Is this a scam at Phuket arrivals?

[mikemac]

There is no reason for a hate fest. Thaksin should be treated like any other citizen. He has jumped bail and faces imprisonment and warrants for numerous outstanding court cases. Either do something about it - or ignore him. But don't play silly spiteful tit for tat little games.

But of course they won't do anything meaningful, just like Red Bull boy will never appear in court, various murder and criminal cases will never be really solved and disappeared people will never be found. All to inconvenient and the masses might start realizing what those at the top are really like.

Successive governments have never reformed the police and judicial system so presumably things must work they way they like.

As for Thaksin - I'm sure his billions make him welcome in lots of places, and make him lots of "friends". But he won't come back to Thailand without his amnesty - too risky.

There most certainly is a need for a hate-fest and it's been systematically whipped up by the privileged and chattering classes in Thailand more or less ever since the Wat Phra Kaew beat-up. It's not an accident, nor is it naturally-occurring, it's been a deliberate strategy.

The only alternative to the hate campaign against Thaksin is to lay the blame for the massive problems Thailand, which are all self-created, has at the doors of the real authors of the misfortune - themselves and their godfathers.

In my opinion, the Thaksin-haters on TV are victims of a rudimentary opinion-shaping strategy by the privileged and chattering classes. Hook line and sinker. From a psychology perspective, there is a direct relationship between the effectiveness of poor propaganda (i.e. propaganda which relies mainly on telling the lie often enough without much more skill or science) and the IQ of the recipient. This is why the (USA designed and executed) propaganda campaigns in favour of the moneyed classes since the USA lost the Vietnam war have been so successful - a previous 3-4 decades of keeping the proletariat stupid, uneducated and poor, and it's why many people whose only obvious interests are cheap beer/women and occasional low-level chatter between themselves, fall victim to the same strategy. As the saying goes, "when you have them by the balls, their hearts and minds soon follow" and it's no secret that a certain category of foreigners are heavily influenced by the blandishments and opinions of a certain class of Thai woman.

So the hate campaign, albeit artificially generated beyond the point where people can actually remember what the substantive reasons were (if there were ever any) is both necessary to the feudal barons, and inevitable. For that reason, neither Thaksin himself (and I'm quite sure he doesn't give a flying Donald about it) nor anyone else should take the hatred seriously. Infra dignitatem.

Ah the newbie springs to defend Thaksin the Innocent.

You must have believed his every word when he said he'd never ever done anything wrong, ever, in all his life, on CNN. That's why all those countries were so quick to defend him and call for his or his little sister's immediate return to power............... oh, but wait, not one single country did. Not even his eternal mate, the ex terrorist dictator next door.

All those corruption cases waiting in the courts, including the one where co-defendants just got 18 year sentences, must be just hate in his case. He's whiter than the driven snow, champion of the poor, gives huge amounts of his personal hard earned wealth away, paid of the IMF loan personally, and should probably have several noble prizes already. There, you can be happy in your fantasy world.

He's a corrupt egotistical power crazed maniac who is without any morals, ethics or concerns for any but his family. He is part of the rich elites that are ethnic Chinese and has inflicted countless damage on Thailand and the Thai people for his personal benefit.

You are right, he probably doesn't give a toss about the hatred because he has convinced himself that the people love him and adore his crooked family. That his rightful place is to be supreme leader and that he all those cases against him are lies are well not really that important at least. In short he's a nutter, a very rich, vindictive and dangerous nutter.

Now you can continue to believe he's the next Santa Claus, Mother Theresa and Mandela all rolled into one if you want. Or you can admit reality. He's as bent and morally bankrupt as the worst of them - Marcos, Mugabe, Hun Set etc - he's right up there with them.

Sorry BB, but there is something in the very first line of your comment that I do not agree with.

There is no way known he is a "newbie". He has been haunting this forum for years, under various different names.

[Jon Wetherall]

There is no reason for a hate fest. Thaksin should be treated like any other citizen. He has jumped bail and faces imprisonment and warrants for numerous outstanding court cases. Either do something about it - or ignore him. But don't play silly spiteful tit for tat little games.

But of course they won't do anything meaningful, just like Red Bull boy will never appear in court, various murder and criminal cases will never be really solved and disappeared people will never be found. All to inconvenient and the masses might start realizing what those at the top are really like.

Successive governments have never reformed the police and judicial system so presumably things must work they way they like.

As for Thaksin - I'm sure his billions make him welcome in lots of places, and make him lots of "friends". But he won't come back to Thailand without his amnesty - too risky.

There most certainly is a need for a hate-fest and it's been systematically whipped up by the privileged and chattering classes in Thailand more or less ever since the Wat Phra Kaew beat-up. It's not an accident, nor is it naturally-occurring, it's been a deliberate strategy.

