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

[Rinrada]

Looks like that Farang RED Shirt guy Santa Clause will be giving "Sooti" and his padi boys a miss this year...no prezzies for them

....they have been very very naughty........

err......Anybody seen our Rudolph?....sticks his nose into everything....

[robblok]

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.

Actually a lot of what is written sounds like a typical TV rant you see everyday, can't see what the problem is he is entitled to his opinion and some of what he says is true, Thailand IS full of farang losers

,

Not only that i do feel that there are more then a few bias farang red reporters around. For me it still is a mystery how anyone with an education can support the shin clan and wants to hold back on reforms to get the checks and balances back.

I have yet to see a report from the foreign media how this all started because of the secret way they wanted to rush that amnesty bill through. Not causally mentioning it but telling how it was and how morally and financially corrupt this government is.

And I agree there are a lot of foreign losers in Thailand but that is a given.

It's quite possible to disagree with the facist agenda of Suthep AND want to see Thaksin brought to justice for all the wrong he has brought upon Thailand. It's blinkered attitudes such as yours where you are either with us or against us that is the bigget mystery of all.

What is facist about wanting to bring back the checks and balances ? Making sure the government does not pull stunts again like the amnesty bill and how they went about it. That is the whole reason this all started.

I could not care less if they went after Suthep and put him in jail as long as they do the same for Taksin. I hold no love for Suthep but if he is the catalyst for change making corrupt governments more accountable I will be happy (does not mean he should walk a free man if he broke laws). Thing is without checks and balances and a strong anti corruption body this will happen again and again as the government thinks they can rape the country when they get voted in.

While they are changing things let them change the defamation laws too and get some good investigative reporters. I have no love for ANY corrupt government official democrat of PTP. But most likely they will be PTP (not because they are inherent more corrupt but because they are probably more likely to be in power)

[blabth]

It's same the world over. Foreigner will be blamed for everything. In France and Italy the North African in Germany the east European in the US the Mexican and so on. I think that most of the foreigner are a mixture of red and yellow a bright Orange you may call it. Is a democratic right to have the freedom of speech and if any foreigner makes comment as long it is not against law and order than what? The picture outside of Thailand of the present situation is not pictured by the Farangs but the action of your Leaders on both sides of the aisle. S. who makes comments up to death treats to other Thais or Y. which was in the past acting to safeguard more or less the own interest. Put up a strong parliament with a strong opposition and not with some "I can't win MPs"

Get over it the problems are created by Thais and also have to be solved by Thai.

[Melpomene]

What is facist about wanting to bring back the checks and balances ? Making sure the government does not pull stunts again like the amnesty bill and how they went about it. That is the whole reason this all started.

I could not care less if they went after Suthep and put him in jail as long as they do the same for Taksin. I hold no love for Suthep but if he is the catalyst for change making corrupt governments more accountable I will be happy (does not mean he should walk a free man if he broke laws). Thing is without checks and balances and a strong anti corruption body this will happen again and again as the government thinks they can rape the country when they get voted in.

While they are changing things let them change the defamation laws too and get some good investigative reporters. I have no love for ANY corrupt government official democrat of PTP. But most likely they will be PTP (not because they are inherent more corrupt but because they are probably more likely to be in power)

I couldn't agree more. Every country in the world must have proper checks and balances and true separation of powers.

However, the truest check and balance of all is a free and fair election. Which is why, no matter what happens, the appointment of an unelected people's council can never be allowed to happen.

As for real investigative reporters and true free speech in Thailand - I long for the day when that becomes a reality, think we might be waiting for a long time though

[englishoak]

What is facist about wanting to bring back the checks and balances ?

What do you mean bring back ? there has never been any

[nputman]

True colors of a percentage of the PDRC showing thru.

[LomSak27]

Typical stuff actually

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."

I'm not threatening, but I am threatening

Yup, we got your dog and pony show routine down.

[robblok]

What is facist about wanting to bring back the checks and balances ? Making sure the government does not pull stunts again like the amnesty bill and how they went about it. That is the whole reason this all started.

I could not care less if they went after Suthep and put him in jail as long as they do the same for Taksin. I hold no love for Suthep but if he is the catalyst for change making corrupt governments more accountable I will be happy (does not mean he should walk a free man if he broke laws). Thing is without checks and balances and a strong anti corruption body this will happen again and again as the government thinks they can rape the country when they get voted in.

