Thaksin cronies are new life of the party

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Thaksin cronies are new life of the party

SPECIAL REPORT: Former economic, legal, security advisers are wielding influence and pushing controversial policies as the old guard returns to the Pheu Thai ranks

Published: 22 Oct 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's cronies, who played key roles in the former Thaksin administration, have resumed their political positions and are looking to consolidate their power in the Pheu Thai Party-led government.

Most are core members of the so-called House No.111, which refers to the 111 former executives of the now- defunct Thai Rak Thai Party who on May 30 finished serving a five-year ban from politics. Others are government officials who previously worked closely with the Thaksin government.

Former Thai Rak Thai executives have formed the House No.111 group, now wielding influence. (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)

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bkk-farang
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Discussion 16 : 22 Oct 2012 at 11.1716
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@dao #14: Are you sure about: “Money stolen is never sweet as money earned ”?
I knew a boiler room guy who spent his money left and right and had a lot of fun doing it. His explanation was: It’s not really my money, I stole it…
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bikeme
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Discussion 15 : 22 Oct 2012 at 11.0915
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D13 hillfarang - Like most red shirts, you are quick to find an exception and then use it as a blanket of justification.

The bottom line, Thailand's punishment of corruption in politics is a joke. Those TRT executives who were involved in the vote buying (including their superiors who should have known better) should have been banned for life and jailed for a while. But no, they were simply scolded and then allowed back in to resume their unethical ways.

But feel free to support he who hides in Dubai and his dictatorial democracy, the day may come when you will regret that support.
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bula
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Discussion 14 : 22 Oct 2012 at 10.3214
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I think the coming back of these banned politicians are good news for PTP, and PTP led government and Thailand. It keeps everyone on their feet. Don't count on the oppositions' daily rattling at the moment. These politicians were banned because of one executive's mistake, and the law used to ban them was applied retroactively.
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dao
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Discussion 13 : 22 Oct 2012 at 10.0413
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After having 5 years to reflect why they were banned from politics some just jump right back into it .Some people never learn .Their leader has imposed himself in exile because of his own short sighted greed and the delusion that he is some how better than everyone else .These guys are living their karma .Too bad they cant step away from stealing taxpayers money long enough to see it .Money stolen is never sweet as money earned .
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hillfarang
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Discussion 12 : 22 Oct 2012 at 09.4912
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bikeme D@9 "...corruption is a felony offensive and when you are convicted of a felony you lose your right to hold political office."

You are oh, so wrong about USA President! Read:

"The only requirements for presidency of the U.S.:
Being a natural born citizen of the U.S. Being at least 35 years of age. Being a permanent resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years.
The Senate the power to disqualify persons who have been impeached from holding federal office. However, there is no mention of the simple state of being a "felon" disqualifying a person from being elected President. 'Felon' who ran: Lyndon Larouche."
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bkk-farang
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Discussion 11 : 22 Oct 2012 at 09.1711
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@ OldThaiHand #11: I am definitely not a fan of TRT & Co but I think condemning them because of visa fees and tougher Non-B regulations should not be the issue here. If a party takes care of Thailand and all Thais then this is the party Thai voters should supports, regardless of the fees which farang guests have to pay. I am also happy if I don’t have to pay a lot of administration costs but I would happily accept them if I would know that the money is wisely spent by the government. Or would you support party XYZ only because they would abandon visa fees and if they would let everybody into Thailand?
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bkk-farang
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Discussion 10 : 22 Oct 2012 at 08.4310
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Somehow I must have missed the part about how many of the 111 were banned again after 5 years because they illegally continued active in politics. The evidence is all over the place so why did nobody prosecute the people who did not follow the law – again?
@hillfarnag #6: these party executives were banned from politics because they supported vote buying. They knew about it or at least they should have known about it. Lots of (not only) TRT politicians were convicted of vote buying. If the party did not want these dishonest politicians TRT could have expelled them. They didn’t so they are guilty as well.
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bikeme
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Discussion 9 : 22 Oct 2012 at 08.049
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D6 Hillfarang - In many western countries corruption is a felony offensive and when you are convicted of a felony you lose your right to hold political office. So yes western countries do "ban" politicians. And as you mentioned they also put them in jail.

But in Thailand they are told to go sit in the corner for a bit, then are welcomed right back to the feeding trough.
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whatajoke
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Discussion 8 : 22 Oct 2012 at 07.468
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The keyprhase here is in the standfirst paragraph; 'pushing controversial policies'. Puea Thai's policy is all about pushing controversy, an arrogant assertion that 'we won and we won big, so we get to do as we please'. And the problem with this fractious political method is that the those who mostly didn't vote for the Shinawatras are the ones footing the tax bill for all these populist policies that are just wasteful means of buying further political dominance, and creating graft opportunities. So, we are coming full circle to 2006 when the middle class start screaming 'get out! get out!', and with good reason.
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hangover
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Discussion 7 : 22 Oct 2012 at 06.477
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This is certainly bad news for Thaksin's political foes and anti-Thaksin media (both English and vercacular) because the Yingluck government's policies have been warmly welcomed by poor farmers and urban poor like taxi-drivers.

The previous Abhisit government, whose policies were strongly amplified by the yellow press (again English and verncacular ones) was only good at talking and saw nearly nothing implemented.
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