Thaksinomics

[Thaksinomics]

Thaksinomics.com a new website that examines the phenomenon of Thaksinomics. What does it replace? What are its main assumptions? The key policies and programs implemented to date? The likelihood of its success? Implications for the United States?

Thought you might be interested in referencing this site as it contains a wealth of information related to topics currently making headlines.

http://www.thaksinomics.com

[mrentoul]

Thanks for the link.

Who is behind this website?

And how did you grab the domain name?

Might be worth something one day!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Thanks for the link.

Who is behind this website?

And how did you grab the domain name?

Might be worth something one day!

Or worth nothing Michael

[Guest IT Manager]

Between you and me, a reasonable, considered, though-out overview of some of the policeis of the Government by someone from outside of it, isn't a bad thing at all.

I haven't read it all, but I sure will be.

[Guest IT Manager]

A point of adjudication hs been reached.

Administratively, this thread has the capacity to be read as political. It has been moved to allow non politically oriented members to avoid it.

[Thaksinomics]

Agree this is a political type post, I also feel that its related to your business forum as almost everything about Thaksinomics has huge impact on doing business in or with Thailand.

Maybe you could link this post also in the business forum.

Thanks

[mrentoul]

I'd still like to know who is behind it. How else are we supposed to ''read'' what the website has to say?

I agree, a website like this is no bad thing. I am looking forward to reading it.

I imagine it won't be too hard to discern the bias of the people behind it; but I'd still like to know who they are!

[Guest IT Manager]

Our members are very savvy, Thaksinomics. They will locate it and keep reading it. You will need to keep the pressure on it though, as in managing where it goes.

IT

[Thaksinomics]

Thaksinomics.com is a collaboration of information from the following sources:

The Nation

New York Times

Dow Jones Newswires

Wall Street Journal

Christian Science Monitor

The Korea Herald

Stratfor

Morgan Stanley Global Economic Forum

International Herald Tribune

The Politics of Economic Reform

Thailand's Crisis

Harvard International Review

OPEC Review

The Global Competitiveness Report 2001

International Monetary Fund

The Mystery of Capital

Far Eastern Economic Review

Financial Times

Rather then invent program policy or make claims unsubstantiated Thaksinomics.com simply compiled as much information on the subject of Thaksinomics it could find and then organized it in such a way so that the average person could understand the fundamentals of Thaksinomics.

Any bias opinions are not those of the writer but of source of the information.

[mrentoul]

Where's the Economist on that list?

They are not too keen on Thaksin or his remedies - yet they are also one of the best newspapers around.

I see the Bangkok Post aso failed to make the cut. I am not sure if that's a good thing or bad!

[mrentoul]

I've read your website. On the plus side it doesn't take long to get through it.

On the negative side it is weighted down with awful economics jargon. It is also light on detail in key areas.

Not everyone will agree with you that government intervention is the way to go, even in a developing country. And so what if Thaksin becomes a regional leader, or if Thailand is friendly with the US? What does it all mean?

There's nothing wrong with taking a position and arguing your point of view, the way the Economist does, for example. I much prefer that approach to one where the anonymous authors of a website purport to present ''objective'' information when they are doing no such thing.

According to what I have read elsewhere, Thailand is no stranger to high growth rates: it managed double digit growth for 50 years before the crash. Your website lacks an historic perspective of the Thai economy, I suspect because you'd rather just sell the message.

No information is objective, especially when the people presenting it won't declare their interest.

This is not meant to be snarky. I like the idea of bringing together the disparate bits of Thaksin's programme. I hope you add to it over time to bring us the results of various policies. You have made little attempt to interpret economic data about the state of the economy. A links page would also be helpful.

You are light on detail in key policy areas, such as the one tambon scheme. Just who is buying these products? Does the government find buyers? How much does it support the scheme? What has it done for the economy (measurements, please, not bland assertions)? How many people have found jobs under the scheme?

