Breaking free from the Shinawatras

[Lite Beer]

EDITORIAL
Breaking free from the Shinawatras
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- If a Facebook exchange is any indication, Thaksin's clan might be losing its political influence

We can empathise with the sentiment that Thai politics is like a dog chasing its tail. The political fortunes of the Shinawatras and their opponents have usually moved in opposite directions. There are signs now, however, that this might no longer be the case in the immediate aftermath of Yingluck Shinawatra's impeachment.

As interim Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's popularity ratings continue to struggle against the force of gravity, he can at least take heart in knowing that key figures in the government he overthrew last year are faring no better. The Shinawatras are garnering fewer and fewer benefits from setbacks to Thai democracy.

Yingluck's impeachment by the military-installed interim legislature last week challenges the critics' theory that she and her family hid behind democracy and reaped gains by appearing to be victims of undemocratic conspiracies. The impeachment also tests the family's supporters and any other Thais with democratic resolve, who again saw their leaders of choice sidelined by controversial means.

It doesn't matter for the moment whether the Shinawatras abused democracy or were rather abused by opponents of democracy. They have evidently lost that shield, as signalled, in one instance, by Somsak Jeamteerasakul. The hardcore leftist mocked Panthongthae Shinawatra after Thaksin's son responded to his aunt's impeachment with the rallying cry, "Are you ready?"

Panthongthae was clearly urging his Facebook followers to stand up and fight. Somsak, unimpressed, suggested that the Shinawatras often call for a fight - for democracy - when events turn against them. "Where have you been since the coup?" he asked Panthongthae.

Coming from a critic of the family, this could have been dismissed as just another smear, but Somsak is indisputably on the red-shirt side. His challenge to Panthongthae speaks volumes.

The red-shirt uprising in 2010 came weeks after a court ruled that billions of baht of the family's assets should be seized. Thaksin's subsequent belligerent speeches were broadcast live at the protest rallies.

The Shinawatras' political and personal interests have always been intertwined. Somsak appeared to be pointing out that their "calls to arms" tend to come only when they take direct hits as individuals rather than as a result of attacks on anyone's values, principles or policies. Meanwhile opponents of the clan scored their most effective victories by underscoring how the Shinawatras' vested interests overshadowed all else.

Before Thaksin was ousted in the 2006 coup, what had been a lukewarm anti-government movement boiled up at revelations of his tax-free sale of Shin Corp to a foreign firm. The "whistle-blowing" uprising of the Bangkok middle class at the end of 2012 came after a Pheu |Thai-dominated House of Representatives rushed through an amnesty bill that looked like it might whitewash Thaksin and return his seized assets.

In the course of events, Thailand has been divided into a "pro-democracy" camp that unconditionally supports the Shinawatras and an "anti-democracy" opposing them, so called because it accepts any means necessary to block them from power. Most people realise this is an oversimplified analysis. That should become clearer thanks to Somsak's condemnation of Panthongthae on Facebook.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Breaking-free-from-the-Shinawatras-30253557.html

-- The Nation 2015-02-07

[EricBerg]

Bad weeds always come back.

[thesetat2013]

This article does make a point though. The Shin family does not make waves if everything thing is going their way but as soon as something goes sour and their motives questioned they automatically start screaming democracy and try to use that as a shield. Just as. YL laid claim that democracy died with her impeachment. References to this effect insinuate their can be no democracy without her or her family. Calls to fight always seem to come from the red shirts when they are in the spotlight for wrongdoings. Perhaps my assessment is wrong. But it appears this way to me looking at it as an outsider.

[BSJ]

"As interim Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's popularity ratings continue to struggle against the force of gravity"

Does this mean the PM's approval rating has dipped from 99.9% approval to 99.8%? That must hurt.

Edited February 7, 2015 by BSJ

[tbthailand]

what's this guy's point? The title is 'breaking free...' but it isn't about that.

editorial nonsense.... next.

[bkkgooner]

A very good point made by Somsak, I think people completely forget about the real reasons behind the 2010 uprising

Panthongthae is a bit of a tit as well, done nothing all his life but sit on his daddy's company boards and live in a bubble of wealth.

It's a bit sad that there is no leftist party in Thailand that can be trusted

[Reigntax]

Get rid of the Shins, then the Military and Thailand may just have a chance.

[MikeOboe57]

what's this guy's point? The title is 'breaking free...' but it isn't about that.

editorial nonsense.... next.

Heed our own advice, have another coffee and try to read the article again.

