Thaksin - Our Man In Bangkok

[george]

Our Man in Bangkok

THE BUSH administration has been strongly criticized for the gratuitous damage it has done to U.S. relationships with a number of foreign governments in the past year. Less attention has been paid to the friends the administration has been making -- but here, too, there is reason for concern. Though he has delivered several speeches promising to put democracy promotion at the center of U.S. foreign policy, President Bush has been building relationships with several leaders who appear to be moving their countries in the opposite direction. The best-known of these is Russia's Vladimir Putin. But another disturbing case is emerging in Thailand, where a populist prime minister's steady accumulation of power has come in tandem with steadily warming relations with Washington.

Thaksin Shinawatra came to office under a shadow just under three years ago: The election was marked by allegations of vote-buying, and Mr. Thaksin, then Thailand's richest man, was accused of illegally hiding assets. Now, thanks partly to a flood of state spending that has pushed the economy into overdrive, Mr. Thaksin is very popular. He is expected to win reelection in the coming year by an overwhelming margin. But a clear majority in a pluralist system does not seem to satisfy the Thai prime minister, who aspires to succeed the retired authoritarian leaders of Singapore and Malaysia as a regional leader. Through the state or his own companies, he has taken over all of Thailand's television channels and has used legal and commercial levers, including numerous lawsuits, to intimidate critics in the press and parliament.

This year Mr. Thaksin launched a "war on drugs" that led to the killings of some 2,500 suspected dealers; human rights groups charge that many were the victims of extrajudicial assassinations by officially sponsored death squads. Rejecting proposals for constitutional reforms meant to prevent him from accumulating too much power, he recently declared that "democracy is only a tool" for achieving other ends.

A U.S. administration intent on promoting democracy might be expected to quickly distance itself from such a leader. Instead, the Bush administration has embraced Mr. Thaksin. Thailand was recently designated a "major non-NATO ally" of the United States, entitling it to enhanced military cooperation, and invited to follow Singapore in negotiating a bilateral free trade agreement. Not only did Mr. Bush heap praise on Mr. Thaksin's government during a visit this fall to Bangkok but the regional director of the Drug Enforcement Administration, William J. Snipes, recently endorsed the brutal anti-drug campaign, saying that "we look at it as successful."

It's not hard to understand how Mr. Thaksin won this treatment. After distancing himself at first from Thailand's longstanding alliance with the United States, he abruptly reversed course. According to press reports, he has permitted the Pentagon to use Thai bases and allowed the CIA to transport high-level al Qaeda prisoners to Thailand for interrogation. He sent several hundred Thai troops to Iraq, and last August his security forces captured the most wanted terrorist in Southeast Asia, the Indonesian native Hambali, and delivered him to U.S. custody.

The day before Hambali's arrest, Mr. Thaksin pushed two tough anti-terrorist measures into law by decree, prompting widespread protests from parliament. The rapidly weakening opposition warned that the laws should have been subject to a democratic decision and could be used, as in Singapore and Malaysia, as a pretext for suppressing internal dissent. Mr. Thaksin ignored the objections. His new friends in Washington, after all, were entirely supportive.

--Washington Post 2003-12-25

[HonoluluJimmy]

Great job in describing the leadership of a country on the move in direction of freedom and a better life for all. Good Job Mr T. I certainly wouldn't mind the late night pubs in resident areas to shut down and leave the tourist entertainment areas open. Any move to take notice that adding power to the basic family will help Thailand. That is a lesson well learned as America is paying a high price for all these problems wioth the youth related to poor family structure. Mr T will bring Thailand to a great place in Asia with out shutting out the night entertainment zones.

Good Job PM T.

[Jeepz]

honolulujimmy

I take it you were serious in your praise of PM T? Okay. The point of the article quoted seemed to me to be the decline of democracy in Thailand. And the use of extrajudicial executions as part of the "successful" anti-drug campaign. Extrajudicial means "out of or beyond the proper authority of a court or judge". It's a nice way of saying state endorsed murder.

