Thailand’s Democrat Party Is hilariously misnamed

[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.

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.

His party lost the election and then he was promoted to PM. I don't know why. Normally I think one should win an election to be made PM. But what do I know? Did I get it right?

[MobileContent]

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...

It's exactly the same what we do in Germany. YS ran for PM if she win's the election, she will be appointed by the MP's

If she could be elected directly, I guess she would have got more votes, as the Newin, Banharn faction would surely have lost some more votes.

The Democrats are totally out of control. They run for elections, loose those elections and after a while they talk about people's power. Abhisit remembers me about Anward Ibrahim in Malaysia. If they can't win an election they have to bring the crowd to the streets.

[aaacorp]

Shhhh... mosy of the people here just want democracy in their country... not in thailand. They are the righteous ones who knows elections are good when the elected are the ones they backed otherwise an appointed council is the solution...

[plourvanij]

This "Time" writer most likely was in line at the sports stadium collecting his Bht 2000 from the red shirts.

[tonneke breda]

PAD isn't the Democrat Party and visa versa, why Thaivisa keeps publishing untrue stories???

[Thai at Heart]

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...

It's exactly the same what we do in Germany. YS ran for PM if she win's the election, she will be appointed by the MP's

If she could be elected directly, I guess she would have got more votes, as the Newin, Banharn faction would surely have lost some more votes.

The Democrats are totally out of control. They run for elections, loose those elections and after a while they talk about people's power. Abhisit remembers me about Anward Ibrahim in Malaysia. If they can't win an election they have to bring the crowd to the streets.

Ah, but you see there is a biiiiig difference between what happens elsewhere in the world and what happens here.

Take the rice thingamajig. Policy is floated, people sit around and come up with the pro's and cons.

pro's

Farmers should get paid more

Cons

Corruption

Huge Stocks

Massive Cost

potential to end up holding the baby

bankrupt the bank

So, policy begins, farmers win a bit, everyone makes a bit, everyone cheers, PTP are waaaaay ahead, Democrats are nowhere.

2nd crop

Stocks start, first sets of numbers come in, huge shennagins in the accounting, total cost to country calculated.

Democrats and reasonable people stand up. Oi, told you so, you've created a mess.

PTP answer. It's not true, you tell lie, everything good, you no care poor people

3 rd crop

Bank is bust. No money left, farmers not getting paid, now people feel cheated, huuuuuge stock, world rice trade is pis**d off.

Democrats and reasonable people say, "this is ridiculous, you have created a monster, and broken the bank"

PTP answer. "Its not true, you tell lie, everthing good, you no care poor people,, you welly welly baaad, ".

So you see, I am all for policies to help the poor and spread the wealth, but they have to be much better than what PTP comes up with which is basic electioneering and then bare faced lying when the mess unravels. Any politician can promise the earth, but how to pay for it all? This is the utter naivety of the system in Thailand.

Same thing goes for the tablets, the flood plans and the train plans. They are in essence good things, that PTP has very little interest in implementing properly. I am not saying their ideas are nonsense, it is that their implementation and motivation for doing things is terrible and corrupt.

No political organisaiton can win against PTP if it is allowed to continue to promise the earth on it's policies with no way to hold them to account. The media and the laws barely allow any significant investigation of the government and for that I do blame Abhisit for not removing the defamation laws.

[MobileContent]

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?!

Now blame the Isaan people. Go down to the farms in the South and you will see the same kind of village people's.

As you can't really spell Isaan correctly I have to categorize you as a stupid farang as well that have no idea about the Thai political system or the Northeast of Thailand.

The people of Isaan as Thai's too and it should be remembered that the North of Thailand also voted heavily the PTP and so did a large part of Central Thailand.

All what the democrats have is the South of Thailand plus parts of Central Thailand but sadly in terms of demographics this is not enough that's why they loose all elections.

