Advertise here from only 40 baht per week
siamese
stories
awakening
By Roger Norwood
Events in the rest of the world seem
to have diverted the world’s media
gaze away from Thailand, but the
issues seem to have got more and
not less complicated as time wears
on, with the rice farmers also up in
arms over the non-payment for their
rice under the ill-fated rice pledging
scheme.
It is quite ironic that the very people
who you would imagine are the
archetypal supporters of any of
the political parties that have been
formed and/or operated under the
‘red shirt’ banner are as unhappy
with the government as all the other
people who have been protesting for
months, and casts some doubt as to
whether the result of the election,
had it gone ahead fully, would really
tell your tales in
thai with fun and
easy tutoring
Don’t Be Tongue Tied!
Fun, Easy and Affordable
1-on-1 Private Thai Lessons
080 321 5889
kamonphan.m@gmail.com
have been the resounding victory
for Yingluck and Puea Thai that
everybody was predicting.
While many of the anti-government
protestors have been very harsh in
their assessment of the red shirt
supporters, believing them to be
easily bribed into voting for the
Shinawatra led parties,, the protest
by the farmers could indicate that
they are wrong in their assertions,
and, in fact, the Thai electorate is
more savvy than they think.
I very much doubt that the rice
farmers will fall for any more rice
pledging schemes, and I imagine
there are quite a number of Thais
who have now also seen through
the new car purchase scheme that
in the long run may ultimately have
a lasting detrimental effect on both
new and second hand car markets.
Most Thais of whichever colour
shirt are accustomed to politicians
letting them down, but at the same
time there is almost an admiration
for them working the ‘system’ to
their own personal advantage,
rather than the seething anger and
contempt many of the public have
towards their politicians in the
developed nations.
Will recent events change how Thais
view people in power? Maybe not in
the immediate future but I think this
is the thin end of the wedge, and I
expect authority figures to be given
a much harder time in the future
than they have become used to.
5
Join the AWOL forum