Muirton

It's been 17 months of action plans. All hat, no cattle. No water either.

One simple history question:

Who do YOU honestly think has been more dangerous for the rest of the world?

[a] Thailand George W. Bush

What's your point? Why not ask an intelligent question, if you can?

" Principle" Mr. Ambassador - your stand on Saudi ? A convicted criminal refusing to stand trial?

What are you babbling about? What you've written has no meaning, no subtance, no sense. Do try again, tho'.

what happens when two sides have opposing principles?

We choose the principles that would benefit us the most...?

Democracy is just a cover. Remember how we supported Saddam Hussein of very democractic Iraq? He won every elections since he came to power.

Wondering what happened to him though...

Democracy is just a cover for what? Please be specific or stop flapping lip.

what happens when two sides have opposing principles?

We choose the principles that would benefit us the most...?

Democracy is just a cover. Remember how we supported Saddam Hussein of very democractic Iraq? He won every elections since he came to power.

Wondering what happened to him though...

Democracy is just a cover for what? Please be specific or stop flapping lip.

Mr Brennan, I live in a house with 2 bankers, one hospital administrator, 1 car salesman, and 1 reporter which is not everyone in Thailand but it is a pretty good mix. I talk to them often about the problems here.They are hopeful that Prayut can rid the country of a certain percentage of the corruption, primarily orchestrated by the rich and political figures and the police force. That is 90 % of the real corruption. All of them believe that there is no one else in Thailand that is even a little bit capable of resolving any of these issues but they have hope in Prayut. Now you tell me who it is on your list that will go up against the corruption like Prayut. <deleted> no one.

And if you are one of those that keeps bashing him because you have no other idea of what to do you are an ass like the rest of those. Of course he is not perfect as someone you might suggest. But he is sincere and has enough leverage to actually accomplish something positive for the middle class here and the poor. He can never succeed entirely because like all of us he hasn't all the answers and eventually he must give it all back to a floundering democracy.

Others living here and around the neighborhood who live on street vendoring or wood working don't even have an opinion of what is going on in Thailand. i've had my wife try and talk to many and nothing comes back.

So that is where I get my ideas. You are probably sitting on Prayut's councel so I would expect you know much more about it.

If you think that 2 bankers, one hospital administrator, 1 car salesman, and 1 reporter are a "pretty good mix".it's time for you to visit Thailand.

The USA basically want 2 things from Thailand : free access for American business to Thai resources (especially oil) and a friendly, non-muslim ally in a strategically important position in the world.

Which means they would rather have Thaksin back. He will sell them anything as long as he has a finger in the pie. By contrast, Prayuth is fiercely patriotic and would like to kick all foreigners out if he could. He is not good news for American business.

They don't give a flying about anything else. You can be sure they know exactly who is behind all the violence and are willing to turn a blind eye to get the result they want. The careful diplomatic talk by the new Ambassador is very interesting if you think a little about his choice of words and the things he avoids saying.

I'm a big supporter of the USA because unlike Russia or China they will at least try to do the right thing if they can as part of their bigger picture, but I have no illusions about their cold blooded ruthlessness if needed.

Poor quality post with a typically ignorant schoolboy howler about Thailand's oil ( unbelievable ignorance there).

Thailand has nothing that the US needs to buy or that it cannot easily obtain elsewhere.But both the Ambassador and Prayuth are right that the longstanding friendship will survive the current difficulties.

Incidentally it's an odd kind of patriotism that involves destroying ones country's nascent democracy, trashing its reputation worldwide, rigging a constitution and using the fear of brute force to preserve the rule of an unrepresentative and illegitimate minority.

Very well said.

Someone in High Office does not know that actually all he's doing is re-arranging the deckchairs on the Thaitanic.

The USA basically want 2 things from Thailand : free access for American business to Thai resources (especially oil) and a friendly, non-muslim ally in a strategically important position in the world.

Which means they would rather have Thaksin back. He will sell them anything as long as he has a finger in the pie. By contrast, Prayuth is fiercely patriotic and would like to kick all foreigners out if he could. He is not good news for American business.

They don't give a flying about anything else. You can be sure they know exactly who is behind all the violence and are willing to turn a blind eye to get the result they want. The careful diplomatic talk by the new Ambassador is very interesting if you think a little about his choice of words and the things he avoids saying.