The only alternative to the hate campaign against Thaksin is to lay the blame for the massive problems Thailand, which are all self-created, has at the doors of the real authors of the misfortune - themselves and their godfathers.

In my opinion, the Thaksin-haters on TV are victims of a rudimentary opinion-shaping strategy by the privileged and chattering classes. Hook line and sinker. From a psychology perspective, there is a direct relationship between the effectiveness of poor propaganda (i.e. propaganda which relies mainly on telling the lie often enough without much more skill or science) and the IQ of the recipient. This is why the (USA designed and executed) propaganda campaigns in favour of the moneyed classes since the USA lost the Vietnam war have been so successful - a previous 3-4 decades of keeping the proletariat stupid, uneducated and poor, and it's why many people whose only obvious interests are cheap beer/women and occasional low-level chatter between themselves, fall victim to the same strategy. As the saying goes, "when you have them by the balls, their hearts and minds soon follow" and it's no secret that a certain category of foreigners are heavily influenced by the blandishments and opinions of a certain class of Thai woman.

So the hate campaign, albeit artificially generated beyond the point where people can actually remember what the substantive reasons were (if there were ever any) is both necessary to the feudal barons, and inevitable. For that reason, neither Thaksin himself (and I'm quite sure he doesn't give a flying Donald about it) nor anyone else should take the hatred seriously. Infra dignitatem.

Ah the newbie springs to defend Thaksin the Innocent.

You must have believed his every word when he said he'd never ever done anything wrong, ever, in all his life, on CNN. That's why all those countries were so quick to defend him and call for his or his little sister's immediate return to power............... oh, but wait, not one single country did. Not even his eternal mate, the ex terrorist dictator next door.

All those corruption cases waiting in the courts, including the one where co-defendants just got 18 year sentences, must be just hate in his case. He's whiter than the driven snow, champion of the poor, gives huge amounts of his personal hard earned wealth away, paid of the IMF loan personally, and should probably have several noble prizes already. There, you can be happy in your fantasy world.

He's a corrupt egotistical power crazed maniac who is without any morals, ethics or concerns for any but his family. He is part of the rich elites that are ethnic Chinese and has inflicted countless damage on Thailand and the Thai people for his personal benefit.

You are right, he probably doesn't give a toss about the hatred because he has convinced himself that the people love him and adore his crooked family. That his rightful place is to be supreme leader and that he all those cases against him are lies are well not really that important at least. In short he's a nutter, a very rich, vindictive and dangerous nutter.

Now you can continue to believe he's the next Santa Claus, Mother Theresa and Mandela all rolled into one if you want. Or you can admit reality. He's as bent and morally bankrupt as the worst of them - Marcos, Mugabe, Hun Set etc - he's right up there with them.

Sorry BB, but there is something in the very first line of your comment that I do not agree with.

There is no way known he is a "newbie". He has been haunting this forum for years, under various different names.

Well, no he hasn't, but you already know that because I've told you. But of course, that doesn't fit with what you want to believe so you won't be told. Welcome to my ignore list.

[Jon Wetherall]

Because he knows damm well that if it came to a choice, the Thai people would plump for Thaksin rather than him.

"Plump for Thaksin"?

No booty calls from the great lady suggests perhaps not.

Well, one day free choice will be available and then we'll all know. But that isn't the case today. Personally I think JAG had it right

When / if that day comes we won't know. Thaksin, as a convicted criminal fugitive won't be able to stand. Not sure how the other serious 15 or so outstanding criminal cases affect that.

He won't come back without a full amnesty, for everything ever. The Krungthai Bank case convictions with him being number 1 defendant show why he really ran.

I imagine he'll rort the system to quash the charges. Much like Mr P rorts the system to make everything he does legal. It's easy enough to do because when/if he comes back there will likely be a huge purge of the real criminals and thieves in Thailand.. His only conviction was very dodgy indeed, I am conditioned to think that any charge leveled at him by his former elite friends will be bogus as well.

And it wasn't Thaksin who made me think that way..

[Jon Wetherall]

There is no reason for a hate fest. Thaksin should be treated like any other citizen. He has jumped bail and faces imprisonment and warrants for numerous outstanding court cases. Either do something about it - or ignore him. But don't play silly spiteful tit for tat little games.

But of course they won't do anything meaningful, just like Red Bull boy will never appear in court, various murder and criminal cases will never be really solved and disappeared people will never be found. All to inconvenient and the masses might start realizing what those at the top are really like.

Successive governments have never reformed the police and judicial system so presumably things must work they way they like.

As for Thaksin - I'm sure his billions make him welcome in lots of places, and make him lots of "friends". But he won't come back to Thailand without his amnesty - too risky.

