A mistake to even mention Thaksin in same breath as LKY

Letter-writer Hugh Walford and the column to which he was responding (“In praising the Lee model, PM could be endorsing Thaksin model”, Burning Issue, March 25) were off the mark in either damning or praising Thaksin Shinawatra. 

First, Thaksin is not in the same class as Lee Kuan Yew. The former was an up-and-coming hopeful before eventually turning out to be a failure. Thaksin won five general elections in a row – 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2011 – but then put himself and his family in jeopardy by creating circumstances in which the opposition could bury them for good and thereby save itself from being buried. Lee would never have offered that opportunity and would never have been forced into exile. One is in a premier class of his own, the other has no class at all.

Second, it is true that Lee praised Thaksin for his shrewdness in successfully challenging the Thai establishment, narrowing the income gap, meting out subsidies, the fantastic Bt30 healthcare scheme and other safety nets to the needy. We must give credit where credit is due and acknowledge that the present social structure can never go back to the pre-Thaksin era. However, we must also acknowledge that it was Thaksin’s “grey” conduct and naive strategy that put him and his family in the bind they are in today. Sadly, Thaksin turned out to be a victim of his own early success.

Third, Lee was not only pragmatic in getting results but he also put his heart and mind into laying the foundations for future success. He offered government officials the same level of pay as those in the private sector. In exchange, he demanded the highest standards of honesty and efficiency and used draconian measures on anyone who failed to meet those standards. He governed by example, leaving little doubt about his devotion to the common good.

In sum, Thaksin is no match for Lee Kuan Yew – not even close.

Songdej Praditsmanont