Anti-govt forces have a new 'bogeyman' - the Western media

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Anti-govt forces have a new 'bogeyman' - the Western media
Pravit Rojanaphruk

BANGKOK: -- Earlier this month, a well-educated Thai by the name of Pathonpong Charoenwut wrote this widely spread message in English on his Facebook page.

"Dear some expats living in the KINGDOM of Thailand:"

"Please rethink before posting all complaints like you're so upset of the traffic cause by the mob or you are so bored of this country. Just to be clear, nobody asks you to stay, nobody needs you here, without you we're fine or even better. It's you who ran away from problems, unemployment and losses…"

"Please be respectful and careful before you post some comments that show the flaws in you that remind both yourself and us that once you were LOSERS. And sadly but unsurprisingly, you still are."

"Unfriend me as you like because I don't need you!!"

The Thai version posted along with the delicious English version was in fact more vulgar, with foreigners referred to with a pronoun normally reserved for animals - bang tua. Pathonpong was fed up.

"Fed up with red-shirt farangs," he added in the comment section after a long debate. "Been fed up for a long long time. Go and die… I'm not threatening anyone."

This is no isolated incident. BBC Southeast Asian correspondent Jonathan Head told this writer on Sunday that while carrying out his assignment among the protesters, one shouted at him: "It's total lies!" Some protesters also "religiously" told Head that pro-government red shirts are duped by propaganda.

It's not just the red shirts who are accused of being gullible. In fact, one travel editor at a major Thai newspaper recently employed the word "gullible" to describe the foreign media in his article.

PDRC supremo Suthep Thaugsuban has also warned foreign media not to judge the situation by their Western "feelings" and culture.

Thus Westerners, or farangs as they are referred to in Thai, are now regarded as either gullible or bought out by Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra if they're not supportive of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).

The latest target is The New York Times' Bangkok correspondent Thomas Fuller, accused of wilfully distorting the situation in Thailand. No evidence has ever been produced to prove that people like Head, Fuller or any other foreign correspondent from a reputable news organisation have been bribed by either Thaksin or caretaker premier Yingluck.

On the contrary, these foreign correspondents, unlike most Bangkok-based Thai media, routinely interview rural folks and never mistake Bangkok as representing the whole of Thailand, no matter how many "millions" of protesters are out on the streets of the capital.

Putting it simply, foreign journalists and expats who do not wholeheartedly support the PDRC are now the new bogeymen!

CNN, BBC, International New York Times, Al Jazeera, etc - then you have most of the Western world up against the PDRC and the ultra-nationalist protesters with their Thai flags feeling they're fighting a mighty worthy battle against all odds. It inflates their sense of self-importance and elevates their struggle into something holy - like Thailand versus the rest of the evil capitalist Western world.

With the imagined "enemy" bigger than reality, protesters feel more outraged, more united and committed. But committed to what?

I never see xenophobia as a recipe for genuine democracy and equality although I will leave that conclusion to both Thai and foreign readers' good - if allegedly "gullible" - judgement.


-- The Nation 2013-12-25

[Thai at Heart]

BANGKOK: -- Earlier this month, a well-educated Thai by the name of Pathonpong Charoenwut

I guess all measurements are subjective and relative.

[waza]

"Fed up with red-shirt farangs," he added in the comment section after a long debate. "Been fed up for a long long time. Go and die… I'm not threatening anyone."

Has he been reading TVF?

[Tatsujin]

I have just 2 words for Pathonpong Charoenwut . . . and I'm sure you can guess what they are . . .

[JRSoul]

I have just 2 words for Pathonpong Charoenwut . . . and I'm sure you can guess what they are . . .

Well done, spot on, got it, Bingo boyo, keep rocking, about time................the choices are endless.

[JoeThePoster]

I used to think there're no trolls on Farcebook.

[MaiChai]

Western media assumes the government institutions, et al, in Thailand are on a par to their Western counterparts, and thus the uprising rabble must be in the wrong?

[khunsiam]

Not Pathonpong but Pathompong Charoenwut.

[newcomer71]

"Fed up with red-shirt farangs," he added in the comment section after a long debate. "Been fed up for a long long time. Go and die… I'm not threatening anyone."

