Members in the dark on future of Pheu Thai

[Gunna]

Yet another planted bias article by the nation.

You'll see how much their at the crossroads come the next election!

But some on here truly salivate at the thought that they will never happen.

Shame

yes, the Nation is biased. Always has been.

But this at the end of the article :

Regardless of which path Pheu Thai members choose, Nipit said they could no longer stick to their old "thinking method".

They could no longer press on with their political agenda by claiming democratic legitimacy, while ignoring rules of law or the voice of the minority, he said.

points to the new party line of not making waves.

It's the wrong strategy.

Even the BanfkokPost seems biassed these days. They wrote that Pheu Thai party is known to be run by it's de-facto leader Thaksin. Surely even in a non-democracy Thailand is at the moment criminal fugitives cannot be involved in such high-standing parties which like to claim democratic legitimacy ?

Uncle Rubl, you don't understand. The conviction of Thaksin was political, nothing to do with the crime he committed. All the 15 serious outstanding charges are all trumped up and all politically motivated. All is dealings, that benefited him and his family and usually at vast expense to the Thai people, were just good shrewd business dealings.

He'd come back and robustly defend and appeal, but everyone knows the whole justice system is stacked and biased against Thaksin and his honest family, which is why they have so many convictions.

How they managed to become multi billionaires against this background of bias speaks volumes for their wonderful business acumen and skill.

Easy to understand why so many tolerate a convicted fugitive criminal, on the run from his sentence and the 15 outstanding charges, running a political party, and even a cabinet when his party were in power.

Brilliant satire.

[mikemac]

Regardless of which path Pheu Thai members choose, Nipit said they could no longer stick to their old "thinking method".

They could no longer press on with their political agenda by claiming democratic legitimacy, while ignoring rules of law or the voice of the minority, he said.

Oh really ??? This is not news, it is just plain common sense.

[Old Man River]

Yet another planted bias article by the nation.

You'll see how much their at the crossroads come the next election!

But some on here truly salivate at the thought that they will never happen.

Shame

Who will finance it?

[worgeordie]

Predict they will rise again in one form or other,

with a Shinawatra at the helm,(plenty to choose

from)does not really matter who,as before, they

will be a proxy,with the puppet master pulling the

strings,and pushing hard for an amnesty for himself,

and the return of his money,they are like cockroaches,

no matter what you do, they still survive.

regards Worgeordie

[lucky11]

` Enough time Parrot. I win!!!

Your quest was in vain as I knew it would be. I hereby deem that Thaksin was a detrimental force in creating Thailand's woes for well over a decade and that you have failed miserably to produce any evidence to the contrary.

Seems as though you are a 'dead parrot' - in the scheme of things that is as you appear to have stuttered your last stutter, at least regards this particular topic.

[Eric Loh]

` Enough time Parrot. I win!!!

Your quest was in vain as I knew it would be. I hereby deem that Thaksin was a detrimental force in creating Thailand's woes for well over a decade and that you have failed miserably to produce any evidence to the contrary.

Seems as though you are a 'dead parrot' - in the scheme of things that is as you appear to have stuttered your last stutter, at least regards this particular topic.

Seem you set the rules, play the game and declared yourself the winner. Priceless. Much the same as the coup leader.

[Just1Voice]

I don't think they will be allowed to run (as they would win) and so I am expecting the Junta to reorganize things and only when they are certain PTP cannot win will they have an election

It 'could be' (I don't know) that all political parties are banned and only individuals can stand after going through some sort of 'process'. This would ensure the yellows could stack any future parliament with their 'faithful fascists'.

One things for sure they are working hard to have their own democracy 'Thai style' (translated = no democracy) and they will claim it's 'within the law and constitution' which they will invent of course.

another prediction : it will be Hobson's Choice (again) when voting on the constitution - don't vote it in the Army stays, no counter arguments or campaigning and certainly no freedom of speech - job done.

Yep.... seems to be working OK at the moment.

