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A book to read (cure for insomnia and unavailbale in Thailand) is The King Never Smiles.
The book is a very well researched tome BUT the first 200 pages (of 400) are background.
It is a very good insight to the way things work here.
This is not a democracy but seen as a benevolent monarchy. Only you can decide.
In some ways I envy the Thai attitude - simplistic/acceptance. Are they right or wrong?
We cannot judge from a Western perspective.
Take Iraq or Afghanistan - has the West really made a difference?
Our Western style democracy may work in our homelands but who are we to say it WILL work in other cultures/economies?
China has been 'Left' for a long time but, guess what, they are successful.
Every regime may have its day.
Thailand has had a monarchy for a long time - total control. In the 1930's that changed and there was NO monarchy. Until the current King - 1947.
Today the King has been in power for longer than any monarch - 60+ years. The people know no different. Why should they change.
Is a President a better ruler? George Bush Jr. Sarkosy etc
Time will tell but external/Western interference will only cause grief and I would be wary of their motives........
The book is a very well researched tome BUT the first 200 pages (of 400) are background.
It is a very good insight to the way things work here.
This is not a democracy but seen as a benevolent monarchy. Only you can decide.
In some ways I envy the Thai attitude - simplistic/acceptance. Are they right or wrong?
We cannot judge from a Western perspective.
Take Iraq or Afghanistan - has the West really made a difference?
Our Western style democracy may work in our homelands but who are we to say it WILL work in other cultures/economies?
China has been 'Left' for a long time but, guess what, they are successful.
Every regime may have its day.
Thailand has had a monarchy for a long time - total control. In the 1930's that changed and there was NO monarchy. Until the current King - 1947.
Today the King has been in power for longer than any monarch - 60+ years. The people know no different. Why should they change.
Is a President a better ruler? George Bush Jr. Sarkosy etc
Time will tell but external/Western interference will only cause grief and I would be wary of their motives........
I'm with you on this Rossco- when the Sep 06 coup happened there was complete indifference amongst the 'normal' Thais in Phuket. Online forums such as thaigeezer had a field day on the other hand. So long as Somchai has his cooking oil and rice at fixed prices, and at least basic education ( secondary as well under Abhsit if i recall correctly) what the 'elite' do doesn't affect him on a day to day basis. A comparison to NI doesn't equate- I spent approx 7 years of my career there and 99% of the population were unaffected by the events (although the feckers did try to blow me up 3 times!!). Press and speculation generate and inflate issues like this- it's a non-event.
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