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19 Dec, 2013

More Dishonesty About Thailand’s Upheaval From the International New York Times – Truthout

by Michael Pirsch

I have been reading accounts of the demonstrations in Thailand by Thomas Fuller of the International New York Times (INYT). I do not have a television, so I cannot comment on the nature of its coverage. The INYT coverage minimizes the cause of the protests. Consequently, readers in America receive a dishonest version that pits the democracy-loving Thaksin proxy government as the victim of an undemocratic mass protest that seeks to undermine democratic elections. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In truth, the demonstrators are sick of the corrupt nature of Thaksin Shinawatra, the fugitive former prime minister, who is defined by his corrupt behavior as a minister in government beginning in the mid ’90s to the years of his official running of the country from 2000-2006. He has used his position in government first and foremost to enrich himself and his family. Even though he now lives in Dubai, he micro-manages the Thai government through his youngest sister Yingluck, the current Thai minister. In addition, Thais have not forgotten Thaksin’s excesses, including murder, suppression of the media and his violent policies toward the southern Malay-Muslim provinces.

Read the rest: More Dishonesty About Thailand’s Upheaval From the International New York Times.