PAD To Boycott Thai General Election

[whybother]

Why would PAD campaign for the 2006 election to be boycotted? It was boycotted. By the Democrats.

The 2006 election was boycotted by the Democrats, but the PAD agreed with them so also campaigned for people not to vote (or vote "No"), just as they are doing now.

[jdinasia]

Why would PAD campaign for the 2006 election to be boycotted? It was boycotted. By the Democrats.

The 2006 election was boycotted by the Democrats, but the PAD agreed with them so also campaigned for people not to vote (or vote "No"), just as they are doing now.

The campaign was to vote "no vote" as it is illegal in Thailand to encourage people not to vote at all. Voting is compulsory in Thailand (even though many people choose not to vote anyways.)

[jdinasia]

I have nothing against the Thai-Chinese.It would be absurd given the very successful assimilation.I have however pointed out PAD's Sino-Thai triumphalism, and ethnic identification with the anti-Thaksin middle class.

For those who are prepared to think more carefully than you are prepared to do, Chang Noi provides some interesting background.

http://www.nationmul...t-30114736.html

Who has the time to follow your "predictions"? People will just remember on the airport issue your crazy ideas about AOT being responsible - something that not even your heroes in the PAD leadership have argued.

I don't believe your claims but that is just based upon my observations.

The news articles are still out there for you to read where the AOT board blames their own man on the ground for the airport closure, so it doesn't much matter how you characterize me (as I have told you often, I don't care what you think,) I have made my position on the PAD clear and your characterizations don't change that.

Now to the article you posted .... Amazing that ChangNoi doesn't use ANY of the characterizations you use to describe Sondhi or the PAD. Even though ChangNoi is using Sondhi's history and his own words there isn't any of the racism you ascribe to the PAD evident at all! In fact, ChangNoi refers to both Thaksin's ethnicity and Sondhi's.

A couple of months later, he gave an interview in the US which was later placed on YouTube and widely circulated in other ways. In this interview, he referred to himself as "jek", the pejorative term for a Thai-Chinese which, with skill, can be used to elicit sympathy.He describe how this "mere jek " had been able to raise a great movement of street protest against all the expectations of the old elite, and how he had suddenly got recognition from on high, and telephone calls of support. "Prem had his aide call me. General Chavalit. Everyone called me."

In this phase, Sondhi positioned himself as the nice, new-fangled lukjin/ jek /Thai-Chinese who could work with the old elite, as opposed to Thaksin who was the nasty, corrupt, old-fashioned version who could not. The size and stamina of the PAD

Amazing! Offensive! to suggest that a Thai middle class (most of which Sondhi states has some Chinese blood) would stand up and fight to save the country (not China!) Amazing to suggest that the middle-class (the tax-base) would want to participate and have a voice! Despicable that he would suggest HIS group of ethnic Thai Chinese were patriots whilst Thaksin's were thieves!

The best thing about an opinion piece like this which ends with

And perhaps, however subtle its symbolism and however casually it is worn, the hat is another step in the politics of division.

is how someone can bend it out even further to try and support (imho) racist rants

[jayboy]

I don't believe your claims but that is just based upon my observations.

The news articles are still out there for you to read where the AOT board blames their own man on the ground for the airport closure, so it doesn't much matter how you characterize me (as I have told you often, I don't care what you think,) I have made my position on the PAD clear and your characterizations don't change that.

Now to the article you posted .... Amazing that ChangNoi doesn't use ANY of the characterizations you use to describe Sondhi or the PAD. Even though ChangNoi is using Sondhi's history and his own words there isn't any of the racism you ascribe to the PAD evident at all! In fact, ChangNoi refers to both Thaksin's ethnicity and Sondhi's.

The Chang Noi article was an attempt to bring some intelligence to the discussion.I never said Chang Noi reflected my views, although in many areas he does.The article does not even touch on PAD's racism so your comment is irrelevant.You also fail, from what you have posted, to understand some of Chang Noi's other observations, and their implications.Perhaps if you read some more background you would better informed.

As to your crazy ideas on AOT I noticed that your arguments are almost word for word following the case made by Sondhi at the recent court proceedings.You say you have put your PAD sympathies behind you but you still repeat the lies of the current leadership when it suits you.I think we should take your road to Damascus conversion (leaving the PAD madness behind you) with a big pinch of salt.I suspect you are only back pedalling now because the PAD is politically adrift now.I think it's fairly clear where your true sympathies lie.

[jdinasia]

I don't believe your claims but that is just based upon my observations.

The news articles are still out there for you to read where the AOT board blames their own man on the ground for the airport closure, so it doesn't much matter how you characterize me (as I have told you often, I don't care what you think,) I have made my position on the PAD clear and your characterizations don't change that.

