Thai farce

[frogblogger]

The current political situation must seem to be a joke to outsiders. It is to many farangs who live here too. Up until the airport takeover we'd been getting used to living with a kind of farcical status quo, but now it's gone from the sublime to the ridiculous.

There's a fast diminishing chance of this dispute being resolved amicably I reckon. Up until now most people living here - even in Bangkok - were barely aware of any problems. Confrontations affecting anyone not directly involved in political demonstrations were few and far between. But now we're seeing an increasingly bitter divide opening up, not just between the political extremes, but also geographically between the less privileged rural areas and the huge NE province of Isaan in particular, and the PAD's power base, mainly centred in the southern cities and middle-class urban areas.

My rather more flippant take on the situation here : Thailand - caught in a humiliating political farce

[dodge]

Having lived in Thailand for many years I understand what they are trying to do....but they don't really understand what affect they will have on their own future. I am currently stuck in Aust and waiting for the airport to open. There are a couple of very god articals in the Bangkok Post (older editions) that you read that explains the Thai thinking with regards to politics, Hard for a forang to understand, but worth reading.

[frogblogger]

Originally Posted by dodge

Having lived in Thailand for many years I understand what they are trying to do....but they don't really understand what affect they will have on their own future. I am currently stuck in Aust and waiting for the airport to open. There are a couple of very god articals in the Bangkok Post (older editions) that you read that explains the Thai thinking with regards to politics, Hard for a forang to understand, but worth reading.

You've got a long wait, I reckon ... Chiang Mai is busy, but the few provincial airports can hardly handle a fraction of the excess. Apparently there are 240,000 people waiting to get out (of Thailand) as of today!

I've been to some of the political rallies in recent days, and feelings are running high. Even if the main Bangkok airports are liberated tomorrow (extremely doubtful) the Swampy manager estimated it could take a full week before flights could resume.

And if the constitutional courts disband the PPP and its allies tomorrow, a lashback from the pro-democracy DAAD is feared. One occupying group of protesters could well be replaced by another ....

It's looking grimmer every day.
_____________________________
Pete - FrogBlogging from Chiang Mai

[Kelvin Klus]

Please allow me to be in the opposite side.

I am AWFULLY sorry to hurt so many Thais and foreigners.
Please forgive us.

I am Thai living in Thailand where education standard is very low, and most Thai in the rural areas do not know about the importance of democratic essence, or even a piece of it. Most Thais do HIGHLY respect those who provide them with money, foods, medical treatment, etc, and the Thais do worship virture and vice so they only vote for those they are under obligation to ONLY whatever happens. The elected people are bad guys, and they are corrupt and look for money to earn enough to pay and get voted again!

So most Thais who have low education vote for corrupt politicians. They were like children in politic matter. Democratic system are not ready for Thais, and have not for many years to come!


It was like a family with voting system. What happens if three very yong children requests to vote for all the family matters, and the three children always win over their two parents. You cannot run voting system or democratics while your children are young!!!

Bad politicians beomce a big party and take all the advantages, money, etc. and ruin Thailand. They have changed all the law to pave way for them in all the matters.

Most Thais don't know the fact. They read three lines of book a year!!!!

Every government sectors are under controlled by bad guys.
Law cannot help, and are changed, amended for the bad.

Let's assumed that Thailand were your family.
Bad guys came out of a wall, and have legal authority to control your parents, their money and assest. All your family members had yong-child brain in their head, and only you have a normal one. You were alone! What would you do?

In my case, I would want to garther with the educated and public-devoted Thai people
who realise the facts and do whatever it takes, like closing THE AIRPORT to drive away the bad FOR MY COUNTRY.

The bad politicians hardly win the general election in Bangkok!!!

I am AWFULLY sorry to hurt so many Thais and foreigners.
Please forgive us to cuase you big trouble.
But Thailand is part of my family.

[frogblogger]

Originally Posted by Kelvin Klus

I am AWFULLY sorry to hurt so many Thais and foreigners.
Please forgive us to cuase you big trouble.
But Thailand is part of my family.

So the majority of the Thai population that thinks differently to you is not part of your family? Unless they agree with you and allow you to make decisions on their behalf?

Do you sincerely believe that non-PPP politicians (not targeted by the courts) were innocent of the same charges? You must be incredibly naive if you think that is the case.

The 'children' you speak of would be insulted to read your words, which are little more than the parroted propaganda of PAD. I attended rallies and spoke to those involved in the DAAD movement and the stereotype you suggest is entirely inaccurate. Those I met had a much deeper understanding of the issues that you, going by your comment above.

The only people who are not ready for democracy are those who are reluctant to see power slip from their grasp. PAD is little more than the mouthpiece for certain interest groups - commercial, military, etc - and note the 'etc' - who are worried that a popular movement will lead to their control of Thai society diminishing (and of course their personal wealth, standing, power and influence). It's a classic case - Thailand is hardly unique. It has happened virtually everywhere in the world in the painful transition to democracy.

It is always in the interest of the elite to ensure a poor, relatively uneducated and easily manipulated pool of labour is at their permanent disposal.

[Kelvin Klus]

:-)
Youngsters exist around the world, and can cause problems!
:-)
Bad politicians exist around the world, and beaming! Why so?
:-)
The Thai majority only read about three lines of text a year!

Be happy.

[frogblogger]

Clearly you have little understanding of the function of democracy. Considerably less in fact than the 'illiterate' majority you would disenfranchise.

If the ability of the majority of the population to think through things in an intelligent fashion was the main criterion by which people were permitted to vote, then the US had better think up an alternative to the system which in recent years has carried a gormless B movie actor to the presidency of the world's most powerful nation... and the less said about Bush Junior the better.

However notwithstanding the disadvantages of the democratic system, it remains the best of the options we've got. Otherwise we get the Mugabe's and Myanmar-style dictatorships. Is the latter what you want for Thailand?