How Thaksin Rules Thailand With Skype And Instant Messenger

[Tatsujin]

It's easy to get an idea of peoples opinions and biases from their posting, and you can get an idea of other details like age and location, but to know their social and education background ... pfft.

I would argue precisely the opposite.Age and location one can only make an intelligent guess at.Over time however a poster's education and social class is easy to grasp.I don't even think this is even particularly controversial.Perhaps one should add a caveat to theeffect it is easier to be precise about a culture one is very familiar with, in my case British.But it applies across the board, at least with native English speakers.

So . . . as I asked before, read me and tell me what your thoughts are on where I come from, level of education etc etc . . . I'm really interested to know how accurate you can be.

[Tatsujin]

It's easy to get an idea of peoples opinions and biases from their posting, and you can get an idea of other details like age and location, but to know their social and education background ... pfft.

I would argue precisely the opposite.Age and location one can only make an intelligent guess at.Over time however a poster's education and social class is easy to grasp.I don't even think this is even particularly controversial.Perhaps one should add a caveat to theeffect it is easier to be precise about a culture one is very familiar with, in my case British.But it applies across the board, at least with native English speakers.

I'm a Welshman.

What's my culture?

The "Welsh" have a culture? <sniggers>

[Melyn]

It's easy to get an idea of peoples opinions and biases from their posting, and you can get an idea of other details like age and location, but to know their social and education background ... pfft.

I would argue precisely the opposite.Age and location one can only make an intelligent guess at.Over time however a poster's education and social class is easy to grasp.I don't even think this is even particularly controversial.Perhaps one should add a caveat to theeffect it is easier to be precise about a culture one is very familiar with, in my case British.But it applies across the board, at least with native English speakers.

I'm a Welshman.

What's my culture?

The "Welsh" have a culture? <sniggers>

We are a proud nation with a very rich culture.

I have no idea where you're from but I can only assume that your culture was grown on a agar plate

[Tatsujin]

The "Welsh" have a culture? <sniggers>

We are a proud nation with a very rich culture.

I have no idea where you're from but I can only assume that your culture was grown on a agar plate

Come, come, that was just a good bit of British sarcasm . . . don't take it too seriously . . . the <sniggers> at the end indicates a light hearted joke post just for your future reference.

[cdnvic]

People's linguistic skills are not the topic here.

[hellodolly]

Not sure if he could match me either. but one does get an idea of a poster if they have seen the poster's comments often enough. for instance I am defiantly anti red shirt and anti PT. I also think Thaksin is not only a convicted crimanal but a world class criminal nothing petty about him.

Now the one thing I have learned about jayboy is he has a lot of good points but he mixes them in with his own bias and when found out disappears from the thread. This indicates to me he comes from a world where every thing must be tightley controlled.

But ha this is Thai Visa and who knows if a poster is showing us the same face they show every one around them.

It's easy to get an idea of peoples opinions and biases from their posting, and you can get an idea of other details like age and location, but to know their social and education background ... pfft.

Yes and there in lies the problem. It is easy for some to escape into another world than the one they live in and more than likely enjoy but is very different from the world they show us here. I will admit that there are things I would not say in the world I live in but will say here.

The reason for that is the world in which I live in on a daily basis rarely touches on these subjects and I as well as my friends are well aware of it so we seldom talk of it.

On another post I mentioned that I was anti red shirt it is easy to assume I am pro yellow shirt. I have no respect for either one. The only reason I have less respect (actually none) for the red shirts is that they have done more lasting damage to Thailand than the Yellow shirts. Both are an unwanted commodity in the Thailand I would like to see. In fact they are a large reason for it being in the mess it is in.

[maidu]

Have I missed something here? Seems to me like Mr Thaksin enjoys the support of about 1% of the ex-pat community in Thailand and the other 99% think he's some kind of power crazy criminal looking for the star spot in the next James Bond film.

I've lived in Thailand, before, during, after, and back again to the Shinawtra era. My experience is that we (ex-pats and Thais alike) were and still are better off under Mr Thaksin's leadership than any other government during the past 30 years. If you don't agree, can anyone give me any good reasons to think otherwise?

