Thaksin Announces House Dissolution, New Election

[OldAsiaHand]

Expats opinions simply don't matter, and in any case this forum is probably more representative of the "floating" expiate community than the more permanently established expats.

The thing is that the foreign community can have a voice and a say in the way things are done and the decisions that are made regarding foreigners by the government..... Will things change, of course they will, but it's slow....

While I applaud the overall sense of your post, I respectfully suggest you are being way too optimistic about the probability of meaningful change in Thailand.

Predicting the future anywhere is always a bit of a silly business, of course, but when you are trying to do it in Thailand, you have a real edge. Just predict that NOTHING will be substantially different in the future and you will almost always be right. Different in details perhaps (closing time is two or one or midnight or back to two again), but NEVER different in overall substance (closing times will be changed endlessly, and randomly, and at the whim of whatever person is in charge that week).

Don't believe me? Try that approach out on any period since World War II and find out how it plays....

See what I mean?

[Cassandra]

Expats opinions simply don't matter, and in any case this forum is probably more representative of the "floating" expiate community than the more permanently established expats.

The thing is that the foreign community can have a voice and a say in the way things are done and the decisions that are made regarding foreigners by the government. We have jointly a lot of pull and a lot of capital to use as leverage; but things have to be done slowly by lobbing the Thai Government and it's Ministries to bring the concerns of the foreign community to their attention, in a peaceful and non-confrontational manner. Will things change, of course they will, but it's slow and every time some foreigner gets arrested for some crime like pedophilia or forged passports the foreign cause is setback once again. You have to remember that we ARE the visible minority and our actions are noticed by the Thai population.

There is a Thai proverb

งามแต่รูปจูบไม่หอม

Ngam tae rup, jub mai horm - Great look but bad breath.

Those who have good appearance, but do not behave well.

The foreign community should act so the Thai population does not think we all have bad breath.

I completely disagree .You talk about the foreign community when there is in fact no "community".It ranges in a spectrum from visa runners (very well represented on this forum) to those that have acquired Thai citizenship, and the disparate parts have little to do with each other.The embassies to some extent speak up for foreigners' interests as do the combined Chambers of Commerce.Your comments about linkage with pedophilia crimes and forged pasports are plain silly.

[Jai Dee]

Thai Political figures are having meetings among their groups to assess the political situation after the PM's call for dissolution of Parliament

Political leaders are preparing to meet to assess the political situation after the prime minister has called for dissolution of Parliament.

After Prime Minister Thaksin's announcement of the dissolution yesterday afternoon core Thai Rak Thai members such as General Thmmarak Issarangkoon Na Ayutthaya, Mr. Somsak Thepsuthin, Mr. Suriya Jungrungreangkit, Mrs. Yaowapha Wongswad, Mr. Newin Chidchob and Mr. Sonthaya Khunpluem met to confer at the TRT headquarter. After the meeting, Mr. Somsak Thepsuthin said that Thai Rak Thai is ready for the election. He said this upcoming election should not be complicated. He also is confident the party will be elected back into the administration.

Wang Nam Yen faction leader Sanoh Thienthong yesterday called for members of his faction to meet this morning, and the result of their meeting including their next move will be announced at 2 P.M. today.

Chart Thai Party leader Banharn Silpa_acha has called in his party members for meeting, and he admitted that his party was at a disadvantage with the PM's call for dissolution of Parliament. He believes Thai Rak Thai will however receive less popularity in the upcoming election, and the Chart Thai Party will use the policy of Constitutional amendment in its rally for votes.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 25 Febuary 2006

[lukamar]

Your comments about linkage with pedophilia crimes and forged pasports are plain silly.

Racial majorities often judge racial minorities by the improper actions taken by a small portion of that racial minority.

OR....

Thais often judge foreigners by the improper actions taken by a small portion of foreigners.

Do you understand the concept now?

[camerata]

Is Thaksin into Heavy Metal bands?

Is Abhisit learning karate?

[Bryan in Isaan]

There he goes again - up to his old tricks again. Now he's pulling that old democracy stuff - have a vote. Yeah right - hear that before - get the mandate from the people....Woo the illiterate peasants living outside of Bangkok...buy votes...Bla Bla Bla....

Come on guys. Give it a break. What is Thaksin supposed to do? A few political opponents go into a tizzy, raise up a mob - not even a substantial mob, get a few signatures from a university and then DEMAND that he step down. What right does Sonti and his little group have to demand anything? Or run the country even if they had any alternative leaders? They know they don't have a chance in any legal process such as the upcoming vote. They are a powerless minority, full of hot air but no substance. It's time for them to make a graceful exit and come up with some constructive ideas, real support and perhaps some candidates over the next three years between now and the election. And while they're at it - get rid of those goofy looking headbands.

