Holy cats! Thailand in chaos after coup!

[Michael]

Thaksin is not widely hated or despised. Even today he enjoys the support of many Thais.

To sum up recent politics - the opposition takes to the streets and demands a change not long after he is reelected with a large majority. He says, OK, we'll have another election. Opposition realizes that they can't win because they do not have the same level of support as Thaksin does and boycott the election. They lose again, of course.

The opposition is still not happy. Eventually the King steps in and the last election is tossed out. They try and get another one done this October (and it looks like Thaksin's party would win again). Various squabbles push that to November at the earliest.

Add in Muslim unrest and terrorism down in the south of the country and questions about Thaksin's sale of his telecommunications/media company to Temasek (Singapore government investment arm).

So now the Army has stepped in and they're saying that they're taking over along with the opposition. The opposition that has lost 3 elections in the past 5 or 6 years.

I'll be interesting over the next few days. I was supposed to be in Phuket next weekend (not this week, the one after), but I'll guess I'll have to wait and see. I've traveled to Thailand on business and for short vacations with my wife 4 times in the last year and always enjoyed visiting.

Michael

 

[sandmanwake]

What I want to know is how can I benefit from this economoically?

 

[Thump553]

Originally posted by: sandmanwake
What I want to know is how can I benefit from this economoically?

Dear Mr. Sandmanwake:

I have been told you are a good, kind and caring person. Recently you may have heard of the troubles of my uncle Thaksin, the prime minister of Thailand. Due to a few miscontents in our country, my uncle has the need of a kind and honest person to help him transfer his wealth to safety. He needs to transfer approximately $1.9 billion in USD to bank accounts outside of Thailand. To do so, he needs the cooperation of kind and honest people such as yourself, who would be willing to receive uncle's money in their personal bank accounts. Of course, you would receive a generous commission for your aid.

If you are interested, please email me your full bank account information, legal name, ...

 

[Aimster]

What was it before?

Democracy?

 

[sandmanwake]

Originally posted by: Thump553

Originally posted by: sandmanwake
What I want to know is how can I benefit from this economoically?

Dear Mr. Sandmanwake:

I have been told you are a good, kind and caring person. Recently you may have heard of the troubles of my uncle Thaksin, the prime minister of Thailand. Due to a few miscontents in our country, my uncle has the need of a kind and honest person to help him transfer his wealth to safety. He needs to transfer approximately $1.9 billion in USD to bank accounts outside of Thailand. To do so, he needs the cooperation of kind and honest people such as yourself, who would be willing to receive uncle's money in their personal bank accounts. Of course, you would receive a generous commission for your aid.

If you are interested, please email me your full bank account information, legal name, ...

Mr. Thump553,

You are obviously trying to scam me because if you were truly serious, your letter would only contain capital letters so as to convey to me your sincerity.

 

[AAjax]

Originally posted by: ricochet
There's not much info yet, but according to the article it sounds like they had legitimate reason for a coup. As long as it's a non-violent coup I don't see why you think it's chaos in Thailand.

Thailand has seen dozens of government coups since the end of World War II

Am I the only one who thinks the words legitimate and coup dont belong in a supporting manner in the same sentance?

It sidesteps the populace and therefore lacks legitimacy. Doing the wrong thing for the right reason is still the wrong thing.

 

[BrownTown]

Originally posted by: AAjax
It sidesteps the populace and therefore lacks legitimacy. Doing the wrong thing for the right reason is still the wrong thing.

Oh man, you could go on that argument FOREVER. But right now i'm not sure it was the right thing based on what Michael said it sounds like the minority party is trying to take over from the majority?

 

[Michael]

Here is a reasonably good summary of what is going on so far:

Wiki site

Michael

 

[Moonbeam]

So where the hell is our army?

 

[Michael]

You know, Moontroll, I was going to make the point that the army stepping in to remove the PM in Thailand would be like the Army in the USA doing the same to Bush. Doing such would pretty much destroy the democratic system in the USA and the action in Thailand certainly will not help them. I'm glad that you were mature enough to step in and make your typical dumb remark in a thread that really has nothing to do with the USA or Bush.

Michael

 

[Ricochet]

Originally posted by: AAjax

Originally posted by: ricochet
There's not much info yet, but according to the article it sounds like they had legitimate reason for a coup. As long as it's a non-violent coup I don't see why you think it's chaos in Thailand.

Thailand has seen dozens of government coups since the end of World War II

Am I the only one who thinks the words legitimate and coup dont belong in a supporting manner in the same sentance?

It sidesteps the populace and therefore lacks legitimacy. Doing the wrong thing for the right reason is still the wrong thing.

I guess that's up to debate. Legitimate may not be the best term to rationalize a coup. In most cases it's not. After reading Michael's post, this coup may not be either.

When I first read the OP, it sounds like the army was representing the interest of the people. The army itself is loyal to the king who is still highly respected by the people.

