Thaksin Offers Easy Credit, Credit Cards For Taxi Drivers

[jayboy]

Why wait for the country to be ruined, the ousting of a (too much care) taking PM via a coup and new elections after a year seems to have worked.

Well that's the dilemma neatly phrased.I happen to believe that the coup was a mistake and failure, with disastrous consequences actual and potential for the country, and the "seems to have worked" assumption is premature.If I understand you correctly however the proposition is that the coup was a short cut which spared Thailand further rule by a Thaksin government.I personally question this and suggest that the elite and their supporters must learn to live with messy democracy, even it means living with a popular verdict they don't like.Same goes for the Thakin/PTP/Red side - if the forthcoming election produces another Democrat led government, the Reds must live with it and improve their appeal until they can persuade the Thai people they are an alternative.

As to your most recent post I think you should look more carefully at voting numbers.It's a bit outdated now to think of PTP support as rural Isaan and the North only.There is massive resentment across class and region at the elite stranglehold on politics and the economy, and PTP is the beneficiary of this.And don't forget the welcome the Redshirts got last year from ordinary Bangkokians,not all working class by any means.

Edited May 8, 2011 by jayboy

[nikkoid66]

Taksin is the G.Bush of Thailand. Fully supported by the bank industry so that if he gets elected, he will give easy credit to all and get an economic boom.

That the first step.

But see what is happening to Greece. Same will happen to Thailand. The banks now are so powerfull that they bankrupt entire countries!

The banks will charge interest that will need to be paid in taxes, the country will go deep into debt, and the banks will rip off all the people from their property, and everything they got before with their credit cards.

A large inflation will achieve to destroy Thailand economy.

Maybe we should support this guy. The Thai Bath will do down to 0 after the banks will have pumped all the money. Thai will be more poor but Farang will get good exchange rate!

Edited May 8, 2011 by nikkoid66

[rubl]

But he's right of course that the current government has copied his populist policies, though at a hugely greater cost (and that of course doesn't include the pandering at astronomic expense to the Thai armed services).

The 'hugely greater' cost and the 'astronomical' expenses are your opinion only I assume, or just an 'enormous exaggeration' of quantifying amounts

Edited May 8, 2011 by rubl

[rixalex]

I personally question this and suggest that the elite and their supporters must learn to live with messy democracy, even it means living with a popular verdict they don't like.Same goes for the Thakin/PTP/Red side - if the forthcoming election produces another Democrat led government, the Reds must live with it and improve their appeal until they can persuade the Thai people they are an alternative.

Living with messy democracy is one thing, living with a sham that simply goes by the name democracy, is another.

What we have now is a mess. It's an improvement on what we had before. My opinion.

[jayboy]

But he's right of course that the current government has copied his populist policies, though at a hugely greater cost (and that of course doesn't include the pandering at astronomic expense to the Thai armed services).

The 'hugely greater' cost and the 'astronomical' expenses are your opinion only I assume, or just an 'enormous exaggeration' of quantifying amounts

No it's not my opinion only.It's documented fact.Read the newspapers and no (see my earlier post) I am not going to provide you with "links".

[letitbe]

The article is interesting but IMHO its summed up by

Thaksin had more than enough, but greed set in, he wanted it ALL, and he was surrounded by cronies.

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. They blinded themselves with greed; it's that simple. Everyone saw it except themselves. Thaksin was like "the emperor with no clothes", surrounded by sycophant cronies encouraging him along.

Most of Thailand rejoiced when the military coup first happened, with the exception of Thaksin's poor power base in the northeast and north who resented it.

Thailand IMHO escaped narrowly getting a totally power obsessed dictator like Mugabwe Hussain or even Hitler. Weather he would be a fairly benign Dictator simply content with absolute power and massive wealth or one which totally destroys the economy and people of the country is open to debate. What I believe is not debatable is if he had got his way or gets his way Thailand can say goodbye totally to any form of democracy of free speech.

Hopefully it will not come to it and its by no means best outcome if it comes to it I hope Thai army will step in again and protect Thais from themselves as they have done on many occasions.