Democracy that is bought for 500 Baht is no democracy at all.

The junta is having a decent stab at tackling corruption (a thankless/futile task in a country where it is endemic/cultural) and until those, in politics etc, who have financially raped this country have been removed from positions of power/control Thailand may fare just as well under the junta.

It always amuses me how the anti-reds love to use the "bought votes" card every chance they get, and seem to believe that no on else would ever try to buy votes. And I guess they all missed the comments from Korn (one of the more respectable Democrats), who openly stated in an interview that in the previous general election, the Dems spent MORE money to buy votes than PTP, and still lost, so it's his opinion that vote buying really doesn't influence the elections one way or another.

Just an observation.

Edited January 25, 2015 by Just1Voice

[lucky11]

` Enough time Parrot. I win!!!

Your quest was in vain as I knew it would be. I hereby deem that Thaksin was a detrimental force in creating Thailand's woes for well over a decade and that you have failed miserably to produce any evidence to the contrary.

Seems as though you are a 'dead parrot' - in the scheme of things that is as you appear to have stuttered your last stutter, at least regards this particular topic.

Seem you set the rules, play the game and declared yourself the winner. Priceless. Much the same as the coup leader.

The thing is, I set a challenge that I knew I would win and he never took it up as he is 'on the wrong side' so I can rightly declare myself the winner.

I hardly think that posing a question is akin to setting the rules and he didn't want to play as he was totally defenceless in attempting to show that Thaksin was good for Thailand when I know that everything he has ever done is for himself and at the expense of the people!!

[rubl]

I don't think they will be allowed to run (as they would win) and so I am expecting the Junta to reorganize things and only when they are certain PTP cannot win will they have an election

It 'could be' (I don't know) that all political parties are banned and only individuals can stand after going through some sort of 'process'. This would ensure the yellows could stack any future parliament with their 'faithful fascists'.

One things for sure they are working hard to have their own democracy 'Thai style' (translated = no democracy) and they will claim it's 'within the law and constitution' which they will invent of course.

another prediction : it will be Hobson's Choice (again) when voting on the constitution - don't vote it in the Army stays, no counter arguments or campaigning and certainly no freedom of speech - job done.

Yep.... seems to be working OK at the moment.

Democracy that is bought for 500 Baht is no democracy at all.

The junta is having a decent stab at tackling corruption (a thankless/futile task in a country where it is endemic/cultural) and until those, in politics etc, who have financially raped this country have been removed from positions of power/control Thailand may fare just as well under the junta.

It always amuses me how the anti-reds love to use the "bought votes" card every chance they get, and seem to believe that no on else would ever try to buy votes. And I guess they all missed the comments from Korn (one of the more respectable Democrats), who openly stated in an interview that in the previous general election, the Dems spent MORE money to buy votes than PTP, and still lost, so it's his opinion that vote buying really doesn't influence the elections one way or another.

Just an observation.

Absolutely!

The Pheu Thai party and its great thinker have evolved beyond mere vote buying by handing out money before the elections. Now its the promise of making all deserving people rich and spending 700 billion Baht to do so.

Those who complain are clearly not on the list of deserving people.

[AleG]

I don't think they will be allowed to run (as they would win) and so I am expecting the Junta to reorganize things and only when they are certain PTP cannot win will they have an election

It 'could be' (I don't know) that all political parties are banned and only individuals can stand after going through some sort of 'process'. This would ensure the yellows could stack any future parliament with their 'faithful fascists'.

One things for sure they are working hard to have their own democracy 'Thai style' (translated = no democracy) and they will claim it's 'within the law and constitution' which they will invent of course.

another prediction : it will be Hobson's Choice (again) when voting on the constitution - don't vote it in the Army stays, no counter arguments or campaigning and certainly no freedom of speech - job done.

Yep.... seems to be working OK at the moment.

Democracy that is bought for 500 Baht is no democracy at all.

