Red Shirt Leader Jatuporn Fails To Convince

[Lite Beer]

Jatuporn's show in Parliament fails to convince

EDITORIAL. By The Nation.

Red shirt leader's 'loyalty' attack on govt may come back to haunt him

If Jatuporn Promphan can be understood for his political outlook, his behaviour on Thursday is not easy to comprehend. The parliamentary debate on the government's performance report on its second year in office was dominated by nearly four hours of argument about whether the government had done enough to protect the monarchy, an attack surprisingly instigated by the red-shirt leader. Was Jatuporn demonstrating his loyalty to the throne? Or was he just being political? It's up to anyone to make a guess.

Make no mistake here. Jatuporn was playing a much more appropriate role than the one that ended violently last year. As an MP, he has the right to be political. He had the right when he pointed his finger at Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and charged that his political rival had done nothing to prosecute senior citizens, including two members of the Privy Council, who were quoted in a controversial WikiLeak report. He also chose to slam the government for not trying to block the website of London-based newspaper The Guardian, whose WikiLeak stories were read by "millions". Jatuporn has the right to do what he did in Parliament on Thursday, but he just did it badly.

One can argue that Jatuporn was simply raising the WikiLeak issue to try to prove that the government only went after red-shirt members when it comes to lese majeste. The red shirt leader wasn't showing pretentious loyalty; he was just trying to expose a double standard of his political enemies, Jatuporn's supporters may say.

But while we try to understand Jatuporn's motives, a few questions remain. What was Jatuporn really saying? Did he mean to say lese majeste law was good but it was applied in an uneven way? Or did he in fact mean the law was not good and the three senior citizens escaped trouble from a no-good law (in which case the senior citizens had done nothing wrong) but some red shirts have not? If he was trying to say the law was no good, why did he attack the government for failing to block The Guardian website?

If it was meant to be a clever and subtle attack on the lese majeste law, it was not properly executed. If it was meant to show that Jatuporn was as loyal to the throne as anyone, it did not sound like that. What he did on Thursday did not shed any new light on his political ideology. Loyalty to the throne and its complete opposite, disloyalty, are things that extend far beyond the WikiLeak affair, and Jatuporn should realise that it takes much more than leaked remarks to prove whether one is loyal or disloyal.

If Jatuporn was playing a political game, aimed at drawing attention to the plight of his movement with members languishing because of the lese majeste law, the ambiguity doesn't help. Certainly, everything he said in Parliament on Thursday was taped, and for a man with such political ambition, it could easily come back to haunt him. The Pheu Thai Party stands a good chance of winning the next election, meaning Jatuporn stands a good chance of taking a major Cabinet post.

As a government officer, would he go after The Guardian website if something like the WikiLeak controversy happened again, for example? Or would he say, "Sorry, I was just being sarcastic, as I actually thought all the alleged offences were not offences at all"? If he became an interior minister, how would he comment on some well-known former academic who has a website with unquotable content? Whatever he would do or would not do, everything he said on Thursday would be played back and notes would be compared. If that happened, maybe Jatuporn would finally realise that sometimes it's easier not to have any ideology at all than have one without quite understanding it.

-- The Nation 2011-02-27

[brahmburgers]

Did the man ever get elected as a politician? If so, then one would assume part of his role is to aid and assist his constituents. What has J ever done to aid or assist the voters in his, or any other district? To adapt Churchill's famous dictum to apply to J; "Never has one man, with such a political mandate, done so little for his constituents." The guy who picks up a piece of trash on the sidewalk, and puts it in a waste can, does more for his district than J ever did.

[TAWP]

I was told he was voted into parliament as a list-MP. So he was a package-deal.

[SomTumTiger]

Jatuporn reminds me of a piece of toilet paper that is stuck on your shoe, as you leave the restroom.

[pedro01]

Why is it the press here don't go after Jatuporn for all of his lies?

He seems to get a free pass from the English speaking media here. They print all of his tripe 'revelations' but never call him on all of his lies and false promises.

It appears he is protected to some extent.

This article doesn't even attempt to scratch the surface.

[Robby nz]

The Pheu Thai Party stands a good chance of winning the next election, meaning Jatuporn stands a good chance of taking a major Cabinet post.

That statement should get the Dems a lot of votes.

God help the country if that ever happens.

Then there are the other 7 heroes of the revelution, would we see them in cabinet posts as well?

Now there is a quiz For you:

What cabinet posts would the eight of them be best suited for?

Me, I already have one down as minister of prisons, plenty of inside knowledge.

[stepenwolf1958]

The Pheu Thai Party stands a good chance of winning the next election, meaning Jatuporn stands a good chance of taking a major Cabinet post.

