Thursday, March 02, 2006

BANGKOK UPDATE

BANGKOK UPDATE

“Bangkok update” is a misnomer. This is really only a newspaper update because all I know is what I read in the papers. And sometimes what I don’t read in the papers.

Today in The Bangkok Post there is a quote, in large black letters, above the fold on page one, linking Prime Minister Thaksin to Hitler. I was wondering how long it would take for that to happen. A few days ago they published a letter linking him to Richard Nixon. They were working their way up (or down).

As I wrote before, I am a foreigner here and do not know what all is going on. The press (what I can read) seems so biased and dishonest, it gives me the distinct impression that they are the bad guys. I have the impression that they want to destabilize the government by any sleazy means they can think of.

I have been told that there is a case against the Prime Minister. But the big one, the charge being trumpeted in the press, is tax avoidance. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal everywhere in the world. Next case. If they have a legitimate gripe, why do they have to be so dishonest?

How about the other English language paper, The Nation? It’s pretty much twiddle dee and twiddle dum. They have a silly editorial today excoriating PM Thaksin for going ahead with elections when the major opposition refuses to participate. Excuse me. Shouldn’t they be getting on the case of the clowns who have taken their marbles and gone home? They write that the new government will be “lacking the legitimacy to rule.” Why? Because the other guys didn’t want to play and get their asses whipped?

In their letters to the editor there is nothing favorable to the current regime. Here is the header on one:

Forget about corruption, the man is just plain crazy!

Does this give the impression of an honest editorial page?

I know more about the English language newspapers than I do about the administration of Thaksin. His administration couldn’t be more corrupt that the papers. Could it?

All I want for Thailand is peace and stability.

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