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Northern Exposure

Thailand's new prime minister must win over the rural majority to preserve his fragile coalition government.

By Lennox Samuels | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Dec 31, 2008

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  • Posted By: janusi @ 01/05/2009 1:11:02 AM

    Urban-rural dichotomy too simplistic. Over the New Year, Bangkok was almost a ghost town as residents flocked back to their countryside homes and villages. Rich-poor divide also too simplistic. Thaksin and his family are part of the moneyed elite. Thaksin, a police colonel, amassed his fortunes through exploiting elite connections and state monopolies. Leading a revolt of the poor? Looks more like cynical manipulation to maintain political power. The 'massive electoral majorities' his party put together was through coopting local political bosses and patrons who always get elected whichever party they belong to. The defection of 30 of these MPs to the opposition Democrats led to the formation of a new government thus making it not much of an improvement. Yes, the poor and rural farmers need more help, but billionaire Thaksin and his band of corrupt cronies out for their own enrichment are not the saviours that they need.

  • Posted By: ross1972 @ 01/01/2009 8:39:05 PM

    The PAD could never have pulled this off without tacit support from the king and the generals.Thailand will remain an oligarchy because the elite few despise and denigrate the rural poor and struggling.The problem here is that the country bumpkins forgot their place and somehow got the notion that they deserved better.

    • Posted By: Jeroldish @ 01/02/2009 4:10:41 AM

      You got that absoilutely correct Ross1972. But most English speaking readers of the Bangkok Post and Nation are not aware that these Newspapers are part of the PAD, and are extremely agenda driven. Most of their readership have no other source so believe a lot of it.

  • Posted By: janusi @ 01/01/2009 5:56:59 PM

    Being selected by a local party hack for university scholarship, being given interest-free non-repayable 'loans' to set up a market stall - - are these not handouts in return for votes? If Thaksin had set up a personal philanthropic foundation to provide the handouts, fine, but he did it with government tax revenue and in the process more than quadrupled his own assets.

    • Posted By: Jeroldish @ 01/02/2009 4:07:31 AM

      Who told you this? There has been an orchestrated, court led demonization agenda, and you have bought the propaganda lock-stock-and-barrel my friend. chain-of-events: Thaksin too popular/need to eliminate/stage a coup/demonize him/after sufficient demonization - an election/Oops, his people re-elected/another coup would not be cool/orchestrate some more carefully managed and controlled political mayhem/finally get Govt. that can be controlled/now peace/Oops, the silent majority red shirts rear their ugly heads/quick/force 70-30 into place to eliminate these pesky elections for once and for all/sell 70-30 as a little bit Democracy and hope they buy it/their, now everything is OK/just hope those #$%^&*( Red Shirts go away/Sure wouldn't want another succesful Prime Minister whose popularity gets out-of-control.

  • Posted By: janusi @ 01/01/2009 6:00:59 PM

    Being selected by a local party hack for a university scholarship, being given a non-repayable 'loan' to set up a market stall -- are these not indications of handouts in return for votes? If Thaksin had set up a personal philanthropic foundation and made the handouts like Bill Gates, fine, but he did it with public revenue and in the process more than quadrupled his own assets.

  • Posted By: Jeroldish @ 01/01/2009 9:32:36 AM

    Quit discussing the militarized, offensive PAD and the "Red Shirts" as if they are two sides of the same coin. The "Red Shirts" are decent people trying to protect democracy. Also, start characterizing this Political situation for what it is - a struggle between democratic, electoral democracy and the elimination of Democracy. Don't give the PAD 70-30 proposal credibility by calling it a "little bit of Democracy. Like calling a woman a little bit pregnant. Let the world know that electoral Democracy hangs in the balance in Thailand

  • Posted By: Jeroldish @ 01/01/2009 9:12:41 AM

    Oops, correctiion: Lennox Samuels (not Lennox Lewis)

  • Posted By: Jeroldish @ 01/01/2009 9:11:04 AM

    Lese majesty prevents meaningful comments. Lennox Lewis has very thick, rose coloured glasses in this regard. Everything else is excellent and demonstrates good insight.

  • Posted By: Jeroldish @ 01/01/2009 9:09:21 AM

    Lese Majesty prevents knowledgable and truthful discussion. Lennox Lewis has thick rose coloured glasses.

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