Thailand has been and is still controlled by a number of families. One thing they all do is perpetuate the feudal hierarchy , restrict education and keep foreigners at bay as much as possible. Social media is starting to erode part of their grip, which they are reacting against. There might be struggles, competition and hatred between families - but they all still have a strong interest in keeping the status quo.

Having said that, check out the family history and backgrounds of the British parliament. It is quite interesting!

Thailand has been and is still controlled by a number of families. One thing they all do is perpetuate the feudal hierarchy , restrict education and keep foreigners at bay as much as possible. Social media is starting to erode part of their grip, which they are reacting against. There might be struggles, competition and hatred between families - but they all still have a strong interest in keeping the status quo.

Having said that, check out the family history and backgrounds of the British parliament. It is quite interesting!

Or check the current situation in USA....it is over the last decades developing into something similar.

In many other countries you'll also see a disturbing amount of family members in parliament.

The main difference is that it is complete in the open in Thailand.

I see that very few commentators are aware of international politics and the vital role that dynastic families play in keeping their country on a sound footing.

Thailand like many countries around the world has both a monarchical family dynasty and several dynastic political families. It is these dynastic families that are the very core of what modern Thailand is.

Are such families ruthless and competitive in the way they both rule and protect the people? Of course they are.

Do we expect that our families of state would be poor? No of course we don't.

Nepotism does indeed lead to a distortion in politics.!

There is a long way to go in Thailand before things will change for the better.

A P-M and 'leader for the people' is only to be dreamed of !

And this is surprising? We know the officials all come from ONE family and will continue that way.

They OWN Thailand.

Well not quite. The Shinawatara Family are the 19th richest family in Thailand according to Forbes. You might want to check out the list. Politics is not the only way to make money and have influence in Thailand (and vica versa) Business can be just as dirty - some people seem to forget that in their efforts to demonise Thaksin and his Family.

There is no business and political separation in Thailand.. None

I didn't say that there was, hence my statement above - all this negative energy directed at the Shinawatra Family and the real culprits carry on as they have been doing.

There is a huge difference.

The rest are not standing on the world stage proclaiming the democracy (read Thaksins authoritarian control) they are bringing to Thailand while within Thailand they are stripping away or side stepping the few checks and balances in place that at least kept some minuet pathetic control over the rest of the corrupt political family factions, What the Shinawatra's are doing is taking over total and complete control of Thailand to a new level that those other families have never thought to. The warnings are coming from world bodies and from respected persons within Thailand (there have been heaps of news items lately and even this item also shows the problems), but they may as well all be p!ssing into the wind as Thailand is already sinking under the weight of its own corruption, family authoritarianism, pathetic defamation laws and incompetence to change. The problem with Thaksin and why he is being singled out is he is exploiting and corrupting the system with all its failings to a level as yet not seen to take Thailand completely away from any glimmer of a democratic path.

I actually don't have a problem with Thailand being the corrupt failed mafia family state along the lines of Cambodia that the Shinawatra's are taking it to. The Thai's are going to have to go there to learn from their own experiences. The problem I have is when Thaksin's puppet sister spouts garbage on the world stage that Thailand is democratic when any person with part of a functioning brain can see that the opposite is occurring.

And as for this item. Just another again showing the reality of some of the deep seated problems that is beyond repair within Thailand while the corrupt mafia families have control. The reality is Thailand is going to go to the depths of the gutter before either the Army has to try and correct the corrupt political mess again or the people arise against their mafia amarts without one as their leader. And the chances of that in Thailand where even those who are being abused the most at the bottom of the heap can only think of the instant gratification of a ฿500 freebie are nil. More chance believing in the tooth fairy with a magic wand.

So nothing has really changed then... The song remains the same.

Sadly, it's going to get worse with the proposed constitutional changes in the way Senators are elected; it will be even easier for family members of MPs to become Senators. You know, keep the whole country in the families pockets. Old amataya and new amataya split 50/50.

It was always corrupted like this. Always

They OWN Thailand.

Well not quite. The Shinawatara Family are the 19th richest family in Thailand according to Forbes. You might want to check out the list. Politics is not the only way to make money and have influence in Thailand (and vica versa) Business can be just as dirty - some people seem to forget that in their efforts to demonise Thaksin and his Family.

You think most folks who dislike thaksin / the thaksin machine just because they have money?

http://2bangkok.com/couples-parliament.html

President of the Parliament: "Senator, please stop debating with members of parliament. It’s so loud and it is disturbing them."
Caption: Next year, it will be a couple’s parliament.

I see that very few commentators are aware of international politics and the vital role that dynastic families play in keeping their country on a sound footing.

Thailand like many countries around the world has both a monarchical family dynasty and several dynastic political families. It is these dynastic families that are the very core of what modern Thailand is.

Are such families ruthless and competitive in the way they both rule and protect the people? Of course they are.

Do we expect that our families of state would be poor? No of course we don't.

They're not talking about monarchies. They're talking about politicians.

Political families aren't in it for the country. They're in it for their own wealth.

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