PPP versus PAD, pro-anti Government Raids, Mobs, and Politics: Fool the Masses
Yesterday, a friend had phoned and asked if I knew what was going on.
“The same old mob-wannabe coup, is it?”
“Yea, it’s all over the international and local (Thai) news now, do you have any idea why?” he asked
In this brief entry, you’ll find out exactly why there has been civil unrest, and hopefully without poisoning your mind with the propaganda that the different monster machines intend for you to intake.
If you try to closely follow the news and forums, you’ll get lost in the tangle of political facades with masked reasons of the ongoing disorder that has plagued this country for decades. And if you’re gullible like all the supposed pro-activists that blindly take a side, justifying their arsenals with what the media and politicians feed them, it is likely you’ll be entranced to the heart for a cause you’re ready to sacrifice for—never mind that you’ve been misled the entire way about the actual root of the conflict.
When I first saw the breaking news report in my inbox–regarding government opposition mobs (PAD or People’s Alliance for Democracy) raiding a government broadcasting headquarters, I went to this forum to see if I could get down to heart of the problem as quickly as possible without getting side tracked. (Note that the current government is the PPP or People’s Power Party)
As one might expect for such a thread, the current page count of the thread already 34 pages and growing. Luckily, a clever fellow, Heng hit the heart of the topic on the first page, so I wouldn’t be bothered losing yourself in the rest of the issue. What you should know is
Important to note that the PAD themselves aren’t a unified body, there are plenty of factions within that don’t necessarily take part in all PAD activities. I have relatives that are both PAD and the anti-matter of PAD. Some are under-employed, some are retired (both of the not well to do gov’t and well to do private sector variety), some are still working (again, all different occupations, from tiny shop restaurant owner to SME owner). Like politics anywhere, there are all kinds of interests involved, it’s hardly a black and white issue.
Just as an example: one particular gal I know (not a friend, just a loose aquaintence) runs the local underground lottery at the local open air market. Turnover in the range of 3-4 million Baht per drawing (bi-monthly). She is avidly pro-PAD (and regularly sponsors minivan full loads of supporters up to Bangkok from Chonburi) because of course if the PPP get their 2-3 digit lottery up and running again, it bites into sales… also, the PPP lottery inherently comes with increased police enforcement/suppression of the underground lottery.
On the converse, another fellow I am acquainted with in Bangkok is with Loxley Info. (the old ISP/IT services provider company which may as well be called Lamsam Info…ala Kasikorn Bank) and is avidly anti-PAD. His interest is the opposite of the open market lotto gal mentioned earlier because wouldn’t you know it, Loxley is the concession holder to produce the machines that run the new PPP lottery. And who do you think had first ‘dibs’ in signing up for these lotto scanning/selling machines? Loxley insiders, this particular gentleman included, who purchased 4 of them…. priceless if placed in key locations (say if you own a few prime location 7-11 franchises… ala lotto sales in the west). Worthless though if the PPP is out.
And this is just one example of one facet of the whole political struggle going on. And as you can see, neither side (as far as these two individuals concerned) could give two bits as to what the outcome is in terms of the “greater good of the poor/keeping the poor down” “Thaksin being brought to justice/brining Thaksin back to power” or the “fight for democracy.”
by Heng on Thaivisa.com Forum
In even simpler terms, the true dispute is over control of mass amounts of money and resources, masked with words such as democracy, anti-corruption, and human rights. One side is the current government and masses they can fool, the other side is the wannabe government and the masses they can fool. In the end, they are all fools!
The angle that Heng painted above is one prime angle rooting the dispute. Obviously, the state and underground lottery isn’t the only resource being fought over, though it is one of the bigger ones considering all the billions of baht that is unaccounted for in any official books for the state lottery. As far as the underground lottery, the distribution of wealth likely is even less marginal.
Well, the solution is difficult. If I were Lord, all lottery and any form of gambling would have to be abolished, if not reformed totally, where whoever is running it will have to provide consistent accounts to track every single baht, and make sure the ideal amount does come back to benefit the masses, since it they which the revenue came from. Well, like I said,you’re supposed to get lost in the tangles from this thread, but by now, you should have a better understanding, and hopefully will choose not to be foolish, and look and regard those all just as they are, fools.
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