PM. A Thaksin Return To Politics Would Be Possible.

[chachachacha]

pre elections barometers are :

1- the currency actually steady to firm

2- the stockmarket for the 3rd year in a bull trend

3- the economy in spite of the turmoils is raising with the exports strong.

Any moves by ex PM Thaksin and or supporters will create confidence hazards because of his/their past and HIM not been cleared under the laws of Thailand.

PM Abhisit has been working very hard ( not played golf much ! ) the past years and is the one WHO deserves to LEAD the THAI.

Let's it be

by adoption a fan with all my respect for A strong, patient, soft hand, stamina superb education character PM Abhisit Please carry on.

So just ignore his crimes against humanity . All that murder on the streets of BKK yet you say deserve Deserve .Gaddaffi springs to mind . Do you also support him ?

Taking your Gadaffi analogy further, please identify the international condemnation Abhisit faced for his handling of the red shirt armed occupation. Thanks.

I think about the same as has been leveled at all the other murder regimes in the middle east .However that dont make them not murderers . Was Hitler ever condemed during the war ? I think you will find that a blind eye was used . The west is good at that arn't they ?

Lets not forget that 4 wks ago the west was big friends with Gaddaffi

Edited March 27, 2011 by chachachacha

[Insight]

pre elections barometers are :

1- the currency actually steady to firm

2- the stockmarket for the 3rd year in a bull trend

3- the economy in spite of the turmoils is raising with the exports strong.

Any moves by ex PM Thaksin and or supporters will create confidence hazards because of his/their past and HIM not been cleared under the laws of Thailand.

PM Abhisit has been working very hard ( not played golf much ! ) the past years and is the one WHO deserves to LEAD the THAI.

Let's it be

by adoption a fan with all my respect for A strong, patient, soft hand, stamina superb education character PM Abhisit Please carry on.

So just ignore his crimes against humanity . All that murder on the streets of BKK yet you say deserve Deserve .Gaddaffi springs to mind . Do you also support him ?

Taking your Gadaffi analogy further, please identify the international condemnation Abhisit faced for his handling of the red shirt armed occupation. Thanks.

I think about the same as has been leveled at all the other murder regimes in the middle east .However that dont make them not murderers . Was Hitler ever condemed during the war ? I think you will find that a blind eye was used . The west is good at that arn't they ?

You'll actually find most observers at the time, both Thai and foreign, considered the actions of the military highly restrained given the challenges they faced.

Amsterdam obviously disagrees with this venomously, but his so-called witness accounts are incredibly easy to discredit with the wealth of footage available on YouTube and other media.

As for your "blind eye" accusation, as far as I recall a US envoy made a visit to the red camp at Ratchaprasong. Judging by the facial expressions of the leaders afterwards, we can assume the news was hardly favourable.

Has this discussion been done before? I think it has...

[animatic]

If he was to come back, he may need a visa since his Thai passport has been cancelled and he is a citizen of another.

Khun T still has an ordinary Thai passport. It was his diplomatic passport that was revoked.

Thaksin's ordinary Thai passport was revoked in April 2009 after his Red Shirts stormed the ASEAN Summit. His diplomatic Thai passport was revoked before that.

He maintains a Montenegrin passport, a Nicaraguan passport, and an Ugandan passport.

In which case he needs , no doubt,

to be granted a VISA to enter Thailand.

Ah, the irony,

he has been trying to control the politics of a country he is not even a legitimate passport carrier for.

Edited March 27, 2011 by animatic

[animatic]

Thaksin's ordinary Thai passport was revoked in April 2009 after his Red Shirts stormed the ASEAN Summit.

Your facts are correct. Somehow I remembered it differently.

From a technical standpoint, the lack of a passport (any passport) would not prevent his return. He could enter through a land border with only his Thai ID card. Of course, being who he is, there might be something of a delay.

If he wishes to fly in, none of his passports are good for either visa on arrival nor visa exempt entry:

The downside is that none of those countries he has a passport for have consular services in-country, so

using Thaivisa's handy chart:

http://www.thaivisa.com/479.0.html

and the Foreign Ministry's website:

http://www.thaiembassy.org/

If he uses his Ugandan passport, he would have to apply for a visa before travelling to Thailand at the Thai Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.

If he uses his Nicaraguan passport, he would have to apply for a visa before travelling to Thailand at the Thai Embassy in Mexico City, Mexico.