There most certainly is a need for a hate-fest and it's been systematically whipped up by the privileged and chattering classes in Thailand more or less ever since the Wat Phra Kaew beat-up. It's not an accident, nor is it naturally-occurring, it's been a deliberate strategy.

The only alternative to the hate campaign against Thaksin is to lay the blame for the massive problems Thailand, which are all self-created, has at the doors of the real authors of the misfortune - themselves and their godfathers.

In my opinion, the Thaksin-haters on TV are victims of a rudimentary opinion-shaping strategy by the privileged and chattering classes. Hook line and sinker. From a psychology perspective, there is a direct relationship between the effectiveness of poor propaganda (i.e. propaganda which relies mainly on telling the lie often enough without much more skill or science) and the IQ of the recipient. This is why the (USA designed and executed) propaganda campaigns in favour of the moneyed classes since the USA lost the Vietnam war have been so successful - a previous 3-4 decades of keeping the proletariat stupid, uneducated and poor, and it's why many people whose only obvious interests are cheap beer/women and occasional low-level chatter between themselves, fall victim to the same strategy. As the saying goes, "when you have them by the balls, their hearts and minds soon follow" and it's no secret that a certain category of foreigners are heavily influenced by the blandishments and opinions of a certain class of Thai woman.

So the hate campaign, albeit artificially generated beyond the point where people can actually remember what the substantive reasons were (if there were ever any) is both necessary to the feudal barons, and inevitable. For that reason, neither Thaksin himself (and I'm quite sure he doesn't give a flying Donald about it) nor anyone else should take the hatred seriously. Infra dignitatem.

Ah the newbie springs to defend Thaksin the Innocent.

You must have believed his every word when he said he'd never ever done anything wrong, ever, in all his life, on CNN. That's why all those countries were so quick to defend him and call for his or his little sister's immediate return to power............... oh, but wait, not one single country did. Not even his eternal mate, the ex terrorist dictator next door.

All those corruption cases waiting in the courts, including the one where co-defendants just got 18 year sentences, must be just hate in his case. He's whiter than the driven snow, champion of the poor, gives huge amounts of his personal hard earned wealth away, paid of the IMF loan personally, and should probably have several noble prizes already. There, you can be happy in your fantasy world.

He's a corrupt egotistical power crazed maniac who is without any morals, ethics or concerns for any but his family. He is part of the rich elites that are ethnic Chinese and has inflicted countless damage on Thailand and the Thai people for his personal benefit.

You are right, he probably doesn't give a toss about the hatred because he has convinced himself that the people love him and adore his crooked family. That his rightful place is to be supreme leader and that he all those cases against him are lies are well not really that important at least. In short he's a nutter, a very rich, vindictive and dangerous nutter.

Now you can continue to believe he's the next Santa Claus, Mother Theresa and Mandela all rolled into one if you want. Or you can admit reality. He's as bent and morally bankrupt as the worst of them - Marcos, Mugabe, Hun Set etc - he's right up there with them.

Remain calm friend, I do so hate it when I get other people's froth on my shirt.

[waitforusalso]

Siripon - Did Thaksin run away with your missus or something? You certainly seem to have a bee in your bonnet...

baboon, please don't display your ignorance of Thailand, I'm a woman who works in a bank that will remain nameless. I have no bee in my bonnet about Thaksin but perhaps I know more than some folks here. People in banking know all about transactions using gardeners, maids names involving millions of baht.

Oh you mean tax avoidance (with a splattering of evasion) like all the mega-rich in Thailand, and the rest of the world partake in. Damn him!

As for being all-knowing...what a load of BS. Suthep, Dr. Tul, Blue Sky....have dragged every possible detail, regardless of validity or evidence, up and splattered & spewed it from every yellow stage & screen they could get onto.

You are just a typical privileged, blinkered & brainwashed yellow.

[MaxLee]

Just some blasty pasty attention seeker from our dear self appointed PM...

[Jon Wetherall]

Because he knows damm well that if it came to a choice, the Thai people would plump for Thaksin rather than him.

"Plump for Thaksin"?

No booty calls from the great lady suggests perhaps not.

Well, one day free choice will be available and then we'll all know. But that isn't the case today. Personally I think JAG had it right

Not to worry. Over your head.

Probably, I was replying to Jag though that wasn't clear. My bad.

Edited September 9, 2015 by Jon Wetherall

[NovaBlue05]

Thaksin being petulant as usual, his vanity knows no bounds, and his minions at Krungthai Bank have just received jail terms of 18 years.As the mastermind what can he expect ? More years of counting the grains of sand in the Dubai desert.

