Bloomberg interview with Abhisit: 'It's time for reform. Why can't the govt accept that'

[ianf]

0K then icommunity. Abhisit has not run away from his responsibilities and is still in Thailand. Abhisit is not a fugitive. Abhisit has not been listed by Amnesty International in 18 separate political assassination cases as has Thaksin. Abhsit was attacked by Thaksin's red shirts when the red shirts disrupted the International conference in Pattaya (remember?). Abhist did not set up a rice scheme and defrauded the farmers. Abihsit is not a convicted criminal. Abhisit has been voted in to Govern, Thaksin has never personally won an election. Abihsit never ordered any extra-judicial killings, includng those of political opponents similar to the 2500 killed by Thaksin during the drug wars. Abhisit didn't pay 90 senators 100000 baht per month inorder that he could change the laws on selling a major Thai Company to overseas buyers. Abhisit never sold a company and then avoided paying tax o the proceeds. Abhisit hasn't bought huge chunks of land outside Chiang Mai so that he can sell it back to the Government for a new Chiang Mai International Airport. Abhisit is not in bed with major corporate financiers from Wall Street who are manipulating world economic events. Abhisit did not create a force of 300 men in Black to act as his personal guerilla army. Abhisit's does not play golf with Hun Sen, the tin pot dictator of Cambodia who achieved power through a coup. Do you want me to carry on? I'm quite happy to write another 1000 words for you. Because you see there is a world of difference between the criminal sociopath of Dubai and Abhisit.

[kingalfred]

Icommunity is just a january 13th joined troll

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Bluespunk]

@englishoak

You completely misunderstand my sentiment or are deliberately misunderstanding me in order to paint me as a racist. I hope it is the former. Yes a person can consider themselves British if they are born in the UK and wish to be seen as British. That is their decision and theirs alone to make.

My point was that if someone is born to Thai parents (or any nationality) then they are perfectly entitled to consider themselves to be the same. It matters not which piece of dirt you were born upon, if Abhisit (no idea who this mark you refer to is) has been raised as Thai by his family and retains his Thai citizenship (which he has) then he is Thai if he says he is. Equally he can reject that and take on British nationality. However that choice is his and his alone.

Edited February 7, 2014 by Bluespunk

[Artisi]

That would be a hopeless mismatch. Much more interesting would be a bout between the two real leaders, Abhisit and Thaksin. That I would pay to see!

Whereas the PT brigade would just refuse to pay the bill when it arrived.

And have the bill inflated and then expect a kick-back from the restaurant after the bill was paid by someone else. This they are good at - top-of-the league actually.

[Publicus]

Yes about Thailand, but AV is seriously down and out in unprecedented ways - failing to support, defend, promote democracy.

And my central point is that AV is on Bloomberg TV and likely is in the early stages of a media campaign because it's world opinion that he's lost, that has turned against him and done it for good.

But world opinion doesn't make or break a Thai politician. If it did, how many would there be left? And at the end of the day, other nations are most concerned about looking after their own interests, so, in the unlikely event of Abhisit being again in a position of real power here, other nations would accept it and accept him, just as they have accepted other Thai leaders of equal or worse international standing.

Did the United States for example, which has Thailand as a defense treaty ally, ever accept the right wing military rulers of Burma/Myanmar? Washington finally sent in agents to connect with Aung San Suu Kyi and her mass of monks to so seriously subvert the regime that Beijing is out of business there and the US is in, with broad based elections being adopted and Suu Kyi eligible and prepping to run for president.

Did the US accept the late Hugo Chavez? Did the US over time tolerate Saddam? Khaddafi is dead now too. Certainly Abhisit's life is absolutely not in danger but his chancellorship definitely would be, and good on that.

Edited to correct a typo.

Edited February 7, 2014 by Publicus

[metisdead]

The topic is about a Bloomberg interview with Abhisit about reform, not bickering about his nationality. A number of bickering posts and replies have been removed.

