Thaksin's youngest sister for PM

[buksida]

For me this map from The Nation says it all (click to enlarge), the Kingdom is as split as its ever been, PT just won the game of numbers:

[cozza]

If you look at the numbers ie voter turnout, you can see that PT has not got majority in the country.

For a party so vocal on being representantive of the majority of Thais its a far cry from the truth and not such a 'landslide' victory as claimed. Seems the boundaries make it look that way.

[margaretcarnes]

They could always do a Thatcher and re-arrange the boundaries to suit. Seriously - we could debate this until the cows come home, but the 'poor' folks who have voted Red in the hope of cash being thrown at them or whatever are little different to the downtrodden workers in the UK for example who paved the way for the first left wing government.
Did they care about international trade - balance of payments - or how their country would be viewed by the rest of the world? No. They wanted better lives for themselves.
To me Thailand is just starting out on that very same road. It's a revolution in it's infancy. The people of Thailand have every right to want rights, even if at the moment they maybe don't quite understand what that will entail. But the alternative is ongoing and barely disguised military rule, and to me that isnt a way in which any country should be run.

[dtaai-maai]

... but the 'poor' folks who have voted Red in the hope of cash being thrown at them or whatever are little different to the downtrodden workers in the UK for example who paved the way for the first left wing government.

Not forgetting, of course, the educated middle classes in the UK and elsewhere who might vote for whichever party offers the biggest tax cuts. Surely 'bribery' or buying votes is all relative when it comes to politics and human nature?

[hhfarang]

Thaksin set for 'trade ambassador' role
By PRAPAN JINDALERT-UDOMDEE,
NERISA NERYKHIEO,
KANITTHA THEPPAJON

Fugitive ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is likely to be appointed Thailand's "trade ambassador" in a government led by his sister Yingluck Shinawatra, a source from the Pheu Thai Party said yesterday.

The appointment is expected to be made after the formation of a Cabinet, according to the source.

Thanks to his good ties with leading business and political figures in many countries, plus his wide experience, Thaksin could prove helpful to a new government in promoting Thailand's interests in trade talks, the source said.

"In this position, he does not need to be directly involved with politics. He also will have the opportunity to travel freely to many countries," the source added.

Thaksin's legal adviser, Noppadon Pattama, said yesterday that he believed the ex-premier would be pleased with such an appointment.

"It is up to the [next] prime minister, and whether she is brave enough to appoint her brother to help with her government duties," Noppadon said, referring to Yingluck.

He added that a trade ambassador was not a political position and the officeholder would have no legal power.

"If he is appointed, I believe he will be happy. He can travel to different countries by using a passport issued [previously] by Montenegro," said Noppadon, who once served as foreign minister in a Thaksin-proxy government.

After it became clear that Pheu Thai had won Sunday's general election, Thaksin phoned leaders of the smaller political parties expected to join a new coalition, including Chart Thai Pattana, Chart Pattana Puea Pandin and Palang Chon, according to a source from one of the parties.

"The final decision [on the allocation of Cabinet posts] rests with Thaksin alone," said a source from Chart Pattana Puea Pandin, adding that Thaksin had not responded to the party's request for the energy minister's seat for its leader Wannarat Charnnukul, who is serving in the same portfolio in the outgoing government of Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The source said that due to Pheu Thai's having won a clear majority in the House of Representatives, Thaksin certainly had the upper hand in negotiations about the sharing of Cabinet seats with the smaller coalition partners.

"We will just have to pick what we consider best among the choices Thaksin offers us," the source added.

Another source from Chart Pattana Puea Pandin said Thaksin had called banned politician Suwat Liptapanlop, who is the party's de-facto leader, to talk about Cabinet posts.

Thaksin wants the party to offer one of the two Cabinet seats it would get to a faction led by Pinij Charusombat and Preecha Laohapongchana, according to the source.

Within Pheu Thai, its different factions are lobbying heavily for Cabinet seats with Thaksin and his close relatives, such as his sister Yaowapa Wongsawat and her husband, former prime minister Somchai Wongsawat, a Pheu Thai source said.

Veteran politician Chalerm Yoobamrung is expected to be nominated the new House Speaker, but his faction wants him to become a Cabinet member instead.

However, other factions, such as those led by Apiwan Wiriyachai and Somsak Kiatsuranond, are also lobbying for them to assume the Speaker's post, the source said.


-- The Nation 2011-07-06

[PeteC]

Well, so far we have one ringing endorsement, that she was a mature and good student. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/07 ... 59678.html

What scares the hell out of me is that if the Thais can elect her, The US could elect Sarah Palin Pete

[margaretcarnes]

... but the 'poor' folks who have voted Red in the hope of cash being thrown at them or whatever are little different to the downtrodden workers in the UK for example who paved the way for the first left wing government.

Not forgetting, of course, the educated middle classes in the UK and elsewhere who might vote for whichever party offers the biggest tax cuts. Surely 'bribery' or buying votes is all relative when it comes to politics and human nature?

Yes - but when the upsurge of workers in the UK first started there was little concept of 'middle' class - which is exactly what we have now in Thailand - and exactly why this is all happening there now.

[STEVE G]

Here we go again!:

Democrat seeks Puea Thai dissolution
http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BN ... 88245.html

[caller]

Here we go again!:

Democrat seeks Puea Thai dissolution
http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BN ... 88245.html

That last line about the new PM cooking should come from a Monty Python or Not the Nation sketch - how sad is this:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politic ... dle-frying

[Spitfire]

Looks like Yingyang is copping some flak on the Thai news (Channel 3 this evening) today.

Seems a fair few of the folks around her have flown off to Hong Kong last week and Brunei now to see the puppeteer who is apparently rotating between a few countries.

Looks like Chuwit (Number 5 in the election with the tash and dog called 'Moto-Moto' ) has parodied it a bit on the TV today, even gave the name of the restaurant in Hong Kong they were supposedly at but couldn't quite catch it.

[bapak]

This one slipped by my radar but still relevant post election...
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_ ... 0Ae01.html