That statement should get the Dems a lot of votes.

God help the country if that ever happens.

Then there are the other 7 heroes of the revelution, would we see them in cabinet posts as well?

Now there is a quiz For you:

What cabinet posts would the eight of them be best suited for?

Me, I already have one down as minister of prisons, plenty of inside knowledge.

God has nothing with it. It's the MONEY. As we could saw a million times.

[stepenwolf1958]

In this article was said:" Whatever he would do or would not do, everything he said on Thursday would be played back and notes would be compared."

This wrote some farang, dement person or some Thai person who has no any touch with reality about politic in Thailand???

Thais have extremelly short memory. That was proved so many times. So, after all, who will care even if Jatuporn become a PM one day??? I would like to see any Thai who would use it what happened in the past, even a few months ago. Funny!

[Robby nz]

God has nothing with it. It's the MONEY. As we could saw a million times.

Do you think Thaksin will be able to buy PTP enough votes to get them back in power?

[jayjay0]

The Pheu Thai Party stands a good chance of winning the next election, meaning Jatuporn stands a good chance of taking a major Cabinet post.

That statement should get the Dems a lot of votes.

God help the country if that ever happens.

Then there are the other 7 heroes of the revelution, would we see them in cabinet posts as well?

Now there is a quiz For you:

What cabinet posts would the eight of them be best suited for?

Me, I already have one down as minister of prisons, plenty of inside knowledge.

Yes I saw that little tid bit to. It kind of show's the Nation's view point on the PT. Hard to imagine them winning any thing with Mr T being the leader and Jatuporn being the mouth piece.

[jayjay0]

In this article was said:" Whatever he would do or would not do, everything he said on Thursday would be played back and notes would be compared."

This wrote some farang, dement person or some Thai person who has no any touch with reality about politic in Thailand???

Thais have extremelly short memory. That was proved so many times. So, after all, who will care even if Jatuporn become a PM one day??? I would like to see any Thai who would use it what happened in the past, even a few months ago. Funny!

Are you saying that Thai's don't remember what Thaksin did or supposedly did and what he didn't do and base there support on that. Funny He seems to have a lot of support and has done nothing today to gain it.

[stepenwolf1958]

Errors in the political life are very expensive. Jatuporn and his political party should to know that. Missed chances always come back like a boomerang.

The saddest thing of all would be if Jatuporn and his party lost the elections not because as Democrats are so good(in many ways would be easy to prove that they are bad as a government) but for their own mistakes, like this episode and that one about PM's passport.

Bad enough is that this government didn't stop by the changing the law about buying votes in election(probably they count with it) but you can't fool the people, manipulate them, endlessly.

As Taksin has so big money, he could pay some for some agency to educate reds(Jatuporn) about political fights and campaigns. Same is with democrats. They sleep and they count with the bad relicts of the past, previous times and money influence in voting.

Thai voters are not stupid. Not any more.

Time to wake up.

[stepenwolf1958]

In this article was said:" Whatever he would do or would not do, everything he said on Thursday would be played back and notes would be compared."

This wrote some farang, dement person or some Thai person who has no any touch with reality about politic in Thailand???

Thais have extremelly short memory. That was proved so many times. So, after all, who will care even if Jatuporn become a PM one day??? I would like to see any Thai who would use it what happened in the past, even a few months ago. Funny!

Are you saying that Thai's don't remember what Thaksin did or supposedly did and what he didn't do and base there support on that. Funny He seems to have a lot of support and has done nothing today to gain it.

Yes, that is exactly what i'm saying and it's for any one in politic life. Not only with Taksin.

Ask an ordinary Thais about how many civilians are killed by the Army last year in protest. Who will give you an answer? How many of them?

[TAWP]

Why is it the press here don't go after Jatuporn for all of his lies?

He seems to get a free pass from the English speaking media here. They print all of his tripe 'revelations' but never call him on all of his lies and false promises.

It appears he is protected to some extent.

This article doesn't even attempt to scratch the surface.

Indeed, the problem here isn't -- as some other thread suggest -- that self-censorship exists. it is most likely there is nothing to self-censor as there is an inherit lack of journalism.

One might say, yes, that is because every real journalist always end up getting shot within 5 years of entering the profession. That may or may not be true, and would explain the culling of the herd in terms of real talent, but it doesn't excuse the rest.

Edit: Added quote to give context.

[stepenwolf1958]

God has nothing with it. It's the MONEY. As we could saw a million times.

Do you think Thaksin will be able to buy PTP enough votes to get them back in power?

