Suthep Ranked Least Honest; Abhisit Tops Thai Poll

[Pi Sek]

"1,136 residents of Greater Bangkok"

1,136 residents out of millions does not make an accurate poll sample.

you could get more respondents sitting outside a fresh market.

it was obviously only created to make a statement.

It makes an accurate poll for Bangkok, as long as it wasn't taken outside a fresh market.

Sorry to burst any illusions but Bangkok is not Thailand. Come and take the poll in Udon Thani. I have seen very few public images of Khun Abhisit up here that have not been defaced and shredded. He can come see for himself but this is one part of Thailand he cannot set foot in, but then hes only got himself to blame for that

Where in Udon?

I’m afraid I am not as senior in my Thai residency as you two (only 9 years so far), but I am yet in my 30’s. However, I am fluent in Isaan and have a long-term ex-girlfriend from Udon (Phang Ngu, so in the sticks and not the city) with whom I am still friendly. She now no longer loves Thaksin - she has seen the light - but doesn’t like me mouthing off about how evil he is... I guess that she doesn’t like me bringing up that she was wrong for so long. Her family are pretty-much split between those who sympathise with Thaksin (but realize they were very wrong when they thought he was a nice guy) and those who despise him.

She still hates Abhisit though, because "he's too clever and he's not a real person" - nothing to do with his handling of the Red Shirts, who are only respected out of fear and are hated by most. Whilst I can explain it's better to have a clever person running the country who has learnt the theory of politics at the best university in the world than an ex-police gangster like Chalerm or someone just as unsavoury, it's a little bit a case of in-one-ear-out-the-other. By the way, she is one of a HUGE national percentage of the population who will most likely never vote - she never saw the point as politicians never follow up on their promises, no matter who they are. The question is... is she right?

[millwall_fan]

A poll of the residents of Greater Bangkok?

This poll is compeletely meaningless, as are most opinion polls you see in the press. This is one reason the country is in the mess it is - because the powers that be, don't give a fig about the views of anyone outside

'Greater Bangkok' and as it is university students who conducted this poll it is unlikely they got their dainty feet dirty in a fresh market or a car factory in Samut Prakan!

More than likely this is a poll of the views of shoppers in Siam Paragon just after the students had enjoyed a nice lunch!

......and even they, it seems don't have much faith in the man who really runs the country- Mr Suthep.

[TheyCallmeScooter]

Corruption is like the love of papaya salad. Sorry it is part of their culture.

Yes. You are 100% right. I wonder what the English word for 'corruption' is?

Seems strange that we would have a word for something, a word even children know, for something which only exists in Thailand's culture.

There has never been corruption in the US, UK, Western Europe or Australia. No one has ever taken a bribe. I wonder what the English word for 'bribe' is? Or 'graft'? Or 'crooked'? 'Bent'? 'Fraud'?

The Thai language has so many words for this cultural phenomenon. And English has none.

We should invent one!

Sorry to burst any illusions but Bangkok is not Thailand. Come and take the poll in Udon Thani. I have seen very few public images of Khun Abhisit up here that have not been defaced and shredded. He can come see for himself but this is one part of Thailand he cannot set foot in, but then hes only got himself to blame for that

Yes. I agree 100%.

He was foolish to give them more than Thaksin has ever promised.

He was foolish to allocate B74 billion for education in this year's budget for children who might - just might - want to go to school instead of work their teenage years in Nana / Pattaya, on their legs and backs.

He has only himself to blame. Down with the tyrant! Up with BJT!

[kropotkin]

Corruption is like the love of papaya salad. Sorry it is part of their culture.

Yes. You are 100% right. I wonder what the English word for 'corruption' is?

Seems strange that we would have a word for something, a word even children know, for something which only exists in Thailand's culture.

There has never been corruption in the US, UK, Western Europe or Australia. No one has ever taken a bribe. I wonder what the English word for 'bribe' is? Or 'graft'? Or 'crooked'? 'Bent'? 'Fraud'?

The Thai language has so many words for this cultural phenomenon. And English has none.

We should invent one!

