Royal Decree Sets Oct 15 Election Date

[Tony Clifton]

Something big and smelly must be coming up.

Thaksin insists he will contest next election

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra told Thai Rak Thai Party members Tuesday that he would contest the next election as No 1 party-list candidate.

Phimuk Simaroj, deputy Thai Rak Thai spokesman, said Thaksin told the party meeting that he would remain as party leader and contest the election as NO 1 candidate on the party list.

Phimuk said Thaksin also asked anyone, who did not want him to be party leader, to leave the party.

The Nation

[Jai Dee]

The Democrat Party introduces two would-be party list candidates

Ex-diplomat Kasit Birama (กษิต ภิรมย์) and academic Kanok Wongtra-ngan (กนก วงศ์ตระหง่าน) will contest the general election under the Democrat Party banner.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva (อภิสิทธ์ เวชชาชีวะ) said the party is proud to have these two people with it. They will handle work concerning economic and foreign affairs and push for implementation of the party’s policies, particularly on restructuring of political, economic and social management, Mr. Abhisit said.

The party is screening candidates for the election, he said

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 23 August 2006

[Jai Dee]

The National Human Rights Commission does not think the October poll can help end political conflicts

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) does not see the forthcoming general election as an exit to current divisions in the country.

NHRC chairman Saneh Chamarik (เสน่ห์ จามริก) said he was worried that conflicts between groups protesting caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his supporters must become more serious as they had already clashed three times.

Mr. Saneh said he did not see solutions at the moment. He could understand, however, that rural people have still supported the prime minister as his government had implemented policies to help grassroots people.

He said the October poll could not settle all political problems. There should be a political reform before the election was called but now it was too late, Mr. Saneh said.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 23 August 2006

[Jai Dee]

PM will stay in politics and contest the October poll

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra confirms he will stay as leader of the Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT) and contest the party list system.

TRT deputy spokesman Suthin Klangsaeng (สุทิน คลังแสง) said Pol. Lt. Col. Thaksin told the TRT meeting yesterday that he will be first on the party list but will decide after the general election if he will accept the post of prime minister.

Mr. Suthin said TRT will still support Pol. Lt. Col. Thaksin as the prime minister.

He said the prime minister admitted he felt discouraged sometime in the wake of a series of clashes between his supporters and protesters. That, however, made the TRT leader determined to work to keep the country in peace and order, the deputy spokesman said.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 23 August 2006

[John K]

Thaksin Reading 101

The following short course is meant to help the novice Thaksin reader understand correctly what is being said. Once you master these concepts you will successfully be able it understand the true meaning of comments.

Comments from Thaksin: This is very easy, simply assume the opposite of what he said.

Comments from TRT:

A: If the comments are directly related to what Thaksin said, apply the comments from Thaksin rule.

B: If the comments are about Thaksin being good, then look for a way they can make money from that comment.

C: If comments are not about Thaksin and the events of the last 72 hours were favorable for the TRT, then look for ways they can make money from the comments.

D: If comments are not about Thaksin and the events of the last 72 hours were unfavorable for the TRT, then the comments are meant to save their face and/or ass.

Comments from the police:

See comments from TRT unless it is not related to politics.

Comments not related to politics not covered in this lesson.

Comments from PAD:

The comments from PAD are a guide to help you understand hidden and otherwise unseen agendas of Thaksin. They will help you to understand the driving force behind Thaksin comments.

Comments from other political parties:

You can assume the comments to be as you would expect during any political campaign.

Comments from the Military:

There is no specific rule here. Comments must be taken in context to the present situation.

Comments from the Media:

To understand the truthfulness of any media comment you must apply the Thaksin anger gage. The greater the anger the more truthful the comments. If thaksin brings legal action against the media or the media suddenly changes in some unexpected way then assume the comments to be 100% accurate.

Comments from various Ministries:

Each ministry must be looked at to see if they are; pro Thaksin / Anti Thaksin / neutral. Depending on what category they fall in apply the following rules. Pro Thaksin see TRT. Anti Thaksin see PAD. Neutral see Media.

[Jai Dee]

Chula to perform psychoanalysis on Thaksin

A group of Chulalongkorn University academics will invite a psychiatrist to perform a psychoanalysis on caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra during a seminar on Wednesday.

The group announced Tuesday that the seminar would be held from 4 to 6 pm on Wednesday.

