I actually agree with you. But can someone please ask the PAD leaders whether this is what they stand for as well? Most recently they have said that the protest will continue until the “new politics” is established, which to me sounds like an excuse for staying for as long as they like.

“As for keeping the country in the hands of the elites, it seems that Thailand has always been in the hands of the elites, which during Thaksin era, was probably more consolidated than ever before.”

Yes, and to keep the one-man-one-vote principle in place is one of the ways to guarantee at least some amount of power in the hands of the ordinary people. The PAD leaders have clearly objected to it. Sondhi has stated numerous times that one-man-one-vote is not suitable for Thailand.

I’d like to say that the average PAD protester’s aim in more accurately described as having an accountable government. Some truly believe an accountable government can be achieved by the proposed “new politics” (Hong Kong has an appointed-mixed-elected system, very clean and effective government). Others in the pad crowd don’t actually support the 70-30 idea. I suspect that most of middle class in Bangkok who are sympathetic to PAD, including all those students that came out rallying at democracy monument on Saturday (about 1000 students), I am sure most of them don’t support 70-30 politics. So, at the end of the day, even if Samak resigns or dissolves parliament, I see it as unlikely that the 70-30 idea will ever become a reality in Thailand. I can’t see the Democrats supporting it either.

As for keeping the country in the hands of the elites, it seems that Thailand has always been in the hands of the elites, which during Thaksin era, was probably more consolidated than ever before.

Thanks for visiting my blog. I’m even more amused that you have gone to such great lengths just to find something to say.

For your information, I study in the UK, not Korea. I’ve never even been to Korea although I quite want to.

I am not advocating for or against any particular action or outcome. Those quotes were directed at the Americant’s posting to this blog so that they might be reminded of what great men wrote leading up to the formation of their government. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to clarify.

As for the remainder of your comments, and after looking at your blog, I understand your statement denying any employment by a corporation.

I am somewhat amused though by your claim of populism on the one hand and the sarcastic
statements on your blog regarding what you deem the abysmal bandwidth in Thailand and what seems, in your opinion, to be the scandalous inability of your government to provide the same here on the other.

While you are off in Korea studying diligently for your exams, holding forth on such weighty matters as pop music and enjoying the most advanced internet access on the planet have you paused for a moment to ask yourself how populist you truly are?

You do seem, upon reflection, in my opinion, to be an important part of many corporations. That is the second most important part right after profit, a consumer.

I wish you well and great success in the completion of your studies in Korea. I hope you are able to bring what you learn there to bear for a better future for Thailand, your family and yourself.

Chok dee.

Be well.

At least the PAD could do with being more consistent in their demands. Right now each of their 5 core leaders speaks of different and conflicting demands each day and it is simply ridiculous to keep moving the goalposts.

Besides, you said BangkokDan was being right-wing, but I haven’t seen much in your argument to suggest you’re really with the people.

“Again, when a grievance is so great that peaceful protest will not change it, then true patriots are bound by duty to from time to time overthrow by force that which harms them and put in place a government that serves them.”?

Sorry, when the rest of the country are hoping for a peaceful resolution, you’re explicitly calling for blood.

“With a long and glorious history of vote buying here, I am rather unimpressed with claims of legitimacy.”

Even Abhisit has freely admitted that TRT/PPP still would have won elections even without vote-buying.

“They are corporate media in the same sense that faux news is in Amerika. They have their corporate masters to serve.”

I don’t have any master to serve, nor am I part of any corporation.

And I do not support either Thaksin or Samak. I used to think PAD was a genuinely popular movement with noble aims, until it revealed its true reasons of existence: To disenfranchise the rural majority and keep the country in the hands of the elites.

It is indeed easy to take crowd grasping statements made by the great orators and twist them to apply to ones own de-bunked political wish list. The point is, democracy isn’t born democratic, it gets made that way by trial and error, and endurance and vision of humanity going forward, not backwards because it cannot fathom out that humans DO have the ability to overcome corruption and greed.

“I fear mayhem if the PAD movement should ever succeed. Let alone the simple question: And now? What next?”: I imagine King George’s Court felt the same way when those insufferable colonists had the temerity to stand up to him. The point is, one man’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter.

Speaking of terrorists and countries divided, what about the worlds biggest terrorist and the divisions his biggest cheerleader – faux news – encourages with it’s “fair and balanced” editorializing, er, I mean, um, reporting. Yeah that’s it, reporting …

My great fear is the massive resurgence of fascism worldwide. My greatest fear is the seemingly grateful acceptance by many many people around the world for not only the erosion of their rights but in many cases the complete revocation thereof.

Anyone who is willing to trade security for freedom deserves neither.

Again, when a grievance is so great that peaceful protest will not change it, then true patriots are bound by duty to from time to time overthrow by force that which harms them and put in place a government that serves them. I do not express this as eloquently as did Thomas Jefferson:

“God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty. … And what country can preserve its liberties, if it’s rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.”

Men of conscience can disagree without enmity.

Be well

That’s not quite how I understand it is supposed to work.

My understand is the majority elect who rules.

The government rules for all the people, and there are checks & balances to overcome the tyranny of the majority.

In Thailand those checks and balances do not function properly, and that combined with a large uneducated & poor population susceptible to vote buying, leads to the problems we now see.

Keep up the good work BD!

Who wasn’t for the PAD. Who can still be after what just happens.

BangkokDan