Thailand Suspends All High-level Meetings With Singapore

[fongvin]

Complete <deleted>.They can meet any body at any time.Same as any Government.Thaksin is now a private citizen.This is not a commie country...or is it?

I totally agree, some of these postees are now out of their depth in their knowledge of how the Asian Tigers do business in this region.

And not surprising that some of these comments are coming from Tourists back in England professing to be expatriates on a foreign forum.

[wintermute]

Isn't it amazing how the junta is so paranoid about Thaksin coming back that they wantongly block and censor an international news source while then turning around and picking a fight with a local economic power like Singapore. This shows complete madness and the unwillingness to even think about potential consequences of their actions.

At the beginning I thought the coup would actually make things better but the junta has proven by now beyond any reasonable doubt that they have completely lost control and they are by now in complete panic-mode.

Looks a lot like the endless circular arguments and manic actions of the North Korean junta to me, just in its early stages -- good luck, that the Thais are just not diligent enough engineers to ever successfully build a nuke... :-)

Maybe we could find out what and how much goods Thailand exports to Singapore and what and how much Thailand imports from Singapore. I don't know the answer, but it might give us an idea who depends more on whom or how important it is to love each other. To me Singapore looks like a fully airconditioned island with not much own resources other than brain that allows to make money with money.

It looks like Thailand is going to continue shooting itself in the foot..

Thailands Import/Export partners from the CIA worldfactbook:

Exports - partners:

US 15.5%, Japan 13.7%, China 8.3%, Singapore 6.8%, Hong Kong 5.6%, Malaysia 5.2% (2005)

Imports:

$107 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels

Imports - partners:

Japan 22%, China 9.4%, US 7.4%, Malaysia 6.8%, UAE 4.8%, Singapore 4.5% (2005)

[Heng]

[lannarebirth]

I don't think Singapore is going to let this situation escalate. At some point, the Lees, who have directed Singapores affairs as if it were their own business, will be getting pressure from their own citizenry for their malfeasance, misfeasance, and lack of fiduciary controls in the Temasek/Shin matter. I have no doubt there are laws on the books there that they have violated, in addition to Thailands laws. They'll want to get this nasty episode behind them as soon as possible IMO.

[ServeUncutUncle]

As the interview was given to cnn ...will thailand stop talking to the US as well ????

How would I know, as soon as the word Taksin is mentioned on CNN - UBC block/censor the signal and we get music''

Thailand ..The Land of the Free

[pkrv]

Interesting - When a certain daughter of a very prominent Singaporean threw horse manure (shit) in the United Kingdoms houses of parliament, when BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Services (radio)) Singapore broadcasted the news story it was surrounded by troops and shut down.

If I were Thailand I wouldn't be too pleased either.

[callipposhots]

That rhetoric sure sounds like a military government to me. Could we be looking at another Burma? I have said in other posts that this is the first time in all the years I have lived here that I have been worried. The military throws out the constitution and deposes the democratically elected leader. I for one do not take this lightly.

neither do I ,

and

He Resigned ......................................

Some tough talking, they better be sure Singapore behaves.

If it does - no one else would dare to host Thaksin.

you're dancing with the fairies, mate. Singapore has a GDP for every man woman and child of 28,000 dollars. Thailand struggles to get 9.

[Plus]

Complete <deleted>.They can meet any body at any time.Same as any Government.Thaksin is now a private citizen.This is not a commie country...or is it?

I totally agree, some of these postees are now out of their depth in their knowledge of how the Asian Tigers do business in this region.

It's not business, it's politics. Go ahead, show us which ASEAN country allows political activities by Burmese dissidents, for example. Certainly not Singapore and not Thailand. Show us which country allows any public activities by Falungong, and China is not even in ASEAN.

Btw, did you mean ASEAN or Asian Tigers?

[Plus]

Some tough talking, they better be sure Singapore behaves.

If it does - no one else would dare to host Thaksin.

you're dancing with the fairies, mate. Singapore has a GDP for every man woman and child of 28,000 dollars. Thailand struggles to get 9.

That doesn't mean everything politics. Who'd argue anything with China, for example, even if their GDP per capita is low? Singapore will certainly not go to political war over Thaksin, there has been no precedents in ASEAN in this regard - countries always back off if someone feels offended.

Read their first response - they are not going to escalate the situation any further.

[bander]

As the interview was given to cnn ...will thailand stop talking to the US as well ????

How would I know, as soon as the word Taksin is mentioned on CNN - UBC block/censor the signal and we get music''

Thailand ..The Land of the Free

I think that was SIAM

[kenk3z]

CNS is probably more sensitive to "Thaksin + Singapore" than any other country cheerless deposed leader might visit.

It has to do with their mutual interest in returning someone to power - that mutual interest being money. Singapore stands some chance of having their Thailand telecommunications investment nationalized or otherwise undone in the current situation.

kenk3z

Edited January 16, 2007 by kenk3z

[besth]

As somebody else pointed out Thaksin also gave interviews to the international press when in HK, but you won't see this ridiculous regime taking on China.

they just might be dumb enough....

Come on now. They would never do that!!!

Actually, this would be an interesting game... "They would never do that!!!"

Play now with your "They would never..." idea and see the results within a year.

Betting agencies all over the world must already be thinking about it

[chuchok]

As somebody else pointed out Thaksin also gave interviews to the international press when in HK, but you won't see this ridiculous regime taking on China.

they just might be dumb enough....

Come on now. They would never do that!!!

Actually, this would be an interesting game... "They would never do that!!!"

Play now with your "They would never..." idea and see the results within a year.

