Thailand Prime Ministers, Past and Present, Give Best Wishes for Thais

[Jacob Maslow]

Songkran festivities brought blessings from past and present prime ministers. Some of Thailand’s most recent prime ministers came out to give their blessings to Thais. Celebrating the Thai New Year, Prayut Chan-o-cha, the current prime minister, extended his good wishes to all people living in Thailand.

The prime minister also stated that he hopes the Songkran Festivals will demonstrate love and unity among Thais.

Former prime ministers also gave their blessings. Chaun Leekpai wished all Thais a happy new year and hopes that the country will adhere to the principles of democracy. Yingluck Shinawatra posted a message on her

Facebook page wishing all Thais a happy and prosperous year.

Now a Buddhist monk, Suthep Thaugsuban, also posted to his followers on Facebook, wishing everyone good health, success and happiness all year long. A touching announcement from Banham Silapa-archa asked

Thais to unify and love each other in the years to come.

A survey was also conducted where citizens where asked about the current government. An overwhelming majority state that they have faith that the current government will help to rectify the country’s current issues, and asked the government to be fair, just and transparent while in power. Nearly 80% of those surveyed state that Prayut has already restored order and peace to much of the country.

-- 2015-04-14

[ramrod711]

Yingluck Shinawatra posted a message on her Facebook page wishing all Thais a happy and prosperous year.

Thanks for that Yingluck, go away now. You must have shopping to do.

[geriatrickid]

Yingluck Shinawatra posted a message on her Facebook page wishing all Thais a happy and prosperous year.

Thanks for that Yingluck, go away now. You must have shopping to do.

Did you know that her political party won the election they contested and as a result the people of Thailand elected her as Prime Minister?

She is still admired and loved by tens of millions of Thais.

Do try and maintain a basic level of civility.

Thank you.

[billd766]

Yingluck Shinawatra posted a message on her Facebook page wishing all Thais a happy and prosperous year.

Thanks for that Yingluck, go away now. You must have shopping to do.

Did you know that her political party won the election they contested and as a result the people of Thailand elected her as Prime Minister?

She is still admired and loved by tens of millions of Thais.

Do try and maintain a basic level of civility.

Thank you.

Did you know that not one Thai voter actually voted for Yingluck? She never stood for an constituency seat but she was the #1 party list candidate and ONLY the PTP MPs voted. It was unanimous of course, but she would still have been the PM if they had all voted against her because the only vote that was not cast was from a convicted criminal fugitive who just "happened" to own the PTP lock stock and 2 smoking barrels.

That she is still admired and loved by a lot of Thais is not in question, just your numbers of tens of millions of Thais. How many tens of millions would you guess at?

That she is disliked and hated by many Thais is also not in question, just the numbers.

How about that for a level of civility?

[mojorison]

Yingluck Shinawatra posted a message on her Facebook page wishing all Thais a happy and prosperous year.

Thanks for that Yingluck, go away now. You must have shopping to do.

Did you know that her political party won the election they contested and as a result the people of Thailand elected her as Prime Minister?

She is still admired and loved by tens of millions of Thais.

Do try and maintain a basic level of civility.

Thank you.

Did you know that not one Thai voter actually voted for Yingluck? She never stood for an constituency seat but she was the #1 party list candidate and ONLY the PTP MPs voted. It was unanimous of course, but she would still have been the PM if they had all voted against her because the only vote that was not cast was from a convicted criminal fugitive who just "happened" to own the PTP lock stock and 2 smoking barrels.

That she is still admired and loved by a lot of Thais is not in question, just your numbers of tens of millions of Thais. How many tens of millions would you guess at?

That she is disliked and hated by many Thais is also not in question, just the numbers.

How about that for a level of civility?

Over 50 million people of voting age, with over 60% turnout, is about 30 million voters, with about 60% voting for PTP. That'd be about 18 million people. AMIRIGHT?

[billd766]

Yingluck Shinawatra posted a message on her Facebook page wishing all Thais a happy and prosperous year.

Thanks for that Yingluck, go away now. You must have shopping to do.

Did you know that her political party won the election they contested and as a result the people of Thailand elected her as Prime Minister?

She is still admired and loved by tens of millions of Thais.

Do try and maintain a basic level of civility.