[3NUMBAS]

Etonian students are taught to be arrogant bully boy thugs ,if they cant get a result then they change the rules .their breeding teaches them nothing about fair play just ruthless determination .god knows enough of them have caused endless wars where millions have been killed .

the PM and the Mayor of London when they were students were smashing up restaurants with disdain

Edited February 7, 2014 by 3NUMBAS

[Artisi]

0K then icommunity. Abhisit has not run away from his responsibilities and is still in Thailand. Abhisit is not a fugitive. Abhisit has not been listed by Amnesty International in 18 separate political assassination cases as has Thaksin. Abhsit was attacked by Thaksin's red shirts when the red shirts disrupted the International conference in Pattaya (remember?). Abhist did not set up a rice scheme and defrauded the farmers. Abihsit is not a convicted criminal. Abhisit has been voted in to Govern, Thaksin has never personally won an election. Abihsit never ordered any extra-judicial killings, includng those of political opponents similar to the 2500 killed by Thaksin during the drug wars. Abhisit didn't pay 90 senators 100000 baht per month inorder that he could change the laws on selling a major Thai Company to overseas buyers. Abhisit never sold a company and then avoided paying tax o the proceeds. Abhisit hasn't bought huge chunks of land outside Chiang Mai so that he can sell it back to the Government for a new Chiang Mai International Airport. Abhisit is not in bed with major corporate financiers from Wall Street who are manipulating world economic events. Abhisit did not create a force of 300 men in Black to act as his personal guerilla army. Abhisit's does not play golf with Hun Sen, the tin pot dictator of Cambodia who achieved power through a coup. Do you want me to carry on? I'm quite happy to write another 1000 words for you. Because you see there is a world of difference between the criminal sociopath of Dubai and Abhisit.

Please don't quote the facts of life to these people, it only confuses them and gets in the way of the nonsense they want to sprout over and over. Just leave them to them selves as they will implode soon enough.

[rixalex]

Yes about Thailand, but AV is seriously down and out in unprecedented ways - failing to support, defend, promote democracy.

And my central point is that AV is on Bloomberg TV and likely is in the early stages of a media campaign because it's world opinion that he's lost, that has turned against him and done it for good.

But world opinion doesn't make or break a Thai politician. If it did, how many would there be left? And at the end of the day, other nations are most concerned about looking after their own interests, so, in the unlikely event of Abhisit being again in a position of real power here, other nations would accept it and accept him, just as they have accepted other Thai leaders of equal or worse international standing.

Did the United States for example, which has Thailand as a defense treaty ally, ever accept the right wing military rulers of Burma/Myanmar? Washington finally sent in agents to connect with Aung San Suu Kyi and her mass of monks to so seriously subvert the regime that Beijing is out of business there and the US is in, with broad based elections being adopted and Suu Kyi eligible and prepping to run for president.

Did the US accept the late Hugo Chavez? Did the US over time tolerate Saddam? Khaddafi is dead now too. Certainly Abhisit's life is absolutely not in danger but his chancellorship definitely would be, and good on that.

Edited to correct a typo.

I think the list of questionable leaders and regimes that the US has maintained relations with far outstrips the list of ones that it hasn't, and the likelihood of it taking the stance with Abhisit that it has taken with those leaders you mention above, extremely remote, to put it mildly.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ XA using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[bigbamboo]

0K then icommunity. Abhisit has not run away from his responsibilities and is still in Thailand. Abhisit is not a fugitive. Abhisit has not been listed by Amnesty International in 18 separate political assassination cases as has Thaksin. Abhsit was attacked by Thaksin's red shirts when the red shirts disrupted the International conference in Pattaya (remember?). Abhist did not set up a rice scheme and defrauded the farmers. Abihsit is not a convicted criminal. Abhisit has been voted in to Govern, Thaksin has never personally won an election. Abihsit never ordered any extra-judicial killings, includng those of political opponents similar to the 2500 killed by Thaksin during the drug wars. Abhisit didn't pay 90 senators 100000 baht per month inorder that he could change the laws on selling a major Thai Company to overseas buyers. Abhisit never sold a company and then avoided paying tax o the proceeds. Abhisit hasn't bought huge chunks of land outside Chiang Mai so that he can sell it back to the Government for a new Chiang Mai International Airport. Abhisit is not in bed with major corporate financiers from Wall Street who are manipulating world economic events. Abhisit did not create a force of 300 men in Black to act as his personal guerilla army. Abhisit's does not play golf with Hun Sen, the tin pot dictator of Cambodia who achieved power through a coup. Do you want me to carry on? I'm quite happy to write another 1000 words for you. Because you see there is a world of difference between the criminal sociopath of Dubai and Abhisit.