Has he been reading TVF?

If he read Thai Visa, he sure would have spotted many example of extremist foreigners, both sides. Consequentially he should have not been fed up...

[attrayant]

There's almost nothing you can throw on a gasoline fire that won't make it worse.

[LucidLucifer]

He sounds like the sort of guy that also thinks the right to vote should be taken away from the 'poor and uneducated.'

Him and his creed make me want to .

[khunsiam]

Western media assumes the government institutions, et al, in Thailand are on a par to their Western counterparts, and thus the uprising rabble must be in the wrong?

No it's just because of the request by the government of Yingluck:

Nadaprapai Sucharitkul

"To the international community and citizens of the world, ...

This letter is in response to the request by the government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra for foreign governments to denounce the peaceful and lawful demonstration against her government by the Thai people and to portray the actual situation in Thailand at the moment.

Following the various controversial, dishonest and unlawful acts of the government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra, the Thai people have united together to demand for righteousness and democratic practicality that such government had earlier promised. Let us now touch upon them in some details.

Discontentment of the Thai people

The various unlawful acts and corruption by the government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra have triggered the discontentment of the Thai people. Moreover, the Government used its overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives and influence in the Senate to move towards parliamentary dictatorship. The government also ignored the practive of good governance and had no respect for the rule of law.

There is no such phenomenon as clash of classes in Thailand. The continued demonstrtions do not stem only from the discontentment of the middle class in Bangkok alone but also from the nation wide demand for righteousness. The Puea Thai Party and the government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra boasted that they were infavour of the poor and used populist policies to win the elections of 2010. it is now clearly evident that such intention and policies are more apparent than real. Here are just a few examples.

1. The government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra has destroyed the rule of law by submitting an Amnesty Bill to white wash Pol. Lt. Co. Thaksin Shinawatra, former Prime Minister, from his corruption charges and his involvement in the violence during the years 2009-2010. Moreover, this Amnesty Bill which is now pending confirmation by the House of Representatives will also put a stop tofurther investigation in to Pol. Lt. Col Thaksin Shinawatra's involvement in extrajudicial killing and abuse of human rights in the three Souther Border Provinces as well as the killings during the "war on drugs". The Bill also aims to reimburse Pol.Lt.Col. Thaksin Shinawatra a sum of $1.5 billion which was seized when he was found guilty of corruption and other charges in 2010.

2. The Rice Mortgage Scheme which Pol.Lt.Col Thaksin Shinawatra explicitly and publicly claims to be his initiative had led the country to lose $13 billion. It also destroyed Thailand's competitiveness in the world rice market. Moreover, this scheme has many loopholes which enable public officials involved to embezzle some of the money.

3. The government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra has attempted ot circumvent budgetary practice by submitting a bill to enable it to secure a loan of $70 billion for infrastructure megaprojects. This bill is only 4 pages long and contains vague details of the projects. If approved, the country would be subject to 50 years of repayment.

4. The government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra had also implemented a number of populist policies. These include excise tax reduction for the first car, credit card for farmers, revolving fund for villages, and free electricity and water supply. These vote catching policies have caused irreparable damage to the country's fiscal situation as well as impregnating the "culture of beggars" amongst the people. Responsible politians and governments will never introduce such policies. Polulist policies produce votes for the government's party but rip the people of determination for self betterment and the value of work ethics.

Corruption:

The self exiled Pol.Lt.Col. Thaksin Shinawatra is still facing a number of corruption charges as well as malpractice charges in the Thai courts. Here are examples of corruption and human right violation charges against him.

-The conflict of interest case related to the $2.2 billion tax free sale of Shin Corp, his telecommunications company, to Temasek Holding, a Singaporean Company.

-Assisting his former wife to purchase land from a state agency at unrealistic price.

-Corruption in relation to the purchase/hiring of explosive detector and equipment for Suvannabhumi Airport from GE Invision Inc. causing a damage to the country of approximately $80 million.

-Abuse of authority in approving Exim Bank loan to Myanmar which resulted in benefit for Shin Corp.

