Voters must choose sensibly
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Re: "An apology to middle-class Thais", Letters, April 2.
I thank letter-writer John Arnone for giving us the basic facts (minus political sentiment) with regards to rich Thais and their poor compatriots – farmers. For decades, Thai farmers were exploited by the rich feudal class. Then came Thaksin, who again exploited their suffering to enrich himself and his cronies.
The rice-pledging scheme of the last government is only one of many pieces of evidence for this. Rather than saints, the Shinawatra clan are just like any other feudal lords. I don’t blame the poor farmers for praising Thaksin – they really do not have any choice. Politicians are often manipulative liars and cheaters. Hence the onus lies with the electorate to be well-informed and make political choices that balance self-interest with the good of the nation.
The Insider
