Lumpini Park.
A few hours ago.
Lumpini Park.
A few hours ago.
^
Amazing how things return to Normal after the madness of the masses in that park a few weeks ago.
Exactly the same will happen in Bangkok once this coup blows over.
Same as the times before.
Will Bangkok be sepia toned too?
Try educating yourself, tewwy. Over the terms of these army generals and coup imposed dictatorships many many thousands (tens) of people were killed.
This idea that the army are some polite and loving saviour of the Thai people is utterly wrong. There are numerous books and articles on the subject.
Also, the numbers put on many of these junta mass murderings are massively higher than official figures. For example, during Samak's reign as PM (a tad more complex through his political career than being a Thaksin puppet...) he stated on TV that 1 person died at Thammasat in 73'. I think the official figure is something like 43. I've spoken to a few people who were there at the time, and they all told me that the number was over 600 at that spot alone, with other mass killings in other parts of the country at the same time. Keeping numbers of the dead down is one reason that the junta keeps a very tight hold of the media - something that should always worry any intelligent person, and why it has been so thoroughly condemned by so many governments and organizations around the world this week. Remember, this current general junta leader still claims that the army killed nobody in 2010, that protesters 'ran into' bullets, and that the people murdered at the temple in Silom had nothing to do with the army. But, you just keep loving these generals, tewwy, they're good for the nation...
Last edited by Bettyboo; 25-05-2014 at 11:04 AM.
Cycling should be banned!!!
It's amazing how often on here perfectly expected normal human reaction is given a negative spin.Originally Posted by terry57
If this were in the UK it would all be 'spirit of the blitz' stuff. For some people when the same thing happens in Thailand, people just going about their business, it's because they are 'money grubbing slant eyes'.
Err, rather think it's you who is spinning. The " blitz spirit " you refer to among the Brits is manifested in adversity and demonstrates a willingness to carry on normal life despite that adversity.
There is no adversity to overcome here in Thailand by the masses as a consequence of the coup. That's the point - it is irrelevant to them and most ignore it. The Thai propensity for accommodating material gain at every opportunity is well known.
That's a rather different viewpoint to Thai journalists, world governments, monitoring organizations and Thais on social media.Originally Posted by thegent
An elected government thrown out, media turned off and totally controlled, large numbers of detainments, constitution/government/senate/etc thrown out, an army general appointing himself to rule everything under threat of the army gun, academics, journalists, anybody vocally critical of the junta arrested, direct threats by the junta to everybody and anybody who would dare question a single word or decree they order. &, you say it's nothing. Hmmm...
As is your dehumanizing of Thais.Originally Posted by thegent
For every 1 trouble maker there are 100,000 regular Thais who would never ever choose to kill each other - no matter the political situation.
There is plenty of adversity in Thailand.Originally Posted by thegent
Enough to make most Brits spend the day weeping into a warm half of mild.
Whether or not it's caused by the coup is utterly irrelevant to the gist of my post.
Called 'spirit in the face of adversity' when displayed by a Brit.Originally Posted by thegent
Thanks for encapsulating the ludicrous double standard in one sentence.
This is why people like you and tewwy are dangerous, albert. By trouble maker, you actually mean somebody who is doing nothing other than standing up for their democratic rights; no violence, no harm to others, just respecting the law (which, by definition the coupists are not). The people who held a placard saying 'we want to vote' and were then arrested, are 'trouble makers'. Very scary how gullible people so easily follow the discourse of an army junta... Hence why the junta are so keen to control social discourse, they know how gullible some folks, such as you and tewwy, are... Scary stuff, you'd make Geobbels proud...Originally Posted by Albert Shagnastier
It is all too easy to get complacent about things because: "it's all happened before".Originally Posted by terry57
However, there was an underlying stability provided by the HoS, which gave a common ground for everyone to look up to/ respect. This was already dwindling in 2006 and has all but disappeared this time round.
Judging the coup wrt Country stability, just a couple of days afterwards, is like judging a Test after the first over. A lot of things may or may not happen in the following months that may affect the lives of many people and especially farangs.
No-one really knows what results this coup will bring. The 1997 Constitution was enormously beneficial for Thailand. The changes made in 2007 were a significant step backwards. The early indications are that this coup will be a further step in the wrong direction. That may lead to further instability rather than the Military stated improvements.
If that was not enough, the chances are that the Military will change the Constitution to allow for a different HoS, that will force the hands of those that have been waiting patiently for the wind to change.
It seems to me that there a just a handful of posters who are seriously upset about this coup. The majority of posts have been complaints about the TV.
It is an internal Thai matter, to be sorted out eventually by the Thai.
Many of the most prolific coup posters do not even live in Thailand. I have not posted on the political aspects of the coup as I no longer live in Thailand, and stopped following Thai internal politics years ago.
I could be wrong, but I doubt that any posters are Thai citizens, or even permanent residents. If foreigners feel at risk for themselves or their families, that's another thing - but I haven't seen that posted anywhere.
Coups happen in many countries. The gap between rich and poor is huge in most countries. Voters are apathetic in most countries. This is a Thai internal event...it's not the first time, nor do I believe it will be the last.
