absolutelyBangkok archive · On our own
Originally published March 20, 2010
Probably traveled too much through the former Soviet Union and the old Eastern Bloc before the fall of the Berlin Wall, but to hear the communist terminology of class war out of the mouth of the probably most monopolist figure in Thailand’s recent history makes it not hard to have a good laugh. You witness one of the richest communists in history.
Thaksin is denouncing his very self by denouncing the “ammart,” the elite — no matter how you look at it, Thaksin belongs to the cast of the ammart. That makes for a unique contradiction: Thaksin is denouncing everything he himself wants to be again, while promising the usual vague combination of capitalism ( a computer for every kid everyone gets rich) and socialism (everything for everyone).
By promising a world without the evils of the rich he’s actually promising a world without him. No revolution ever succeeded without participation of a country’s intelligentsia. Take the rich out of the equation — and you got a real problem. A more holistic approach wouldn’t look bad on Thaksin, but this is populism in full swing and yes, Thaksin makes good use of the poor. Yes yes, city people join the reds. Don’t fool yourself. Bangkokians ignore the rally so far. And they’re angry.
Yes, so many motorcycles ahead of procession and people waving… come on, you know how things work here. All one sees is an even deeper divide between the urban and the rural Thais, giving the taxpaying urban Thais a right to say: Hey, who’s footing all those promises.
Still, Thaksin gives the poor a chance to see Bangkok for free, now even with an extended sightseeing tour.
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