I'm a big supporter of the USA because unlike Russia or China they will at least try to do the right thing if they can as part of their bigger picture, but I have no illusions about their cold blooded ruthlessness if needed.

"Thai resources (especially oil)". This is loony.

There has never been a day when Thailand wasn't an energy importer. What is the source -- cite/site -- for your "fact" that the US wants Thailand's oil when Thailand doesn't have any compared to Burma and Cambodia.

Thailand - on the way up.

USA - on the way down.

Expectations will meet in the middle.

"USA - on the way down." Sez who -- besides your brilliant self?

"Thaksin Shinawatra: Life and Work"

"Thaksin Shinawatra: Life and Crimes" - now there's a better title. Wonder who'd play him in the Bollywood version? Yingluck doing the sexy dance routines and Plod,Chalerm and Cousin Number 1 singing along. Blockbuster

A cheesy vulgar "Comment" that adds nought to the thread. Again.

The PM's ravings are enough to make you see red!

At least Yingluck plans to get some (retail) therapy.

Maybe BigC and Makro will have a pro-mo-shun: Red Sales in the Sunset.

This is yet another of those laughable contributions. You are just flapping lip unless you have proof of what the middle class thinks, proof of what the rich "of course" think and best of all proof of what the "uneducated" think. Pray supply the three proofs so that the possibility of considering you a right proper fool does not occur to the majority on this thread. Thanking you in advance for your attention to this matter,

Insincerely yours,

Friend of the Too Uneducated.

Nothing new here. The USA has always preferred to deal with dictators. Easier to deal with one person than a democratically elected parliament.

Vague and huge remarks like this amount to rubbish. Name names, supply instances. It's a shame that since so much under the current administration is a crime or a new crime that being as boring as you is not.

US is panicking. They are losing influence and ground left right and centre. The future of Asia (and also Europe) is in China's hands.

What a pompous remark. You know what the US is doing. Wow. And what China is up to. Wow-er Just one fact to support your risible pomposity would minimize scorn of it.

He is right....better than having some red mob burning downtown Bangkok again.

Better less democracy than deads on the street.

Why didn't this logic apply when the reds were in power? The yellows were very keen on the right to protest a few years ago... what happened to that? Thailand could have peace if the yellows accepted (elected) red government.

And when the Democrats were in power the red did worse....didn't accept that "elected" government.

You can't have civil war....Better Prayut without democracy than civil war or the Shinawatras (in my opinion....you may prefer the Shinawatras)

"....you may prefer the Shinawatras)" Well, the people of Thailand certainly do.

The lives of 70 million Thais are not impeded at all except for the few that want to flaunt the authority that is keeping order and trying to improve Thailand. there are no concentration camps with thousands of political prisoners. Those who flout the regime and engage in politics are taken in and questioned. Thai people go to work every day or go to their shops and business and conduct themselves the same way as they did before the coup. As I mentioned previous Thai Television still shows discussions on various topics pro and con. The newspapers are relatively free but without different political camps attempting to fool people into believing they will actually do something.. Shall we return to the street demonstrations; seizing of portions of downtown Bangkok and burning of buildings . All the Thai people I know like the quiet.

"All the Thai people I know like the quiet."

Yes, that is what you hear.

Because it is illegal to speak out against "the quiet".

Thaidream, Get 'your' Thai people to call 'my' Thai people and we'll 'do lunch'. Just don't bring any sandwiches...

Up north 'the quiet' is because many talk in whispers now, and my Thai friends remind me that in Thailand, a silent smile can mask many many emotions.

I'm told by my landlady that I'm the first falang to live in the village. And since I'm trusted, I assure y'all that all 3,000 quietly loathe the current administration. ThaiDream is too busy arranging the deck-chairs on the Thaitanic to know there's a silent iceberg waiting for him

The lives of 70 million Thais are not impeded at all except for the few that want to flaunt the authority that is keeping order and trying to improve Thailand. there are no concentration camps with thousands of political prisoners. Those who flout the regime and engage in politics are taken in and questioned. Thai people go to work every day or go to their shops and business and conduct themselves the same way as they did before the coup. As I mentioned previous Thai Television still shows discussions on various topics pro and con. The newspapers are relatively free but without different political camps attempting to fool people into believing they will actually do something.. Shall we return to the street demonstrations; seizing of portions of downtown Bangkok and burning of buildings . All the Thai people I know like the quiet.