As Democrats didn't stop it, didn't change the Law about BUYING VOTES(ridiculous - if you ask me), so all is possible. It's not so much of(his) money-as an investment. Also, i would not bet that he would not have some foreign support for elections.

[whybother]

God has nothing with it. It's the MONEY. As we could saw a million times.

Do you think Thaksin will be able to buy PTP enough votes to get them back in power?

As Democrats didn't stop it, didn't change the Law about BUYING VOTES(ridiculous - if you ask me), so all is possible. It's not so much of(his) money-as an investment. Also, i would not bet that he would not have some foreign support for elections.

Vote buying is already illegal isn't it? That's why the PPP got disbanded.

What law needs to be changed?

[TAWP]

God has nothing with it. It's the MONEY. As we could saw a million times.

Do you think Thaksin will be able to buy PTP enough votes to get them back in power?

As Democrats didn't stop it, didn't change the Law about BUYING VOTES(ridiculous - if you ask me), so all is possible. It's not so much of(his) money-as an investment. Also, i would not bet that he would not have some foreign support for elections.

Wait, what law are they supposed to 'change'?

[stepenwolf1958]

God has nothing with it. It's the MONEY. As we could saw a million times.

Do you think Thaksin will be able to buy PTP enough votes to get them back in power?

As Democrats didn't stop it, didn't change the Law about BUYING VOTES(ridiculous - if you ask me), so all is possible. It's not so much of(his) money-as an investment. Also, i would not bet that he would not have some foreign support for elections.

Wait, what law are they supposed to 'change'?

To stop political parties buying votes in election. Maybe there is not any Law about it so to be changed but in that case some Law to prohibit that - should to be made. It is not. So again in elections we will see how much in Thailand "money talks" in elections.

[TAWP]

Wait, what law are they supposed to 'change'?

To stop political parties buying votes in election. Maybe there is not any Law about it so to be changed but in that case some Law to prohibit that - should to be made. It is not. So again in elections we will see how much in Thailand "money talks" in elections.

Why are you under the impression that there isn't already election laws regarding vote buying?

[stepenwolf1958]

God has nothing with it. It's the MONEY. As we could saw a million times.

Do you think Thaksin will be able to buy PTP enough votes to get them back in power?

As Democrats didn't stop it, didn't change the Law about BUYING VOTES(ridiculous - if you ask me), so all is possible. It's not so much of(his) money-as an investment. Also, i would not bet that he would not have some foreign support for elections.

Vote buying is already illegal isn't it? That's why the PPP got disbanded.

What law needs to be changed?

It is not. The recent survey(published by Bangkok Post) said around 40% of people in survey said will accept the money for vote. So, obviously that still going on as habit. That is opening another question-as you posted- but it is(for me) obvious that disbanding was political, tactical manouver, just for instant use, to eliminate the oponents(but that is another topic and i would not elaborate that more)

[stepenwolf1958]

Wait, what law are they supposed to 'change'?

To stop political parties buying votes in election. Maybe there is not any Law about it so to be changed but in that case some Law to prohibit that - should to be made. It is not. So again in elections we will see how much in Thailand "money talks" in elections.

Why are you under the impression that there isn't already election laws regarding vote buying?

Because of recently published survey(in Bangkok Post) about how many people would accept the money to vote for some party.(40% said they would accept it) If that is prohibited, stopped, why that survey would be made at all? Logical?

[whybother]

It is not. The recent survey(published by Bangkok Post) said around 40% of people in survey said will accept the money for vote. So, obviously that still going on as habit. That is opening another question-as you posted- but it is(for me) obvious that disbanding was political, tactical manouver, just for instant use, to eliminate the oponents(but that is another topic and i would not elaborate that more)

60% said that they accept corruption. Does that mean corruption is legal?

People speed in cars. People don't use helmets. Legal?

[jayjay0]

In this article was said:" Whatever he would do or would not do, everything he said on Thursday would be played back and notes would be compared."

This wrote some farang, dement person or some Thai person who has no any touch with reality about politic in Thailand???

Thais have extremelly short memory. That was proved so many times. So, after all, who will care even if Jatuporn become a PM one day??? I would like to see any Thai who would use it what happened in the past, even a few months ago. Funny!

Are you saying that Thai's don't remember what Thaksin did or supposedly did and what he didn't do and base there support on that. Funny He seems to have a lot of support and has done nothing today to gain it.

Yes, that is exactly what i'm saying and it's for any one in politic life. Not only with Taksin.

Ask an ordinary Thais about how many civilians are killed by the Army last year in protest. Who will give you an answer? How many of them?

If they don't remember why has he got such a big following. He has done nothing today for it.

