Jatuporn Adds To Thaksin's Dilemmas

[webfact]

ANALYSIS

Jatuporn adds to Thaksin's dilemmas

By THE NATION

Red-shirt leader may be a vote-puller but his loose remarks and run-ins with the Army might undo Pheu Thai's gains

What should worry Thaksin Shinawatra more - Army tanks or one loose cannon in the form of Jatuporn Promphan? The formidable former toppled him in 2006, but the unpredictable latter is arguably making it more difficult for him to repair the damage caused by that coup. And to make the matter even more complex, both parties are facing off on a daily basis, a confrontation that is flying in the face of the Kingdom's electoral mood.

To Thaksin, Jatuporn is both an asset and a liability. The red-shirt leader is the hero of more than 90 per cent of people who are set to vote for the Pheu Thai Party, but he is also potentially a political disaster waiting to happen. The showdown with Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha will not help Pheu Thai's chances in the election or after the poll. Thaksin wants the military to leave his political party alone, but Jatuporn has invariably made sure that Pheu Thai will continue to be closely watched for its ideology. In fact, many Pheu Thai MPs are fearing that an election victory will come to nothing if Jatuporn keeps running amok.

"I'm a locked target," the embattled MP declared yesterday. He claimed the military was using him to discredit the red shirts and then destroy Pheu Thai, possibly through another coup. Whether that is true or not, Jatuporn has definitely allowed himself to be used. His political speeches marking the first anniversary of last year's political bloodshed on April 10 left many people agape even before Prayuth came out to criticise them. If an anti-Pheu Thai conspiracy is real, Jatuporn has helped feed it.

Veteran Chavalit Yongchaiyudh has quit as Pheu Thai Party chairman, with sources close to him citing his concern over the camp's controversial ideology. Again, Chavalit, a well-known schemer, might have just needed a pretext. But, again, Jatuporn gave him a good pretext.

Still, not only is Jatuporn compounding Thaksin's woes, but he may be also putting fellow red-shirt peers in a predicament. What he said on a red rally stage has brought attention to less outspoken red-shirt leaders like Natthawut Saikua, Wichien Khao-kham, Suporn Attawong, Weng Tojirakarn and Thida Tavornseth, all of whom now are facing police summonses for their role in the April 10 gathering.

Thaksin can only hope that the Jatuporn controversy does not snowball into a situation where naming the MP as an election candidate will be deemed an ultimate provocation. Leaders of the armed forces have come out to pledge their support for the general election and ruled out the possibility of a new coup, but that was before the flare-up with Jatuporn. The no-coup vow will stand, but if Thaksin is hoping for a smooth Pheu Thai rise to power after the election, Jatuporn is a threat to that dream.

Facing the tough decision of whether or not he should risk his beloved sister Yingluck in politics, Thaksin now also has to deal with the Jatuporn dilemma. Pheu Thai needs red-shirt votes, but the party can be endangered by guys like Jatuporn, who is both an MP and leader of the movement. A "dual-track" approach has been suggested to make Pheu Thai and the red shirts "appear" to be separate, but that is easier said than done.

Pheu Thai and the red shirts can't part ways. Thaksin, the de-facto Pheu Thai leader, needs the red shirts like he needs air. The red shirts, on the other hand, are a headless movement without him in spite of claims they have gone way "beyond" the man in Dubai. However, who needs whom more is a no-brainer. Without the red shirts, Thaksin will regress into complete irrelevance.

-- The Nation 2011-04-21

[timekeeper]

keep up the good work Jatuporn

the more you open your mouth, the better .............

[Ricardo]

Jatuporn should be wary of any black-clad gentlemen, wearing balaclava-hats & carrying grenades or guns, coming his way ... 'Seh Daeng' was also a loose-cannon who went off-message & stopped listening to 'his master's voice'.

[timekeeper]

Jatuporn should be wary of any black-clad gentlemen, wearing balaclava-hats & carrying grenades or guns, coming his way ... 'Seh Daeng' was also a loose-cannon who went off-message & stopped listening to 'his master's voice'.

i agree with you but it would be a pity if that were to happen

he does the red faction more harm than good most of the time

he is a very vocal, promotional vehicle to convince people to vote democrat..........