Chuan Lekpai had his chance in the 90's but he ignored the North and Northeast and that's why the democrats never won an election again. You can't win an election with Central Thailand alone.

Who builds roads in the Northeast and North of Thailand? Surely not the democrats.

Who gave the OTOP opportunity to the North and Northeast? Surely not the democrats.

Who gave the 30 Baht scheme at the hospital? Surely not the democrats.

Who have solar energy at many rice farmers? Surely not the democrats.

You might call this populist policies but I call this improving the life style of the people in the North and Northeast of Thailand.

How dare you call rice farmers stupid and all drunks. It's people like you that should just buy a ticket and get the f..k out of this country.

Edit: The Northern and Northeast Thai's get all the time money for voting from almost all political parties but on the end they cross for Yingluck. In our village it was the party of Newin that paid 200 Baht but they still crossed Yingluck and gladly took that money.

Edited November 29, 2013 by MobileContent

[gerry1011]

Very good article

Sent from my iPhone...

[MobileContent]

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...

It's exactly the same what we do in Germany. YS ran for PM if she win's the election, she will be appointed by the MP's

If she could be elected directly, I guess she would have got more votes, as the Newin, Banharn faction would surely have lost some more votes.

The Democrats are totally out of control. They run for elections, loose those elections and after a while they talk about people's power. Abhisit remembers me about Anward Ibrahim in Malaysia. If they can't win an election they have to bring the crowd to the streets.

Ah, but you see there is a biiiiig difference between what happens elsewhere in the world and what happens here.

Take the rice thingamajig. Policy is floated, people sit around and come up with the pro's and cons.

pro's

Farmers should get paid more

Cons

Corruption

Huge Stocks

Massive Cost

potential to end up holding the baby

bankrupt the bank

So, policy begins, farmers win a bit, everyone makes a bit, everyone cheers, PTP are waaaaay ahead, Democrats are nowhere.

2nd crop

Stocks start, first sets of numbers come in, huge shennagins in the accounting, total cost to country calculated.

Democrats and reasonable people stand up. Oi, told you so, you've created a mess.

PTP answer. It's not true, you tell lie, everything good, you no care poor people

3 rd crop

Bank is bust. No money left, farmers not getting paid, now people feel cheated, huuuuuge stock, world rice trade is pis**d off.

Democrats and reasonable people say, "this is ridiculous, you have created a monster, and broken the bank"

PTP answer. "Its not true, you tell lie, everthing good, you no care poor people,, you welly welly baaad, ".

So you see, I am all for policies to help the poor and spread the wealth, but they have to be much better than what PTP comes up with which is basic electioneering and then bare faced lying when the mess unravels. Any politician can promise the earth, but how to pay for it all? This is the utter naivety of the system in Thailand.

Same thing goes for the tablets, the flood plans and the train plans. They are in essence good things, that PTP has very little interest in implementing properly. I am not saying their ideas are nonsense, it is that their implementation and motivation for doing things is terrible and corrupt.

No political organisaiton can win against PTP if it is allowed to continue to promise the earth on it's policies with no way to hold them to account. The media and the laws barely allow any significant investigation of the government and for that I do blame Abhisit for not removing the defamation laws.

The rice pledging scheme is more about if you have 10 tons or more. In our village we have over 300 rice farmers and they all get paid on the spot. The only one that don't get paid in time are the one that come with 5 to 6 trucks of rice.

My father in law had 3 tonnes of rice and he got paid on the spot. Another 3 tonnes he stored for the next one year.

It is those farmers that have over 100-500 rai's of land that have not been paid yet but they do ok financially and are able to wait it out. Don't forget if you an account with the Agricultural Bank of Thailand you do can get access to the funds earlier to pay workers etc and all you have to do is bring the receipt from the warehouse where you deposited the rice.