If you were a friend or relative of any of the thousands who were killed during T's time as PM, I think you'd sing a different tune. Thousands extra-judicially executed during his 'war on drugs' and over a hundred killed in the two demonstrations in the south. Additionally, none of the army brass (all under Thaksin's direct oversight) were ever disciplined in any meaningful way for their harmful decisions.

[metisdead]

Off topic nonsense posts have been removed.

[Tanaka]

Skype and Instant Messenger ! Whom is he trying to reach.....the rice farmers?

One of my friends has a family rice farm. He has an iphone, We facetalk. The brilliance of this option is that as long as he has a wifi connection we can connect anywhere for free if I am on an Apple device. I get treated to updates such as last week when he called to let me know that some guy who I only met a couple times finally hooked up with the girl in the next village that he's been chasing for years. Without our Apple technology, I'd never have learnt of this very important gossip.

BTW, skype has replaced Hotmail instant messenger and will be the only option available for MS users in March for those users that relied upon the hotmail instant messenger service. Google purchased Motorola phones and is putting all of its messaging and mail services access on the devices. Anyone that has a mobile phone now has access to instant messaging services. It is one of the most low cost and efficient methods of connecting with people.

Low cost really? And who pays the high minute cost for using the mobile phone?

[F430murci]

If he ruled Thailand he would be back in Thailand.........is there anybody here who cannot follow this simple logic?.........Let us be clear about this Thaksin influences Thai politics from Dubai....nothing more.

Correction "Taksin rules" not Taksin influences

How's he doing then? Is there anyone able to do a better job? I reckon they're all about the same.

While no one here probably has a clue as to exactly what is occurring behind the scenes. There is much truth to this. Thailand is doing reasonably well right now so why stop the butchin. More whining and gossip on these silly baiting topics than that which occurs in a women's sewing circle.

[tropo]

If he ruled Thailand he would be back in Thailand.........is there anybody here who cannot follow this simple logic?.........Let us be clear about this Thaksin influences Thai politics from Dubai....nothing more.

Correction "Taksin rules" not Taksin influences

How's he doing then? Is there anyone able to do a better job? I reckon they're all about the same.

While no one here probably has a clue as to exactly what is occurring behind the scenes. There is much truth to this. Thailand is doing reasonably well right now so why stop the butchin. More whining and gossip on these silly baiting topics than that which occurs in a women's sewing circle.

LOL I was thinking it's easier to run a country by proxy than from the hot seat. Maybe this is why Thailand is doing OK right now.

[OzMick]

LOL I was thinking it's easier to run a country by proxy than from the hot seat. Maybe this is why Thailand is doing OK right now.

Right - Thaksin is too far away to answer questions, and Yingluk can't.

OK is a relative term. I suppose it's better to drown in rice and debt than floodwater.

[Thai at Heart]

A coincidental post earlier today

Those responsible and in command will, I hope, eventually be brought to court.

From the top down.

Thaksin Skypes

.

You mean just as the people that occupied the airports, and the judges on the take that were exposed on Youtube. Or did you had Suthep and Abhisit in mind for ordering mass murder on the streets of Bangkok. Or maybe you wanted to see Sonthi brought to justice for being in a mosque ordering young boys stapled on to 10 wheelers 5 high killing many? Or were you referring to Prem with his disregard for democracy that he ordered two handful of coup d'etats. It could be of course that you are referring to him not paying taxes or selling his company to Singapore but in that case why are you so quiet about Dtac with its Norwegian and Singaporean owners while Boonchai was left alone after the sales. Or maybe you are referring to the Banharn family who never paid taxes and got all the government orders for big construction projects.

The bottom line with you guys is that you are selectively pissed off when you have lost yet another election.

Indeed, i am a little confused about this silence about the family that sold dtac. We hear the odd story about dtacs share structure but very little about how this skirted the law at the time.

As for " rules" Thailand, i think runs would be a better word.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[fabianfred]

OMG...you Aphisit supporters are really boring...I bet when Taksin comes back you're all up against the wall....

[Tatsujin]

OMG...you Aphisit supporters are really boring...I bet when Taksin comes back you're all up against the wall....

Why does being "anti" the current Govt or "anti" Thaksin automatically make one an Abhisit or "yellow" supporter?