One nil.

[rixalex]

I'd also like to add, with regards Abhisit's international standing, when it is shown that the current government concocted bogus murder charges against him individually, in a failed attempt at pressuring him and forcing him to accept an amnesty for the benefit of the PM 's brother, chances are that his standing will go up, for having stood up to this farce and for not running away from it.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ XA using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Baerboxer]

At last .... !!!

This interview will help the international media realize that in Abisit they have someone who can actually make a complete sentence and speak intelligently abut Thai politics.

This will be the first of many interviews.

You think ?Speaking english has nothing to do with being credible. I think he comes across pretty badly and weak with reasoning, any political editor or decent hard talk will rip him to shreds.get him on hard talk RT or Jeremy Paxman he would get chewed to bits.

Hes out giving interviews atm to try to deflect the huge criticism the Democrats are getting being tied at the hip with the PDRC and defending them wont help him. Had to laugh when he went into his why other countries blah blah and democracy bit.

Some viewers will like it no doubt politically astute ones will laugh at it.

And by the same margin, why not put Yingluck and he caddy through the same aggressive journalistic interviews? They could defend their schemes, explain why they refuse to obey laws and court rulings they don't like and maybe even answer questions on the illegally issued passport.

[Baerboxer]

Etonian students are taught to be arrogant bully boy thugs ,if they cant get a result then they change the rules .their breeding teaches them nothing about fair play just ruthless determination .god knows enough of them have caused endless wars where millions have been killed .

the PM and the Mayor of London when they were students were smashing up restaurants with disdain

Could you provide evidence on all your accusations?

[Artisi]

At last .... !!!

This interview will help the international media realize that in Abisit they have someone who can actually make a complete sentence and speak intelligently abut Thai politics.

This will be the first of many interviews.

You think ?Speaking english has nothing to do with being credible. I think he comes across pretty badly and weak with reasoning, any political editor or decent hard talk will rip him to shreds.get him on hard talk RT or Jeremy Paxman he would get chewed to bits.

Hes out giving interviews atm to try to deflect the huge criticism the Democrats are getting being tied at the hip with the PDRC and defending them wont help him. Had to laugh when he went into his why other countries blah blah and democracy bit.

Some viewers will like it no doubt politically astute ones will laugh at it.

And by the same margin, why not put Yingluck and he caddy through the same aggressive journalistic interviews? They could defend their schemes, explain why they refuse to obey laws and court rulings they don't like and maybe even answer questions on the illegally issued passport.

Could you just imagine for 1 minute where any interview with YL and her caddy would end up - it would be like interviewing Miss Piggy and Big Bird only more entertaining.

[aimbc]

I noticed one thing with the Red Shirts supporter, is their failure to admit to the problem. Denial would be the word. They would rather patch up the system and keep on driving with it, hoping to reach the destination. But I must say, they are good at distraction techniques by bring out off the wall subject. Let's stick with the subject of YS administrative roles. The issue is their lack of accountability and responsibility for their actions. We can't solve the problem if we don't admit to it.

Well, perhaps you, like abhisit, can't see things staring you in the face.

Abhisit: 'It's time for reform. Why can't the govt accept that'.

They have accepted it, abhisit, you're just refusing to admit it

Here we go again. Like I said, please let's look at the issue of YS administration. An administration such as this, can't be trusted with anything else. And I wouldn't even trust them with anything as important as the reform. The reform YS suggested are conditionally controlled by her administration. No...not the way to go. They can't even get their house in order. I am not supporting Abhisit. Did I declare that in my post? The like YS and the government to acknowledge the truth. I am just pointing out the obvious here. But, like the YS supporter like yourself refuse to see anything that is so obvious. So my post reconfirms once again that Red Shirt supporters, can't face the truth about the inept government of YS and always shift the blame on someone else.

[gerry1011]

How can Bloomberg waste air time with this fool...

Sent from my iPhone...

[northernjohn]

LOL, Pavin Chachavalpongpun is a PTP supporter. He wrote that because he is a PTP supporter? You have defamed him.