[virtualtraveller]

I think Jatuporn Prompan is a hero and should be Peau Thai's party list candidate No. 1. JATUPORN for PRIME MINSTER!

(now, where that 'tongue in cheek' smiley icon?)

[timekeeper]

I think Jatuporn Prompan is a hero and should be Peau Thai's party list candidate No. 1. JATUPORN for PRIME MINSTER!

(now, where that 'tongue in cheek' smiley icon?)

what a great idea!

any fence sitters would definitely vote for Mark when faced with that prospect.........

[asiawatcher]

Can anyone imagine what will happen to Thailand if this loud mouth self serving narcissist got to be PM? There has never been any doubt this guy see's himself as the top 'dog' and the split from Thaksin is always in his agenda. Can't see old square face getting back any time soon either. Yes he needs the loud mouth antagonist and all the aces are, unfortunately, in Jatuporns hands.

[metisdead]

Off topic post and reply removed from view.

[newermonkey]

Everyone should help and support Jatuporn Promphan in that way democracy might have a chance.

As the old adage goes:... "given enough rope he will hang himself" and hopefully stop the Montinegran immigrant in his tracks.

[rubl]

The old adage still seems valid:

With friends like this who needs enemies

[animatic]

The old adage still seems valid:

With friends like this who needs enemies

In this case with a friend like this it's like a 24/7 enema.

Yes he is by far the loosest cannon on the ship of fools at present.

And he has seemingly gone out of his way to provoke; Army, Dems, monarchy via privy council, and often his own teams players too. Are these the actions of a completely rational man? Not hardly, so he fits hand in glove up rump, with Thaksin as the voice that says what Thaksin can't,.... as long as most do not think he speaks 100% for Thaksin. If he crosses that line in their eyes, then Thaksin becomes responsible for all he says.

It seems letting them all out just before the election was an effort to appear reconciling, but also to give them enough rope to well and truly hang themselves in the eyes of the Thai Electorate

Edited April 21, 2011 by animatic

[rubl]

...

It seems letting them all out just before the election was an effort to appear reconciling, but also to give them enough rope to well and truly hang themselves in the eyes of the Thai Electorate

Whom can you trust these days?

On behalf of my UDD friends I demand our esteemed leaders are returned to jail so we have a valid reason again to protest. D_amn government

[hyperdimension]

On behalf of my UDD friends I demand our esteemed leaders are returned to jail so we have a valid reason again to protest. D_amn government

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[animatic]

Ah yes I was wondering when the 'Perception Management' spin and deflect cycle would be starting up here. The current cock-up at PTP / Red land PLC has enough stink to require professional intervention.

Seems the damned hampster is back on the treadmill trying to paper over the cracks in Thaksins wall of splendor. No matter that the emperors new clothes are same as the old clothes, thread bare and tattered retreads, of the past long discredited ideas.

Edited April 21, 2011 by animatic

[bhoydy]

Ask any Thai, "What countries border Thailand?" Let me know if you get an answer or maybe the response you'll get is, "I don't know, it's not my business."

I get the feeling you just made that up to support your argument. I'm quite sure if i went out onto the street now and asked that question, the majority could answer it. You are quite correct that the Education system in Thailand needs reform, but that does not mean that a Pheua Thai government coming in to power at the next election would bring about that change. I would imagine it would focus on rewarding its voters with such 'bright' schemes as credit cards for all farmers, and of course amnesty for its good leader. You have read the article and the following posts, and found that they are quite one-sided which in turn seems to make you want to redress the balance by this nonsense piece you have written. If you want a debate on these 'real challenges', why don't you start up your own topic and carry on that way? The fact is that most of the current real challenges, problems or issues which are talked about pre-election in any democracy, are quickly forgotten about when votes are finally cast.

[yoshiwara]

The old adage still seems valid:

With friends like this who needs enemies

In this case with a friend like this it's like a 24/7 enema.

