Fidel Posted August 27, 2008 Report Share Posted August 27, 2008 [color:green]From Wikipedia: While these groups form the core of PAD supporters, by far the bulk is now made up of ordinary citizens, more women than men, who state they have grown tired of "4-second democracy," the time it takes to cast a ballot and then power falls into the hands of the politician elected. Part of the continuing strength and allure of these bulk PAD supporters is that they have been effective in uncovering extensive government corruption that would otherwise have not been noticed. The People's Alliance for Democracy has been re-established in Thailand on March 28, 2008 at Thammasat University auditorium.Several issues was raised by the PAD, including the Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej acting like Thaksin Shinawatra's sockpuppet to protect his interests, People's Power Party being Thai Rak Thai party sockpuppet, and their attempt to amend the 2007 Constitution. Among the amendment proposed was removal of Article 237 which would dissolve a political party if one of the executives was involved in vote buying. Yongyuth Tiyapairat, People's Power Party executive who was also the Parliament president after the election, was being tried for vote buying.Yongyuth was later found guilty by the Supreme Court on July 8, 2008. Demonstration by PAD started on May 25, 2008 at Democracy Monument on Ratchadamnoen Road to protest the proposal for constitution amendment. The rally attracted ten thousand supporters. As the rally went on, PAD announced their effort to collect signatures to request removal house representatives and senates who supported the amendment on May 30, 2008.The next day Samak expressed on NBT television channel his intention to dissolve the rally by force. In reaction to Samak's speech, PAD issued announcement against the government's move.[/color] So CTO, which side would you choose if you were a regular, hard working Thai who believes in rule by the people (admittedly with the King as a figurehead and a relatively small aristocratic elite). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted August 27, 2008 Report Share Posted August 27, 2008 First I am happy my friend was wrong. Second I am happy to see that it seems Samak seems to have learned from his past and he (or the people surrounding him) seems to have kept his head cool. I respect him for that. ... Samak had no choice, because the military, at best, tolerates him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waerth Posted August 27, 2008 Report Share Posted August 27, 2008 First I am happy my friend was wrong. Second I am happy to see that it seems Samak seems to have learned from his past and he (or the people surrounding him) seems to have kept his head cool. I respect him for that. ... Samak had no choice' date=' because the military, at best, tolerates him. [/quote'] Yes but in those situations hotheads usually do the wrong thing!! To much pressure makes people snap. Waerth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mogul Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 hasn't a royal ceremony been scheduled on the grounds of pm's office in a few days? those bedecked in yellow shirts surely would not want to block it from happening? or would they? the drama continues... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Hi, "Second I am happy to see that it seems Samak seems to have learned from his past and he (or the people surrounding him) seems to have kept his head cool. I respect him for that." I don't think it was Samak who kept his head cool, but rather the people around him. It is my understanding (and I admit I didn't actually listen to him talk myself) that Samak was talking his usual crap and was ready for violence. Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTO Posted August 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 << So CTO, which side would you choose if you were a regular, hard working Thai who believes in rule by the people (admittedly with the King as a figurehead and a relatively small aristocratic elite). >> Very easy answer - I'd support the side that has paved the roads so my pick up doesn't fall apart, built large drainage networks so I don't flood as much, provide money which I spent unwisely but I am learning how to use seed capital. That means TRT PPP - easy answer and it's what PAD and those who don't work in rural Thailand don't understand. In 8 years the changes to rural areas has been dramatic. What PAD can't understand is these people don't vote because they get a 100 baht note - they vote because millions of Baht for the first time have actually been spent in the rural areas. It's not a 10 second Democracy. Thailand has numerous layers of government and these layers hold elections regularly. From village head to Orbortor etc. Each time this happens the pressure from many villages is now "You promised to do this - if it's not done - we'll vote someone else" And they DO - I have seen villages that didn't get the paved road vote two different parties in at a dual level government election. TRT heard them and road was built. By the way The SAME leaders of PAD have had their chances in the past to do something and have failed. I find it amazing Thailand is listening to a Yellow Farang who owns a illegal TV network and places him at the top of PAD. Quite ironic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidel Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 So it doesn't bother you in the least that the PPP's party executive has been convicted of vote buying, that the Prime Minister oversaw the murder of perhaps hundreds of students in the '70s, that Thaksin presided over a war on drugs in which thousands of innocent people were killed or that under TRT/PPP corruption has been disgustingly rife? Come on! And by the way, aren't many of the TRT/PPP people "yellow farangs" too? What's Thaksin? Chinese or Maew? Look how he's running Manchester City. He's an incompetent fool who would never have gotten anywhere if it wasn't for the fact that corruption is so damned rife in LOS. Maybe the PAD aren't the answer, but there has to be something better than the current scum regime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidel Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 As for millions being spent in rural areas... great, you have these murdering, theiving bastard pigs, sucking as much money as they can out of the country's coffers into their own bank accounts, and then throwing some leftovers to the rural poor, who are only to grateful to get anything at all. Great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTO Posted August 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Fidel - I don't deny there not nice and many bad people. But they at least did something PAD is NOT the answer - they are even worse! Go look at how Sonthi and Thaksin fell out - it was over who had control of $!!!! That is ALL it's about. Now IF there was a REAL alternative - yes - I'd endorse them (Woo Hoo) but there ISN'T and in light of that I prefer the people who actually do something for little people and are bad elsewhere as opposed to people who talk and have never done anything, and are JUST as bad elsewhere. You REALLY believe that vote buying is only done by TRT or PPP? No one is that naive surely. They don't need to buy votes - their actions buy votes. So PPP TRT - best of a bad choice. I warned people a long time ago support for PAD would lead to a coup - I was told rubbish - I was right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTO Posted August 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Anyway - I am off to airport - let's continue over a beer! (I'll even bring back a Beer Laos for ya) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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