Propagating pork barrel patronage

Somsak Pola’s moral story of the Wright brothers, who invented the aeroplane amid jeers and laughter, was a good one. The only caveat is that you cannot compare technological inventions with someone’s political tricks. They are different.
Thaksin and his politics have not only brought us deep into populism (a discourse supporting the needs of ordinary folks), but further on to pork-barrelling (the use of government funds for projects designed to please voters in expectancy of re-election).
This practice is unfair for competition in any democracy. It also brings about the patronage system and widespread corruption.
In its latest report on Thaksin, The Economist had this to say: “He remains a highly divisive figure, and his people were too optimistic about his level of support in the country.”
Vint Chavala
Lamphun