Pardon For Thaksin: Thai Govt Takes Dangerous Path

[hellodolly]

Unbelievable ... this could mark the start of a very dark era for Thailand

The start of this new dark era for Thailand started already, when the majority of people voted Pheua Thai party to form the government. Unfortunately democracy always has a bad side.

The only way to save Thailand is to fight corruption with all means. The politicians, government officials and police are all corrupt and greedy, so a special corruption force would have to be formed. But as all politicians (maybe except one) are corrupt, it is hard to see, how Thailand will ever get a government, who are willing to fight corruption. Abhisit claimed to be willing to fight corruption, but could not do it alone. The poor people, the voters for the Pheua Thai party, do not understand, that when they don´t mind politicians being corrupt, they will never get at better life. Fighting corruption is the only way to get a better life for these people, as corruption basicly is rich people stealing loads of money, that could have been used for benefit of the poor people.

Actually the majority of the people did not vote for the PT

The PT would do well to remember that. They only got 48% of the vote.

If there was to be a election now it would be far less and they might find themselves on the out side looking in.

[sfbandung]

It would appear, for better or worse, that the majority of people support him. I personally don't abide thieves, I never have.

What is perhaps a greater concern though is the mooted overthrow (again!) of a democratically elected government should they pave the way for his return. The only price the governemnt should pay for this act is to lose the next election. Otherwise there'll be blood on the streets again.

[KKK]

Giving Thaksin a pardon is quite possibly the worst thing Thailand could do. Despite all the laws that make corruption illegal this pardon, if it goes ahead, would effectively say corruption is OK and we will forgive you for being a nasty dishonest thief and will allow you to return to steal even more of our countries wealth.

Thailand MUST stand up and fight corruption. And the first thing to do is severly punish those found to be guily of corruption. NO pardons...NO amnesties....NO moving to inactive positions....ONLY straight to jail with all personal possessions confiscated. With the message that you'll NOT be allowed to get away with it corruption may reduce.

Edited November 17, 2011 by KKK

[drdoom6996]

I rather let all others murderers and rapist in Thailand walk free than to see this man return to Thailand.

After all those money he stole from us Thais.

OK, I understand, BUT... maybe you will enlighten us which former PM or other politican hasnt steel any money from Thaipeople?

What hast changed in the years with Khun Abhisit? are there free shools? Free health care for Thais? (visit an Emergency room at 2 o clock in the morning, where 1 24year old woman doc is playing with her telephone instead taking care for the 30 (Phuket) older and younger patients waiting for a doc )

We all know Khun Thaksin is not the best solution for Thailand but he is by far not the worst!

Chuan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anand, appointed after Suchinda. These 2 had the Thai peoples took needs their heart while they were in office. I have been here 25 years and have seen the worst and the best. In my opinion Chuan was the best and Taksin stole the election with money and vacant promises. He is definitely the worst. And the Thai people love him. I will never understand this. Come on back Taksin and steal from us some more.

[gregb]

It would appear, for better or worse, that the majority of people support him. I personally don't abide thieves, I never have.

What is perhaps a greater concern though is the mooted overthrow (again!) of a democratically elected government should they pave the way for his return. The only price the governemnt should pay for this act is to lose the next election. Otherwise there'll be blood on the streets again.

It has always been known there will be blood on the streets again over this. The only thing that remains a question is when that blood will start to flow.

[sfbandung]

Unbelievable ... this could mark the start of a very dark era for Thailand

The start of this new dark era for Thailand started already, when the majority of people voted Pheua Thai party to form the government. Unfortunately democracy always has a bad side.

The only way to save Thailand is to fight corruption with all means. The politicians, government officials and police are all corrupt and greedy, so a special corruption force would have to be formed. But as all politicians (maybe except one) are corrupt, it is hard to see, how Thailand will ever get a government, who are willing to fight corruption. Abhisit claimed to be willing to fight corruption, but could not do it alone. The poor people, the voters for the Pheua Thai party, do not understand, that when they don´t mind politicians being corrupt, they will never get at better life. Fighting corruption is the only way to get a better life for these people, as corruption basicly is rich people stealing loads of money, that could have been used for benefit of the poor people.

