Re: We've just had a coup
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrisbaneGuy
Living proof that if you tell a big enough lie often enough people will believe it.
My BF is from a very Pro TRT/Pheu Thai/Red shirt village
Prior to his untimely death (early 50s) his Uncle had done very well out of being a TRT supporter... Of course he couldn't stand Taksin... but he very gladly took his money... and the new roads that Taksin put into his previously unpaved street...
Those streets that hung out the right bunting and "supported" Taksin before teh election aways got sorted after the election... Those streets that didn't - kept their potholes for another few years
BF has witnessed also first hand money for votes going on... and people from the village being paid 500B per day to attend the red shirt rallies
As someone that is a bit more "international" than the rest of his village peers he is disgusted by the way that Taksin and his cronies have bought successive elections...
Re: We've just had a coup
Quote:
Originally Posted by colmx
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrisbaneGuy
Living proof that if you tell a big enough lie often enough people will believe it.
My BF is from a very Pro TRT/Pheu Thai/Red shirt village
Prior to his untimely death (early 50s) his Uncle had done very well out of being a TRT supporter... Of course he couldn't stand Taksin... but he very gladly took his money... and the new roads that Taksin put into his previously unpaved street...
Those streets that hung out the right bunting and "supported" Taksin before teh election aways got sorted after the election... Those streets that didn't - kept their potholes for another few years
BF has witnessed also first hand money for votes going on... and people from the village being paid 500B per day to attend the red shirt rallies
As someone that is a bit more "international" than the rest of his village peers he is disgusted by the way that Taksin and his cronies have bought successive elections...
Thai corruption was in full blume long before the elections of the Thaksin clan. You don't pass out 500 baht to the villagers to buy elections when government contracts are at your disposal :
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_ ... 7Ae01.html
Also, international corruption watchdogs have said corruption increased under Abhisit watch when compared to Thaksin. He should do a better job of laundering his Oxford shirts
Re: We've just had a coup
тАЬThe opposition and resistance to the coup will likely be strong,тАЭ Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at BangkokтАЩs Chulalongkorn University, said by phone. тАЬThis time the looming confrontation and clashes are going to be severe and violent.тАЭ http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-2 ... nized.html
Re: We've just had a coup
Quote:
Originally Posted by Up2U
" ... Thai corruption was in full (bloom) long before the elections of the Thaksin clan ... "
Same same could be said of coups.
Re: We've just had a coup
Quote:
Originally Posted by colmx
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrisbaneGuy
Living proof that if you tell a big enough lie often enough people will believe it.
As someone that is a bit more "international" than the rest of his village peers he is disgusted by the way that Taksin and his cronies have bought successive elections...
I am sure he also told you how much he loves you and how jai dee you are when you buy him a new phone. I live in Chiang Mai and I hear that both sides always offer money, it is taken by the voters, and then they vote for whom they really want. I have also heard this from a tour guide in Hua Hin so i know it is universal. You do know that up to now it has been a secret ballot. I am sure this is one of the things that the military will try to change.. I also wonder if you have bothered to read Handly or Marshall who have 50+ years of combined experience in Thailand reporting on the various governments, and who disagree will your assessment of how the red shirts keep getting elected. Yes, it would be a crying shame if the Red Shirts could actually form a government that would be beneficial to all of Thailand. Hell, just think how the numbers of available boys would go down while the price went up, and how much we would have to pay our maids, etc. What a tragedy.
Re: We've just had a coup
In democracies, people tend to vote out of self-interest. If you are dirt-poor and have a choice between a candidate who calls you a buffalo and expresses contempt for you (and your dark skin) and one who promises (and delivers) a health service, whom would you choose?
A more difficult issue arises. A elected government has been overthrown by a junta that speaks and acts like neo-fascists in banana republics in the 1970s. Have Thais the right to resist and restore democracy? Thailand is a huge country and has been unable to defeat a minor insurgency in the south. I wonder how an unrepresentative and deeply unpopular junta would cope with guerillas in the north?
Re: We've just had a coup
Oliver, you might want to organize that uprising yourself if you really want it to happen. Otherwise I wouldn't count on it.
Re: We've just had a coup
No need for anyone in Europe to visit Thailand as Thailand has come to Europe according to this story.
Re: We've just had a coup
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrisbaneGuy
No need for anyone in Europe to visit Thailand as Thailand has come to Europe according to
this story.
This coup has a lot of intrigue, twists and subplots.
Re: We've just had a coup