.. Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 It's deja-vu all over again! -- Yogi Berra Cheers, SD -- coulda swore he posted the same thing a few hours before... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drogon Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 Reading the article it sounds like Thai democracy is a bit similar to a bargirl... Now that Mr T is no longer the biggest sugar daddy in the starting block -> she is going with others more wealthy and with a better future prospects... Of course if Mr T can come back (and get his money back) then he will be the one and only sponsor... Maybe Mr T should star thinking -> no money no honey.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 ...maybe they will get it right this time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coss Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 Reading the article it sounds like Thai democracy is a bit similar to a bargirl... Now that Mr T is no longer the biggest sugar daddy in the starting block -> she is going with others more wealthy and with a better future prospects... Of course if Mr T can come back (and get his money back) then he will be the one and only sponsor... Maybe Mr T should star thinking -> no money no honey.... You know, I think you've hit the nail on the head. I fully agree with you. Cheers Coss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorldFun Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 yeah so Thaksin is kinda like OH a '(premature) retired sponsor' LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 Bangkok Post 2 April 2009 EDITORIAL: Thaksin should know better The protest in Bangkok and elsewhere across the country by the red-shirted supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra enters its eighth day today. The rallies have so far been relatively peaceful, thanks largely to protest organiser the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD). There is certainly enough cause for concern that these protests, if prolonged and further intensified, could turn ugly. In which case the country would suffer heavily - economically, politically and socially. The government has so far been very patient in its handling of the matter by avoiding direct confrontation with the protesters, so much so that it is being viewed by some critics as weak and too soft on the protesters and their de facto leader, Thaksin. Clearly the government does not want to repeat the mistake of its predecessor, which opted for the use of force to break up a protest staged by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) last year. However, the government cannot be seen as failing to enforce the rule of law and protecting the national interest, should the protesters resort to violence or commit a serious breach of the law. It should be noted that the current protest is different from previous rallies staged by the UDD. This time around they are being led by Thaksin himself. Through the application of technology, the ex-premier has managed to communicate directly with his supporters, mostly grassroots rural folk. He has also managed to fire up their sentiment and hardened their resolve through fiery rhetoric, like a veteran demagogue. In his latest hyperbole, the fugitive ex-premier openly attacked Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda, accusing him of pulling the strings behind the Sept 19, 2006 military coup which overthrew Thaksin's administration. While urging the red shirts to rise against the government and fight for his political comeback, Thaksin also proposed a way out of the political impasse - dissolve the House and call new elections - which the three-month-old government understandably has rejected. As a former government leader, Thaksin should know better than most that these protests, if prolonged, can only hurt the country and the people as a whole, more than it could ever hurt the government and his real or perceived enemies. In this climate of global economic recession, investors will likely turn away so long as there is no political stability in the country; likewise, tourists will seek to holiday elsewhere less riot-prone. Thaksin may still harbour deep grudges against Gen Prem, whom he holds accountable for his abrupt downfall in the 2006 putsch. [color:red]But there is no justification whatsoever for his putting the country at risk or holding it hostage by inciting the masses to serve his own interests, under the guise of a democracy which he once despised and sought to suppress but which he now professes to cherish.