absolutelyBangkok archive · Business & Economics
Originally published May 24, 2010
The final days of the red mayhem have shown the red revolution was not about the people it claimed to fight for. It was about the very narrow interests of a small group of already privileged people hijacking the downtrodden, hopeful and innocent. But a struggle armed to the teeth and not negotiating in good faith doesn’t win hearts and minds.
A small radical group of people, not shying away from civil war, was ready to sacrifice Thai society as a whole. In the end reason prevailed and red supporters abandoned the movement in droves. Reds felt betrayed by the politics of hatred. No, there is no Thai Tiananmen.
Society today is not as broken as the red radicals who have gone underground suggest. Much of the “division” is indoctrinated. And there is something you can do to help society recover. A reader has sent me this letter circling in the Thai-farang business community — yes, they’re concerned. You can support Thaksin-related businesses and money, or you can boycott them. Use your own judgment:
“Thailand needs your help. Our beautiful country has been stricken with cancer — the Thaksin cancer — which will take it to the brink of demise unless something is done about it. This cancer feeds on Thaksin’s millions that go to finance the UDD’s red shirt movement.
An earlier study by well-known political analyst Pasuk Pongphaichit has revealed that ousted fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, during his time in office, enriched himself, his relatives and his political allies by practicing corruption in the policy level, such as granting business privileges, reducing taxes and concession fees for his associates while getting rid of business rivals as well as trading national interest with their groups’ business interest.
They also set up firms to bid and win state projects and use the stock market as tools to increase the values of their firms. Those taking part in this systematic corruption are on the top list of Thailand’s richest families. Thailand’s Constitutional Court has found Thaksin guilty of these offenses and confiscated 46 billion baht of his assets. But a lot more is circulating here and overseas.
Many of you may not realize it but every time you spend money to pay for your phone bills, fill up your tank, play golf or shop, you may be contributing to the coffers of the Shinawatra family and associates who are pitting Thais against Thais in Thaksin’s bid to return to power.
God help Thailand if he does, for a man, no matter how much of a visionary, no matter how intelligent or wealthy, cannot be called a leader if he fosters divisiveness and hatred among the citizenry. We cannot allow this to happen!
Let us be vigilant and stop this social cancer that Thaksin Shinawatra has brought upon this once-peaceful country and is threatening all of us. Let us unite to boycott the Shinawatra businesses and those of his supporters, if only as a symbolic gesture of protest. Attached is a list and references.”
A Group of Concerned Citizens
+++ Well I’m not attaching the list, because some have already switched sides, other names are rather heavy. This is no martyr site. Use your own research skills. One teaser though, and she wants it to be known: Listed is Darunee Kritboonyalai, famous for her extravagant spending habits and dress style aimed at catching media attention. She’s a major stakeholder of and brain behind Oishi restaurants and Oishi Green Tea. As a real prai she loves fast old cars. Well maybe for Darunee it’s all a PR campaign.
From the absolutelyBangkok archive. Back to all stories