Yes he is by far the loosest cannon on the ship of fools at present.

And he has seemingly gone out of his way to provoke; Army, Dems, monarchy via privy council, and often his own teams players too. Are these the actions of a completely rational man? Not hardly, so he fits hand in glove up rump, with Thaksin as the voice that says what Thaksin can't,.... as long as most do not think he speaks 100% for Thaksin. If he crosses that line in their eyes, then Thaksin becomes responsible for all he says.

It seems letting them all out just before the election was an effort to appear reconciling, but also to give them enough rope to well and truly hang themselves in the eyes of the Thai Electorate

Jatuporn as the voice that says what Thaksin cannot.

Absolutely spot on. Now it seems that some red apologists can't even be bothered to defend their man and try to spin him off into the wilderness as an 'irrelevancy'.

Thaksin knows that he isn't. Jatuporn is Thaksin's point man, his outrider. Thaksin then saunters in to 'cool' the situation and ooze concern when it all goes a bit awry.

Jatuporn is in essence the political wing of the Seh Daeng position, though with Seh Daeng dead and the red thugs off the streets, Jatuporn's bizarre pronouncements resemble more the flutterings of a single-winged moth launching itself into battle. Thaksin is running out of ideas, but that is not surprising. He is a master of political failure.

Edited April 21, 2011 by yoshiwara

[jdinasia]

SanSai --- even though it is "off topic", since THIS thread is about Jatuporn and the damage he does to the Thaksin cause (BTW -- under current law Thaksin may NEVER come back as PM even with an amnesty)..... help me out with one of your statements.

Could we start with a discussion perhaps, on education reform? Let's compare and contrast the positions of the status quo and the reforms former Prime Minister Thaksin had put in place that have been rescinded and cancelled by the current government?

What reform that actually was started under Thaksin has the current government rescinded in the area of education?

[animatic]

SanSai --- even though it is "off topic", since THIS thread is about Jatuporn and the damage he does to the Thaksin cause (BTW -- under current law Thaksin may NEVER come back as PM even with an amnesty)..... help me out with one of your statements.

Could we start with a discussion perhaps, on education reform? Let's compare and contrast the positions of the status quo and the reforms former Prime Minister Thaksin had put in place that have been rescinded and cancelled by the current government?

What reform that actually was started under Thaksin has the current government rescinded in the area of education?

Well the school milk subsidy which went badly awry

and was sending substandard milk to school children for elevated prices.

That was rescinded, and replaced by a working system the got

ALL children good fresh milk and cost the country less in the process.

And of course they recinded Minkwan's (sic milk-whines) botched attempt to keep the 'rice pledging scheme' going, and was replaced with some thing practical, after it lost billions of baht, and much needed rice went bad. Poor guy had nothing to work with and many up country middleman hands want that gravy train to keep going.

[dunkin2012]

Say enough what ya wanna say.......... ............... b4 May21,2011

[sbk]

Unwarranted personal attack removed.

If you can't debate civilly without getting personal then I suggest you stay out of these threads. Next one will warrant more than a simple public warning

[Crushdepth]

Does anyone believe a word Jatuporn says? He's the most pathetic liar in Thai politics.

[patjem]

Bring it on SanSai, eagerly await the discussion topic to open.....

This could be fun!

[SanSaiExPat]

SanSai --- even though it is "off topic", since THIS thread is about Jatuporn and the damage he does to the Thaksin cause (BTW -- under current law Thaksin may NEVER come back as PM even with an amnesty)..... help me out with one of your statements.

Could we start with a discussion perhaps, on education reform? Let's compare and contrast the positions of the status quo and the reforms former Prime Minister Thaksin had put in place that have been rescinded and cancelled by the current government?

What reform that actually was started under Thaksin has the current government rescinded in the area of education?

