Thaksin Is Seen In South Africa This Week

[Buchholz]

I refer you back once again to your own definition that you wrote on your thread in General and ask you how is that you know that the criteria is fully met from your definition, when, in fact, you know diddly squat about those aspects of people's lives that are necessary in order for the criteria to be fulfilled.

Well, to be fair, we do know one aspect of people's lives that fits commonly held characteristics of addictive behavior. That is, voluntarily spending significant amounts of time nearly every day of the week engaged in repetitive behavior, which in this case is writing posts of varying tenuousness concerned with the wrongdoings of another person. And this even in threads which start off with having little or nothing to do with the man in the first place.

I don't doubt that you see this as normal, perfectly acceptable behavior and of course you are perfectly at liberty to do it, but your ubiquitous presence and monotone message just shows an increasing lack of respect for other people's browsing experience and at the end of the day makes threads end up being more about you than the actual matters at hand.

As a matter of fact, I find you much more fascinating than any of your posts.

P.S. Please don't hesitate to point out where I'm being derogatory towards you. I hope you don't take offense at being considered fascinating. Clinically, or otherwise.

And now we have the esteemed medical opinion of Dr. Hanuman, a distinguished graduate of the Zimbabwe International Medical School no doubt, weigh in with his revised diagnostic criteria for what constitutes a recognized psychological addiction.

Apparently under Dr. Hanuman's new revision, all that is required to meet addiction status is to spend some unspecified amount of time in an activity. Such previously established (by the world medical authority) guidelines such as pointed out by Dr. LaoPo in his definition are trivial and inconsequential and no longer required as they vary from his own.

Thank you for your considered medical opinion.

[animatic]

[hanuman1]

I refer you back once again to your own definition that you wrote on your thread in General and ask you how is that you know that the criteria is fully met from your definition, when, in fact, you know diddly squat about those aspects of people's lives that are necessary in order for the criteria to be fulfilled.

Well, to be fair, we do know one aspect of people's lives that fits commonly held characteristics of addictive behavior. That is, voluntarily spending significant amounts of time nearly every day of the week engaged in repetitive behavior, which in this case is writing posts of varying tenuousness concerned with the wrongdoings of another person. And this even in threads which start off with having little or nothing to do with the man in the first place.

I don't doubt that you see this as normal, perfectly acceptable behavior and of course you are perfectly at liberty to do it, but your ubiquitous presence and monotone message just shows an increasing lack of respect for other people's browsing experience and at the end of the day makes threads end up being more about you than the actual matters at hand.

As a matter of fact, I find you much more fascinating than any of your posts.

P.S. Please don't hesitate to point out where I'm being derogatory towards you. I hope you don't take offense at being considered fascinating. Clinically, or otherwise.

And now we have the esteemed medical opinion of Dr. Hanuman, a distinguished graduate of the Zimbabwe International Medical School no doubt, weigh in with his revised diagnostic criteria for what constitutes a recognized psychological addiction.

Apparently under Dr. Hanuman's new revision, all that is required to meet addiction status is to spend some unspecified amount of time in an activity. Such previously established (by the world medical authority) guidelines such as pointed out by Dr. LaoPo in his definition are trivial and inconsequential and no longer required as they vary from his own.

Thank you for your considered medical opinion.

Hollow and sarcastic thanks accepted. Thanks for your input.

[Buchholz]

...... I reiterate that there is no such thing as a Thaksin addiction.

If you say so....

Actually it was your medical hypothesis, Dr. LaoPo, of its existence, although we wait for confirmation from the medical world.

Addictive behavior is any activity, substance, object, or behavior that has become the major focus of a person's life to the exclusion of other activities, or that has begun to harm the individual or others physically, mentally, or socially.^[1]

http://en.wikipedia....ictive_behavior

As you seem incapable of picking up on the previous 2 posts where I point it out to you, Dr. LaoPo, but where do you garner the information necessary for you to justify the last portion of your own definition? Are you truly believing that you are capable of assessing the physical, mental, or social status of someone you only know for some text that you view from thousands of kilometers away on a computer screen in the Netherlands?

Failing that, we are only left with your balderdash rendering of a non-existent "addiction."

There's a reason why doctors attend university for years to obtain a medical degree. It's so they have clue.

[Buchholz]

...... it's probably best to move your discussion to your corresponding thread in the General forum.

You're right.

LaoPo

Yep, because with the 11 replies that you've managed to obtain after plugging your dead thread, it almost matches the number of replies that you garnered with its original posting two months ago in General.

