As expected, the Pheu Thai party (PTP) and their head long charge into a censure debate has allowed the democrats to showcase their strengths. When the PTP questions evolved around legitimate projects and doings of the democrat lead government, one cant help but wonder what ever where they thinking when the decided to bring them up for attack. It is a bit like trying to pass off a diamond as a lump of coal.
When you take that a step further after the democrats showcased what they were doing as being the right thing to do and then vote against it, it simply says I want to be corrupt and bad, or I am a complete idiot. Either one costs points even in Isaan. We are sure Thaksin knew this was a possibility, but after all to Thaksin the PTP politicians are disposable anyway so why would he care.
It will take a lot of doing now to undo this damage, and Connecting the Dots simply thinks that can not happen. Their only hope is that the democrats mess up and inflict their own wound. With the new Constitution having big teeth, and a straight and narrow path being the only way to survive the Constitution, the only problem is a few stray democrat politicians may decide to get fat and bulge out beyond the edge of that very narrow path.
As for Thaksin, looking at the poll numbers, he is getting down around the mid 20’s now. When the People Power Party (PPP) was elected in December of 2007, Thaksin still had an approval rating of between 55% and 60%. As the PPP proceeded to do absolutely nothing for anyone except Thaksin, Thaksin’s rating slipped to be less than 50%. Now in the last few months he has lost more points as the democrats are regularly coming out on top. No doubt Thaksin can thank the PTP censure debate for those new numbers. The ‘The only man who can’ marketing by Thaksin seems to have run out of steam.
Not to bring personal family into this, but the passing of Thaksin’s elder sister and the announcement that he will be a no show at the funeral services send yet another message of who Thaksin thinks about. If he can not come to the funeral of his sister, then how can he be seen as anything else but self serving.
We also can not forget Thaksin’s red shirt army and their escalation to violence beyond the level of protest does not go down well either. That changes them from protesters to criminals and bullies. Even some comments like this spin the wrong way when said by a Thaksin supporter or non supporter.
Quoting the Bangkok Post;
Pracharaj leader Sanoh Thienthong said the government did not do an outstanding job in explaining alleged corruption problems during the censure debate.
Mr Sanoh also slammed the government for failing to restore unity in the country, saying that it will not be able to bring prosperity to Thailand if the society is still divided.
He added that the government has not been on the right track in finding solutions to the national problems.
How can the government administer the country while its leader still cannot visit the people in some places, he asked.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has been greeted by red-shirt protesters when he visited villagers in several provinces lately.
When you consider that, it simply translates to the government is trying, but Thaksin is blocking any attempt. As that the people of Thaksin’s core support area will take help from anyone who will offer it, it starts to make Thaksin look bad by trying to block a hand that feeds. Non Thai men who are married to Thai women help support their extended family in Isaan. So while Thaksin and his red shirt army are in a full court press to keep the democrat’s help away from the people of Isaan, it simply cost Thaksin still more points, and those points are below the educational threshold that divides Thaksin supporters from non supporters.
