Thailand’s Democrat Party Is hilariously misnamed

[TVGerry]

Over 11 million people voted for the Dems in the last election. Are all of them the Siam Paragon timid, selfish, uncultured, consumerist and without any decent vision of the future of the country?

It just goes to show how stupid and uninformed certain people are when they try to break things down as saying it's only the rich and middle class who are against Thaksin and the PTP.

Bangkok bourgeoisie, described as timid, selfish, uncultured, consumerist and without any decent vision of the future of the country by Cornell University Professor Benedict Anderson.
Uneducate people indeed.
See them down paragon everyday.

[apetley]

This guy writing for TIME magazine is a political stooge.he has close connections with red shirts and often in Thailand,Imagine what quality joUrnalism TIME once espoused.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Can you elaborate on the close connections?

[airconsult]

The People's Demokratik Republik Party now?????

[DocN]

OMG, another self proclaimed political expert who things that it's all about yellow vs Red. Or at least he want's people to believe that. Shut up or keep up dude.

...and who do you "thing" you are, to tell others to shut up?

[jayboy]

Of course the article's spot on and many more should follow.

Today we have this public spat between Suthep and Korn with Suthep making veiled threats against Korn and when meanwhile abhisit talks about joining the street protests.

Chances of the democrats winning a democratic election slipping away ever further and a new leader may be emerging for them.

Yes the article is very fair and the usual attacks in this thread on the author are as usual very predictable but without any substance.I haven't yet seen a comment he is in Thaksin's pay but no doubt that will be coming along soon.

Notwithstanding Suthep's comments about Korn, I think there is in fact no real split.Korn joined the mob this morning to march on the US Embassy.Pity really.I still like him but am also disappointed.

[DocN]

Over 11 million people voted for the Dems in the last election. Are all of them the Siam Paragon timid, selfish, uncultured, consumerist and without any decent vision of the future of the country?

It just goes to show how stupid and uninformed certain people are when they try to break things down as saying it's only the rich and middle class who are against Thaksin and the PTP.

Bangkok bourgeoisie, described as timid, selfish, uncultured, consumerist and without any decent vision of the future of the country by Cornell University Professor Benedict Anderson.

Uneducate people indeed.

See them down paragon everyday.

Some more voted for PTP- all stupid rice farmers and drunks from Isan, who were bought and sold?!

[toybits]

oxymoron...

[thailiketoo]

As a former employee of TIME, I am deeply embarrassed by the caliber of journalism that is in evidence here.

In the better days of this publication, unsubstantiated assertions like "Thaksin’s own populist policies helped bring millions of rural poor out of poverty", would never have survived the fact checking stage in TIME's editorial process. After weeks of following the current wave of anti-government protests, I am finally enlightened by Mr. Campbell that the yellow shirts have been resurrected and that they are, according only to him, synonymous with the democrat party. What a pile of journalistic schlock!

The main thrust of the article was Thailand's Democrat party misnamed.

Seems a lot of other media outlets got the same story wrong. But here on Thai Visa we got it right. The protestors are not the same group that used to wear yellow shirts and Democracy stands for government by appointment cause we know better than the Thai electorate and we sure are a lot more educate.

Thailand 3-Day Shutdown Call a Betrayal of Democracy

BY John Le Fevre ON 12 Nov 2013

Thai democrats give up on democracy, again

Charles Richardson | Nov 13, 2013 5:11PM

“Civil Movement for Democracy” (CMD) and the ‘Democrat Party’ itself (which is meandering on its stance at the moment) are an utter misnomers!

By Saksith Saiyasombut & Siam Voices Nov 29, 2013 11:00AM UTC

[Ricardo]

It's just not hilarious though

"Oh Yes It Is !" pipes up a voice, from the back ...

[thailiketoo]

Over 11 million people voted for the Dems in the last election. Are all of them the Siam Paragon timid, selfish, uncultured, consumerist and without any decent vision of the future of the country?

It just goes to show how stupid and uninformed certain people are when they try to break things down as saying it's only the rich and middle class who are against Thaksin and the PTP.

Bangkok bourgeoisie, described as timid, selfish, uncultured, consumerist and without any decent vision of the future of the country by Cornell University Professor Benedict Anderson.

Uneducate people indeed.

See them down paragon everyday.

Some more voted for PTP- all stupid rice farmers and drunks from Isan, who were bought and sold?!

Correct me if I'm wrong, I live in Thailand (not too bright you know). But I thought MPs were elected and they elected Yingluck? So, you are saying that a majority of Thailand's members of parliament are stupid drunk rice farmers?

[cacruden]

Superseded by a post after thinking this one did not commit.

