Are We In For Yearly Political Protest And Riots

[livinthailandos]

Over the last 4 years its been a total roller coaster.

2006 - coup

2007 - can't remember wasn't really in thailand sorry

2008 - yellow shirts protest many months and take airport hostage in december for 8 days

2009 - April red shirts protest for a week

2010 - red shirts protest and take bangkok hostage for 2 months or more

I start to wonder is this going to be a new trend every year political protest, riots, violence. I am aware thailand has never been stable, maybe i'm wrong but I do not see much hope for this country. A ongoing gap between poor and rich and a decreasing middle class.

look forward to all your posts

[Garry9999]

2007 was the military dictatorship, so nothing much happened.

2011, who knows?

[tw25rw]

A lot rides on the next election.. A swing against the pro Thaksin party could take the heat right out of it.

[Jingthing]

I think so around Songkran every year (due to labor patterns in Isaan) as long as the Montenegro money spigot is flowing. Hopefully, the government can do something about the spigot.

[midas]

I think so around Songkran every year (due to labor patterns in Isaan) as long as the Montenegro money spigot is flowing. Hopefully, the government can do something about the spigot.

Still going on about buying votes Jingthing ? You are American so please tell me don't the members of the US Congress all accept money from companies and lobby groups to represent their interests also?

So arent al the lobbyists in Washington distributing money in the same way ?

So why should Thaskin have been different?

[Ulysses G.]

After the destructive fiasco in Bangkok that he paid for, it really does not matter whether it was OK for him to buy votes. It has become obvious that he is only interested in power or revenge and willing to destroy the country and the Thai people in order to get it. He is no longer a viable leader under any circumstances. 

[Jingthing]

Of course I was talking about the obvious fact that Thaksin funded the leaders and much of the crowds that created the insanity in Bangkok. Without his cash flow, it would have NEVER happened. Period. End of story.

[phetaroi]

I think Thailand's golden modern days are in the past. I'm not even going to talk about Mr. Thaksin, but rather make a few general observations.

1. It seems to me that the old style of Thai life has faltered. In the past, everything was "Mai pben rai." For example, I was in Thailand a very short time after the Suchinda disaster of 1992. Some college students who were showing videos of the "riots" stopped to talk to me and asked if I knew about the situation...it was hard not to considering that so much had been broadcast on CNN. I in turn asked them how they felt that Suchinda was free and was clearly not going to prison, they said, "Oh, mai pben rai. It is in the past. No need to be angry now." Dozens missing forever, but it was still "mai pben rai". I remember thinking then and at many other cultural matters (for example, an industrial accident that results in deaths and amputations..."mai pben rai", at a pollution situation that results in many cases of cancer..."mai pben rai". HOWEVER, now it seems that in Thai politics and government everything has flipped and nothing is "mai pben rai". It seems much more vitriolic as the politicians work so hard to blame the other side for the problem. I see an intransigence that I never saw before. I hear no one saying "mai pebn rai".

2. And so, the angriest side...in recent events the apparent losing side...walks away more angry than they were before. Many of the red shirts camped out on the street (literally on the street) for 2 months and are now more bitter than when they started. The black shirts have organized to some extent from within the movement. Bitterness, anger...certainly no "mai pben rai". Meanwhile, the yellow shirts are showing increasing concern about the situation and appear to be biding their time.

3. What problems have been actually solved? None. I don't see the Thais as a group of people who say, "Well, we have a serious problem that we must solve." Instead they attempt to assess blame. Within just a few days of the May 19 crisis PM Abhisit said everything was "back to normal". I don't think so. Thais like to assume that things will just work out and everything will just go back to as it was before.

I am extremely pessimistic about Thailand and its future.

[473geo]

I think so around Songkran every year (due to labor patterns in Isaan) as long as the Montenegro money spigot is flowing. Hopefully, the government can do something about the spigot.

Don't they have to check first their officials have not kindly removed him and his companies from the blacklist?

[lovelomsak]

Of course I was talking about the obvious fact that Thaksin funded the leaders and much of the crowds that created the insanity in Bangkok. Without his cash flow, it would have NEVER happened. Period. End of story.