I imagine one could live happily ever after in Dubai with his resources. Doubt he's banished in the desert. Imagine how he could wind the General up if he really tried

Dubai? Happily ever after?? Yuk!! As they say, a nice place to visit, but ... Yeah, with his wealth, more than comfortable there certainly. No doubt about that. But if I could bask in luxury anywhere in the whole wide world, Dubai of all places would not be my first choice; or even on the short list... But while I know Thaksin's wealth does give him options, I sort o' suspect he'd not really find an open door (and outstretched hands) just anywhere, not on a permanent basis anyway.

Maybe we should start a new thread: "Where Would YOU Want To Go If It Were You?"

Oh well...To each his own I suppose. The only thing I know for sure is that a couple of billion, as in USD not THB, would certainly make exile more palatable for me

[Jon Wetherall]

Thaksin being petulant as usual, his vanity knows no bounds, and his minions at Krungthai Bank have just received jail terms of 18 years.As the mastermind what can he expect ? More years of counting the grains of sand in the Dubai desert.

I imagine one could live happily ever after in Dubai with his resources. Doubt he's banished in the desert. Imagine how he could wind the General up if he really tried

Dubai? Happily ever after?? Yuk!! As they say, a nice place to visit, but ... Yeah, with his wealth, more than comfortable there certainly. No doubt about that. But if I could bask in luxury anywhere in the whole wide world, Dubai of all places would not be my first choice; or even on the short list... But while I know Thaksin's wealth does give him options, I sort o' suspect he'd not really find an open door (and outstretched hands) just anywhere, not on a permanent basis anyway.

Maybe we should start a new thread: "Where Would YOU Want To Go If It Were You?"

Oh well...To each his own I suppose. The only thing I know for sure is that a couple of billion, as in USD not THB, would certainly make exile more palatable for me

Yup. me too. Money may not buy happiness but it buys a very pleasant kind of misery.

[NovaBlue05]

When / if that day comes we won't know. Thaksin, as a convicted criminal fugitive won't be able to stand. Not sure how the other serious 15 or so outstanding criminal cases affect that.

He won't come back without a full amnesty, for everything ever. The Krungthai Bank case convictions with him being number 1 defendant show why he really ran.

TiT...Never say never...

[JAG]

There is no reason for a hate fest. Thaksin should be treated like any other citizen. He has jumped bail and faces imprisonment and warrants for numerous outstanding court cases. Either do something about it - or ignore him. But don't play silly spiteful tit for tat little games.

But of course they won't do anything meaningful, just like Red Bull boy will never appear in court, various murder and criminal cases will never be really solved and disappeared people will never be found. All to inconvenient and the masses might start realizing what those at the top are really like.

Successive governments have never reformed the police and judicial system so presumably things must work they way they like.

As for Thaksin - I'm sure his billions make him welcome in lots of places, and make him lots of "friends". But he won't come back to Thailand without his amnesty - too risky.

There most certainly is a need for a hate-fest and it's been systematically whipped up by the privileged and chattering classes in Thailand more or less ever since the Wat Phra Kaew beat-up. It's not an accident, nor is it naturally-occurring, it's been a deliberate strategy.

The only alternative to the hate campaign against Thaksin is to lay the blame for the massive problems Thailand, which are all self-created, has at the doors of the real authors of the misfortune - themselves and their godfathers.

In my opinion, the Thaksin-haters on TV are victims of a rudimentary opinion-shaping strategy by the privileged and chattering classes. Hook line and sinker. From a psychology perspective, there is a direct relationship between the effectiveness of poor propaganda (i.e. propaganda which relies mainly on telling the lie often enough without much more skill or science) and the IQ of the recipient. This is why the (USA designed and executed) propaganda campaigns in favour of the moneyed classes since the USA lost the Vietnam war have been so successful - a previous 3-4 decades of keeping the proletariat stupid, uneducated and poor, and it's why many people whose only obvious interests are cheap beer/women and occasional low-level chatter between themselves, fall victim to the same strategy. As the saying goes, "when you have them by the balls, their hearts and minds soon follow" and it's no secret that a certain category of foreigners are heavily influenced by the blandishments and opinions of a certain class of Thai woman.

So the hate campaign, albeit artificially generated beyond the point where people can actually remember what the substantive reasons were (if there were ever any) is both necessary to the feudal barons, and inevitable. For that reason, neither Thaksin himself (and I'm quite sure he doesn't give a flying Donald about it) nor anyone else should take the hatred seriously. Infra dignitatem.

Ah the newbie springs to defend Thaksin the Innocent.

You must have believed his every word when he said he'd never ever done anything wrong, ever, in all his life, on CNN. That's why all those countries were so quick to defend him and call for his or his little sister's immediate return to power............... oh, but wait, not one single country did. Not even his eternal mate, the ex terrorist dictator next door.

All those corruption cases waiting in the courts, including the one where co-defendants just got 18 year sentences, must be just hate in his case. He's whiter than the driven snow, champion of the poor, gives huge amounts of his personal hard earned wealth away, paid of the IMF loan personally, and should probably have several noble prizes already. There, you can be happy in your fantasy world.