Sometimes a government is so corrupt and has so much control (not talking about Thailand, btw), that change requested from the people is not possible. Only two possible solution could bring change: a revolution or a coup. IMO, a coup can be a legimate way to bring change if the perpetrator wholely represents the interest of the people. Form a proxy government until a rightful heir (again one who represents the people's interest) take control again.

 

[ebaycj]

There are always a few turns of anarchy in between governments. Unless you are a Religious civ, in which case you have only one turn of anarchy.

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: Michael
You know, Moontroll, I was going to make the point that the army stepping in to remove the PM in Thailand would be like the Army in the USA doing the same to Bush. Doing such would pretty much destroy the democratic system in the USA and the action in Thailand certainly will not help them. I'm glad that you were mature enough to step in and make your typical dumb remark in a thread that really has nothing to do with the USA or Bush.

Michael

Perhaps my post sounded stupid to you because you have a stupid ear and a stupid tendency to want to hear what is stupid. But another interpretation of what I said might have been, for somebody reflective by nature, that is, that it can't happen here because the Pres and the military are buddies. In short, thinking deeper still, we can see that no military coup will be necessary here because we live under the same thing already. Your job was to ask yourself if that is good or bad.

 

[batmang]

i love your sig jpeyton.

 

[imported_Lothar]

Originally posted by: ebaycj
There are always a few turns of anarchy in between governments. Unless you are a Religious civ, in which case you have only one turn of anarchy.

I see you've been playing Civiliztion IV...

 

[Michael]

Moontroll,

The only question that needs to be asked is why this place puts up with your blind hatred of Bush and the ensuing spewage that you litter threads with. There is no need to consider your fake intellectual babble that you fall back on when you're called to task. You used to at least be amusing and I could play a game of trying to guess what type of drug you were on. Now your posts are just a sad shell of what they used to be.

ricochet,

The problem I have with the coup is that it was not asked for by the people and it was not needed as another election was being planned. There have been several elections recently and Thakshin and his party (name translates to Thais Love Thais) have won each of them convincingly. One easy way to look at this coup is that it is engineered by the old guard elite that are losing power because Thakshin has given all the people more of a voice. The junta's first speach contained a direct warning to the rural areas and poorer people not to get involved. I guess they are lesser Thais.

If you wanted to be really cynical, you could stretch the cause for the coup the Thakshin's slow but sure tightening on the sex trade in Thailand. His party hasn't done anything too radical, but they have shortened the hours the bars can operate and they have taken action. That has been crimping the money that the operators there can make. In general, the economy is better since he took over and the baht has done well.

This coup will scare even more companies away from making investments in Thailand. Although education levels have been rising, it still is a fairly poor country and it needs more jobs. The tought that the army will just step in and change the underlying law of the land at their whim is not what most investors want to see.

Michael

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: Michael
Moontroll,

The only question that needs to be asked is why this place puts up with your blind hatred of Bush and the ensuing spewage that you litter threads with. There is no need to consider your fake intellectual babble that you fall back on when you're called to task. You used to at least be amusing and I could play a game of trying to guess what type of drug you were on. Now your posts are just a sad shell of what they used to be.

Michael

Wouldn't it be wonderful if all you had to do was to state your opinion of reality and that would make it so. There is nothing blind about my contempt for Bush or anything fake about my intellect, nor does anything you do call me to task. I am, despite your protestations to the contrary, also quite amusing and I do not use drugs. All in all you continue to be completely out to lunch and having to confront that fact just evokes what appears to be YOUR blind hate. And naturally, my posts as always are full of profound meaning. And if you were even half as fantastic as me I doubt you would be quite so irate. Also, even though you labor under the delusion "There is no need to consider your fake intellectual babble that you fall back on when you're called to task.", you always do. It's almost as though your a fly and I'm glue.

 

[LunarRay]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
So where the hell is our army?

Well.. that they are not there might indicate that we (The Administration) are supportive of the potential Coup.. Perhaps we don't like the current Government and this is a less Iraqish way of making it more ummmmm better..

Or.. perhaps we've to wait and see if a coup is really afoot.. our intel ain't all that good.. ya know..

I guess it is best to let the facts speak for themselves...
Tanks in the capital ... Army putting up road blocks.. Supreme Court holds April elections invalid... looks like something is up.. and I suppose when we get with our Security Counsel buddies we'll know our position or where Our Army WILL be.. hehehe

 

[Screech]

I have an older cousin teaching English in Bangkok right now. He got some pictures, so I transferred some to imageshack, for anyone interested:

http://img181.imageshack.us/my.php?image=248087743b9b4479426yz5.jpg

http://img175.imageshack.us/my.php?image=248087607c590539c07aj7.jpg

http://img175.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2480872313420e4127frh6.jpg

http://img175.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2480870133b678b03dadg2.jpg

http://img168.imageshack.us/my.php?image=248085743bb0fa77c4fdo9.jpg

Take note of the yellow ribbons, which show loyalty to the King.

 

[LunarRay]

Pretty tanks.. looks like they are all cleaned up for a parade...

Yellow ribbons show support for the King.. hmmmm sounds like a Royal Coup to me..