Tearful Yingluck vows to fight on

[Scamper]

This bizarre, bizarre metaphor is all Yingluck can come up with ? Why, Yingluck ? Why must you go on ? Can you not see what is happening in Bangkok under the actions of your administration ? Is this really about the choice between a broken road and the jungle ? And if so, who broke it ? Could it be that your administration has aided and abetted Thaksin at every turn ? That it rammed through an amnesty bill that you continually promised had nothing to do with Thaksin ? Come to Bangkok, Yingluck, and see what is happening to your fellow countrymen. Show the people that you see what is going on, and have the capacity to understand it.

[Jingthing]

Better to walk on the road than swing throught the jungle...

This woman will go down in Thai history as the one that brought Thailand, kicking and screaming, into the modern.

Someone thinks she is a strong leader. Interesting and surprising.

[binjalin]

I have to say that is a bit rich JT, coming from citizen of a country that voted in G W Bush!

I didn't vote for him and he was at least a governor of a large state before being president.

he had a closer tie with his relative than Yingluck does to her brother yet she is castigated for the sins of her brother yet Bush Jnr is left untouched buy the sins of his father, that some would argue, far outweigh Thaksin (Iraq etc.)

[blaze]

Yingluck ? Why must you go on ? Can you not see what is happening in Bangkok under the actions of your administration ? Is this really about the choice between a broken road and the jungle ?

I don't know what planet you are on- but what we see and hear in Bangkok is NOT people under her administration. What we are experiencing is paople who have removed them selves from all administraion excetpt that of a neo-fascist who wants to redefine 'the people'.

[seasia]

Carry on -- for what purpose?

For the Thai people?

Why not start over without any connection to Thaksin?

Why does she think she is so key?

Has she done a great job?

Did she come into the job with any significant qualifications in the first place except for nepotism?

Does their party have no purpose unless the leadership is directly connected to Thaksin?

"Did she come into the job with any significant qualifications in the first place except for nepotism?"

Err how about a bachelors and a masters degree, both in public administration.

Answer your question???

Can you do a better job? and just what are your qualifications?

And her Masters is from an American university but she cannot speak English. How did she pass that then?

Maybe she was a puppet student, same as she is a puppet PM, or maybe it was bought, same as many of her voters.

Which one do you think?

P.S. For confirmation of her English skills, watch her Al Jazeera interview and cry. That level would not get you into a half-decent high skool in the West.

No way is she qualified.

That Al Jazeera interview is the first time I`ve heard her speaking English.

i was surprised just how poor her English language skills are.

Her crying and looking sad skills are excellent though.

[Exsexyman]

I have to say that is a bit rich JT, coming from citizen of a country that voted in G W Bush!

I didn't vote for him and he was at least a governor of a large state before being president.

So his Governorship of a large state had nothing to do with nepotism then?

[binjalin]

Better to walk on the road than swing throught the jungle...

This woman will go down in Thai history as the one that brought Thailand, kicking and screaming, into the modern.

Someone thinks she is a strong leader. Interesting and surprising.

here's another one

Thailand's first female PM coming through all of this with composure - getting whistles blown in your face, your house attacked... a sign of a weak person? I don't think so

a great leader? no, of course not... a weak one? another no and she deserves some credit whether you believe she is right or wrong (Thailand, largely, believes the former)

[blaze]

Better to walk on the road than swing throught the jungle...

This woman will go down in Thai history as the one that brought Thailand, kicking and screaming, into the modern.

Someone thinks she is a strong leader. Interesting and surprising.

A truly strrong leader does not rely on the iron boot and the stormtroooper. a strong leader knows that with patience, the naion will survive the tantrums in the closet

Yingluck is a strong leader.

But we all know that this is a fight in which patience and reason are set up to lose..

As Jim Morrison sang: we want the world and we want it NOW.,

He burnt out--- so will those childminds that are demanding Santa. A strong leader waits till the wild kids have spun themselves to bed. Or Jail.