While they are changing things let them change the defamation laws too and get some good investigative reporters. I have no love for ANY corrupt government official democrat of PTP. But most likely they will be PTP (not because they are inherent more corrupt but because they are probably more likely to be in power)

I couldn't agree more. Every country in the world must have proper checks and balances and true separation of powers.

However, the truest check and balance of all is a free and fair election. Which is why, no matter what happens, the appointment of an unelected people's council can never be allowed to happen.

As for real investigative reporters and true free speech in Thailand - I long for the day when that becomes a reality, think we might be waiting for a long time though

Actually we disagree about what is the truest check and balance a free and fair election.

Here that is not the case because we have seen what happened the moment they got in power they started putting their people in the independent organisation and removing the checks and balances. So these have to be put in place before the election and they must be so firm that they cant be removed as easily as last time.

Sure it will take a long time to have true free speech here but it would be good as then corruption can be attacked.

[anon467367354]

I think what this guy is saying is neither xenophobic nor biased against all foreigners. What he is saying is why are the foreigners

supporting corruption? This government is corrupt. It does not represent the Thai people fairly. He is not trying to take away votes

from the poor people but rather give them the vote. Vote buying and voter fraud take away votes, plain and simple.

To think that Taksin has been good for the foreigners is pretty much a joke, unless of course the 30 visa runs to his casinos, an exit tax etc is a plus.

The question that needs to be asked, without insinuating there are no educated Thais etc, why are there foreigners supporting

the totally corrupt government? He does have a point, and if you are contributing to undermining the forming of a real "republic" where

the people, all people are fairly represented, what are you doing and why?

[jpeg]

If you truly believe that this country has anything like a 'democracy' as you know it in the West, you are seriously deluded. A ballot paper, bought or otherwise does not give a government the right to run roughshod over it's own country's Constitution, ignore it's country's Court decisions, all the while grabbing as much of it's country's tax payers' money and plotting to fill it's coffers with borrowed money with no transparency as to where this money is going. As another poster pointed out, try to imagine this happening in your country. You would still call it a Democracy? Pffft.

I understand this man's frustration. Many of you believe you're still living in Ohio/Basingstoke.

Democracy doesn't work in Thailand as a few old/new elites never allow it to.

The way to better quality politicians is to entrench democracy and the rule of law - not to abandon it altogether.

I agree wholeheartedly with what you say. But therein lies the rub. We in the west abandoned outright monarchical rule and it's feudalism centuries ago, but there are many on here who are unable/unwilling to take this into account.

What will happen here is anyone's guess. But a magic catch up via all of the hurdles toward anything like a relatively true democracy is most certainly NOT going to happen before February 2nd.

[tingtongteesood]

They have not been bribed, they are just too lazy to do any real research as it doesn't really matter to anyone outside of Thailand so they lazily believe the crap Thaksin's office of propaganda spew at them and they copy each other and lies become reports. If they would do their jobs properly and research a bit they may find some other interesting things to write about....

[bigbamboo]

Appropriately enough on this religious day Pathpingpong's comments filled me with good cheer and also reminded me of a quote from JC himself.....

"Rejoice when the dumb speak"

And a Merry Christmas to all my readers.

[wwest5829]

I am saddened, but not surprised, to see that there is such an attitude by some in Thailand.

Afterall, we can find such stupidity in all countries, just some more than others. I will

continue to seek out those holding to the positive traits of traditional Thai culture. That is one

of the reasons I chose to make my home in retirement.

WRWest

Professor Emeritus

Chiang Mai

[newcomer71]

I think what this guy is saying is neither xenophobic nor biased against all foreigners. What he is saying is why are the foreigners

supporting corruption? This government is corrupt. It does not represent the Thai people fairly. He is not trying to take away votes

from the poor people but rather give them the vote. Vote buying and voter fraud take away votes, plain and simple.

To think that Taksin has been good for the foreigners is pretty much a joke, unless of course the 30 visa runs to his casinos, an exit tax etc is a plus.

The question that needs to be asked, without insinuating there are no educated Thais etc, why are there foreigners supporting

the totally corrupt government? He does have a point, and if you are contributing to undermining the forming of a real "republic" where

the people, all people are fairly represented, what are you doing and why?