[/color] As a former leader, Thaksin must also realise that the game of brinkmanship he is playing is extremely risky and only pushes the country closer towards deadly confrontation. The last thing this country wants or needs is a civil war or an open armed conflict between his followers and those who disagree with him. Thaksin appears to be right about one thing only: Thailand needs change. And the first to change should be the ex-premier himself, setting an example for the rest of us by truly becoming the selfless politician he sees himself as, who places the interests of the country above everything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 Bangkok Post 2 April 2009 COMMENTARY: The dawning of new realities By: Sanitsuda Ekachai Not too long ago, it was an unspoken rule in Thai politics that if you were ousted from the seat of power, you just stayed low, kept your bitterness to yourself, let the dust settle, and you would soon be allowed to return home to enjoy the riches you had accumulated, minus the political power you once had. That was what strongmen Thanom Kittikachorn and Prapass Charusathiara did. So did former prime ministers Chatichai Choonhavan and Suchinda Kraprayoon. That is also what many military bosses and other phuyai in Thai society, including his former fortune-teller, have been telling Thaksin Shinawatra to do. The fugitive former prime minister has refused to play by the old rules, choosing instead to stir up a storm to reclaim power and - if that fails - to bring his enemies down with him. It would be too easy to pass off his reaction as the reflection of an imperial persona. His giant ego and fierce stubbornness definitely play a role in his political tantrums. So does his choice to listen only to the fortune-tellers who tell him what he wants to hear. But we just cannot dismiss the fact that we are now living in a different Thailand where the old rules and traditional beliefs are crumbling fast. From a sleepy, agrarian society with a set of beliefs to maintain working relations in a highly hierarchical and unequal society, the rush to modernise the country during these past four decades has opened up society and given the populace new aspirations which challenge the old norms. Fierce materialism and the consumer culture have been much condemned for our current ills. But to blame it on greed alone would be misleading. In a highly hierarchical society where birthplace and family decide where you are in society as well as what you can and cannot do, people naturally embrace any new criteria that make them feel more free or more equal. For some it is the freedom to express one's views without fear of persecution, which inevitably challenges censorship from the traditional establishment. For others, there is nothing more important in their world of consumerism than to possess material goods and to buy services in order to feel equal, even superior, to others. Since unregulated development has rapidly siphoned natural resources from the rural sector to feed insatiable consumerism, many localities have taken refuge in their ethnic and tribal identities to resist the plundering by state and big business. They are not the only ones who take refuge in old values. The unsettling change has also pushed many to seek inner security in the glorification of old traditions or the myth of Thai-ness, selectively recognising only its moral elements while dismissing its tacit endorsement of inequality. Amid this social fragmentation, the old norms which demand uniform obedience no longer work. Each group is seeking their own different answers while democracy is differently defined. The rise in southern violence. The challenge to the draconian lese majeste law. The grassroots movements for land reform and community rights to protect natural resources, community health and local ways of life. The emergence of the yellow-shirted anti-Thaksin PAD movement. These are all reactions to counter perceived oppression that will shake the status quo before the new rules are drawn. Like it or not, Thaksin's refusal to play by the old political rules and the support he gets from the red shirts are also indicative of Thailand's new realities. How to preserve peace among competing interests while fostering an open environment that is more equal and free? Peaceful transition might have a chance if each conflicting party learns to objectively observe changes to realise the law of impermanence - that all things arise and pass away, including themselves - and thus to accommodate new rules in new realities. Short of this, any intervention out of old views and prejudices will mostly tighten the entangled political knots and further inflame the conflict. [sanitsuda Ekachai is Assistant Editor (Outlook), Bangkok Post.] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 Does anyone remember Thaksins quote in December 2007? Ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said heâ??ll return to Thailand as early as February as a â??normal citizen,â? and will stay out of politics, after his allies won the countryâ??s first election since last yearâ??s coup. â??I definitely will go back to Thailand,â? Thaksin said at a briefing in Hong Kong today. [color:blue]â??I should not be the center of any new conflict, so I can assure you that I donâ??t want to go back into politics.â?