The junta is having a decent stab at tackling corruption (a thankless/futile task in a country where it is endemic/cultural) and until those, in politics etc, who have financially raped this country have been removed from positions of power/control Thailand may fare just as well under the junta.

It always amuses me how the anti-reds love to use the "bought votes" card every chance they get, and seem to believe that no on else would ever try to buy votes. And I guess they all missed the comments from Korn (one of the more respectable Democrats), who openly stated in an interview that in the previous general election, the Dems spent MORE money to buy votes than PTP, and still lost, so it's his opinion that vote buying really doesn't influence the elections one way or another.

Just an observation.

The old lie that Korn said they spent more money to buy votes doesn't get any more true with time. In the interview that I know you are basing your maybe second or third hand account on (if it's a first hand account it doesn't speak well of you) he said the Puea Paending Party had spent more money than PPP in campaigning, not vote buying.

[Eric Loh]

I don't think they will be allowed to run (as they would win) and so I am expecting the Junta to reorganize things and only when they are certain PTP cannot win will they have an election

It 'could be' (I don't know) that all political parties are banned and only individuals can stand after going through some sort of 'process'. This would ensure the yellows could stack any future parliament with their 'faithful fascists'.

One things for sure they are working hard to have their own democracy 'Thai style' (translated = no democracy) and they will claim it's 'within the law and constitution' which they will invent of course.

another prediction : it will be Hobson's Choice (again) when voting on the constitution - don't vote it in the Army stays, no counter arguments or campaigning and certainly no freedom of speech - job done.

Yep.... seems to be working OK at the moment.

Democracy that is bought for 500 Baht is no democracy at all.

The junta is having a decent stab at tackling corruption (a thankless/futile task in a country where it is endemic/cultural) and until those, in politics etc, who have financially raped this country have been removed from positions of power/control Thailand may fare just as well under the junta.

It always amuses me how the anti-reds love to use the "bought votes" card every chance they get, and seem to believe that no on else would ever try to buy votes. And I guess they all missed the comments from Korn (one of the more respectable Democrats), who openly stated in an interview that in the previous general election, the Dems spent MORE money to buy votes than PTP, and still lost, so it's his opinion that vote buying really doesn't influence the elections one way or another.

Just an observation.

The old lie that Korn said they spent more money to buy votes doesn't get any more true with time. In the interview that I know you are basing your maybe second or third hand account on (if it's a first hand account it doesn't speak well of you) he said the Puea Paending Party had spent more money than PPP in campaigning, not vote buying.

"Don't put it down to vote-buying, electoral fraud or populism," Alongkorn said. Another deputy leader of the Dem Party said the same thing.

[halloween]

"Don't put it down to vote-buying, electoral fraud or populism," Alongkorn said. Another deputy leader of the Dem Party said the same thing.

Of course he was right, there are many other factors involved. Amongst others, the Thaksin personality cult mostly based on lies, the libelous allegations that the Democrats were murderers after the 2010 insurrection, misrepresentation of how Samak lost the premiership, the alleged (falsely) illegitimacy of the Abhisit government, and the prevention of other parties campaigning in the north.

Most red supporters accept this propaganda as fact. I even notice some fool claiming PTP won by a "vast majority", another lie commonly bandied about in the north.

[firestar]

The old lie that Korn said they spent more money to buy votes doesn't get any more true with time. In the interview that I know you are basing your maybe second or third hand account on (if it's a first hand account it doesn't speak well of you) he said the Puea Paending Party had spent more money than PPP in campaigning, not vote buying.

You expected him to directly implicate his own party or the Puea Paending ?

These are his exact words : " If you sold (not campaigning - sold ) your vote it is still your decision in the ballot box....at the end of the day we cannot go against the will of the people and no amount of money will"

Interestingly he talks about individual MP buying, and some will recall how Abhisit managed to get his majority

[h90]

Is it too much to hope for the disappearance of the Shinawat family from Thai politics? Years of meglomania, money, money and money, and finally utter stupidity, could they come to an end? It sounds too good to be true.

