army always has elite units on which it can rely, units which by number/name are the small portion of the army who over decades are the unites that execute the coups while the mass of the army and its units look on. The present question is whether the large mass of the non-elite army units who always are the onlookers in uniform would continue to accept that status and passive role.