What Thaksin has done wrong, what all the fuss is about

Pretty good summary indictment of Thaksin's 'performance' over the past 5 years by a poster to The Nation's online forum today:

Author: Ruayrich Borthongtae
Date: 9 Mar 2549 22:45

Since coming to power he has appointed cronies and relatives to all supreme positions in the armed services; regardless of whether they were qualified or deserved the job.

He has removed all checks and balances to police and prosecute corruption. He has white-washed any attempt to get to the bottom of any dirty deals his lackeys have been involved in.

He has gagged the press and silenced any form of media scrutiny by either buying or intimidating newspapers, radio stations or TV.

He has overseen some of the dirtiest and corrupt deals ever done in Thailand. The CTX bomb scanner deal, the Shin Corp deal etc.

He has constantly lied to the Thai people. Monks have been murdered, a human rights lawyer has disappeared assumed killed by police. Anybody who has tried to stand up to the mafia or land thieving politicions has been murdered.

He has used his position as Prime Minister to mulitply his personal wealth many times over. Insider trading, share ramping and tax avoidance were seen in the Shin dealings.

He has made countless empty promises to end social problems like poverty, drugs and traffic congestion. He has offered simplistic nonsense as advice in his "reality show" on how to defeat poverty. [ed. excellent point-- sadly, the Thai media has never been 'up to snuff' enough to call Thaksin on these inanities]

He has overseen extra judicial killing in the South and in the "war" on drug dealers. Many people have been executed without ever facing a Judge or jury.

He has lied over his personal dealings in the sale of Shin Corp, his overseas accounts and his reasons for travelling to Singapore. He has used his own children as fronts while covertly running his empire while elected to serve the country.

He had hidden assets in the names of his driver and maid and claimed it was all a misunderstanding.

His family has abused Government aircraft and used them like they are personal possessions.

He has sold off important national communication assets to foreigners by changing the law for his own financial benefit.

He has dissolved the parliament in a cunning move to gain time to buy another election.

He has stubbornly refused to resign while the country stagnates and falls into anarchy.

He has filed countless huge lawsuits against reporters who have been brave enough to question his conflict of interest in Shin Corp.

He has staged fake rallies of support with people trucked in and paid to pretend they love him.