Actually the majority of the people did not vote for the PT

The PT would do well to remember that. They only got 48% of the vote.

If there was to be a election now it would be far less and they might find themselves on the out side looking in.

I always love these furphies. In any multi-party democracy the ruling party rarely actually gets more than 50% of the primary vote. That is the nature of the system, and it's good. It is fair to say they had an overwhelming victory and underlying this is huge support for Thaksin.

I don't like it either, but there it is.

[nurofiend]

so is there any actual hard evidence of what was talked about yet, or is it all just guessing games and journalists opinions atm?

[ericthai]

I personally like Mr. Thaksin, it was under his leadership Thailand looked to be going forward with a lot of farangs ploughing money into Thailand, i know for a fact the tourism industry went through a 'Boom' time whilst he was in power and i was never short of work here (i work within the travel and tourism industry) but now for the past 3/4 years i have struggled to find any work, and tourism no matter which figures you read, is definitely down and i mean way down !

So Thaksin was slightly corrupt....erm excuse me, but which government is not? Someone on TV.com quoted 'he stole the Thai's money' isn't that what all governments do?

I for one look forward to his return to his beloved country, it wasn't so long ago he returned to an absolute heroes welcome with the media and the people cheering him as he walked out of the airport? it was live on most tv channels here as well.

Good luck Thailand **Comments removed**

Ahh..yes tourism is down, but not due to any government, do you know there is a little thing going on outside of Thailand called an economic crash, meaning nobody has money to go on holiday, has nothing to do with Taksin (that I know of, maybe he caused the crash). Do you even remember when Taskin was in rule, he was cracking down on visa's, he was making things harder for expats to stay and work here, he did not let the press report freely. The last government set up a program for free visa's to Thailand to help promote tourism, do you really think Taksin would have done that, no way. The only tourists he wants in Thailand is high dollar millionaires. Take some time and really think about how things were when is was running things and the state of the world not just Thailand before you decide if it was really him or just the economic good times of the world. The does not like expats.. If you could he would close Thailand to all expats and just take out money. His supporters talk about all the good he did, free health, money to farmers, rice scheme. None of these things really worked, the hospitals are broke, the rice scheme did not help the farmers only the mills and the govt lost allot of money. check into the things.

[kevbap]

I personally like Mr. Thaksin, it was under his leadership Thailand looked to be going forward with a lot of farangs ploughing money into Thailand, i know for a fact the tourism industry went through a 'Boom' time whilst he was in power and i was never short of work here (i work within the travel and tourism industry) but now for the past 3/4 years i have struggled to find any work, and tourism no matter which figures you read, is definitely down and i mean way down !

So Thaksin was slightly corrupt....erm excuse me, but which government is not? Someone on TV.com quoted 'he stole the Thai's money' isn't that what all governments do?

I for one look forward to his return to his beloved country, it wasn't so long ago he returned to an absolute heroes welcome with the media and the people cheering him as he walked out of the airport? it was live on most tv channels here as well.

Good luck Thailand **Comments removed**

Things looked to be going forward for the whole world. Do you want to give Thaksin credit for that too?

i thought this was a Thai forum? what are you saying? Thaksin was to blame for 9/11 ? if that was the case surely our local convenience stores would have changed there name !

[whybother]

It would appear, for better or worse, that the majority of people support him. I personally don't abide thieves, I never have.

What is perhaps a greater concern though is the mooted overthrow (again!) of a democratically elected government should they pave the way for his return. The only price the governemnt should pay for this act is to lose the next election. Otherwise there'll be blood on the streets again.

So, the "majority of the people support him", but the party that campaigned to bring him back could only get 48% of the vote, and even some of those didn't actually want him back.

I don't think you understand what "majority" means.

[jesimps]

Good luck Mr Thaksin !

[rotary]

Wow....Pardon?