I believe there is space for a new party, the decent members from Pheua Thai, and there are some, could form their own party, attracting Democrats disaffected with the Apisit clique. A party that truly believes in members and MPs having opinions and rights.

There are another 10 family members that can be PM, the Shinawatra family is pretty big.

[halloween]

There are another 10 family members that can be PM, the Shinawatra family is pretty big.

Some members are considerably larger than others.

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Phue Thai may be disarrayed but never count them out even without Thaksin. As long as there are hatred and mistrust of the people especially the North and Northeast for the military and the elites, it will galvanized their voting decision. This impeachment only strengthened their resolve that the elites have again robbed them of their democractic rights. Whether TRT, PPP, PT to perhaps another party,the same voting pattern emerged as past witnessed. Thaksin may not have the will to be involved directly but just his endorsement of the party and leaders will be enough to draw massive supporters. He is not the only billionaire in the party and financing the party is not a major problem. The junta can re-write the charter to favor small parties; they can't re-write the personal feelings and anger of the majority of voters. The real problem in Thailand are the meddling elites and their army.

Yeah, they still have weng, jatuporn, nuttawut, thida, kornkaew, chaturon ... the backwards propellors scientist ... and chalerm

Every one of them outstanding pillars of society, well well known to be squeaky clean and well balanced personalities, all have well displayed impressive capabilities which would strongly help to create and sustain the best / most productive / creative ministries to develop Thailand for all Thais and they have all on numerous occasions explained their policies which would quickly build a scenario whereby a big % of all Thais would have a much better quality of life through their own productivity.

And all of them have on numerous occasions demanded that politicians stop interfering with the police and they have all demanded the creation of numerous watchdogs to quickly find corruption and strongly punish those caught including public shaming.

And in terms of legal capabilities they have their clever man who is an expert on how to stuff 5 million baht in a donut box.

In a nutshell a dream team.

Edited January 25, 2015 by scorecard

[EyesWideOpen]

When rats leave a sinking ship, I thought they would generally scatter in all

directions..... These PT members that did wrong all need permanent bans.

I personally am getting tired of these five year bans where the crooked politician

puts in a place holder relative, and reclaims the seat five years later. Also am

getting tired of the political party being banned, and then re-grouped later under

a new name. It is a running joke at this point. Cut off the viper at the head and

be done with it. Am not really worried about Thaksin winning the next election

with vote buying because of :

1. We will not be seeing elections again for a very long time

2. Prayut is proceeding full speed in cleaning out the Thaksin influence

Edited January 25, 2015 by EyesWideOpen

[slapout]

Yet another planted bias article by the nation.

You'll see how much their at the crossroads come the next election!

But some on here truly salivate at the thought that they will never happen.

Shame

Many of the honest Thai peoples concerns are directed at the large number of dishonest politicans as well as how this dishonesty has filtered down throughout the civil service ranks and the private sector cronies involved with them.

At present many of the former are awaiting the promised/hoped for purge of those who have a history ( of dishonesty ) of being involved in any/all of these corrupt groups. It appears all groups are at or will be at a crossroads, probably different crossroads, depending on guilt, penalities possible/expected, degree of involvment, amount of rabbit in their makeup,etc.

The next election may see new faces, attitudes and more realistic/honest political parties on the stump and maybe even a crossro0ads for them to choose how to best avert getting in bed with the devil for personal gain, but instead to work for the good of the country/population as a whole.

[firestar]

The next election may see new faces, attitudes and more realistic/honest political parties on the stump and maybe even a crossro0ads for them to choose how to best avert getting in bed with the devil for personal gain, but instead to work for the good of the country/population as a whole.

We will have to read the new constitution but all indicates the next parliament will have very limited powers.

Which means the same VERY OLD faces who've ruled Thailand for 70 years except for to the small Thaksin hiatus will still be pulling the same strings.

[ratcatcher]

` Enough time Parrot. I win!!!