-Unlawful change of telecommunication concession fees into exise tax which allegedly benefited Shin Corp while causing an equivalent loss of $230million to the country.

-Malsfeasante in granting loan of approximately $400 m from state owned Krung Thai Bank to a company owned by his cronies and son.

Malpractice:

-Abuse and violation of human rights on Muslim population in Sounthern Border Provinces which caused 108 deaths at Krue Sae Mosque, and 35 deaths at the Tak Bai incidents. Furthermore, during the first government of Pol.Lt.Col Thaksin Shinawatra, 18 human rights defenders were assasinated and one disappeared.

-Involvement in extrajudicial killings of over 2,700 individuals during the "war on drug" campaign between 2003-2005. Pol.Lt.Col Thaksin Shinawatara subsequently admitted that such campaign was a mistake. It was also found to be qualified as case of crime against humanity by independent investigative committee.

All of the above cases were investigated by a special taask force set up after the coup of 2006. The proceeding was nonetheless in accorrdance with the Thai criminal code and not special law.

It is well known that Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra is a proxy of Pol.Lt.Co. Thaksin Shinawatra. She has no political experience before assuming the office of Prime Minister. Similarly the Puea Thai Party is under a total control of Pol.Lt.Col Thaksin Shinawatra. Thus all significant appointments have been made by Pol.Lt.Col. Thaksin Shinawatra and not by Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra who is neither leader of the party nor member of its executive committee.

At present nepotism is spreading widely in the Thai society and has crept into the civil service and law enforcement agencies. The government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawata had shown its "true color" in contrast to its promised manifestos and this has brought the people to the street and join the current demonstrations.

Finally and most significant is the fact that the government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawaatra had destroyed the "true democratic value", which Thai people hold dear.

The Thai people value transparent and accountable government as well as politicians who respect the rule of law. On the other hand, the government keeps on insisting that it was elected through democratic process but it avoids mentioning that the election was full of fraud and vote rigging. Pol.Lt.Col. Thaksin Shinawatra used his enormous wealth to bribe local politicians, government officials, the press and academicians in so doing. Check and balance is absent in the House of Representatives while Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra seldom answered questions and rarely attended the sessions. Censure motions were regarded by the government as joke.

The principle of rule of law, check and balance and separation of power was further eroded when the Puea Thai members of the House of Representatives filed rebellion charge against the Constitution Court judges on its ruling on the draft constitutional amendment regarding the composition of the Senates. That was because the Court ruled that the move was unconstitutional.

Some Puea Thai members of Parliament committed fraud by proxy voting. Discrepancies were also found in the draft submitted to the Parliament and which was used for deliberation. So, how could the Thai people place their faith and trust on the government that used every possible means to abuse the executive and legislative power given to it for vested interest rathere than national interest.

John Locke once stated in the Two Treatises on Government "that "....when people are made miserable, and find themselves exposed to the ill usage of arbitrary power…..will be ready upon any occasion to ease themselves of a burden that sits heavy upon them". And ".....if a long train of abuses, prevarications and artifices, all tending the same way, make the design visible to the people, and they cannot but feel what they lie under, and see wither they are going, it is not to be wondered that they should then roused themselves, and endeavour to put the rule into such hands which may secure to them the ends for which government was first erected and without which, ancient names and specious forms are so far from being better, that they are much worse than the state of nature of pure anarchy; the inconveniences being all as great and as near, but the remedy farther off and more difficult.

It therefore goes without saying that the Thai people hold legitimate and lawful rights to protect their country from corrupt and unlawful government and to remove it from power. Such government had caused irreparable damages to their beloved country and the Thai people cannot allow it to hold on to power so as to further abuse the nation.

On behalf of the Thai people, we ask for your understanding of the true situation in Thailand and to support the patriotic and selfless Thai people in exercising their rights to protect their country from the tyrannical government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra who is a puppet of her brother Pol. Lt. Col. Thaksin Shinawatra.

All Thai Citizens"

Edited December 25, 2013 by Rimmer
Thai script removed as per forum rules

[londonthai]

"Fed up with red-shirt farangs," he added in the comment section after a long debate. "Been fed up for a long long time. Go and die… I'm not threatening anyone."

