Postbag: Thai politics are a joke

Postbag

Published: 20 Dec 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

During my absence of three weeks touring Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific region I was asked, upon learning I am a long-time resident of Thailand, why Thai politics appear so ludicrous, especially the red-shirt/yellow-shirt divide.

After reading the Bangkok Post's lead story on Nov 19, concerning the DSI being expected to bring hundreds of additional charges against the former prime minister and his deputy in cases linked to the political violence in 2010, I can understand why Thai politics are, to some outsiders, the laughing stock of the world.

MARTIN R

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KYS
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Discussion 9 : 22 Dec 2012 at 00.589
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People who shall be silent are those who speak what they feel before they see what is real, people who see what is real can share points with people so that more receive a better understanding about the situation or problem from different experiences or perspectives. You can’t just tell everyone to shut up deep in their hearts and let things reveal itself, because the world doesn’t work that way, now we must understand things ourselves and take action together for the real change.
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uberbraun
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Discussion 8 : 20 Dec 2012 at 21.368
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Guy Baker: Perhaps you might want to take the last line of your letter to heart.
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SawGeorge
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Discussion 7 : 20 Dec 2012 at 17.217
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Re PB M.R about the country becoming a laughing stock...Has anyone ever heard of a country which is run by a person faraway because that certain leader could not enter it's own country. It's the only country in the Universe and no wonder it is ao interesting to the rest of the world and as if people are watching a soap opera in reality or as people are saying such a good comedy.
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DonAleman
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Discussion 6 : 20 Dec 2012 at 12.486
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Actually if one takes even a cursory glance thru some of the Thai rules/regulations/laws, you would find them, for the most part, excellent. So the politics, per se, may be fine but the so called politicians are the joke and a bad joke at that. None of the " Ministers" appear to really know their specific duties and all, sooner or later, speak out and end up with both feet in their mouths.
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Renaissance
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Discussion 5 : 20 Dec 2012 at 11.305
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The politicians are a fascinating group. They spend more money to get elected "to serve their pee nong" than maybe 80+ of Thais earn in a lifetime. Once elected they are too busy to serve the people because of their newly found business interests. Then they spend their remaining time doing things which will land them in court, and dealing with their court cases once caught. When they open their mouths to speak, they say things which no script writer could think of writing. Their life is full of stress, their health deteriorates as a result, all so that they can earn lots of money, which they then spend on medical bills and court cases.
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dao
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Discussion 4 : 20 Dec 2012 at 09.064
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Many politicians suffer from not being able to step outside their large egos to see what an fool they look like .
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Renaissance
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Discussion 3 : 20 Dec 2012 at 07.313
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The reputation of politicians has become so shameful, and their integrity and morality have hit depths, which would place them in the lowest levels of Dante's "Inferno". I think that this government does not choose projects on the basis of their benefit for Thailand, but rather according to personal, certain individual, and political benefits. Is there any evidence to the contrary amongst all these populist and infrastructure schemes? The Kra Canal has probably been rejected because it would be harder to hide the truth about the costs and payments. The comparable benefits for Thailand are probably considered to be a side-show of irrelevance.
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brilliant
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Discussion 2 : 20 Dec 2012 at 07.302
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banned - it's not clear in anybody's mind but his own what Guy Baker is rambling on about. But not everyone in the US just consumes and consumes. To say so is short sighted and not very intelletual at all. Do you consume anything?
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banned
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Discussion 1 : 20 Dec 2012 at 06.051
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I hope Guy Baker is talking about the America that doesn't include the USA. I thought the only rights in the US were to consume, consume and then consume some more. The right to deep fried prophets quoting the futures markets on gun store franchises.
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Postbag: Thai politics are a joke | Bangkok Post: opinion