If he uses his Montenegrin passport, he would have to apply for a visa before travelling to Thailand at the Thai Embassy in Budapest, Hungary.

On a positive note, those visas are currently still free I think.

For high quality toursits with the

Thailand Special Privileges Card!

With no criminal records of course.

Even greater irony!

Edited March 27, 2011 by animatic

[LindsayBKK]

I am sure alot of people don't want to think about that 'worse case scenario'.

Thaksin didn't pay his taxes so if he is allowed to return in any capacity

means all people living in Thailand should not need to pay any taxes.

Back to a lawless society would be very sad.

Edited March 27, 2011 by LindsayBKK

[Pi Sek]

pre elections barometers are :

1- the currency actually steady to firm

2- the stockmarket for the 3rd year in a bull trend

3- the economy in spite of the turmoils is raising with the exports strong.

Any moves by ex PM Thaksin and or supporters will create confidence hazards because of his/their past and HIM not been cleared under the laws of Thailand.

PM Abhisit has been working very hard ( not played golf much ! ) the past years and is the one WHO deserves to LEAD the THAI.

Let's it be

by adoption a fan with all my respect for A strong, patient, soft hand, stamina superb education character PM Abhisit Please carry on.

So just ignore his crimes against humanity . All that murder on the streets of BKK yet you say deserve Deserve .Gaddaffi springs to mind . Do you also support him ?

As you well know, his 'crimes against humanity' have not been proven by anyone. Robert Amsterdam has tried to do so in the media and has failed miserably. In fact, the only physical evidence was DISproven when it turns out the Red Shirts evidence (a doctored audio clip) had been fabricated. But you know all this of course.

If you're going to level 'crimes against humanity' charges against anyone, it should be Suthep who was in charge of the CRES during early April. But he didn't actually do anything wrong - Kwanchai and the Khon Rak Udon group had attacked the 1st Infantry Barracks with petrol bombs 4 hours previously and so Suthep ordered the army to go in and clear the protest at Khok Wua and drive the protesters back to their protest site - without all guns blazing - and were taken out, rather hard, by what you can only call armed insurgents. It is possible the army shot some protesters on 10 April afterwards either in retaliation or self defence, but that is speculation on which we cannot make an informed judgement because we don't know the facts - this is of course the DSI's fault, although you can't say they are working amongst the best conditions.

In May, you'd have to bring charges against Anupong. Even then, it would be hard to pin charges on them due to their adherence to the internationally-recognised method to clear violent/unlawful protests. So, that leaves the soldiers themselves and I somehow don't think any charges will get levelled at the military. Also, Payap Panket unreservedly deserves a crime against humanity charge for invading Chulalongkorn Hospital.

Despite our civil discourse earlier, I must pull you up on this. Claiming that it is a fact that Abhisit is a murderer is morally wrong and you should probably be ashamed of yourself. Please state in the future that this is your opinion - otherwise you look like a troll or something. It is my opinion that last year's violence was down to Thaksin paying both the Red Shirts to create a popular movement and the “Ronin Warriors” as a separate agency to create chaos by summary killings of those on both sides to instigate civil war, with a view to clearing a path for him to return as the country’s saviour. But I would not claim that as a fact (unless proven as one) - it would be wrong.

[473geo]

Thaksin's ordinary Thai passport was revoked in April 2009 after his Red Shirts stormed the ASEAN Summit.

Your facts are correct. Somehow I remembered it differently.

From a technical standpoint, the lack of a passport (any passport) would not prevent his return. He could enter through a land border with only his Thai ID card. Of course, being who he is, there might be something of a delay.

If he wishes to fly in, none of his passports are good for either visa on arrival nor visa exempt entry:

The downside is that none of those countries he has a passport for have consular services in-country, so

using Thaivisa's handy chart:

http://www.thaivisa.com/479.0.html

and the Foreign Ministry's website:

http://www.thaiembassy.org/

If he uses his Ugandan passport, he would have to apply for a visa before travelling to Thailand at the Thai Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.

If he uses his Nicaraguan passport, he would have to apply for a visa before travelling to Thailand at the Thai Embassy in Mexico City, Mexico.

If he uses his Montenegrin passport, he would have to apply for a visa before travelling to Thailand at the Thai Embassy in Budapest, Hungary.

On a positive note, those visas are currently still free I think.

For high quality toursits with the

Thailand Special Privileges Card!