Well done.

[LaoPo]

LaoPo

[brahmburgers]

There should be a board game (bored game?) called something like Where Will He Go Next?

Players roll the dice, and when they land on a small dictator-run country, they're issued a diplomatic passport while grandly promising large investments in questionable ventures (blood diamonds, casinos, or....?) which never materialize. Let's see, we've already landed on Montenegro, Nicaragua, Dubai, Liberia, Burma, Uganda, Fiji, Cambodia, ......yet there are still bunches of options: Zimbabwe, Somalia, Armenia, N.Korea, French Guiana, Guinea, Congo, ......much fun yet to be had.

Or call it; World Trail of Broken Promises

[Ricardo]

There should be a board game (bored game?) called something like Where Will He Go Next?

Players roll the dice, and when they land on a small dictator-run country, they're issued a diplomatic passport while grandly promising large investments in questionable ventures (blood diamonds, casinos, or....?) which never materialize. Let's see, we've already landed on Montenegro, Nicaragua, Dubai, Liberia, Burma, Uganda, Fiji, Cambodia, ......yet there are still bunches of options: Zimbabwe, Somalia, Armenia, N.Korea, French Guiana, Guinea, Congo, ......much fun yet to be had.

Or call it; World Trail of Broken Promises

Not to forget Fantasy Island, and a whole host of tax-havens, designed for the amply-rich.

[geriatrickid]

What's up with you guys that obsess over every move Thaksin makes? Do you subscribe to twitter accounts that tweet when he goes to the toilet?

In a world that has madmen threatening to launch missiles in North Korea, wiki leaks,people getting beaten up by jetski touts, floods and wildfires, can we not go a day without Thaksin? He's not here. He's not coming back and he's probably not on most Thai people's minds. No one cares about him now. There are bigger problems that have nothing to do with him. I am going another year without a <deleted> bonus because of "market conditions". My friend called me today to say his mum requires more medical care and on his salary he's going to be eating lizard tails and crab shells. I don't care about Mr. Thaksin. He can't make my bank pay me more than 2% interest can he?

[whybother]

What's up with you guys that obsess over every move Thaksin makes? Do you subscribe to twitter accounts that tweet when he goes to the toilet?

In a world that has madmen threatening to launch missiles in North Korea, wiki leaks,people getting beaten up by jetski touts, floods and wildfires, can we not go a day without Thaksin? He's not here. He's not coming back and he's probably not on most Thai people's minds. No one cares about him now. There are bigger problems that have nothing to do with him. I am going another year without a <deleted> bonus because of "market conditions". My friend called me today to say his mum requires more medical care and on his salary he's going to be eating lizard tails and crab shells. I don't care about Mr. Thaksin. He can't make my bank pay me more than 2% interest can he?

Although there are more important things, there are a few PTP politicians that care about him, and visit him and talk to him regularly. These politicians care about him so much that they have promised to white wash his crimes and bring him back to Thailand.

[jayboy]

What's up with you guys that obsess over every move Thaksin makes? Do you subscribe to twitter accounts that tweet when he goes to the toilet?

In a world that has madmen threatening to launch missiles in North Korea, wiki leaks,people getting beaten up by jetski touts, floods and wildfires, can we not go a day without Thaksin? He's not here. He's not coming back and he's probably not on most Thai people's minds. No one cares about him now. There are bigger problems that have nothing to do with him. I am going another year without a <deleted> bonus because of "market conditions". My friend called me today to say his mum requires more medical care and on his salary he's going to be eating lizard tails and crab shells. I don't care about Mr. Thaksin. He can't make my bank pay me more than 2% interest can he?

Although there are more important things, there are a few PTP politicians that care about him, and visit him and talk to him regularly. These politicians care about him so much that they have promised to white wash his crimes and bring him back to Thailand.

I wonder what all our comments will appear like in say five years time.

I think that Thaksin is probably too divisive a figure to participate in the country's future.At the same time he commands the affection and loyalty of millions and millions of Thais.To ignore that reality isn't helpful.

It's also silly and dishonest to suggest his life (though I think for most of us a very unenviable one) is confined to paniced flitting between third world hell holes.He clearly has the ability to visit almost anywhere he wants with high level access to boot (most recently with Putin).

Thailand is in error if it thinks foreign governments can't work out for themselves he has huge support internally and that the demand for extradition is primarily political in motivation.They also are well aware the feudal and military elites particularly resent his strong relationship with the rural majority.He will never be extradited.From the Western perspective he is in theory vulnerable perhaps to extradition for the drug war killings - but we know this will never happen (and why it won't).As for countries like China, Russia etc they probably couldn't care less, indeed would respect a "strong leader".