Now to the article you posted .... Amazing that ChangNoi doesn't use ANY of the characterizations you use to describe Sondhi or the PAD. Even though ChangNoi is using Sondhi's history and his own words there isn't any of the racism you ascribe to the PAD evident at all! In fact, ChangNoi refers to both Thaksin's ethnicity and Sondhi's.

The Chang Noi article was an attempt to bring some intelligence to the discussion.I never said Chang Noi reflected my views, although in many areas he does.The article does not even touch on PAD's racism so your comment is irrelevant.You also fail, from what you have posted, to understand some of Chang Noi's other observations, and their implications.Perhaps if you read some more background you would better informed.

As to your crazy ideas on AOT I noticed that your arguments are almost word for word following the case made by Sondhi at the recent court proceedings.You say you have put your PAD sympathies behind you but you still repeat the lies of the current leadership when it suits you.I think we should take your road to Damascus conversion (leaving the PAD madness behind you) with a big pinch of salt.I suspect you are only back pedalling now because the PAD is politically adrift now.I think it's fairly clear where your true sympathies lie.

I agree that ChangNoi's opinion piece isn't racist and doesn't push the opinion that the PAD is racist. Perhaps you would care to enlighten us all on which points of the piece that you would like me to address since I thought I was replying to your claims of racism.

I haven't read what Sondhi has said so perhaps he is reading this and parroting me The fact (that you have never addressed from the beginning) that the AOT BoD blamed the closure on their man on the ground failing to follow protocol etc is simply that. A fact. I haven't changed my opinion on the PAD pre-2009 at all. I have simply stated that since 2009 they are a marginalized group looking for any excuse to be politically relevant. That without Thaksin as a foe they have the same meaningfulness that PTP/UDD has without Thaksin as a hero. Simply no reason to exist at all.

Speaking of background information .... I was reading a New Mandala piece (New Mandala is imho an extreme leftist rag but hey ... seeking a broad base of information is useful) that was written last April 27th by freelander. I can only assume you missed that piece when you were so snidely discussing a general recently in another thread

[ParadiseLost]

The PAD will ask voters nationwide to cast a blank ballot in a gesture of defiance, he said.

Isn't this a bit like giving a blank cheque? Wouldn't it be better to spoil the ballot paper?

How many of these 'blank votes' remain blank once the counting starts?

The thing that amazes me is that nobody knows what the voter does in the booth; no cameras, no witnesses.

What is the point of trying to buy or persuade voters to do anything? I would accept every bribe thrown at me and promise to vote for everyone - and I would also promise to put in my 'blank vote'.

Could be a nice little earner and I can/will vote whichever way I want...Sign me up!

[ChiangMaiFun]

I don't believe your claims but that is just based upon my observations.

The news articles are still out there for you to read where the AOT board blames their own man on the ground for the airport closure, so it doesn't much matter how you characterize me (as I have told you often, I don't care what you think,) I have made my position on the PAD clear and your characterizations don't change that.

Now to the article you posted .... Amazing that ChangNoi doesn't use ANY of the characterizations you use to describe Sondhi or the PAD. Even though ChangNoi is using Sondhi's history and his own words there isn't any of the racism you ascribe to the PAD evident at all! In fact, ChangNoi refers to both Thaksin's ethnicity and Sondhi's.

The Chang Noi article was an attempt to bring some intelligence to the discussion.I never said Chang Noi reflected my views, although in many areas he does.The article does not even touch on PAD's racism so your comment is irrelevant.You also fail, from what you have posted, to understand some of Chang Noi's other observations, and their implications.Perhaps if you read some more background you would better informed.

As to your crazy ideas on AOT I noticed that your arguments are almost word for word following the case made by Sondhi at the recent court proceedings.You say you have put your PAD sympathies behind you but you still repeat the lies of the current leadership when it suits you.I think we should take your road to Damascus conversion (leaving the PAD madness behind you) with a big pinch of salt.I suspect you are only back pedalling now because the PAD is politically adrift now.I think it's fairly clear where your true sympathies lie.

I agree that ChangNoi's opinion piece isn't racist and doesn't push the opinion that the PAD is racist. Perhaps you would care to enlighten us all on which points of the piece that you would like me to address since I thought I was replying to your claims of racism.

I haven't read what Sondhi has said so perhaps he is reading this and parroting me The fact (that you have never addressed from the beginning) that the AOT BoD blamed the closure on their man on the ground failing to follow protocol etc is simply that. A fact. I haven't changed my opinion on the PAD pre-2009 at all. I have simply stated that since 2009 they are a marginalized group looking for any excuse to be politically relevant. That without Thaksin as a foe they have the same meaningfulness that PTP/UDD has without Thaksin as a hero. Simply no reason to exist at all.