With no criminal records of course.

Even greater irony!

Irony.......what ridiculous comments........if Thaksin arrives at the airport to hand himself over to the authorities to serve his punishment they won't let him in?.................you belittle the intelligence of the Thai people and bring your own into question.

Edited March 27, 2011 by 473geo

[chachachacha]

pre elections barometers are :

1- the currency actually steady to firm

2- the stockmarket for the 3rd year in a bull trend

3- the economy in spite of the turmoils is raising with the exports strong.

Any moves by ex PM Thaksin and or supporters will create confidence hazards because of his/their past and HIM not been cleared under the laws of Thailand.

PM Abhisit has been working very hard ( not played golf much ! ) the past years and is the one WHO deserves to LEAD the THAI.

Let's it be

by adoption a fan with all my respect for A strong, patient, soft hand, stamina superb education character PM Abhisit Please carry on.

So just ignore his crimes against humanity . All that murder on the streets of BKK yet you say deserve Deserve .Gaddaffi springs to mind . Do you also support him ?

As you well know, his 'crimes against humanity' have not been proven by anyone. Robert Amsterdam has tried to do so in the media and has failed miserably. In fact, the only physical evidence was DISproven when it turns out the Red Shirts evidence (a doctored audio clip) had been fabricated. But you know all this of course.

If you're going to level 'crimes against humanity' charges against anyone, it should be Suthep who was in charge of the CRES during early April. But he didn't actually do anything wrong - Kwanchai and the Khon Rak Udon group had attacked the 1st Infantry Barracks with petrol bombs 4 hours previously and so Suthep ordered the army to go in and clear the protest at Khok Wua and drive the protesters back to their protest site - without all guns blazing - and were taken out, rather hard, by what you can only call armed insurgents. It is possible the army shot some protesters on 10 April afterwards either in retaliation or self defence, but that is speculation on which we cannot make an informed judgement because we don't know the facts - this is of course the DSI's fault, although you can't say they are working amongst the best conditions.

In May, you'd have to bring charges against Anupong. Even then, it would be hard to pin charges on them due to their adherence to the internationally-recognised method to clear violent/unlawful protests. So, that leaves the soldiers themselves and I somehow don't think any charges will get levelled at the military. Also, Payap Panket unreservedly deserves a crime against humanity charge for invading Chulalongkorn Hospital.

Despite our civil discourse earlier, I must pull you up on this. Claiming that it is a fact that Abhisit is a murderer is morally wrong and you should probably be ashamed of yourself. Please state in the future that this is your opinion - otherwise you look like a troll or something. It is my opinion that last year's violence was down to Thaksin paying both the Red Shirts to create a popular movement and the "Ronin Warriors" as a separate agency to create chaos by summary killings of those on both sides to instigate civil war, with a view to clearing a path for him to return as the country's saviour. But I would not claim that as a fact (unless proven as one) - it would be wrong.

So you support Gaddaffi as he has said that the rebels are terrorist ? Or is it 1 law for 1.He killed his own people just as what happened in BKK

Oh, & why should I be ashamed ? its not me that murdered almost 100 people or me that supports the murder that done it or ordered it done

Edited March 27, 2011 by chachachacha

[jdinasia]

For high quality toursits with the

Thailand Special Privileges Card!

With no criminal records of course.

Even greater irony!

Irony.......what ridiculous comments........if Thaksin arrives at the airport to hand himself over to the authorities to serve his punishment they won't let him in?.................you belittle the intelligence of the Thai people and bring your own into question.

Hmmm gotta love the ad hominem attacks!

They were referring to tourism ...

Should he want to turn himself in he can simply go to the nearest Thai embassy

[Macmundi]

Thats what happened before!! Over and over again!. You let Thais vote, there will be vote buying, abuse of power, military coups, political protests, party dissolution... the list goes on. Thailand is not ready for democracy. What Thailand needs is communism. Give them democracy comes abuse of freedom.

[jdinasia]

[

So you support Gaddaffi as he has said that the rebels are terrorist ? Or is it 1 law for 1.He killed his own people just as what happened in BKK

You really do need to stop with the Ghaddafi stuff as well as making truly offensive suggestions about other posters. This isn't Libya and the situations are not comparable. This isn't the thread to rehash the actual events but PiSek summed them up well. However, if you want to talk about mass murder in this thread (about Thaksin) then feel free to discuss the war on drugs.