[letitbe]

Thaksin was a legally elected PM taken out by force by the army. Then he was "banned". No offense, but given the circumstances, he is perfectly within his rights to continue campaigning. He didn't give up and he ought to get some credit for that.

He was caretaker PM at the time of his ousting and following that he was found to have broken the law during his time in office. Had he not eroded away all the checks and balances, the judiciary would have brought his time in power to an end long before the coup. The army pushed the restart button. Unfortunate it had to come to that. Thank Thaksin that it did.

You ignore the reality that the cure was worse than the disease, and has brought Thailand to its current divided state.Thaksin could have been voted out by the Thai people: his inadequacies were widely known and this was reflected in electoral performance.Eventually he would have been ousted by the Thai people, not by a bunch of military criminals and their highly placed supporters in the elite..It is the Thai army that needs the reset button pushed but the damage it has done is irreparable.

but the Thais would not have been given the chance if Taksin continued his total control of all and everything IMHO within another few years Thailand would have become a 1 party state like so many dictatorships

[whybother]

But he's right of course that the current government has copied his populist policies, though at a hugely greater cost (and that of course doesn't include the pandering at astronomic expense to the Thai armed services).

Which of Thaksin's populist policies were copied and which ones were at hugely greater cost?

I won't go into the "pandering at astronomic expense to the Thai armed services" as that's been covered quite well in other threads, with reports generally showing Thailands military spending currently below average for the region.

[rubl]

But he's right of course that the current government has copied his populist policies, though at a hugely greater cost (and that of course doesn't include the pandering at astronomic expense to the Thai armed services).

The 'hugely greater' cost and the 'astronomical' expenses are your opinion only I assume, or just an 'enormous exaggeration' of quantifying amounts

No it's not my opinion only.It's documented fact.Read the newspapers and no (see my earlier post) I am not going to provide you with "links".

My dear chap, that's what I would politely call 'the night soil of a well-fed male oxen'.

[rixalex]

No it's not my opinion only.It's documented fact.Read the newspapers and no (see my earlier post) I am not going to provide you with "links".

I read your earlier post not so much as generously giving the benefit of the doubt to another fellow poster in an assertion made, as it was somewhat dressed up to be, but rather providing oneself with a nice neat self-issued "refer back to", "get me off the hook" free pass, to be used at any future time, when being asked to substaniate in some way something you claim as fact. You didn't take long to whip it out.

[animatic]

But he's right of course that the current government has copied his populist policies, though at a hugely greater cost (and that of course doesn't include the pandering at astronomic expense to the Thai armed services).

Which of Thaksin's populist policies were copied and which ones were at hugely greater cost?

I won't go into the "pandering at astronomic expense to the Thai armed services" as that's been covered quite well in other threads, with reports generally showing Thailands military spending currently below average for the region.

And he copied his populist policies from others before him.

And most governments spent on the military to keep them content and backing them.

What's ironic is those trying to make this seem new and noteworthy instead of S.O.P.

[jayboy]

You didn't take long to whip it out.

As the actress said to the bishop.

You can interpret my motivation not as a policy to provide links any way you like.The matter that puzzles you so much has been discussed in detail in the English language press for months.

Quite recently various military cheerleaders were strangely exercised by my unwillingness to provide a HRW link on the crimes of the Thai army.I had a polite and sensible private request to provide the link, which I immediately did.If I have a genuine and intelligent request to engage (no matter whether the interlocutor holds very different views,) I will including the provision of background documents.In your case I would just advise read the papers.

Edited May 8, 2011 by jayboy

[Skywalker69]

Thaksin has some unfinished business...he couldn't finish it to drive the country in the complete ruin!

His strategy is clearly based on the lot of uneducated people in Thailand. These people think only one step at a time....don't see consequences!

Sorry, but this is the truth!

You tell a farmer that he will get twice the money for his cow and he will kiss your ass...same with taxi drivers and credit card. How many criminals already make use of the weak taxi driver ....I'm sure that at least 80% of taxi driver ow money to some private credit shark.

And how inteligent is it to give credit cards to taxi driver...?

Next I would give credit cards to all the prostitutes...the bigger the boops the higher the credit.... Common?

Look that they get other jobs....the streets are crowded enough....invest in public transportation!