Has he been reading TVF?

some foreigners in thailand are more nationalists and monarchists, than the majority of thai. Just recently one told me - don't like the political and social set up in thailand, than go back to europe

[Thailand]

I have just 2 words for Pathonpong Charoenwut . . . and I'm sure you can guess what they are . . .

Merry Xmas?

[JRSoul]

He's a vet. Wow. Should I bow to his superiority because he went to chula? Wooooo. He must be weely weely smart..

What got up his nose?

While the TVF "red-shirt farangs" remain anonymous, I recall those identified and deported in 2010. Relatively speaking, he most certainly is really smart.

He also happens to be engaged in an occupation for which I have a lot of respect.

[salavan]

Thailand doesn't need foreigners in that case all foreign company's should leave Thailand and the mass unemployed can then go pick berrys like they used to before

[Yunla]

@OP

Yes, Mister Shouty. Thankyou for your sincere and elucidatory missive. I will Unfriend you on FB as requested. Please forgive me for suggesting / praying that Thailand does not experience the dictatorial horrors that plagued Europe in recent centuries. And for suggesting that the genocidal horrors spilled upon the lands of your largest neighbour, would be worth avoiding here also. Please also forgive me for suggesting that a well-run Parliamentary Democracy is a guaranteed immunisation against Maoism/Stalinism/etc.ism

Merry Christmas

*hugs*

Yunla

Edited December 25, 2013 by Yunla

[khunsiam]

He's a vet. Wow. Should I bow to his superiority because he went to chula? Wooooo. He must be weely weely smart..

What got up his nose?

While the TVF "red-shirt farangs" remain anonymous, I recall those identified and deported in 2010. Relatively speaking, he most certainly is really smart.

He also happens to be engaged in an occupation for which I have a lot of respect.

as manager of the candle boutiques?

[khunsiam]

He's a vet. Wow. Should I bow to his superiority because he went to chula? Wooooo. He must be weely weely smart..

What got up his nose?

While the TVF "red-shirt farangs" remain anonymous, I recall those identified and deported in 2010. Relatively speaking, he most certainly is really smart.

He also happens to be engaged in an occupation for which I have a lot of respect.

as manager of the candle boutiques?

[diehard60]

Western media assumes the government institutions, et al, in Thailand are on a par to their Western counterparts, and thus the uprising rabble must be in the wrong?

No it's just because of the request by the government of Yingluck:

Nadaprapai Sucharitkul

"To the international community and citizens of the world, ...

This letter is in response to the request by the government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra for foreign governments to denounce the peaceful and lawful demonstration against her government by the Thai people and to portray the actual situation in Thailand at the moment.

Following the various controversial, dishonest and unlawful acts of the government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra, the Thai people have united together to demand for righteousness and democratic practicality that such government had earlier promised. Let us now touch upon them in some details.

Discontentment of the Thai people

The various unlawful acts and corruption by the government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra have triggered the discontentment of the Thai people. Moreover, the Government used its overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives and influence in the Senate to move towards parliamentary dictatorship. The government also ignored the practive of good governance and had no respect for the rule of law.

There is no such phenomenon as clash of classes in Thailand. The continued demonstrtions do not stem only from the discontentment of the middle class in Bangkok alone but also from the nation wide demand for righteousness. The Puea Thai Party and the government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra boasted that they were infavour of the poor and used populist policies to win the elections of 2010. it is now clearly evident that such intention and policies are more apparent than real. Here are just a few examples.

1. The government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra has destroyed the rule of law by submitting an Amnesty Bill to white wash Pol. Lt. Co. Thaksin Shinawatra, former Prime Minister, from his corruption charges and his involvement in the violence during the years 2009-2010. Moreover, this Amnesty Bill which is now pending confirmation by the House of Representatives will also put a stop tofurther investigation in to Pol. Lt. Col Thaksin Shinawatra's involvement in extrajudicial killing and abuse of human rights in the three Souther Border Provinces as well as the killings during the "war on drugs". The Bill also aims to reimburse Pol.Lt.Col. Thaksin Shinawatra a sum of $1.5 billion which was seized when he was found guilty of corruption and other charges in 2010.