[Pi Sek]

Irony.......what ridiculous comments........if Thaksin arrives at the airport to hand himself over to the authorities to serve his punishment they won't let him in?.................you belittle the intelligence of the Thai people and bring your own into question.

Not sure, but you may have misunderstood others' attempts at humour!

I think Thaksin holds the cards here - it's up to him if he comes back or not.

If he comes back, it will be with a media fanfare and Thailand will not be able to deny him entry. They will arrive and put him under lock and key immediately - but, depending on the politics at the time, he might get let out on bail pretty quickly or he might end up sitting in jail waiting for a load of court cases, with bail rejected as he's a flight risk.

It also depends on when. If it's at any point in the next 5 years, his return will bring about a lot of violence whatever happens. Either the UDD will storm his prison (very violently) or he will be free and the PAD will call for his head (could force another Suvarnibhumi, could possibly come to nothing, depends on numbers).

Frankly, I think Thaksin would be assassinated by someone (my bet would be from outside the current govt and outside the army) fairly quickly if he were to try and come back sooner rather than later. I know a lot of people seem to love him enough to sacrifice their lives for him, but I'd say an equal number hate him enough to kill him.

[Buchholz]

Should he want to turn himself in he can simply go to the nearest Thai embassy

Provided, of course, it's located in a country to which he has not been barred from entering in the first place.

[473geo]

For high quality toursits with the

Thailand Special Privileges Card!

With no criminal records of course.

Even greater irony!

Irony.......what ridiculous comments........if Thaksin arrives at the airport to hand himself over to the authorities to serve his punishment they won't let him in?.................you belittle the intelligence of the Thai people and bring your own into question.

Hmmm gotta love the ad hominem attacks!

They were referring to tourism ...

Should he want to turn himself in he can simply go to the nearest Thai embassy

Keep trying JD.............the 'ridiculous comments'. are just that, and you, and I, and the rest of the world know it..........your attempted put down or suggestion that Thaksin turn himself in at an Embassy does not change that fact. :) :) :) :)

[473geo]

Irony.......what ridiculous comments........if Thaksin arrives at the airport to hand himself over to the authorities to serve his punishment they won't let him in?.................you belittle the intelligence of the Thai people and bring your own into question.

Not sure, but you may have misunderstood others' attempts at humour!

I think Thaksin holds the cards here - it's up to him if he comes back or not.

If he comes back, it will be with a media fanfare and Thailand will not be able to deny him entry. They will arrive and put him under lock and key immediately - but, depending on the politics at the time, he might get let out on bail pretty quickly or he might end up sitting in jail waiting for a load of court cases, with bail rejected as he's a flight risk.

It also depends on when. If it's at any point in the next 5 years, his return will bring about a lot of violence whatever happens. Either the UDD will storm his prison (very violently) or he will be free and the PAD will call for his head (could force another Suvarnibhumi, could possibly come to nothing, depends on numbers).

Frankly, I think Thaksin would be assassinated by someone (my bet would be from outside the current govt and outside the army) fairly quickly if he were to try and come back sooner rather than later. I know a lot of people seem to love him enough to sacrifice their lives for him, but I'd say an equal number hate him enough to kill him.

I think you are correct Pi Sek..........but can I just say that I do not recall any of the posters here indicating that they thought Thaksin was a source of amusement.......maybe I have it wrong......

Edited March 27, 2011 by 473geo

[chachachacha]

[

So you support Gaddaffi as he has said that the rebels are terrorist ? Or is it 1 law for 1.He killed his own people just as what happened in BKK

You really do need to stop with the Ghaddafi stuff as well as making truly offensive suggestions about other posters. This isn't Libya and the situations are not comparable. This isn't the thread to rehash the actual events but PiSek summed them up well. However, if you want to talk about mass murder in this thread (about Thaksin) then feel free to discuss the war on drugs.

So you take it upon yourself to decide what people should compare & if it doesn't fall into the way you think then it is offensive. The situation s are exactly the same . If the junta supporters want us to believe what they say happened in BKK .

They give a story that is identical to that of Gaddaffi . Protesters with weapons that had to be dealt with because they are terrorist . I know you right wing lot like to stick together & write the rules of debate but not with me . Sorry

Edited March 27, 2011 by chachachacha

[TAWP]

[jdinasia]

exactly!