Two psychiatrists - Doctor Ronachai Wongsakol of Ramathibodi Hospital and Doctor Kasem Tantipalachiwa - would perform an psychoanalysis on the caretaker prime minister.

Senator Doctor Nirand Pithakwatchara would also be invited to talk about Thaksin's political tactics during the seminar.

Source: The Nation - 23 August 2006

[hammered]

PM will stay in politics and contest the October poll

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra confirms he will stay as leader of the Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT) and contest the party list system.

TRT deputy spokesman Suthin Klangsaeng (สุทิน คลังแสง) said Pol. Lt. Col. Thaksin told the TRT meeting yesterday that he will be first on the party list but will decide after the general election if he will accept the post of prime minister.

Mr. Suthin said TRT will still support Pol. Lt. Col. Thaksin as the prime minister.

He said the prime minister admitted he felt discouraged sometime in the wake of a series of clashes between his supporters and protesters. That, however, made the TRT leader determined to work to keep the country in peace and order, the deputy spokesman said.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 23 August 2006

It s looking like Mr. Thaksin's intemtion is to run in the election as number one on the TRT list. Before the election he will not announce whether he will accept the PM post. After the election even if TRT win by only a little, and of course they will win, he will announce the people have chosen him and he will be PM. He will aslo call for his usual brand of national reconcilliation, which is everybody will stop criticisizing him or face court action. Then we will be back where we were in February.

The only likely things that could derail this are: court cases that go badly wrong for him, a TRT only dissolution, a rebellion in TRT chosing another as PM, or a rebellion in TRT similar to the Cobra rebellion a few years back in Samaks party where some members sided with another party to form a government against Samak's wishes. Things are looking quite bleak for those who wish for real national reconcilliation. I hope, howeevr, I am proven wrong.

[John K]

Chula to perform psychoanalysis on Thaksin

A group of Chulalongkorn University academics will invite a psychiatrist to perform a psychoanalysis on caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra during a seminar on Wednesday.

The group announced Tuesday that the seminar would be held from 4 to 6 pm on Wednesday.

Two psychiatrists - Doctor Ronachai Wongsakol of Ramathibodi Hospital and Doctor Kasem Tantipalachiwa - would perform an psychoanalysis on the caretaker prime minister.

Senator Doctor Nirand Pithakwatchara would also be invited to talk about Thaksin's political tactics during the seminar.

Source: The Nation - 23 August 2006

I just love when the Thais read TV posts and make use of some of our thoughts. I already know what the results will be of the psychoanalysis as do many others.

[sriracha john]

Royal decree on general election takes effect, political parties warned not to breach electoral laws

BANGKOK - As the Royal decree setting Thailand's next general election for October 15 takes effect Thursday (August 24), all political parties running for the forthcoming poll are warned not to breach the electoral laws.

The Election Commission of Thailand (EC)'s Department of National Election Administration Director-General Boonyakiat Rakchartcharoen suggested Wednesday that all political parties always respect and follow the electoral laws.

"The Royal decree on the October 15 general election takes effect on August 24. So, election campaigns of all political parties are to be closely monitored and they should strictly follow the electoral laws," he cautioned.

Mr. Boonyakiat noted, however, that televised election campaigns of political parties are permitted, but the cost of the broadcast service would be included in the parties' overall election campaign costs.

The new five-member EC, to be finally elected by the Senate shortly, will set, among other tasks, the overall election campaign cost, which each political party is to follow.

Under the electoral laws, candidates are barred from any activity considered promising bribes in all forms--both directly or indirectly--to eligible voters in exchange for their vote or no-vote to any candidate or any political party, according to the director-general.

Candidates are also prohibitted from organizing entertainment events, fairs or banquets aimed to gain more votes, and from forcing, threatening, using influence or deceiving eligible voters to cast ballots for any candidate or any political party.

The TRT Party has already violated the the "organizing entertainment events" clause above. Yesterday's carnival-like "bombing attempt" clearly falls into that category.

Registrations for constituency-based candidates running for the upcoming election must be opened within 20 days after the Royal decree takes effect, or by September 12, while registrations for party-list candidates are normally opened before those of the constituency-based candidates although no legal timeframe is set for the latter, said Mr. Boonyakiat.

The department had initially agreed with political parties to set the required five-day registration dates for constituency-based candidates on either September 8-12 or September 12-16, he noted.