[jayjay0]

God has nothing with it. It's the MONEY. As we could saw a million times.

Do you think Thaksin will be able to buy PTP enough votes to get them back in power?

As Democrats didn't stop it, didn't change the Law about BUYING VOTES(ridiculous - if you ask me), so all is possible. It's not so much of(his) money-as an investment. Also, i would not bet that he would not have some foreign support for elections.

Are you saying it is legal to buy votes.

And it is the Democrats fault for not making it illegal?

If it was legal I would have thought it was the fault of previous governments.

[otherstuff1957]

PT doesn't really need to buy votes, they would probably win 30-35% of the vote without buying a single vote. Buying votes might get them another 3 - 5% of the vote, still not enough to win a majority outright. Where they will need to spend money will be in buying the support of two or more of the smaller parties. As the election day comes closer, PT & the Democrats will almost certainly be in a bidding war for the support of the smaller parties. Whichever one makes the sweetest offer, be it money or cabinet positions or pork-barrel projects, will win.

There is also the case of trust. Only Thaksin can make binding promises on behalf of PT. No doubt the small party leaders will be wondering if they can trust him to keep those promises. After all, they betrayed hem by abandoning his coalition once, he might very well want revenge.

I expect the Banharn, Newin and the head of Pua Pandin will be making discrete trips abroad (to Dubai) in the near future for these negotiations.

[jayjay0]

Wait, what law are they supposed to 'change'?

To stop political parties buying votes in election. Maybe there is not any Law about it so to be changed but in that case some Law to prohibit that - should to be made. It is not. So again in elections we will see how much in Thailand "money talks" in elections.

Why are you under the impression that there isn't already election laws regarding vote buying?

Personally I don't believe he is under that impression. I think he just dosen't like the democrats. Maybe he is a red shirt or a disgruntled yellow shirt.

[stepenwolf1958]

It is not. The recent survey(published by Bangkok Post) said around 40% of people in survey said will accept the money for vote. So, obviously that still going on as habit. That is opening another question-as you posted- but it is(for me) obvious that disbanding was political, tactical manouver, just for instant use, to eliminate the oponents(but that is another topic and i would not elaborate that more)

60% said that they accept corruption. Does that mean corruption is legal?

People speed in cars. People don't use helmets. Legal?

Generally agree with you. All your words are telling about something abnormal in society.

But...

You said: "60% said that they accept corruption.Does that mean corruption is legal?:

*** It is not legal as buying votes is not legal but should the Government stay calm and accept it as mai pen arai? I think not. Some act, some law against it, the government should to bring. I guess the most right address would be to put it in Law about the election.

You said: "People speed in cars. People don't use helmets. Legal?" Not legal, for sure but this is incomparable.

[TAWP]

Wait, what law are they supposed to 'change'?

To stop political parties buying votes in election. Maybe there is not any Law about it so to be changed but in that case some Law to prohibit that - should to be made. It is not. So again in elections we will see how much in Thailand "money talks" in elections.

Why are you under the impression that there isn't already election laws regarding vote buying?

Because of recently published survey(in Bangkok Post) about how many people would accept the money to vote for some party.(40% said they would accept it) If that is prohibited, stopped, why that survey would be made at all? Logical?

Your logic is severely flawed. Peoples opinion says nothing about the legality.

[stepenwolf1958]

Wait, what law are they supposed to 'change'?

To stop political parties buying votes in election. Maybe there is not any Law about it so to be changed but in that case some Law to prohibit that - should to be made. It is not. So again in elections we will see how much in Thailand "money talks" in elections.

Why are you under the impression that there isn't already election laws regarding vote buying?

Personally I don't believe he is under that impression. I think he just dosen't like the democrats. Maybe he is a red shirt or a disgruntled yellow shirt.

Jay, you have no right to qualify me, so watch your mouth man...

if you have something to say about me, say that to ME, as i am here.

In my comments something important is point and if your mental potential can not allows you to get the point, it is not my fault, sorry.

I am ASIDE of those 2 groups and my postings are NOT about cheer one or another.

[stepenwolf1958]

Wait, what law are they supposed to 'change'?

To stop political parties buying votes in election. Maybe there is not any Law about it so to be changed but in that case some Law to prohibit that - should to be made. It is not. So again in elections we will see how much in Thailand "money talks" in elections.

Why are you under the impression that there isn't already election laws regarding vote buying?

Personally I don't believe he is under that impression. I think he just dosen't like the democrats. Maybe he is a red shirt or a disgruntled yellow shirt.

To dislike democrats doesn't mean ones like reds. Use your intellectual potentials.