Your quest was in vain as I knew it would be. I hereby deem that Thaksin was a detrimental force in creating Thailand's woes for well over a decade and that you have failed miserably to produce any evidence to the contrary.

Seems as though you are a 'dead parrot' - in the scheme of things that is as you appear to have stuttered your last stutter, at least regards this particular topic.

"Seems as though you are a 'dead parrot' "

Don't be silly, he's a Norwegian Blue and he's just resting.

[ScreamingEagle101]

There is still one sister left, although she is not as photo friendly, she is said to be way better at politics as Yingluck. There is always hope, what will I read if the Shins are gone??

[Anthony5]

There is still one sister left, although she is not as photo friendly, she is said to be way better at politics as Yingluck. There is always hope, what will I read if the Shins are gone??

I think the fat lady sang already, and it didn't reach the billboard top 100.

[NeverSure]

This is getting old.

An illegal government goes after illegalities by the former government and the cheerleaders come out. How can anyone cheer for either side when all of Thailand is corrupt?

Does someone actually think that corruption is being eliminated, or is it that two corrupt sides keep trying to knock each other off?

On the one side we have the elites and the army who some will cheer for, and on the other the Thaksin machine who others will cheer for.

I can't defend either one.

[tbthailand]

yes, the Nation is biased. Always has been.

But this at the end of the article :

Regardless of which path Pheu Thai members choose, Nipit said they could no longer stick to their old "thinking method".

They could no longer press on with their political agenda by claiming democratic legitimacy, while ignoring rules of law or the voice of the minority, he said.

points to the new party line of not making waves.

It's the wrong strategy.

So you think PTP should continue ignoring rules of law and the voice of the minority?* Because that is the right strategy? And you can't understand why we have coups?

* Note that minority is a misnomer, as the last PTP government received 49% of the votes.

do you understand what a parliamentary majority is?

Of course you do. But democracy doesn't fit your dogma.

[halloween]

yes, the Nation is biased. Always has been.

But this at the end of the article :

Regardless of which path Pheu Thai members choose, Nipit said they could no longer stick to their old "thinking method".

They could no longer press on with their political agenda by claiming democratic legitimacy, while ignoring rules of law or the voice of the minority, he said.

points to the new party line of not making waves.

It's the wrong strategy.

So you think PTP should continue ignoring rules of law and the voice of the minority?* Because that is the right strategy? And you can't understand why we have coups?

* Note that minority is a misnomer, as the last PTP government received 49% of the votes.

do you understand what a parliamentary majority is?

Of course you do. But democracy doesn't fit your dogma.

The common courtesy when replying is to at least try to answer the questions your earlier post raised. For example, yes, I understand the concept of parliamentary majority, but I doubt that was what was being referred to in the OP's 'voice of the minority'. I ask you again 'wjhy is obeying the law and listening to the minority the wrong strategy?'

My dogma is based non-acceptance of criminal behaviour even when it is cloaked in a sham democracy. I don't see that the elected majority have the right to ride roughshod over the parliamentary minority or the electoral majority. Or that once elected, conflicts of interest can be ignored for government MP personal gain. i don't see that governments, or political parties, have the right to a private militia immune from prosecution, or to co-opt the independent agencies.

I do see that allowing a private citizen, let alone a fugitive criminal, access to cabinet meetings, to dictate policies for his personal gain, appoint ministers and pay MPs a monthly stipend to vote to his orders, is far from democratic.

How you defend these practices, and claim it is for your children, is unbelievable to me.

BTW Yes, I am a joker. the only people that don't laugh at clowns are the clowns. Some just don't know they are clowns, but they are hilarious just the same.

[tbthailand]

yes, the Nation is biased. Always has been.

But this at the end of the article :

Regardless of which path Pheu Thai members choose, Nipit said they could no longer stick to their old "thinking method".

They could no longer press on with their political agenda by claiming democratic legitimacy, while ignoring rules of law or the voice of the minority, he said.

points to the new party line of not making waves.

