Why Thailand’s sexpat community hates Thaksin Shinawatra

[ThaiHome]

Waites and Spooner are part of a western liberal clique that has produced prodigious amounts of propaganda over the past 2 years or so in support of the UDD. The bias, half truths, demagoguery, and hyperbole they employ to their attempts to make the UDD into some sort of democratic reform group rather then one part of a three prong attack that Thaksin has engineered and financed is just amazing. I would not be a bit surprised if they are on the Thaksin payroll or else they are just blinded by their western liberal bias to what is actually going on.

 

William Barnes described the strategy in his excellent piece on Asia Times on May 12:

Link

...the pro-Thaksin camp's three-pronged attack, including political, militant and mass movement arms, bears a strong resemblance to Maoist guerrilla strategies taught in Hanoi in the 1970s to would-be revolutionaries like himself and certain UDD leaders, including current chairwoman Thida Thawornseth.

 

Therdpoum noted that in revolutionary theory a united front (the UDD in this case) gathers up anti-government forces in a display of popular resistance while shadowy fighters (the so-called "Men in Black" who launched grenades and opened fire on security forces) provoke, discombobulate and fracture their opponents. A political party (the Thaksin-controlled Puea Thai) then moves into the ensuing political vacuum to seize power as the discredited government collapses.

 

The whole article is well worth the read.

TH

 

[Flashermac]

 

Good analysis!

[Gadfly]

Interesting view points, but it's possible to both (a) despise Thaksin and many of his policies and ( despise the yellow shirts and most of their tactics and policies.

[Flashermac]

 

No problem with that. It is sort of like early 1930s Berlin with the violence between the brown shirts and the commies. They were hardly the only choices, but they acted as if they were.

 

Never forget that Sondhi originally was supported Thaksin. He broke with him only because Takky wouldn't share the spoils with him. Only then did he come up with the yellow shirt ideology. And Takky only came up with "true democracy" once he was out of power and trying to get back in.

 

 

 

 

[Coss]

Isn't that your normal state?

 

 

not sure

 

I am

[Gadfly]

Never forget that Sondhi originally was supported Thaksin. He broke with him only because Takky wouldn't share the spoils with him. Only then did he come up with the yellow shirt ideology. And Takky only came up with "true democracy" once he was out of power and trying to get back in.

 

Excellent point about Sondhi, but you don't see it raised much in the mainstream press. In fact, Thaksin was a darling of many of his present most ardent foes.

 

Purachai really wasn't a Thaksin man. He tolerated him because he was popular. And then didn't when Purachai clashed with others whom Thaksin deemed more important.

 

Also, in spirit at least, I always thought Abbhisit was a liberal in the classic sense. I really wonder how much he is a hostage of his situation. How much control does he really have over, say, speech issues relating to the blocking of internet sites and the LM laws?

 

Some analysts suggest its the militairy that is really making these decisions and Abbhist only goes along reluctantly (and I could only access some of those sites outside of Thailand).

 

The articles are interesting since they focus on ex-pats or sex-pats and why they may support one side over another. But Thai politics goes well beyond what ex-pats post on the Visa page. Still, it's an interesting analysis, and something I never thought about until I read that article.

[ThaiHome]

Just in case someone wants to buy him a beer if they happen to see him out and about, here is his photo from his tweeter page

TH

 

[radioman]

I don't think Abhisit is much more than a poster boy and I think it is widely believed and understood that the military are very much in charge and have been since 1931.

 

Pretty sure that over the last year or two Abhisit will have had the 'listen boy' speech.

[Flashermac]

 

The 1932 coup was planned by a civil servant - Pridi Bhanomyong - but could not have succeeded without the military. Beginning "democracy" with a military coup may not be the best way to do it.

 

 

[dave32]

The articles are interesting since they focus on ex-pats or sex-pats and why they may support one side over another. But Thai politics goes well beyond what ex-pats post on the Visa page. Still, it's an interesting analysis, and something I never thought about until I read that article.

 

That was your honest impression? Really? I thought the article was petty sniping at it's best. Reading the title I was hoping for something remotely provocative that would stir people up. Pffft.

 

Author reminds me of the legions of failed screenwriters that come to Los Angeles. After a year or so of reality they'll send their observations in a form of 'letter to the editor' detailing the shortcomings of the people around them. But you can sense that the actual impetus fueling them is an impotent rage with their own inability to create.

 

Similar with this author, seeking to elevate himself by denigrating all those bad sexpats. How utterly predictable and boring.

 

Even a cursory view of sites like this one would've demonstrated a large contingent of philanderers lining up to sing the praises of the redshirts (and by extension Thaksin). Some of them probably astute and intelligent, some of them not.

 

But the article did elicit a few chuckles. Some at the comparisons. Some at the author's insipid self-congratulatory stance.

 

So be it.