The clueless returnees

Published: 21 May 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Several former executives of the defunct Thai Rak Thai Party appear to be in a cheerful mood and are ready to return to active politics when their five-year political ban imposed by the Constitution Court expires at the end of this month.

Some of the 111 former executives of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party are looking to join the Pheu Thai Party, but despite being touted as ‘experienced’ politicians, few have offered any visions for the future or ideas to combat the cost of living and other problems.

Informally known as House No.111, several of them showed up for the first public reunion of the political exiles at the Pheu Thai Party headquarters last week.

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englishbob
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Discussion 12 : 21 May 2012 at 22.1712
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smiles999 - Maybe knowledge is 'moot' in your opinion. But I think it's relevant to today's political climate.
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smiles999
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Discussion 11 : 21 May 2012 at 20.5811
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The 111 guys have returned from -- an exile, a political oblivion. Their political prowess has been castrated by the courts decision. Today, they are trying to get back to the political stream, it is naive to assume that they want a cabinet post.. Is the author clueless ?
# englishbob - it is moot to know who is related to the 111 ex MPs, for they too have a constitutional freedom, and the existing laws can fully cover and investigate them...
# Aussie John -- we can be more refined...
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Renaissance
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Discussion 10 : 21 May 2012 at 20.1210
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I think that any one of the Clueless will be better that having a clueless fugitive and an equally clueless mob leader running the Ministry of Agriculture. These two clueless people can proudly boast that "... with uncompetitive prices and falling demand, Thai rice exports have fallen 44% this year to 2.4 million tons, down from 4.3 million tons in the same period of last year." Very well done, gentlemen!
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pquinlan
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Discussion 9 : 21 May 2012 at 19.229
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How many of the 111 previously held cabinet posts and could be at least said to have prior experience in their favour? Less than half?
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wakeup
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Discussion 8 : 21 May 2012 at 19.038
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They have the only qualification they need - loyalty to "Dear Leader" Thaksin. But if people believe they've been playing pinochle all this time, and not directing everything behind the scenes they are truly naive. So if you don't like the direction Peua Thaksin's party is going now, don't hold your breath for the 111 to change anything.
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Ian Wensor
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Discussion 7 : 21 May 2012 at 18.467
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Like Thaksin... Seems they can't wait to get their hands in the cookie jar again.
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englishbob
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Discussion 6 : 21 May 2012 at 17.396
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I'd be very interested to see how many Peua Thai MPs are sons, daughters, wives or other relatives of the 111 banned politicians.
It's well known that they didn't leave politics, but simply chose proxies to run in their stead... Much like Thaksin and Yingluck (oh and brother-in-law, Somchai).
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bkposter
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Discussion 5 : 21 May 2012 at 16.185
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RE: D1 John....maybe right, think of how bad the DP must feel..handed the keys to the city by the Army and blew it! then invested big on a reelection and blew it!
All they can do now is to try to divide the opposition....and hope they can collude with some splinter group as they have not a chance of winning on their own. They even tried the route of populist policies and sounded pretty fake and could not convince the masses to give them another chance.

The group of 111 poses quite a quandary to the PT...what can they do with them? Even if they win an mp seat in the next elections, they are likely to displace a PT MP to do so, so in the end I don't see any net gains here for them.
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kenny
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Discussion 4 : 21 May 2012 at 15.414
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nobody has voted for these people, they can become members of PTP if they are eligible and wish too but that should be it. If they want to return to parliament they should put themselves up as candidates for election next time and see if their wanted.
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dao
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Discussion 3 : 21 May 2012 at 10.433
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If one smart person in Issan stood up and said I will lead you .I have ideas how to improve your lives sustainably .He would become an instant leader .
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