Political bluff won't work in Bangkok race

COMMENTARY

Political bluff won't work in Bangkok race

Published: 25 Jan 2013 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Like most of the past governor elections, the upcoming March 3 contest will definitely be a two-horse race.

And it will be a tough competition between the opposition Democrat Party and the ruling Pheu Thai Party, which in its former incarnations has been a big loser in the Bangkok polls since 2004 when Apirak Kosayothin, then a political novice, won a landslide victory.

As contestants in this fierce battle, both Democrat MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra and Pheu Thai nominee Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen (whom the media cordially call by the nickname "Judy") have proved they are willing to do anything to gain media attention.

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facts_only
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Discussion 24 : 26 Jan 2013 at 08.0024
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jacksprat 21, from the same article you quote from
"Based on a survey of 2,400 respondents covering the business, public and government sectors, the Thai Corruption Situation Index (CSI) slipped from 3.6 points in December to 3.5 points out of 10 last month, suggesting an increase in graft in the past six months." - TN, July 18, 2012

The change from 3.6 to 3.5 is 1%.
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onlyme
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Discussion 23 : 25 Jan 2013 at 21.4223
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peterd - I am sure you are correct but the information that they based their rankings on were subject to what was available or supplied, not necessarily on what was true. Living here for a long time tends to give you perspective.
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jacksprat
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Discussion 22 : 25 Jan 2013 at 21.0722
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"Corruption in Thailand worsened in the first half of the year, with the private sector saying it must spend 30-35 per cent of a project's budget as graft to win a government job, a survey by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) and the Anti-Corruption Network found." July 2012
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jacksprat
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Discussion 21 : 25 Jan 2013 at 20.5921
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"BKKian does not forget that the Yellow/Pad laid siege to the city" Somehow I must have missed that. I only saw them at government house and later the airport (bad enough). I never saw them try to shut down the city and keep people from going to work. Nor did they try to search cars coming into the city or set fire to any buildings.
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genii
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Discussion 20 : 25 Jan 2013 at 20.4020
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Am I wrong or does this read like a propaganda campaign.
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peterd
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Discussion 19 : 25 Jan 2013 at 20.0319
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#17, translation of your post: only the boring yellow/dems propaganda is true, the others are bad and wrong even if they are impartial. OK, maybe i have to accept that some hide badder their corruption (included the present GVT having a very bad ranking).
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bluebkk
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Discussion 18 : 25 Jan 2013 at 19.4518
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No, Boontong, you are totally wrong, like only a red villager can be wrong....People from BKK gave flowers to the soldiers who got rid of the dictatorship from the North and they will never, ever forget who terrorized and burned their city! And even a hundred thousand posters for the supercop, paid from abroad will not help...sorry to burst your red bubble....
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bikeme
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Discussion 17 : 25 Jan 2013 at 18.3517
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D13 peterd - the key word in there is "perception". This is survey of how corrupt people thought Thailand to be, not an actual measure of corruption. As onlyme mentioned freedom of the press and information availability was heavy suppressed under Thaksin, thus hiding the corruption better in the eyes of the international community.
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SawGeorge
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Discussion 16 : 25 Jan 2013 at 18.0516
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Bangkokians are not foolish enough to vote for an electricity pole or someone who has spoilt the image of the country by just nipping a small radio which the case has been done cleared and forgotten...but people in Bangkok know what will happen if their Governor from the police department and the PTP gets along together then everyone will have to start begging in the streets as all the huge projects which is promised will be the people's burden and will have to bear the brunt for generations to come.
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boontong
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Discussion 15 : 25 Jan 2013 at 17.5615
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BKKian does not forget that the Yellow/Pad laid siege to the city, and the police and soldiers stood by and did nothing. In fact, they told me that they don't one to be the first to get charged. This resulted in military coup and after the PPP won the election, they again laid siege to the city, and then the court disbanded PPP without giving them the right to defense. These injustices resulted in political divide that nearly got into civil war. Up until now, there is no conclusive evidence as to who were the MIB and arsonists but only wrongful arrests and terrorism charges on unarmed protestors.
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