Thailand's great political divide

[webfact]

Thailand's great political divide
The country is split between those who want elected leaders – even corrupt ones – and a desire for unelected, but truthworthy technocrats
Thitinan Pongsudhirak

The Guardian

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's political crisis has reached breaking point. It began with protests last month against a proposed blanket amnesty that would have exonerated former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was forced out by a military coup in 2006 and later found guilty of corruption.

The government, led by the current prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra – Thaksin's sister, has stood its ground and time is running out for the protesters.

The tense standoff appears to be losing steam as King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 86th birthday on 5 December is already being celebrated. Yet the latest round of brinkmanship is unlikely to be the last, as Thailand tries to find a new balance between competing sources of elected and unelected political legitimacy.

This crisis is reminiscent of five years ago when anti-Thaksin demonstrators protested against Thaksin's proxy government, culminating in the takeover of Bangkok's main international airport, and the constitution court's dissolution of the ruling party. The controversy allowed the opposition Democrat party to take power.

Then, after two-and-a-half years, Thaksin's Pheu Thai party, under Yingluck, reclaimed the electoral mandate, in 2011. Once again, anti-government protesters want to end "the Thaksin regime" by occupying government agencies in the capital.

Full story: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/02/thailand-great-political-divide

-- The Guardian 2013-12-03

[newcomer71]

...trustworthy? Suthep?

[FangFerang]

The Nation reported this quote:

Metropolitan Police Bureau Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Khamronvit Thupkrajang promised Tuesday that police guarding his bureau would no longer fire teargases to fend off protesters.

He said he would allow the protesters to reach the bureau.

[newcomer71]

The Nation reported this quote:

Metropolitan Police Bureau Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Khamronvit Thupkrajang promised Tuesday that police guarding his bureau would no longer fire teargases to fend off protesters.

He said he would allow the protesters to reach the bureau.

There's not much to wait... we'll (sadly) see soon.

[noitom]

It is not a political divide as much as a rebellion against an elite, privileged kleptocracy and the majority population is tired of it. Political bickering and posturing is only a symptom of the disease.

[Loles]

1.

thaksin is much smarter than the yellow mob leaders cause he understood have to pick up crowd (mob) for politics, without crowd there is not power.

2. who can be the "crowd" for thaksin? off course the poor and under graduated farmers from isaan cause they are enough silly and no-one take care of them before in TH political life, and not last they are enough big crowd.

3. so, what have to do? have to give them crumbs and have to promise a lot, cause they are like a sponge: hungry for take caring.

4. breaking point: before this was very comfortable for yellows to keep this farmer class in dull, take their nose and take them to rice work for them, cause the rice traders are the chinese. but this behavior strikes back.

5. and, the yellows are thinking now, what can they do to this situation. And come a brilliant idea: if we can't win the election simply have to avoid the election.

But I'm bagging, this year is 2013. and their request could be solution at 30's year at last century.

[Nickymaster]

As Thaksin would say: "We have to leconcile".

[Nickymaster]

1.

thaksin is much smarter than the yellow mob leaders cause he understood have to pick up crowd (mob) for politics, without crowd there is not power.

2. who can be the "crowd" for thaksin? off course the poor and under graduated farmers from isaan cause they are enough silly and no-one take care of them before in TH political life, and not last they are enough big crowd.

3. so, what have to do? have to give them crumbs and have to promise a lot, cause they are like a sponge: hungry for take caring.

4. breaking point: before this was very comfortable for yellows to keep this farmer class in dull, take their nose and take them to rice work for them, cause the rice traders are the chinese. but this behavior strikes back.

5. and, the yellows are thinking now, what can they do to this situation. And come a brilliant idea: if we can't win the election simply have to avoid the election.

But I'm bagging, this year is 2013. and their request could be solution at 30's year at last century.

Yellows? Come on dude, it's 2013!

[rebelplatoon]

Even on Thai Visa it is clear that neither side wants to listen to each other. Dialogue is the only way out. It's interesting that red shirts never follow any news on yellow shirts and vice versus. This would help both sides understand each others grievances. I see red shirts only watching the provocative red shirt rallies and yellow shirts only the yellow shirt side of the story. Both sides have points. The only way out is to have a dialogue. The way out is not a non-elected Government, that is a joke. It should either be an agreed upon business government (which would take both factions in government to work together as equal partners) or new elections. I see the latter coming up with an interim government to be installed by the military as neither side will budge.... Sad but true. I am not a Thaksin fan and I am not a Suthep fan. I am a Thailand fan. I wish the best for the country and Long Live the King!

[theoldgit]

Flame removed, please cut out the insults.

[cooked]

Reminds me of the fact that USA Republicans get their information almost exclusively from Fox News.

