Election Results Good Or Bad For Good Ol' Cnx

[Sparkles]

This ? not only relates to CM but the whole of Thailand.If the minimum daily pay is going to go to 300 baht and Bachelor Degree holders will get a minimum wage of 15,000b per month what will that do for inflation? That was just part of the PT promises, pre election ,wasn't it ? Forget about mega projects for CM.let's hear from the business folk on how they think it will effect them.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

As I said before it's just one privaledged group figting another for the control of the wealth and privaledges.

And I'm afraid that many Red supporters will be learning that lesson soon enough....in Cnx and elsewhere in Thailand.

That is possible. They do of course have the power to vote them out again, in favor of someone who does keep promises.

That said, the first Thaksin government (then TRT) was pretty much the first one that actually kept promises made to the poor. That's a big part (wait, the only part) of why they love Thaksin so much, and keep re-electing him or his affiliates/relatives even in the face of military coups and legal acrobatics.

And PTP knows they have to deliver, or they VERY quickly lose this support. To be honest I don't think this is in doubt; PTP knows very well on which side the bread is buttered.

Main question: Can they do this while not running the economy into the ground, or upsetting the military too much.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

This ? not only relates to CM but the whole of Thailand.If the minimum daily pay is going to go to 300 baht and Bachelor Degree holders will get a minimum wage of 15,000b per month what will that do for inflation? That was just part of the PT promises, pre election ,wasn't it ? Forget about mega projects for CM.let's hear from the business folk on how they think it will effect them.

Wait.. you think paying at least $10 / 300 baht for an honest day's work is an issue? Already it's hard to find (Thai) people to do that for 300 baht. this policiy is a sensible minimum, which will hopefully end some of the worst cases of worker exploitation.

Same for 15K graduates: I bet this applies only after they pass probation. If they're smart people then they're worth 15K.

( I admit I have some questions on this one though. Loads of people complete bachelor degrees these days, most not at big name universities. Not all of those people are actually worth 15K, so it will be interesting to see what happens. Some of these new graduates will not nearly be as productive as someone who does NOT have a bachelor degree but has been with a company since before the time that any Polytechnic or Teacher College1 became 'a university', so it would be unfair to have this experienced person at, say, 12K but then a newbie graduate starting at 15.. I reserve judgement until seeing the actual proposal; so far all I've seen is the election poster.

And last but not least, I look forward to that tablet computer! Payback time to my daughter for abducting my iPod all the time. Looking forward to play Angry Birds on a glorious PTP tablet!!!

Edited July 4, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Joop50]

All farang opinions, one is even more stupid then another. Here in the village, people woke up this morning with some hope and they continued their hard working life.

[Thailand]

Great news for Thailand and in particular Chiang Mai. A democratically elected majority government and one of the world's prettiest PM's.

As for a Casino, I know for a fact there was a major meeting in Chiang Mai between associates of the new incumbents and power brokers from Macau in late 2005. The events of 19th Sept 2006 probably threw discussions out of the window. That may now well change.

Not so long ago Singapore was the last place on earth to have a casino, now look at it!

Any government worth their salt would want the pie here, not over foreign borders.

[uptheos]

So some people seem to think it would be a good idea for tourism to legalize gambling. Why not relax the laws on selling alcohol and make the ladies cheaper to rent that would help Tourism in Thailand a lot according to there line of thinking.

Sure it would be a good idea to legalise gambling along with other recreational activities I will not mention.

Yes, the laws on selling alcohol should be relaxed too.....who really wants the government controlling everything you do?

As for the ladies I didn't know there was a set fee. Let's continue to leave that to the 'invisible hand' (or other body part) and let the market sort it out.

[uptheos]

The Thai people have chosen their government, now they should adopt the novel idea of judging it on its record of actually governing for a full term.

[OriginalPoster]

This ? not only relates to CM but the whole of Thailand.If the minimum daily pay is going to go to 300 baht and Bachelor Degree holders will get a minimum wage of 15,000b per month what will that do for inflation? That was just part of the PT promises, pre election ,wasn't it ? Forget about mega projects for CM.let's hear from the business folk on how they think it will effect them.

Wait.. you think paying at least $10 / 300 baht for an honest day's work is an issue? Already it's hard to find (Thai) people to do that for 300 baht. this policiy is a sensible minimum, which will hopefully end some of the worst cases of worker exploitation.