He's a corrupt egotistical power crazed maniac who is without any morals, ethics or concerns for any but his family. He is part of the rich elites that are ethnic Chinese and has inflicted countless damage on Thailand and the Thai people for his personal benefit.

You are right, he probably doesn't give a toss about the hatred because he has convinced himself that the people love him and adore his crooked family. That his rightful place is to be supreme leader and that he all those cases against him are lies are well not really that important at least. In short he's a nutter, a very rich, vindictive and dangerous nutter.

Now you can continue to believe he's the next Santa Claus, Mother Theresa and Mandela all rolled into one if you want. Or you can admit reality. He's as bent and morally bankrupt as the worst of them - Marcos, Mugabe, Hun Set etc - he's right up there with them.

Sorry BB, but there is something in the very first line of your comment that I do not agree with.

There is no way known he is a "newbie". He has been haunting this forum for years, under various different names.

Moreover, if he is a "newbie" he is just as entitled to express an opinion as you are, my old preacher!

Edited September 9, 2015 by JAG

[Siripon]

Siripon - Did Thaksin run away with your missus or something? You certainly seem to have a bee in your bonnet...

baboon, please don't display your ignorance of Thailand, I'm a woman who works in a bank that will remain nameless. I have no bee in my bonnet about Thaksin but perhaps I know more than some folks here. People in banking know all about transactions using gardeners, maids names involving millions of baht.

Oh you mean tax avoidance (with a splattering of evasion) like all the mega-rich in Thailand, and the rest of the world partake in. Damn him!

As for being all-knowing...what a load of BS. Suthep, Dr. Tul, Blue Sky....have dragged every possible detail, regardless of validity or evidence, up and splattered & spewed it from every yellow stage & screen they could get onto.

You are just a typical privileged, blinkered & brainwashed yellow.

I don't mean tax avoidance, I mean stock manipulation, Thaksin hid millions in his servants' names in the 1990s, the money constantly moving in and out of accounts., now that suggests stock manipulation and when caught, Thaksin claimed it was a honest mistake, like Clinton with his smoking but not inhaling, he wasn't man enough to admit his guilt, though obviously for a far more serious offence

After that he bought up 80 MPs hook line and sinker from NAP, Chavalit had run out of money, at the time the academics who had initially thought he was a new refreshing face of change urged him to build up a party of quality MPs but he didn't care, power was the only goal,

Then the illegal killings of 2,500 Thais gunned down without trial in the drugs war, then the legalized policy changes to benefit his own telecom companies and so it went on and on.

By the way I'm not privileged, I'm from Ban Pai, Khon Kaen, several of my relations are still farmers.I will support the red shirts if they can find decent local leaders to support their interests, not corrupt multi millionaires who think everyone is for sale.

Notice how all 3 of Thaksin's children's names contain the word gold in them- the man is greed itself, without conscience.

[fish fingers]

Obviously the PM doesn't really know how to run a country. Desperation is setting in. Xenophobia isn't a great quality either.

[MobileContent]

Thaksin has still a lot of money and a Pol Col title means really nothing. If I have millions of dollars I would enjoy Dubai. As in regards of my ex I too have seen her for almost 9 years so that Thaksin doesn't see his ex I could understand as Dubai has a lot of chicks for money

[ResandePohm]

Why is he scared of Thaksin?

Because Thaksin was elected democratically and he wasn't........................................

Thaksin was elected I agree

but not democratically

Unless you call buying votes democratic

[ResandePohm]

I can't believe what a bunch of hypocrites the posters are here. They all bitch and whine about corruption and every time there are moves by the government against corruption they all bitch and whine about that too. What the hell do you want???

You might not like the way Prayut got into power but it needed to be done. He has done more against corruption than the last 30 years worth of governments.

Is it perfect? No, Can something like this be tackled and completed over night? Hell No!!

There are literally hundreds of cops that have been canned and their assets frozen. There are unprecedented moves against corruption but still you complain.

I know I can't stop your chronic complaining, but how about in addition to your complaints you offer a solution as to how the government (any government) could do more to stop corruption?

Should a fugitive be allowed to hold a high police rank???

Wake up and get real!!!

Thaksin

Yingluck

Chalerm

Prayut

Abisit

Sunthep

Plodprasop

Somyot etc etc all have hundreds of millions or even billions tucked away

None of these people can talk about the end of corruption because they all have gotten Filthy rich from it

Honestly, we need someone new that hasn't risen up through the ranks via cronyism and graft.... Nobody on either side is trustworthy imo

You obviously have insight into how they came by their wealth

or are you just blasting away at the wealthy out of jealousy

[speedtripler]

Yeah, cause civil servants in gets paid in billions...

