Thaksin says he will come back and fight

[bumper]

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POLITICS

Thaksin talks of a comeback
Declares readiness to fight for justice
By: AEKARACH SATTABURUTH
Published: 3/02/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
NAKHON RATCHASIMA - Thaksin Shinawatra is in a fighting mood. The former prime minister says he is ready to fight for justice and make a comeback as the country's political leader.

The move is a turn-around. Thaksin earlier said he had washed his hands of politics.

"I earlier announced that I would wash my hands of politics," Thaksin told members of the opposition Puea Thai party and former MPs of the now dissolved Thai Rak Thai (TRT) on Monday in a phone-in. "But as there are so many politically motivated cases being filed against me, I want to tell you now that I am ready to return to the political arena once again.

"If I give up the fight, people who used to benefit from policies initiated by the TRT will be badly hurt."

The former prime minister said mounting persecution by his rivals had forced him to change his mind.

He also denied allegations he was not loyal to the monarchy. The allegations were "pure nonsense", he said.

"I will fight on no matter what happens. I'm ready to be prime minister again if people support me. If people voice their call that they want me, I will come back to carry out my duty [as prime minister]."

Thaksin said he would not always remain on the run in other countries and went on to criticise the Democrat party-led government for failing to tackle the country's problems.

He urged the opposition party to be patient and wait for its turn to administer the country as public confidence in the present government was eroding.

Thaksin's 20-minute phone-in started shortly after politicians loyal to him joined a seminar organised by Puea Thai at a hotel near the Khao Yai national park in Pak Chong district of this provincial gateway to the northeast.

The seminar, co-hosted by Thaksin's younger sisters Yaowapa Wongsawat and Yingluck Shinawatra, was attended by banned executives and MPs of the two dissolved parties - TRT and the People Power party (PPP).

Former prime minister and PPP leader Somchai Wongsawat, PPP deputy leaders Yongyuth Tiyapairat and Sompong Amornvivat, former PPP secretary-general Noppadon Pattama, former TRT executives Pongthep Thepkanchana and Sermsak Pongpanit were also there.

Thaksin, who fled the country in August before being sentenced in October to two years in jail for abuse of power in a land purchase deal, was toppled by a coup on Sept 19, 2006. The coup-appointed Assets Scrutiny Committee froze 76 billion baht worth of his assets.

"Please feel at ease that I will not abandon anyone. Be assured that I will stay near you [MPs] to give you support," he told his loyalists.

Puea Thai MP for Nong Bua Lamphu Chaiya Promma said the phone-in had helped raise the party's spirits.



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EARLIER REPORT By BangkokPost.com

Thaksin Shinawatra on Monday declared his readiness to fight for justice and make a political comeback as prime minister.

The convicted former prime minister's made the U-turn during his phone-in speech to members of the opposition Puea Thai party and former politicians of the now dissolved Thai Rak Thai (TRT).

He had earlier said that he had washed his hands of politics.

"I earlier announced that I will wash my hands of politics. But as there are more political prosecutions against me, I want to tell you now that I am ready to return (to politics) to fight. If I give up the fight, people who used to benefit from policies initiated by TRT will be badly hurt,'' he said.

The former prime minter said mounting political prosecution used by his political opponents forced him to change his mind and denied allegations that he was not loyal to the monarchy. The allegations were ''nonsense,'' he said.

''I will fight no matter what it will happen,'' he said.

''I'm ready to come back to be prime minister again if people support me. If people voice their call that they want me, I will come back to carry out my duty (as prime minister),'' he added.

Thaksin vowed that he would not stay in other countries until his last days and criticised the Democrat party-led government for failing to tackle problems in the country.

He also called for patience from the opposition party to wait for their turn to come back to administer the country after the failure of the present government which was eroding public confidence.

Thaksin's 20-minute phone-in speech started shortly after politicians loyal to him entered a seminar organised by Puea Thai at a hotel near the Khao Yai national park in Pak Chong district of this northeastern province.

The seminar, hosted by his younger sisters, Yaowapa Wongsawat and Yingluck Shinawatra, included banned executives and MPs from two dissolved parties -- TRT and People Power party (PPP) such as former prime minister leader Somchai Wongsawat, PPP deputy leaders Yongyuth Tiyapairat and Sompong Amornvivat, former PPP secretary-general Noppadol Pattama, former TRT executives Pongthep Thepkanchana and Sermsak Pongpanit.