Thank you.

Did you know that not one Thai voter actually voted for Yingluck? She never stood for an constituency seat but she was the #1 party list candidate and ONLY the PTP MPs voted. It was unanimous of course, but she would still have been the PM if they had all voted against her because the only vote that was not cast was from a convicted criminal fugitive who just "happened" to own the PTP lock stock and 2 smoking barrels.

That she is still admired and loved by a lot of Thais is not in question, just your numbers of tens of millions of Thais. How many tens of millions would you guess at?

That she is disliked and hated by many Thais is also not in question, just the numbers.

How about that for a level of civility?

Over 50 million people of voting age, with over 60% turnout, is about 30 million voters, with about 60% voting for PTP. That'd be about 18 million people. AMIRIGHT?

No you are wrong.

Using your figure of 30,000,000 voters you then have to remember that only 44.3% actually voted for PTP and by using the free calculator on my computer 44.33% of the votes came out at 12,211,604. The 44.3% was the % of the votes cast for the PTP alone.

Isn't doing a little research wonderful?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_general_election,_2011

Summary of the 3 July 2011 House of Representatives of Thailand Thai general election results Parties Constituency Proportional TOTAL Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Seats % Pheu Thai 12,211,604 44.3 204 15,744,190 48.41 61 265 53.0% Democrat 8,907,140 32.3 115 11,433,762 35.15 44 159 31.8% Bhumjaithai 3,123,567 11.3 29 1,281,577 3.94 5 34 6.8% Chartthaipattana 1,259,595 4.6 15 906,656 2.79 4 19 3.8% Chart Pattana Puea Pandin 1,098,159 4.0 5 494,894 1.52 2 7 1.4% Phalang Chon 246,031 0.9 6 178,110 0.55 1 7 1.4% Rak Thailand 0 998,603 3.07 4 4 0.8% Matubhum 330,633 1.2 1 251,702 0.77 1 2 0.4% Rak Santi 122,968 0.4 0 284,132 0.87 1 1 0.2% Mahachon 0 133,772 0.41 1 1 0.2% New Democracy 0 125,784 0.39 1 1 0.2% Other Parties 0 692,322 2.13 0 0 0.0% Valid Votes 27,537,677 375 32,525,504 125 500 100% None of the Above 1,419,088 4.03% 958,052 2.72% Invalid Votes 2,039,694 5.79% 1,726,051 4.90% Total Turnouts Abstention Total Electors Source: Election of Members of House of Representatives B.E.2554

[ldiablo]

It seems to me from reading these posts that there are more foreigners who are both red and yellow shirts than there are Thais. The article is about Prime Minister's giving blessings to Thais and everyone here has to see who's manhood is bigger than the next guys by discussing politics. Who gives a s$$t about Yinluck, Taksin, Suthep or Chan-o-cha. None of you including myself have any real knowledge of Thai culture and politics and how they function we all just speculate with our stupid opinions. Give it up,get a life and enjoy Songkran people and stop the bit$hin. You're all acting like whining little babies.

[billd766]

It seems to me from reading these posts that there are more foreigners who are both red and yellow shirts than there are Thais. The article is about Prime Minister's giving blessings to Thais and everyone here has to see who's manhood is bigger than the next guys by discussing politics. Who gives a s$$t about Yinluck, Taksin, Suthep or Chan-o-cha. None of you including myself have any real knowledge of Thai culture and politics and how they function we all just speculate with our stupid opinions. Give it up,get a life and enjoy Songkran people and stop the bit$hin. You're all acting like whining little babies.

Have we met before?

Firstly you are making a broad assumption that all the farangs who post here have absolutely no idea about Thailand. I can't speak for everybody, just myself, but I think that I have learned a few things about Thailand over the past 20 years or so.

Secondly many posters here do care about Yingluck, Thaksin, Suthep and Prayuth Chan-O-Cha as they are both the past and the present, and in the case of Prayuth certainly they are the future of Thailand. Incidently my Thai son is also part of the future of Thailand as is my Thai wife, so I have a sort of vested interest in keeping up to date with Thai politics. I would think that many posters here have similar circumstances to mine. Which side of the political line they fall is up to them and their families.

Thirdly if you are going to post could you please learn to spell the names correctly of the people you are talking about.