So you might like the result of fewer drug dealers around, hopefully less drug traffic. But a problem does arise if gov't can just walk someone out to the edge of field and shoot them. Unless, of course, the gov't makes no mistakes and is incorruptable. Then there's nothing to worry about right?

And if they aren't perfect (and perfectly incorruptable too), well, they'll just get voted out next election. Except for that pesky lack of democracy thing that seems to be happening. Well, as they say, you can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs.

Jeepz

[tuky]

Just out of interest...is Singapore or Malaysia doing so poorly because of their past "leaders"? and without Mr Lee and Mr Mahattir, where would those two countries be now? esp Singapore.

[HonoluluJimmy]

Where would America be with Clinton/Gore......

I'm glad Mr. T and G.W. are chummy! I didn't like the dogs, block in the car lane, Auto shoulder weapons surrounding the J.W. Marriott, and all the metal detectors comming into the hotel. <deleted> some foil wrap condoms and lotion packets in a Darlings purse set off the detector. Didn't like that and am glad the Thailand and its role model the good ole USA are very chummy!

[Thaiquila]

I am neutral about Thaksin personally as I think the US government should also be neutral at best, though I am against anyone anywhere trying to suppress democracy.

History has shown that when the US gets chummy with totalitarian leaders, it usually backfires.

Look at US history and its frequent pattern of supporting of such characters. The classic line is "he is a son of a bitch but he is our son of a bitch" or something like that. The Shah of Iran being the most obvious and tragic failure of this blind short sighted policy.

Of course, there are people who actually believe the US is in Iraq to "liberate" the Iraqi people.

It is quite understandable that Bush and Thaksin would be buddies. Look at the reductions in personal freedoms previously enjoyed by Americans. And the US is also moving quickly towards being a one party country.

[meemiathai]

Democracy is not always the best in every situation or every country. Different countries need different systems. You need high quality people for democracy.

Try that in China and she will collapse in seconds!

[francois]

slowly stepping into a taksincracy ...

good bye Thailand ... sabai sabai soon gone too ...

[francois]

oups'

I forgot, we are not allowed to any kind of critics ....

[george]

'Our Man in Bangkok': Thailand's Response

The Dec. 26 editorial "Our Man in Bangkok" made troubling assertions.

First, the general election three years ago that gave Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's party a landslide was conducted freely and fairly, with the results endorsed by the Election Commission of Thailand, an independent body mandated by the kingdom's 1997 Constitution.

Second, while Mr. Thaksin may have been accused of not fully disclosing his assets, The Post did not inform readers that he was subsequently cleared by the Constitutional Court, an independent national body created by our new Constitution.

Third, Thailand's economic recovery is the result of many factors, including the government's dual development policy of opening our market to foreign trade and investment while strengthening the domestic economy.

Fourth, Thailand has long had one of the freest presses in the region, if not the world.

Fifth, while several deaths occurred during the government's campaign against narcotic drugs, most of the alleged extrajudicial killings were murders committed by criminals trying to avoid arrest. Extrajudicial killings have never been and are not sanctioned by the government.

Last, ties between our two countries have continued to strengthen not solely because of the security issues The Post cited, but because of a maturing partnership on all fronts -- political, economic and social.

SAKTHIP KRAIRIKSH

Ambassador

Embassy of Thailand

Washington

--Washington Post 2004-01-02

[Aitit]

Democracy is not always the best in every situation or every country.  Different countries need different systems.  You need high quality people for democracy.

Try that in China and she will collapse in seconds!

Thailand was not doing to bad as a democracy- so please, if you don't like it, why not consider relocation in a less democratic country- like China.

And please, take him with you.

"High quality people" hmm, what an aristocratic a...hole you must be, unbelievable.