It's fair enough that a Westerner would think that 300 baht per day is a pathetic wage, but most workers in Chiang Mai, be it at restaurants, supermarkets, whatever, make less than that. Most small restaurants & guesthouses in the old city, for instance, pay 5000 or 6000 baht per month for staff. If the government comes in and mandates a wage 50% higher than that, it may in the long term turn out to be for the greater good, but in the short run it's going to be inflationary and cause jobs to be lost. Not sure how they could possibly enforce it though, since a huge number of people working in Thailand are being paid under-the-table, with no records of their employment being supplied to any government agency.

Edited July 4, 2011 by OriginalPoster

[hellodolly]

This ? not only relates to CM but the whole of Thailand.If the minimum daily pay is going to go to 300 baht and Bachelor Degree holders will get a minimum wage of 15,000b per month what will that do for inflation? That was just part of the PT promises, pre election ,wasn't it ? Forget about mega projects for CM.let's hear from the business folk on how they think it will effect them.

Wait.. you think paying at least $10 / 300 baht for an honest day's work is an issue? Already it's hard to find (Thai) people to do that for 300 baht. this policiy is a sensible minimum, which will hopefully end some of the worst cases of worker exploitation.

Same for 15K graduates: I bet this applies only after they pass probation. If they're smart people then they're worth 15K.

( I admit I have some questions on this one though. Loads of people complete bachelor degrees these days, most not at big name universities. Not all of those people are actually worth 15K, so it will be interesting to see what happens. Some of these new graduates will not nearly be as productive as someone who does NOT have a bachelor degree but has been with a company since before the time that any Polytechnic or Teacher College1 became 'a university', so it would be unfair to have this experienced person at, say, 12K but then a newbie graduate starting at 15.. I reserve judgement until seeing the actual proposal; so far all I've seen is the election poster.

And last but not least, I look forward to that tablet computer! Payback time to my daughter for abducting my iPod all the time. Looking forward to play Angry Birds on a glorious PTP tablet!!!

So you figure 300 Baht a day is a reasonable figure. Do you figure the cost of goods to pay that figure is a reaasonable figure.

Can see it all now tripping over 7 11 workers making 300 Baht a hour. Or going into shops that are understaffed but making good money.

As I said earlier

Teacher what is 1+1

Student #1 give me a moment to boot up.

Student #2 I will be with you in a moment sir I am just about to take the lead in the Grand Prix.

[hellodolly]

Great news for Thailand and in particular Chiang Mai. A democratically elected majority government and one of the world's prettiest PM's.

As for a Casino, I know for a fact there was a major meeting in Chiang Mai between associates of the new incumbents and power brokers from Macau in late 2005. The events of 19th Sept 2006 probably threw discussions out of the window. That may now well change.

Not so long ago Singapore was the last place on earth to have a casino, now look at it!

Any government worth their salt would want the pie here, not over foreign borders.

Yes but do they really want the problems that go with it.

[clinique]

Great news for Thailand and in particular Chiang Mai. A democratically elected majority government and one of the world's prettiest PM's.

As for a Casino, I know for a fact there was a major meeting in Chiang Mai between associates of the new incumbents and power brokers from Macau in late 2005. The events of 19th Sept 2006 probably threw discussions out of the window. That may now well change.

Not so long ago Singapore was the last place on earth to have a casino, now look at it!

Any government worth their salt would want the pie here, not over foreign borders.

Yes but do they really want the problems that go with it.

What problems are yuo referring too?

Gambling is rife in Thailand...Football,,for example..

And casinos are just over the border.

As Thailand said Singapore was the last place I felt would approve a casino, but it has.

"They" can deal wit the problems if they want to...

And Casino would attact many high end tourists , which is what CM needs and has wanted for so long..

Sure it would affect other end of the society to some extent, but also create jobs and put CM on the map.

any maybe, just maybe get more Direct flights to CNX..

[uptheos]

I notice that the new PM has formed a coalition, which really gives her some clout and the Dems might as well pack up and go home........now I wonder who could have possibly advised her on that move?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

The speed with which it happens shows that this was probably agreed some time ago.

As for who got left out, don't forget Bhum Jai Thai, they lost out big time, and rightly so. Next may be their business interests.. King Power at the airport has been allowed a monopoly for so long, it's time someone called time on them.

[wolf5370]

Just so glad I won't be getting that bloody PT songtaew playing tinny music and shouting out the same rhetoric on the loud speakers over and over 4 times a day right outside and going up and down my tiny soi (full of people either too foreign to vote or absolute PT voters anyway) - and as a col-de-sac, we get it coming both ways!

