Thaksin’s Fortunes Tumble With Back-to-back Crisis

[george]

Thailand: Thaksin’s fortunes tumble with back-to-back crisis

BANGKOK: Thailand’s Thaksin Shinawatra has staggered from one crisis to another since the year began, in a major fall from grace for the premier who not long ago was hailed as Southeast Asia’s new leading statesman.

In just two months Thailand has seen the deadly bird flu virus erupt across the nation, the Muslim-dominated south gripped by separatist violence and massive protests mounted over privatisation of state enterprises.

Thaksin has faced serious flak over his Government's handling of all three issues, as well as charges that he is becoming increasingly authoritarian — trampling over human rights and attempting to muzzle the media.

His changing fortunes were underlined yesterday when his Government made a humiliating backdown on plans to sell off the country's biggest energy producer, in a major setback for one of its central economic policies.

After seizing an unprecedented parliamentary majority in 2001 elections and enjoying sky-high popularity ratings afterwards, Thaksin was seen as heading for certain victory in the next ballot due to be held in February.

But opinion polls showing a slide in support for the billionaire politician and losses in by-elections and local government votes for his populist Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party are proof that the shine is rubbing off.

An ABAC survey found respondents were unhappy with Thaksin's failure to curb unrest in the south, where attacks against security forces, government officials and Buddhist monks have killed nearly 50 people this year.

Another major gripe was the bird flu crisis, which the premier was accused of covering up in an attempt to protect the US$1.2 billion (RM4.5 billion) poultry exporting industry.

The Government has admitted it "screwed up" over bird flu, and Thaksin said in January that the epidemic combined with the violence in the south marked the worst crisis of his political career.

But he faces yet another headache over the planned listing of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), which sparked protests by tens of thousands of workers.

For the first time, the premier faced open discontent not just from intellectuals and the liberal press, but from blue-collar workers who have been his staunch supporters.

— AFP 2004-03-08

[dr_Pat_Pong]

With a little bit of luck we are seeing the beginning of the end for Cheerless leader

[stumonster]

His idea of a conflict of interest is driving the red mercedes while wearing the blue armarni....

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/page.news....09585&usrsess=1

[sonthaya]

It would be a better Thailand without that ###hole

[Khun Larry]

It would be a better Thailand without that ###hole

I agree

Thaskin is just another LOS know it all. Arrogant, ignorant and yes stupid.

[Goat Roper]

With a little bit of luck we are seeing the beginning of the end for Cheerless leader

Hold on here! He needs to fix the traffic deal before he goes, he promised he would!

[NedKelly]

Keep the fingers crossed !!

[francois]

bad time for business

come on Tsin ... go back to play stock exchange and let COMPETENT people govern

this country we do love to live in ... can you?

regards

francois

[Bluecat]

What is the meaning of fortunes compared to fortune IN THAILAND?

Can Thaksin's fortune tumble down? Not in our/his lifetime.

Can Thaksin's fortunes tumble down? Not likely,...

[Nam Kao]

What a shame

[englishoak]

"What goes up has to come down" In Toxin's case the sooner the better for LOS. And oh how sweet it will be after all the boasting and arrogance we have heard from whitless wonder.