yankeedame; two points: Thailand is not a European nation, and it’s sometimes a good idea to learn something about a situation before you start making judgement calls.
What the Red Shirts are protesting is power abuse by the government that was put in place after a military coup.....
JimSEA; from what I’ve seen, most of the Thai progress made in the past 30 years was made by Thaksin.....all of the court cases against him have been absurd. Is justice served when the supreme court decides a case in two hours and refuses to hear any evidence from the defense?
red; Thailand is a monarchy, a constitutional monarchy.
Todays violence by the red shirts seems to be all about a new gang, the blue shirts, who appear to be government people out of uniform, possibly army or junior beauracrats, who violently attacked peaceful demonstrators yesterday.
Yep.
Second, Thaksin attacks Prem as an approach to getting rid of the Monarchy. The King really pissed him off as did Prem as the King's agent. The King's daughter Sirenthorn (sp?) would make a good King in the Rama IX mold. The crown Prince -- Not too good.
Second, Thaksin was a populist that pushed a 30 Bht medical plan which has brought all the evils of socialized medicine. The government hospitals have declined since the 30 bht scheme.
Third, The 1 mil bht per village scheme was largely a payoff to the local supporters and a big factor in the Northern and Northeastern Thaksin support.
Fourth, Red shirts have told me they are being paid 500 bht a day to protest. In addition, the business interests behind Thaksin are in it for the money just like the Abhist supporters are behind the Democrats. Lose - lose for the small businessman.
Fifth, the TRT had become a one party dictatorship which would return with Thaksin.
Sixth, all lawsuits in Thailand are a joke and excuse for more meaningless polemics.
The main argument against Thaksin is his ego and thirst for power.
Great response bro