4 hours ago, JAG said:

 

 

1." The people can choose whoever they want as long as it doesn't cause a stir. "

 

He decides what constitutes a stir, and he decides who deals with it.

 

2. I am sure that in most similar sized countries (UK, France) all the serving and recently retired Generals know each other. Mind you we don't have several thousand of them!

 

3. Who did all the work when there was no cabinet "post coup"?

 

Umh, there was no cabinet "post coup" to do any work because you staged a coup and kicked them out...

 

4. What was the point of Meechai and all his committees, deliberations, the referendum, organic laws and so on if he can just use Article 44 to change the rules to suit?

 

Sent from my KENNY using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

Sent from my KENNY using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

 

 

I've been involved with some business organizations like this. A hostile takeover or new board brought in to transform it. Lot's a talk about how bad the previous management were, all gonna get sacked. All the procedures will have to be reviewed and changed. Lot's of new management roles filled by "trusted friends and former colleagues brought in for their expertise".

 

Reality is few of the old lot really actually get sacked, often the procedural changes ain't significant, many of the "experts" ain't so expert and within a few months / years it's back to as it was only with a few different and extra faces dipping into the resources and assets.

 

All the promises, so boldly made. are forgotten. Huge amounts of work on new processes, procedures and practices produces very little if any real change. But those who came to sort it all out claim success and reward themselves accordingly whilst feeding constant crap to the shareholders whose trust they betray without even blinking.

 

Deja vu!

Posts containing disallowed references to the PM have been removed.  Perhaps somebody needs to re-read this public notice again:

 

UPDATED NOTICE TO MEMBERS POSTING IN THAILAND NEWS

21 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Come and live in our village, or any village for that matter, the local economy is in it's knees and lives are slowly but surely being destroyed.

Yeh but he doesn't care about the 'peasants' and he gets to wear his shiny new jackboots at parties !

18 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

I don't disagree with your sentiments. But "iron grip" - they can't even control the price of lottery tickets, make taxi drivers follow the law and pick up all passengers, and sort the deck chairs out on the beaches.

 

Hardly gotta grip!

I see your point Baerboxer, but let's take a look at a few of his 'achievements' that warrant my term "iron grip".  To wit:

1. He seized the country in an illegal military coup that included deposing the democratically elected PM followed by dissolving the democratic government and also tossing the Thai constitution in the trash bin.  Democracy suddenly became a dirty word.
2. Immediately instigated Martial Law.
3. Immediately banned freedom of speech and the right to peaceful assembly of citizens.
4. Made it illegal to speak negatively of him or his junta comrades.
5. Replaced Martial Law with an even more heinous power grab by giving himself ABSOLUTE POWER via his Stalin-ish Article 44, which also includes forgiveness for all junta 'deeds', present, and/or in the future.
6. Banned all forms of the media/press, including international outlets, from reporting anything unfavorable about him and/or his junta generals.  This also includes censoring all global websites that don't knuckle under.
7. Instituted arrests and "Attitude Adjustment" sessions for anyone/everyone who publicly disagrees with him.  This even included arresting young college students.
8. Writes a new constitution that deliberately circumvents the voting majority from winning future elections and that permanently includes military membership to oversee and control the future 'civilian' government.
9. Speaking of elections, has delayed new elections every year since his takeover, and now is threatening to delay elections AGAIN until 2019 to give himself time to prepare his upcoming pro-military political party to win the election.
10. Like clockwork, writes new laws that further restrict/track all foreigners residing/visiting the kingdom.  The latest this week is the new biometric scans requirement for all foreigners using phone services here by December 15th.
11. Like clockwork, further restricts a variety of imports, such as toy drones, hobby 3D printers, lithium-based batteries, mobile phones.  I have personally had to travel to Bangkok twice, on separate occasions, to battle the NBTC and the Ministry of Commerce to receive an imported toy drone, and later a hobby-grade non-dangerous 3D printer.  I have had to register with Customs and have had to become a registered importer/exporter (with the Ministry of Commerce) to simply receive my 3D printer.  Not only that, I now have to report the disposition of this hobby-grade 3D plastic printer to Ministry of Commerce EVERY 6 months as long as I own it.  Why?  Because it's now a "restricted" item.  Paranoia of new technology is running rampant in all government agencies. 
12. Now forcing registration of ALL drones, even tiny toy drones.  Failure to register results in extremely harsh penalties for the owner, i.e., 5 years in prison and 100,000 baht fine.

I'm sure I've missed a few things here, but 'iron grip' does seem reasonable to me.

22 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Come and live in our village, or any village for that matter, the local economy is in it's knees and lives are slowly but surely being destroyed.

Indeed. Yet another country where the government is bragging about the robust economy to its skint population. 

This new party will be put in power regardless of any election result.

Military institutions are NOT democratic by their very nature and nor should they be. However when military people move to another world that being the government of a country they tend to bring with them all those habits from the military side of the fence that are undemocratic. That is understandable for they know no different. 

So when PM Prayut declares there could be the possibility of a military backed party then people can be sure of one thing that party will be about as undemocratic as any military organisation can be. It is the nature of the beast.

Just let that sink in for a moment: a military- backed party!

I was reading this article in front of a couple of thai friends yesterday they saw the picture of him and physically punched my telephone! I am always very careful what I say as I understand freedom of speech and democracy is not an option - but if there was one of those election things tomorrow pretty sure I know who wouldnt win. I very much doubt it will get to that point any time in the next couple of decades. Still can't work out why military coups have become a national sport in Thailand - not my business but the sooner I can buy some beer from the 7/11 between 2 and 5 and don't get kicked out of my favourite bar at midnight I will be happy!

Sent from my SM-J710F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app