Defamed him? Rubbish. Nor did I say he wrote anything because he is a PTP supported. He probably wrote it because he was paid.

I've read quite a few of his articles in the Bangkok Post as well as the one in question and he always shows bias towards the PTP or it's predecessors. Difficult concept I know - judging someone by what they say rather than their academic position.

That is one of the reasons I distrust Academics. It is not what they know but what is their position. Many of them are really short in the grey matter. Ask them a question and they will give you their credentials. Or opinions which are of course the same as a ruble releasing mechanism in every human being. Every one has one. Some are backed up by reality and for some intellectuals it is backed up by a book they read or wrote and are trying to sell. Like a friend of mine if it is in a book not a problem for him if it requires common sense he has to get a book to look up what that is. Simply amazing what those ivy covered walls can keep out. Also keep in.

[northernjohn]

0K then icommunity. Abhisit has not run away from his responsibilities and is still in Thailand. Abhisit is not a fugitive. Abhisit has not been listed by Amnesty International in 18 separate political assassination cases as has Thaksin. Abhsit was attacked by Thaksin's red shirts when the red shirts disrupted the International conference in Pattaya (remember?). Abhist did not set up a rice scheme and defrauded the farmers. Abihsit is not a convicted criminal. Abhisit has been voted in to Govern, Thaksin has never personally won an election. Abihsit never ordered any extra-judicial killings, includng those of political opponents similar to the 2500 killed by Thaksin during the drug wars. Abhisit didn't pay 90 senators 100000 baht per month inorder that he could change the laws on selling a major Thai Company to overseas buyers. Abhisit never sold a company and then avoided paying tax o the proceeds. Abhisit hasn't bought huge chunks of land outside Chiang Mai so that he can sell it back to the Government for a new Chiang Mai International Airport. Abhisit is not in bed with major corporate financiers from Wall Street who are manipulating world economic events. Abhisit did not create a force of 300 men in Black to act as his personal guerilla army. Abhisit's does not play golf with Hun Sen, the tin pot dictator of Cambodia who achieved power through a coup. Do you want me to carry on? I'm quite happy to write another 1000 words for you. Because you see there is a world of difference between the criminal sociopath of Dubai and Abhisit.

The one exception I would have is I don't think the wall street boys would want any thing to do with him. Not that they are honest but they would be afraid of him running off at the mouth and saying things he shouldn't. Besides many of them could buy and sell him.

Another positive for Abhist is that when charged with murder and when offered an easy way out with the amnesty bill he said No. I am innocent and will defend against the charge in a court of law.

Integrity at the max.

Lack of integrity hiding behind his sisters skirts. Thaksin Shinawatra for those who need it spelled out to them.

[Soutpeel]

At last .... !!!

This interview will help the international media realize that in Abisit they have someone who can actually make a complete sentence and speak intelligently abut Thai politics.

This will be the first of many interviews.

You think ?Speaking english has nothing to do with being credible. I think he comes across pretty badly and weak with reasoning, any political editor or decent hard talk will rip him to shreds.get him on hard talk RT or Jeremy Paxman he would get chewed to bits.

Hes out giving interviews atm to try to deflect the huge criticism the Democrats are getting being tied at the hip with the PDRC and defending them wont help him. Had to laugh when he went into his why other countries blah blah and democracy bit.

Some viewers will like it no doubt politically astute ones will laugh at it.

And by the same margin, why not put Yingluck and he caddy through the same aggressive journalistic interviews? They could defend their schemes, explain why they refuse to obey laws and court rulings they don't like and maybe even answer questions on the illegally issued passport.

Could you just imagine for 1 minute where any interview with YL and her caddy would end up - it would be like interviewing Miss Piggy and Big Bird only more entertaining.