2. The Rice Mortgage Scheme which Pol.Lt.Col Thaksin Shinawatra explicitly and publicly claims to be his initiative had led the country to lose $13 billion. It also destroyed Thailand's competitiveness in the world rice market. Moreover, this scheme has many loopholes which enable public officials involved to embezzle some of the money.

3. The government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra has attempted ot circumvent budgetary practice by submitting a bill to enable it to secure a loan of $70 billion for infrastructure megaprojects. This bill is only 4 pages long and contains vague details of the projects. If approved, the country would be subject to 50 years of repayment.

4. The government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra had also implemented a number of populist policies. These include excise tax reduction for the first car, credit card for farmers, revolving fund for villages, and free electricity and water supply. These vote catching policies have caused irreparable damage to the country's fiscal situation as well as impregnating the "culture of beggars" amongst the people. Responsible politians and governments will never introduce such policies. Polulist policies produce votes for the government's party but rip the people of determination for self betterment and the value of work ethics.

Corruption:

The self exiled Pol.Lt.Col. Thaksin Shinawatra is still facing a number of corruption charges as well as malpractice charges in the Thai courts. Here are examples of corruption and human right violation charges against him.

-The conflict of interest case related to the $2.2 billion tax free sale of Shin Corp, his telecommunications company, to Temasek Holding, a Singaporean Company.

-Assisting his former wife to purchase land from a state agency at unrealistic price.

-Corruption in relation to the purchase/hiring of explosive detector and equipment for Suvannabhumi Airport from GE Invision Inc. causing a damage to the country of approximately $80 million.

-Abuse of authority in approving Exim Bank loan to Myanmar which resulted in benefit for Shin Corp.

-Unlawful change of telecommunication concession fees into exise tax which allegedly benefited Shin Corp while causing an equivalent loss of $230million to the country.

-Malsfeasante in granting loan of approximately $400 m from state owned Krung Thai Bank to a company owned by his cronies and son.

Malpractice:

-Abuse and violation of human rights on Muslim population in Sounthern Border Provinces which caused 108 deaths at Krue Sae Mosque, and 35 deaths at the Tak Bai incidents. Furthermore, during the first government of Pol.Lt.Col Thaksin Shinawatra, 18 human rights defenders were assasinated and one disappeared.

-Involvement in extrajudicial killings of over 2,700 individuals during the "war on drug" campaign between 2003-2005. Pol.Lt.Col Thaksin Shinawatara subsequently admitted that such campaign was a mistake. It was also found to be qualified as case of crime against humanity by independent investigative committee.

All of the above cases were investigated by a special taask force set up after the coup of 2006. The proceeding was nonetheless in accorrdance with the Thai criminal code and not special law.

It is well known that Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra is a proxy of Pol.Lt.Co. Thaksin Shinawatra. She has no political experience before assuming the office of Prime Minister. Similarly the Puea Thai Party is under a total control of Pol.Lt.Col Thaksin Shinawatra. Thus all significant appointments have been made by Pol.Lt.Col. Thaksin Shinawatra and not by Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra who is neither leader of the party nor member of its executive committee.

At present nepotism is spreading widely in the Thai society and has crept into the civil service and law enforcement agencies. The government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawata had shown its "true color" in contrast to its promised manifestos and this has brought the people to the street and join the current demonstrations.

Finally and most significant is the fact that the government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawaatra had destroyed the "true democratic value", which Thai people hold dear.

The Thai people value transparent and accountable government as well as politicians who respect the rule of law. On the other hand, the government keeps on insisting that it was elected through democratic process but it avoids mentioning that the election was full of fraud and vote rigging. Pol.Lt.Col. Thaksin Shinawatra used his enormous wealth to bribe local politicians, government officials, the press and academicians in so doing. Check and balance is absent in the House of Representatives while Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra seldom answered questions and rarely attended the sessions. Censure motions were regarded by the government as joke.

The principle of rule of law, check and balance and separation of power was further eroded when the Puea Thai members of the House of Representatives filed rebellion charge against the Constitution Court judges on its ruling on the draft constitutional amendment regarding the composition of the Senates. That was because the Court ruled that the move was unconstitutional.