I could find nothing on social policy, such as the government's market-based health changes. These were attempted in the West 10 years ago with mixed results, but they are still exciting.

And so on...

[Thaksinomics]

Thaksinomics.com tried to keep information based purely on bias opinions or articles that have no factional information off the website.

This would be why some of the very interesting articles covered by the Economist were not included in the direct making of Thaksinomics.com. However, you will see that many of the sources have used the same subjects and ideas as the Economist but the articles are written in more of an unbiased manner.

The duplication of material and subject mater is why the Bangkok Post failed to be directly included in the making of Thaksinomics.

As Thaksinomics.com was built based on factual information rather then creating a website that only criticizes or praises. Thaksinomics.com gives people enough information to make their own decisions.

[Thaksinomics]

I understand your want for more information, the want for information was the reason for the creation of Thaksinomics.com. The only problem is that it’s hard to get complete and factual information relating to Thaksinomics.

I ensure you that Thaksinomics.com will be a forever changing website growing when information is made available.

If you have information of relevance or if you feel that Thaksinomics.com has misguided readers then please contact me as I hope Thaksinomics.com would be the best source possible for Thaksinomics.

On a similar note, if you or anyone you know is willing to translate the pages into Thai millions of Thai people who are kept in the dark simply due to the fact that 99% of the facts are only ever printed in English would be very appreciative.

[mrentoul]

Thaksinomics.com gives people enough information to make their own decisions.

I understand that might have been the aim, but whether it does or not is a matter of opinion.

I think the problem you grappled with is this: you assumed that if you openly declared your colours and said you favoured Thaksinomics, no one would read your site. They'd assume it was backed by Thaksin's party and as such part of his propaganda machine.

But what you are left with is a collection of information that doesn't head anywhere. It lacks direction because you haven't attempted to argue a position.

You've bent over backwards to keep your names out of it, to the extent where one of your email addresses reads ''[email protected]''. That's ironic, but I don't know if it was deliberate or unintended.

There's nothing wrong with being provocative; if someone disagrees he can always let you know, perhaps by posting responses on the website. It is part of the grand contest of ideas, a contest which newspapers, blogs and even webboards like thaivisa.com are engaged in every day.

Few people have made the effort to pull together the disparate threads of Thaksinomics to present it as a coherent argument or philosophy; but surely that's what it needs, especially as the election draws near.

If your website is to gain any clout the first thing you'll have to do is come out of the cupboard and say who you are. Then let the fun and games begin!

[Guest IT Manager]

mrentoul I think you are bringing out some interesting points. Most appreciated.

I actually agree. Bangkok Post is extremely short on policy negatives, but through the good offices of several of the area editors, it questions some internal policy issues quite nicely. Sanitsuda Ekachai springs to mind in this area.

For example, the Hill-tribe issue and their lifelong servitude with no reward except to be told they are about to be thrown out of the country. Like THIS

[davidm]

"On the plus side it doesn't take long to get through it.

On the negative side it is weighted down with awful economics jargon. It is also light on detail in key areas."

That sums up "Thaksinomics" perfectly. There is no such thing. It reminds me of the stir caused a few years ago by Thai Farmers Bank when they re-engineered and introduced the queue system and bright shiny counters. Sure, the progress was welcome, but hardly original or innovative. The same applies to Dear Leader's programme for the poor.

A few empty slogans is the best he has to offer, and they don't come cheap in the long run.

[mrentoul]

For example, the Hill-tribe issue and their lifelong servitude with no reward except to be told they are about to be thrown out of the country.

The Post has a couple of issues we cover well, and I am pleased we do. The hilltribe issue is one, and the other concerns a group of people in the North whose citizenship was revoked (a paperwork thing), and who consequently have no right to a job, education and so on.

[Guest IT Manager]

The Mai On issue was just one well pubnlicised side of the same coin. I hope the stateless workgroup from the law Society does some more work on this issue, but I am not holding my breath, since they seem to have been whipped into line by the dear leader as well.