The new EC would later set the five-day registration dates for the party-list candidates, he added.

On a proposal that the next general election be postponed from October 15 to provide more time for the new election panel to organize and supervise the poll efficiently, Mr. Boonyakiat said the issue would be decided by the new election body by September 12.

He said EC officials had monitored activities and movements of political parties and would report to the new EC once it takes office for further investigations and action.

- MCOT

[Martin]

This is going to be a very interesting General Election.

Clearly the powers-that-be behind the scenes in Bangkok (Civil Service mandarins and technocrats, academics, media moguls and other members of the "chattering classes") want things to be all neatly separated like they are in urban farangland.

But there is a different tradition in rural areas. We don't separate and specialise. We live life as a whole and mix some entertainment in with all we do.

As I walked through the fields on this morning's exercise hike, I was thinking about the difference between the cultures of the western-urban and the Isaan-rural regarding voting.

I am coming to realise that there has been more to it, in the past, than "buying votes".

Pasuk Phongpaichit and Sungsidh Piriyarangsan, at 'Chula Uni', did some deep research and wrote a book called "Corruption and Democracy in Thailand".

It has explains that, to both urban and rural Thais, the passing over of some money (in circumstances that would all be a "No, No"" in the West) falls into six categories from 'Good' to 'Bad':

(1) gift of good will (sim nam jai)

(2) tea money (kha nam ron nam cha)

(3) improper behaviour (praphuet mi chob)

(4) bribery, extortion (sin bon, rit thai)

(5) dishonesty in duty (thut jarit to nathi)

(6) corruption (kan khorrapchan).

I wonder what words were used by the director-general in the post above and translated as "bribes".

Interestingly, I am getting signals that the PAD demonstrations against Thaksin are back-firing quite a bit now. He is coming to be seen as someone, albeit not perfect, who is doing his best for Thailand when he doesn't need to, and is being treated very ungratefully down in Bangkok.

Up here, they like Thaksin because he is the only person who has organised something (their new hospital, that they can be an out-patient at for 30 bahts, etc) to come to the area from Bangkok in return for all that Bangkok has, for generations, sucked from the area.

Don't mention Chuan. He may have been 'squeaky clean', but in the moment of truth in 1997 he showed himself not to have the spirit of democracy. The PAD politicians say they are democrats, but seem to only 'talk the talk'.

The businessman, Thaksin, is the one who has 'walked the walk'. Don't be surprised that he gets the votes, with or without 'sim jam nai'.

[Khun Jean]

The fact that (kan khorrapchan) is a loan word from the English language already says a lot.

For a westerner there are only 2 distinctions.

(1) gift of good will (sim nam jai)

(2) corruption (kan khorrapchan).

No need to make it more difficult.

Making more distinctions gives room for covering up or excusing behaviour.

As long as people admire other people who are rich, no matter how they got the money in the first place, Thailand will be a developing country with corruption problems. It is the "mai pen rai" and accepting part that slows down everything, the admiring is very scary.

Don't recall her name at the moment, but the lady working against corruption is a christian.

A buddhist probably is too busy thinking about "self" and avoiding "suffering". It is my believe that until people are going to stand up for themselves this country is lost. It starts with education, the way it is now, well brainwashing and creating followers sounds more like it.

Bangkok is going in the direction of not accepting all the BS that is thrown at them. About time this spreads to the rest of the country.

I feel real democracy is still a hundred years away. Even the current generation is not ready for it.

[Tony Clifton]

Well, Sondhi surely hasn't received any of these gifts of good, tea money or bribes from this government...

THAILAND: Thaksin opponent forced to close his newspaper

Anti-Thaksin content led to government harassment, says owner Sondhi Limthongkul

South China Morning Post

Thursday, August 24, 2006

By Simon Montlake

An English-language newspaper owned by a high-profile critic of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is to stop publication at the end of this month, after what its owner described as repeated government harassment.

Thai Day, which is distributed as an insert in the International Herald Tribune, was launched in June last year. But advertising revenue has been slow to pick up, particularly after the newspaper became strongly identified with the anti-Thaksin protest movement.

Owner Sondhi Limthongkul said the newspaper would continue online after August 31 and may resume publication in future. He said the majority of its 20 or more employees would keep their jobs, if they decided to stay on.

Staff at the paper were warned weeks earlier that it may close due to cashflow problems, and there has already been a rush for the exits.