The former prime minister, who fled the country in August last year and was sentenced to a two-year jail term in October for abuse of power in a land purchase deal, was toppled by a coup on Sept 19. 2006.The coup-appointed Assets Scrutiny Committee ordered a freeze on his assets worth over 76 billion baht.

[bugseda]

.......And just as you thought it was safe to start wearing the yellow shirts again on Mondays, Mr. T decides to re-enter the stage.

For some reason the term SNAFU comes to mind. :-"

......carry on

[bumper]

FUBAR

The sad thing is it does not seem there will be a solid government within the forseeable future.

I often wonder what my own Government was like at this stage of growth, probably not a lot different.

[BKKSTAN]

I like this editorial artcle from todays Nation!I think it accurately portays the motives and actions of the UDD and Thaksin.This selfserving egotistical man cares nothing,absolutely nothing about the country of Thailand!

'' SIDELINES
Demand for Kasit's removal shows opposition's deep fear
By Sopon Onkgara
The Nation
Published on February 3, 2009


THE 12-HOUR long protest rally at Sanam Luang, together with a march to Government House on Saturday by some 30,000 red-shirted opposition demonstrators and politicians, originally perceived as a formidable threat to the Abhisit Cabinet, turned out to be a flash in the pan without lasting effect. The bite was not as harmful as the loud bark.


Led by cronies and minions of Thaksin Shinawatra, who is in self-imposed exile and on the run from jail, the gathering was surprisingly large, taking up almost half of Sanam Luang. There were fiery tirades unleashed by orators angered by the recent political twist that elevated the Democrat Party to head the new coalition.

The march from Sanam Luang to Government House, blocked at intervals by barriers and police lines, was relatively peaceful - a marked change from previous unruly and violent incidents. The red-shirts' leaders understood that this time, law enforcers were not on their side as in the past.


They forced their way to Government House and declared victory after reading demands to the soldiers and police guarding the premises. Chiefly, they want a House dissolution and a snap election. Before that, they want Prime Minister Abhisit to remove Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya from his post.


Their accusation? That Kasit was an "international terrorist" who seized Suvarnabhumi International Airport as part of the leadership of the People's Alliance for Democracy during the then opposition movement's 193-day rally against the Samak and Somchai administrations.


Why should the red-shirted mob want Kasit out? Why is he singled out as an "international terrorist" when he was among thousands during the rally at the airport terminal along with musicians and ordinary people? The red-shirts and Thaksin's cronies are actually worried about Kasit even more than they are about Abhisit. How come?


Well, with full legal authority, Kasit can cause a lot of trouble for Thaksin, starting with the cancellation of his passport and requesting foreign governments to cease and desist from allowing the disgraced ex-prime minister to travel in exile and to engage in activities harmful to Thailand.


Since his self-imposed exile, Thaksin has continued his campaign to regain political power by bad-mouthing his homeland, which served as the land of opportunities for him to amass immense wealth through business monopolies, abuse of political power. The enrichment of his family and the benefits to his cronies resulted in structural decay for the entire nation.


With periodic phone-ins to TV programmes organised by his foot soldiers, Thaksin remains, to a certain extent, a pivotal factor in Thailand's political situation. He has a direct bearing on whether there is peace or chaos, politically and socially, though the significance of his influence is gradually waning.


Even after just a month in office, there is grudging recognition among the opposition politicians and their red-shirted allies that the longer Abhisit can stay in power, with growing popularity, the more he becomes a powerful accelerator for Thaksin's decline into obscurity. That's why they mobilised to flex their political muscle and send signals to Abhisit that his administration will not see peace as long as their demands are not met. Thaksin, at the same time, bleats that he must be accorded justice the way he likes it - free from any guilt or criminal proceedings.


The demand that Abhisit must dismiss Kasit is both ridiculous and pathetic. Those hecklers don't even understand who should be labelled an "international terrorist" or what activities should fit that description.


Speaking at a peaceful anti-government rally cannot be described as terrorism. Words don't generally kill people, except for some poor souls who might succumb to heart attacks if they cannot stand the exposures and truth about their own scandals and misdeeds.