[Siripon]

I can't believe what a bunch of hypocrites the posters are here. They all bitch and whine about corruption and every time there are moves by the government against corruption they all bitch and whine about that too. What the hell do you want???

You might not like the way Prayut got into power but it needed to be done. He has done more against corruption than the last 30 years worth of governments.

Is it perfect? No, Can something like this be tackled and completed over night? Hell No!!

There are literally hundreds of cops that have been canned and their assets frozen. There are unprecedented moves against corruption but still you complain.

I know I can't stop your chronic complaining, but how about in addition to your complaints you offer a solution as to how the government (any government) could do more to stop corruption?

Should a fugitive be allowed to hold a high police rank???

Wake up and get real!!!

Thaksin

Yingluck

Chalerm

Prayut

Abisit

Sunthep

Plodprasop

Somyot etc etc all have hundreds of millions or even billions tucked away

None of these people can talk about the end of corruption because they all have gotten Filthy rich from it

Honestly, we need someone new that hasn't risen up through the ranks via cronyism and graft.... Nobody on either side is trustworthy imo

You obviously have insight into how they came by their wealth

or are you just blasting away at the wealthy out of jealousy

Apisit has hundreds of millions tucked away? I don't think so.

[Jon Wetherall]

Why is he scared of Thaksin?

Because Thaksin was elected democratically and he wasn't........................................

Thaksin was elected I agree

but not democratically

Unless you call buying votes democratic

Buying votes...

Say it again. Haven't laughed so much since Donnie Trump got his comb-over.

[Siripon]

Why is he scared of Thaksin?

Because Thaksin was elected democratically and he wasn't........................................

Thaksin was elected I agree

but not democratically

Unless you call buying votes democratic

Buying votes...

Say it again. Haven't laughed so much since Donnie Trump got his comb-over.

Donald Trump and Thaksin have quite a lot in common, both are arrogant, both are very rich businessmen and both appeal to the lesser educated members of society. Perhaps Jon would vote for Donnie if he had the chance.

Thaksin bought votes in the new sophisticated way, althoughhe old ways still worked, cash to canvassers, but the new way was populist policies- never mind if they lost billions like the rice fund, the rubber saplings to Issan and the north, the village fund where folks bought mobile phones( hopefully Thaksin's company AIS), the point is the folks will vote for you if you offer them the goodies.

Nothing wrong with that his supporters will say, that's democracy.

So let's look at the consequences- massive losses on the rice programme, rice tenants' rent increased as landlords saw the subsidy increase, fertilizers prices increased and any old rice was grown because it all fetched 15,000 baht a tonne in theory, though of course the farmers never saw that, only the millers- quality of Thai export rice downgraded and discredited.

Rubber saplings- massive losses , farmers have spent 7 years growing trees, investing in fertilizer, weeding , to be faced with a pathetic price of 25 baht a kilo for cup rubber.

It's a good idea that the next constitution includes clauses stipulating populist policies must prove where funding and profits will come from and hold governments accountable for losses.

.

[Jon Wetherall]

Because Thaksin was elected democratically and he wasn't........................................

Thaksin was elected I agree

but not democratically

Unless you call buying votes democratic

Buying votes...

Say it again. Haven't laughed so much since Donnie Trump got his comb-over.

Donald Trump and Thaksin have quite a lot in common, both are arrogant, both are very rich businessmen and both appeal to the lesser educated members of society. Perhaps Jon would vote for Donnie if he had the chance.

Thaksin bought votes in the new sophisticated way, althoughhe old ways still worked, cash to canvassers, but the new way was populist policies- never mind if they lost billions like the rice fund, the rubber saplings to Issan and the north, the village fund where folks bought mobile phones( hopefully Thaksin's company AIS), the point is the folks will vote for you if you offer them the goodies.

Nothing wrong with that his supporters will say, that's democracy.

So let's look at the consequences- massive losses on the rice programme, rice tenants' rent increased as landlords saw the subsidy increase, fertilizers prices increased and any old rice was grown because it all fetched 15,000 baht a tonne in theory, though of course the farmers never saw that, only the millers- quality of Thai export rice downgraded and discredited.

Rubber saplings- massive losses , farmers have spent 7 years growing trees, investing in fertilizer, weeding , to be faced with a pathetic price of 25 baht a kilo for cup rubber.

It's a good idea that the next constitution includes clauses stipulating populist policies must prove where funding and profits will come from and hold governments accountable for losses.

.

Oh dear. You had me interested until line 2. Then it got silly.

[bangrak]

What I can't understand, is that the Thaksin character is still alive. He has thousands of violent deaths on his account, could be one more, a deserved one this. Wonder in what he would be reincanated in though: centipedes and scorpions are not as bad after all...

