From The Nation: Surapong Towijakchaikul, right, a candidate for the People Power Party in Chiang Mai, walks with a supporter wearing a mask of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra during the first day of registration for election candidates at Chiang Mai Municipality.
(Perhaps it is just my suspicious mind, but I think the photo looks like a photoshop job. I would love to be proven wrong.)
8 responses so far ↓
1 Sidh S. // Nov 13, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Andrew, Thairath has a photo on its website too - so it is probably real:
http://www.thairath.co.th/offline.php?section=hotnews&content=68008
With Samak making new enemies every time he opens his mouth, they’ll probably need many more PMThaksin masks.
2 serf // Nov 13, 2007 at 3:03 pm
I don’t think it’s a photoshop, as this guy and his stupid mask was highly conspicuous on Thai TV coverage. We have PPP telling us that they are not just a cardboard cutout of the man and then they do this.
Listen! The Junta, Bangkok Pundit and New Mandala may have a problem recognizing Thaksin as a corrupt criminal, but those of us who aren’t paranoid about our own cupboard skeletons, or who aren’t ‘paid-up’ TRT/PPP/DAAD/UDAD members, are still capable of spotting a criminal, a faker, a cad, a bounder, a bully or a rogue when we see one. Same goes for the Junta!
3 bangkokpundit // Nov 13, 2007 at 5:30 pm
Andrew: I have seen video footage of a PPP in Chiang Mai wearing a Thaksin mask (assume the same guy) so I don’t think it is a photoshop job.
4 Andrew Walker // Nov 13, 2007 at 8:05 pm
I concede defeat! My overly active imagination!
5 Grasshopper // Nov 13, 2007 at 8:06 pm
serf, I was going to make comment about the King fitting your description of Thaksin and that this exceptionalism of course must remain unrecognisable - but I just read the guide to Thai etiquette and have decided against it.
6 serf // Nov 14, 2007 at 2:58 am
That’s OK! He’s NOT my King!
7 Observer // Nov 14, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Serf,
The junta does seem to have any problem denouncing Thaksin as a corrupt criminal. They just seem to have a lot of trouble producing any evidence at all.
Why do you think that is?
8 Ex-Ajarn // Nov 14, 2007 at 7:43 pm
Of course the PPP is Thaksin’s party. They have not really hid the fact, the only reason they don’t say it openly is because it would give the junta a reason to disband the party. But anyone with the slightest ability to read between the lines knows a vote for the PPP is a vote for Thaksin and his policies?
What does a vote for any of the other political parties mean? Anyone’s guess as far as I can see. We have the Democrats running as the anti-Thaksin party, so we know what (who) they are against, but what exactly are they for?
If Thaksin is such an evil bast—, why is the opposition so scared of allowing him to stand in a free and fair election? Why do the supporters of the dictatorship only support “democracy” when they get to choose who gets to run in the election? Same old tune, Thaksin is evil and anything, including dictatorships and overthrowing of elected governments through the use of the gun is better than having Thaksin around; the people in the opposition of the elected government remains completely blinded to the deterioration of the country by their hatred of a single man.
Hatred is an interesting emotion and watching its effects on the rationality of people is fascinating
Anyway, this drama is more interesting than any of the soaps on Thai TV and far funnier than any of the comedies. So I will stay tuned.
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