[KKK]

I personally like Mr. Thaksin, it was under his leadership Thailand looked to be going forward with a lot of farangs ploughing money into Thailand, i know for a fact the tourism industry went through a 'Boom' time whilst he was in power and i was never short of work here (i work within the travel and tourism industry) but now for the past 3/4 years i have struggled to find any work, and tourism no matter which figures you read, is definitely down and i mean way down !

So Thaksin was slightly corrupt....erm excuse me, but which government is not? Someone on TV.com quoted 'he stole the Thai's money' isn't that what all governments do?

I for one look forward to his return to his beloved country, it wasn't so long ago he returned to an absolute heroes welcome with the media and the people cheering him as he walked out of the airport? it was live on most tv channels here as well.

Good luck Thailand **Comments removed**

Who are you, for God's sake???

Only a crook would show support for another crook!!

[kevbap]

I personally like Mr. Thaksin, it was under his leadership Thailand looked to be going forward with a lot of farangs ploughing money into Thailand, i know for a fact the tourism industry went through a 'Boom' time whilst he was in power and i was never short of work here (i work within the travel and tourism industry) but now for the past 3/4 years i have struggled to find any work, and tourism no matter which figures you read, is definitely down and i mean way down !

So Thaksin was slightly corrupt....erm excuse me, but which government is not? Someone on TV.com quoted 'he stole the Thai's money' isn't that what all governments do?

I for one look forward to his return to his beloved country, it wasn't so long ago he returned to an absolute heroes welcome with the media and the people cheering him as he walked out of the airport? it was live on most tv channels here as well.

Good luck Thailand **Comments removed**

Are all Shrewsbury fans as naive?

Its a forum, therefore we are all entitled to our views, i am a Shrewsbury Town fan, have a go at me for that at your will, its your opinion to and your right !

[gregb]

I rather let all others murderers and rapist in Thailand walk free than to see this man return to Thailand.

After all those money he stole from us Thais.

OK, I understand, BUT... maybe you will enlighten us which former PM or other politican hasnt steel any money from Thaipeople?

What hast changed in the years with Khun Abhisit? are there free shools? Free health care for Thais? (visit an Emergency room at 2 o clock in the morning, where 1 24year old woman doc is playing with her telephone instead taking care for the 30 (Phuket) older and younger patients waiting for a doc )

We all know Khun Thaksin is not the best solution for Thailand but he is by far not the worst!

Chuan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anand, appointed after Suchinda. These 2 had the Thai peoples took needs their heart while they were in office. I have been here 25 years and have seen the worst and the best. In my opinion Chuan was the best and Taksin stole the election with money and vacant promises. He is definitely the worst. And the Thai people love him. I will never understand this. Come on back Taksin and steal from us some more.

Thaksin is a demagogue. Thais love him for the same reason many Germans loved Hitler. He is extremely charismatic, and takes advantage of highly emotional issues to distort reality for his benefit. Even the ancient Greeks knew how dangerous demagogues were, and that democracies failed to work when they arose.

Yes, it is highly likely Thaksin will destroy the fledgling Thai democracy as well. That is the nature of who he is. You can hope democracy survives if you would like, but history should tell you not to bet on it.

[nurofiend]

I personally like Mr. Thaksin, it was under his leadership Thailand looked to be going forward with a lot of farangs ploughing money into Thailand, i know for a fact the tourism industry went through a 'Boom' time whilst he was in power and i was never short of work here (i work within the travel and tourism industry) but now for the past 3/4 years i have struggled to find any work, and tourism no matter which figures you read, is definitely down and i mean way down !

So Thaksin was slightly corrupt....erm excuse me, but which government is not? Someone on TV.com quoted 'he stole the Thai's money' isn't that what all governments do?

I for one look forward to his return to his beloved country, it wasn't so long ago he returned to an absolute heroes welcome with the media and the people cheering him as he walked out of the airport? it was live on most tv channels here as well.