Some Puea Thai members of Parliament committed fraud by proxy voting. Discrepancies were also found in the draft submitted to the Parliament and which was used for deliberation. So, how could the Thai people place their faith and trust on the government that used every possible means to abuse the executive and legislative power given to it for vested interest rathere than national interest.

John Locke once stated in the Two Treatises on Government "that "....when people are made miserable, and find themselves exposed to the ill usage of arbitrary power…..will be ready upon any occasion to ease themselves of a burden that sits heavy upon them". And ".....if a long train of abuses, prevarications and artifices, all tending the same way, make the design visible to the people, and they cannot but feel what they lie under, and see wither they are going, it is not to be wondered that they should then roused themselves, and endeavour to put the rule into such hands which may secure to them the ends for which government was first erected and without which, ancient names and specious forms are so far from being better, that they are much worse than the state of nature of pure anarchy; the inconveniences being all as great and as near, but the remedy farther off and more difficult.

It therefore goes without saying that the Thai people hold legitimate and lawful rights to protect their country from corrupt and unlawful government and to remove it from power. Such government had caused irreparable damages to their beloved country and the Thai people cannot allow it to hold on to power so as to further abuse the nation.

On behalf of the Thai people, we ask for your understanding of the true situation in Thailand and to support the patriotic and selfless Thai people in exercising their rights to protect their country from the tyrannical government of Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra who is a puppet of her brother Pol. Lt. Col. Thaksin Shinawatra.

All Thai Citizens"

Is that why you want to take away the vote from the poor and uneducated???

Edited December 25, 2013 by Rimmer
Thai script removed as per forum rules

[mca]

I have just 2 words for Pathonpong Charoenwut . . . and I'm sure you can guess what they are . . .

Yep. Merry Christmas!

[binjalin]

I'm guessing none of this gentleman's family went to a foreign school right? don't drive foreign cars? watch foreign TVs, let alone get foreign medical care? clothes, computers? and all that jazz?

nationalism is, actually, what destroys nations - we need a more inclusive world not exclusive. This "I am Thai" nationalistic arrogance does not help this country as much as "I am American" or "I am French" so what? our poo all smells the same

[Bender]

Pathonpong Charoenwut yeah you right, when something go wrong in your banana country, just blame the farang!

So next time when you see these low life farang, you and your yellow thugs, just grab steel pipes and beat the crap out of him...

[newcomer71]

He's a vet. Wow. Should I bow to his superiority because he went to chula? Wooooo. He must be weely weely smart..

What got up his nose?

While the TVF "red-shirt farangs" remain anonymous, I recall those identified and deported in 2010. Relatively speaking, he most certainly is really smart.

He also happens to be engaged in an occupation for which I have a lot of respect.

Red shirt farangs? Anonymous? What are you talking about buddy?

And which respect you can have on someone put some similar rant on the net?

Please note that he hates all "farangs", no distinctions, so you are included...

Merry Xmas...

[northernjohn]

BANGKOK: -- Earlier this month, a well-educated Thai by the name of Pathonpong Charoenwut

I guess all measurements are subjective and relative.

"a well-educated Thai"

In Thailand that means not a heck of a lot. A country that thinks Hitler was a hero. A country where you merely show up in class and automatically get your degree. For a collage one just pay a few baht.

"Putting it simply, foreign journalists and expats who do not wholeheartedly support the PDRC are now the new bogeymen!"

Not saying they have to support it whole heartedly but they could try honesty in their reporting. Their lack of honesty explains why my son has called me twice to see if it is safe to come to Thailand. What kind of nonsense is the foreign press feeding people.

I live in Thailand and have seen the BBC reporter reporting on the events. It is stuff that you could pick up in any red shirt bar. Yet this is the crap the world gets. the New York times did not even come close to the situation they looked at the negative side of one participant and magnified it out of proportion forgetting to mention the reason that the people feel that way. Yes they are the bogeymen. They are no more knowledgeable about what is happening in Thailand than Pathonpong Charoenwut. Sell newspapers and get attention with sensationalism is the extent of their contribution. Unfortunately it only includes disregard for facts on one side and distortion of facts for the other side.