Speaking of background information .... I was reading a New Mandala piece (New Mandala is imho an extreme leftist rag but hey ... seeking a broad base of information is useful) that was written last April 27th by freelander. I can only assume you missed that piece when you were so snidely discussing a general recently in another thread

let's not go into the 'reds have no cause without Thaksin' AGAIN ? it's nonsense

[Buchholz]

The PAD will ask voters nationwide to cast a blank ballot in a gesture of defiance, he said.

Isn't this a bit like giving a blank cheque? Wouldn't it be better to spoil the ballot paper?

The quote action is legal, the reply action is illegal.

[jayboy]

I agree that ChangNoi's opinion piece isn't racist and doesn't push the opinion that the PAD is racist. Perhaps you would care to enlighten us all on which points of the piece that you would like me to address since I thought I was replying to your claims of racism.

I haven't read what Sondhi has said so perhaps he is reading this and parroting me The fact (that you have never addressed from the beginning) that the AOT BoD blamed the closure on their man on the ground failing to follow protocol etc is simply that. A fact. I haven't changed my opinion on the PAD pre-2009 at all. I have simply stated that since 2009 they are a marginalized group looking for any excuse to be politically relevant. That without Thaksin as a foe they have the same meaningfulness that PTP/UDD has without Thaksin as a hero. Simply no reason to exist at all.

Speaking of background information .... I was reading a New Mandala piece (New Mandala is imho an extreme leftist rag but hey ... seeking a broad base of information is useful) that was written last April 27th by freelander. I can only assume you missed that piece when you were so snidely discussing a general recently in another thread

I'm not looking for your comments on the Chang Noi piece at all.It was simply an attempt to introduce an intelligent starting piece for the subject.You do not seem to be aware of the long and tangled relationship between Thaksin and Sondhi.

You don't need to follow Sondhi day by day on the airport takeover.You have parroted the approved PAD line on the subject, and that speaks volumes.Incidentally the evidence at the civil hearing on the AOT issue confirms there were prima facie crimes committed by the PAD leadership there.

Your comment on PTP/UDD lack of meaningfulness without Thaksin is again straight out of the PAD playbook.Once again you take an extreme and in fact ludicrous position which even the most fervent opponents of Thaksin in the current government don't take.Far from it, they are copying many of his policies to address the injustices Thaksin identified.

This extreme right wing viewpoint is legitimate for discussion, but you must be prepared to back up your case with evidence - difficult in your case I agree because you have no interest in historical context.

The fact that you consider New Mandala an extreme left wing rag is more revealing than you could possibly understand.

I recall the freelander article in NM you refer to.It was absolutely first class - well informed, trenchant and extremely interesting.I have no idea what you mean by my snide reference.

[jdinasia]

let's not go into the 'reds have no cause without Thaksin' AGAIN ? it's nonsense

Your opinion is valid as an opinion. The reds without Thaksin WOULD have a reason to exist if you were discussing social inequality, the fact that the UDD/PTP have done nothing to address inequality and that they ARE the reds makes the situation clear to many people.

Jayboy --- I have addressed factual evidence (such as the publicly presented statements by the AOT board) that you simply ignore. Why? I would suggest because it doesn't fit in with your world-view. My opinions on the PTP/UDD are straight from reality. What I can say and what the government can say are different. The government has put together the link PTP=UDD=Thaksin as has the press, but you ignore that as well. Just as you ignore the fact that the military is not as cohesive as you suggest as clearly stated in the article I alluded to.

The fact that you suggest I ignore points in the changnoi article then won't say which points you suggest that I address ....... well ....... in sales that's a bait and switch The most interesting thing is you suggest I am following the PAD line all the way but suggest that I don't know the history? LOL

[IanPrince99]

PAD can boycott as much as they like. No one is voting for them anyway.

[Ricardo]

The thing that amazes me is that nobody knows what the voter does in the booth; no cameras, no witnesses.

If only this were actually true, but one problem with the 2006-election, was surely that voting-booths were visible, so that village-headmen could ensure that their 'charges' voted as paid/directed ?

International-monitoring, by fellow-Asians if not Farangs, would be a welcome step, but is currently rejected by politicians on all sides.

[jdinasia]

The thing that amazes me is that nobody knows what the voter does in the booth; no cameras, no witnesses.

If only this were actually true, but one problem with the 2006-election, was surely that voting-booths were visible, so that village-headmen could ensure that their 'charges' voted as paid/directed ?

International-monitoring, by fellow-Asians if not Farangs, would be a welcome step, but is currently rejected by politicians on all sides.

There are also the "lotteries" and payoffs afterwards when the village votes the way they are told.