Much will depend on how political parties associated with him perform in next year's elections.On past record there will be efforts to frustrate the outcome whether by judicial direction or other means.We shall see.

My guess is that he will eventually return and lead a quiet life, in five or six years...?

His significance however is already clear.He was the most influential Thai politician since WW2.He changed the rules of the game.The Thai majority can no longer be patronised or ignored.The elite , at least the intelligent part of it, understands realignment and compromise is needed.

[hanuman1]

What's up with you guys that obsess over every move Thaksin makes? Do you subscribe to twitter accounts that tweet when he goes to the toilet?

In a world that has madmen threatening to launch missiles in North Korea, wiki leaks,people getting beaten up by jetski touts, floods and wildfires, can we not go a day without Thaksin? He's not here. He's not coming back and he's probably not on most Thai people's minds. No one cares about him now. There are bigger problems that have nothing to do with him. I am going another year without a <deleted> bonus because of "market conditions". My friend called me today to say his mum requires more medical care and on his salary he's going to be eating lizard tails and crab shells. I don't care about Mr. Thaksin. He can't make my bank pay me more than 2% interest can he?

Although there are more important things, there are a few PTP politicians that care about him, and visit him and talk to him regularly. These politicians care about him so much that they have promised to white wash his crimes and bring him back to Thailand.

So? Haven't the anti-red obsessives already posted ad nauseam that PTP has no chance of forming the next government? And how many times have the obsessed reminded us - sometimes in mocking tones - that Taksin's only refuge these days is in dodgy 3rd world countries. We keep being told how inept/powerless the 'red organization' is, and at the same time the obsessives are screaming 'wolf' 24/7 as if anything that PTP/Taksin/a redshirted person does dwarfs the issues raised by geriatrickid.

C'mon anti-reds - do you believe your own posts or not?

Edited December 5, 2010 by hanuman1

[jayjay0]

The man is not in the country hasen't been for a couple of years and in all likly hood will not be back.

Why so much attention given to him?

Believe it r not there are othwer threads on TV that are important. Such as the one on becoming more of a green nation.

Do you people spend your whole life beating up on dead horses.

[hanuman1]

The man is not in the country hasen't been for a couple of years and in all likly hood will not be back.

Why so much attention given to him?

Believe it r not there are othwer threads on TV that are important. Such as the one on becoming more of a green nation.

Do you people spend your whole life beating up on dead horses.

But that's what I find so fascinating about these obsessives. What forces contrived to result in this behavior? I'd love to know, just from a 'human interest' angle.

Edited December 5, 2010 by hanuman1

[jayboy]

The man is not in the country hasen't been for a couple of years and in all likly hood will not be back.

Why so much attention given to him?

Do you people spend your whole life beating up on dead horses.

I expect the Tsarists said much the same about Lenin when he was in exile.

[whybother]

What's up with you guys that obsess over every move Thaksin makes? Do you subscribe to twitter accounts that tweet when he goes to the toilet?

In a world that has madmen threatening to launch missiles in North Korea, wiki leaks,people getting beaten up by jetski touts, floods and wildfires, can we not go a day without Thaksin? He's not here. He's not coming back and he's probably not on most Thai people's minds. No one cares about him now. There are bigger problems that have nothing to do with him. I am going another year without a <deleted> bonus because of "market conditions". My friend called me today to say his mum requires more medical care and on his salary he's going to be eating lizard tails and crab shells. I don't care about Mr. Thaksin. He can't make my bank pay me more than 2% interest can he?

Although there are more important things, there are a few PTP politicians that care about him, and visit him and talk to him regularly. These politicians care about him so much that they have promised to white wash his crimes and bring him back to Thailand.

So? Haven't the anti-red obsessives already posted ad nauseam that PTP has no chance of forming the next government? And how many times have the obsessed reminded us - sometimes in mocking tones - that Taksin's only refuge these days is in dodgy 3rd world countries. We keep being told how inept/powerless the 'red organization' is, and at the same time the obsessives are screaming 'wolf' 24/7 as if anything that PTP/Taksin/a redshirted person does dwarfs the issues raised by geriatrickid.

C'mon anti-reds - do you believe your own posts or not?

What is it with the sudden "obsessive" rants from the pro-red posters? The title of this thread is about Thaksin, therefore the posting is about Thaksin.

