Saturday, December 26, 2009

Ousted [Thai] PM's popularity knows no boundaries

26/12/2009
Achara Ashayagachat
Bangkok Post

The northern Cambodians related to the red shirt group and found the yellow shirts were backward-looking people who wanted to steal Cambodian land and artefacts, he said, adding that they might also want to talk about Cambodian politics but they could not.

"They simply said they did not like [Cambodian Prime Minister] Hun Sen but wanted Hun Sen to introduce populist projects like Thaksin did to Thailand," the researcher said.
Cambodians living across the border from Thailand's northeastern provinces idolise ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a study shows.

The initial findings of the research conducted by National University of Singapore senior lecturer Peter Vail for the Thailand Research Fund were unveiled on Tuesday.

They show border people in Cambodia, due to their geographical proximity to Thailand, are impressed with the former prime minister and the populist policies implemented when he was in power.

"They [survey respondents] also enjoyed discussing polarised Thai domestic politics and we could see several effigies in these areas slandering Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva," said Mr Vail, who is also attached to the Mekong Sub-region Social Research Centre at Ubon Ratchathani University.

The northern Cambodians related to the red shirt group and found the yellow shirts were backward-looking people who wanted to steal Cambodian land and artefacts, he said, adding that they might also want to talk about Cambodian politics but they could not.

"They simply said they did not like [Cambodian Prime Minister] Hun Sen but wanted Hun Sen to introduce populist projects like Thaksin did to Thailand," the researcher said.

Northern Cambodians also disapproved of the Thai-Cambodian spat over Phnom Penh's campaign to list Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site.

"They just want to do business and make money," Mr Vail said. "They simply want better livelihoods, helped by border trade."

His research project, due to be completed in April, targets different groups of Cambodians such as those with employment experience in Thailand, those working for Thai enterprises in Cambodia, those with Thai kinship connections, former refugees who returned home, and monks and teachers.

The research, titled "Cambodia Discourse on Thailand in their Social and Cultural Daily Life", is based on field trips to Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey and Siem Reap provinces. The first two Cambodian provinces are opposite Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket and Buri Ram. The temple is on Cambodian soil opposite Kantharalak district in Si Sa Ket.

"The first group of interviewees based their conflicts with Thailand on Khmer culture authenticity, history and ownership," he said.

He said Thais living along the border provinces with Cambodia could play a role in correcting mistrust and building a culture of understanding between the two peoples.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thais get more to loose financially than Cambodians. In 2008, Cambodian export goods to Thais were only US$90 million compared to US$2 billion from Thais.

Thais must solve their own problems amongst themselves instead of getting involved with Cambodian politics.

Anonymous said...

Man. This idiot poster 10;36am didn't read the article at all.
Look at this poster replied to the article. Does it correspond with respect to the article that says Thaksin's popularity has no boundaries?

Well Hun Sen and his supporters are such idiot, oh man.

Anonymous said...

11:41 AM,

You are so............... fucking stupid. Look at the horizon Kid, Hun Sen plays a good political game with Thailand and that is the reason why he uses Thaksin for Thais against Thais. I rest my case with a dump kid like you.

Anonymous said...

12;03pm.
This article is about Thaksin's popularity ha sno boundaries means he is loved by too many including Khmers like Khmers at the border. This article is not about Hun Sen's games anything.
Save your comments for the right topic, but not this one.

Anonymous said...

Come here 11:41 suck my dick at Cambodia border

Anonymous said...

Thailand is not courage enough to dispose Mr. Hun Sen. They are scare of HUN SEN.

Anonymous said...

Typo in 12;13pm. I meant has no boundaries.

Anonymous said...

Heh bastard 12:13 PM,
Why are you trying to avoid the facts but resorting to cursing, man?

Gangster like you doon't like to admit your wrong doing but are good in bashing. This article is not ah Hun Kvak it is about Thaksin's popularity, and you should be able to share with everyone why is Thaksin so popularity instead of inserting ah Kvak whose popularity is at the bottom of shit.

Anonymous said...

12:13 PM,

How big is your dick? It must be a "Gnor Gnor". Keep it to Thai soldiers at the border. Enjoy!

Anonymous said...

The guy who supports Hun Sen not just didn't read the article before he replied, Hun Sen too can never read anything. He was shown papers and was told those were document of coup will be plotted against him, he is scared already.

But this article is not about Hun Sen, it is about Thaksin is so popular among the red shirts and among Khmers too. Why is Thaksin so popular? He has real degrees from real schools in the US and he is a good business man who loves the poor while Hun Sen is opposite.

Anonymous said...

The article says the Khmers at the Northern Provinces along with Thailand consider Thaksin as their idol the same as Red Shirts who consider Thaksin as their idol. The Khmers and Red shirts who love Thaksin hate the Yellwo shirts, and the Yellwo shirst hate Hun Sen.
The survey didn't show if Khmers at the nortehrn provicnes like Hun Sen or not, may be not. I heard many Khmers prefer Thaksin to be Cambodian PM instead of Hun Sen. We know what it means? It means they hate Hun Sen and want him to be dead.

Anonymous said...

Regime changes is a must!

Hun Sen must be removed!