One suspects you would get more sense out of Miss Piggy and Big Bird

[heybruce]

0K then icommunity. Abhisit has not run away from his responsibilities and is still in Thailand. Abhisit is not a fugitive. Abhisit has not been listed by Amnesty International in 18 separate political assassination cases as has Thaksin. Abhsit was attacked by Thaksin's red shirts when the red shirts disrupted the International conference in Pattaya (remember?). Abhist did not set up a rice scheme and defrauded the farmers. Abihsit is not a convicted criminal. Abhisit has been voted in to Govern, Thaksin has never personally won an election. Abihsit never ordered any extra-judicial killings, includng those of political opponents similar to the 2500 killed by Thaksin during the drug wars. Abhisit didn't pay 90 senators 100000 baht per month inorder that he could change the laws on selling a major Thai Company to overseas buyers. Abhisit never sold a company and then avoided paying tax o the proceeds. Abhisit hasn't bought huge chunks of land outside Chiang Mai so that he can sell it back to the Government for a new Chiang Mai International Airport. Abhisit is not in bed with major corporate financiers from Wall Street who are manipulating world economic events. Abhisit did not create a force of 300 men in Black to act as his personal guerilla army. Abhisit's does not play golf with Hun Sen, the tin pot dictator of Cambodia who achieved power through a coup. Do you want me to carry on? I'm quite happy to write another 1000 words for you. Because you see there is a world of difference between the criminal sociopath of Dubai and Abhisit.

Please don't quote the facts of life to these people, it only confuses them and gets in the way of the nonsense they want to sprout over and over. Just leave them to them selves as they will implode soon enough.

Yeah, I'm confused about that part "Thaksin has never personally won an election."

However, for the sake of argument, let's say Abhisit is a wonderful human being. That's hardly relevant, the majority of Thai voters have made it clear they don't want him to run this country. Unfortunately Abhisit, Suthep, and many posters on this forum have made it clear they don't want to accept the results of an election which Yingluck clearly won.

Democracy won't work unless the losers in the election accept that they lost and focus on winning the next election. In this country the losers work to undermine and overthrow the elected government, and also democracy. Clearly a number of posters in this forum also reject democracy when they don't like the results. If the misnamed Democrats succeed in toppling the government the people who once again had their democratically elected government overthrown will take to the streets and work to topple the usurpers. The chaos will continue and perhaps spiral out of control.

As has been repeatedly pointed out in this forum, the current government is incompetent. The un-Democrats should stop trying to end the little democracy the military junta allowed to remain in the 2007 constitution and instead focus on winning the next election. A very good start would be if they tried to win over the majority of voters, which requires that they stop referring to them with contempt and trying to discount their votes.

[Suriya4]

If he is as good as his English, why isn't he not re-elected?

And please, before you say anything about vote buying, read this first:

http://asiancorrespondent.com/116697/vote-buying-thaksin-and-the-democrats/

[3NUMBAS]

they musta taught him about the ballot box at Eton but oh oh he has become corrupted by power already and itching to get his snout in the troff

[Suriya4]

Dem have never won any election in the past 20 years. Why can't the Dem accept that?

[Publicus]

Dem have never won any election in the past 20 years. Why can't the Dem accept that?

This from Time magazine should help towards explaining and understanding it. Throughout the world and in Thailand itself the DP and AV are considered beyond the margins.

Thailand’s Democrat Party Is Hilariously Misnamed

Don't believe Yellow Shirt talk of a "people's revolution" — what's being demanded is nothing short of a putsch

The Democrat Party last won a majority in 1992. Its power base is the Bangkok bourgeoisie, described as “timid, selfish, uncultured, consumerist and without any decent vision of the future of the country” by Cornell University Professor Benedict Anderson.

As such, the party finds no support among the rural poor of the nation’s northeast — which is Red Shirt territory — and flounders at the ballot box. But instead of developing manifestos and platforms that could compete for rural votes, the party alienates the heartland electorate further by petulantly calling upon powerful allies — such as the military or judiciary — to undermine its rival.

These are thuggish politics. The Democrat Party might cling onto its name, but seeing many of its supporters swap yellow for black shirts seems strangely apt.

Read more: Thailand’s Democrat Party Is Hilariously Misnamed | TIME.com http://world.time.com/2013/11/28/thailands-democrat-party-is-hilariously-misnamed/#ixzz2sfvZXv4R

Edited February 7, 2014 by Publicus

[ShannonT]

Dem have never won any election in the past 20 years. Why can't the Dem accept that?

This from Time magazine should help towards explaining and understanding it. Throughout the world and in Thailand itself the DP and AV are considered beyond the margins.

