Poll: Predict the outcome of the U.S. presidential election (electoral college and after)

[Jon Wetherall]

This article was written in 2013, it is highly critical of Suthep, but also takes a couple of shots at the amnesty bill in paragraph seven and Thaksin in paragraph eight. Balanced and, I think, fair over all.

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2013/11/20/uprooting-the-thaksin-regime/

A good balanced article - thank you for posting the link.

Of course the Shin fan boys brigade won't like it because it tells some home truths about Thaksin the Innocent. They much prefer his recent CNN interview where he stated he, and indeed his little sister, have never ever done anything wrong, never ever.

FWIW, in my experience, there are very few people with the delusion that Thaksin is anything but a thief and fraudster. He's a Sino-Thai so he has a natural advantage in that respect. He is also amartya, and only became a hate figure for them after some of them accused him of being more beloved among Thai people than someone else.

Also in my experience, these same people are pretty rational about Thaksin, he was definitely a bad egg but he was the first bad egg to help the rrural poor out of their poverty and inferiority, and that is why they were so loyal to him. Prayuth has clearly been trying to cosy up to them in the same way but with no apparent success - unsurprisingly. Mostly, admirers of Thaksin are admirers only because he was at least democratically elected and a democratically elected thief is infinitely preferable to a coup-installed thief, which is what Thais have at present.

Oh that the Shin-haters were so rational, but they appear to be almost rabid in their hatred and that doesn't enhance their credibility, not at all. It's almost as though for them, Thaksin were the sole cause of everything that's wrong with the world instead of being someone, who, among his most definite failings, did more for non-urban Thais than anyone else in history.

Oh wait - *you're* not one of those Shin-haters are you?

Half true half right....

He did a few very offensive things that we should not discuss. That is true. He didn't help the rural poor, he gave them loans. I recall to get a bank loan from the government for buying a mobile phone from his mobile phone company. He made many people who don't have much cash but own lots of lands and having a stable income, really poor. Lots lost their land. But he handed out massive amounts for vote buying and that made him popular no question.

So he was elected with full scale vote buying....that is not democratic. He was the worst thief in Thailands history (there is a lot competition). There is no indication that the General is corrupt. Sure when checking everyone you'll find some corruption here and there but nothing in the scale of the Shinawatras and their cronies.

He did huge damage to Thailand and the worst is, he had that much power because he was far smarter than all the others....Lets remember the time of Abhisit which was a complete fail. So no other politician in sight that could win the heart of the public and non who has the funds to do the same kind of vote buying. That made the Shin-haters so rabid....they saw how everything goes down and see no solution.

The vote-buying allegation hsa been discredited so many times I'm surprised anyone is still saying it.

As for not helping poor people, with respect, that isn't what the poor people are saying, and I think that of the two statements, I'm inclined to believe theirs not yours. No offence. but you do have a bit of a reputation.

The rest seems sensible enough. Except this bit:

"He was the worst thief in Thailands history"

I think you're wrong. I think Bar* was a lot worse and a lot more corrupt. And let's not forget the mad monk Suthep. rumour has it he's done very nicely at the public teat. And a certain police commissioner and a certain general closer at hand. But of course none of them count because their names aren't Shinawatra...

[The Deerhunter]

This article was written in 2013, it is highly critical of Suthep, but also takes a couple of shots at the amnesty bill in paragraph seven and Thaksin in paragraph eight. Balanced and, I think, fair over all.

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2013/11/20/uprooting-the-thaksin-regime/

A good balanced article - thank you for posting the link.

Of course the Shin fan boys brigade won't like it because it tells some home truths about Thaksin the Innocent. They much prefer his recent CNN interview where he stated he, and indeed his little sister, have never ever done anything wrong, never ever.

FWIW, in my experience, there are very few people with the delusion that Thaksin is anything but a thief and fraudster. He's a Sino-Thai so he has a natural advantage in that respect. He is also amartya, and only became a hate figure for them after some of them accused him of being more beloved among Thai people than someone else.

Also in my experience, these same people are pretty rational about Thaksin, he was definitely a bad egg but he was the first bad egg to help the rrural poor out of their poverty and inferiority, and that is why they were so loyal to him. Prayuth has clearly been trying to cosy up to them in the same way but with no apparent success - unsurprisingly. Mostly, admirers of Thaksin are admirers only because he was at least democratically elected and a democratically elected thief is infinitely preferable to a coup-installed thief, which is what Thais have at present.

Oh that the Shin-haters were so rational, but they appear to be almost rabid in their hatred and that doesn't enhance their credibility, not at all. It's almost as though for them, Thaksin were the sole cause of everything that's wrong with the world instead of being someone, who, among his most definite failings, did more for non-urban Thais than anyone else in history.

Oh wait - *you're* not one of those Shin-haters are you?

Half true half right....

He did a few very offensive things that we should not discuss. That is true. He didn't help the rural poor, he gave them loans. I recall to get a bank loan from the government for buying a mobile phone from his mobile phone company. He made many people who don't have much cash but own lots of lands and having a stable income, really poor. Lots lost their land. But he handed out massive amounts for vote buying and that made him popular no question.

So he was elected with full scale vote buying....that is not democratic. He was the worst thief in Thailands history (there is a lot competition). There is no indication that the General is corrupt. Sure when checking everyone you'll find some corruption here and there but nothing in the scale of the Shinawatras and their cronies.

He did huge damage to Thailand and the worst is, he had that much power because he was far smarter than all the others....Lets remember the time of Abhisit which was a complete fail. So no other politician in sight that could win the heart of the public and non who has the funds to do the same kind of vote buying. That made the Shin-haters so rabid....they saw how everything goes down and see no solution.

And the really annoying thing is he had the public in the palm of his hand to be Thailand's own Lee Kwan Yew, president for life and a hugely respected international figure based on genuine merit not palm greasing. But it wasn't enough. He wanted absolute power and the wherewithal to steal the treasury empty. Now look where that got him. Thousands dead because of his policies and not able to even come home without thousands wanting to personally kill him for what he did to them, their finances and their families. And no remorse showing. That is probably not a bad definition of a psychopath, actually.

[halloween]

The vote-buying allegation hsa been discredited so many times I'm surprised anyone is still saying it.

As for not helping poor people, with respect, that isn't what the poor people are saying, and I think that of the two statements, I'm inclined to believe theirs not yours. No offence. but you do have a bit of a reputation.

The rest seems sensible enough. Except this bit:

"He was the worst thief in Thailands history"

I think you're wrong. I think Bar* was a lot worse and a lot more corrupt. And let's not forget the mad monk Suthep. rumour has it he's done very nicely at the public teat. And a certain police commissioner and a certain general closer at hand. But of course none of them count because their names aren't Shinawatra...

What would you call the rice scam and the other populist policies that got PTP elected if not vote-buying?

"He was the worst thief in Thailands history" On top of the rice scam, add the B8 billion KTB rip-off, and the tax avoidance. Now nominate someone who has come even close.