For improvements, I think first on the list should be some decent crossing at the moat (especially at Thaipae and CM Gates) and on the Hang Dong road (both at Airport Plaza - people crossing all the time for the yellow songtaews - and down at the Ban Wan Tan turn off - lots of shops and always people and kids trying to cross and just up from a load of schools), and between Kad Suan Gal shopping mall and that block that Walen is in. In fact there are many dangerous crossing places in and around the city - and places with schools and tourist areas should be looked at asap.

Following that, push to improve basic infrastructure like the continual brown-outs every time it rains and dreadfully slow internet outside of the city centre (still within Meung). Also sort out ugly wiring, stinking klongs, rat infestation, collapsing klong bridges and statues.

CM is Thailands second city, but it is used just as a tourist site and no proper use is made of it as a real business centre etc. CM is becoming more and more ugly with decomposing half built skeletons and old concrete buildings, cables, ugly metal stalls (i.e. Night Bazaar) and the like - some money spent on making it more attractive for visitors and showing off that traditional Lana style people come here for - instead of making it look like a decomposing, forgotten and forlawn ghetto. Getting some real commercial interest in the place, bringing money into the area, with Gov incentives would help. So would some basic Gov investment in the area. The Night Bazaar could be beautiful and a real attraction once again with some thought and money - make it pedestrian only (at least in the evening - although much better use could be made of the road are with cafe's and stalls with a completely paved off area) get rid of those horrible iron chest lockers they use as stalls and tow up and down the road on mopeds! Put in wooden (or simulated wooden) Lanna style kiosks and stalls - put some specific Bazaar police in to kick out the hooky DVD and leathal weapon sellers (the other day I walked down the Night Bazaar at about 7pm with my kids and a DVD stall had a male gay pron running on a large flat screen for all to watch - not what tourists towing kids aroubnd want to see!) and keep the peace etc (use a private security firm rather than BiB's and it also gets rid of a lot of the back handers too). Get the artisdts out on the street during the summer instead of hidden in the basement of side buildings.

Clean up the chedis around the moat too - and put some multi-lingual history plaques up (Chedi blablabla built in 1849 .....etc).

How about an National or Local ENglish Language TV channel. I know people will say "Learn Thai" or "This is Thailand bla bla bla", but most countries have an English news channel and we can hardly expect business travellers and tourists to learn Thai well enough to understand Channel 7 news! It will also give the opportunity to give local and Thai news (not available on BBC World etc) and translations of Thai news stories with the same slant rather then the two nationals giving their western bent news. Would also help Thai kids learning English too as teachers could tell them to watch such and such a show and write a report etc.

Edited July 4, 2011 by wolf5370

[wolf5370]

The speed with which it happens shows that this was probably agreed some time ago.

As for who got left out, don't forget Bhum Jai Thai, they lost out big time, and rightly so. Next may be their business interests.. King Power at the airport has been allowed a monopoly for so long, it's time someone called time on them.

Yes - law unto themselves - I remeber before KP came to take over the duty free world. Go to a kiosk at the airport and order/pay for the items, pick them up the other side (that was before leaving Thailand - kiosk was in he main terminal - cheap and easy).

[MacWalen]

On the first day certainly good for the stock market!

[wolf5370]

On the first day certainly good for the stock market!

Yeah, what was it 5.8% (50 points or so). I believe its more of a slight bounce back though due to the opposite happening on the run up (I'm not an analyst, just repeating what I have heard so far today - and listening to the Thai news earlier)

[el jefe]

Exactly what the inexperienced Yingluck will do with this new found power will be any ones guess. I hope that corruption will be at the forefront of her policy

If she follows in big brother's footsteps, that's guaranteed.

While the election was a fore-bought conclusion, I'm personally disappointed with the results. I'd rather not see any more mega-projects like the proposed Sankhamphaeng international airport or turning all the underused hotels into casinos (they were all started 5 years ago when that was likely). Hopefully all the un-needed over-development will wind up down south. Development doesn't always equal progress.

Edited July 5, 2011 by el jefe

[hellodolly]

Just so glad I won't be getting that bloody PT songtaew playing tinny music and shouting out the same rhetoric on the loud speakers over and over 4 times a day right outside and going up and down my tiny soi (full of people either too foreign to vote or absolute PT voters anyway) - and as a col-de-sac, we get it coming both ways!

For improvements, I think first on the list should be some decent crossing at the moat (especially at Thaipae and CM Gates) and on the Hang Dong road (both at Airport Plaza - people crossing all the time for the yellow songtaews - and down at the Ban Wan Tan turn off - lots of shops and always people and kids trying to cross and just up from a load of schools), and between Kad Suan Gal shopping mall and that block that Walen is in. In fact there are many dangerous crossing places in and around the city - and places with schools and tourist areas should be looked at asap.