Edited December 26, 2013 by blaze

[mudscrubber]

This bizarre, bizarre metaphor is all Yingluck can come up with ? Why, Yingluck ? Why must you go on ? Can you not see what is happening in Bangkok under the actions of your administration ? Is this really about the choice between a broken road and the jungle ? And if so, who broke it ? Could it be that your administration has aided and abetted Thaksin at every turn ? That it rammed through an amnesty bill that you continually promised had nothing to do with Thaksin ? Come to Bangkok, Yingluck, and see what is happening to your fellow countrymen. Show the people that you see what is going on, and have the capacity to understand it.

This post is just a silly appeal to emotionalism. Whatever one may think of Yingluck, she would be a sorry leader were she to hearken to it. Again, it seems to escape this poster's notice that a big majority of the people in this country support her. And what is this about "rammed through an amnesty bill". It passed a vote in the lower house. I guess when an bill gets passed that you don't like it's "rammed through". But the bill was never enacted. It's a nonentity. And for this nothing, a minority throws a tantrum and gets to paralyze the country?

[geriatrickid]

A bunch of brave man here acting her from behind your computer.

I suppose you are out in the BKK streets waving your red flag to support the government rather than sitting behind your computer commenting on the situation from the safety of your anonymity.

I am now Bangkok and I am observing. Today, we watched the helicopter landing to collect the registration documents. We also saw some of the older women from the various parties get accosted. This is the sacrifice that must be made to keep democracy alive in Thailand.

Those of you who wish to ridicule the PM who was legally elected and who had a legal mandate to govern demonstrate a perverse arrogance. Launching misogynistic tirades, heaping scorn on people who stood up to the various military dictatorships through the years and trying to impose your narrow minded views on the Thai people.

Yes, Thailand teeters on the brink of chaos and this is precisely what Suthep wants so that he can have his military coup.

Well here's a news flash. If Suthep and his cronies get in, it's ball game over for a large number of foreigners, many of whom are his most fervent supporters. The residency requirements will be tightened up and there will be a crackdown the likes that have been unseen before. If the elections are blocked and there is another military coup, I anticipate economic sanctions will be imposed and for those foreigners who rely on exports, good luck to you.

[RedQualia]

Rarely anything of value in the comments to news stories posted here. I really must stop reading them.

[TVGerry]

Better to walk on the road than swing throught the jungle...

This woman will go down in Thai history as the one that brought Thailand, kicking and screaming, into the modern.

Someone thinks she is a strong leader. Interesting and surprising.

here's another one

Thailand's first female PM coming through all of this with composure - getting whistles blown in your face, your house attacked... a sign of a weak person? I don't think so

a great leader? no, of course not... a weak one? another no and she deserves some credit whether you believe she is right or wrong (Thailand, largely, believes the former)

Hahahaha she wasn't even in Bangkok! She's safely ensconced in her northern stronghold. Hell she didn't even have the guts to face the rice farmers in the north who supposedly 'love' her. It's easy to show composure when you're avoiding everyone!

[citizen33]

There have been no live fire zones under Yingluck. More ordinary Thai people are behind her than behind those supported by the anti-democrats on this forum. Outside Bangkok and the South things look completely different.

Things sure are different outside BKK and the South.

In the North and Northeast :

The rubber farmers are out protesting about not being paid and say they will block the main road.

Those who will be effected by the flood scheme are protesting because they have not been given a say in what is proposed.

In several places the anti-Govt protesters have been hasseling the governors.

Oh yes, and some have even taken the trouble to go to BKK to protest.

Then put it to the vote! But seriously if you have talked to people in the NE you would know that the yellow side is unelectable there.

[Siripon]

The Defence Minister of Thailand cried in public for the second time in 2 weeks. Please Yingluck, at least resign from this post, it's most unbecoming.

[blaze]

A bunch of brave man here acting her from behind your computer.