Most people's in Bangkok don't have a clue of it but I am seeing it daily here in Isaan. In fact the farmers do just fine and they have options to sell their rice as you can always drive down to a Bangkok Chinese Rice-mill that is happy to pay you in cash for your crop. Oh yes, of course those Chinese run families that runs the ricemills are most of the time supporters of the Bangkok elite who normally vote democrats.

[robertson468]

What a sad and uniformed person who journalistic skills are equivalent to a ten year old. I do hope he didn't get paid for this drivel?

[Thai at Heart]

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...

It's exactly the same what we do in Germany. YS ran for PM if she win's the election, she will be appointed by the MP's

If she could be elected directly, I guess she would have got more votes, as the Newin, Banharn faction would surely have lost some more votes.

The Democrats are totally out of control. They run for elections, loose those elections and after a while they talk about people's power. Abhisit remembers me about Anward Ibrahim in Malaysia. If they can't win an election they have to bring the crowd to the streets.

Ah, but you see there is a biiiiig difference between what happens elsewhere in the world and what happens here.

Take the rice thingamajig. Policy is floated, people sit around and come up with the pro's and cons.

pro's

Farmers should get paid more

Cons

Corruption

Huge Stocks

Massive Cost

potential to end up holding the baby

bankrupt the bank

So, policy begins, farmers win a bit, everyone makes a bit, everyone cheers, PTP are waaaaay ahead, Democrats are nowhere.

2nd crop

Stocks start, first sets of numbers come in, huge shennagins in the accounting, total cost to country calculated.

Democrats and reasonable people stand up. Oi, told you so, you've created a mess.

PTP answer. It's not true, you tell lie, everything good, you no care poor people

3 rd crop

Bank is bust. No money left, farmers not getting paid, now people feel cheated, huuuuuge stock, world rice trade is pis**d off.

Democrats and reasonable people say, "this is ridiculous, you have created a monster, and broken the bank"

PTP answer. "Its not true, you tell lie, everthing good, you no care poor people,, you welly welly baaad, ".

So you see, I am all for policies to help the poor and spread the wealth, but they have to be much better than what PTP comes up with which is basic electioneering and then bare faced lying when the mess unravels. Any politician can promise the earth, but how to pay for it all? This is the utter naivety of the system in Thailand.

Same thing goes for the tablets, the flood plans and the train plans. They are in essence good things, that PTP has very little interest in implementing properly. I am not saying their ideas are nonsense, it is that their implementation and motivation for doing things is terrible and corrupt.

No political organisaiton can win against PTP if it is allowed to continue to promise the earth on it's policies with no way to hold them to account. The media and the laws barely allow any significant investigation of the government and for that I do blame Abhisit for not removing the defamation laws.

The rice pledging scheme is more about if you have 10 tons or more. In our village we have over 300 rice farmers and they all get paid on the spot. The only one that don't get paid in time are the one that come with 5 to 6 trucks of rice.

My father in law had 3 tonnes of rice and he got paid on the spot. Another 3 tonnes he stored for the next one year.

It is those farmers that have over 100-500 rai's of land that have not been paid yet but they do ok financially and are able to wait it out. Don't forget if you an account with the Agricultural Bank of Thailand you do can get access to the funds earlier to pay workers etc and all you have to do is bring the receipt from the warehouse where you deposited the rice.

Most people's in Bangkok don't have a clue of it but I am seeing it daily here in Isaan. In fact the farmers do just fine and they have options to sell their rice as you can always drive down to a Bangkok Chinese Rice-mill that is happy to pay you in cash for your crop. Oh yes, of course those Chinese run families that runs the ricemills are most of the time supporters of the Bangkok elite who normally vote democrats.

Doesn't change the fact that the bank is bust and the stocks are huge. Don't worry, I was in agribusiness for 10 years in isaan. Know all about who owns the rice mills.

[rubl]

No real surprise. Mind you in the July 2011 elections PAD/yellow shirts opposed both the Pheu Thai and Democrats by promoting the 'no vote'. To now call the Democrats yellow shirts seems somewhat hilarious.