Mr Sondhi said the decision to pull the plug was not only due to financial reasons, but also reflected the sensitivities of the International Herald Tribune, which is owned by The New York Times.

"For the best interests of all parties, we decided to suspend the publication temporarily and wait and see what happens," he said. "The situation between me and the government is getting more and more acute. I don't know what they will do next."

Mr Sondhi said he had lost advertising from Thai Day and other publications after pressure from Mr Thaksin and his allies. He alleged that Thai banks had been told to cancel his overdraft. "We're being harassed by the Thai government," he said. "They're threatening a tax investigation."

A publisher with a self-promoting flair, Mr Sondhi rose to fame as the organiser of a series of huge street protests in Bangkok against Mr Thaksin, who is battling for his political future after an annulled election held in April. Another is due to be run in October.

Mr Sondhi and Mr Thaksin were partners in the early 1990s, and Mr Sondhi was a supporter of Mr Thaksin during his first term. Last year he reversed course and denounced him as a corrupt leader who had betrayed his country.

Dozens of court cases are pending against the organisers of the anti-Thaksin rallies, which have been dormant since April.

Mr Sondhi is a defendant in a 1 billion baht (HK$207 million) libel suit brought by Mr Thaksin over allegations that his political party was anti-monarchist. Mr Sondhi has also been accused of lese-majesty over comments made during the anti-Thaksin protests.

[Ricardo]

Something big and smelly must be coming up.

Thaksin insists he will contest next election

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra told Thai Rak Thai Party members Tuesday that he would contest the next election as No 1 party-list candidate.

Phimuk Simaroj, deputy Thai Rak Thai spokesman, said Thaksin told the party meeting that he would remain as party leader and contest the election as NO 1 candidate on the party list.

Phimuk said Thaksin also asked anyone, who did not want him to be party leader, to leave the party.

The Nation

STAMPEDE !

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thought that the members of a political party choose their leader, not vice-versa ? Or is TRT to be re-named Thais-Rak-Thaksin ??

[John K]

Does his ego show?

[Martin]

"I always thought that the members of a political party choose their leader."

That is the western-centric view in countries with long-established parliamentary democracy. It operates in long-established parties that are joined by individual citizens because of the beliefs that the party has traditionally expoused (such as Conservative, Social Democrat or Liberal Democrat).

Thailand is different. It seems to be more a case of "Join my party, and we will decide our approach to events pragmatically and 'on the hoof' as and when they crop up"

Prior to Thaksin, there was little attempt here at parliamentary government. The governing decisions for Thailand were taken by Civil Service 'mandarins and technocrats' in what the political scholars call a 'bureaucratic polity'.

Phongpaichit Pasuk and Chris Baker are very critical of Thaksin, but they recognised his ability and achievement when they wrote:

"Thaksin's electoral victory in January 2001 was something new here. For the first time, a Thai political leader asked the mass of people to vote for him because he promised to do something for them.

.......................Once in power,........He delivered.........

The Democrats asked people to sit quietly and trust the bureaucrats and politicians to look after their interests.......That old bureaucratic paternalism, Thaksin knew, was ripe for overthrow."

It is a strange situation that the businessman-who-has-come-to-politics is now seen as the politician with true democratic spirit, but those who title themselves Democrats are seen as the representatives of undemocratic hierarchical rule.

[Plus]

Nothing strange given the quality of upcountry "voters".

I hope you are not arguing the case of "a billion Chinese can't be wrong". People who see Thaksin differently from farmers don't have to sacrifice their consciosness just because they don't make the numbers yet.

Times are changing, people's political awareness is growing. Ten, maybe five years from now Thaksin won't have enough "grassroots" that can be fooled so easily. Country's demographics are also changing unfavourably to TRT.

Interestingly, the same phenomenon of people voting for "policies" for the first time in Thai history will be the seed of the destruction of Thaksin's power base. Slowly but surely.

[Martin]

"Nothing strange given the quality of upcountry "voters"."

A misunderstanding like the one that I think is revealed in the above quotation is one of the things that are making the political situation (and, even worse, the social situation) so dis-jointed in Thailand.

Mutual understanding between members is a big part of the "sinews" that allow the body-politic to function as a whole, and we need to do what we can to help to build those sinews.

Most of the up-country voters live in the small villages.

They are land-owning yeoman farmers (in their small-sized enterprises), or (if they are landless) they work with and for such yeoman farmers.