I might suggest that Thailand dosen't need Pathonpong Charoenwut either he contributes nothing to Thailand. Some one ask him how Thailand would be if all the international companies and investors pulled out of Thailand?

[JRSoul]

He's a vet. Wow. Should I bow to his superiority because he went to chula? Wooooo. He must be weely weely smart..

What got up his nose?

While the TVF "red-shirt farangs" remain anonymous, I recall those identified and deported in 2010. Relatively speaking, he most certainly is really smart.

He also happens to be engaged in an occupation for which I have a lot of respect.

Red shirt farangs? Anonymous? What are you talking about buddy?

And which respect you can have on someone put some similar rant on the net?

Please note that he hates all "farangs", no distinctions, so you are included...

Merry Xmas...

Please note your assumption is not supported by the given facts.

Anonymous; it means we have no idea who is posting here, though some do with a bias to a corrupt regime and a willingness to accept Thaksinist propaganda combined with a simplistic 1 man-1 vote policy which over-rides all other facets of democracy.

And it doesn't surprise or dismay me at all that some Thais may disapprove, not so much of TVF, but when they appear at red shirt rallies and protests.

[pxlgirl]

as irrational and emotionally immature his words may sound, they do represent the widespread attitude towards farungs many Thais seem to have, openly advocated by Suthep and his followers. It would be quite likely, once they get to power on the political vote-buying-military-coups-merry-go-round, that farung expats will get hard times ahead in Thailand.

[DocN]

a) if you want someone to report "the truth", get rid of laws that prohibit telling the whole truth!

let me guess, guy-whos-name-I-already- forgot in the OP: you are a Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool etc. -fan? Yeah...farang bad! Thai good!

c) you don't need farang? I guess you wanna marry all the Isan bargirls and support their families on your own, huh?!

...what a tool...

[newcomer71]

He's a vet. Wow. Should I bow to his superiority because he went to chula? Wooooo. He must be weely weely smart..

What got up his nose?

While the TVF "red-shirt farangs" remain anonymous, I recall those identified and deported in 2010. Relatively speaking, he most certainly is really smart.

He also happens to be engaged in an occupation for which I have a lot of respect.

Red shirt farangs? Anonymous? What are you talking about buddy?

And which respect you can have on someone put some similar rant on the net?

Please note that he hates all "farangs", no distinctions, so you are included...

Merry Xmas...

Please note your assumption is not supported by the given facts.

Anonymous; it means we have no idea who is posting here, though some do with a bias to a corrupt regime and a willingness to accept Thaksinist propaganda combined with a simplistic 1 man-1 vote policy which over-rides all other facets of democracy.

And it doesn't surprise or dismay me at all that some Thais may disapprove, not so much of TVF, but when they appear at red shirt rallies and protests.

Do you have some numbers of foreigners involved in Red Shirt protests?

Do you think the hatred against foreigners is because of that?

[Prbkk]

He's a vet. Wow. Should I bow to his superiority because he went to chula? Wooooo. He must be weely weely smart..

What got up his nose?

While the TVF "red-shirt farangs" remain anonymous, I recall those identified and deported in 2010. Relatively speaking, he most certainly is really smart.

He also happens to be engaged in an occupation for which I have a lot of respect.

Red shirt farangs? Anonymous? What are you talking about buddy?

And which respect you can have on someone put some similar rant on the net?

Please note that he hates all "farangs", no distinctions, so you are included...

Merry Xmas...

Please note your assumption is not supported by the given facts.

Anonymous; it means we have no idea who is posting here, though some do with a bias to a corrupt regime and a willingness to accept Thaksinist propaganda combined with a simplistic 1 man-1 vote policy which over-rides all other facets of democracy.

And it doesn't surprise or dismay me at all that some Thais may disapprove, not so much of TVF, but when they appear at red shirt rallies and protests.

You are one of a (fortunately) small group of posters here who try to stifle genuine discussion, engage in personal abuse, imply that others post for illegitimate reasons ( including the ludicrous suggestion that some are paid for posts). You reserve your bile for anyone and everyone who dares to disagree with your view of the world. It is extremely unpleasant and adds nothing to the quality of the debate.