With close to two dozen UDD members (including a few co-leaders) made Pheu Thai party list candidate and having them thus elected as MP seems more reason to confuse Pheu Thai with red-shirts than Democrats with yellow-shirts.

Very good article


Sent from my iPhone...

[rubl]

Correct, the Time's article has that line, but fails to indicate when our dear Professor Emeritus said so, assuming he did.

Here a wiki link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedict_Anderson

So you just copied the slogan in your own 'educated' manner and conclude that all those shoppers you encounter in Paragorn must be like that. Interesting conclusion.

As for badly written slogans, welcome to this part of the world where even 'educated' people have a problem with English. Just ask our PM

Are you quoting from Benedict Anderson, Professor Emeritus of International Studies, Government & Asian Studies at Cornell University latest book "The Fate of Rural Hell: Asceticism and Desire in Buddhist Thailand (2012)" ?

BTW I'm interested in how you manage to conclude on 'bourgeoisie' and 'uneducated' by just seeing people ? Or is it a matter of mutual recognision while shopping at Paragorn?

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.

Well the quote is from the article at the top.
"Uneducate" was one of the yellow slogans in the past.
Can't any of these people get some ferang to check their slogans on tee shirts banners etc?
There are some really badly written ones out there now.

[15Peter20]

The worst thing about Charlie Campbell is that he is a raging Spurs fan. And he can't hold his drink. So there.

[thailiketoo]

What a sad and uniformed person who journalistic skills are equivalent to a ten year old. I do hope he didn't get paid for this drivel?

What a sad and uniformed post because you don't tell us why the article is equivalent to a ten year old's writing. I'm glad you don't get paid for posting such drivel.

I think turnabout is fair play, what?

[Mudcrab]

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?!

Have you ever been to Issan?

Its quite big, with large a demographic spread of populace,intelligence and economic status. Or is your experience of Thailand restricted to a bar stool in Bangkok/Pattaya/Phuket?

There is a temptation to reply to your comment with something like all stupid farang and non working drunks from bangkok/pattaya/phuket who can't be bought and sold who didn't vote in their homelands should not comment on other countries electoral processes ...but I won't. I'm much more of a gentleman than that.

[falangadang]

He simplifies and his facts are approximate indeed, on the bottom line he is right though.

They protested against the amnesty bill, fair enough, that's democracy and it was successful, taking the opportunity to continue the protests and paralyze the administration to force the eviction of an elected government, not democratic at all.

Yes that's very true and I can't disagree with you but it does seem that taking to the streets and taking matters into one's own hands tends to be an accepted norm here and also is about the only way for an opposition playing against a loaded parliament where impeachment or getting anything like a realistic vote of no confidence looks impossible.

At least there's one thing for sure; even if things went back to the way they were before these protests then the tiger has been given a stern shaking by the tail and that should make future politics a bit more interesting and hopefully even a bit (emphasis on "bit") more accountable!

[Mudcrab]

He simplifies and his facts are approximate indeed, on the bottom line he is right though.

They protested against the amnesty bill, fair enough, that's democracy and it was successful, taking the opportunity to continue the protests and paralyze the administration to force the eviction of an elected government, not democratic at all.

Yes that's very true and I can't disagree with you but it does seem that taking to the streets and taking matters into one's own hands tends to be an accepted norm here and also is about the only way for an opposition playing against a loaded parliament where impeachment or getting anything like a realistic vote of no confidence looks impossible.

At least there's one thing for sure; even if things went back to the way they were before these protests then the tiger has been given a stern shaking by the tail and that should make future politics a bit more interesting and hopefully even a bit (emphasis on "bit") more accountable!

There comes a time where "democracy" becomes a tired and worn out term. And people take action in any number of ways. From protesting in the streets to full on civil war and anything in between.

Witness poor old Julius..taken out by Brutus and his mates..in the first (arguably democracy).