In one way, these peasant-people can be regarded as the primary elite of Thailand.

Because they own enough land to grow their own family's food and something extra to sell to get their other necessities, they have an intrinsic security that is invaluable.

Of course, the flip side of their secure, peaceful life is that it only really suits those who are calm and contemplative and have the self-assurance to live without being secretive.

There is no razzle-dazzle excitement, nor anonmity.

For that, it is necessary to move to an urban area (of which the prime example is the hyper-urban primate city of Bangkok).

And, to be well-off in Bangkok, it is best to get qualified to be acceptable in one of the secondary elites, whose members work for wages or salaries in clerking and manufacturing, which serve that primary elite by providing various supportive services.

Banking, schooling, automotive manufacture, policing and defending are examples of services provided to primary producers by the commercial, academic, legislative and military secondary elites.

The financial rewards for being successful in one of the urban secondary elites can be high; much higher than in subsistence-plus-some-cash-crop farming.

Unfortunately, those high rewards have led to rampant consumerism in those urban areas, putting strains on the planet beyond what it can support.

In the present General Election in Thailand, those up-country voters who are yeoman farmers, and so small-business people, are likely to feel that they are best to continue to put their trust in the businessman-who-has-entered-politics.

They will be aware that he has his critics, but he does have a track record of delivering on his promises that his "chattering classes" critics don't.

As a long-standing member of the "chattering classes" myself, I am conscious of our limitations and it makes me appropriately respectful of the primary producers.

I think that I would agree with the quotation, if the word 'high' was inserted before 'quality'.

[hammered]

"Nothing strange given the quality of upcountry "voters"."

A misunderstanding like the one that I think is revealed in the above quotation is one of the things that are making the political situation (and, even worse, the social situation) so dis-jointed in Thailand.

Mutual understanding between members is a big part of the "sinews" that allow the body-politic to function as a whole, and we need to do what we can to help to build those sinews.

Most of the up-country voters live in the small villages.

They are land-owning yeoman farmers (in their small-sized enterprises), or (if they are landless) they work with and for such yeoman farmers.

In one way, these peasant-people can be regarded as the primary elite of Thailand.

Because they own enough land to grow their own family's food and something extra to sell to get their other necessities, they have an intrinsic security that is invaluable.

Of course, the flip side of their secure, peaceful life is that it only really suits those who are calm and contemplative and have the self-assurance to live without being secretive.

There is no razzle-dazzle excitement, nor anonmity.

For that, it is necessary to move to an urban area (of which the prime example is the hyper-urban primate city of Bangkok).

And, to be well-off in Bangkok, it is best to get qualified to be acceptable in one of the secondary elites, whose members work for wages or salaries in clerking and manufacturing, which serve that primary elite by providing various supportive services.

Banking, schooling, automotive manufacture, policing and defending are examples of services provided to primary producers by the commercial, academic, legislative and military secondary elites.

The financial rewards for being successful in one of the urban secondary elites can be high; much higher than in subsistence-plus-some-cash-crop farming.

Unfortunately, those high rewards have led to rampant consumerism in those urban areas, putting strains on the planet beyond what it can support.

In the present General Election in Thailand, those up-country voters who are yeoman farmers, and so small-business people, are likely to feel that they are best to continue to put their trust in the businessman-who-has-entered-politics.

They will be aware that he has his critics, but he does have a track record of delivering on his promises that his "chattering classes" critics don't.

As a long-standing member of the "chattering classes" myself, I am conscious of our limitations and it makes me appropriately respectful of the primary producers.

I think that I would agree with the quotation, if the word 'high' was inserted before 'quality'.

I wouldnt disagree too much with this overall analysis although I would add the caveat that negative information is deliberatly withheld from many voters by governement action. No doubt Mr. Thaksin will be reelected and will probably accept the PMship. It seems what likely will happen is Thailand will now follow a pattern similar to recent British political history where PMs such as Thatcher and Blair initially did what they promised and then went on getting relected even when they stopped delivering until in Thatchers case (and probably Blair soon) she got completely out of control and was removed. In the case of Thailand as in the case of the UK the reelection of the leader may not be the best thing for the country, but the majority of any electorate usually drags behind sharp political analysts in seeing change is needed even in times of crisis.