Bryan

[bander]

I am sick of the farangs whose hatred of Thaksin stems from nothing more than them having to pay a few more satang for their visas

Hey, this has nothing to do with visa fee.

If you don't know what's going on try to open a newspaper!

[chownah]

Anti Toxin People,

If you want to be rid of him then here's your chance. Don't waste your time posting here! There are almost no voters here and they seem to have all made up their minds already anyway. Get out into the villages and start educating the rural village people. The election will be won or lost in the rural villages. April 2 is coming fast so not time to waste. Get out there and educate those rural people! Remember that a democracy is only as strong as the education of its voters. Here is your chance to make a difference....debating things here won't make a difference..that's for sure.

Chownah

[Cassandra]

Your comments about linkage with pedophilia crimes and forged pasports are plain silly.

Racial majorities often judge racial minorities by the improper actions taken by a small portion of that racial minority.

OR....

Thais often judge foreigners by the improper actions taken by a small portion of foreigners.

Do you understand the concept now?

You are just repeating your original statement and I disagree with it.To elaborate, Thais these days are well aware there is a large element of low rent and sometimes criminal foreigners visiting their country, or even semi resident through visa running.They do not associate these "farang krajork" with the more established farang community, ie those with jobs and work permits.You and others like you completely underestimate Thais' ability to discriminate in these matters.

[richard10365]

And all this politcal turmoil in Bangkok is going to affect all us farangs how???

[TAWP]

I am sick of the farangs whose hatred of Thaksin stems from nothing more than them having to pay a few more satang for their visas

I'm sick of farangs whose love for money makes them praise Thaksin, and attack anyone with any critisism however justified it is, but never ever be truly able to motivate it as to why they do.

Not suprisingly the above poster is the same that posted the obious slander against all muslims of all kinds.

I guess we all know who supports who.

[BigSnake]

Ok!! All you anti-Thask

[Sangsom]

Cassandra (a cursed name) says:

To elaborate, Thais these days are well aware there is a large element of low rent and sometimes criminal foreigners visiting their country, or even semi resident through visa running.They do not associate these "farang krajork" with the more established farang community, ie those with jobs and work permits.You and others like you completely underestimate Thais' ability to discriminate in these matters.

Well I live in Thailand for almost 4 years on a non immigrant O visa with multiple entries. Jyst got my fourth. I do not need to work anymore and I spend here 2 million baht per year. I do make visa runs avery three months, I do not want nor need a work permit, does that make me a criminal, a semi resident?

How rude!

Edited February 25, 2006 by Sangsom

[BigSnake]

OK!! All you Anti-Thaskin Thais, stop your Bitching and get out and Vote. If he win again(fair and square) you will be dogmeat!! On second thought DOGMEAT could be a good thing.

[TAWP]

Lukamar

I have often wondered why the persistant moaners stay here if they are that unhappy with it here.

They may not have been happy at "home' either, possibly they have been looking for something in Thailand that has not come to fruition, maybe they blame others for the problems they themselves have created, perhaps once they sober up they realize that Thailand is more than Chiang and Bar-girls and then some people are not happy anywhere, and will find any excuse to whine, bitch and moan.

I just cannot fathom how shortminded some of your posters are.

Here is a newsflash: The number of us living here due to family, not gogobars, is not to be taken lightly. Many of us have kids or kids on the way. Are you telling me we shouldn't be concearned about the country that our kids are [going to] be citisens off?

Get your head out from the sand - and stop trying to psychoanalyse several thousends of people as if they where one. You fail miserably.

[Cassandra]

Cassandra (a cursed name) says:

To elaborate, Thais these days are well aware there is a large element of low rent and sometimes criminal foreigners visiting their country, or even semi resident through visa running.They do not associate these "farang krajork" with the more established farang community, ie those with jobs and work permits.You and others like you completely underestimate Thais' ability to discriminate in these matters.

Well I live in Thailand for almost 4 years on a non immigrant O visa with multiple entries. Jyst got my fourth. I do not need to work anymore and I spend here 2 million baht per year. I do make visa runs avery three months, I do not want nor need a work permit, does that make me a criminal, a semi resident?

How rude!

No of course it doesn't make you a criminal as my earlier post made quite clear.However from the information you have just given you are clearly one of the army of semi resident or floating visa runners.Nothing wrong with that but I don't think Thais would see you as an established expatriate, and neither would I.

[ColPyat]

I am fed up with self righteous posters complaining about others spelling mistakes, and then go on to post a sequence of catastrophic syntax and spelling themselves:

Please note that APPEARANTLY is apparently spelt APPARENTLY.

But then again, as you stated "The ability to type on a keyboard and minimal intellectual capacity appearantly are completely different matters".