This is exactly the way Democrats+Suthep and Shin clan are playing. Put everyone in the "Or me, or against me" cauldron.

And it's a pity to see how many foreigners are short-sighted to fall in the game as well.

I guess very few foreigners are Thaksin supporters, but everyone who hates Thaksin, and being rabid toward him, likes to think that who not likes Suthep and his ways, are Thaksin supporters...

And I think you did not read the guy post. The guy was saying practically, that foreigners doesn't even have the right to complain against the disruption that protests snd city blockages are provoking, again and again...

Foreingers should just shut up, and he call them animals, "go to die". Oh well, if it's not xenophobic that, what would be it then?

Edited December 25, 2013 by newcomer71

[hansnl]

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?

You are absolutely right!

That said, the columnist assumes the Thai people don't realy need the "farang".

Maybe he does not, but I think Thailand and a lot of Thai people do not agree with him.

A short sum will tell him that the expat community pumps a cool 700,000,000,000 baht into the economy, each year.

Mostly into the local economy.

Also, he forgets the amount of € 100 a day pumped into the local economy by the farang tourists.

And what about he investment done by western companies in Thailand, to name a few, Tesco, Shell, Unilever, Makro, Electrolux, Ford, and so on..

Or the investment done into Thailand by western companies ampunting to 35% of the capital outlay in Thailand?

I am not a red shirt follower, I abhor families trying to exploit a country as a personal company, like the Suharto family in Indonesia and the Marcos family in the Phillipines, and I am not really a fan of stupid people like the columnist who are so blighted by political fervour that they loose any sense of reality.

The columnist is a very stupid man who is very bad for Thailand.

[pxlgirl]

... just crossed my mind: "Thailand, the land of (fake) smiles"...

[DocN]

It's same the world over. Foreigner will be blamed for everything. In France and Italy the North African in Germany the east European in the US the Mexican and so on. I think that most of the foreigner are a mixture of red and yellow a bright Orange you may call it. Is a democratic right to have the freedom of speech and if any foreigner makes comment as long it is not against law and order than what? The picture outside of Thailand of the present situation is not pictured by the Farangs but the action of your Leaders on both sides of the aisle. S. who makes comments up to death treats to other Thais or Y. which was in the past acting to safeguard more or less the own interest. Put up a strong parliament with a strong opposition and not with some "I can't win MPs" Get over it the problems are created by Thais and also have to be solved by Thai.

But only in Thailand, every foreigner who ever came here is to be blamed!

I think what this guy is saying is neither xenophobic nor biased against all foreigners. What he is saying is why are the foreigners

supporting corruption? This government is corrupt. It does not represent the Thai people fairly. He is not trying to take away votes

from the poor people but rather give them the vote. Vote buying and voter fraud take away votes, plain and simple.

To think that Taksin has been good for the foreigners is pretty much a joke, unless of course the 30 visa runs to his casinos, an exit tax etc is a plus.

The question that needs to be asked, without insinuating there are no educated Thais etc, why are there foreigners supporting

the totally corrupt government? He does have a point, and if you are contributing to undermining the forming of a real "republic" where

the people, all people are fairly represented, what are you doing and why?

Why isn't he asking: why do all Thais are supporting corruption? As we know, almost 70% are okay with corruption, as long as they benefit from it. Almost all do it, because "it keeps the wheels rolling (faster)"...so...a handfull of longnoses is the problem, this country has?

He should Google "self awareness" - maybe that'll help!

[smutcakes]

I am sure the Singha family have never been part of any corruption ever in getting to where they are now..................

Also i wonder what the young ladies slaves (maids, drivers, bag holder, porter's) think of her comments.

[Guest]

Most of the countries have some levels of xenophobia and racism. For many of us it has been the others, who have been the foreigners in our countries. Even if we don't like it on our own countries, it has never really affected to our everyday life.

Now it might start to affect us as we'll be on the foreign side.

If the extreme xenophobia will gain momentum (we are not on that level yet), it will be interesting to see how our own views of racism in our own countries and elsewhere will change.