Following that, push to improve basic infrastructure like the continual brown-outs every time it rains and dreadfully slow internet outside of the city centre (still within Meung). Also sort out ugly wiring, stinking klongs, rat infestation, collapsing klong bridges and statues.

CM is Thailands second city, but it is used just as a tourist site and no proper use is made of it as a real business centre etc. CM is becoming more and more ugly with decomposing half built skeletons and old concrete buildings, cables, ugly metal stalls (i.e. Night Bazaar) and the like - some money spent on making it more attractive for visitors and showing off that traditional Lana style people come here for - instead of making it look like a decomposing, forgotten and forlawn ghetto. Getting some real commercial interest in the place, bringing money into the area, with Gov incentives would help. So would some basic Gov investment in the area. The Night Bazaar could be beautiful and a real attraction once again with some thought and money - make it pedestrian only (at least in the evening - although much better use could be made of the road are with cafe's and stalls with a completely paved off area) get rid of those horrible iron chest lockers they use as stalls and tow up and down the road on mopeds! Put in wooden (or simulated wooden) Lanna style kiosks and stalls - put some specific Bazaar police in to kick out the hooky DVD and leathal weapon sellers (the other day I walked down the Night Bazaar at about 7pm with my kids and a DVD stall had a male gay pron running on a large flat screen for all to watch - not what tourists towing kids aroubnd want to see!) and keep the peace etc (use a private security firm rather than BiB's and it also gets rid of a lot of the back handers too). Get the artisdts out on the street during the summer instead of hidden in the basement of side buildings.

Clean up the chedis around the moat too - and put some multi-lingual history plaques up (Chedi blablabla built in 1849 .....etc).

How about an National or Local ENglish Language TV channel. I know people will say "Learn Thai" or "This is Thailand bla bla bla", but most countries have an English news channel and we can hardly expect business travellers and tourists to learn Thai well enough to understand Channel 7 news! It will also give the opportunity to give local and Thai news (not available on BBC World etc) and translations of Thai news stories with the same slant rather then the two nationals giving their western bent news. Would also help Thai kids learning English too as teachers could tell them to watch such and such a show and write a report etc.

You are a little confused. Some of what you say is true.

How ever Thaksin was elected PM of Thailand not Mayor of Chiang Mai.

[trainman34014]

Just so glad I won't be getting that bloody PT songtaew playing tinny music and shouting out the same rhetoric on the loud speakers over and over 4 times a day right outside and going up and down my tiny soi (full of people either too foreign to vote or absolute PT voters anyway) - and as a col-de-sac, we get it coming both ways!

For improvements, I think first on the list should be some decent crossing at the moat (especially at Thaipae and CM Gates) and on the Hang Dong road (both at Airport Plaza - people crossing all the time for the yellow songtaews - and down at the Ban Wan Tan turn off - lots of shops and always people and kids trying to cross and just up from a load of schools), and between Kad Suan Gal shopping mall and that block that Walen is in. In fact there are many dangerous crossing places in and around the city - and places with schools and tourist areas should be looked at asap.

Following that, push to improve basic infrastructure like the continual brown-outs every time it rains and dreadfully slow internet outside of the city centre (still within Meung). Also sort out ugly wiring, stinking klongs, rat infestation, collapsing klong bridges and statues.

CM is Thailands second city, but it is used just as a tourist site and no proper use is made of it as a real business centre etc. CM is becoming more and more ugly with decomposing half built skeletons and old concrete buildings, cables, ugly metal stalls (i.e. Night Bazaar) and the like - some money spent on making it more attractive for visitors and showing off that traditional Lana style people come here for - instead of making it look like a decomposing, forgotten and forlawn ghetto. Getting some real commercial interest in the place, bringing money into the area, with Gov incentives would help. So would some basic Gov investment in the area. The Night Bazaar could be beautiful and a real attraction once again with some thought and money - make it pedestrian only (at least in the evening - although much better use could be made of the road are with cafe's and stalls with a completely paved off area) get rid of those horrible iron chest lockers they use as stalls and tow up and down the road on mopeds! Put in wooden (or simulated wooden) Lanna style kiosks and stalls - put some specific Bazaar police in to kick out the hooky DVD and leathal weapon sellers (the other day I walked down the Night Bazaar at about 7pm with my kids and a DVD stall had a male gay pron running on a large flat screen for all to watch - not what tourists towing kids aroubnd want to see!) and keep the peace etc (use a private security firm rather than BiB's and it also gets rid of a lot of the back handers too). Get the artisdts out on the street during the summer instead of hidden in the basement of side buildings.

