The unofficial farang election poll

[poosmate]

Sarge it is not football - more then two teams can field at once

[sargeant]

What a wonderfully astute observation poosmate you are of course totally correct it patently is not football

First leg Arsenal win 2-0
2nd leg Arsenal score and go 1-0 up 3-0 on aggregate but the Inniskilling dragoon guards invade the pitch and the game is abandoned
In the Replay Arsenal score and go 1-0 up 3-0 on aggegate the opposing team go to the FA and cry tears and are granted a 1-0 win on disputed penalties
Arsenal Fans invade the pitch in utter frustration and the Inniskillin DraGOON guards use violence to enforce the disputed penalties leaving it at 3-1 on aggregate
3rd replay arsenal score again proving conclusively they are the better team the opposing team using silence are still muttering its not fair

[sargeant]

OK so yesterday there was TV talk about Thaksin being being forgiven and allowed home (in between drug busts and casino raids).

Let me say it was not attributed to Yinglack it was not made clear who was suggesting it.

Its difficult to be sure if it isnt Padipat disinformation or trouble making which is possible.

But to nail my flag to the mast IF it IS a Phua Thai action i think it would be totally wrong as it is far far to early to even suggest it and would be a patently divisive action if they did.

IMHO he should be granted a new trial which is free from political interference (based purely on the law) and let the chips fall wherever the evidence points.

[Takiap]

It was the Thai people who voted FOUR times for these policies which speaks volumes as to what the Thai people know is best for them and their country.

When Taksin was in power, he once said that sometimes one has to think for the people, because.......



Anyway, my opinion is much the same, in that the majority may know exactly what they want, but they might not know what's best for their country. Again, I use my own country as an example. Each and every election, 95% of the black population vote for the ANC. This is what they want because first of all, they don't want to vote for a party which is predominantly white, since is was the whites which oppressed them for so long. Secondly, they would rather vote for people of the same color, irrespective of previous oppression.


By voting ANC, are they showing they know what's best for the country? I think not. They are voting for their own agenda rather than for the welfare on the country. After all, South Africa can now holds it's head high know it's a world leaders in so many areas.....



The HIV capital of the world
The murder capital of the world
The rape capital of the world
The child rape capital of the world


Year on year the statistics get worse, which in my books suggests the current government are failing miserably. Those masses who know what's best continue to vote for a leader who believes you can"t get HIV providing you shower after sex. Those masses are voting for a leader who has failed to reduce crime or even keep it steady. And above all, those masses continue to vote for a government that promised them everything, but one which has given them nothing.

So, I stick by my guns................the majority do NOT always know what's best for their country.



Now, I am not in any way comparing Thailand to South Africa, so please don't take this the wrong way. As I've said, my point is only that sometimes the masses can be wrong.


Is Taksin's sister doing a good job? Time will tell.


Is Mr. Casino Buster doing a great job......maybe, but he also isn't a fool, and he knows drugs and casinos are high profile......an easy way to get into the spotlight. On the other hand, rather him than Thaksin. Maybe this time suspected dealers will get a court hearing rather than being executed on the streets.


Actually, to be honest, I don't think Thailand's drug problem is as severe as some are saying. Perhaps they should visit the UK. I'll offer a thousand pound reward for anyone who can walk into a nightclub in Aberdeen and not get offered at least a few different drugs.


Casinos........................they were banned in SA as well, and it proved to be useless, since people simply flocked to neighboring countries, as they do here. If the Thai people want to gamble, let them gamble......surely they know what's best.....lol



BTW.....nice discussion, and sure as hell more enjoyable than reading about an undercooked burger

[Takiap]

OK so yesterday there was TV talk about Thaksin being being forgiven and allowed home (in between drug busts and casino raids).

Let me say it was not attributed to Yinglack it was not made clear who was suggesting it.

Its difficult to be sure if it isnt Padipat disinformation or trouble making which is possible.

But to nail my flag to the mast IF it IS a Phua Thai action i think it would be totally wrong as it is far far to early to even suggest it and would be a patently divisive action if they did.

IMHO he should be granted a new trial which is free from political interference (based purely on the law) and let the chips fall wherever the evidence points.

Now with this post I agree 100%......

[STEVE G]

Anyway, my opinion is much the same, in that the majority may know exactly what they want, but they might not know what's best for their country

Another thing that we perhaps tend to forget as Westerners watching the news from a more international perspective is that when you get out into the Thai countryside the rural population are far more concerned with the smaller scale local issues around them and are of course voting for local MPs and not directly for a national leader.
In most cases it has to be accepted that the various incarnations of the parties that have won the last four elections did to some degree improve the lifes of the people in rural areas, often by improving infrastructure, so the people were generally justified in voting for them.

[richard]

Anyway, my opinion is much the same, in that the majority may know exactly what they want, but they might not know what's best for their country

Another thing that we perhaps tend to forget as Westerners watching the news from a more international perspective is that when you get out into the Thai countryside the rural population are far more concerned with the smaller scale local issues around them and are of course voting for local MPs and not directly for a national leader.
In most cases it has to be accepted that the various incarnations of the parties that have won the last four elections did to some degree improve the lifes of the people in rural areas, often by improving infrastructure, so the people were generally justified in voting for them.

Water towers, decent roads, reliable electric supplies and good basic hospitals are more important to them

[Korkenzieher]

the majority may know exactly what they want, but they might not know what's best for their country

Completely and utterly irrelevant in a democracy. Your choice is whether or not you want a democracy, not how to bend it to your will.

[sargeant]

I agree Takiap the masses do not always vote for what is best for the country BUT it is their right to get it wrong and be governed by who THEY want.