[Scamper]

Quite apart from the present volatile situation, for years the foreign media has played an increasingly losing game of catch-up with Thailand. And it seems clear why that has been so. The immense complexity of the situation here - with historically conflicting political factions, regional resentments and embedded monetary corruption practices - a political labyrinth of wheels within wheels - simply does not fit into the modern age's thirty-second soundbite. So instead - reporters try to encapsulate the Thai political problem - with all its complexity - into thirty seconds. And it can't possibly be summarized as such. So what happens is - corners are cut, things are simplified, and made " user-friendly " for easy Western consumption. Perhaps there is an inevitable irony in this. In this increasingly technologically advanced age - one of the world's oldest countries - is misunderstood because it can not be quickly grasped by an increasingly impatient consumer, whose own reference point at home will likely be at odds with the assimilation of it.

[lostmebike]

Let's first start with the uneducated rant from Pathonpong Charoenwut.

Unfortunately this shows just how most Thais really feel about foreigners with 'go die' and animal like labels. Are we really shocked by this? Not really.

Also of total irrelevance and utter gibberish are his claims about being "Fed up with red-shirt farangs". Me too! But again, rather uneducated to assume that all foreigners are in some way supporters of Mr T and his bunch of clowns or that of Suthep and his self proclaimed 'educated' rabble. I would guess that most foreigners here, like myself, couldn't give a monkeys who's in charge, all as corrupt as the last!

Personally, I'm sick of all you so called protesters. You are more like a spoilt child, bored of one toy, you now scream and shout until you get a new one. Just curious but could someone please ask Sompong or whatever his/her name maybe, what party he/she voted for at the last election? Maybe a surprising answer would entail.

And lastly, how can the watching media all be 'gullible'? Ahh, those poor little protesters. I suggest it's Suthep's followers that are the gullible ones

Edited December 25, 2013 by lostmebike

[honzad]

The Nation seems to be much more objective this time around than the Post. So many of the protesters hold good jobs at Western companies - wonder what would happen if they all did pull out?

[bigbamboo]

... just crossed my mind: "Thailand, the land of (fake) smiles"...

......... and tears.

[JRSoul]

What is facist about wanting to bring back the checks and balances ? Making sure the government does not pull stunts again like the amnesty bill and how they went about it. That is the whole reason this all started.

I could not care less if they went after Suthep and put him in jail as long as they do the same for Taksin. I hold no love for Suthep but if he is the catalyst for change making corrupt governments more accountable I will be happy (does not mean he should walk a free man if he broke laws). Thing is without checks and balances and a strong anti corruption body this will happen again and again as the government thinks they can rape the country when they get voted in.

While they are changing things let them change the defamation laws too and get some good investigative reporters. I have no love for ANY corrupt government official democrat of PTP. But most likely they will be PTP (not because they are inherent more corrupt but because they are probably more likely to be in power)

I couldn't agree more. Every country in the world must have proper checks and balances and true separation of powers.

However, the truest check and balance of all is a free and fair election. Which is why, no matter what happens, the appointment of an unelected people's council can never be allowed to happen.

As for real investigative reporters and true free speech in Thailand - I long for the day when that becomes a reality, think we might be waiting for a long time though

yeah right! elected politicians will self-impose checks and balances, and turkeys will vote for xmas

[BeforeTigers]

GFY
I didn't choose which country I was born into. I was just born on the Earth. I'll go and live wherever I damn well please.

Increased xenophobia is utterly predictable anytime there is political unrest anywhere, in any society, ever.
Human nature. Ignorant human nature.

[northernjohn]

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.

JRSoul

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

would you care to name them. If they are anonymous why is it you know who they are and no one else does.

The real identity of Santa Claus is anonymous and we all know there is no such person. I suspect your anonymous people fall into the same catergory. We do know some red shirt supporters who fled the country but none that were deported. If so please name them and why they were deported.

[Thait Spot]

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"

All Thai Citizens? All 65 million plus, really? I actually know a few Thais in the room I am in right now who would not be included in that number. Even if everything you say is true you are not speaking for all Thai citizens that is pretty arrogant to state that you are to say the least., And actually democracy in Thailand has been hijacked from the very beginning over 80 years ago it did not start with Shinawatra. And even though you make it sound like that all Thailand needs to do is get rid of his influence and everything will be fine then Thailand will have reform and there will not be anymore corruption in Thailand is a joke. But then who will be next after you get rid of Shinawatra influence? Anyone who dares to speak out against "All Thai citizens"? Maybe you need to read up on the history of 1930 Germany as like most Thais you probably do not know much about this time period but this so called anti-government movement is starting to sound more and more like 1930 Germany everyday!