I suppose you are out in the BKK streets waving your red flag to support the government rather than sitting behind your computer commenting on the situation from the safety of your anonymity.

I am now Bangkok and I am observing. Today, we watched the helicopter landing to collect the registration documents. We also saw some of the older women from the various parties get accosted. This is the sacrifice that must be made to keep democracy alive in Thailand.

Those of you who wish to ridicule the PM who was legally elected and who had a legal mandate to govern demonstrate a perverse arrogance. Launching misogynistic tirades, heaping scorn on people who stood up to the various military dictatorships through the years and trying to impose your narrow minded views on the Thai people.

Yes, Thailand teeters on the brink of chaos and this is precisely what Suthep wants so that he can have his military coup.

Well here's a news flash. If Suthep and his cronies get in, it's ball game over for a large number of foreigners, many of whom are his most fervent supporters. The residency requirements will be tightened up and there will be a crackdown the likes that have been unseen before. If the elections are blocked and there is another military coup, I anticipate economic sanctions will be imposed and for those foreigners who rely on exports, good luck to you.

Good post and should be considered by those for whom reason still functions.

The horrifyingly funny part is that after every revolution there are unexpected consequences- and too often it its the very people who initially screamed we want it NOW who experience those conesequences- but I have a feeling that this forum is not composed of people who know much about what history says awaits.

[steveromagnino]

Carry on -- for what purpose?

For the Thai people?

Why not start over without any connection to Thaksin?

Why does she think she is so key?

Has she done a great job?

Did she come into the job with any significant qualifications in the first place except for nepotism?

Does their party have no purpose unless the leadership is directly connected to Thaksin?

"Did she come into the job with any significant qualifications in the first place except for nepotism?"

Err how about a bachelors and a masters degree, both in public administration.

Answer your question???

Can you do a better job? and just what are your qualifications?

A 25 year old can have a bachelors and a masters degree, both in public administration with zero work experience. Education is obviously useful, but not the most important aspect of knowing how to control and lead a country. Her working life, her CV reads as a proxy of her family, where she was placed in AIS then SC Asset, mostly to execute someone else's desires and vision who could not be there (first because he was PM, and then because he was overseas).

It is certainly questionable whether another suitable candidate could have been found in 2011 that would have been more successful in getting votes, and more willing to just fly around the world avoiding her duties as a parliamentarian, that's a nice aspect of having someone who has a relatively small ego and zero experience to know what her duties actually are.

her assets are best listed as:

- Shinawatra surname and brother

- nice to look at

- ok on paper

- sufficiently malleable and soft to be acceptable to many who might not accept a more hardline approach, while giving huge hope to lobbiests and factions who all think (probably correctly) that it's easier to beat a softie than a toughie

- a woman and newcomer totally inexperienced (making any attack on her seem mean spirited)

Bear in mind she was elected having never said anything of substance.

Even though I and many others find her public presentation skills generally quite poor in both languages, she has improved markedly and now can stick to a script well, although it's quite clear she really doesn't actually know much about what is going on, how could she given that she doesn't make the decisions nor is she even attending parliament sessions anyhow.

It is somewhat annoying to know that all her advisors are probably paid handsomely, to tell her how to say things most other parliamentarians would have little problem saying themselves. Also it must be just as annoying for her to not be able to really run things herself, she was after all, swept into power not due to her own brain power, but rather her brother's; "Thaksin Kit, Peua Thai Tum" and you could add "Yingluck Bin" - however I don't really think she actually wants to do this job anyhow.

I never place much faith on qualifications alone, but rather work experience and proven success as a proof point, something she completely lacked coming into power.

