Thaksin thinks, but who else is allowed to?

The Knowledge has some gaps. The “big thinkers” in Pheu Thai are Thaksin (thinks, Pheu Thai does) and er, I cannot think of another one. The Knowledge did not mention one either. Thaksin has but two thoughts: self-aggrandisement and self-enrichment. These thoughts brought together Thai Rak Thai in 1998. His idea was to bribe the poor to assist in the production of the current regime. The idea did not extend to enriching the country by educating the people, only to turn them into criminals by bringing them onto the streets to support his illegal position. The wheels of his idea are starting to squeak with the splits in the reds. The abandonment of hospitals by doctors in the regions will not help his cause. His idea of a snap election in 2006 was not the action of any big thinker but a vain attempt to cling to power.

The Knowledge says the Democrats have no big thinkers, yet when international bodies have sought talent, they have chosen Democrats to fill the posts, notably Supachai Panitchpakdi, WTO director-general, 2002-2005, secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development 2005-2013, and Surin Pitsuwan, secretary-general of Asean 2009-2013.

The Knowledge needs brushing up.

Richard Bowler

Bangkok