Thailand’s Democrat Party Is Hilariously Misnamed

Don't believe Yellow Shirt talk of a "people's revolution" — what's being demanded is nothing short of a putsch

The Democrat Party last won a majority in 1992. Its power base is the Bangkok bourgeoisie, described as “timid, selfish, uncultured, consumerist and without any decent vision of the future of the country” by Cornell University Professor Benedict Anderson.

As such, the party finds no support among the rural poor of the nation’s northeast — which is Red Shirt territory — and flounders at the ballot box. But instead of developing manifestos and platforms that could compete for rural votes, the party alienates the heartland electorate further by petulantly calling upon powerful allies — such as the military or judiciary — to undermine its rival.

These are thuggish politics. The Democrat Party might cling onto its name, but seeing many of its supporters swap yellow for black shirts seems strangely apt.

Read more: Thailand’s Democrat Party Is Hilariously Misnamed | TIME.com http://world.time.com/2013/11/28/thailands-democrat-party-is-hilariously-misnamed/#ixzz2sfvZXv4R

I expect that in the coming hours, there will be half a dozen posts saying TIME Magazine is on Thaksin's payroll.

[Thailand]

A load of hypocritical rubbish from a seemingly intelligent guy.

The unasked question was how can the Democrat Party, who themselves are mired in massive crony corruption and vote-buying, be trusted to do anything about corruption when their noses are in the trough once again? They have done nothing about it previously, so why suddenly now?

"massive crony corruption" - proof?

"vote-buying" - proof?

There are millions of articles in the public doamin showing the 2 offences above being committed by the Shinawatra administrations - but I think you're just posting nonsense

You are seriously trying to say the Dems are not involved in vote buying and corruption?

Come on you can't possibly be that naive can you?

Simple really....

Put up or shut up.

Amazing, you really are that naive!

[jayboy]

0K then icommunity. Abhisit has not run away from his responsibilities and is still in Thailand. Abhisit is not a fugitive. Abhisit has not been listed by Amnesty International in 18 separate political assassination cases as has Thaksin. Abhsit was attacked by Thaksin's red shirts when the red shirts disrupted the International conference in Pattaya (remember?). Abhist did not set up a rice scheme and defrauded the farmers. Abihsit is not a convicted criminal. Abhisit has been voted in to Govern, Thaksin has never personally won an election. Abihsit never ordered any extra-judicial killings, includng those of political opponents similar to the 2500 killed by Thaksin during the drug wars. Abhisit didn't pay 90 senators 100000 baht per month inorder that he could change the laws on selling a major Thai Company to overseas buyers. Abhisit never sold a company and then avoided paying tax o the proceeds. Abhisit hasn't bought huge chunks of land outside Chiang Mai so that he can sell it back to the Government for a new Chiang Mai International Airport. Abhisit is not in bed with major corporate financiers from Wall Street who are manipulating world economic events. Abhisit did not create a force of 300 men in Black to act as his personal guerilla army. Abhisit's does not play golf with Hun Sen, the tin pot dictator of Cambodia who achieved power through a coup. Do you want me to carry on? I'm quite happy to write another 1000 words for you. Because you see there is a world of difference between the criminal sociopath of Dubai and Abhisit.

Here's a differennt view:

Thaksin:

admiration much broader than North and North-East, rural communities were and are beneficiaries of village loans (to escape from loan sharks and manage their own finances) and One Tambon One Product, all poor and lower middle income from 30 Baht hospital care, all Thais for dramatic recovery from the SEAsian Financial Crisis (paying off the IMF early) and expansion of telecommunications, mobile phones and the International Airport.

Thaksin’s wealth increased while he was PM apparently below the average increase in share value on the SET. The wealth of certain bankers and others apparently increased much more than did Thaksin. The sale of shares in his telecomunications company to Temasek was tax-free which anyone investing in Thailand is aware except of course the PAD was happy to ignore.

Thaksin fall from grace:

just ask the question whether any other reasonable democracy would accept that the military, police, etc should be out of control by the government of the day?