Were she more experienced and powerful, perhaps things would be far worse, maybe they would be better - impossible to know. Certainly Samak (with a load more experience, a smarter guy, a more educated guy) proved quite a handful for Thaksin to control so Thaksin sold him down the river (from around April 2008 from memory) and eventually PPP were the ones who kicked him out and chose Thaksin's brother in law Somchai to replace him as party leader/PM rather than fighting for him regarding the cooking show and the defamation case and the firetrucks purchase case (all of which did not preclude him from continuing; and in fact this selection of Somchai was what led to the Newin faction breaking away and destroying Thaksin's empire for a while). Somchai was ineffectual but also hardly around long enough to do anything.

Having said all of that, if we accept she's hardly been any good, what choice do PT have?

If not her, we get Somchai (again), Yaowapa, Surapong as candidates - all also Thaksin 'clones' but without the appeals of Yingluck. Outside chance for Chalerm, Chaturon, very outside for Sanoh (who Thaksin doesn't trust but has to keep even though Sanoh exposed exactly how Thaksin works because THaksin needed the Wang Nam Yen faction votes, plus he's 80), very outside for a weak coalition partner simply so everyone can live with another hopeless ineffective politician who can get along with both sides of the house simply through being inept and friendly - i.e. a Chavalit, Banharn type character.

[geriatrickid]

I have to say that is a bit rich JT, coming from citizen of a country that voted in G W Bush!

I didn't vote for him and he was at least a governor of a large state before being president.

Yes, the state with one of the highest execution rates, but I digress.

Are you so afraid of the poor that you wish them to be pushed back under the yoke of tyranny?

Whatever the faults of the PTP were, at least the poor were given a chance to breath and to taste freedom.

Don't tell me you are afraid of the slaves uprising and refusing to call you mastuh?

Appreciably you reside in pattaya where the house xxxxxs abound, but elsewhere in Thailand, the locals are free and want to remain so.

[hotrod4098]

any one who nows thailand should be aware... a big brother is dangerous...

my ex wife well her mums brother controlled the village...all cared of him..then her cousins brother again called the shots to the girls for money etc..

this is the same case...she can not give in..BIG BROTHER WONT ALLOW IT...

[Jingthing]

I have to say that is a bit rich JT, coming from citizen of a country that voted in G W Bush!

I didn't vote for him and he was at least a governor of a large state before being president.

Yes, the state with one of the highest execution rates, but I digress.

Are you so afraid of the poor that you wish them to be pushed back under the yoke of tyranny?

Whatever the faults of the PTP were, at least the poor were given a chance to breath and to taste freedom.

Don't tell me you are afraid of the slaves uprising and refusing to call you mastuh?

Appreciably you reside in pattaya where the house xxxxxs abound, but elsewhere in Thailand, the locals are free and want to remain so.

Is that the best you can do? Resort to disgusting personal attack insinuations that are totally off topic? Dude, don't go even go there and assume that all of us who are very unimpressed with the Thaksin kleptocracy makes us yellow bellies. Maybe you live in such a simple minded black and white world, red and yellow, whatever, but don't project that on more intelligent objective expats, OK?

What a red herring vision you are pushing on expats. If you're critical of Thaksin-Yingluck you automatically love Suthep. NO! If you're critical of Suthep you automatically love Thaksin. NO!

Yes Thailand is in a kind of soft civil war. Does that mean foreigners MUST necessarily take one of these sides? No, it does not. OK, I realize some expats are taking hard sides on this. I find that foolish when you look objectively at these sides, there is not much to love.

Edited December 26, 2013 by Jingthing

[Frank James]

Happy New Year Dear Lady. Chiang Mai loves you, and so do I.

Nobody would blame you if you wanted to walk away. Stay up north with family and friends, and let Thida take over. She'll sort out the opposition in short order.

[geriatrickid]

Isn't it odd that the PM is ridiculed for her education and lengthy work experience, and yet the same people doing so ignore the fact that former Abhisit never had a private sector job before politics. He allegedly lectured at the military college for a short time to avoid meet his military service obligation, but that was it. Abhisit, the man who would be PM never worked a real job in his life. Nice.

