Lee Kuan Yew versus Thaksin Shinawatra

It beggars belief that you published Wednesday’s column inviting comparisons between the record of Thaksin and Lee Kuan Yew. As evidence of the close relationship between the two, you cite the deal between Shin Corp and Temasek. This was probably the straw that broke the Thai camel’s back. Can you not remember when Thaksin publicly condemned those who had companies in offshore tax havens as being unpatriotic? He then hypocritically offloaded all his and his family’s holdings in Shin Corp onto an offshore vehicle, changing the law to allow him to sell Shin Corp to a foreign concern, and paying not a penny of tax to the Thai Revenue Department on the way. No wonder most Thai people were shocked at this betrayal.
Your article fails to make reference to the single most important difference between Lee and Thaksin: Lee and his administration are universally recognised for being scrupulously honest and incorruptible in all their dealings, and this has been one of the principal characteristics of and reasons for the Singapore economic miracle. By contrast, what marks Thai politics above all is the level of corruption across the board. The motivation of the great majority of politicians when they get into office is to recoup the expenses incurred in getting there, and to make hay while they can. Thaksin’s principal motive as CEO of Thailand Inc appears to have been to fill his own coffers and those of his family and cronies as full and as quickly as he could. True, certain of his achievements, such as healthcare for all, and the largesse distributed to the tambons, were welcome. But they were a pittance in comparison with the billions Thaksin was salting away for himself and his cronies. We all had such high hopes when he started out, and look what was revealed when it ended.
Lee’s reputation as a great patriot, a visionary, a nation builder and a formidable leader by personal example can only be devalued when placed side by side with that of Thaksin, obsessed as he was by personal aggrandisement and creation of personal wealth. You have completely failed to point out this aspect of history. Shame on you!
Hugh Walford