Thaksin, the font of all known wisdom?

Long recognised as a multidimensional thinker, or “tinker” as the Irish might say, he has demonstrated exhaustive and fast-moving expertise in the fields of traffic congestion, poverty and drug eradication. Similarly, (hallucinatory?) ingenuity is claimed in the fields of criminology, mining, politics, economics and football club ownership, to name but a few. Mother Nature herself would do well to consult this philosophising, all-encompassing, self-proclaimed haughty-culturalist in his discussions of immunity (to disease, tax or the law?), the use of (dirty?) money as compost, and that “if we water a tree from the top, the tree will eventually die as it will not get sufficient water”. The rainforests could have been saved after all. He also recently leaked details of his in-depth knowledge in water management but appears to have gone quiet on that one for the time being.

However, it’s when he makes selfless statements such as “forget about me”, “we must strengthen democracy” and “let bygones be bygones” that Thaksin truly does become an open book, and so easy to read. We need not consult encyclopaedias, or even astrologers, to know of Thailand's medium- to short-term future when he informs us that, as with drug addicts, “those who are addicted to power will do anything to obtain power”....

John Shepherd

Bangkok