More Publications Facing A Ban.

[davidm]

Today's copy of the Nation published an article by the GFar Eastern Economic Review which really puts the boot into Dear Leader. The link for the article is:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/page.news....ess=1&id=108289

But as it's quite short, I'll post it, too. Hope this doesn't break rules.

'PM's policies are Toxinomics'

Published on Feb 15, 2004

The latest issue of Far Eastern Economic Review warns that Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's conflicts of interest have endangered Thailand's economic recovery.

The magazine's February 19 issue said Thaksin's conflicts of interest were undermining his economic leadership.

It said Thailand needed new policies, but Thaksin's existing economic strategy was linked too closely with his family businesses to change easily.

Unless he sacrificed Shina-watra company interests for the good of the country, the article advised, previously helpful policies would turn harmful, and the recovery would falter.

The Hong Kong-based magazine described Thaksin's potentially poisonous policy mix as "Toxinomics", rather than Thaksinomics.

It said that several key platforms of the government - cheap credit, a strong baht, stimulation of consumption and stock-market support - directly benefited Shin and other consumer-based businesses.

Both Toxinomics and the Shin group, the magazine said, maintained a special focus on consumption.

Thaksin had carefully crafted policies to put money in the hands of those Thais most likely to spend it, and consumption had boomed.

It said Shin's mobile-phone arm Advanced Info Service - the largest provider of Thailand's hottest consumer item - had profited hugely from the resulting shopping spree.

Since Thaksin was elected prime minister in January 2001, its subscriber base had jumped six-fold, it added.

The magazine said Thaksin's cheap-credit strategy further boosted the Shin empire.

Monetary easing and aggres-sive state-bank lending had pushed interest rates to all- time lows. In this environment, Shin's new consumer-finance company would enjoy cheap financing and sustained customer demand.

It said that Thaksin's promotion of the stock market helped Shin more than other busi- nesses. As one of Thailand's biggest consumers of equity finance, Shin benefited from the bull market more than most firms.

Wonder if FEER will get banned again. And maybe some action against the Nation.

[cdnvic]

My guess is that Shincorp will increase its stake in Nation Multimedia and turn it into another syncophantic rag like the Bangkok Post.

cv

[davidm]

Does this mean if I write enough posts on here ripping into Dear Leader, I could be on to a nice little earner in return for writing something more positive about the PM?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Does this mean if I write enough posts on here ripping into Dear Leader, I could be on to a nice little earner in return for writing something more positive about the PM?

He'll either buy you to control your thoughts and words, or he'll finger you as a drug dealer, and BANG BANG.....

[Membrane]

Today's copy of the Nation published an article by the GFar Eastern Economic Review which really puts the boot into Dear Leader.

Should that have been spelled "Der Leader"...?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Today's copy of the Nation published an article by the GFar Eastern Economic Review which really puts the boot into Dear Leader.

Should that have been spelled "Der Leader"...?

Jawohl Herr Kommandant

[plachon]

My guess is that Shincorp will increase its stake in Nation Multimedia and turn it into another syncophantic rag like the Bangkok Post.

cv

Not quite Shincorp, but his transport Minster recently bought a 20 % stake in the Nation Group, so same difference. For failure to report the news in the B. Post and ass-licking sycophance, one only has to check out yesterday's paper, where there were two pics of the BKK Fashion parade on the front and a whole crop on page 4 (along with one of DL Tok-sin scoffing an ice cream), while the deteriorating situation in the south is given about 50 lines of weak reporting. I've seen better from the Daily Sport in UK. At least there's some humour in that rag.

[cdnvic]

Ironicly, the Post's sub-editor, who's exact spelling escapes me at the moment, is probably one of the better journalists I've read in Thailand. Has an unusual talent for actually writing balanced stories.

How he stays there is beyond me. Maybe he hacks into the system just before deadline and typsets his own columns.

cv

[Guest IT Manager]

Does this mean if I write enough posts on here ripping into Dear Leader, I could be on to a nice little earner in return for writing something more positive about the PM?

No

[ovenman]

It said Shin's mobile-phone arm Advanced Info Service - the largest provider of Thailand's hottest consumer item - had profited hugely from the resulting shopping spree.

Since Thaksin was elected prime minister in January 2001, its subscriber base had jumped six-fold, it added.

When TRT made their run in 2000-01, I wondered at that time whether an underlying intention was to gain power in an attempt to undermine the liberalization of the Thai telecommunications industry that is supposed to occur in 2006. I've been waiting since then for a shoe to drop regarding how opening up the country's phone business in its entirety to foreigners was not in the country's best interest and shouldn't happen.

[ASIC]

2000 - 2001. I thought Der Leader was looking for a 3G license at that time?