Thaksin Shinawatra Quotes

The only reward in a public life is public progress. You stand back and say, 'What did I get out of it?' You look around, and the place is better, and that's it.

I really see the vocation of politics like I see every vocation - whether it's being a reporter or serving in public life or being a plumber - as an extension of ministry.

My professional life has been about public service. My personal life I define very intently through my family.

When I look back, I did what I had to do for business and then fit family life into it.

The life of a female politician makes it hard to combine personal life and work, but I think it is almost a patriotic duty to have children.

If one of my boys was asking me if they should go into politics, I'd say there's only one reason to go into public life and that's to help people.

I think my wife and my kids are incredibly good to allow me to stay in public life given that they have to cop a whole lot of collateral attention that, being human, they'd rather not get.

I've dedicated my life to public service, and I feel it's still a noble profession. However, I also understand it's a contact sport.

Normally, people give up parliament because they want to do more business or spend more time with family. My wife said 'why don't you say you're giving up to devote more time to politics?'. And it is what I have done.

I cannot think in the present state of parties of entering again on the political arena. I would but waste my strength and exhaust my time, without adding to my character, or rendering service to the country, or advancing the cause for which I have so long contended…. I am content, and willing to end my publick life now. In looking back, I see nothing to regret, and little to correct. My interest in the prosperity of the country, and the success of our peculiar and sublime political system when well understood, remain without abatement, and will do so till my last breath; and I shall ever stand prepared to serve the country, whenever I shall see reasonable prospect of doing so.

It's incredibly important that I decided to serve my country before deciding to run for office.

I don't want to spend the rest of my life in politics. When I'm finished with my term as governor, I'm going back to the life that's waiting for me in the private sector.

A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country.

Do not calculate what I have done, for I shall accept no recompense. Calculate the public advantage, the welfare and liberty of my country, and believe that I shall refuse no burden, no danger, provided that, at the hour of tranquillity, I may return to private life, for there now remains but one step for my ambition - that of arriving at zero.

My sons are precious to me and I have tried incredibly hard to strike the right balance between work and home life while being acutely aware that I haven't always got it right.

I've also said you don't rule any options out, because if you are in public life because you want to make a difference... obviously, you have to be open to those kind of possibilities.

At one point in my life, I was very involved with social causes. I'm still involved, but now I have a family and it's important to me.

Public life is regarded as the crown of a career, and to young men it is the worthiest ambition. Politics is still the greatest and the most honorable adventure.

It is just that all my life I have been so involved in my work that I guess one could say in general that, whenever I had to balance my private life and my profession, my profession always won out.

I've been so blessed to be part of a family that has dedicated its life to public service.

These manly sentiments, in private life, make good citizens; in public life, the patriot and the hero.

The public is a part of my real life.

I have practically no private life. I'm already used to this and ready for it. Yes, sometimes it is hard, but it is the choice I made.

I have a responsibility to devote my energy to my country and my people.

We should all spend some time of our life doing service to our country. To me, I would give up a couple of years.