It's the wrong strategy.

So you think PTP should continue ignoring rules of law and the voice of the minority?* Because that is the right strategy? And you can't understand why we have coups?

* Note that minority is a misnomer, as the last PTP government received 49% of the votes.

do you understand what a parliamentary majority is?

Of course you do. But democracy doesn't fit your dogma.

The common courtesy when replying is to at least try to answer the questions your earlier post raised. For example, yes, I understand the concept of parliamentary majority, but I doubt that was what was being referred to in the OP's 'voice of the minority'. I ask you again 'wjhy is obeying the law and listening to the minority the wrong strategy?'

My dogma is based non-acceptance of criminal behaviour even when it is cloaked in a sham democracy. I don't see that the elected majority have the right to ride roughshod over the parliamentary minority or the electoral majority. Or that once elected, conflicts of interest can be ignored for government MP personal gain. i don't see that governments, or political parties, have the right to a private militia immune from prosecution, or to co-opt the independent agencies.

I do see that allowing a private citizen, let alone a fugitive criminal, access to cabinet meetings, to dictate policies for his personal gain, appoint ministers and pay MPs a monthly stipend to vote to his orders, is far from democratic.

How you defend these practices, and claim it is for your children, is unbelievable to me.

BTW Yes, I am a joker. the only people that don't laugh at clowns are the clowns. Some just don't know they are clowns, but they are hilarious just the same.

when there is a genuine question, then I reply.

Posting a dishonest question or series of questions - as you so often do - doesn't merit a response.

Here, for example:

So you think PTP should continue ignoring rules of law and the voice of the minority?

This half-question/half-accusation has nothing to do with anything that I have ever said. Why should I reply? Do you think that I need to defend positions that you fabricated?

you are against corrupt governance. Good for you. What a novel position to take. You and 99% of the free world takes the same point of view.

But you seem perfectly willing to accept, ... no, to welcome a military government as the solution ... and you don't (apparently) have the wits to recognize that the current 'government' using corruption and stopping unrest as their excuse/reason for the 'intervention' is the same excuse used in one way or another since the 60s. That alone should make any observer of the current train wreck aware of the fact that good governance vs corruption and democratic self-rule vs military 'governments' have no connection. It's a false choice.

Now to your last point, I don't defend any of the positions related to Thaksin that you seem to think that I 'defend'. I never have and I never will. Democracies around the world need to deal with corruption all the time. My country is right in the thick of it at the moment.

And yes, in democracies, the elected majority and the corresponding minority have rules by which to govern and if those are broken, then they should be held accountable. On this forum, however, a parliamentary majority which consists of the PTP is denigrated by opponents as a parliamentary dictatorship. That's just load of BS. It would be the same BS if the tables were turned and (somehow) the Democrats were handed an electoral majority and their opposition did the same.

This is because in real democracies, elections have consequences. In Thailand, historically and actually, elections are just a past-time for the little people during short intervals between military/elite 'governments'.

Edited January 26, 2015 by tbthailand

[rickirs]

It is naive to think that a ideological match can only come from the same family. People can actually share the same ideology having no familiy relationships. And the opposite is true - people from the same familiy can have opposing ideologies. A case in point are the American billionaire Koch brothers, none of whom have ever run for elected office. Yet they have donated billions of US dollars to candidates who represent the Koch ideologies.

Thaksin financial support for PTP candidates comes down to a matter of who can be trusted to carry the Thaksin ideological "flag" and to whether the Thaksin ideology is still relevant to the Thai electorate now. In either case, the matter of significant Thaksin financial support for future PTP non-family candidates shouldn't diminish and there will be no shortage of PTP candidates that can represent Thaksin's populist ideologies. And that is the real fear of the Thai military and the impetus to place a stranglehold on any future elected government, even if led by the Democrats. The Junta does not want flag bearers; it wants pall bearers.

[halloween]

when there is a genuine question, then I reply.