"The lives of 70 million Thais are not impeded at all." Apart from the awesome consummate ineffable folly of this phrase, how have you arrived at knowing that the lives of 70 million Thais are not impeded? Have you communicated with 70 million Thais? That would be the only way your sentence is not total rubbish. As to "All the Thai people I know like the quiet". There's always an element in every society that loves a police state, including the LOS.

The life of the Expatriate in Thailand has not been impeded by the Junta at all. We come and go as we please. We still enjoy the weather, the beaches, nightlife or whatever Thailand has to offer. No one is running up to us asking who we support or do not support and keeping score. No foreigner has been taken to a dark place and questioned as to their political leanings. Those of us who watch Thai TV still see different opinions being offered. We still get our letters and packages from abroad without being censored. If anything, our life has improved. There are no street demonstrations obstructing traffic and business. We can still complain about everything without fear of censorship on this board. Stop wishing this place was like New York, London or Singapore.

Yes, the life of the "expatriate", lager louts and sexpats make up the majority most likely, has not been impeded. How about the lives of 70 million Thais?

Anything the head of the current administration says about anything is fishy. As usual, he's floundering,

My career telling flounder jokes is dead in the water.

There is no pleasing some people. When Bangkok was locked down and burning, the economy was in tatters and corrupt rice schemes were raping the coffers, this column was full of complaints. Now it is relatively peaceful and it s still full of whinging readers! At least he has brought some stability and if he stops waffling on about corruption, mafias and the economy and gets on with it, I really don't care how long he stays. Democracy is not for all countries and I have a business to run.

Gosh, i hope your business doesn't involve explaining morals or ethics.

The country has been running better than when under Yingluck & prior"democratic" Gov'ts & PM Prayut has & is doing a good job.

Realistically,there has been little change to day to day living & in some respects has improved.

Yes, I know, the "naysayers" will say,"keep taking the medicine" !!

You spout about what the "naysayers" will say but in reality is this not exactly what P is sayin to everyone? Keep taking the medicine and it will get better soon?

Possibly, but ask yourself, is your life any worse since junta been in power? if yes, in what way?

Yes. Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and democracy again would be lovely. Next question, please.

He is right....better than having some red mob burning downtown Bangkok again.

Better less democracy than deads on the street.

"some red mob burning downtown Bangkok again." Again? Did I miss it? Pray clarify, specify and identify with cites and sites. No spittle, please.

Over the top, its good that the government suppresses the reds (dont want the killings and street protests back) but they should not overdo it. This is one of those cases where they go over the top.

"its good that the government suppresses the reds (dont want" democracy back.

Don't worry, the reds are only ever interested in a Shin autocracy.

Thaksin thinks, PTP acts, the Shins get wealthier

"the Shins get wealthier". You have access to Shin back accounts then to back this up or are you just flapping lip?

Why do people keep talking about suppressing the reds shirts ever since the coup. When the reason the military took over was because of Shutdown Bangkok,the reds had nothing to do with the actions to Shutdown Bangkok. they were the victims not the aggressors.The group that did the Shutdown Bangkok were not red shirt affiliated as far as I know.

They were the ones doing the bombings and killings. I could give loads of links proving that. Everyone knows that shame that you act ignorant.

Sorry Rob just using your post to ask a question.Please donot bother to reply.

Does anyone else here in the forum remember the redshirts bombng and killing during Shut Down Bangkok? I cannot remember any red shirts involved.. In my memory it was a group led by one man who is not red shirt.

Seems you've got selective memory - selected by bs.

Remember a bomb killing children and it's success being cheered and clapped at a red shirt rally, including members of PTP's government?

No thought not. Maybe it's amnesia then.

Remember the Italian and the Japanese shot by the Thai Occupation Army? Remember the nurse shot by the Thai Occupation Army who sought shelter at a temple? Maybe it's amnesia again.

Over the top, its good that the government suppresses the reds (dont want the killings and street protests back) but they should not overdo it. This is one of those cases where they go over the top.

"its good that the government suppresses the reds (dont want" democracy back.