Most of the posters actually do have a life outside of Thai Visa.

I have had a good Songkran thank you. How was yours?

Not that many posters from either side whine and quite a few make constructive posts too.

[JAG]

Once again might I be allowed to point out that just about everyone who cast a vote for Pheu Thai in that election did so in the full knowledge that 1, Thaksin Shinawatra controlled the party and 2, Yingluck Shinawatra was certain to be the parties nomination for Prime Minister.

To claim that nobody voted for her is frankly b*ll*cks!

[billd766]

Once again might I be allowed to point out that just about everyone who cast a vote for Pheu Thai in that election did so in the full knowledge that 1, Thaksin Shinawatra controlled the party and 2, Yingluck Shinawatra was certain to be the parties nomination for Prime Minister.

To claim that nobody voted for her is frankly b*ll*cks!

Actually it isn't b******s at all.

IF Thaksin and the PTP were so confident that she would win why didn't they put her up for the safest constituency seat that they had and let her fight it out as ANY other would be constiuent candidate would have to do?

You seem to approve the fact that the PTP was owned and controlled by a convicted criminal fugitive living offshore who whilst complaining bitterly to the world that his conviction was political and should never have happened.

He also tried to abuse the authority of parliament by attempting to ram through a bill for an amnesty which was heavily modified 3 times and then put to the said parliament at 4.30 am when the opposition party had been told that it would be up for further discussion later the next day.

And you have the temrity to dismiss my post as b******s.

I suggest that you go for a reality check.

[mikemac]

Yingluck Shinawatra posted a message on her Facebook page wishing all Thais a happy and prosperous year.

Thanks for that Yingluck, go away now. You must have shopping to do.

Did you know that her political party won the election they contested and as a result the people of Thailand elected her as Prime Minister?

She is still admired and loved by tens of millions of Thais.

Do try and maintain a basic level of civility.

Thank you.

Forget it gk, this huge crush you have on her is not going to save her. She is going to end up much the same as the rest of her sorry family, with a long criminal record, probably banned from politics, and maybe even "on the run" living in another country for years and years in "self imposed exile".

Sorry mate, but in my opinion you have lousy taste in women.

[JAG]

Once again might I be allowed to point out that just about everyone who cast a vote for Pheu Thai in that election did so in the full knowledge that 1, Thaksin Shinawatra controlled the party and 2, Yingluck Shinawatra was certain to be the parties nomination for Prime Minister.

To claim that nobody voted for her is frankly b*ll*cks!

Actually it isn't b******s at all.

IF Thaksin and the PTP were so confident that she would win why didn't they put her up for the safest constituency seat that they had and let her fight it out as ANY other would be constiuent candidate would have to do?

You seem to approve the fact that the PTP was owned and controlled by a convicted criminal fugitive living offshore who whilst complaining bitterly to the world that his conviction was political and should never have happened.

He also tried to abuse the authority of parliament by attempting to ram through a bill for an amnesty which was heavily modified 3 times and then put to the said parliament at 4.30 am when the opposition party had been told that it would be up for further discussion later the next day.

And you have the temrity to dismiss my post as b******s.

I suggest that you go for a reality check.

You said that nobody voted for her. I explained why you were wrong to say that. I have done so in the past when posters have claimed that she was not elected, and I will do so again because to claim otherwise is simply not true. She was effectively voted for under the electoral system then pertaining. I also stated that everyone knew that Thaksin controlled Pheu Thai. I neither approved nor disapproved of that. The amnesty bill does not enter into my post.

What I do not approve is you making claims about Yinglucks status as an elected politician which are false. It rather smacks of rewriting history in order to support a false version of events.

"Reality check" doesn't need to come into it

[billd766]

Once again might I be allowed to point out that just about everyone who cast a vote for Pheu Thai in that election did so in the full knowledge that 1, Thaksin Shinawatra controlled the party and 2, Yingluck Shinawatra was certain to be the parties nomination for Prime Minister.

To claim that nobody voted for her is frankly b*ll*cks!

Actually it isn't b******s at all.

IF Thaksin and the PTP were so confident that she would win why didn't they put her up for the safest constituency seat that they had and let her fight it out as ANY other would be constiuent candidate would have to do?