The red-shirted accusers are no match for Kasit in terms of stature, track record or moral standard. His long years in the foreign service and international diplomacy have been spotless. Even Cambodia's supreme boss, Hun Sen, grudgingly welcomed him with a good heart to Phnom Penh, though Hun Sen was a target of verbal attacks during the PAD rally.


Kasit's accusers, on the contrary, are tainted by a shady past and sinister motives. They are fighting for Thaksin in exchange for personal gain. They have never fought for the public cause.


The other demand for Abhisit to dissolve the House is naive and preposterous. It is just an excuse for the red-shirt leaders to organise another rally, again for personal gain, on behalf of those who want to see the government in trouble.


The warning that the protest would be protracted if the demands are not met should not be taken seriously. Without continued funding, it will be just another flash in the pan. For Thaksin's political cronies and fat cats, organising protest rallies serves as a way to make good money.''

[747man]

But,Come on Stan,Do we really THINK he will........1st Come Back,This is Bullsh*t,and secondly IF he comes back do we really think HE will end up in "The Nick ".......Nah !! DONT THINK SO.......

[bumper]

Your correct as usual Stan the man wants his money back, simple as that.

But, this actually goes even further. There is one commentator on the morning news that normally speaks about once week. So far he has called things accurately. His comnment as to the budget shortfall, really business usual happens every year. But even if that were not the case, the current government was not in place when the majority of funds were spent. But are being held accountable, you don't have to be genius to figure out who really spent the money. It's all politics, the same as we have now seen for years.

I'm really surprised to see the current administration hasn't pointed that out yet.

Oh well their busines not mine.

[aznyron]

from my understanding the man has more than he will ever need or spend so why not just find a sanctuary
and live quietly and enjoy your fortune but all he is doing is causing more internal problems which
will not end until the army get involved which I really do not want to see because then martial law
go in to affect and we get night time curfews but on a another note the baht will weaken or might even go in to the tank

[jepp]

....... because then martial law go in to affect and we get night time curfews ..............

I experience martial law in the Phillipines, and then and there it was actually great. Crime seemed to be down, and I felt safe. The army was not trigger happy, and there were no safety fears in that regard. So I think that martial law sounds worse than it actually is.
Taksin may want to keep the boat rocking before the current government settles in, achieves something, and establishes respect.

[rufus]

Give it a rest Stan. Abhisit's appointment of Kasit was a deliberately provocative act. Kasit should really be brought to trial together with the PAD leaders. Do you know anything about his history? I guess not. You should do some research.

[BKKSTAN]

Give it a rest Stan. Abhisit's appointment of Kasit was a deliberately provocative act. Kasit should really be brought to trial together with the PAD leaders. Do you know anything about his history? I guess not. You should do some research.

What are you a ''seer''?How did you learn that the appt was ''a provocative act?To provoke what?
Quit acting like an expert,you only have opinions as I do!

[BKKSTAN]

rufus,do you actually believe that Thaksin is concerned about the people or the country of Thailand?Don't you think his concern is about his money here,not Thailand?

[westerby]

rufus, do you actually believe that Thaksin is concerned about the people or the country of Thailand? Don't you think his concern is about his money here,not Thailand?

Yes, Mr. T's concern is for his wealth and the recovery of his power base. I'm convinced we haven't seen the last of him and I wouldn't like to be in his way when he comes back. But do you believe those that back PAD are really looking out for the welfare of the Thai nation, Stan?

[BKKSTAN]

I think that corruption is endemic and well seated in Thai politics!I also think that all this fuss with its publicity has forced the present leaders to tread lightly and to show some genuine help for the Isaan folks that they probaly ignored to much in the past!
Thie ''forced'' pressure to be more transparent and answerable as proving to be different in attitude,stance and answerability is a good thing for Thailand and would never had taken place under the Thaksin group!
I personally don't think Thaksins so called populist programs did anything for Thai people.His 30 baht hospital plan only overburdened the provincial hospitals that were ill equiped to handle the problems.The competent doctors moved on for less stress and better pay,leaving behind a mess of incompetence.But it did what it was meant to do.It gained the favor of the ignorant uneducated nonanalytical country population who were convinced that something good was happening!
The village loan programs and dumping of money,provided some quick ''toys,followed by the depression of novelty worn off,more debt and a what next attitude.But it solidified the Pu Yais positions and increased their wealth and influence to herd the voters into the Thaksin ballot boxes.solidified with ''the opposition never did anything for you''cry!

