With the upcoming election, will it change the tourist industry and any other part of commerce in Phuket. What´s your take on it?

Considering Phuket has gone through a tsunami, a SARS virus scare, a Swine Flu scare, an airport invasion, coups in Bangkok and the tourist arrival numbers keep going up every year; what do you think?

Democrats win = No change in anything really for Phuket and this current administration looks like it's trying to solve some pressing issues, something that Thaksin failed to do in his time a the helm.

Puea Thai win = Problems.... This 'democrat' island will be punished and budgets and people in power will be reshuffled.

As much as i hate politics here and don't even like discussing the Thai form of democracy but anything Thaksin coming back into power is not a good thing.

It will just be about revenge and recouping his money exercise and local issues will go back to the way it was.

That's funny......nothing changed when Thaksin was in power before. What makes you think anything will be different?

The local politicians will still be democrats, so, no change. Same noses in the same troughs.

Like it or not, when Thaksin was in power there were some changes, some radical some pretty obvious ones. The reason why Phuket wont change neither way is also pretty obvious. The whole south is Democrat or PAD friendly.

Ask yourselves this, howcome Chiang Mai can change their infrastructure even better than the south when south is the one that gets most of the money due to tourism among other things.

The elite crams to the bark like ticks , they are the oldest ruling party and many of them back up the democrats so its no wonder it doesnt change.

You can be anti Thaksin or you can be pro Thaksin, it doesnt matter. The problem is the elite and the military dictatorship that still holds on to this country.

Thaksin may not be the solution (even he has a few skeletons in the closet) but he certainly brought change.

Like it or not, when Thaksin was in power there were some changes, some radical some pretty obvious ones.

Yes, he got a lot richer than he already was.