offers hope to the people of Thailand’s southern region during a visit to Krue Se mosque. A region which recently suffered the massacre of 100 machete carrying bandits/separatists/militia/gangs by heavily armed government troops. Mr Thaksin spent 10 minutes sitting on a marble floor talking to villagers where he offered his solution to poverty in the region. Birth control. “Mr Thaksin asked a local woman why southern people had so many children and suggested they opt for birth control to fight poverty” (Source).

Thailand certainly doesn’t have a monopoly on leaders with suspect skill in dealing with a populace far removed from the economies of those in power but this guys policies show the compassion one would expect from a greedy monopolist not a leader of a countries people. But then look at the USA.