In my experience the minority may well have the best interests of the country correct but on far far too many occasions that means for their personal benefit. It normally shows itself in the vast majority being of the poorer classes working as slaves for the rich. They also vote for their personal benefit and why not whatever makes it right for one voter to vote for himself and the next voter cannot just because he is poor. Also who says who has it right or wrong, it normally takes time to find out.

Unfortunately dictators always believe their own personal view is the best thing for the country and sod the rest of the population. Trust me I would rather have the majority view wrong than the minority / dictator having power.

I would add i would personnally be just as incenced if at a Thaksin retrial i see the same amount of politically corrupt skullduggery finding him innocent as i was when he was found guilty the first time round.

And to reafirm i do not have a belief whether he is guilty or not YET I refuse to suck in the blatantly slanted one sided propaganda from the media here and certainly anything connected to Sonti Limungkol (Asia Times) with his personal business vendetta is tainted for me.

You see i look at individual issues and make my OWN decisions

[Takiap]

the majority may know exactly what they want, but they might not know what's best for their country

Completely and utterly irrelevant in a democracy. Your choice is whether or not you want a democracy, not how to bend it to your will.

I agree, but can you name one country that really has a 100% "TRUE" democracy?


No matter which party is in power here, they do not have a true democratic system. After all, certain sentiments, if mentioned openly, could see you getting thrown in prison. I thought freedom of speech and freedom of expression were all part of the democratic package? So, here they are, once again bending it to suit there personal views.


In western countries, governments can tap into you phone conversations, emails, and etc. Is that democracy? I think not.

In countries such as the UK, you get taxed to kingdom come so that useless bums can enjoy a life of unemployment. Hell, they even get to enjoy holidays abroad at the tax payers expense. Democracy? I think not.

Expressing your views, even in most western countries, regarding certain matters could see you being sentenced to prison. Again, is that democracy? I think not.

In my opinion, modern day democracy is simply a matter of allowing the majority to decide what people can and cannot do, think, and etc. Hardly "freedom" if you ask me?



Anyway, I guess this is off topic.......lol.

[Takiap]

Anyway, my opinion is much the same, in that the majority may know exactly what they want, but they might not know what's best for their country

Another thing that we perhaps tend to forget as Westerners watching the news from a more international perspective is that when you get out into the Thai countryside the rural population are far more concerned with the smaller scale local issues around them and are of course voting for local MPs and not directly for a national leader.
In most cases it has to be accepted that the various incarnations of the parties that have won the last four elections did to some degree improve the lifes of the people in rural areas, often by improving infrastructure, so the people were generally justified in voting for them.

Water towers, decent roads, reliable electric supplies and good basic hospitals are more important to them

They must have overlooked the village my wife's family is from. It hasn't changes a bit in the last 11 years.....lol. No water towers, no tarred roads, no nothing. Just as it was before thank goodness.

[buksida]

You see i look at individual issues and make my OWN decisions

So you think Thaksin is totally innocent of all wrong doings (tax evasion, human rights abuses, wifes dodgy land deals, antitrust abuses in the telecoms industry, little sister manipulating the SET ...) and his oppression was totally unjustified? There are two sides to this but some people blindly follow one and continue to foam at the mouth and ramble on about a democracy which has never happened in this country.

The PT envelope distributors must have visited your house several times! They are all crooks in my book, only in it to line their own pockets - show me a politician that isn't and I'll happily agree with you.

The result of these elections? Thailand will roll on as it has always done and the Shinawatra family will get exponentially richer.

[Takiap]

My point exactly Buksi. No matter how one looks at it, the great Mr. T is not squeaky clean. As I've mentioned before, so much dirt being thrown about because of the deaths concerning the demonstrations, and yet not a word about the two or three thousand "drug war" deaths, some of which involved young kids. Did Mr. T do the killing? No, but he was at the helm. All the deaths down south? That too has conveniently brushed under the carpet. It seems only a certain group/party/family has the right to take life.

As for Mr Numpty and his anti drugs and anti casino crusade.............let's not forget he is Thailand's most successful pimp, or at least was. He made his fortune illegally, and now he's opposed to others following his example. Personally I think he's a joke. He's pimped out hundreds, if not thousands of women, and now he's trying to look like the perfect family man. I certainly wouldn't trust the bugger around my daughters....lol.

[sargeant]

Buksi you really really should learn to read

IMHO he should be granted a new trial which is free from political interference (based purely on the law) and let the chips fall wherever the evidence points.

And to reafirm i do not have a belief whether he is guilty or not YET I refuse to suck in the blatantly slanted one sided propaganda from the media here and certainly anything connected to Sonti Limungkol (Asia Times) with his personal business vendetta is tainted for me.

I would add i would personnally be just as incenced if at a Thaksin retrial i see the same amount of politically corrupt skullduggery finding him innocent as i was when he was found guilty the first time round

So let me quote you to show you why you need to learn to read

So you think Thaksin is totally innocent of all wrong doings

If you could read you would see i do not but only an impartial free and fair trial will do it for me kangaroo courts just dont cut it as far as i am concerned even if he is as guilty as hell.

by the way your response albeit slow was totally expected but you show your true colours by what you DO NOT call for like the yellow shirt thugs doing time for their transgressions they are purer than driven snow to you (15 all i think)

Yes Takiap i agree Chewits past is tainted but as they say set a thief to catch a thief
i dont care i support the innocent poor sods that suffer from these illegal activities roll on the Mork-n-nocks and the illegal moneylenders they are next in the gunsights

[STEVE G]

They must have overlooked the village my wife's family is from. It hasn't changes a bit in the last 11 years.....lol. No water towers, no tarred roads, no nothing. Just as it was before thank goodness.

In my partners village we have had two new water towers, which means a water supply virtually every day and a concrete road throught the centre.