Mao and his revolution,Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge Nicolai Cesecau (excuse my spelling).

Not suggesting anything of the sort in Thailand but people power is powerful.

When the democratically elected government goes off the rails then vote them out no problem.

When they get corrupted and can be seen as such, a different course of action may be considered.

[cacruden]

He simplifies and his facts are approximate indeed, on the bottom line he is right though.

They protested against the amnesty bill, fair enough, that's democracy and it was successful, taking the opportunity to continue the protests and paralyze the administration to force the eviction of an elected government, not democratic at all.

Yes that's very true and I can't disagree with you but it does seem that taking to the streets and taking matters into one's own hands tends to be an accepted norm here and also is about the only way for an opposition playing against a loaded parliament where impeachment or getting anything like a realistic vote of no confidence looks impossible.

At least there's one thing for sure; even if things went back to the way they were before these protests then the tiger has been given a stern shaking by the tail and that should make future politics a bit more interesting and hopefully even a bit (emphasis on "bit") more accountable!

There comes a time where "democracy" becomes a tired and worn out term. And people take action in any number of ways. From protesting in the streets to full on civil war and anything in between.

Witness poor old Julius..taken out by Brutus and his mates..in the first (arguably democracy).

Mao and his revolution,Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge Nicolai Cesecau (excuse my spelling).

Not suggesting anything of the sort in Thailand but people power is powerful.

When the democratically elected government goes off the rails then vote them out no problem.

When they get corrupted and can be seen as such, a different course of action may be considered.

If your going to be a democracy then you deal with it in democratic terms - elections, and if constitutionally grounded recall elections. If it gets corrupted you vote them out, if the population that is voting them is corrupt then it is a representative government is it not?

>Witness poor old Julius..taken out by Brutus and his mates..in the first (arguably democracy).

You mean after Caeser elected himself dictator for life - you would consider that democracy (first democracy)? If you think that way then yes Sutheps call to appoint the rulers would be the same sort of "democracy".

[Mentors]

Thaksin’s own populist policies helped bring millions of rural poor out of poverty.

I'd like to know where the evidence is for this bold statement.

Comparing how things were when Thaksin first took power, and how things are now, with regards poverty, i would say that if anything, people are, generally poorer, thanks to the rocketing inflation.

We can post here about, Red, Yellows, Black, and even, most forget i guess, about the dark Blue Shirts in Pattaya 2010. But as long as the people of this wonderful country is not allowed to speak freely, as long there will be no good future. (sorry for my rabbish english.)

Edited November 29, 2013 by Mentors

[thailiketoo]

Thaksin’s own populist policies helped bring millions of rural poor out of poverty.

I'd like to know where the evidence is for this bold statement.

Comparing how things were when Thaksin first took power, and how things are now, with regards poverty, i would say that if anything, people are, generally poorer, thanks to the rocketing inflation.

We can post here about, Red, Yellows, Black, and even, most forget i guess, about the dark Blue Shirts in Pattaya 2010. But as long as the people of this wonderful country is not allowed to speak freely, as long there will be no good future. (sorry for my rabbish english.)

Don't feel bad about your English. You know how to use the quote function which puts you in the top percent of TV posters. A free press is very close to the most important freedom in the world. To attempt a democracy without a free press is impossible.

[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?!

Have you ever been to Issan?

Its quite big, with large a demographic spread of populace,intelligence and economic status. Or is your experience of Thailand restricted to a bar stool in Bangkok/Pattaya/Phuket?

There is a temptation to reply to your comment with something like all stupid farang and non working drunks from bangkok/pattaya/phuket who can't be bought and sold who didn't vote in their homelands should not comment on other countries electoral processes ...but I won't. I'm much more of a gentleman than that.

Are you all blind or are you not understanding delliberately?

TVGerry aske, if all the 11 Million DEM voters are....