[webfact]

Yingluck stresses she's real prime minister

Full story:

[Buchholz]

OMG...you Aphisit supporters are really boring...I bet when Taksin comes back you're all up against the wall....

OMG... you Thaksin defenders are a laugh a minute... I bet when Thaksin comes back you're all be ecstatic....

.

[otherstuff1957]

^ I rather suspect that when Thaksin comes back they will be swiftly disillusioned rather than ecstatic.

I may be wrong, but I would guess that most Thaksin/Redshirt/PT supporters were not here when he was PM and that many of the anti-Thaksin/Redshirt/PT posters were here when he was PM.

[tropo]

LOL I was thinking it's easier to run a country by proxy than from the hot seat. Maybe this is why Thailand is doing OK right now.

Right - Thaksin is too far away to answer questions, and Yingluk can't.

OK is a relative term. I suppose it's better to drown in rice and debt than floodwater.

OK then, what's your assessment of the current state of affairs compared to any other time over the past few decades.

It has been more peaceful over the last 18 months. Surely that counts for something in a country renowned for military coups.

[Tatsujin]

LOL I was thinking it's easier to run a country by proxy than from the hot seat. Maybe this is why Thailand is doing OK right now.

Right - Thaksin is too far away to answer questions, and Yingluk can't.

OK is a relative term. I suppose it's better to drown in rice and debt than floodwater.

OK then, what's your assessment of the current state of affairs compared to any other time over the past few decades.

It has been more peaceful over the last 18 months. Surely that counts for something in a country renowned for military coups.

I'd trot that argument out after 5 years+, not 18 months lol

[Buchholz]

LOL I was thinking it's easier to run a country by proxy than from the hot seat. Maybe this is why Thailand is doing OK right now.

Right - Thaksin is too far away to answer questions, and Yingluk can't.

OK is a relative term. I suppose it's better to drown in rice and debt than floodwater.

OK then, what's your assessment of the current state of affairs compared to any other time over the past few decades.

It has been more peaceful over the last 18 months. Surely that counts for something in a country renowned for military coups.

A country renowned for Red Shirt violence (2007, 2009, 2010) on a more frequent basis than coups over the past 2 decades.

Sure is coincidental that it has been more peaceful over the last 18 months since their leaders have been put in the government.

Agreeably, the current peace does count for something, however.

It counts for identifying those that made it un-peaceful during the preceding time.

.

[tropo]

LOL I was thinking it's easier to run a country by proxy than from the hot seat. Maybe this is why Thailand is doing OK right now.

Right - Thaksin is too far away to answer questions, and Yingluk can't.

OK is a relative term. I suppose it's better to drown in rice and debt than floodwater.

OK then, what's your assessment of the current state of affairs compared to any other time over the past few decades.

It has been more peaceful over the last 18 months. Surely that counts for something in a country renowned for military coups.

I'd trot that argument out after 5 years+, not 18 months lol

No, I'm saying it has been more peaceful here in the last 18 months - doesn't that count for something?

That's all I'm saying.

What are you expecting in the next 3.5 years?

[tropo]

LOL I was thinking it's easier to run a country by proxy than from the hot seat. Maybe this is why Thailand is doing OK right now.

Right - Thaksin is too far away to answer questions, and Yingluk can't.

OK is a relative term. I suppose it's better to drown in rice and debt than floodwater.

OK then, what's your assessment of the current state of affairs compared to any other time over the past few decades.

It has been more peaceful over the last 18 months. Surely that counts for something in a country renowned for military coups.

I'd trot that argument out after 5 years+, not 18 months lol

There's no argument. It has been peaceful for the last 18 months. It's a good start.

You guys are doom and gloom merchants. You don't like the government and want it to fail.

[Tatsujin]

There's no argument. It has been peaceful for the last 18 months. It's a good start.

You guys are doom and gloom merchants. You don't like the government and want it to fail.

Yes, it's been relatively quiet. Just like it was before most of the other coups.

What I'm saying is that if you are trying to say things are good now under the current Govt, I would wait quite a few more years before claiming things are getting better.

There is a LOT of discontent simmering under the surface. This is far from being over and I think it's the lull before the storm right now. If nothing happens in the next 18 months I'll concede it might be "a good start".