[tezzainoz]

My Thai wife always turns on the tears when she can not get her own way

I see she visits all the main cities

But stays way away from the real Thailand where the Thai people slave all day on rice Farms

Does she know something

[Costas2008]

Jingthing, on 26 Dec 2013 - 15:33, said:

"Feminism" Thai style. When in doubt -- CRY.

"Feminism" All over the world. When in doubt -- CRY.

[ginjag]

A bunch of brave man here acting her from behind your computer.

I suppose you are out in the BKK streets waving your red flag to support the government rather than sitting behind your computer commenting on the situation from the safety of your anonymity.

I am now Bangkok and I am observing. Today, we watched the helicopter landing to collect the registration documents. We also saw some of the older women from the various parties get accosted. This is the sacrifice that must be made to keep democracy alive in Thailand.

Those of you who wish to ridicule the PM who was legally elected and who had a legal mandate to govern demonstrate a perverse arrogance. Launching misogynistic tirades, heaping scorn on people who stood up to the various military dictatorships through the years and trying to impose your narrow minded views on the Thai people.

Yes, Thailand teeters on the brink of chaos and this is precisely what Suthep wants so that he can have his military coup.

Well here's a news flash. If Suthep and his cronies get in, it's ball game over for a large number of foreigners, many of whom are his most fervent supporters. The residency requirements will be tightened up and there will be a crackdown the likes that have been unseen before. If the elections are blocked and there is another military coup, I anticipate economic sanctions will be imposed and for those foreigners who rely on exports, good luck to you.

A poster who is a staunch defender of Thailand, whoever posts with comments about the unrest and believes the cause is for the better you cry them down, anti government comments you do not like so if you have the country at heart why the dickens don't you condemn the 2 years of corruption. A dictatorial family at the helm, being steered from afar. Don't you feel something is wrong ????? Having a legal mandate to GOVERN--in a non corrupt way. World corruption figures recently showed Thailand among the worst.

You are only pushing hateful propaganda-re WHEN Suthep gets in. You have no Idea. How often do you condemn the government when they make drastic errors.??

I will take my chance here and not run away from my home. your news FLASH is ridiculous.

[blabth]

Y can say whatever she wants in any way she wants it will be always critiqued by the anti government group. She is following the constitution of the Kingdom by stepping down she had to announce new elections and than maintain the role of the PM in a caretaker government. It would be than the chance for the opposition to mobilize the people to cast the vote for them. Instead the play chicken and boycott the election and spend millions of Baht for the demonstration which could be used in their election process. Taking a risk that Thailand will fall in to a chaos as the pros will not let it go as well. S and his "Democrat" friendsis telling we are not afraid of election if that is the case go for it and become the govern party in Thailand. Use the next legislation period to change the laws, show that they can do it better having a strong opposition in the parliament.

[geriatrickid]

I have to say that is a bit rich JT, coming from citizen of a country that voted in G W Bush!

I didn't vote for him and he was at least a governor of a large state before being president.

Yes, the state with one of the highest execution rates, but I digress.

Are you so afraid of the poor that you wish them to be pushed back under the yoke of tyranny?

Whatever the faults of the PTP were, at least the poor were given a chance to breath and to taste freedom.

Don't tell me you are afraid of the slaves uprising and refusing to call you mastuh?

Appreciably you reside in pattaya where the house xxxxxs abound, but elsewhere in Thailand, the locals are free and want to remain so.

Is that the best you can do? Resort to disgusting personal attack insinuations that are totally off topic? Dude, don't go even go there and assume that all of us who are very unimpressed with the Thaksin kleptocracy makes us yellow bellies. Maybe you live in such a simple minded black and white world, red and yellow, whatever, but don't project that on more intelligent objective expats, OK?

What a red herring vision you are pushing on expats. If you're critical of Thaksin-Yingluck you automatically love Suthep. NO! If you're critical of Suthep you automatically love Thaksin. NO!