Every few days there are comments from red leaders and PTP MPs about Thaksin. It's them keeping Thaksin in the news. Posters just post their opinions on TVF.

The red shirts and the PTP can not separate themselves from Thaksin. Should we just ignore everything that they say, just because it's about Thaksin?

[jayjay0]

The man is not in the country hasen't been for a couple of years and in all likly hood will not be back.

Why so much attention given to him?

Do you people spend your whole life beating up on dead horses.

I expect the Tsarists said much the same about Lenin when he was in exile.

Wrong they did not have the internet.

The only Tsarists here are people such as your self. A very small minority if that much at all. Mainly malcontents.

[jayboy]

The man is not in the country hasen't been for a couple of years and in all likly hood will not be back.

Why so much attention given to him?

Do you people spend your whole life beating up on dead horses.

I expect the Tsarists said much the same about Lenin when he was in exile.

Wrong they did not have the internet.

The only Tsarists here are people such as your self. A very small minority if that much at all. Mainly malcontents.

Don't really understand what you're on about I'm afraid.Just letting off steam perhaps.

I think we know who the Tsarists are.

The Bolsheviks and Mensheviks were also labelled "malcontents".

That regime's elite didn't understand the need to reform , nor that the lack of it would spell its annihilation.Interestingly that regime had contempt for the huge "uneducated" rural majority.

Let's hope some people have learnt the lessons of history.Remember that despite the injustices of the current regime, what replaces it could be much worse.The critical factor will be the enlightened self interest of the elite.The Russian elite had no such spirit of compromise and was scattered to the winds.Whether the Thai elite has a more intelligent set of instincts is a matter on which I could not possibly comment.

Edited December 5, 2010 by jayboy

[phiphidon]

What's up with you guys that obsess over every move Thaksin makes? Do you subscribe to twitter accounts that tweet when he goes to the toilet?

In a world that has madmen threatening to launch missiles in North Korea, wiki leaks,people getting beaten up by jetski touts, floods and wildfires, can we not go a day without Thaksin? He's not here. He's not coming back and he's probably not on most Thai people's minds. No one cares about him now. There are bigger problems that have nothing to do with him. I am going another year without a <deleted> bonus because of "market conditions". My friend called me today to say his mum requires more medical care and on his salary he's going to be eating lizard tails and crab shells. I don't care about Mr. Thaksin. He can't make my bank pay me more than 2% interest can he?

Although there are more important things, there are a few PTP politicians that care about him, and visit him and talk to him regularly. These politicians care about him so much that they have promised to white wash his crimes and bring him back to Thailand.

So? Haven't the anti-red obsessives already posted ad nauseam that PTP has no chance of forming the next government? And how many times have the obsessed reminded us - sometimes in mocking tones - that Taksin's only refuge these days is in dodgy 3rd world countries. We keep being told how inept/powerless the 'red organization' is, and at the same time the obsessives are screaming 'wolf' 24/7 as if anything that PTP/Taksin/a redshirted person does dwarfs the issues raised by geriatrickid.

C'mon anti-reds - do you believe your own posts or not?

What is it with the sudden "obsessive" rants from the pro-red posters? The title of this thread is about Thaksin, therefore the posting is about Thaksin.

Every few days there are comments from red leaders and PTP MPs about Thaksin. It's them keeping Thaksin in the news. Posters just post their opinions on TVF.

The red shirts and the PTP can not separate themselves from Thaksin. Should we just ignore everything that they say, just because it's about Thaksin?

True, the title is about Thaksin but the content is purely that he has been seen in Africa, that's it! Surely not worth 4 pages of posts?

[scorecard]

What's up with you guys that obsess over every move Thaksin makes? Do you subscribe to twitter accounts that tweet when he goes to the toilet?

In a world that has madmen threatening to launch missiles in North Korea, wiki leaks,people getting beaten up by jetski touts, floods and wildfires, can we not go a day without Thaksin? He's not here. He's not coming back and he's probably not on most Thai people's minds. No one cares about him now. There are bigger problems that have nothing to do with him. I am going another year without a <deleted> bonus because of "market conditions". My friend called me today to say his mum requires more medical care and on his salary he's going to be eating lizard tails and crab shells. I don't care about Mr. Thaksin. He can't make my bank pay me more than 2% interest can he?

Although there are more important things, there are a few PTP politicians that care about him, and visit him and talk to him regularly. These politicians care about him so much that they have promised to white wash his crimes and bring him back to Thailand.

I wonder what all our comments will appear like in say five years time.