The new constitution created and imposed by the military junta introduced a royalist incestuous cycle of appointments of “good” people into the checks and balances institutions, Constitution Court, National Anti Corruption, Electoral Commissions and half appointed Senate. Despite huge efforts at framing Thaksin the only real convictions recorded have been his 2 years gaol for signing his permission for his wife to purchase land in a public auction and confiscation of a large amount in lieu of the aforementioned tax that he legally didnt pay.

Democrats take office:

the military were heavily involved with coup threats and by control of the police when PAD took over the airports and of course behind the political negotiations in bringing Democrats into the coalition government.

Yingluck 2011:

Abhisit’s Democrats lost this election (as they have everyone since 1992) because they seemed to rely on huge spending on vote buying (supposedly 3 times the spending by Peu Thai on fewer seats), as you point out apparently not realising that they needed policies to attract votes.

The Rice Mortgage scheme is seen as income support for Thailand’s main farm and export product something that is common in major economies around the world, USA, France, etc, has not been shown to be unsustainable except that the recent protests apparently accidentally and now purposely have obstructed the governments normal processes for rice sales and farmer payments.

Yingluck and the Peu Thai party have been faced with the Constitution Court creating new and contradictory rulings to deny changes to the Constitution, the most obvious being to declare that requiring all Senators to be elected rather than half appointed is unconstitutional. Peu Thai made a controversial amendment to an Amnesty Bill that would have absolved senior people including Abhisit, Suthep from their charges of ordering murder in 2010 and also Thaksin as well as rank and file under threat for politically related crimes since 2006. The parliament has passed this bill but Yingluck recognised its rejection by the protesters and has vowed not to introduce the bill for ratification.

[jayboy]

Dem have never won any election in the past 20 years. Why can't the Dem accept that?

This from Time magazine should help towards explaining and understanding it. Throughout the world and in Thailand itself the DP and AV are considered beyond the margins.

Thailand’s Democrat Party Is Hilariously Misnamed

Don't believe Yellow Shirt talk of a "people's revolution" — what's being demanded is nothing short of a putsch

The Democrat Party last won a majority in 1992. Its power base is the Bangkok bourgeoisie, described as “timid, selfish, uncultured, consumerist and without any decent vision of the future of the country” by Cornell University Professor Benedict Anderson.

As such, the party finds no support among the rural poor of the nation’s northeast — which is Red Shirt territory — and flounders at the ballot box. But instead of developing manifestos and platforms that could compete for rural votes, the party alienates the heartland electorate further by petulantly calling upon powerful allies — such as the military or judiciary — to undermine its rival.

These are thuggish politics. The Democrat Party might cling onto its name, but seeing many of its supporters swap yellow for black shirts seems strangely apt.

Read more: Thailand’s Democrat Party Is Hilariously Misnamed | TIME.com http://world.time.com/2013/11/28/thailands-democrat-party-is-hilariously-misnamed/#ixzz2sfvZXv4R

I expect that in the coming hours, there will be half a dozen posts saying TIME Magazine is on Thaksin's payroll.

The reality is that Abhisit and Suthep have utterly lost the international case.There is no support of any kind at any serious level,and the international media reports reflect this.This is why the Suthep led movement have to rely on joke media figures like Michael Yon and Tony Cartalucci, and a few dinosaurs like Cunningham, Race etc.Similarly the international community while retaing diplomatic restraint is clearly of the same view.

This is not the same thing as suggesting the battle is won in Thailand - far from it.But as far as the rest of the world is concerned Abhisit and Suthep have lost the argument.It doesn't matter what the usual pack of reactionary "expatriates" have to say.

[metisdead]

Some off topic posts have been removed.

[Siripon]

It's boring to constantly go over the same ground but in reply to jayboy-

The village fund is a joke, most villagers can only borrow 10,000 baht per annum, it's entirely up to the village chief and the committee what interest rate and who gets the money.

OTOP- what happened to all the products? So many villages produced the same goods, saturating the market, it was poorly thought out but does have potential.

The reason only one charge has stuck with Thaksin is because he ran away.

Regarding a true democracy and the police and army, no one could argue Thailand is a true democracy, Pheua Thai are completely controlled by one family demanding complete loyalty, every decision is made by a caddy or a fugitive on the run.

And what a disaster, the rice mortgage scheme doesn't even help poor farmers, only the better off.