Look you can do a Google search as well as I can and obtain this information. But since you asked, he tired and succeeded, to some extent, in decentralizing school administration and management from a centralized Bangkok management of the schools to encouraging and authorizing each individual Provence more authority to manage their schools. This is the same struggle that is occurring in the United States where the federal government via the "Department of Education" has usurped power from the States. He also initiated curricular reform in an attempt to get away from the practice of rote memorization. He did this in the hope of developing more innovative thinking students who could compete on the world stage. He tried to open up higher education to more children by establishing student loan programs. There are many other reforms he proposed and unfortunately were either not implemented or were cancelled after he was overthrown by the military junta. The point is he was personally engaged and cared about education reform in this country which is more than I can say for the current administration. Of course Mr. Charming who inserted himself and answered your question for me has his own negative take on Thaksin's reforms.

[rubl]

Look you can do a Google search as well as I can and obtain this information. But since you asked, he tired and succeeded, to some extent, in decentralizing school administration and management from a centralized Bangkok management of the schools to encouraging and authorizing each individual Provence more authority to manage their schools. This is the same struggle that is occurring in the United States where the federal government via the "Department of Education" has usurped power from the States. He also initiated curricular reform in an attempt to get away from the practice of rote memorization. He did this in the hope of developing more innovative thinking students who could compete on the world stage. He tried to open up higher education to more children by establishing student loan programs. There are many other reforms he proposed and unfortunately were either not implemented or were cancelled after he was overthrown by the military junta. The point is he was personally engaged and cared about education reform in this country which is more than I can say for the current administration. Of course Mr. Charming who inserted himself and answered your question for me has his own negative take on Thaksin's reforms.

Read more on wiki ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Policies_of_the_Shinawatra_administration#Education_policies )

Mind you no mention of programs canceled by governments AFTER k. Thaksin's

[SanSaiExPat]

Look you can do a Google search as well as I can and obtain this information. But since you asked, he tired and succeeded, to some extent, in decentralizing school administration and management from a centralized Bangkok management of the schools to encouraging and authorizing each individual Provence more authority to manage their schools. This is the same struggle that is occurring in the United States where the federal government via the "Department of Education" has usurped power from the States. He also initiated curricular reform in an attempt to get away from the practice of rote memorization. He did this in the hope of developing more innovative thinking students who could compete on the world stage. He tried to open up higher education to more children by establishing student loan programs. There are many other reforms he proposed and unfortunately were either not implemented or were cancelled after he was overthrown by the military junta. The point is he was personally engaged and cared about education reform in this country which is more than I can say for the current administration. Of course Mr. Charming who inserted himself and answered your question for me has his own negative take on Thaksin's reforms.

Read more on wiki ( http://en.wikipedia....cation_policies )

Mind you no mention of programs canceled by governments AFTER k. Thaksin's

I said you were free to do a Google search on your own and it follows that you could also make points to support your own position from that research. I don't think it's incumbent upon me to make your arguments for you. Also, I'd appreciate it if your going to carry on a dialogue with me in the future to at least pay me the respect of writing in full grammatically correct sentences. Sure I vaguely understand and get a sense of what you mean when you say, "Mind you no mention of programs canceled by governments AFTER K. Thaksin's" But it's tiresome to decipher your gibberish.

[jdinasia]

SanSai --- even though it is "off topic", since THIS thread is about Jatuporn and the damage he does to the Thaksin cause (BTW -- under current law Thaksin may NEVER come back as PM even with an amnesty)..... help me out with one of your statements.

Could we start with a discussion perhaps, on education reform? Let's compare and contrast the positions of the status quo and the reforms former Prime Minister Thaksin had put in place that have been rescinded and cancelled by the current government?

What reform that actually was started under Thaksin has the current government rescinded in the area of education?

Look you can do a Google search as well as I can and obtain this information. But since you asked, he tired and succeeded, to some extent, in decentralizing school administration and management from a centralized Bangkok management of the schools to encouraging and authorizing each individual Provence more authority to manage their schools. This is the same struggle that is occurring in the United States where the federal government via the "Department of Education" has usurped power from the States. He also initiated curricular reform in an attempt to get away from the practice of rote memorization. He did this in the hope of developing more innovative thinking students who could compete on the world stage. He tried to open up higher education to more children by establishing student loan programs. There are many other reforms he proposed and unfortunately were either not implemented or were cancelled after he was overthrown by the military junta. The point is he was personally engaged and cared about education reform in this country which is more than I can say for the current administration. Of course Mr. Charming who inserted himself and answered your question for me has his own negative take on Thaksin's reforms.