It seems that it is beginning (albeit very very slowly) to dawn on even the staunchest red shirt that their struggle for "democracy and against dictatorship" is and has been in reality nothing more than protection of the assets and personal well-being of the Shinawatra clan. There is hope once the "lower classes" realize that it is not in their interest to fight and die for a billionaire´s purse.

When will the Shin sympathizers in this forum begin to see the light?

[smutcakes]

Whats the point in breaking away from the Shinawatras, just to remain under the grip of the military and the old BKK powers.

[scorecard]

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

what's this guy's point? The title is 'breaking free...' but it isn't about that.

editorial nonsense.... next. alt=coffee1.gif width=32 height=24>

Read it slowly.

[chainarong]

If you apply a logic that obviously the Shins have not looked at and you from now on intended to use this logic then the Shins would never leave, and that is becoming the champions of the people, engrossing all that is right , recruiting decent people with vision for Thailand, working off a Thai , Westminster model for recruiting and management ,selecting on merit , if they followed these principals instead of attracting losers and the criminal element , the Shinawatras would be around for along time , however the mould has be set and unless this is destroyed, they will end up like most of Thailand's pop singers , fade into obscurity .

[alant]

As an outsider I still don't understand the witch hunt style campaign against the Shinawatra family. I suspect I never will.

Probably a good thing.

[Briggsy]

A very good point made by Somsak, I think people completely forget about the real reasons behind the 2010 uprising

Panthongthae is a bit of a tit as well, done nothing all his life but sit on his daddy's company boards and live in a bubble of wealth.

It's a bit sad that there is no leftist party in Thailand that can be trusted

This is not by chance but by design but that is a separate topic. Have a look at how hard it is to enter politics here if not through the route of either great wealth or the murderous thuggery of local politics. The few left-wing politicians tend to alternate between academic positions and political positions holding on to the shirttails of very corrupt populist parties. It should be added that stating some fairly mainstream left wing views will land you directly in prison here for a long time.

[losgrad]

Regardless of the Editorials intentions, I had hoped there would continue to be a choice between at least two dissenting parties (good or bad) and it doesn't become a choice THE PARTY has preselected, but history is now showing a nation's success or failure isn't necessarily dependent on freely elected leadership.

And yes, one must define, "success."

Edited February 7, 2015 by losgrad

[CUNJU]

As an outsider I still don't understand the witch hunt style campaign against the Shinawatra family. I suspect I never will.

Probably a good thing.

try reading Thai Recent History

[noitom]

The Thai press loves to aggrandize Thaksin and his family.

[Dogmatix]

Thaksin was inspired by the U.S. Republican Party's ability to get poor white trash to vote for a ruthless right wing capitalist party against their own class and economic interests by using hot button issues like gun control. Immigration, abortion and gay marriage to stoke their prejudices.

In Thaksin's case he just threw the rural poor a few crumbs to keep them quiet while his family and cronies busied themselves promoting their businesses to exploit the poor and helping themselves to taxpayers' funds. He doesn't have enough enduring hot button issues on his side or any plan to groom non-family leadership to sustain his party like the GOP has done.

The red shirt leaders cannot carry the torch without Thaksin's leadership or money. They are all in it for money and have grown fat and rich over years of leading protests and handling the finances for them (no asset declarations are required for protest leaders). Most also Have no real popular support of their own because they are mostly Southerners, hated by their own people, who are appointed by the financiers, rather than chosen by their supporters.

Edited February 7, 2015 by Dogmatix

[worgeordie]

If Thailand could stop writing and talking about this devious family,

maybe they could just fade away into history,gone and forgotten.

regards Worgeordie

[Thailand]

It appears that the Shins have simply sat back and let the Junta lose their power base day by day, continually failing to do what they said they would.

Simply getting the Shins and similar out of power for the time being,and to try to prevent any return, was all their liason with Suthep and the elites was about. That has become more obvious as time goes by.

It will be interesting to see if the general forms his own party or joins up with another come his reelection, sorry the promised elections. Can't see any way he and his cronies will want to relinquish power.

[Chris Lawrence]

The big question that is not answered is what Thailand has got in its place. Thaksin was self-serving, but isn't this a common trait in most of the Governments elected or forced into power.

The return to democratic rule would be a better story, but these right wing tabloids can't talk about this as they will spend time being re-educated.

[The Snark]

Whats the point in breaking away from the Shinawatras, just to remain under the grip of the military and the old BKK powers.