The infrastructue and facelift programs enhanced the Thaksin backers with lucrative contracts and provided some more labor jobs for the ''still' ignorant manipulated noneducated new redshirts that thought Thaksin was their savior,but are they better off than before?NO!!!Still no opportunity for the future of their children,but heightened desires for more ''toys'' and their piece of the ''pie''that will never had materalized as they were and still are only ''paid for''fodder to be manipulated for political gain.

So I think that ''change'' at this moment is better as the power of the PM's office is back in the positon needed and more answerable to the people.The disruptions ahead of the country should diminish as the politicians have to focus on topics other than self preservation in holding their jobs and getting Thaksin his illgotten gains!

Do I think that PAD is more interested in the welfare of the people than Thasin,NO NO,I don't ,they have been forced to be responsive because of the ''needed''opposition to Thaksins overstepping his elected role and being to greedy!He armed the ballot box instead of arming his new servants

[BKKSTAN]

All I am hearing from those that oppose the PAD is that they are not within the parameters of democracy!I suggest ,they look at the development and continued honing of democracy throughout the history of democratic gov'ts!

My position is that they were ,are and were basically a nonviolent protest group attacked by grenades,other weapons and many political false threats.

They were needed to stop the Thaksin machine that was contemptous to the needs and questions of the people and country except in areas that increases their greedy motives and consolidation of absolute power of the country,approaching a dictatorial position at a time when the Monarchy is getting close to a change because of the age and health of an individual!

As long as there is an education system in place the uses mythilogical history,religion and rote memorization programs to prevents analytical thinking to keep the ''lower class''in ignorance,therefore servitude and manipulation will be the continued future of these people,combined with ''cultural norms''of predjudice and discrimination policies of ''face'' and ''class by skin color and region'',major changes towards a more equal society will not happen!

[Laan Yaa Mo]

BKKSTAN you have fallen for PAD propaganda hook, line and sinker by thinking the only supporters of Thaksin and the former government were ignorant, inferior, barbarian peasants. This is too much. Please note that the majority of urban voters in the north and northeast, in cities such as Udonthani, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Lamphun and perhaps even Nong Khai preferred Thaksin to the old politics of people like Chavalit and the chao pa. This is not to say that all urban voters in the North and Northeast voted for Thaksin or that all urban dwellers in Bangkok were anti-Thaksin.

Note that the main reason Thaksin was overthrown in 2006 was that he was going to appoint army people that the military establishment did not want in place. It would have meant that bones would have been thrown to Thakin's men and not the army people that expected rewards to come their way. Consequently, there was a coup in which the military did not do a very good job of governing.

The coup did not go over very well internationally and Thailand's military coup leaders were looked at by others (internationally) with a jaundiced eye.

Your analysis of the Democrat government as a noble force of transparency and caring about your little people seems misplaced too. To this point the government look to be puppets of the military. Note the treatment of the Muslim refugees from Burma. This is another black eye for Thailand.

Go ahead and support the current government configuration, the military establishment and PAD, that is up to you.

To win democratic elections, parties need to win support of the majority of the people, interest groups and so on. Thaksin found a way to do this, and gained backing from the phu yai baan, the peasants and urban dwellers in the north and the northeast. The Democrat Party has always been strong in the south of Thailand. Why?

You will note that political parties in the U.S.A., Britain, Australia, New Zealand, India, Taiwan et all need to win the support of interest groups too. This is the way of politics and is not unique to Thailand. For you to brand Thaksin's supporters as ignorant and inferior (in education) is sad and, as I said above, overlooks the support he got from urban people. And to label Isaan and northern peasants as ignorant is shameful. You should know better.

Are the red shirts all 'ignorant manipulated and noneducated"? Tell me about the followers of the yellow shirts. Are they manipulated or inspired by higher ideals thanks to the "democratic" actions of Sondhi and Chamlong?

What do you think the role of the military should be in a democratic government?

Finally, it is your PAD that wants the peasants to think of only three things: love the monarchy, love the religion, love the country. Thaksin, for better or worse, introduced other issues for them to think about.

Of course all of this is debateable, which is part and parcel of democracy.