And I rebutted, that much more voted PTP and....There is a "!?" at the end of my "statement"!

Sarcasm is not your biggest strenght, right?!

[GAS]

Time Magazine, what do you expect....they are a complete joke and have near zero credibility in the US these days.

[thailiketoo]

Time Magazine, what do you expect....they are a complete joke and have near zero credibility in the US these days.

Ya right.

[Emptyset]

Correct, the Time's article has that line, but fails to indicate when our dear Professor Emeritus said so, assuming he did.

Here a wiki link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedict_Anderson

So you just copied the slogan in your own 'educated' manner and conclude that all those shoppers you encounter in Paragorn must be like that. Interesting conclusion.

As for badly written slogans, welcome to this part of the world where even 'educated' people have a problem with English. Just ask our PM

Actually it's from a talk he gave at Chiang Mai university a couple of years ago, which was published in Prachatai, full paragraph: 'It would be difficult to expect anything from a capital city middle class of this type. It timidly supported the demonstrations of October 73, but turned its back on the students in 1976. It timidly supported the early Thaksin social policies, but very soon turned against him, and now expresses itself through noisy support for the monarchy and the Yellows. I should say that in this way the Bangkok bourgeoisie isn’t far from that of Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Jakarta: timid, selfish, uncultured, consumerist, and without any decent vision of the future of the country.'

Harsh, but some truth there. Though you could probably say the same of the bourgeoisie of any country of the world to a large degree.

Edited November 29, 2013 by Emptyset

[icare999]

it could have been written by any taksin supporter is so unbalanced. Taksin has an awful lot of money and it would not be beyond possibility he simply paid enough for this. I remember hone IK used to read Time it seemed to provide a balanced view and thoughtful analysis. It makes me think about all articles I used to read and wonder if I was hoodwinked by those as well. Anyone whose here can see whichever side they may be on this is not same as yellow shirts although it obviously has amongst them some of that persuasion.

What a load of crap reporting or paid for PR for Taksin. Whichever its total BS.

[Emptyset]

Thaksin’s own populist policies helped bring millions of rural poor out of poverty.

I'd like to know where the evidence is for this bold statement.

Comparing how things were when Thaksin first took power, and how things are now, with regards poverty, i would say that if anything, people are, generally poorer, thanks to the rocketing inflation.

It is true that millions were lifted out of poverty during Thaksin's period of PM. But whether that's down to his specific policies is another question. Though the introduction of 30 baht healthcare was highly significant for many people. Truth is though, people will be lifted out of poverty in any developmental state which is growing. You could say millions of people were lifted out of poverty under Chuan's govt during 1992 - 1994. It's true, but again it's likely at least as much due to high growth as it is to targeted pro-poor policies.

[Emptyset]

Thaksin’s own populist policies helped bring millions of rural poor out of poverty.

I'd like to know where the evidence is for this bold statement.

Comparing how things were when Thaksin first took power, and how things are now, with regards poverty, i would say that if anything, people are, generally poorer, thanks to the rocketing inflation.

It is true that millions were lifted out of poverty during Thaksin's period of PM. But whether that's down to his specific policies is another question. Though the introduction of 30 baht healthcare was highly significant for many people. Truth is though, people will be lifted out of poverty in any developmental state which is growing. You could say millions of people were lifted out of poverty under Chuan's govt during 1992 - 1994. It's true, but again it's likely at least as much due to high growth as it is to targeted pro-poor policies.

[surangw]

sounds like a news writer wanted to use a new word he just learned "putsch"

[badgerbailey]

Idiot doesn't even have his facts rights. Majority of the protestors aren't aligned with the yellow shirts. Gotta love these idiot liberal western journalists who know nothing about the country but who give their opinions anyway. Millions voted for the Dems. And yet he makes sweeping statements about all of them. One sided and biased moron.

it isn't unheard of bought news articles...

Exactly, just look at manager.co.th and ASTV