Depersonalize that. Substitute -person with clout and money who plays the public appeal game well-. The Shinawatra dynasty is only the most recent and is unlikely to be the last. With various bullet proof glass ceilings firmly in place brown nosing the power structure, and resentments of it, are likely to continue indefinitely. Only education and promoting people to think for themselves combined with subverting the nepotism and cronyism will bring about lasting change.

Sadly, this history has already been written. Compare Thailand to the past 2000 years in China. Same exact games on slightly different real estate.

[Bakseeda]

As an outsider I still don't understand the witch hunt style campaign against the Shinawatra family. I suspect I never will.

Probably a good thing.

The reason is simple... That family robbed and raided the Thai taxpayers money with impunity... is there something about that which is not understandable...

Winston Churchill got it right...You can fool some of the people..etc,etc...........

[rubl]

Whats the point in breaking away from the Shinawatras, just to remain under the grip of the military and the old BKK powers.

Once you find the inner strength to get rid of one ... ...

[z42]

This article does make a point though. The Shin family does not make waves if everything thing is going their way but as soon as something goes sour and their motives questioned they automatically start screaming democracy and try to use that as a shield. Just as. YL laid claim that democracy died with her impeachment. References to this effect insinuate their can be no democracy without her or her family. Calls to fight always seem to come from the red shirts when they are in the spotlight for wrongdoings. Perhaps my assessment is wrong. But it appears this way to me looking at it as an outsider.

Nail on the head stuff here, for all their flaws the Shins are experts in mind control, deflection of the issue, cunning, and outright deception.

Some of the poor folks across Thailand DO see Thaksin as the very highest person in Thailand (figuratively speaking). It is also noteworthy however that these same people are either unable or unwilling to see all the trouble he and his lackeys have caused either directly or indirectly.

Without any understanding of responsible leadership the aforementioned sheep will get swayed even more to the shin cause when YL for one keeps bleating about democracy and the lack thereof when the shins aren't calling the shots.

Without an educated populace and ethical / responsible politicians acting in the public interest then it it frankly struggles to be anything other than a tin pot banana republic. And take away all the shiny malls and city slickers with high end electronics and expensive cars, that is precisely what it is at the present moment. The only way it'll ever progress is if the patronage system dies & an ethical standards bench for politicians actually grows a pair

[Yann55]

Quote : Panthongthae was clearly urging his Facebook followers to stand up and fight. Somsak, unimpressed, suggested that the Shinawatras often call for a fight - for democracy - when events turn against them. "Where have you been since the coup?" he asked Panthongthae.

What took you so long Mr Somsak ?

Who in his right mind could ever believe an arch-billionaire who claims to be the champion of the poor ? Since when do billionaires have anything but contempt for the poor, especially in this country where being poor is considered shameful (if not some kind of 'karmic retribution'), including by the poor themselves who have been duly brainwashed into self-contempt for centuries ?

People with no political experience and no education may fall for this kind of pretense, but I simply cannot believe that the inner circle of politicians like Somsak who chose to join the Shin ship when it was afloat and promising were ever as gullible. What they were is cynical.

If they change their stance now, it doesn't mean that they've experienced some extraordinary epiphany, it just indicates that they think it's time to look for another, non-sinking master ship.

Edited February 7, 2015 by Yann55

[Artisi]

Bad weeds always come back.

Not if correctly and constantly treated with "Round up" until such times the source is completely eradicated.

[yellowboat]

Get rid of the Shins, then the Military and Thailand may just have a chance.

Why not try voting them out of office for a chnage ?

[Artisi]

As an outsider I still don't understand the witch hunt style campaign against the Shinawatra family. I suspect I never will.

Probably a good thing.

The reason is simple... That family robbed and raided the Thai taxpayers money with impunity... is there something about that which is not understandable...

Winston Churchill got it right...You can fool some of the people..etc,etc...........

Good quote - but not Churchill.

[Reigntax]

Whats the point in breaking away from the Shinawatras, just to remain under the grip of the military and the old BKK powers.

It's called, removing the opposition to your success.. Or in this case impending failure!

[tukkytuktuk]

The power and the money is all the Shinawatra's crave, now their down and out Thailand can vote in politician's that work to help the people not use and abuse their position to benefit their own family. Yes, they are not the first to abuse their position as PM, but hopefully they are the last. As for the coup and governance of Prayut, I am becoming frustrated that reform is progressing slowly, but at least it is transparent and non corrupt. The only worry is the impeachment of other MP's could be unfair to opposition parties in the next election. Hopefully the NRC can forgive and forget this as the main culprit Yingluck impeachment has been enough a punishment to the Puea Thai party.