As for Single minded Thaksin fans. I met him first in 1997 when the Country was Bankrupted by the Opposition. He said he never wanted to be Prime Minister, but I persuaded him that he was the best man for the job being a Businessman. He went on to win the Election and paid off the IMF loan in record time. He has made Thailand strong again. Now there are many mega projects about to kick off, the opposition want to get rid of him, so that they can have their turn at the trough. The opposition do not have the good of the Country at heart, and only want to line their pockets.

I am actually close to the Democratic party and a former advisor to Sanan. I do not support TRT but Thaksin is the best man for Prime Minister.

Being not a native English speaker i am permitted spelling mistakes and syntax errors.

The country bankrupted in '97 by the opposition? Now that's a new one.

The country was bankrupted by the Chavalit government, in which Thaksin was a deputy prime minister, where he resigned after failing completely in his self set task of solving Bangkok's traffic jams. Opposition? What are you talking about?

And Chavalit was during the first legislative period of the Thaksin government deputy prime minister under Thaksin.

The democratic party that came after Chavalit was forced to step down had very litte choice in terms of accepting IMF loans. The huge difference between Malaysia that could afford to refuse IMF loans and Thailand was that Malaysias NPL situation was not far as severe as Thailand's. In fact, Malaysia's NPL was international standard, somewhere around 7% to 10%, compared to Thailand's of 60% to 80%.

And as we come to name dropping, funny, your claims about Thaksin that you "met him first in 1997 when the Country was Bankrupted by the Opposition. He said he never wanted to be Prime Minister, but I persuaded him that he was the best man for the job being a Businessman." are bewildering, to me at least.

In '96/'97 i had many debates with a family friend of the Shinawatra clan, who at that time predicted that Thaksin will one day be Thai prime minister. That person was right, i was wrong.

But then, i do not mingle often with the mighty and powerful, or claim to be in any advisory position to those...

By the way, you must be really proud of your achievements as "former advisor" to Sanan, given the political Siberia he finds himself in now.

[TAWP]

OK!! All you Anti-Thaskin Thais, stop your Bitching and get out and Vote. If he win again(fair and square) you will be dogmeat!! On second thought DOGMEAT could be a good thing.

Is that supposed to be a personal threat to all critics? Not surprising...why would his fans be any better then him?

And you...don't mention 'fair and square' in an election where bought votes are an established fact. It just makes you look uninformed. But I guess that would be the basis of your love for the man.

[Siripon]

I think once Jamlong joined the fray Taksin realised the situation, ie the protests, could soon spiral and if it came to violence he would have to resign in shame.

I read Taksin's rebuttal of the accusations in the papers today, ie the sale to Temasek was to avoid charges of conflict of interest- well, why didn't he do that when he came to office in 2001 before he altered all the laws benefitting Shin Corps? He also said he'd wanted to pay tax on the deal but The Inland Revenue Office forbade it! Well, why not announce a donation to charity of the same amount at the time?

[TAWP]

...now he just need his own private news-corp and a 'no spin-zone'-show.

Wait, nevermind...

Edited February 25, 2006 by TAWP

[bulmercke]

A win again by fearless leader will literally crush his opponents. Smart move - no one can ever call the man stupid.

Don't you realise that the sole objective of Thaksin's critics and detractors is to remove him from public ofice PERMANENTLY.....and this will come about.....whether he's re-elected or not!

[penzman]

What if all other political parties other than TRT decided not to run in the coming election? How legitimate of an election would that be?

Just announced on ASTV, Stand by for the Democrats coming out with BIG NEWS this evening , apprently good news for Thai people, saying that it's bigger news than when Thaksin announced House dissolution (which a reporter is saying was done by Thaksin himself when normal procedure should have had 5 members of Gah Lah Tah making the announcement).

[haha]

A win again by fearless leader will literally crush his opponents. Smart move - no one can ever call the man stupid.

Don't you realise that the sole objective of Thaksin's critics and detractors is to remove him from public ofice PERMANENTLY.....and this will come about.....whether he's re-elected or not!

you really are stupid, aren't you?

if that were to happen, you would be one of the first people the police would be looking for. and if you think being anonymous on the internet would afford you any protection, you are dreaming.

[TokyoT]

As for Single minded Thaksin fans. I met him first in 1997 when the Country was Bankrupted by the Opposition. He said he never wanted to be Prime Minister, but I persuaded him that he was the best man for the job being a Businessman. He went on to win the Election and paid off the IMF loan in record time. He has made Thailand strong again. Now there are many mega projects about to kick off, the opposition want to get rid of him, so that they can have their turn at the trough. The opposition do not have the good of the Country at heart, and only want to line their pockets.

I was going to address your point in regard to Thailand being bankrupted by the opposition, but I think ColPyat has done that sufficiently.