[musiclover]

There most certainly is a need for a hate-fest and it's been systematically whipped up by the privileged and chattering classes in Thailand more or less ever since the Wat Phra Kaew beat-up. It's not an accident, nor is it naturally-occurring, it's been a deliberate strategy.

The only alternative to the hate campaign against Thaksin is to lay the blame for the massive problems Thailand, which are all self-created, has at the doors of the real authors of the misfortune - themselves and their godfathers.

In my opinion, the Thaksin-haters on TV are victims of a rudimentary opinion-shaping strategy by the privileged and chattering classes. Hook line and sinker. From a psychology perspective, there is a direct relationship between the effectiveness of poor propaganda (i.e. propaganda which relies mainly on telling the lie often enough without much more skill or science) and the IQ of the recipient. This is why the (USA designed and executed) propaganda campaigns in favour of the moneyed classes since the USA lost the Vietnam war have been so successful - a previous 3-4 decades of keeping the proletariat stupid, uneducated and poor, and it's why many people whose only obvious interests are cheap beer/women and occasional low-level chatter between themselves, fall victim to the same strategy. As the saying goes, "when you have them by the balls, their hearts and minds soon follow" and it's no secret that a certain category of foreigners are heavily influenced by the blandishments and opinions of a certain class of Thai woman.

So the hate campaign, albeit artificially generated beyond the point where people can actually remember what the substantive reasons were (if there were ever any) is both necessary to the feudal barons, and inevitable. For that reason, neither Thaksin himself (and I'm quite sure he doesn't give a flying Donald about it) nor anyone else should take the hatred seriously. Infra dignitatem.

You mention the "privileged and chattering classes" twice. In your opinion, is Thaksin Shinawatra the elitist, multibillionaire recipient of telecommunications monopolies in Thailand, grandson of Princess Jantip na Chiangmai a member of these "privileged and chattering classes"??

I love it when somebody who has hopelessly swallowed very silly propaganda rails against the notion of others swallowing propaganda LOL

Actually no he isn't and with respect your comments suggest you do not understand the class nuances involved.Thaksin certainly came from a prosperous Chinese/ Thai family but not from the very highest social circle. He was always seen as something of a "new" man by the Bangkok establishment even in the early days when he was quite popular with them.

Indeed there was and is a palpable distaste for Thaksin's nouveau riche persona.One could almost say a rather snobbish attitude.One often hears uninformed people arguing that Thaksin is part of the establishment.It's true only up to a point and a meaningless observation without many caveats.

Any switched on educated Thai knows the score on this - and this is one occasion when it really is difficult for most foreigners to understand the class nuances.

Good job you're waiting in the wings to correct everyone with your outstanding detailed knowledge of the Thai class nuances.

Not many posters with your detailed intricate knowledge. Must be good to be so fluent in Thai that educated Thais confide and discuss such things with you.

But he's absolutely correct in his comments and your sarcasm does not diminish the inherent truth of his observations...... There are many posters here who have a serious knowledge of Thai culture and who can speak Thai (clearly not you !) . I have lived and worked here for over 28 years and yes, can speak Thai and will confirm that most foreigners have no idea at all about Thai class nuances !!!!

[NovaBlue05]

Ah the newbie springs to defend Thaksin the Innocent.

You must have believed his every word when he said he'd never ever done anything wrong, ever, in all his life, on CNN. That's why all those countries were so quick to defend him and call for his or his little sister's immediate return to power............... oh, but wait, not one single country did. Not even his eternal mate, the ex terrorist dictator next door.

All those corruption cases waiting in the courts, including the one where co-defendants just got 18 year sentences, must be just hate in his case. He's whiter than the driven snow, champion of the poor, gives huge amounts of his personal hard earned wealth away, paid of the IMF loan personally, and should probably have several noble prizes already. There, you can be happy in your fantasy world.

He's a corrupt egotistical power crazed maniac who is without any morals, ethics or concerns for any but his family. He is part of the rich elites that are ethnic Chinese and has inflicted countless damage on Thailand and the Thai people for his personal benefit.

You are right, he probably doesn't give a toss about the hatred because he has convinced himself that the people love him and adore his crooked family. That his rightful place is to be supreme leader and that he all those cases against him are lies are well not really that important at least. In short he's a nutter, a very rich, vindictive and dangerous nutter.

Now you can continue to believe he's the next Santa Claus, Mother Theresa and Mandela all rolled into one if you want. Or you can admit reality. He's as bent and morally bankrupt as the worst of them - Marcos, Mugabe, Hun Set etc - he's right up there with them.

Sorry BB, but there is something in the very first line of your comment that I do not agree with.

There is no way known he is a "newbie". He has been haunting this forum for years, under various different names.

