4/29/2012

Thaksin Shinawatra, the Thai hero



He was deposed by a military coup after being elected a second term as the PM of Thailand. He was a self made man, amassed a fortune through his business enterprises. Some accused him of corruption and abuse of power in his business dealings.

How many rich and successful people were not entangled in some form of legal and illegal activities in their quest for wealth? How many achieved fame and fortune through honest business transactions or through unscrupulous means?

But not many can measure up to Thaksin in sharing his fortune with his people, particularly the Thai farmers. His low interest lending schemes helped many farmers to start and grow their businesses and live a better life. His 30 baht health scheme brought medical care to within the reach of the poor of Thailand. A thyroid gland operation cost US$1 is unbeatable.

His sin was his populist policies to help the poor Thai people who adore him as their hero. This was the main cause of his downfall. His govt fought to break down the drug cartel only to be accused of breaching human rights and of course corruption. How many politicians are not corrupt? How many could hold a candle to Thaksin for sharing his wealth with the people, not only in Thailand but across the world?

Many amassed huge fortunes only for themselves, their families and their clansmen. Thaksin gave and still giving his wealth to his people. He could give more if the bulk of his wealth is not confiscated by the govt. For all the wrong accusations, nothing can beat his generosity for making life better for this Thai people.

He was and still is the hero of the poorer Thai people. He could do more if given a chance but denied. The Thai people and Thailand ended poorer for not letting their hero do what he pledged to do for them.  What is the point of amassing fortunes, legally or illegally, scrupulously or unscrupulously, if the wealth is not share to make life better for the general good of the people? The Sinkies are daft, but in this sense, the Thais are dafter, for what they had done, to depose and exile Thaksin.

5 comments:

  1. Thaksin is lucky compared to Muammar Gaddafi is also distribute wealth to his people.

    It means Robinhood always a crime, helping the poor is a crime, taking care of the less fortunate is a crime.

    The government has problem helping the less fortunate, but opening the floodgate to immigrants and spending millions for a party for ex-Singaporeans (most will not come back) staying in the US not a crime.

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  2. Re
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    Thaksin is lucky compared to Muammar Gaddafi is also distribute wealth to his people.
    ///

    Thaksin and Gaddaffi is completely different species.

    Many are not aware that Libya being one of the most richest country in Africa, also have the richest oil deposit in Africa as well as among the top of the world.

    And why revolution occur in Libya but not in other ultra-miserable countries.

    While there many answer to this question. Libya FT policy is definitely a large part of the factor.

    One one hand libya's unemployment is 21% according to reuters.

    "Libyans with jobs numbered 1.3 million, which represent 79.26 percent of the whole workforce. This means that the jobless rate in Libya is around 20.74 percent," "

    http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE52106820090302?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

    On the other hand, according to Al Jazeera, there are 2.5 million migrant workers before the uprising. Libya's citizen is only 4.5 million.

    http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/03/201135165632260669.html

    Why Libya import so many FT while citizens get unemployed? Because Gaddaffi is like PAP, who wanted the poor to suffer unemployment so that his friends can depress wages.

    And here go the revolution, and I cheer when Gadaffi was lynched.

    And it was later discovered that Gadaffi is the richest person in the whole world with US$200 billion more than Bill Gates.

    http://www.straitstimes.com/The-Big-Story/The-Big-Story-3/Story/STIStory_726110.html

    On the other hand Thaksin is a true hero. He really cares for the poor. He is corrupt no doubt, but not to the extend of PAP.

    In SG, the whole Temasek and GIC are run by the same family.

    Thaksin has to corrupt and I support his courruption 100%. Without monies, Thaksin cannot buy power, without power, Thaksin cannot do good. In a corrupt country like Thailand, if Thaksin want to do something for the people, he is not able to be a saint. Lets exonerate him a bit,

    In SG, I see the bunch of PAP more like Gadaffi than Thaksin. While rich Libya collapse in a few months, anything could happen in SG. I am not surprise certain PAP maggots who claim themselves to be clean could be richer than Bill Gates.

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  3. So it means SGP is a time bomb waiting to explode???

    BTW, there are many locals who do not seem to realize that they are losers, so PAP will continue to be happily importing more FT.

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  4. When people find it difficult to live on $50k losers still think life is great with a $5k income, they deserve to be losers.

    When people are buying their tenth landed property and their 12th sports car and losers are quarrelling over another 20c increase in a plate of chicken rice or transport fare and still think life is great, they deserve to be losers.

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  5. If there is nothing else that me could think of, Thaksin is still a great man to me for having thousands of drug lords removed.

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