Good luck Thailand **Comments removed**

people do seem to like the guy...i do wonder sometimes why the international community seem to look more positively on thaksin rather than negatively.

just going by nternational news coverage and articles and interviews, that's how it looks to me.

is there anything to that? who knows eh?

[Thai at Heart]

Your personal opinion, and it is not an informed one. I have met the man, and been wronged by him. All politicians are corrupt, but I have never met any other government official as malevolent as Thaksin, nor anyone who is so impossible to negotiate with. Words and people mean nothing to him. He will tell you whatever you want to hear, and then commit whatever scandalous, hideous atrocity benefits him the most completely disregarding anything he said and even denying he said it. His public persona is simply an extension of who he really is. Nobody can effectively work with him except those who venerate him and defer to him completely. He is a dictator by virtue of his character because he defers to nobody. I am not a psychiatrist, but I would not be surprised if someone told me he was a sociopath.

Yes, he is absolutely the worst solution for Thailand. Give him time and he will become Hitler. He is a demagogue and extremely dangerous. He must be resisted at all costs.

Funny you say this. I have been dealing with a company who's owner absolutely idolizes the man, and his way of doing business is exactly identical.

[hawker9000]

We all knew this was coming. It was predetermined. 'Might as well make your peace with it. And while we're at it, we might as well get used to the idea of him in office again as well.

[luckizuchinni]

I find it disgusting, up there with the Americans bombing their own embassies abroad during Clinton sex scandal.

???

And what has this preposterous and truly tinfoil hat brigade statement have to do with the subject at hand?

[Screws]

Christmas day. On a sleigh pulled by six red painted water buffalo. Then the Thais will really know he is god. Or something.

[hammered]

I note Abhisit seems to have forgotten that his regime removed the time served requirement from traditional practice in their changes last year when corruption cases were also excluded for the first time. Pure political game and nothing to do with fairness or law. The Abhisit-elite axis will do anything to keep Thaksin out of the country - they dont want him back as they know it could cause an uprising if they try to imprison him. The Thaksinistas will do everything they can to bring him back. The people elected the Thaksinistas at the last election giving them the impetus.

The odd thing is the more the elite attack Thaksin, the more they legitimise him in the eyes of the masses who are looking for something new. Total irony that.

[pomchop]

I personally like Mr. Thaksin, it was under his leadership Thailand looked to be going forward with a lot of farangs ploughing money into Thailand, i know for a fact the tourism industry went through a 'Boom' time whilst he was in power and i was never short of work here (i work within the travel and tourism industry) but now for the past 3/4 years i have struggled to find any work, and tourism no matter which figures you read, is definitely down and i mean way down !

So Thaksin was slightly corrupt....erm excuse me, but which government is not? Someone on TV.com quoted 'he stole the Thai's money' isn't that what all governments do?

I for one look forward to his return to his beloved country, it wasn't so long ago he returned to an absolute heroes welcome with the media and the people cheering him as he walked out of the airport? it was live on most tv channels here as well.

Good luck Thailand **Comments removed**

Taksin, love him or hate him, was removed from office not via the legal system but by a coup at night while he was out of the country. He is the ONLY Thai prime minister to finish even one full term. Doesn't say much for the "rule of law" that so many get ousted by various coups. How many of the charges against him or other former PM's are hyped up by his enemies? I frankly don't know and I highly doubt that many if any farangs have "inside" information as to what may or may not happen in local Thai politics. In America we had an investigator , Ken Starr, who spent six years and FIFTY MILLION TAX dollars investigating a real estate deal of Bill Clinton(that he lost money on) and after that they could not even come up with enough evidence for an indictment.

Regardless of what I or any other farang says or thinks the Taksin saga will ultimately be sorted out by the Thai people...as it should be. I for one just hope that it will be sorted out in a peaceful and non violent manner.

[sfbandung]

It would appear, for better or worse, that the majority of people support him. I personally don't abide thieves, I never have.

What is perhaps a greater concern though is the mooted overthrow (again!) of a democratically elected government should they pave the way for his return. The only price the governemnt should pay for this act is to lose the next election. Otherwise there'll be blood on the streets again.