Moreover, if he is a "newbie" he is just as entitled to express an opinion as you are, my old preacher!

I hear the term "newbie" occasionally used in a condescending way here and on other forums. Does post count actually improve ones wisdom in sorting out the "complexities" of the issues discussed here....?

[Skywalker69]

Why is he scared of Thaksin?

Because Thaksin was elected democratically and he wasn't........................................

BS!!!!

[NovaBlue05]

Why is he scared of Thaksin?

Because Thaksin was elected democratically and he wasn't........................................

Thaksin was elected I agree

but not democratically

Unless you call buying votes democratic

Buying votes...

Say it again. Haven't laughed so much since Donnie Trump got his comb-over.

Yes, both major parties make the Isaan circuit offering money for support. Money is taken from both as it is always welcome in the provinces up there. Then, some of the people pocket a few baht and go to the polls and vote for whomever they want.

Not that complicated

[Jon Wetherall]

Because Thaksin was elected democratically and he wasn't........................................

Thaksin was elected I agree

but not democratically

Unless you call buying votes democratic

Buying votes...

Say it again. Haven't laughed so much since Donnie Trump got his comb-over.

Yes, both major parties make the Isaan circuit offering money for support. Money is taken from both as it is always welcome in the provinces up there. Then, some of the people pocket a few baht and go to the polls and vote for whomever they want.

Not that complicated

Indeed. Vote-buying just isn't a real factor in the annals of Thaksin-hating. Some people think it is and perhaps even believe it is but it just isn't. Here's the truth about vote-buying that I've personally seen and spoken to people about.

1. All parties did it, The biggest of them were the democrats and briefly, Newin's lot.

2, People took the money no matter what their voting intentions.

3. Having taken the money, people voted precisely according to their own decisions, however a part of that was the perceived personality of the candidate. I'm convinced that very few voted according to the money. People had no reason to lie to me or my wife about it.

Vote-buying as a reason to hate Thaksin is just empty. A non-starter, Total BS. End of.

[NovaBlue05]

My sources reside near the idyllic NaKlang District in Nong Bua Lamphu. As Isaan as it gets

[Jon Wetherall]

Why is he scared of Thaksin?

Because Thaksin was elected democratically and he wasn't........................................

BS!!!!

Alas, not BS but recorded fact. He won elections, the Democrats didn't. End of story really.

[Jon Wetherall]

Ah the newbie springs to defend Thaksin the Innocent.

You must have believed his every word when he said he'd never ever done anything wrong, ever, in all his life, on CNN. That's why all those countries were so quick to defend him and call for his or his little sister's immediate return to power............... oh, but wait, not one single country did. Not even his eternal mate, the ex terrorist dictator next door.

All those corruption cases waiting in the courts, including the one where co-defendants just got 18 year sentences, must be just hate in his case. He's whiter than the driven snow, champion of the poor, gives huge amounts of his personal hard earned wealth away, paid of the IMF loan personally, and should probably have several noble prizes already. There, you can be happy in your fantasy world.

He's a corrupt egotistical power crazed maniac who is without any morals, ethics or concerns for any but his family. He is part of the rich elites that are ethnic Chinese and has inflicted countless damage on Thailand and the Thai people for his personal benefit.

You are right, he probably doesn't give a toss about the hatred because he has convinced himself that the people love him and adore his crooked family. That his rightful place is to be supreme leader and that he all those cases against him are lies are well not really that important at least. In short he's a nutter, a very rich, vindictive and dangerous nutter.

Now you can continue to believe he's the next Santa Claus, Mother Theresa and Mandela all rolled into one if you want. Or you can admit reality. He's as bent and morally bankrupt as the worst of them - Marcos, Mugabe, Hun Set etc - he's right up there with them.

Sorry BB, but there is something in the very first line of your comment that I do not agree with.

There is no way known he is a "newbie". He has been haunting this forum for years, under various different names.

Moreover, if he is a "newbie" he is just as entitled to express an opinion as you are, my old preacher!

I hear the term "newbie" occasionally used in a condescending way here and on other forums. Does post count actually improve ones wisdom in sorting out the "complexities" of the issues discussed here....?

Of course it doesn't. Without going into detail I am probably more qualified than most on TV and some of the old-timers who demand respect for time served hate it. When the above people slag me off for being a newbie, they are really demonstrating their own incompetence and how it feels when they realise it. it's not nice for them.

It really doesn't worry me very much. People either read my posts and agree with them, or read them and disagree with them or don't read them. Either way, I and my wife and children will eat tomorrow because I've worked and studied. Not because I have people who are willing to like me.

So I don't really give a monkeys if people call me a newbie for not respecting time served. Life sucks and then they will die and I just won't care at all. One man's meat is another man's poison.

Edited September 9, 2015 by Jon Wetherall