Of course Thailand does still have a faily recent history of dramatic political events occurring and being readily accepted, so it would be impossible to rule out something unpredictable. Over time though these kind of events will become less and less likely as the sons and daughters of the "yeoman" class become better educated, more urbanised and more tied in to maintaining their consumer lifestyle. At this future time too, the likes of Mr. Thaksin will also become ancient history, as a newer generation of capitalist politician emerges. Whta we are seeing now is only th start of a politcal and societal process.

[John K]

I think getting the real news to Thaksin’s base will require some good old fashion footwork. If you recall the News reels days of WWII, people flocked to theaters to get the latest news. I am sure something similar could be done today. Example; burn a DVD and taken around to villages and shown on a laptop. Images will do well as the saying a picture is worth 1000 words has merit. Then explain Thaksin is keeping them from seeing this. Certainly this could be part of an election campaign. People regardless of education will come to their own conclusion when they see what Thaksin wanted to hide from them.

[Netfan]

I think getting the real news to Thaksin’s base will require some good old fashion footwork. If you recall the News reels days of WWII, people flocked to theaters to get the latest news. I am sure something similar could be done today. Example; burn a DVD and taken around to villages and shown on a laptop. Images will do well as the saying a picture is worth 1000 words has merit. Then explain Thaksin is keeping them from seeing this. Certainly this could be part of an election campaign. People regardless of education will come to their own conclusion when they see what Thaksin wanted to hide from them.

Good idea, but wouldn't this now be considered an "anti-Thaksin" demonstration and therefor be shut down by any means neccessary?

[John K]

Well then what suggestion might be said is “We expect that the pro Thaksin people may come around and try to stop us from showing you what you have a right to know.” Certainly that would drive the point home and hurt Thaksin more. The nature of curiosity will make them want to see it. Also if the Pro Thaksin people are successful in stopping it, the suggestion will have already been planted and their imaginations will run with “What did he do that was so bad that he does not want us to see.”

[Plus]

Nothing strange given the quality of upcountry "voters".

.........

I think that I would agree with the quotation, if the word 'high' was inserted before 'quality'.

Sorry, Martin, but as voters your "primary producers" suck.

They might be "calm and contemplative" (though able to drink your average Irishman under the table and waste whatever little money they have on gambling), but as voters they suck.

There are several reasons, one of them is that political information is withheld from them by the government so they can't make politically mature choices, as pointed by Hammered. Another is that culturally they are completely removed from political decision making of any kind, they just have to accept whatever pooyais tell them to do. Third is that they couldn't care less who is in power in Bangkok, or in the south - the rest of the country, beyond their farms, it's another planet for them. Another reason is greed - they abandon their "calm and contemplative" nature if their's a prospect of a free meal and a t-shirt. They'll vote great satan himself in the office, if the food is good enough and the booze is free.

The sad part is that Thaksin uses these weaknesses to his own advantage instead of trying to rectify them.

The good part is that after he urged the farmers to vote for the policies, they might just be interested in what these policies are, and what other parties have to offer, and what that fuss in Bangkok is all about - the genie is out the bottle.

Millions of people voted "no" in the last elections without ANY campaigning, just on their own cognisance. That is frightening for TRT.

Maybe the farmers shouldn't get their heads messed up and shouldn't vote at all, and thus preserve their calm and contemplative nature.

[hammered]

I think getting the real news to Thaksin’s base will require some good old fashion footwork. If you recall the News reels days of WWII, people flocked to theaters to get the latest news. I am sure something similar could be done today. Example; burn a DVD and taken around to villages and shown on a laptop. Images will do well as the saying a picture is worth 1000 words has merit. Then explain Thaksin is keeping them from seeing this. Certainly this could be part of an election campaign. People regardless of education will come to their own conclusion when they see what Thaksin wanted to hide from them.

My wife has done a bit of this stuff. It is a tad risky to say the least and after last week could be even more so. The "ai na liam" song went down well with the younger generation too, and some of the older people were surprised to find how many songs for life bands had done anti-Thaksin songs, but for a serious effort to give a different picture to those in much of the North and North East larger rallies are needed that people are not preventedfrom attending. As we have heard Governors are more or less facing dismissal if they allow any in their provinces, so it will not be easy.

[John K]

I think the packaging is key here. If a new independent media agency looking to help out where the signal of clear stations may be a bit weak. Just let the news clips roll and not need to add much.

