Ignoring critics, Thaksin tightens his grip on nation - Thailand

BANGKOK BULLY?: Despite growing concern over the Thai leader's authoritarian style and conflicts of interest, his one-man show appears unstoppable for now

NY TIMES NEWS SERVICE , BANGKOK
Monday, Mar 15, 2004,Page 5

In a country where people pride themselves on tranquility and deference, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra shows little of either trait.

Thaksin, a former policeman who got rich in the telecommunications business, is out front and boastful, asserting that Thailand can serve as the leader of a newly vibrant Southeast Asia. He is the region's modern man, he says.

But complaints about an increasingly authoritarian style and perceptions that his government's decisions benefit his family's financial interests have taken the sheen off the region's rising star.

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