Posting a dishonest question or series of questions - as you so often do - doesn't merit a response.

Here, for example:

So you think PTP should continue ignoring rules of law and the voice of the minority?

This half-question/half-accusation has nothing to do with anything that I have ever said. Why should I reply? Do you think that I need to defend positions that you fabricated?

you are against corrupt governance. Good for you. What a novel position to take. You and 99% of the free world takes the same point of view.

But you seem perfectly willing to accept, ... no, to welcome a military government as the solution ... and you don't (apparently) have the wits to recognize that the current 'government' using corruption and stopping unrest as their excuse/reason for the 'intervention' is the same excuse used in one way or another since the 60s. That alone should make any observer of the current train wreck aware of the fact that good governance vs corruption and democratic self-rule vs military 'governments' have no connection. It's a false choice.

Now to your last point, I don't defend any of the positions related to Thaksin that you seem to think that I 'defend'. I never have and I never will. Democracies around the world need to deal with corruption all the time. My country is right in the thick of it at the moment.

And yes, in democracies, the elected majority and the corresponding minority have rules by which to govern and if those are broken, then they should be held accountable. On this forum, however, a parliamentary majority which consists of the PTP is denigrated by opponents as a parliamentary dictatorship. That's just load of BS. It would be the same BS if the tables were turned and (somehow) the Democrats were handed an electoral majority and their opposition did the same.

This is because in real democracies, elections have consequences. In Thailand, historically and actually, elections are just a past-time for the little people during short intervals between military/elite 'governments'.

So you think PTP should obey rules of law and listen to the voice of the minority is not the wrong strategy?

At least you finally admit that Thailand is not areal democracy. It never has been. You object to PTP being called a parliamentary dictatorship. Why?

In your allegedly corrupt country are MPs allowed to accept payments from criminals? Are criminals, or antbody else allowed to attend cabinet meetings. dictate policy for their own benefit and appoint cronies as ministers? Are conflicts of interest ignored?

Why would anybody turn a blind eye to that lot?

I do welcome a military government as a far from perfect alternative to blatant criminality disguised as democracy.

In any respectable country, Thaksin would never have got anywhere near office. He would have been jailed for his first big scam, supplying computers to the police on a contract he wrote the specs for, while a serving officer with his father-in-law as head of police.

[rubl]

It is naive to think that a ideological match can only come from the same family. People can actually share the same ideology having no familiy relationships. And the opposite is true - people from the same familiy can have opposing ideologies. A case in point are the American billionaire Koch brothers, none of whom have ever run for elected office. Yet they have donated billions of US dollars to candidates who represent the Koch ideologies.

Thaksin financial support for PTP candidates comes down to a matter of who can be trusted to carry the Thaksin ideological "flag" and to whether the Thaksin ideology is still relevant to the Thai electorate now. In either case, the matter of significant Thaksin financial support for future PTP non-family candidates shouldn't diminish and there will be no shortage of PTP candidates that can represent Thaksin's populist ideologies. And that is the real fear of the Thai military and the impetus to place a stranglehold on any future elected government, even if led by the Democrats. The Junta does not want flag bearers; it wants pall bearers.

Absolutely!

Thaksin will buy and put in front anyone he thinks will help his case.

[billd766]

The next election may see new faces, attitudes and more realistic/honest political parties on the stump and maybe even a crossro0ads for them to choose how to best avert getting in bed with the devil for personal gain, but instead to work for the good of the country/population as a whole.

We will have to read the new constitution but all indicates the next parliament will have very limited powers.

Which means the same VERY OLD faces who've ruled Thailand for 70 years except for to the small Thaksin hiatus will still be pulling the same strings.

Which old faces would that be then?

Chavalit Yongchaiyudh

Banharn Silipa Archa

Chuan Leekpai

How far back do you want to go.

You could always pick a few names from here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Prime_Ministers_of_Thailand

If you don't like any of those names then tell us the ones you are talking about. Don't be shy.