[chachachacha]

exactly!

exactly

[Pi Sek]

So just ignore his crimes against humanity . All that murder on the streets of BKK yet you say deserve Deserve .Gaddaffi springs to mind . Do you also support him ?

As you well know, his 'crimes against humanity' have not been proven by anyone. Robert Amsterdam has tried to do so in the media and has failed miserably. In fact, the only physical evidence was DISproven when it turns out the Red Shirts evidence (a doctored audio clip) had been fabricated. But you know all this of course.

If you're going to level 'crimes against humanity' charges against anyone, it should be Suthep who was in charge of the CRES during early April. But he didn't actually do anything wrong - Kwanchai and the Khon Rak Udon group had attacked the 1st Infantry Barracks with petrol bombs 4 hours previously and so Suthep ordered the army to go in and clear the protest at Khok Wua and drive the protesters back to their protest site - without all guns blazing - and were taken out, rather hard, by what you can only call armed insurgents. It is possible the army shot some protesters on 10 April afterwards either in retaliation or self defence, but that is speculation on which we cannot make an informed judgement because we don't know the facts - this is of course the DSI's fault, although you can't say they are working amongst the best conditions.

In May, you'd have to bring charges against Anupong. Even then, it would be hard to pin charges on them due to their adherence to the internationally-recognised method to clear violent/unlawful protests. So, that leaves the soldiers themselves and I somehow don't think any charges will get levelled at the military. Also, Payap Panket unreservedly deserves a crime against humanity charge for invading Chulalongkorn Hospital.

Despite our civil discourse earlier, I must pull you up on this. Claiming that it is a fact that Abhisit is a murderer is morally wrong and you should probably be ashamed of yourself. Please state in the future that this is your opinion - otherwise you look like a troll or something. It is my opinion that last year's violence was down to Thaksin paying both the Red Shirts to create a popular movement and the "Ronin Warriors" as a separate agency to create chaos by summary killings of those on both sides to instigate civil war, with a view to clearing a path for him to return as the country's saviour. But I would not claim that as a fact (unless proven as one) - it would be wrong.

So you support Gaddaffi as he has said that the rebels are terrorist ? Or is it 1 law for 1.He killed his own people just as what happened in BKK

Oh, & why should I be ashamed ? its not me that murdered almost 100 people or me that supports the murder that done it or ordered it done

No I don't support Gaddaffi, the situations are totally different and (I hope) you know it.

Libya is an undemocratic system with a military leader in place for the last 42 years. The Libyans wanted to elect a leader for themselves. Gaddaffi says no. The protesters say, "OK then, how about an election and a transgression to democracy". Gaddaffi says no. Public opinion splits the country in two.

Thailand is a developing democracy with a current prime minister elected by parliamentary means 2 years ago. The Red Shirts didn't like the fact that the army chucked out their first choice (on grounds on super corruption, autocracy, threatening the monarchy, human rights offenses and so on), then the judiciary chucked out their second and third choices (on grounds of breaking the Law), then their own political allies got pissed off with all this amateurism and decided to jump ship to a qualified government rather than have their names dragged through the mud again.

So, the Reds wanted elections. The PM offered elections. The Red Shirts add terms. The PM answers the terms. The Red Shirts add yet more terms. The PM again answers them. The Red Shirts add yet more terms still. The PM says, "enough is enough, I'm getting stick for not cracking down weeks ago - what's it to be?" The Red Shirts say, "If you don't accept our terms, we'll fight." So they fought.

You should be ashamed that you are trying to convince others that a rumour, which has been disproven at every turn, is a fact. You shouldn't be ashamed of having an opinion - that's your right and it shows you have a brain able to look at the details and form your own judgement. You are saying you shouldn't be ashamed because you didn't directly or indirectly murder anyone, but you are accusing someone else who didn't directly or indirectly murder anyone of doing so. I think that's wrong... don't you?

[CHANGOVER]

Extremely well put and easy enough for most people to understand.

[elcent]

This words were spoken to create a a new pretext for a ......! (fill in the gap)

referring to the title and it's remarks of course

Edited March 27, 2011 by elcent

[CHANGOVER]

^ Is it just me ??

[zzaa09]

Extremely well put and easy enough for most people to understand.

Not that well put. Thailand has never been {nor is presently} a developing democracy. This is stated from innocence.

[CHANGOVER]

Extremely well put and easy enough for most people to understand.