In regard to your comment about the IMF loan repayment in record time – I wonder to what record do you refer? As South Korea repaid their IMF loan long before Thailand was able to repay theirs. I will give credit to Thailand for repaying the loan early, but hardly in record setting pace. A discussion as to how Thailand accomplished this feat is yet another topic – but a four-fold increase in public debt from 1996 – 2002 is hardly something to boast about.

I am of conflicting opinions in regard to Mr. Thaksin – I do think he did more good than bad for Thailand in his first term. But somewhere along the way I think he has lost touch with what is what is really best for Thailand and the majority of the Thai people.

[thaigene2]

I just love this photo of Thaksin taken yesterday by AP. It really sums it up for me. On April 2nd Thailand will be returning "the devil it knows" to office. I reckon he's saving the middle finger for the Chinese-Thai civil servant class..who've lost their privileged 10% skimming rights to Thaksin's Chinese-Thai business buddies..They can rally all they like..they've lost their power, influence, access to the treasury, and their credibility too. I'm heartbroken for them..no, really..really..

[haha]

As for Single minded Thaksin fans. I met him first in 1997 when the Country was Bankrupted by the Opposition. He said he never wanted to be Prime Minister, but I persuaded him that he was the best man for the job being a Businessman. He went on to win the Election and paid off the IMF loan in record time. He has made Thailand strong again. Now there are many mega projects about to kick off, the opposition want to get rid of him, so that they can have their turn at the trough. The opposition do not have the good of the Country at heart, and only want to line their pockets.

I was going to address your point in regard to Thailand being bankrupted by the opposition, but I think ColPyat has done that sufficiently.

In regard to your comment about the IMF loan repayment in record time – I wonder to what record do you refer? As South Korea repaid their IMF loan long before Thailand was able to repay theirs. I will give credit to Thailand for repaying the loan early, but hardly in record setting pace. A discussion as to how Thailand accomplished this feat is yet another topic – but a four-fold increase in public debt from 1996 – 2002 is hardly something to boast about.

I am of conflicting opinions in regard to Mr. Thaksin – I do think he did more good than bad for Thailand in his first term. But somewhere along the way I think he has lost touch with what is what is really best for Thailand and the majority of the Thai people.

you sound like another one "of those guys" who wish to foster confusion and unrest in this country.

[Krub]

Your comments about linkage with pedophilia crimes and forged pasports are plain silly.

Racial majorities often judge racial minorities by the improper actions taken by a small portion of that racial minority.

OR....

Thais often judge foreigners by the improper actions taken by a small portion of foreigners.

Do you understand the concept now?

Yes I agree with you that is true all over the world especially in a very racialy tight community.

In Japan a few 'crimes' (house break-ins) by chinese students have had grave consequences on the issuing of their visas.

The same is surely true in Thailand regarding the sexual/drug offences by 'bad' farangs

Edited February 25, 2006 by Krub

[bulmercke]

A win again by fearless leader will literally crush his opponents. Smart move - no one can ever call the man stupid.

Don't you realise that the sole objective of Thaksin's critics and detractors is to remove him from public ofice PERMANENTLY.....and this will come about.....whether he's re-elected or not!

you really are stupid, aren't you?

if that were to happen, you would be one of the first people the police would be looking for. and if you think being anonymous on the internet would afford you any protection, you are dreaming.

I think you have seriously misconstrued my posting......" is to remove him from public office PERMANENTLY"......

This is obviously by democratic, lawful and civil means.

You have somewhat jumped the gun (no pun intended) by supposing (wrongly) I meant by another more violent method.

But then having said that, I've always thought that the only thing that's going to stop him (Tacky) is a bullet.....speaking rhetorically, of course!

And when you say: "if that were to happen, you would be one of the first people the police would be looking for. and if you think being anonymous on the internet would afford you any protection, you are dreaming."

Sorry, but it sounds like your fertile imagination is running away with you on this one.....fantasizing.....no doubt!

[Krub]

Anti Toxin People,

If you want to be rid of him then here's your chance. Don't waste your time posting here! There are almost no voters here and they seem to have all made up their minds already anyway. Get out into the villages and start educating the rural village people. The election will be won or lost in the rural villages. April 2 is coming fast so not time to waste. Get out there and educate those rural people! Remember that a democracy is only as strong as the education of its voters. Here is your chance to make a difference....debating things here won't make a difference..that's for sure.

Chownah

People in Thailand as everywhere else are more worried about their next meal than the election or the progress or demise of democracy (unfortunately)

Edited February 25, 2006 by Krub

[thaigene2]

and if you think being anonymous on the internet would afford you any protection, you are dreaming.

Yup..I reckon the authorities already know who we are and even collect our posts just in case one day they ever want to use them against us. I always operate from that paranoid perspective anyway..