[trubrit]

To brand ALL residents of this region as uneducated peasants is a disgrace. Yes many earn their living from the land. Does that make them stupid? Of course not. It just means their life skills are different to ours or yours.It might possibly be you have gained this impression as , by your own admission, you don't socialise very much with the Thais. I do, and I can tell you first hand. I have met more really ting-tong farangs than ever I have thai people, as well as, some highly educated, rich, successful ones. Maybe its those latter attributes that cloud your judgment Stan.

[BKKSTAN]

To brand ALL residents of this region as uneducated peasants is a disgrace. Yes many earn their living from the land. Does that make them stupid? Of course not. It just means their life skills are different to ours or yours.It might possibly be you have gained this impression as , by your own admission, you don't socialise very much with the Thais. I do, and I can tell you first hand. I have met more really ting-tong farangs than ever I have thai people, as well as, some highly educated, rich, successful ones. Maybe its those latter attributes that cloud your judgment Stan.

BKKSTAN you have fallen for PAD propaganda hook, line and sinker by thinking the only supporters of Thaksin and the former government were ignorant, inferior, barbarian peasants. This is too much. Please note that the majority of urban voters in the north and northeast, in cities such as Udonthani, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Lamphun and perhaps even Nong Khai preferred Thaksin to the old politics of people like Chavalit and the chao pa. This is not to say that all urban voters in the North and Northeast voted for Thaksin or that all urban dwellers in Bangkok were anti-Thaksin.

You are twisting or spinning what I said with your use of terms like inferior and barbaric!Plus you are inferring that I said Thaksin was only supported by those people.I never said that Thaksin lacked the support of the PU Yais of this reason!Who do you think benefits from the labours of the ignorant and organized for thasin???





Note that the main reason Thaksin was overthrown in 2006 was that he was going to appoint army people that the military establishment did not want in place. It would have meant that bones would have been thrown to Thakin's men and not the army people that expected rewards to come their way. Consequently, there was a coup.

The last step of his consolidation of power,therefore the coup!


The coup did not go over very well internationally and Thailand's military coup leaders were looked at by others (internationally) with a jaundiced eye.

As most people from afar and totally nonunderstanding of Thailand and its plight,worry about military dictatorship replacing ''elected gov't'',it is expected to hear their concerns.But ,you saw that this did not happen and we have a gov't in place that is elected parlimentary style!

Your analysis of the Democrat government as a noble force of transparency and caring about the little people seems misplaced too. To this point the government looks to be puppets of the military. Note the treatment of the Muslim refugees from Burma. This is another black eye for Thailand.

Interesting how you are so intune with the politics involving military!Nobody denies the military influence that has always been there as one of the major players,but because they support the present gov't over Thaksins demigodry and nepotism,doesn't make them boogeymen!

Are you insinuating that the recent publication of the horrific actions of the Thai Navy are policies set forth by the present elected gov't?????I would propose to you that this situation is a combination of inhumane mental policies inherent in Thailand for a long long time and exacerbated by the fact that the refugees are Muslim approaching an area where their is major insurgent problems for Thailand!A problem that exploded under the policies of the Thaksin regime and worsened by his ''changes '' within the region!


Go ahead and support the current government configuration, the military establishment and PAD, that is up to you.

Thanks!

To win democratic elections, parties need to win support of the majority of the people, interest groups and so on. Thaksin found a way to do this, and gained backing from the phu yai baan, the peasants and urban dwellers in the north and the northeast.

No argument there!What is your point?That he did it with genuine concern for the people and didn't profit immensely in a financial manner?



The Democrat Party has always been strong in the south of Thailand. Why?

Well I really don't know!Maybe they were more responsive to the Muslim majority that didn't want Buddhism and Bangkok policies shoved down there throat!Maybe they have some Muslim politicians within the party?

Please enlighten me!You must have meant something with your question ,WHY!

You will note that political parties in the U.S.A., Britain, Australia, New Zealand, India, Taiwan et all need to win the support of interest groups too. This is the way of politics and is not unique to Thailand. For you to brand Thaksin's supporters as ignorant and inferior (in education) is sad and, as I said above, overlooks the support he got from urban people. And to label Isaan and northern peasants as ignorant is shameful. You should know better.

This part of your argument is redundant,but I suppose your strong Chang Mai urban connection might have your views abit tainted.I am not the best typist or communicaticaror as your PHD has probably surmised,but to be clear and not allow a ''spin'' to prevail,let me be say ,I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THAKSINS supporters are ignorant!Whether you want to look through your University Chang Mai rose tinted glasses,doesn't change the FACT the the education system inplay in Thailand is turning nonanalytical thinkers,ignorant of most things that would allow them to profit and totally ignorant about their manipulative masters!!!