I think that Thaksin is probably too divisive a figure to participate in the country's future.At the same time he commands the affection and loyalty of millions and millions of Thais.To ignore that reality isn't helpful.

It's also silly and dishonest to suggest his life (though I think for most of us a very unenviable one) is confined to paniced flitting between third world hell holes.He clearly has the ability to visit almost anywhere he wants with high level access to boot (most recently with Putin).

Thailand is in error if it thinks foreign governments can't work out for themselves he has huge support internally and that the demand for extradition is primarily political in motivation.They also are well aware the feudal and military elites particularly resent his strong relationship with the rural majority.He will never be extradited.From the Western perspective he is in theory vulnerable perhaps to extradition for the drug war killings - but we know this will never happen (and why it won't).As for countries like China, Russia etc they probably couldn't care less, indeed would respect a "strong leader".

Much will depend on how political parties associated with him perform in next year's elections.On past record there will be efforts to frustrate the outcome whether by judicial direction or other means.We shall see.

My guess is that he will eventually return and lead a quiet life, in five or six years...?

His significance however is already clear.He was the most influential Thai politician since WW2.He changed the rules of the game.The Thai majority can no longer be patronised or ignored.The elite , at least the intelligent part of it, understands realignment and compromise is needed.

Suggest you trade-in your rose coloured glasses for something a bit more realistic and a bit more honest.

- Yes, foreign governments know very well that he has strong internal support and they also know why! Vote buying and intimidation would be just two points they are well aware of.

- "Most influential Thai politician since WW"2. Well I definitely won't accept your word 'influential', but I would accept words /phrases like:

Most tricky, most cold lies, most open double talk, most lacking in values, most cunning, most power crazy, biggest ever non listener to anybody but himself, biggest user of the uneducated ill-informed masses, biggest ever instigator of family nepotism, least ever PM to show younsters what moral values means and looks like / most corrupt politician ever in Thai history, biggest ever destroyer and intimidator of the judiciary, biggest ever cold and calculated manipulator of the Thai electoral commission, greatest ever user of the public purse to gain massive benefits for his family, greatest ever reverser of Thai investment laws for his personal massive gain, greatest ever massive abuser of the human rights of more than 3,000 fellow Thais who very coldy assassinated by his order in his personal vendetta. That's enough to start with.

You might like to also note that the vast majority of Thais are well aware that there is a strong and urgent need to build a more balanced Thai society.

You might like to also note that many many Thais are well aware that the rural poor get a very poor deal and there needs to be urgent structured action to bring about a scenario where a very large percentage of Thais have the opportunites to gain a better standard of living, and to share the wealth.

Thaksins policies achieved nothing whatever in regard to these items, and it's well documented that his 'handouts' (read vote buying) were unsustainable and in the long-term would just create more serious problems.

The PT, TRT etc., have done nothing whatever / have proposed nothing whatever which would fix the 'structure' and quickly provide the opportinities (the key to everything).

I ask you: "please share some details of any recent specific policy platforms put forward by the PT which would fix the structural issues/needs".

And please don't insult my intelligence and the intelligence of tens of millions of Thais by saying the PT policies are:

- Bring back Thaksin and whitewash his human rights abuses, his massive corruption etc. (recent statements from chalerm).

- 'Mega infratsructure projects" (trains, bridges, roads, etc). The public isn't as stupid as many of these PT leeches think. Mega instrfatructure projects are instigated by PT and their ilk simply to create opportunites for massive corruption and not much more. The elevated tollway from Bkk to the 53 km marker just outside of Chonburi city is just one simple example. Many studies before and after that project prove that the whole project was not justified and there should have been other approaches used to provide more roads.

On the other foot you might like to note that abhisit and korn are getting on with the job to ultimately, and as quickly as possible, get the 'structure' right.

Get some new glasses my friend.

[maccaroni man]

True, the title is about Thaksin but the content is purely that he has been seen in Africa, that's it! Surely not worth 4 pages of posts?

it was all a mistaken identity, it was actualy sponge bob square head that was seen.

[jayboy]

- Yes, foreign governments know very well that he has strong internal support and they also know why! Vote buying and intimidation would be just two points they are well aware of.

There's nothing in this post that's unusual.I isolate just one sentence to demonstrate how obsession leads some to part company with reality, the absurd proposition that Thaksin became the country's most successful politician for 50 years through intimidation and vote buying.There is the usual foul ranting about the "uneducated ill informed masses".My post however, as I would have thought was obvious, was not a defence of Thaksin but a quick sketch of his significance.Over the heads of some it seems.