Clean up the chedis around the moat too - and put some multi-lingual history plaques up (Chedi blablabla built in 1849 .....etc).

How about an National or Local ENglish Language TV channel. I know people will say "Learn Thai" or "This is Thailand bla bla bla", but most countries have an English news channel and we can hardly expect business travellers and tourists to learn Thai well enough to understand Channel 7 news! It will also give the opportunity to give local and Thai news (not available on BBC World etc) and translations of Thai news stories with the same slant rather then the two nationals giving their western bent news. Would also help Thai kids learning English too as teachers could tell them to watch such and such a show and write a report etc.

I would bet a few Bucks that in four years time ( if they last that long ) not much of what you would like will have been done. Indeed; probably none of it ! Knowing the Thai populations ability to be able to focus on anything that they want for more than a few days, let alone years, I would say that this lot will most likely not be in power for more than a couple of years. The high poll turnout just shows that when Thai people want something bad they want it NOW. Now they have got what they wanted but unless the victors come up with all or most of what has been promised that is wanted NOW they will not last long.

[elektrified]

...one of the world's prettiest PM's.

That's a joke isn't it?

On second thought she may well be after viewing the photos of the other 20 female P.M.'s in the world today. But that is not saying much.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

...one of the world's prettiest PM's.

That's a joke isn't it?

On second thought she may well be after viewing the photos of the other 20 female P.M.'s in the world today. But that is not saying much.

Did you see the topic started in General, now in the Pub forum about the prettiest PM in the world? Looking at all of the other ones we've seen over the years, I'd say she definitely has a shot.

( Hint: She's up against Margaret Thatcher, Angela Merkel and so on. )

Edited July 5, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Thighlander]

This guy was able to pass himself off as a woman and get hired by Obama to be head of Homeland Security. Makes Hillary look like a beauty queen.

[Sparkles]

This ? not only relates to CM but the whole of Thailand.If the minimum daily pay is going to go to 300 baht and Bachelor Degree holders will get a minimum wage of 15,000b per month what will that do for inflation? That was just part of the PT promises, pre election ,wasn't it ? Forget about mega projects for CM.let's hear from the business folk on how they think it will effect them.

Wait.. you think paying at least $10 / 300 baht for an honest day's work is an issue? Already it's hard to find (Thai) people to do that for 300 baht. this policiy is a sensible minimum, which will hopefully end some of the worst cases of worker exploitation.

Same for 15K graduates: I bet this applies only after they pass probation. If they're smart people then they're worth 15K.

( I admit I have some questions on this one though. Loads of people complete bachelor degrees these days, most not at big name universities. Not all of those people are actually worth 15K, so it will be interesting to see what happens. Some of these new graduates will not nearly be as productive as someone who does NOT have a bachelor degree but has been with a company since before the time that any Polytechnic or Teacher College1 became 'a university', so it would be unfair to have this experienced person at, say, 12K but then a newbie graduate starting at 15.. I reserve judgement until seeing the actual proposal; so far all I've seen is the election poster.

And last but not least, I look forward to that tablet computer! Payback time to my daughter for abducting my iPod all the time. Looking forward to play Angry Birds on a glorious PTP tablet!!!

I am not saying they should not be better paid at all,did I ? business owners gear their prices to their overheads,not to hard to follow that logic. As an example the going rates for receptionists ,with bachelor degrees,at a Dental or Doctors surgeries averages between 8-10,000 baht. Obviously if the min rate is 15,000 b costs have to be passed on.What people are worth and what they get is irrelevant to this topic. Its what the market considers is affordable or what they can get away with. I still say inflation could skyrocket if PT keep their stated promises and business owners comply. Alos self employed people are in no mans land. Where are you business owners ? we value your comments.

[CMX]

This guy was able to pass himself off as a woman and get hired by Obama to be head of Homeland Security. Makes Hillary look like a beauty queen.

This joking entry - number 54, with photo - might skip past some of us. Janet Napolitano was valedictorian of her undergraduate class and a Truman Scholarship winner, earned her JurisDoctor at an exceptionally fine university, and served in Arizona for six years as governor. So far as I can tell, she does not look glamorous in any photos, however, but must have some degree of ability? But then, who cares about ability?

Edited July 5, 2011 by CMX