But to realize this all you must first bring the school system to an acceptable level! No certificate issued in Thailand is only the paper worth...

Thailand needs a complete clean up...

Your right!

Giving away loads of creditcards will increase the inflation and make it more expencive for people to pay back te loans.

[siampolee]

He has stolen the show. He has grabbed all the attention. He centralises and directs all the policies. Only his words matter. That is how Prime Minister Thaksin Shinwatra has built his leadership. Welcome to the Attention Economy! A political source attributes Thaksin's strong-arm leadership style to the Attention Economy: Understanding the New Currency of Business. Written by Thomas H Davenport and John C Beck and published in 2001 by the Harvard Business School Press, the book is said to be on Thaksin's reading list.

These endeavours have all grabbed the attention of the public, albeit not without controversy. And day in and day out, he has grabbed newspaper headlines and dominated TV and radio air-time with his hard talk and idiosyncratic views. His Saturday radio talk show almost guarantees a front-page headline the following Sunday. He has effectively used this forum to answer public queries over his performance, hit back at his opponents and create a fresh agenda for the following week. The Thai people love him, because not only does he talk big, but he acts big as well. In the Attention Economy, there is a chapter on leadership and attention that Thaksin appears to have mastered.

First, he sets a focus for his attention. Second, he attracts the right kind of attention to himself. Third, he directs the attention of those who follow him. Finally, he maintains the attention of the general public. This downstream flow of attention has helped keep the Thaksin leadership in the minds of the public. Since most Thais are rather inert and reactive rather than proactive, they are amazed by the speed and the excitement that Thaksin has brought to national leadership. In other words, the prime minister has successfully created and controlled the agenda. When economic growth jumped to 5-6 per cent, he rushed out to claim the credit alone, while his finance minister stood quietly in the shadows.

When the Sars virus erupted, he came out to dismiss fears and guarantee Thailand's safety. His message is "place all your faith in me and everything will turn out right". He wants his critics at home and abroad to keep silent, so that there is no conflicting information to confuse the public. He wants attention to be focused on the government's policies and directives alone. Now most things appear to go Thaksin's way.

But the book does caution that "attention can work for or against us - and misguided attention often is more detrimental than no attention at all". Thaksin's rush to proclaim Thailand a Sars-free country or his claim that poverty can be eradicated in six years or his optimistic projection of 6-per-cent economic growth this year might be considered to be misguiding attention. But, as far as the Thai public is concerned,Thaksin

has been given the benefit of the doubt. In other words, he has got their attention! Thanong Khanthong THE NATION

The long and the short of it is the fact that Thaksin is a maniacal control freak , intent on inflating his own ego and dismissing others advice as worthless, his avowed aim is to bleed Thailand and its people dry in his insatiable quest fro power and money.

Hitler, Mussolini, Pol Pot Kim Jung Ii , Mao Tse Tung, Hun Seng The Burmese generals, indeed Thaksin is from the same stable as the aforementioned despicable pieces of humanity,

''Self not service,''

is their motto

Edited May 8, 2011 by siampolee

[harrycallahan]

Vote buying, meh, happens all the time where I live.

[animatic]

Vote buying, meh, happens all the time where I live.

Udon Thani?

[rixalex]

As the actress said to the bishop.

You can interpret my motivation not as a policy to provide links any way you like.The matter that puzzles you so much has been discussed in detail in the English language press for months.

Quite recently various military cheerleaders were strangely exercised by my unwillingness to provide a HRW link on the crimes of the Thai army.I had a polite and sensible private request to provide the link, which I immediately did.If I have a genuine and intelligent request to engage (no matter whether the interlocutor holds very different views,) I will including the provision of background documents.In your case I would just advise read the papers.

What a peculiar and sensitive chap you are. State something as fact and then when asked for where said information was derived from, become touchy and fussy about just exactly how the request was made, whom it was made from, how you were addressed, did they doff their hat, were they smartly dressed, were they well read, were they educated highly enough...

Out in the real world, "put up or shut up" is how the game is usually played.

[jayboy]

What a peculiar and sensitive chap you are. State something as fact and then when asked for where said information was derived from, become touchy and fussy about just exactly how the request was made, whom it was made from, how you were addressed, did they doff their hat, were they smartly dressed, were they well read, were they educated highly enough...

