<p>I think I got it wrong.&nbsp;When Samak claimed that there was only one casualty on October 6 1976 (and he was left-wing, or &lsquo;communist&#39; in Samak&#39;s view, so serve him right), and that the Tak Bai corpses occurred when people standing in the backs of trucks fell over dead as a result of Ramadan fasting, we had a choice.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Election Commission might be the last body to be blamed for the low nationwide turn-out in the Senate election, particularly for the 41% turn-out of Bangkokians in Sunday&#39;s poll.</p>

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">I think I got this all wrong. I thought we just had a bunch of incompetents running the place. Understandable, in a way. I mean, when over a hundred of your first choices are banned from public office for five years, you&#39;re bound to see some really ropey substitutes take to the field. </p>

<p>Before we explore the shortcomings of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej&#39;s memory, we have to concede that not many of us have a particularly strong handle on reality.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><span><font size="2">The tragedy of Thai democracy today is that we have a Prime Minister and Interior Minister who tell bare-faced lies and an opposition, in the shape of the Democrat Party, that supported the 19^th September coup, insulted the poor and never showed an interest in the 6^th October in the past.</font></span></p>

<p><span><span><em>The following article is an edited transcript of a paper given at the International Conference on Compulsory Licensing: Innovation and Access for All, held in Bangkok, 21-23 November 2007.</em></span><span><em> Prof. Baker has written extensively for activists about the global AIDS pandemic.</em></span></span></p>

<p>Nothing highlights the inhumanity of the global economic <a id="KonaLink0" style="position: static; text-decoration: underline! important" href="http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/20Feb2008_news21.php#" target="_top"><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; color: black! important; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; position: static">system</span></a> better than drug patents. </p>

<p>Debating on the 6 October events has become a political tool of both leftists and rightists in the present game of post anti-Thaksin and anti-coup struggle but it will not shed any light for later generations unless facts were learned and shared by a majority of the people-not a handful of the October Generation, said academics at a seminar yesterday.</p>

<p>I was fresh to Thailand in 1989 and attended the democracy demonstrations at Sanam Luang against a Thai Army general self-appointed to Prime Minister, Suchinda Krapayoon, in May 1992. Although many people saw Chamlong Srimuang as their leader, I only ever saw him as a political opportunist. I saw Chamlong arrested to safety with his followers at Phanfa Bridge. This was when I sent my Thai family home. </p>

<p><span>We all know that Prime Minister Samak Sundarawej was lying to the CNN when he claimed that he was not involved in the 6^th October massacre and that only one person died. Before the event, he was closely associated with the Tank Corps Radio Station, which called for right-wing thugs to kill left-wing students. Samak was also very close to the Royally sponsored &quot;Village Scouts&quot;. After the event, and the coup on the same day, he became Minister of the Interior and has lied about the massacre to this day. For those who are unaware of the details of the event, this is part of a chapter on the 6^th October.</span></p>

<p><span><span><em>The following article is an edited transcript </em></span><span><em>of the Keynote Address of the International Conference on Compulsory Licensing: Innovation and Access for All, held in Bangkok, 21-23 November 2007. Dr Wilson is a Member of the Board of Directors of M&eacute;decins Sans Fronti&egrave;res (MSF) and was medical coordinator of the MSF in Thailand until August 2007.</em></span></span></p>

<p>It seems to have been a somewhat difficult meeting.&nbsp; The new Minister of Finance, Dr Surapong Suebwonglee, and his two deputies, Pradit Pattaraprasit and Second Lieutenant Ranongrak Suwanchawee, recently held their first meeting with the Permanent Secretary and other high-ranking officials of the Ministry.&nbsp;</p>