You didn't answer the question. Since it is off topic and your post was deleted ... we can let the the lack of anything factual in your claim rest until an appropriate thread

[animatic]

And completely ignored the programs I mentioned...

Oh, that's right, they were replaced because they were bad or bent or both.

[MaiChai]

Its an irony that now an election looms, PT want to disassociate themselves from the 'radical' Red Shirts. Its not good for a mainstream party to be associated with such a lawless group, even though it served the purposes of Taksin before?

It would be a major step forward for Thai democracy if Thais ignored PT and voted in another party. It would show they are tired with the Taksin proxy party and shinanigans and want something more honest and genuine.

[SICHONSTEVE]

SanSai --- even though it is "off topic", since THIS thread is about Jatuporn and the damage he does to the Thaksin cause (BTW -- under current law Thaksin may NEVER come back as PM even with an amnesty)..... help me out with one of your statements.

Could we start with a discussion perhaps, on education reform? Let's compare and contrast the positions of the status quo and the reforms former Prime Minister Thaksin had put in place that have been rescinded and cancelled by the current government?

What reform that actually was started under Thaksin has the current government rescinded in the area of education?

One of Thaksin's educational reforms was school decentralization, as mandated by the 1997 Constitution. It was to delegate school management from the over-centralized and bureaucratized Ministry of Education to Tambon Administrative Organizations (TAOs) but met with massive widespread opposition from Thailand's 700,000 teachers, who would be deprived of their status as civil servants. Teachers fear that TAOs lacked the ability to manage schools. In the face of massive teacher protests and several threats of school closure, Thaksin compromised and gave teachers whose schools were transferred to TAO management two years to transfer to other schools.

Others included learning reform and related curricular decentralization, mostly through greater use of holistic education and less use of rote learning.

To increase access to universities for lower income people, Thaksin initiated the Student Loan Fund (SLF) and Income Contingency Loan (ICL) programs. The ICL however required recipients to start repayments when their salaries reached 16,000 baht a month, with interest equivalent to inflation from the day the loan was granted. The SLF had an eligibility limit on family income but interest was 1 per cent starting a year after graduation. The programs were merged and the income limit modified after Thaksin's government was overthrown.

Thaksin also initiated the controversial "One District, One Dream School" project, aimed at developing the quality of schools to ensure that every district had at least one high-quality school. It was criticized, with claims that the only beneficiaries were Thaksin and companies selling computers and educational equipment. Many schools fell deeply into debt in implementing the project, receiving inadequate financial support from the central government.

In addition, he altered the state university entrance system, which had relied exclusively on a nationally standardized exams. Thaksin pushed for greater weighting of senior high-school grades in the hope of focusing students on classroom learning rather than private entrance exam tutoring.

He initiated the Income Contingency Loan program to increase access to higher education, whereby needy students could secure a loan to support their studies from vocational to university levels. Thai banks had traditionally not given education loans. He made Thailand one of the first supporters of Nicholas Negroponte's one laptop per child (OLPC) project, with the Thai Ministry of Education committing to purchase 600,000 units. The junta later cancelled the project.

There's your answer

Not exactly a raging success or endorsement of his policy development skills, is it, I think you'll agree!!!

Edited April 21, 2011 by SICHONSTEVE

[theanimaster]

The government is in on this. When they rounded him up, they told him to put on this act. Jatuporn has been bought by the government. He is just a red-shirt in disguise. Red shirts, don't trust/follow him anymore. Oh, and Thaksin has also been bought... oops, I mean...

...continue living your dreams everyone.

Still... how idiotic and insane does one have to be to be like Jatuporn? Conspiracy theories...