[Tony Clifton]

Problem is any new independent media would face a government blockade when trying to acquire licences and all. Does anyone remember the signal freezing some months ago (around last election and Shin sale) when The Nation's english news were on at 8pm, ASTV's was interfered as well, some local cable companies even pulled ASTV from their channel list after being pressure by you know who. You don't have to wonder why and it may happen again soon.

Edited August 28, 2006 by Tony Clifton

[John K]

Problem is any new independent media would face a government blockade when trying to acquire licences and all. Does anyone remember the signal freezing some months ago (around last election and Shin sale) when The Nation's english news were on at 8pm, ASTV's was interfered as well, some local cable companies even pulled ASTV from their channel list after being pressure by you know who. You don't have to wonder why and it may happen again soon.

with post 379? Think Bible thumper here.

There are certainly the pro Thaksin chants. Fight Thaksin fight. Keep screwing the little people we love it. We love the way you insult everyone and pocket everyone’s money. You are the greatest. Keep it up keep it up we love you Thaksin. Fight on fight on.

[hammered]

One of the problems with getting any message out in the north or north east is that so many obstacles will be put in the way. Anything that requires offical approval will be at least incredibly difficult to organize. Anything that requires a venue will have trouble finding one. Then there is the quite open threat of violence.

Why is information so restricted right now? Some have explained it to me as follows: Many of the people up there used to be so proud to say they were pro-Thaksin and TRT. They wore the T-shirts. They put up the posters. They said he was different. They said he would never be corrupt because he was so rich. Now there are still a minority of his supporters who state these things, but the majority of his supporters are now a lot quieter about him. They are not so proud and open in their support. That is not to say they will not vote TRT but they will no longer do it without doubts. To allow an influx of information from either parliamentary or non-parliamentary opposition would further work on these doubts and TRT are not going to take that risk. Right now all they have to contend with is a seepage of information from the occaisional return visits of the kids of the farmers who work in urban areas and who as a group tend to be more anti-TRT. This kind of information seepage will not affect sentiment in a short time.

[John K]

Who said it had to be announced and why. If someone with a laptop pulls up and says I want to show you some news that you may have been prevented from seeing. This method is very effective because they will talk about it with others and stories will start. Certainly you don’t need a permit to have someone look at a file on your computer do you? Think mosquito and not bull elephant.

[Tony Clifton]

IF TRT does make it to election day, they're in for a surprise when the pro-TRT votes are tallied. They have ended up fooling themselves as well with their constant use of the words "we are confident that this and that " often used to lie about the economic and other situations. The 16 million voters they claimed were supporting them must have dropped dramatically since last April following allegations of charismatic figures, bomb plots and other crazy ideas cooked up in Thaksin's mind. Also a new EC, if neutral, won't help at all with their suspicious tactics at the polling booths and once the boxes are out of sight.

Edited August 29, 2006 by Tony Clifton

[sriracha john]

TRT IN-FIGHTING

Cabinet tempers fray

Attention All Wrestling Fans: Available soon on Pay-Per-View.

It's the vicious featherweight Deputy Prime Minister Suwat "Pink Tie" Liptapanlop

versus the brutal heavyweight Tourism and Sports Minister Pracha "No Neck" Maleenont

in a rough and tumble, no-disqualificatin,

no time-limit, cage match winnable by submission hold only.

Live from Lumpini Park Stadium!!

The simmering tension between Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop and Tourism and Sports Minister Pracha Maleenont flared up during the caretaker Cabinet's meeting yesterday.

The two have long been entangled in a struggle to control influential government posts. Suwat once served as the tourism minister and even after moving up to the deputy premier's post, he still oversees the ministry.

At the meeting, Suwat said some media had reported that he was part of the trouble befalling a project at the Tourism Ministry. But he denied any blame, saying he was not involved in the project and did not know any of its details.

"As far as I know, the project has been proposed to a Cabinet screening committee," he said.

"I want to trust the Cabinet that if some ministers don't understand, they should talk to each other, and not talk via the press," he said.

Pracha immediately countered by saying everything that was happening could be checked and he had approved the project before sending it to the committee.

But the project was asked to be reconsidered and it had been sent to the committee again, and the result of the plan was changed, he said.

"I don't like talking too much. I had to be patient for more than six months. Even though it seems I'm silent, I'm not allowing someone to easily snatch [the issue] from me," he said.

The atmosphere at the meeting became strained, prompting caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to stop the argument.

- The Nation