[scorecard]

- Yes, foreign governments know very well that he has strong internal support and they also know why! Vote buying and intimidation would be just two points they are well aware of.

There's nothing in this post that's unusual.I isolate just one sentence to demonstrate how obsession leads some to part company with reality, the absurd proposition that Thaksin became the country's most successful politician for 50 years through intimidation and vote buying.There is the usual foul ranting about the "uneducated ill informed masses".My post however, as I would have thought was obvious, was not a defence of Thaksin but a quick sketch of his significance.Over the heads of some it seems.

You isolate my words "uneducated ill informed masses" and put in front of them "the usual foul ranting", so that it sounds like I am putting them down.

That most definitely wasn't my intent and if you read my words as written it doesn't sound that way.

Perhaps you'd like to share what you mean by 'his significance".

[Buchholz]

The man is not in the country hasen't been for a couple of years and in all likly hood will not be back.

Why so much attention given to him?

Believe it r not there are othwer threads on TV that are important. Such as the one on becoming more of a green nation.

Do you people spend your whole life beating up on dead horses.

But that's what I find so fascinating about these obsessives. What forces contrived to result in this behavior? I'd love to know, just from a 'human interest' angle.

Perhaps a mirror is in order, then, because 6 out of the last 10 posts that you have made yourself have been on this thread.

Funny to read posts lamenting obsessively about other people's obsessions.

[Piengrudee]

I hope he enjoy cricket in South Africa. The deep fried one, not the sport.

[hanuman1]

The man is not in the country hasen't been for a couple of years and in all likly hood will not be back.

Why so much attention given to him?

Believe it r not there are othwer threads on TV that are important. Such as the one on becoming more of a green nation.

Do you people spend your whole life beating up on dead horses.

But that's what I find so fascinating about these obsessives. What forces contrived to result in this behavior? I'd love to know, just from a 'human interest' angle.

Perhaps a mirror is in order, then, because 6 out of the last 10 posts that you have made yourself have been on this thread.

Funny to read posts lamenting obsessively about other people's obsessions.

Well, I'm certainly interested in your obsession but if 6 out of the last 10 of my posts suggest an obsession on my part, then what does almost daily droning about Taksin over 6 of the last 10 months suggest on yours?

Feel free to reveal the ratio of your non-Taksin related posts to anti-Taksin posts over that time period if you feel it would help.

[cdnvic]

Addiction isn't the topic here, stop derailing the thread.

[jayboy]

You isolate my words "uneducated ill informed masses" and put in front of them "the usual foul ranting", so that it sounds like I am putting them down.

That most definitely wasn't my intent and if you read my words as written it doesn't sound that way.

Perhaps you'd like to share what you mean by 'his significance".

The words you use to describe the rural majority indicate your view point very clearly.They are the same words used by the quasi fascist Pad and I must admit many of the urban Sino-Thai middle class.I could go on at length but the main point to emphasize is that poor education does not mean lack of intelligence or political sophistication.

I already sketched out Thaksin's significance in my earlier post.I would be happy to elaborate but not in a bad tempered ranting exchange.If you want a civilised discussion I'm happy to do so.

[Insight]

You isolate my words "uneducated ill informed masses" and put in front of them "the usual foul ranting", so that it sounds like I am putting them down.

That most definitely wasn't my intent and if you read my words as written it doesn't sound that way.

Perhaps you'd like to share what you mean by 'his significance".

The words you use to describe the rural majority indicate your view point very clearly.They are the same words used by the quasi fascist Pad and I must admit many of the urban Sino-Thai middle class.I could go on at length but the main point to emphasize is that poor education does not mean lack of intelligence or political sophistication.

I already sketched out Thaksin's significance in my earlier post.I would be happy to elaborate but not in a bad tempered ranting exchange.If you want a civilised discussion I'm happy to do so.

Thanks Jayboy - those lowly educated frequenters of the Bangkok taverns with an opinion of the political situation you often slate in when attacking other posters will be very pleased to read this.

[jayboy]

Thanks Jayboy - those lowly educated frequenters of the Bangkok taverns with an opinion of the political situation you often slate in when attacking other posters will be very pleased to read this.

You think it's a clever point but really it isn't.The farang element so strangely often supporters of repression in Thailand ( while often complaining about posh Tories at home) had in UK's wonderful welfare state every chance to educate themselves well.The poor of Thailand generally don't have that chance, and that's a key distinction.