https://www.thaienquirer.com/30307/opin ... -it-to-me/

Opinion: To the people that still support this government, please explain it to me
By Cod Satrusayang July 22, 2021



Apparently, there are still people who support this government.

There are people who still love ‘Uncle Tu,’ still believe that this is a government run by good people, and that there is no alternative to Thailand except for the Prayut Chan-ocha administration.

Obviously, I disagree. The reasons for my disagreements are manifold and have been published in these pages before. But the most important reason for my disagreements can be found in the daily Covid numbers that are published every morning. For the past week, that number has steadily increased to over 10,000 cases per day.

I think there is empirical proof that the government mismanagement is responsible for this increase in numbers.

You may disagree.

And that is why I want to write this piece.

For the people that still support this government, please just tell me why? I want to know your mindset. I want to know where you’re coming from. Please write me, please tweet me, Facebook me, call me. I want to know.

What compels you to give them your support? Is it because you hate Thaksin Shinwatra so much that you can’t see past that hatred even though thousands of your countrymen have died? Was Thaksin so corrupt that any price in treasure and lives is worth his erasure? Is this government not corrupt? Is the current management not so much worse than anything Thaksin and his family have done?

Or are you a single issue voter? To you the monarchy is everything that Thailand should be. To you the children’s protest is disgusting, full of low life’s who don’t appreciate everything the crown has ever done for Thailand. So you chose the most loyal, royalist government by default. Is this the best and finest that the conservatives in Thailand can offer? This crew of drug dealers, corrupt generals, and clueless politicians. Are all the lives and livelihoods being lost worth the single issue? Is their mismanagement of the country not more damaging to the crown than anything the children can ever do?

Or do you just hate Thanathorn Juangruanruangkit and his progressive ideas. Do you think the country is moving too fast, moving too quickly in a direction you’re unfamiliar with. I understand that but in a vibrant democracy you too could support a party that values conservatism and the preservation of the past. This government is not that. This government only pretends to care about democracy while working actively to undermine it. It has sapped the foundations of our democracy and infested it with its blight. Believe that we can be more, believe that pluralism can off you a chance to hold onto your values. Don’t tie what you cherish about our past to a bunch of corrupt army men who do not actually care, who are destroyIng the country with their rule.

Or the worst possible option is that you actually think this is the best government that we can have given the circumstances. That you have taken a look at the political field and concluded that this gang of local mafiosos, coup leaders, drug dealers is the best team to take us through this mess. To you the hundreds of thousands infected and the thousands dead is actually a best case scenario.

How utterly bleak.

@yong thanks for the article in full and I Googled the name of the reporter who is actually the editor-in-chief of the Thai Enquirer and found that today he has published another article with regard to the Thai military and the apparent lack of assistance they have provided even though they should have been utilised in the frontline as it were for this pandemic. Medical personnel, available transport, suitable storage equipment and housing facilities (I mean mainly in the form of tents as well as hard stand buildings) which could be used to assist the civilian health care workers in areas where it is required.
Given the nature of Thai politics in regard to those that support the current government and the mainly student led demonstrations which want to see overhaul of the system do you think that this journalist could expect a lot more government scrutiny into his writings? Reading through some of his previously published articles and he is certainly someone who would have caught the attention of the authorities as his articles to date have been quite pro-democracy and seemingly support the student protests.
A mate (Australian expat) lives in Chiang Mai and he said the situation is fairly bleak there and the local governor just keeps extending the lockdown. Now as Chiang Mai relies fairly heavily on tourism that is taking a heavy toll, as it must be everywhere, on the locals with no sign of much happening or even any form of planning. He said it's more like decisions are being made on a daily basis with no long term strategy.
I know the "Sand Box" idea looks good on paper but the numbers of tourists coming in doesn't seem like it will have too much benefit for regions outside of the assigned areas.
What are your views as well as @phuketrichard and any other CEO members residing in Thailand in regard to how the government is coping with it all?

People support governments like this for a number of reasons. 1 sentimentality. Better the devil you know. 2 they have little understanding of how the world works. 3 they don't want to go to jail. The real problem is that minority governments have to spend what resources they have on staying in power and running a country is a secondary job. In reality in some cases running a county poorly can work to their advantage.

My baht's worth
the government has/is failing Miserably,
they just really dont have a handle on anything

Those that are supporting the government are Pro loyalist, ( supporting the monarchy.) The people protesting and that want change want an end to the monarchy as it is and has been for decades and they wont stop until they achieve their goals while those supporting the monarchy ( current government) wont back down as well, no matter how bad it gets

SO basically you have pro democracy ( mostly students and such) vs the pro loyalist supporting the monarchy

Best outcome is a new election, ( there is talk of Tahksin or one of his clones, returning)
worst.... civil war

Dammed if you do, dammed if you dont

the Sandbox
the first 17 days of the Sandbox, Phuket welcomed 7,462 visitors under the scheme. Just 16 visitors have so far tested positive for Covid-19.
not a huge number but they had to start somewhere. They have put all their eggs in the sandbox, if it fails, Thailand will have along hard road to recovery, already cases are over reaching 13,000+/day and no end in sight
Many arrivals post on the fb Sandbox page they are happy to be on the island, but it has not had the success they hopped for.

It was supposed to be, spend 14 days in Phuket than ur free to travel all over Thailand.
BUT they have stopped all domestic flights out of Bangkok and phuket only offers a flight to Samui, till Aug an even stopped the interprovincial bus's running!!
they have had to put on a special FREE bus for some sandboxers that had booked flights out of Bangkok.

Now they have added more restrictions for Phuket arrivlas;
https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/yet- ... exceptions

BUT they also gave arrivals something

A new rule for the “Phuket Sandbox” was passed allowing visitors under the reopening scheme to travel to specified islands after spending 7 days in Phuket. The rule goes into effect on August 1.

The islands include Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao, which are off the coast of Surat Thani in the Gulf of Thailand. The trio of islands has also reopened under the new “Samui Plus” scheme. Other islands and beaches include Koh Phi Phi, Koh Ngai and Railay in the nearby Krabi province as well as Khao Lak, Koh Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi in Phangnga.

That plus the vaccine rollout ( owned by his majesties company) has failed to produce the vaccines they promised so Thailand
because of the over inflated numbers Thailand said they could produce, did not order anywhere near enough vaccines to keep 70+ million thais safe

The south has never been behind Prayut

Cant say we dont live in interesting times

John Bingham wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 11:01 pm The government there seems to be doing a fine job, there have been no attacks on Cambodian territory since about 2009.

You are not counting all the Covid cases they are sending across the border then ?