Â[/color] Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 Bangkok Post 4 April 2009 Thaksin: No negotiation Tells red shirts to come out in force on April 8 Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has crushed the government's hopes of ending the political impasse, rejecting outright its offer to hold talks. In last night's video broadcast to supporters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), Thaksin said he would not negotiate and called on Red-Shirt protesters to come out in force for a mass rally on April 8. He also urged Red Shirts upcountry to gather at provincial halls on that day, saying they should put up a fight for major change in the country. Thaksin's stance was a complete brush-off of the government's offer. "There was a rumour that someone has negotiated with me. That's not true. My movement is not for myself but the country's democracy, so I will not negotiate," said Thaksin. He also denied a report that he had managed his phone-ins from somewhere in Cambodia. Earlier in the day Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva welcomed attempts to find a charismatic figure to mediate between the government and the UDD. Upon arriving at Suvarnabhumi airport from the G-20 summit in London, Mr Abhisit said the government was ready for talks, but on the condition that everything must proceed under the law and in the country's interests. "Demands can be made but they must not be against the law and national security. In that case the government is not in a position to negotiate," the prime minister said. Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondej said a potential mediator was being approached and mediation was expected to take place before the April 8 rally. The UDD was planning to demonstrate outside the Bangkok residence of Privy Council president Gen Prem Tinsulanonda to demand his resignation. Gen Prem has been accused by Thaksin of engineering the Sept 19, 2006 coup that toppled his government. "Phuyai [senior respected figures] are highly concerned about the current situation. I think it should be done before the Songkran festival. Coordination is being done," said the Senate speaker. Pongthep Thepkanchana, Thaksin's personal spokesman, yesterday cast doubt on whether Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban was in a position to hold talks with Thaksin. Mr Suthep early this week extended an olive branch to Thaksin. According to Mr Pongthep, Mr Suthep would be better off discussing the matter with the UDD leaders. "If Mr Suthep wants to talk, he should talk with the UDD leaders. Mr Thaksin is in no position to give any answer." Former prime minister Anand Panyarachun yesterday urged the public to exercise their judgement during the current political strife. He said certain issues such as bureaucratic polity had been turned into pure nonsense and they should not be taken seriously. The political quandary started a couple of years ago, but became more complex as time went on. However, he was confident the political tension would ease if all parties concerned made a concerted effort to resolve the conflict. In Nakhon Ratchasima, Second Army commander Lt Gen Wibulsak Neepal yesterday led a group of army officers and government officials to welcome and give moral support to Gen Prem, who visited the province. Gen Prem had a 20-minute talk with Lt Gen Wibulsak, Police Region 3 commander Pol Lt Gen Krissada Pankongchuen and provincial governor Prachak Suwanphakdi. Lt Gen Wibulsak said Gen Prem was in the province for the weekend and he did not raise any concerns. About 200 policemen were deployed along the route to Gen Prem's residence. The Red-Shirt rally there proceeded without any incidents and the protesters dispersed shortly afterwards. Privy councillor Gen Pichit Kullavanijaya yesterday voiced frustration over the government's failure to take action against Thaksin. He said Thaksin had offended the royal institution on several occasions and accused the ex-premier of attempting to bring down the monarchy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 THE NATION 4 Apr 2009 Impeachment! The Pheu Thai Party yesterday filed a petition with the Senate asking for the impeachment of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Deputy Premier Suthep Thaugsuban for malfeasance. In their petition handed to Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondej, the opposition party said the prime minister had violated the law by failing to serve the ex-officio post of Police Commission chairman, assigning the duty instead to Suthep. The petition, supported by 120 Pheu Thai MPs, also accused Suthep of chairing the Police Commission's recent meetings without authority. One such meeting on February 6 approved the transfer of 73 high-ranking police officers all over the country. Suthep was accused also of interfering with the Culture Ministry's internal affairs, an act in violation of the Constitution. Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit led a group of MPs to submit the petition with Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondej. "I am confident the provisions go against [Abhisit and Suthep]. I have already consulted with former public prosecutors and former judges about this matter. Some former high-ranking police officers also agreed the law was violated in this case," said the spokesman. Prasopsuk told the MPs the Senate would first verify the signatures in the petition and that the process should be completed by April 18. [color:red]The petition cited Article 270 of the Constitution, which empowers the Senate to remove from office any senior public-office holder, including the prime minister and any other Cabinet member, who is "under the circumstance of unusual wealth, or purports to commit corruption, malfeasance in office or an intentional exercise of power contrary to the provisions of the Constitution or law, or gravely violates or fails to observe ethical standards".[/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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