Greed and ego can't be overcome
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Re: "Comparison to Pridi not well thought out", Letters, September 24.
I think it is audaciously faulty for Meechai Burapa to claim that Thaksin Shinawatra is a better man than Pridi Banomyong. Former statesman Pridi agreed to stay clear of Thai politics because he never felt attached to it. Thaksin is exactly the opposite. True, the 2006 coup against Thaksin was wrong. But Thaksin was never an angel before it happened. He asked for it.
Thaksin’s parties won all elections over the past decade because he smartly out-promised his opponents by offering outrageous populist programmes and unashamed pork-barrelling – which has brought disharmony to our society to this day.
Thaksin would do Thailand a great service if he left it alone. There are only two obvious reasons that keep him from doing it: First, he is still greedy for power and personal gain. Second, there are always “useful idiots” stepping on each other in order to serve under his whim.
Vint Chavala
Lamphun