[tropo]

There's no argument. It has been peaceful for the last 18 months. It's a good start.

You guys are doom and gloom merchants. You don't like the government and want it to fail.

Yes, it's been relatively quiet. Just like it was before most of the other coups.

What I'm saying is that if you are trying to say things are good now under the current Govt, I would wait quite a few more years before claiming things are getting better.

There is a LOT of discontent simmering under the surface. This is far from being over and I think it's the lull before the storm right now. If nothing happens in the next 18 months I'll concede it might be "a good start".

I do understand exactly what you're saying. Maybe I'm just a bit more optimistic than some.

[Tatsujin]

There's no argument. It has been peaceful for the last 18 months. It's a good start.

You guys are doom and gloom merchants. You don't like the government and want it to fail.

Yes, it's been relatively quiet. Just like it was before most of the other coups.

What I'm saying is that if you are trying to say things are good now under the current Govt, I would wait quite a few more years before claiming things are getting better.

There is a LOT of discontent simmering under the surface. This is far from being over and I think it's the lull before the storm right now. If nothing happens in the next 18 months I'll concede it might be "a good start".

I do understand exactly what you're saying. Maybe I'm just a bit more optimistic than some.

Keep it up, I'd love to be a "glass half full" type. Unfortunately my glass remains forever half full.

[jayboy]

LOL I was thinking it's easier to run a country by proxy than from the hot seat. Maybe this is why Thailand is doing OK right now.

Right - Thaksin is too far away to answer questions, and Yingluk can't.

OK is a relative term. I suppose it's better to drown in rice and debt than floodwater.

OK then, what's your assessment of the current state of affairs compared to any other time over the past few decades.

It has been more peaceful over the last 18 months. Surely that counts for something in a country renowned for military coups.

A country renowned for Red Shirt violence (2007, 2009, 2010) on a more frequent basis than coups over the past 2 decades.

Sure is coincidental that it has been more peaceful over the last 18 months since their leaders have been put in the government.

Agreeably, the current peace does count for something, however.

It counts for identifying those that made it un-peaceful during the preceding time.

.

That's one possibility albeit a mildly deranged one.Another possibility is that there's a government in place the Thai people are broadly satisfied with.

[Buchholz]

Right - Thaksin is too far away to answer questions, and Yingluk can't.

OK is a relative term. I suppose it's better to drown in rice and debt than floodwater.

OK then, what's your assessment of the current state of affairs compared to any other time over the past few decades.

It has been more peaceful over the last 18 months. Surely that counts for something in a country renowned for military coups.

A country renowned for Red Shirt violence (2007, 2009, 2010) on a more frequent basis than coups over the past 2 decades.

Sure is coincidental that it has been more peaceful over the last 18 months since their leaders have been put in the government.

Agreeably, the current peace does count for something, however.

It counts for identifying those that made it un-peaceful during the preceding time.

< PERSONAL FLAMING SNIPPED >

Another possibility is that there's a government in place the Thai people are broadly satisfied with.

Particularly those Thai people whose dissatisfaction before resulted in violence.

.

Edited January 31, 2013 by Buchholz

[jayboy]

There's no argument. It has been peaceful for the last 18 months. It's a good start.

You guys are doom and gloom merchants. You don't like the government and want it to fail.

Yes, it's been relatively quiet. Just like it was before most of the other coups.

What I'm saying is that if you are trying to say things are good now under the current Govt, I would wait quite a few more years before claiming things are getting better.

There is a LOT of discontent simmering under the surface. This is far from being over and I think it's the lull before the storm right now. If nothing happens in the next 18 months I'll concede it might be "a good start".

Care to expand because I haven't the faintest idea what you mean.Are you suggesting a coup is in prospect in the next 18 months? The government obviously has its opponents and it is the duty of the opposition to oppose.Frankly unless you can be more articulate about the coming storm one is forced to conclude that the only thing simmering is your overheated imagination.

[jayboy]

Frankly there is no other word but "deranged" that can apply to someone who believes the Thai people who voted in the last government are in some sense supporters of violence.Not only is this slur on Thailand a breach of forum rules but an insult to the victims of 2010.