I really hope it is end of story as far as you are concerned and you will kindly stop spouting your unwanted unneeded words here. Thailand is now basically under miltary rule. This isnot democracy and we all know it.To hear you keep spouting off is irritating to anyone who has followed what has happened in the last 4 years.

Edited June 20, 2010 by lovelomsak

[Garry9999]

Of course I was talking about the obvious fact that Thaksin funded the leaders and much of the crowds that created the insanity in Bangkok. Without his cash flow, it would have NEVER happened. Period. End of story.

.To hear you keep spouting off is irritating to anyone who has followed what has happened in the last 4 years.

Sure is, but I doubt he's going to stop

[Chunky1]

I hope so. It's entertaining.

[Jingthing]

Of course I was talking about the obvious fact that Thaksin funded the leaders and much of the crowds that created the insanity in Bangkok. Without his cash flow, it would have NEVER happened. Period. End of story.

I really hope it is end of story as far as you are concerned and you will kindly stop spouting your unwanted unneeded words here. Thailand is now basically under miltary rule. This isnot democracy and we all know it.To hear you keep spouting off is irritating to anyone who has followed what has happened in the last 4 years.

Personal attacks against posters are NOT cool. Please respond to the SUBSTANCE of my post if you want to comment about it, rather than an aggressive suggestion that views you don't like be silenced. Cheers.

[lovelomsak]

Of course I was talking about the obvious fact that Thaksin funded the leaders and much of the crowds that created the insanity in Bangkok. Without his cash flow, it would have NEVER happened. Period. End of story.

I really hope it is end of story as far as you are concerned and you will kindly stop spouting your unwanted unneeded words here. Thailand is now basically under miltary rule. This isnot democracy and we all know it.To hear you keep spouting off is irritating to anyone who has followed what has happened in the last 4 years.

Personal attacks against posters are NOT cool. Please respond to the SUBSTANCE of my post if you want to comment about it, rather than an aggressive suggestion that views you don't like be silenced. Cheers.

Oh sorry you took what I said as personal attack. I thought you had made a very strong statement and you felt it unnecessary to say any more with your last words of "End of story".I was simply agreeing with you withdrawing without any further comment and stated my pleasure and the reason for my pleasure. So I felt that I was responding to the substance. But I am big enough not to ask for an apology.

[cshort64]

I have a similar view to Phetaroi's comments above, there is a change in the Thai mentality towards these events and it is getting more challenging to see the same Thai feelings from years ago. This in some ways is good, if people are thinking for themselves and making decisions for themselves, but as we have seen this is not the case. I believe that change is good under most circumstances but there are times when change brought about by misinformation and distrust can cause more harm than good and I believe Thailand is in that state now. ( I love this country and will never leave, I consider it my home now) I am concerned for the next election and what we may see, as there are considerably more rural citizens and potential "Red Shirts" around the country and assuming that we make it quietly to the next election period, it is very likely that a candidate from whichever party they form, will will the PM seat.

If this happens, do we start this process again, do the "yellow shirts" begin making noise and making their level of false claims against the newly elected government, does the military feel threatened by change and they attempt a coup? The cycle that has begun with the ouster of Thaksin could continue for several more election seasons. This, in my opinion, is the greatest risk to Thai society and will continue to tear people apart. How does this change? How do we get a way from a poloticialy leader having to get the military blessing to move forward with changes that people can see? How do we see real change in society when those in power like the status quo? I'm afraid that history does not demonstrate easy ways out of this problem, many countries have tried and the cost is high.

What is Thailand and her people willing to pay for that level of freedom and democracy?

C

[asiancup2007]

Was there vote buying pre Taskin?

Has any one else paid for votes apart from Taksin?

[mahtin]

Was there vote buying pre Taskin?

Has any one else paid for votes apart from Taksin?

Vote-buying in Thailand has been an accepted way of life especially for impoverished people living in the densely populated northeast regions, such as Isarn. A hua khanen or vote canvasser is instrumental in gathering votes for candidates and makes the illegal transactions openly. Efforts by the government to discourage vote-buying include the widespread use of media personalities and children. The most substantial contribution is Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun's establishment of Poll Watch, which is designed to look into election violations.

http://www.faqs.org/abstracts/Business-international/Have-gun-will-kill-Where-money-talks.html