Out in the real world, "put up or shut up" is how the game is usually played.

It's not the real world.It's an anonymous internet forum for expatriates with time to waste.On the basis of some members record I'm prepared to spend time and effort.With others, again based on their record, I'm not.Simple really.

[rixalex]

What a peculiar and sensitive chap you are. State something as fact and then when asked for where said information was derived from, become touchy and fussy about just exactly how the request was made, whom it was made from, how you were addressed, did they doff their hat, were they smartly dressed, were they well read, were they educated highly enough...

Out in the real world, "put up or shut up" is how the game is usually played.

It's not the real world.It's an anonymous internet forum for expatriates with time to waste.On the basis of some members record I'm prepared to spend time and effort.With others, again based on their record, I'm not.Simple really.

As well as being anonymous, the forum is public, not private, and therefore replies given aren't directed individually, but to the sorry group as a whole - they likely include those whom you consider to have shoddy records and those with shining ones alike.

As a by the by, quite why you consider Rubl as of poor record and not worthy of your time and effort i really don't know. Always found him/her myself to be a polite and respectful contributer.

[TAWP]

We do not need any more taxis in Phuket, thank you very much!

I just checked for responds and found this useless ad.. With all do respect Phuket also don't need more loser farang trashing the places you named or any other place... But this also has nothing to do with the subject so never mind just hope you see clearly

Are you a taxi-driver in Phuket?

[jayboy]

As well as being anonymous, the forum is public, not private, and therefore replies given aren't directed individually, but to the sorry group as a whole - they likely include those whom you consider to have shoddy records and those with shining ones alike.

As a by the by, quite why you consider Rubl as of poor record and not worthy of your time and effort i really don't know. Always found him/her myself to be a polite and respectful contributer.

Not sure you're right about the individual/public distinction.Depends on the circumstances - let that pass however.

I have nothing against any member of the forum, and certainly not Rubi.I do however resist somewhat (being in any event of a somewhat indolent disposition despite my Mekon like brain) at being asked - sometimes aggressively - to do research or provide "links" on a subject that would be clear from reading the newspapers.The subject at hand was I think whether the populist measures of the current government were much more costly than those of Thaksin.Do I really have to spoon feed on subjects like these which have had so much recent coverage?

Edited May 8, 2011 by jayboy

[rubl]

I have nothing against any member of the forum, and certainly not Rubi.I do however resist somewhat (being in any event of a somewhat indolent disposition despite my Mekon like brain) at being asked - sometimes aggressively - to do research or provide "links" on a subject that would be clear from reading the newspapers.The subject at hand was I think whether the populist measures of the current government were much more costly than those of Thaksin.Do I really have to spoon feed on subjects like these which have had so much recent coverage?

The only reason the government measures may be more costly is because k. Thaksin paid out of his own pocket rather than using tax money. At least that's the gist of this issue, as I think the subject at hand was, or might have been. Something about numbers and figures as far as I can remember posts I wrote a few hours ago

Edited May 8, 2011 by rubl

[scorecard]

It's not a bad article at all and as you say quite balanced. It doesn't actually say much about the coup,nor why the elite was and remains so obsessively hostile to Thaksin.

...

Possibly because that's not the case.

This word 'elite' now very often thrown about is to some extent a misnomer.

There are those in high places who were more than happy to support thaksin in his heyday, and for obvious reasons, are they now the 'elite'?

There are those in high places in ministries today who were there when thaksin was the leader (dictator) and are still there and are frightened to support any moves against thaksin for fear that he might just return and then punish them. Are these folks part of the 'elite'?

There are those who now see a possibility of getting their fingers into high positions (the cronies of pt, the incapable, inexperienced, immoral and no vision folks who end up of the board of directors of TTT, CAT and many more agencies). Are they also 'elite' or 'coming soon elite'?

Folks might also like to remember the original rallies to ouster thaksin which eventually became the first PAD, a very large percentage of these people were everyday concerned citizens, not what now seems to labelled as 'elite'.