You seem to approve the fact that the PTP was owned and controlled by a convicted criminal fugitive living offshore who whilst complaining bitterly to the world that his conviction was political and should never have happened.

He also tried to abuse the authority of parliament by attempting to ram through a bill for an amnesty which was heavily modified 3 times and then put to the said parliament at 4.30 am when the opposition party had been told that it would be up for further discussion later the next day.

And you have the temrity to dismiss my post as b******s.

I suggest that you go for a reality check.

You said that nobody voted for her. I explained why you were wrong to say that. I have done so in the past when posters have claimed that she was not elected, and I will do so again because to claim otherwise is simply not true. She was effectively voted for under the electoral system then pertaining. I also stated that everyone knew that Thaksin controlled Pheu Thai. I neither approved nor disapproved of that. The amnesty bill does not enter into my post.

What I do not approve is you making claims about Yinglucks status as an elected politician which are false. It rather smacks of rewriting history in order to support a false version of events.

"Reality check" doesn't need to come into it

She did NOT receive one single vote from any Thai voter at all as she has never stood for election.

Please correct me if I am wrong and tell me and the rest of TVF which constituency she stood for and the total number of electors who voted for her.

Show me where I am in error about Yinglucks status as a politician. She was voted into being PM by the numbers of PTP PMs only, not by any member of the public. She was selected as the #1 party list on what grounds and with what political qualifications other than the party owner is her brother.

She had NO political experience or qualifications at all yet she was elected as PM.

Would any other country elect such a person?

It doesn't bother me whether you approve or disapprove of what I said or not. If you have a problem with that then contact the administrators and let them deal with it.

As for rewriting history you aren't too bad at that yourself.

[JAG]

She was a party list candidate. Therefore when people cast a vote for that party they were casting a vote for that party, as well as voting for the constituency candidate and therefore by definition for the candidates on that party list.

You may dislike that system, I am not convinced myself that it is a good system, but it was the system in force at the time. The voters understood it, and in this case understood Yingluck as Prime Minister would be the result of a Pheu Thai victory. They also fully understood where Pheu Tai stood viz a viz Thaksin Shinawatra. Again you may not like that, it doesn't change it.

Whether any other country would elect her is irrelevant. This country did. Her qualification is that she won the election. Again in either or both cases you may not like that, it doesn't change it.

My approval or disapproval is not relevant to the moderators. It is relevant to my opinions. That is why I choose to mention it. I really couldn't care less whether you are bothered, although your reaction seems to indicate you are.

As for rewriting history, I am not the one who claims that she was never elected. Her election was accepted within Thailand by the opposition party and was approved by the electoral commission. That she was subsequently removed from office, by whom, and how the elected government was expelled from office is not germane to this topic.

In summary, you made a claim that she was not elected - a claim that, for the reasons which I have explained at length, was false. I have refuted that claim.

[mikemac]

JAG, I read in one of you earlier posts that, in part, ..................."just about everyone who cast a vote for Pheu Thai in that election did so in the full knowledge that 1, Thaksin Shinawatra controlled the party"........................

Forgetting about all the other PTP indiscretions this does not bother you ? That the party you so valiantly defend is "controlled" by a convicted, wanted criminal with a string of charges yet to face ? Tells me that based on this one fact alone, your party has not one shred of credibility.

And also tells me why they are where they are today, where they belong, in political h**l.

[JAG]

It does bother me. not least because I have reservations about the way in which the conviction was obtained. But even if the conviction was absolutely above board in every respect this does not change the central plank of my argument.

Bild766 claims that no-one elected Yingluck. My argument, at the risk of rehashing my previous posts is that she was on the party list. It was crystal clear that she was Pheu Thais candidate for Prime Minister. It really cannot be said therefore that she was not elected - anyone voting Pheu Thai knew that if the party won she would become Prime Minister. Bild766 or indeed your good self may not like that - I rather gather that you both dislike the whole Shinawatra family intensely, but it does not change the two points I made, that Yingluck was elected and the voters accepted that Thaksin was de facto head of the party.

[jayboy]

Once again might I be allowed to point out that just about everyone who cast a vote for Pheu Thai in that election did so in the full knowledge that 1, Thaksin Shinawatra controlled the party and 2, Yingluck Shinawatra was certain to be the parties nomination for Prime Minister.

