FREE weekly English Corner
1 July 2011
Page 3 Classifieds Webb’s Wining Wimbledon Wildebeeste
poll dancing
hopes and fears for hua hin and thailand as the country votes
HUA HIN THAILAND This Sunday, 3rd July, in case you hadn’t noticed, Thailand will vote for their next government. It is expected to be a tight affair, with a large number of voters, estimated at about ten million, still in the ‘floating’ category. It seems likely that whichever party has the most MPs, they will not have an overall majority, and will need to form some sort of coalition to be able to govern; in many ways this might be the best outcome for the country, as it would hopefully prevent provocative measures, such as the amnesty for convicted politicians proposed by the Puea Thai party; that is clearly aimed at allowing Thaksin Shinawatra, brother of Yingluck the Puea Thai leader, to return from exile, but many think this would be the trigger for another military coup. The impact on life in Thailand and our town of Hua Hin, whichever government is formed, are likely to be slight, possibly even unnoticeable if the Democrats manage to hold onto power. A change of government will probably mean that there will be movement in senior army and police positions, as there always tends to be a kind of reward and punishment system for those who supported or opposed the eventual victors. As far as expats go, those who run businesses or own property here will be hoping that whoever is in power will make life easier for them in regard to the regulations governing those areas, while everyone will be hoping that steps will be taken to weaken the baht, as this would benefit both foreigners and Thais by helping to encourage more tourists as well as help the property sector. Thailand faces a challenging next few years, and this election ,and the subsequent actions and reactions may well set the tone for the dance ahead. Will it be the solo slippery slide down a pole, or an arms linked celebratory jig?
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