Democracy: Jai Ungparkorn, a Thai Republican, Forms A Global Connection

Jai’s Global League, by special contribution from CIA

Jai plans to impact Thailand from the Globe

• The three main league in Southeast Asia

In Southeast Asia, there are three main league of economic and democratic development. First, the Malaysian and Singapore league is focused on economic and business development-with democratic systems open at moderate level, but are considered modern. Second is the Indochina league, characterized by burgeoning capitalist system-with political systems deemed somewhat closed, but neutral on liberty. Then there is the Myanmar league, with controlled economy and its totalitarian and no liberty political concept.  

• Thailand pull close to Mayanmar League

It used to be Thailand was competing in the Malaysian and the Singapore league, indeed there was a time the Thai stock market index was close to the Malaysian level and Thailand was breathing on Malaysia economically and politically. Then, with the Yellow Shirt and the coup, Thailand deteriorated to competing with the Indochina league. In fact, it was during the KorMorChor era that there was a serious scare that Thailand was falling behind Vietnam in a variety of ways. Then there is today, perhaps Thailand has joined the Myanmar league. The Amart stystem in Thailand today, closely resembles the Myanmar regime. And economically, Thailand is already worse off than Myanmar.  

• Jai’s Vision: Pull away from Myanmar

Jai, a socialist and a libertarian, is expected to pull Thailand away from the Myanmar model, by influencing Thailand through global political and economic linkages into Thailand. Jai has a vision of a social-democrat and open democratic system-with an economic system very much like many of the European system where the state is the key provider of the population’s livelihood.

• Jai’s Global League

While Thaksin is an enigma to most governments around the world, being a mixture of political refugee with potentials of a dirty past, combined with a political activist-and thus reducing his ability to impact Thailand from abroad, Jai, who recently escaped Thailand to the UK, is seen globally as nothing but a symbol of Thai liberty, and thus his impact is expected to be significant.

• Thai liberty goes viral globally 

Jai’s is expected to spread the call for Thai liberty worldwide through, first the internet. Then with Jai’s network of foreign colleagues academia-will certainly impact globally first at the universities level. Then as free Thailand movement starts at the universities, the call will likely spread to the global local communities and their representatives-which then will hit the global national level.

• Will Jai Succeed

Internal Thailand aside, what lies ahead for Jai globally are some powerful forces-such a the Thai embassy and foreign business interest in Thailand. As one of Jai’s close aid indicatd: “We have been checking the German-Thai –Chamber of Commerce. This one is dominated by huge companies. And very strange, they only accept full membership if the company has seat in Bangkok. They not accept companies not in Bangkok! They can become member, but not voting member. It looks like they already practice what PAD would like to implement in Thailand.”