Not that well put. Thailand has never been {nor is presently} a developing democracy. This is stated from innocence.

Yes it is luckily a developing democracy.

From whose innocence is this stated?

Self confessed 'curmudgeonly', I agree with you.

[Pi Sek]

Not that well put. Thailand has never been {nor is presently} a developing democracy. This is stated from innocence.

Yes it is luckily a developing democracy.

From whose innocence is this stated?

Self confessed 'curmudgeonly', I agree with you.

I presume he was talking about my innocence, although he probably meant "naivety" but was too polite to be so bold.

However, I know what the difference between a non-democracy, a developing democracy and a developed democracy is. Thailand is not a developed democracy but most of the public sector, including the government, work within the bounds of parliamentary democracy. That makes it a developing democracy in my frank opinion.

You are probably referencing the willingness of the Armed Forces to intervene in politics when you say that Thailand is not and has never been a developing democracy and you have good reason to suggest this. It is true that the army's role in Thai politics is an obstruction to democracy. Sorry to blow my own trumpet, but I think I summarised it quite well earlier (snipped for brevity):

I think what 473geo was trying to say is that having Thaksin rape the country further than he already did might have allowed for the country to fall on its face economically, culturally, criminally, whatever. Then public outcry will demand change and, when (president?) Thaksin doesn't allow it...

He's right, democracy must evolve locally for it to work. Install it and it will fail, continuously, but history shows that in the long-term it ends up as the only workable model. The problem is that this period of democratic evolution hurts and it takes a long time and, clearly, the Royal Thai Army has historically felt the pain of a short-term fix (a coup) is more suitable than a long-term fix (letting democracy run its course). Of course, they're gonna have to deal with the pain of the the long-term fix one day.

Their argument (and the NPP's as it happens) is where the start point of democracy is. Once it's agreed that democracy is the political system of the country, there should be no more coups; yet there still are, presumably because the Thai Law and the constitution are clearly not strong enough in the eyes of the RTA to accept this 'no more coups' rule which is why, despite the public sector outside the military is being operated as a democracy, the military itself only allows for a quasi-democracy due to the ongoing permanent threat of a coup followed by a Junta-appointed caretaker government whilst they seal up the cracks that their last quick fix was supposed to address (which, in itself, usually ends up in either failure or a bigger political problem due to the political ineptitude of military generals).

[monkfish]

Could it be the Top Brass want to make a deal with Thaksin and Abhisit is just their mouth peace as it were?

After all if PT win the election the first thing they want to do is reverse the constitution which would leave some facing charges of treason.

May be the real sensible solution really is to make a troous? and nobody goes to jail?

All speculation of course, we will just have to wait and see what happens, but they should make the deal before elections I think.

[bangkokeddy]

The fun part will be, if he ever serves out his sentences and attempts to return to political service (which he could not do in most countries due to his conviction of a political crime) how he will try and explain away his citizenship in other countries after the reds tried to smear Abhisit for having a UK birthright. (In other words Abhisit has always been both Thai and Brit from birth, but Thaksin sought out citizenship in other places.)

The question of Abhisit citizenship was raised because of the ICC jurisdiction.

[vont]

Thaksin will be back only the stupid think otherwise. There is no stopping that Red shirt train . The next election after this will bring home to Thailand & his place as leader of the Government .

Yep. Who cares about all the laws he's broken. All his supporters who complain about the "elite" getting off crimes ignore that they want their leader to do exactly that.

What you seem to want is an unlevel playing field .Where one lot do what they want but the other (Thaksin) should be an angel. What is going on here is only the same as what goes on in the self proclaimed bastion of democracy USA.

Did they not treat you well.... in the "bastion of democracy USA"?

Just curious. Not seeking any answer. :jap:

[Ricardo]

I wonder why the junta supporters are not jumping up & down about him

"him" referring to MP Jatuporn.

Perhaps because very few people on TV hark back, to the days of the junta-appointed interim-government, which handed-back power to the people in January-2008, as having been all that successful ?

But some of us feel they were better than a direct-dictatorship by a kleptomaniac ! Remember when Thaksin told people, not to bother asking the rest of his Cabinet any questions, because he himself did all the work & made all the decisions ?

Somehow he is seen nowadays as a 'fighter for justice' and a 'true democrat', by some at least, perhaps they have short memories of his actions when in-power ?

And personally I find that very amusing indeed.