Edited November 29, 2013 by cacruden

[GrantSmith]

Correct me if I'm wrong, I live in Thailand (not too bright you know). But I thought MPs were elected and they elected Yingluck? So, you are saying that a majority of Thailand's members of parliament are stupid drunk rice farmers?

Oooooh pick me pick me!

YL was not elected, she was part of the PTP Party List, PTP got enough votes, they appointed YL...

[cacruden]

Plenty of pro/con comments at the bottom of the actual article. He does note that there are plenty of reasons to hate Thaksin, and notes that in April/May 2010 the red shirts themselves were doing mass protests to remove the "democratically" elected government of the day.

The election was 233 / 480 for PPP, 165 / 480 for Democrats.... that was the election. I would not consider that anywhere close to a mandate for the Democrat Party. They pretty well pulled the party apart, caused a PM to step down over a cooking show, and made it known that you could form a government as long as it was a Democrat led government. And that was with a new (undemocratically created) constitution that was suppose to make it more difficult for the "red" parties to win.

Edited November 29, 2013 by cacruden

[cacruden]

The thrust of the article is the Democrat Party has thrown itself behind undemocratic principles. This is correct. Suthep wants an appointed (by him) representation which is highly undemocratic.

[cacruden]

Correct me if I'm wrong, I live in Thailand (not too bright you know). But I thought MPs were elected and they elected Yingluck? So, you are saying that a majority of Thailand's members of parliament are stupid drunk rice farmers?

Oooooh pick me pick me!

YL was not elected, she was part of the PTP Party List, PTP got enough votes, they appointed YL...

In a parliamentary system the leader is NOT elected, they are the leader (in the house) of the party that was given a mandate (minority or majority). Usually the largest party is given the first crack at creating an administration, but if the second largest party is close and the first party fails to create an administration then they are usually given the next crack. That is of course a stable minority government. If that fails then it is an unstable minority which does not have official support and may fall at any time (usually in the first year).

[thailiketoo]

Correct me if I'm wrong, I live in Thailand (not too bright you know). But I thought MPs were elected and they elected Yingluck? So, you are saying that a majority of Thailand's members of parliament are stupid drunk rice farmers?

Oooooh pick me pick me!

YL was not elected, she was part of the PTP Party List, PTP got enough votes, they appointed YL...

Ya, that's what I wrote. In response to Dr N writing, "Some more voted for PTP- all stupid rice farmers and drunks from Isan, who were bought and sold?"

Edited November 29, 2013 by thailiketoo

[DocN]

Over 11 million people voted for the Dems in the last election. Are all of them the Siam Paragon timid, selfish, uncultured, consumerist and without any decent vision of the future of the country?

It just goes to show how stupid and uninformed certain people are when they try to break things down as saying it's only the rich and middle class who are against Thaksin and the PTP.

Bangkok bourgeoisie, described as timid, selfish, uncultured, consumerist and without any decent vision of the future of the country by Cornell University Professor Benedict Anderson.

Uneducate people indeed.

See them down paragon everyday.

Some more voted for PTP- all stupid rice farmers and drunks from Isan, who were bought and sold?!

Correct me if I'm wrong, I live in Thailand (not too bright you know). But I thought MPs were elected and they elected Yingluck? So, you are saying that a majority of Thailand's members of parliament are stupid drunk rice farmers?

Oh man...I was answering to a generalization, by using a generalization.

Get it now?

[thailiketoo]

Some more voted for PTP- all stupid rice farmers and drunks from Isan, who were bought and sold?!

Correct me if I'm wrong, I live in Thailand (not too bright you know). But I thought MPs were elected and they elected Yingluck? So, you are saying that a majority of Thailand's members of parliament are stupid drunk rice farmers?

Oh man...I was answering to a generalization, by using a generalization.

Get it now?

I understand that. Generalization #1.timid, selfish, uncultured, consumerist and without any decent vision of the future of the country by MSP. Generalization #2 all stupid rice farmers and drunks from Isan, who were bought and sold?! by Dr No.

#1 is a bit offensive. #2 Is a lie, flame and very offensive. See the difference? Or maybe I got it wrong. I do live in Thailand after all.

[ratcatcher]

Thailand’s Democrat Party Is Hilariously Misnamed. That may well be true, but in the other corner we have

Pua Thai Party which translates as "For Thai" Party when actually it is Pua Thaksin Party or For Thaksin Party.

Time to wipe the lot out and start afresh. Let the people of Thailand decide without influence of Thaksin or other self interest groups. An impossible dream.

[kirk0233]

Sutheps' people's revolution for an absolute monarchy? Yeah right; that's what everyone has been fighting for since the last coup; a far right turn with no democarcy in sight. What is this idiot thinking?

[thailiketoo]

Plenty of pro/con comments at the bottom of the actual article. He does note that there are plenty of reasons to hate Thaksin, and notes that in April/May 2010 the red shirts themselves were doing mass protests to remove the "democratically" elected government of the day.