Are the red shirts all 'ignorant manipulated and noneducated"? Tell me about the followers of the yellow shirts. Are they manipulated or inspired by higher ideals thanks to the "democratic" actions of Sondhi and Chamlong?

Again,if I said ALL,I was wrong to use that term as it was not my intention and I believe you know that!But it seems to suit your argument to focus on it!

What do you think the role of the military should be in a democratic government?

To protect and serve the people of Thailand against those that would harm the country from within and without!Not to serve a demigod that has enriched himself greedily from his actions as PM and puts himself above everyone including the law and the Monarchy by his deeds and comtemptous rhetoric,none of which you choose to recognize or acknowledge!
I have lived here with my family ,both in Bangkok and here for the entire time of thaksins regime and through the present time!Yes,I get my information mostly from the news reports,but I have also been ''on the ground'' to see the redshirts in action.I have seen the leaders and their followers closeup and in action!How you or anybody from afar can accuse me of strictly falling for a propaganda campaign only,is beyond me!
So please enlighten me to your experiences that can convince me that you don't suffer from Thaksin propaganda enough that you can deny his ,to me,blatant disregard for Thailand with his illegal manipulations of properties and stock transfers even to the point that after all the contentions,his wealth was even greater than he ever reported and more than most could have conceived!But you still choose the support him even as nothing he is presently doing is settling for the country!

Of course all of this is debateable, which is part and parcel of democracy.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

For BKKSTAN's and anyone elses perusal:

The Nation


THE BIG WINNER from the political chaos of the last three years has been the Thai military. Possibly, the generals are now more powerful than at any time over the past twenty years. Under coup rule, they might seem more powerful but in truth are a little limited by being fully exposed. In present circumstances, they have a discrete cover. It is hard to recall the last change of government when the army chief played such a prominent role. The publicity-shy General Anupong has a higher profile in day-to-day news than his publicity-hogging predecessor General Sonthi a year ago.

The most spectacular evidence of the military's success is in the national budget. Over three budget cycles, the allocation for defence has almost doubled from Bt85 billion in 2006 to Bt167 billion in 2009. The allocation for internal security has also soared from Bt77 billion to Bt114 billion over the same period. No other segment of the budget has grown in the same way, and indeed most have been shaved down to accommodate this growth in security spending. The scale of this budget boost has to be measured against what preceded it. The defence share of the budget had slumped steadily from 19 per cent in 1991 down to 6.3 per cent in 2006. It was no coincidence that this decline in the defence share coincided with the long period of parliamentary rule, and that the upturn (now back to 9.1 percent) has come after a coup. Buying weapons is back on the agenda. The navy wants to add submarines to park beside its aircraft carrier.

But the budget is only one sign of the military's recent success. The military also has three trophies from the frenzy of legislation in the dying days of the coup-appointed parliament.

The most important is the Internal Security Act. This legislation reconfirms the military's role in internal security, which seemed in peril after the Democrats reviewed the anti-communist law in the late 1990s. In the first, extremely ambitious draft of the law, the army head was to become head of the revived Isoc, and beholden to virtually nobody. The parliament amended this to make the prime minister the titular head of Isoc, but in effect the operational power remains with the army chief. The boundaries of internal security are not defined in the law and hence are open to wide interpretation. The act is the charter for the army to reclaim the guardianship role in Thai politics that it developed in the Cold War era and lost over the past two decades. This guardianship is not just about putting governments in power but extends down the administrative pyramid. The army policy document leaked a year ago stated that "kamnan, village heads, and local government bodies must be in our hands", and army personnel should take over duties such as suppressing drugs, controlling illegal migration, combating drought and flood, and alleviating poverty. The Isoc chief in each province is to spearhead this policy, mobilising help from reservists and former cadet school students.

The Broadcasting Act is another triumph. Ever since 1992, there has been public pressure for reform and liberalisation of the media. The 1997 Constitution mandated a new regulatory structure under which broadcasting frequencies would be treated as public goods. This structure was never implemented because of sabotage by old vested interests. The new Broadcasting Act is a brilliant pre-emptive move that puts all the intentions of the 1997 Constitution firmly in the past. The Act creates a new regulatory structure but offers absolutely no threat to the old system of broadcasting concessions. Thailand is probably the only purported democracy where the military owns two free-to-air television channels, one directly managed, and many radio stations. These broadcast outlets are channels for propaganda and sources of non-transparent flows of income.