To claim that nobody voted for her is frankly b*ll*cks!

Actually it isn't b******s at all.

IF Thaksin and the PTP were so confident that she would win why didn't they put her up for the safest constituency seat that they had and let her fight it out as ANY other would be constiuent candidate would have to do?

You seem to approve the fact that the PTP was owned and controlled by a convicted criminal fugitive living offshore who whilst complaining bitterly to the world that his conviction was political and should never have happened.

He also tried to abuse the authority of parliament by attempting to ram through a bill for an amnesty which was heavily modified 3 times and then put to the said parliament at 4.30 am when the opposition party had been told that it would be up for further discussion later the next day.

And you have the temrity to dismiss my post as b******s.

I suggest that you go for a reality check.

Sorry you post is b*******s to use your expression.The Thai people were well aware of who led the PTP and what the implications were.They gave the PTP under Yingluck a commanding victory in elections judged by independent observers as fair and free.

Awkward for you but there we go.

[rubl]

Once again might I be allowed to point out that just about everyone who cast a vote for Pheu Thai in that election did so in the full knowledge that 1, Thaksin Shinawatra controlled the party and 2, Yingluck Shinawatra was certain to be the parties nomination for Prime Minister.

To claim that nobody voted for her is frankly b*ll*cks!

Actually it isn't b******s at all.

IF Thaksin and the PTP were so confident that she would win why didn't they put her up for the safest constituency seat that they had and let her fight it out as ANY other would be constiuent candidate would have to do?

You seem to approve the fact that the PTP was owned and controlled by a convicted criminal fugitive living offshore who whilst complaining bitterly to the world that his conviction was political and should never have happened.

He also tried to abuse the authority of parliament by attempting to ram through a bill for an amnesty which was heavily modified 3 times and then put to the said parliament at 4.30 am when the opposition party had been told that it would be up for further discussion later the next day.

And you have the temrity to dismiss my post as b******s.

I suggest that you go for a reality check.

Sorry you post is b*******s to use your expression.The Thai people were well aware of who led the PTP and what the implications were.They gave the PTP under Yingluck a commanding victory in elections judged by independent observers as fair and free.

Awkward for you but there we go.

"the Thai people, They gave" as in 15 million voters, 47% of valid votes, or 43% of all votes cast. 35.5m votes cast out of 46.9m electorate out of a 67m population?

Anyway, best wishes to Thai and foreigners alike.

[jayboy]

Once again might I be allowed to point out that just about everyone who cast a vote for Pheu Thai in that election did so in the full knowledge that 1, Thaksin Shinawatra controlled the party and 2, Yingluck Shinawatra was certain to be the parties nomination for Prime Minister.

To claim that nobody voted for her is frankly b*ll*cks!

Actually it isn't b******s at all.

IF Thaksin and the PTP were so confident that she would win why didn't they put her up for the safest constituency seat that they had and let her fight it out as ANY other would be constiuent candidate would have to do?

You seem to approve the fact that the PTP was owned and controlled by a convicted criminal fugitive living offshore who whilst complaining bitterly to the world that his conviction was political and should never have happened.

He also tried to abuse the authority of parliament by attempting to ram through a bill for an amnesty which was heavily modified 3 times and then put to the said parliament at 4.30 am when the opposition party had been told that it would be up for further discussion later the next day.

And you have the temrity to dismiss my post as b******s.

I suggest that you go for a reality check.

Sorry you post is b*******s to use your expression.The Thai people were well aware of who led the PTP and what the implications were.They gave the PTP under Yingluck a commanding victory in elections judged by independent observers as fair and free.

Awkward for you but there we go.

"the Thai people, They gave" as in 15 million voters, 47% of valid votes, or 43% of all votes cast. 35.5m votes cast out of 46.9m electorate out of a 67m population?

Anyway, best wishes to Thai and foreigners alike.

Stupid post.In all democracies the winning party very rarely wins an overall majority of potential votes.The usual suspects often resort to manipulation of voting figures to give the impression there was no real mandate.In the case of Khun Yingluck the victory was a very solid one and if that is a troublesome fact of life for the slavish adherents of military rule, so be it.