As a foreigner, you have no voice. Let the Thai sort it out. You may not agree with the result, but it's their country, not yours.
Last edited by Davis Knowlton; 25-05-2014 at 12:39 PM.
Instability and improvements are subjective, and it is the subjective view of armed criminals that are being imposed upon the country.
This coup has longer impacting objectives than the last, one of which is to crush the Thaksin legacy and restore the pre-Thaksin regime, which is the equivalent of judicially enforcing the masses into legislated subservience to earlier thieves and looters.
Note that while the yellows are afforded preferential treatment with a certain amount of leeway and freedoms, most highly positioned friends of Thaksin are either detained or, erm, in hiding abroad.
And once you start rounding up academics whilst using the 're-education' word, it is time for the people to step back, take stock, and chop you down. And ffs grow up, it won't be bloodless.
We are in this forum, not on the streets of Bkk, we have a voice here.Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton
What else can we do?Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton
Yes and no. If people have a family and/or children in Thailand and/live in Thailand then they are involved.Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton
The idea of apathy and non-involvement is a very worrying one. Places, cultures, societies and people are always in flux, always moving and always changing. In Thailand, Uk and US people affect society and not all of those people that affect society were born there or had a passport for that place, indeed they don't even need to be there.
Martin Luther King and Gandhi had a massive affect on people and cultures around the world, yet most of those people never went to India or America and may not even have lived during the same period. Gandhi won out in India, not because of Indians and their power, but because of the way he changed the feelings of people in the UK. People affect each other across cultures - many of the 'skills' learnt by these army generals (and all of them since the 1930's) were learnt in the UK, France and the US.
People do have voices, all people have voices and voices travel, especially in the internet age. Why do you think that the junta close down international media and social media if they have no affect, no voice no power?
Sorry, Davis, you are a fine poster, but I can't agree with your sentiments in the above post.
Sorry DK but I have heard this argument over and over again. This past year like many other 'falangs' I have paid enough Thai taxes to raise an entire village. Fair enough I live here. Don't get anything in return other than the fact that I can live here with my family, most everything I need is paid for in cash.
Still no payment on our rice. This was part of my retirement plan in which I had trusted the Thai government for many years.
As the head of the family how should I reply when my wife or 50/50 daughter asks me what do I think? They want to know why I sit by and do nothing.
Regardless, it is my fault. True it is their country but...
Taking refuge in 5-star UK Tylney Hall in the village of Rotherwick. GUESS WHO ?
No problems guy, I get just as frustrated as the next person.
It is your business, and you should have posted it. I take your point about being pragmatic, but I always lean on the ideological side because I fear that pragmatism can hide a world of sins...Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton
This further complicates the 'it's their country, leave them to it' principle, of course.Originally Posted by hillbilly
Things aren't as clear cut as that for people who, along with a Thai parent, are raising kids in Thailand.
It's a good thread with good links and diverse comments, so it would be a shame if it got lost. In a passionate situation it's difficult not to respond and be aggressive/insulting from time to time, but folks should make the effort, and comments going beyond should be cut out.
This thread is about a coup in Thailand. This is a Thai based board. Surely, this is a normal place to discuss the coup in Thailand, I find it weird that folks would belittle that and/or people that add their views to the thread.
A coup is not normal. The Thai army and groups that are aligned to them try very hard to frame social discourse so that one would presume that Thailand is special and coups are normal, but that simply is not so. You have a powerful group who lead the army and get massive wealth from it - they are breaking the law and committing treason. Fullstop. Their reasons are for money and power. Fullstop.
What regime? Right now, we've just got a clique of coup happy Generals and a military dictatorship, no Constitution and hence no Rule of Law, national curfew, numerous people being held incommunicado, near total media suppression etc. Hardly a sustainable situation.
Maintaining order is the immediate priority, but what is the plan here- a 'council of wise men', or a return to constitutional democracy, or military junta? Waiting to hear, as is the diplomatic community. I presume the generals & cronies do not wish for the recognised Thai government to be with him offshore.
A link to BBC video on the protests, may change but now at the McDonald's protest site. Updated this as these don't appear live but recent clips.
BBC News - Army attempts to quash Thai protests
Some twitters that have a lot of updates...
https://twitter.com/berndweb01
https://twitter.com/Rajprasong_News
https://twitter.com/MCOT_Eng
(Mcot just said skytains won't stop at Ploenchit or chitlom until further notice by the way 2:06pm)
https://twitter.com/Saksith
https://twitter.com/bkkbase
And news links:
Prachatai English
Khaosod English : Thailand A Click Away
Bangkok Post
Thai Coup,Thailand protests,Thailand News,Thaksin,constitution,thailand politics,amnesty bill,Thai Election,Thai News Online,Thai Newspaper,Nation News,News in Thailand,aec ,asean
MCOT.net - Enews News
Thai PBS English News | The Broadcaster You Can Trust
Live TV
Channel News Asia
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/tv/live
.
Last edited by Merrimack; 25-05-2014 at 02:23 PM.
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