[meemiathai]

Well, did I say something that offensive for you to call me an a..hole

And could you help me find where from my words I have expressed disliking Thailand?

Well, I have no choice but to live here in HK where I grew up from due to my financial ability. And yes, this is part of China!

And please, take him with you.

Who? Are u Thai? or should I say the same what u said to me?

if you don't like it, why not

You need high quality people for democracy.

Could you enlighten me if that is not true?

"High quality people" hmm, what an aristocratic a...hole you must be, unbelievable.

With my limited monthly income, I think I belong to the lo-sos of HK.

unbelievable anger

[Aitit]

QUOTE

You need high quality people for democracy.

Could you enlighten me if that is not true?

So you did not want to say, that Thailand doesn't have high quality people?

And that's why it's not an issue to have democracy here?

Then I got you wrong!

Next time I try to use a word that describes the pope.

( no offence meant this time)

[Aitit]

'Our Man in Bangkok': Thailand's Response

The Dec. 26 editorial "Our Man in Bangkok" made troubling assertions.

First, the general election three years ago that gave Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's party a landslide was conducted freely and fairly, with the results endorsed by the Election Commission of Thailand, an independent body mandated by the kingdom's 1997 Constitution.

Second, while Mr. Thaksin may have been accused of not fully disclosing his assets, The Post did not inform readers that he was subsequently cleared by the Constitutional Court, an independent national body created by our new Constitution.

Third, Thailand's economic recovery is the result of many factors, including the government's dual development policy of opening our market to foreign trade and investment while strengthening the domestic economy.

Fourth, Thailand has long had one of the freest presses in the region, if not the world.

Fifth, while several deaths occurred during the government's campaign against narcotic drugs, most of the alleged extrajudicial killings were murders committed by criminals trying to avoid arrest. Extrajudicial killings have never been and are not sanctioned by the government.

Last, ties between our two countries have continued to strengthen not solely because of the security issues The Post cited, but because of a maturing partnership on all fronts -- political, economic and social.

SAKTHIP KRAIRIKSH

Ambassador

Embassy of Thailand

Washington

--Washington Post 2004-01-02

Oops, I edited my response on this before the admins. have to interfere.

[meemiathai]

[NedKelly]

Fourth, Thailand has long had one of the freest presses in the region, if not the world.

Fifth, while several deaths occurred during the government's campaign against narcotic drugs, most of the alleged extrajudicial killings were murders committed by criminals trying to avoid arrest. Extrajudicial killings have never been and are not sanctioned by the government.

The above are from the man in the Embassy in washington..........you say Thailands press is free !! Who owns and controls TV and radios stations inThailand ? I beelive that there is not enough private ownership inThailand.

"SEVERAL DEATHS" ...... YOU MUST BE KIDDING ME. Over 2,000 is the accepted figure being reported. Even if the police did not actually kill anyone outright, this is still the direct subsequence of mr taksins campaign. IN any other civilised country in the world, the person responsible (Taksin in this case) would have to resign. This is 2004 not 1664 !!!

[Aitit]

Fourth, Thailand has long had one of the freest presses in the region, if not the world.

Fifth, while several deaths occurred during the government's campaign against narcotic drugs, most of the alleged extrajudicial killings were murders committed by criminals trying to avoid arrest. Extrajudicial killings have never been and are not sanctioned by the government.

The above are from the man in the Embassy in washington..........you say Thailands press is free !! Who owns and controls TV and radios stations inThailand ? I beelive that there is not enough private ownership inThailand.

"SEVERAL DEATHS" ...... YOU MUST BE KIDDING ME. Over 2,000 is the accepted figure being reported. Even if the police did not actually kill anyone outright, this is still the direct subsequence of mr taksins campaign. IN any other civilised country in the world, the person responsible (Taksin in this case) would have to resign. This is 2004 not 1664 !!!

It makes me very sad, that the leading polititions don't seam to respect HM the King as they should.

His birthday speach is still un my ears!