The Defence Ministry Act is a direct response to Thaksin's interventions in the military promotion lists. In the past the promotion lists were prepared by the service chiefs then passed to the defence minister and prime minister before submission for the royal signature. Generally any disagreements had to be resolved among the parties before the final submission. In 2005, Thaksin seems to have altered the final list, provoking a crisis. The new bill changes the system. The list is vetted by a committee made up of the three service chiefs, permanent secretary for defence, prime minister, and defence minister. Any dispute is to be decided by a vote. The service chiefs have a built-in majority. As long as they are united, the prime minister is out of it.

In July 2006, General Prem famously said, "soldiers belong to His Majesty an individual, not to a government. A government is like a jockey. It supervises soldiers, but the real owners are the country, and an individual." During the long stand-off between the PAD and the Samak-Somchai governments, General Anupong repeatedly insisted on remaining "independent" and being "on the side of the people", which essentially meant refusing to act as the security arm of the elected government. When a State of Emergency was declared, he mobilised troops but kept them inside the barracks. When the airports were seized, he stood aside. At one point Anupong stated, "I am not a soldier of the government. The army belongs to the Thai public. I can't channel it to serve as anybody's private army."

Under the Constitution, the monarch is the head of the armed forces. The working relationship between the executive and military has always been a matter of delicate negotiation. After 1992, the pendulum seemed to be swinging away from the generals. Parliament demanded more transparency in the budget. Chuan and Samak disrupted the "convention" that the defence minister should be a military man. Thaksin exerted influence on promotions. Now the pendulum has swung firmly back. The military is more a power unto itself. The prime minister seems to be a spokesman defending the military against accusations of abuse.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

I do not have much time to respond at the moment because of other pressing concerns, but I like reading your posts which are very articulate and well argued.

However, I did get very upset to see you branding all Thaksin supporters as ignorant peasants. Again, you might find that if you go outside PAD propaganda, you will find many urban dwellers supported Thaksin.

What makes you think peasants are ignorant? What do you use as a measuring stick? And it is true I did live in a peasant village for over three years. I failed to note any ignorance amongst those people. In fact, they taught me a lot.

In any case branding a class of people as ignorant because they may vote for Thaksin does not make them an inferior class of being. Your repeated statements dwelling on peasant ignorance is offensive, and, incorrect.

As for your anti-Thaksin arguments and views, and your support of the military and the Democrats, those are reasoned, admirable and for the most part well-informed remarks.

The fact that I have a Ph.D has nothing to do with anything.

[BKKSTAN]

To brand ALL residents of this region as uneducated peasants is a disgrace. Yes many earn their living from the land. Does that make them stupid? Of course not. It just means their life skills are different to ours or yours.It might possibly be you have gained this impression as , by your own admission, you don't socialise very much with the Thais. I do, and I can tell you first hand. I have met more really ting-tong farangs than ever I have thai people, as well as, some highly educated, rich, successful ones. Maybe its those latter attributes that cloud your judgment Stan.

Is this going to be the argument?That I said ALL the residents are undereducated peasants?

Please point out to me where I said this and I will correct it!Because as we all know ALL would be to inclusive!

My point about undereducated had to do with the school system in place and the obvious ignorance of the majority of the students!Something that I have experienced through many different schools my daughter and others have attended.

As far as my admissions to not socializing with Thais very often,I do socialize more with Thais than falangs,I just keep it superficial unless they want something different,then I set boundaries for and let them know my expectations.My experience is that it has made my life very much more comforting and real!As a matter of fact,I get along very well with Thais in general and I am a good neighbor and supporter of my local businesses and people!

I take you word that you have many Thai friends and also that you choose a different approach to your relationships with Thais.I can only say that I have only seen you socializing with falangs in public!Some might even fit your ''ting tong'' description

I might add the my socialization patterns are consisted with falangs as they are with Thais.At least I can talk about something analytical occassionally.And I admit to being more comfortable around other Americans as I am familiar with attitudes and humour.This is related to my IGNORANCE of other falang Nationalities cultural nuances!