Any Thai that supports the despicable acts of the PTP government will never be part of the solution.

The new reforms should make Isaan one province combined with Chiang Mai

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[northernjohn]

It's same the world over. Foreigner will be blamed for everything. In France and Italy the North African in Germany the east European in the US the Mexican and so on. I think that most of the foreigner are a mixture of red and yellow a bright Orange you may call it. Is a democratic right to have the freedom of speech and if any foreigner makes comment as long it is not against law and order than what? The picture outside of Thailand of the present situation is not pictured by the Farangs but the action of your Leaders on both sides of the aisle. S. who makes comments up to death treats to other Thais or Y. which was in the past acting to safeguard more or less the own interest. Put up a strong parliament with a strong opposition and not with some "I can't win MPs" Get over it the problems are created by Thais and also have to be solved by Thai.

But only in Thailand, every foreigner who ever came here is to be blamed!

I think what this guy is saying is neither xenophobic nor biased against all foreigners. What he is saying is why are the foreigners

supporting corruption? This government is corrupt. It does not represent the Thai people fairly. He is not trying to take away votes

from the poor people but rather give them the vote. Vote buying and voter fraud take away votes, plain and simple.

To think that Taksin has been good for the foreigners is pretty much a joke, unless of course the 30 visa runs to his casinos, an exit tax etc is a plus.

The question that needs to be asked, without insinuating there are no educated Thais etc, why are there foreigners supporting

the totally corrupt government? He does have a point, and if you are contributing to undermining the forming of a real "republic" where

the people, all people are fairly represented, what are you doing and why?

Why isn't he asking: why do all Thais are supporting corruption? As we know, almost 70% are okay with corruption, as long as they benefit from it. Almost all do it, because "it keeps the wheels rolling (faster)"...so...a handfull of longnoses is the problem, this country has?

He should Google "self awareness" - maybe that'll help!

Well it is real easy to say 70% of the Thais support corruption. I can say lots of meaningless things. Would you care to give us the percentage of Thais who know and understand the depth of the corruption.

That would mean understanding how much money is coming out of their pocket when 350 billion baht set aside foe water management disappears.

Now that would be a meaningful percentage. But it would sure rain on your parade.

[outsider]

I believe the Thais are entitled to their own affairs. It is true that some foreigners just have a superiority complex and think everything that does not fulfill their ideals is crap. And these people have no qualms expressing their thoughts. Not that I condone gagging people's mouths, but I also believe in diplomacy. There are many ways to express - even displeasure - with all due respect and without hurting other people's feelings. I mean, what's wrong with maintaining some peace on this land? Does everything have to be so confrontational? But... and BIG 'BUT'... while I understand Pathonpong Charoenwut's frustration with rude, insensitive and condescending foreigners, he should not make a blanket statement like that, against all foreigners. He should have more qualifications in his statement, especially since he's 'highly educated'. I guess the education was somewhat wasted, perhaps. For people like Pathonpong Charoenwut, I have this to say. When you guys - Thailand and Thais - go on to the world stage and want to be taken seriously, don't be surprised or upset if the 'world' turns away from you, bends down and then explode... in unstoppable laughter!!!

[northernjohn]

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"

All Thai Citizens? All 65 million plus, really? I actually know a few Thais in the room I am in right now who would not be included in that number. Even if everything you say is true you are not speaking for all Thai citizens that is pretty arrogant to state that you are to say the least., And actually democracy in Thailand has been hijacked from the very beginning over 80 years ago it did not start with Shinawatra. And even though you make it sound like that all Thailand needs to do is get rid of his influence and everything will be fine then Thailand will have reform and there will not be anymore corruption in Thailand is a joke. But then who will be next after you get rid of Shinawatra influence? Anyone who dares to speak out against "All Thai citizens"? Maybe you need to read up on the history of 1930 Germany as like most Thais you probably do not know much about this time period but this so called anti-government movement is starting to sound more and more like 1930 Germany everyday!

Any Thai that supports the despicable acts of the PTP government will never be part of the solution.

The new reforms should make Isaan one province combined with Chiang Mai

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Hey I live in Chiang Mai what did I ever do to you?