And there are the rich / high flying / high profile businessmen and women who support thaksin because they believe they will benefit from a thaksin regime, but have zero interest in the so called red demorcay fighters, are they the 'elite'?

and last but not least, there are the local country folk (no criticism intended in any way) who are hoping for a place at the feeding trough and when they get their spot (if they do), they will demand that in the halls of the ministries every civil servant should prostrate to them etc etc., are these also the 'elite' or the 'coming elites'?

Edited May 8, 2011 by scorecard

[whybother]

....

I do however resist somewhat (being in any event of a somewhat indolent disposition despite my Mekon like brain) at being asked - sometimes aggressively - to do research or provide "links" on a subject that would be clear from reading the newspapers.The subject at hand was I think whether the populist measures of the current government were much more costly than those of Thaksin.Do I really have to spoon feed on subjects like these which have had so much recent coverage?

If there has been so much recent coverage, shouldn't it be easy to provide a link to something to show that you are not just making it up? Not everyone reads or remembers all the news.

Also, a reference or example you may be referring to in your comment (without providing the link) may actually be shown to be incorrect.

[rixalex]

The subject at hand was I think whether the populist measures of the current government were much more costly than those of Thaksin.Do I really have to spoon feed on subjects like these which have had so much recent coverage?

The issue in question was indeed the cost of populist measures, which you stated as being "at a hugely greater cost" under the current government, and what you described as the "astronomic expense to the Thai armed services".

I really can't see why, upon being requested as you were, providing a link, or, even better, providing some figures, would really be any more trouble than the trouble you took to give us your thoughts.

Still, you have your reasons.

[asiawatcher]

i think Thaksin offering this kind of deal to taxi drivers is contemptuous of taxi drivers in general

he obviously thinks they are all stupid to not see this scheme for what it is

Abhisit has put billions on the table at low interest rates to try to get people like taxi drivers out of debt and the hands of loan sharks

Thaksin wants to put them back under the debt thumb..........

Thaksinomics is always about credit and how to borrow up big, expand businesses and to hell with the consequences in a country where bankruptcy laws are a joke by any western standards. This convicted criminal on the run is using populist policies to try to gain a few more votes but sorry, "... he obviously thinks they are all stupid to not see this scheme for what it is" Yes they ARE stupid, poor bastards - and they still believe idiots like the mouthpiece Jutaporn as Thaksins mouth in absentia. Votes no matter how gained, gets Thaksin closer to his seized billions and that is all he cares about, not Thailand or the people of Thailand. And they are unfortunately 'stupid' enough NOT to see his motivation.

[hyperdimension]

There is massive resentment across class and region at the elite stranglehold on politics and the economy

There would also likely be massive resentment if Thaksin returns with his own stranglehold on politics and the economy and the armed forces and judiciary and democracy and freedom of speech.

And don't forget the welcome the Redshirts got last year from ordinary Bangkokians,not all working class by any means.

I think many of the non-working class supporters of Thaksin are beneficiaries of his businesses, such as shareholders or business partners.

Edited May 8, 2011 by hyperdimension

[Scott]

A bunch of off-topic, nonsensical posts and responses to them have been deleted. Please stay on topic.

[Buchholz]

No it's not my opinion only.It's documented fact.Read the newspapers and no (see my earlier post) I am not going to provide you with "links".

I read your earlier post not so much as generously giving the benefit of the doubt to another fellow poster in an assertion made, as it was somewhat dressed up to be, but rather providing oneself with a nice neat self-issued "refer back to", "get me off the hook" free pass, to be used at any future time, when being asked to substaniate in some way something you claim as fact. You didn't take long to whip it out.

and, of course, it's utterly ridiculous.

Giving anyone at any time carte blanche to say whatever foggy notion enters their mind, with a quip... "read the newspapers" as justification.

[kumsamut]

Vote buying disguised as credit.

Things Taxin failed to mention:

1) high interest of course

2) late payment fees

3) higher cash advance fees

4) annual fee

5) direct bill pay from bank account, so there is no escape.

i feel everyone has their own choice to be in new debt or not to join the program. i feel they are grown ups and are responsible enough to join the credit program. it is an opportunity with certain credit line, not million s of baht per person.