Yes Thailand is a kind of soft civil war. Does that mean foreigners MUST necessarily take one of these sides? No, it does not.

Not a personal attack, but a questioning of motives. Suthep is indeed an enemy of democracy. Unfortunately, at this juncture, the PTP is the only option left for democracy.

Abhisit has run away from his responsibility to participate in an election. Those who wish to postpone the election are supporting the crushing of freedom.

In this fight, there are only absolutes now; Right or wrong. There are no longer any shades of gray to offer shadows to hide in. Take a hint from the international diplomats and support the fundamental right of the population to have an election. Take the path of righteousness and justice and understand the struggle that is now underway.

And remember, the transit driver that slugged you most likely was not a redshirt supporter so please do not allow your trauma to colour your views.

[h90]

Isn't it odd that the PM is ridiculed for her education and lengthy work experience, and yet the same people doing so ignore the fact that former Abhisit never had a private sector job before politics. He allegedly lectured at the military college for a short time to avoid meet his military service obligation, but that was it. Abhisit, the man who would be PM never worked a real job in his life. Nice.

that is a worldwide problem.....most politicians in Europe never worked something in the private sector.

What work experience has Yingluck? I think she only "worked" in companies from her brother.

[Evolare]

She's buying her crocodile tears by the gallon!!

[geriatrickid]

A poster who is a staunch defender of Thailand, whoever posts with comments about the unrest and believes the cause is for the better you cry them down, anti government comments you do not like so if you have the country at heart why the dickens don't you condemn the 2 years of corruption. A dictatorial family at the helm, being steered from afar. Don't you feel something is wrong ????? Having a legal mandate to GOVERN--in a non corrupt way. World corruption figures recently showed Thailand among the worst.

You are only pushing hateful propaganda-re WHEN Suthep gets in. You have no Idea. How often do you condemn the government when they make drastic errors.??

I will take my chance here and not run away from my home. your news FLASH is ridiculous.

I have condemned corruption and have been particularly critical of the refusal to enforce the environmental protection laws. Unfortunately, on Phuket a Democrat stronghold, the central government was rather powerless in dealing with corrupt local officials. I have also been consistent on my criticisms of the government's health policies at times to the point where I was reprimanded. If you believe that Suthep is going to be nice to foreigners, then I suggest you read up on some of his statements. I also suggest you take a close read of the Thai Values initiative that some of his most ardent supporters wish to initiate. I'm not much into the beer bar scene, so it won't have an impact on me and to be honest, I can see some of its benefits, but then again I am a bit of a Puritan. In any case, I will be out of this mess for the next few days as I have again run afoul of some personal conduct rules. Sux to be me.

[tingtongteesood]

Carry on -- for what purpose?

For the Thai people?

Why not start over without any connection to Thaksin?

Why does she think she is so key?

Has she done a great job?

Did she come into the job with any significant qualifications in the first place except for nepotism?

Does their party have no purpose unless the leadership is directly connected to Thaksin?

Carry on -- for what purpose? - She is the elected Prime Minister of Thailand

For the Thai people? - Yes Over 15 million Thai people elected her party to government in the general election.

Why not start over without any connection to Thaksin? - She is his sister, she will always have a connection, you have no siblings?

Why does she think she is so key? - As acting PM she has to go ahead with the election that was called by royal decree.

Has she done a great job? - That will be for the Thai people to decide on 2nd Feb (or whenever)

Don't know why you continue to try and defend this government made up primarily of and headed by convicted criminals. She was elected in a rigged poll, rigged by the puppet master's cronies. 12 milion registered to vote whose votes were not in the final count. You are telling me 12 million people suddenly changed their minds and didn't bother to vote ?! The 'royal decree' is a useful excuse to hide behind but the election can easily be postponed. Ask the king if they can postpone and he will agree. The Thai peeople can decide once there is a chance of a free and fair election ( meaning no Shin regime fraud involved ).