Better the devil you know: Taksin?

[junglesoup]

I guess its been about 7 months or so since the military government have been in place...

 

While pre-coup lots of members, myself included were excited at the difficult challenges and declining popularity of Taksin, do you still hold the same optimism now about Thailands regard for farangs and Thailand in general.

 

I know at the time I thought it would be great if Taksin was out. Now I m not so sure.

 

I was speaking to my Thai girlfriend/friend yesterday and she was saying that the loans for students to go to University are no available under this government and there isnt much hope they will return. She said she thinks Taksin although not near perfect at least did address and provide opportunities for Thai people that didnt exist before in Thailand.

 

We have also witnessed many bad policy decisions which have caused great concern for the economic future of Thailand. The baht has strengthened to a level which is no ones interests.

 

I was also reading in the Financial Times a couple of weeks ago a story that had villagers saying they wish Taksin was back as things have got much worse for them now.

 

I know not many here were great Taksin supporters but now with the benefit of hindsight maybe its possible that Taksin wasnt so bad after all.

 

 

 

[chuckwoww]

I never did have anything personal against him. He certainly wasn't perfect but I think a lot of farang just hated him because it was the fashionable thing to do.

 

It's interesting to see how he still looms over Thai politics.

[ChristianTroy]

better a corrupt Mr T than these soldier bollocks!

Why would I care what he steals from HIS country, life was easier with him!

[cavanami]

Some things have improved here in BKK.

 

I used to get stopped once or twice a week for tea money when Mr. T was in power.

After the coup, never shaken down!

Strange turn of events but I am happy with it.

 

The buzz I hear from the local Thais in my area is that they wish Mr. T would return but these are the same Thais that wanted him out one year ago.

 

Go figure.

[whitelotuslane]

This coup set Thailand back 15 years, if not more.

 

It showed the world beyond ANY doubt that democracy was not even skin-deep.

 

Soldiers & tanks come in, the constitution, rules and commitments are thrown out. Military appointed folks write a new constitution.. Primary aim: divide & conquer; break up Thai Rak Thai and go back to ineffective 7 party coalition governments, with none of those parties having any larger vision or agenda beyond deciding amongst themselves who gets to build the next toll way, subway or other development, and without challenging the real power(s) that be/is.

 

Who in their right mind would make any commitment or investment in such a country?

 

[whitelotuslane]

> The buzz I hear from the local Thais in my area

> is that they wish Mr. T would return but these are

> the same Thais that wanted him out one year ago.

 

The one possible response:

 

"Well, you now have the government you deserve.

 

Go stick another flower on a tank why don't you?

 

The heroes of Black May are truly forgotten."

[Flashermac]

Had a taxi driver tell me the other day that everyone was happy to see Mr T go. They were grateful to the military, but expected to see a return to civilian government fairly quickly. That hasn't happened, but it doesn't mean they want the T Man back.

 

 

 

 

 

[Hardy641]

I am also disappointed with the performance of the current military appointed government but definitely donâ??t want Thaksin back. After all he is the cause of the whole political mess the country is in!

How can people forget that fast! The corruption scandals plaguing the new airport, the failed privatization of EGAT due to widespread corruption, thousands of innocent deaths in his â??wars against drugsâ?? triggering and escalation the troubles in the south with hard-line and inappropriate approach, enriching himself, his family and cronies, curbing freedom of press, retaliation against anybody opposing him, bribing and buying elections and so on and so onâ?¦

All the expats as well as many educated Thais I know always said that Thailand will have to pay dearly for many years for the couple of â??pseudo-successfulâ?? years originated by freebies, propaganda about the real economic situation, cheap loans, populist policies, overspending, squandering state funds to finance his reelectionâ?¦ Thaksin never focused on real growth based on a solid foundation e.g. by improving the rotten education system but just on fast cash especially for himself and his cronies. His government and policies actually set Thailand back 15+ years. I agree that it would have been much better to have him removed by democratic means. However, as he virtually bought/bribed the north and north-east (Isaan) this wasnâ??t possible anymore. I really hope that Thailand will for once elect a good government in the next election that will really start to clean up the mess â?? but I admit that I am probably dreaming hereâ?¦.

 

[Rex7777]

I haven't followed Thai politics that closely. Aren't they supposed to be having an election sometime soon? I got the impression that Thaksin was ousted because of rampant corruption. Maybe yes, maybe no? If so, maybe it was for the best. With all his money, it's a shame he couldn't run the country honestly. I guess some people don't know when enough is enough.

 

I have no real stake in the matter, so I guess I'll shut up.

 

Rex

[whitelotuslane]

In a democracy, when you get most votes, you run the country.

 

In a dictatorship, or absolute monarchy, you don't.

 

You don't like Thaksin: FINE, go convince the electorate to vote for you / vote for someone else.

 

You don't like Thaksin: send tanks into the streets? Then you're making a bigger problem than the one you originally had.