[kingalfred]

It is not a political divide as much as a rebellion against an elite, privileged kleptocracy and the majority population is tired of it. Political bickering and posturing is only a symptom of the disease.

really ?so who is rebelling against an elite?The so called underprivileged have their government who are corrupt .incompetent .and dragging the Thai economy into a massive debt situation ,in its 2 years..As the Prof said .the PTP supporters dont care if their gov are all these things and ruining the country,they are the majority It will be a case of RIP Thailand .perpetual turmoil

[Xonax]

Democracy and massive corruption will never be able to walk hand in hand. Corruption is theft and thieves should be locked away in jail, rather than forming a government.

Edited December 3, 2013 by Xonax

[In Town]

The number of Farang on this forum who believe Thailand's poor have no right to the political representation of their choice is simply astonishing. And disturbing.

[kingalfred]

The number of Farang on this forum who believe Thailand's poor have no right to the political representation of their choice is simply astonishing. And disturbing.

its astonishing that you believe "the poor" who have their government with its arrogance of power and being above the law and policies which will destroy the country if it's allowed to continue,How will that benefit Thailands poor?And it shows how out of touch you are thinking the poor support this government.huge numbers outside of Isaan are not so naive Edited December 3, 2013 by kingalfred

[Xonax]

The number of Farang on this forum who believe Thailand's poor have no right to the political representation of their choice is simply astonishing. And disturbing.

Why should poor people, who pay´s ZERO tax, be able to have the majority of votes in the government, while the actual tax-payers are left with the useless minority opposition votes????

[newcomer71]

The number of Farang on this forum who believe Thailand's poor have no right to the political representation of their choice is simply astonishing. And disturbing.

Why should poor people, who pay´s ZERO tax, be able to have the majority of votes in the government, while the actual tax-payers are left with the useless minority opposition votes????

I do really hope you are joking...

[In Town]

The number of Farang on this forum who believe Thailand's poor have no right to the political representation of their choice is simply astonishing. And disturbing.

its astonishing that you believe "the poor" who have their government with its arrogance of power and being above the law and policies which will destroy the country if it's allowed to continue,How will that benefit Thailands poor?And it shows how out of touch you are thinking the poor support this government.huge numbers outside of Isaan are not so naive

Interesting. Are you unaware that a plurality voted in the current government? Should only the policies of the minority be allowed? Do you doubt that Thasin's policies (continued by the Democrats when they were in office) benefitted the poor?

[In Town]

The number of Farang on this forum who believe Thailand's poor have no right to the political representation of their choice is simply astonishing. And disturbing.

Why should poor people, who pay´s ZERO tax, be able to have the majority of votes in the government, while the actual tax-payers are left with the useless minority opposition votes????

Its an interesting point. 50% (more or less) of Americans pay no federal income tax. Should they be allowed to vote?

[tragickingdom]

...trustworthy? Suthep?

Suthep is a very trustworthy man for the Thai maffia. Accused of a land scandal in '95, banned from politics after a conflict of interest (The same kind as the only conviction Thaksin has(, involved in a pam oil price fixing scandal, involved in bribe taking during the appointment of a new police chief.

The Yellow shirts always elect very dirty people to fight less dirty people. Remember Sondhi? The number of convictions for fraud are unaccountable.

[kingalfred]

The number of Farang on this forum who believe Thailand's poor have no right to the political representation of their choice is simply astonishing. And disturbing.

its astonishing that you believe "the poor" who have their government with its arrogance of power and being above the law and policies which will destroy the country if it's allowed to continue,How will that benefit Thailands poor?And it shows how out of touch you are thinking the poor support this government.huge numbers outside of Isaan are not so naive

Interesting. Are you unaware that a plurality voted in the current government? Should only the policies of the minority be allowed? Do you doubt that Thasin's policies (continued by the Democrats when they were in office) benefitted the poor?

how interesting you repeat rather than answer the questions Edited December 3, 2013 by kingalfred

[thaiguzzi]

I've noticed reading these threads, that Kingalfred spouts utter <deleted>.

[kutjebu]

Democracy and massive corruption will never be able to walk hand in hand. Corruption is theft and thieves should be locked away in jail, rather than forming a government.

In the West is it the same only on greater scale,with corrupted banks and printing money.

[bunuel]

[q

The solution is simple then. If you guys are the majority, why don't you win an election?

And if buying votes is the problem, surely that should not be a problem either, since you

guys have all the money in Thailand.

As they say, Denial is not a river in Egypt!

It is not a political divide as much as a rebellion against an elite, privileged kleptocracy and the majority population is tired of it. Political bickering and posturing is only a symptom of the disease.

[cooked]

The number of Farang on this forum who believe Thailand's poor have no right to the political representation of their choice is simply astonishing. And disturbing.

Why should poor people, who pay´s ZERO tax, be able to have the majority of votes in the government, while the actual tax-payers are left with the useless minority opposition votes????

There you go again, typical US Republican argument.

The Thai education system denies a decent education to most people, no wonder they don't understand much about politics.

[cejarret]

Democracy and massive corruption will never be able to walk hand in hand. Corruption is theft and thieves should be locked away in jail, rather than forming a government.

Democracy and massive corruption has bee walking in hand in the USA for a very long time now.