The End for Thailand’s Abhisit?

[Flashermac]

As I've said her before ... Thaksin got himself into the poop by being GREEDY. He cut more established political families out of the goodies so he could take it all for himself and his cronies. Democracy is secondary to that. Takky has never been willing to play by the established rules. He thinks he is special!

 

 

 

 

[Mekong]

I'd have Thaksin back if the yellow shirts would accept he was legally elected.

I live in the rural north and saw the results of his "populist" government. New stadiums, upgraded schools, scholarships...

 

And where did the money come from to finance the new stadiums, upgraded schools, scholarships.... ?

It certainly was not from Taxes paid by the Population of the Rural North.

 

And this is the root of the problem, Mr T / TRT were using tax Payers money to "Bribe" the rural north whilst he systematicaly raped Thailand for his own financial gains.

 

Lets not forget he has been found Guilty of Corruption and abusing his position and there is a warrant out for his arrest.

 

[Julian2]

Mekong puts his finger directly on the source of the problem.

Wealth redistribution is a political minefield that's been around long before Thaksin. Where you get more poor than wealthy, I won't say rich because the middle classes pay tax as well, and everyone's vote is equal, this is what you get. It's called democracy.

 

And another thing... Thaksin was detested by the upper/middle classes long before he pulled the tax shonky. The army would have disposed of him, or someone else would have, even if he had stayed squeaky clean. (Or uncaught, which is as close as it gets in Thailand, re: Abhisit &Co.)

 

 

 

[Wallenda]

It's called democracy.

 

Democracy isn't just voting. The USSR had voting. Civil rights, freedom of the press, checks and balances of different branches of govt, equal application of law, legitimiate courts, transparency, clean elections. If these are gone, it's just pretending to be democracy. Wolf in sheep clothing.

 

The idea of checks and balances is fundamental to democracy. Thaksin is against them.

 

 

 

[Mekong]

Mekong puts his finger directly on the source of the problem.

Wealth redistribution is a political minefield that's been around long before Thaksin. Where you get more poor than wealthy, I won't say rich because the middle classes pay tax as well, and everyone's vote is equal, this is what you get. It's called democracy.

 

 

J2,

 

Glad to see agreement on this topic from someone at the opposite end of the political spectrum than myself, or should I say from my Thai family and friends. I will expand a little on my previous post since the wife has taken the nephew out and I get 10 minutes to think

 

Most of the Thai's I know are what could be described as "Middle Class", Top BKK Uni's many went on to do Masters overseas etc and are up for an open political debate when at private functions. I am fortunate enough that they can all speak very good English and if one of them cannot make their point in English they will say it in Thai and someone else will translate it for me. What follows is not my opinion, but the opinions I hear daily my social circle.

 

 

 

The main concensus of opinion is that, pre-2001 when TRT came into power, investment was concentrated too much in the "Middle Class" areas such as Bangkok and its Suburbs and that the Rural North was ignored and in some cases looked down on with disdain. When TRT came into power they addressed this anomoly in wealth distribution but the pendulum swung too far the other way. Mr T / TRT's idealisic beliefs to begin with were initialy embraced by my "Middle Class" circle of associates, many of whom are from the rural North, the wife is from Ubon, but soon realised that Mr T manipulated his position as PM to "Buy" the poor's "blindness" whilst systematicaly lining his own pockets.

 

Interest free loans was a great scam, Shin Corp opened up a string of AIS offices in rural areas and then the government, who's PM was also CEO of Shin Corp announced the Interest free loans and everyone ran out and bougt Mobile Phones and had contracts with AIS aka Shin Corp ... I wonder who's stock rose?

 

The 30 Baht health care scheme was totaly unsustainable, not only were there were no funds available or no mechanism in place to raise such funds, a false promise to garner populist votes from people who do not question how such a scheme could operate ie the Rural Poor. This comes from my wifes cousin who did his medical training at Harvard and owns / operates his own private hospital "In the Rural North"

 

Their opinion of the current administration is favourable, they seem to have learned from a many of TRT's policies towards the non-metropolitan areas and have retained most of them but structured in such a way that they are financialy sustainable. The Farmer Debt reduction scheme is far more helpful in the long run to the Rural Poor than a Mobile Phone.

 

Current Administration has also been able to attract foreign investment to the expansion of the infrastructure especially from Japan for expansion of MRT out to Nontaburi (Ongoing) and Rangsit (Planned), Outer Ringroad is now complete etc, etc. Any city of this size needs a decent transport infrastructure to be able to breath, ie people commuting from the Burbs downtown just like the wife is doing now.

 

Again, I reiterate these are not my own personal opinions, even though I do empathise with them, but merely the thoughts of my "Non-Coloured Shirt Wearing" Thai associates.

 

 

[LizardKing]

Aye, similar to what I hear from my Thai associates as well.