So, the "majority of the people support him", but the party that campaigned to bring him back could only get 48% of the vote, and even some of those didn't actually want him back.

I don't think you understand what "majority" means.

Respectfully. Read my other post. "Majority" is a variable term in a democracy. 48% voting for them does not indicate 52% were against them either. In terms of electoral victories it was unprecedented.

I'm no Thaksin fan, but I'm not seeing enough support for democracy here. Thaksin coming back is poor, and wrong. Another coup as a result of it is far, far worse. I hope cooler heads prevail.

[Phuketshrew]

I personally like Mr. Thaksin, it was under his leadership Thailand looked to be going forward with a lot of farangs ploughing money into Thailand, i know for a fact the tourism industry went through a 'Boom' time whilst he was in power and i was never short of work here (i work within the travel and tourism industry) but now for the past 3/4 years i have struggled to find any work, and tourism no matter which figures you read, is definitely down and i mean way down !

So Thaksin was slightly corrupt....erm excuse me, but which government is not? Someone on TV.com quoted 'he stole the Thai's money' isn't that what all governments do?

I for one look forward to his return to his beloved country, it wasn't so long ago he returned to an absolute heroes welcome with the media and the people cheering him as he walked out of the airport? it was live on most tv channels here as well.

Good luck Thailand **Comments removed**

Are all Shrewsbury fans as naive?

Definitely not!!

[whybother]

Things looked to be going forward for the whole world. Do you want to give Thaksin credit for that too?

i thought this was a Thai forum? what are you saying? Thaksin was to blame for 9/11 ? if that was the case surely our local convenience stores would have changed there name !

The global economy was booming while Thaksin was in power. The fact that it was "good times" in Thailand had more to do with the global economy than it had to do with Thaksin.

People compare Thailand under Thaksin during a booming global economy with Thailand under Abhisit after the Global Financial Crisis. They see what they want to see.

[anothertorres]

Yingluck doesn't give a shit about being a political figure. she was only put in to do one thing... pardon Thaksin.

[theanimaster]

The government is becoming more and more like the Philippines'. Here you have the most immoral and heartless and not to mention the greediest of all scumbag politicians (I would be happy with just a billion baht in my lifetime) who is going to initiate the fall of Thailand into a dump like the Philippines. After this scumbag more will follow with only one goal in mind: rape the country of its cash as much and as fast as you can before your term is up. Thailand will lose its infrastructure and we will soon have MASSES of people begging on the streets. Think of those that you see begging at the large shopping malls, multiply their numbers by a hundred and envision them out on every major intersection or highway and this is Thaksin (and every other scumbag after him)'s true gift to Thai society. The poor stupid farmers don't think things can get worse? Oh but it can. And will.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

shockingly missed by the PM

Loving the Nation sometimes. Totally dig their sassie-queenie way of bringing the news.

[Orac]

It would appear, for better or worse, that the majority of people support him. I personally don't abide thieves, I never have.

What is perhaps a greater concern though is the mooted overthrow (again!) of a democratically elected government should they pave the way for his return. The only price the governemnt should pay for this act is to lose the next election. Otherwise there'll be blood on the streets again.

It has always been known there will be blood on the streets again over this. The only thing that remains a question is when that blood will start to flow.

One would assume that, if it is military lead overthrow, it will have to happen very quickly as this is a ROYAL decree being talked about so if it is approved it would be difficult to argue with. There could be an argument made by the military that they have to act as the government is putting the monarchy in a difficult position, however, when and if that decision is made it will be difficult to act afterwards.

The worst scenario would be for the army to have to step in due to civil disorder - previous disputes have been very much one sided but there is the potential for this to pitch one set of protestors directly against the other.

[bristolgeoff]

doing it behind closed doors,all the wrong reason for letting in a crimnal.the only one who will suffer is the thai person who can see he did wrong to his country.the others seem to vote if told who to vote and get some baht for they money.what is the chance thaksin will replace yingluck soon