The election was 233 / 480 for PPP, 165 / 480 for Democrats.... that was the election. I would not consider that anywhere close to a mandate for the Democrat Party. They pretty well pulled the party apart, caused a PM to step down over a cooking show, and made it known that you could form a government as long as it was a Democrat led government. And that was with a new (undemocratically created) constitution that was suppose to make it more difficult for the "red" parties to win.

Check your time frame. Abhisit (Yellow shirt) took over after the cooking show guy got bounced by the same constitutional court that told Yingluck (red blouse) she could not have an election for the senators (because appointing senators is more democratic than electing them). I think. Did I get that right? It's confusing. I find it easier to remember the colors. Red has the majority but can't run the country. Yellow can run the country but can't get elected.

[GrantSmith]

Correct me if I'm wrong, I live in Thailand (not too bright you know). But I thought MPs were elected and they elected Yingluck? So, you are saying that a majority of Thailand's members of parliament are stupid drunk rice farmers?

Oooooh pick me pick me!

YL was not elected, she was part of the PTP Party List, PTP got enough votes, they appointed YL...

Ya, that's what I wrote. In response to Dr N writing, "Some more voted for PTP- all stupid rice farmers and drunks from Isan, who were bought and sold?"

elected and appointed are two different words with two different meanings...

[cacruden]

Plenty of pro/con comments at the bottom of the actual article. He does note that there are plenty of reasons to hate Thaksin, and notes that in April/May 2010 the red shirts themselves were doing mass protests to remove the "democratically" elected government of the day.

The election was 233 / 480 for PPP, 165 / 480 for Democrats.... that was the election. I would not consider that anywhere close to a mandate for the Democrat Party. They pretty well pulled the party apart, caused a PM to step down over a cooking show, and made it known that you could form a government as long as it was a Democrat led government. And that was with a new (undemocratically created) constitution that was suppose to make it more difficult for the "red" parties to win.

Check your time frame. Abhisit (Yellow shirt) took over after the cooking show guy got bounced by the same constitutional court that told Yingluck (red blouse) she could not have an election for the senators (because appointing senators is more democratic than electing them). I think. Did I get that right? It's confusing. I find it easier to remember the colors. Red has the majority but can't run the country. Yellow can run the country but can't get elected.

OK then, what were the last election results BEFORE Abhisit became Prime Minister... what was his democratic mandate? I actually do not categorize Abhisit as Yellow, he relies on Yellow support.... there is a difference.

[hands22]

I think the article is an excellent piece. Too bad the writer did not complete the header. It should read

Thailand’s Democrat Party Is hilariously misnamed....It should now be called Delirious Party.

[Yunla]

This is a bad article for so many reasons, but the title of the article is so idiotic it made me physically recoil, as from a blow. The writer should probably look closer to home, at the US Democratic party which is staffed by CIA Operatives, Skull & Bones, Wall Street Oligarchs, mera mera. Acts like the 3rd Reich on domestic issues and much worse internationally. Not very democratic really, unless the US population wanted to live under those particular kind of jackboots, which I'm fairly sure they don't.

But re; Thailand, the Dems are now getting more bad press internationally, which I'm now certain is all going according to plan on some level. This is starting to feel choreographed, it isn't like the usual social-turmoil Mardi Gras that we have here, it feels different this time. In any case, its a bloody stupid article not least because a party name doesn't mean anything, they could call themselves Putasockinit Party and have a sock logo and wave socks (of any colour!) at protests, with the political platform of basically 'for crying out loud just shut up, put a sock in it if you have to, and get on with running the country'. I'd vote for that if I was allowed to.

[lineofentry]

Suthep is a puppet, his string pullers will never get a mandate unless they come down from their ivory towers. They are too far up their own backsides to do this, so now we have the 'rent a mob' crowd running around with impunity to 'justify' yet another coup. The army and civil service should be protecting democracy, but as we are now seeing they are in fact part of the problem.

[animatic]

This sounds like a press release from Robert Amsterdams NYC Office

and grabbed liberally by a journo with close ties to certain powers that be.

Let a damned hampster at a treadmill and he just keeps on spinning..

as long as the retainers are good. Dontchya know.

[Thai at Heart]

I always thought "Conservative" would suit them better.

By modern western definition of "democrat" from an American understanding of Democrat, or Social Democrat in Europe, they are a conservative party. In Thailand you can't be called republican obviously.

[tingtongteesood]

Another idiot journo who writes a piece because his boss tells him to and he can't even be bothered to do any real research before writing it.

[aaacorp]

Mmm and who are the leaders and key figure of this movment? Democrat of course... but they can t be elected so they chose to suppress election for an appointed council... so yes this political larty chose the wrong name.