Sorry to burst any illusions but Bangkok is not Thailand. Come and take the poll in Udon Thani. I have seen very few public images of Khun Abhisit up here that have not been defaced and shredded. He can come see for himself but this is one part of Thailand he cannot set foot in, but then hes only got himself to blame for that

Yes. I agree 100%.

He was foolish to give them more than Thaksin has ever promised.

He was foolish to allocate B74 billion for education in this year's budget for children who might - just might - want to go to school instead of work their teenage years in Nana / Pattaya, on their legs and backs.

He has only himself to blame. Down with the tyrant! Up with BJT!

I fully agree: corruption and other forms of abuse of power happen everywhere.

You are so right!

And Thailand realy is no worse than 19th century Europe.

[TheyCallmeScooter]

And Thailand realy is no worse than 19th century Europe.

Or 21st century Chicago.

20th century Australia / UK.

Corruption is not eliminated from any society. It merely gets...smarter. Less obvious (dependant on one's ability to identify obvious).

Corruption merely matures. Is a Thai cop hitting you up for B200 more concerning than the CiC of the most powerful military arsenal the world has ever (or may ever) seen simply flatout lying to 6 billion people when he claims that intelligence reports he ordered be fabricated presented evidence of an immediate and horrific threat that required the military invade sovereign nations (primarily so that he could deliver preferential Big Oil / Defence / Infrastructure contracts to his Old Boys Network)?

One would think it should. Seems a bit more...messed up, to me. But cry about some tea money, by all means.

And blame Abhisit for not doing - more - to impose his own high moral standard onto the elected representatives of democratic electorates in a Parliament in which the indisputably most ethical government in Thai political history retains a majority only by virtue of a very unholy coalition with those corrupt representatives.

Blame Abhisit for not doing what the nation's Constitution is unable to legislate.

Blame Abhisit for not 'sucking up' to the corrupt junior coalition partners initially. Could he not - in fact - have been quite aware they were not to be trusted, and it was his concessions to them that was his failure (albeit forced upon him by voters) and not his failure to appease corrupt members of Parliament?

Blame Abhisit for not doing more to compete with an attention-hungry news anchor when one has the job of running and country and is doing a stupendous job under untenable circumstances - and the other is doing a good job of self-aggrandising...instead of his job.

Blame Abhisit for not doing more to deliver his "Cradle-to-Grave" Welfare State to cover every Thai with Welfare, Medical benefits for life. (seems like liberal socialism can only be forced onto people who don't fight you when you attempt to give them everything they think they want, and so much more)

Blame Abhisit for not doing more to assist your children's journey into the sex industry, by his foolish efforts spent attempting to deliver them into high schools instead.

Blame Abhisit for not doing more to bend over backwards for terrorists.

Blame Abhisit for not doing more to influence the macroeconomic policies of the global military and economic superpowers which are having a ripple effect on the world's 33rd largest economy (and the Baht).

Blame Abhisit for not doing more in 2-3 chaotic years to protect Thailand from flooding, more than his predecessors have achieved...in history. Or at all.

Blame Abhisit for not 'dumbing down' his intelligence to the point where he talks like a raving lunatic, ranting about the dark arts and employing soothsayers, purely to 'connect' with an idiot public who believes in idiocy.

Blame Abhisit for not spending enough taxpayer funds on propaganda for his own selfish purposes, purely to convince idiots of the fact that he's giving them more than they could ever have dreamed of, or promised to by the terrorist who spent taxpayer funds on buying popularity.

Blame Abhisit for the 'sentimental' theme of TV advertisements intending to promote unity, a somewhat sentimental national trait this nation is somewhat desperately in need of, having been divided by a corrupt, criminal, tycoon fugitive from justice trying to usurp His Majesty.

Blame Abhisit for FoodbyPhone's failure to deliver 24h/day.

Only one of the above complaints is 'valid'. But I understand he's busy trying to assist those who bite the hand that feeds them, and suckle on the hand that beats them. This is a thankless, yet heroic job. Especially when hounded by the most immature and downright childish media any nation in the world can 'boast'.