Betting agencies all over the world must already be thinking about it

If Harrys(lee kuan yew) son is like his dad....he will cut off his nose despite his face....

[chuchok]

It would be great if you told us what you think....

[callipposhots]

it's definitely one for the Chinese.

Diplomacy definetely isn't the Thais' strongest suit.

[Hobox]

UBC opted not to broadcast the CNN interview: Sonthi

Junta leader denies giving order to block ousted PM's views

"The programme that broadcast Thaksin's interview was blocked, but I can say I did not give such an order," said General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, chief of the Council for National Security (CNS).

UBC made its own decision following the CNS order [to ask the broadcast media to cease airing views defending Thaksin], he said.

-----

Always nice with the independent media in this country. I stayed for a while in the Philippines and never saw anything like this there even though they have an extremly "strange" way of running thier country. Thailand is really slipping...

[ColPyat]

The level of imcompetence now does even surpass Banharn's

Unbe######inglievable!

What is that, i come home, try to argue about the CNN interview, and i am surprised by another idiocy. Could the government please be so considerate enough to hold back the stupid decisions until we have finished debating the last one, for christ's sake?!

[chao]

It's not business, it's politics. Go ahead, show us which ASEAN country allows political activities by Burmese dissidents, for example. Certainly not Singapore and not Thailand. Show us which country allows any public activities by Falungong, and China is not even in ASEAN.

Btw, did you mean ASEAN or Asian Tigers?

hehe...Burmese dissidents occassionally had activities at Lumpini Park,and Falungong activists are currently active in Thailand,Malaysia,Singapore...remember Bangkok post ever reported that they even staged protest in front the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok last year?

Didn't see anybody took any action against them.

[Dradam]

Instead of looking at GDP per capita we should be looking at total GDP to measure a country's economic clout. Singapore is ranked 57th in the world with $123.4 billion. Thailand is ranked 21st in the world with $560.7 billion. Thailand is economically a bigger fish than Singapore. China stands at $2.224 trillion so Thailand wouldn't dare to condemn China despite having a much larger GDP per capita than China.

Thailand is certainly on the downhill now though. A military government that is repressing freedom of the media will struggle to lift the country higher. Until a democratically elected government is back in place, investors should be hesitant to place too much faith in Thailand. Especially when there are better investments to be had.

Taksin could give as many interviews as he would like in the USA. The US government certainly won't try to quiet the media. Freedom of the press is considered sacred in the USA. It is why we hear so much of the failures of George W. Bush. Without the freedom of the press, Bush's approval rating might be sky high. Instead it is rock bottom. Now if only he hadn't been elected in the first place.

[Arkady]

That rhetoric sure sounds like a military government to me. Could we be looking at another Burma? I have said in other posts that this is the first time in all the years I have lived here that I have been worried. The military throws out the constitution and deposes the democratically elected leader. I for one do not take this lightly.

Absolutely right. I keep seeing posts saying Thaksin did this or Thaksin did that.

Thaksin is gone. Case closed.

There is a new, more dangerous enemy to contend with now.

Lets talk about the current dictatorship, and leave Thaksin out of it.

This seems to be exactly the reaction Thaksin was hoping to achieve.

Unfortunately, the Thaksin case is not closed. The more the government and the CNS mess up, the more likely it is that he will get back into power. If he does, he will not let go again. Now the elite's management ability is discredited, there will be no alternative. Sonthi et al would be dealt with ruthlessly and the military purged. (No doubt Thaksin would decide he liked the new FBA after all and it would give him more bargaining power to negotiate FTAs.)

Somehow Thailand has got to find a middle way to get through the muddle caused by the generals, purge Thaksin and TRT from the system, write a half decent constitution and elect a half decent government.

[lukamar]

At least this time they followed Diplomatic protocol, unlike the other day when they informed the Chinese of the pulling of Thaksin's Diplomatic passport at a public forum. Although not much has come out in public about the latter action you have to think that some strong words were said in private about it. Thus the following of protocol with Singapore. The Junta and their government have now managed to at least annoy if not out-rite madden two of their Asian allies. If Thailand continues to try and put pressure on Thaksin by pressuring their neighbors they may be in for a rude awakening if their neighbors and trading partners take actions against them.

If they try and sanction CNN, they will manage to get themselves worldwide bad press on one of the biggest watched news networks on earth. CNN has the entire video interview and the transcript on their website.

I don't think they play well with others...

[DisainaM]

This could be a lose-lose situation

http://info.channelnewsasia.com/bb/viewtop...sc&start=80

right

[moskito]

First everybody here on the ThaiVisa bord cry they want Thaksin away,

NOW he is not our Prime Minister anymore but the Chinese...sorry Singaporeans give him a platform to do his speaches against our government here. Will they give a platform to YOU normal civil people too??

No other thing is Thaksin in Thailand in the moment...he is a privateer, with a lot of money but still a private guy. He really should be happy that this goverment dont take further steps, freeze his accounts etc.

OH sorry I forget always he is a poor guy with only 60k on his account....so maybe they should freeze family accounts too. If he want not loose more face as he already have, he should try to live with the decisions our King and the ppl of Thailand made!!

I really have no idea what the most ppl in this bord here want. Thaksin was primeminister they always talked how bad he was. Now he isnt anymore and they talk like they want him back......

[bkkandrew]

I think that many here have missed the point. This step is a massive shift towards isolationism in the region. Can you imagine Blair calling in the French Ambassador if Maggie/Major hopped on the Eurostar and had a chat with Chiric after 1997?

Mature, stable countries do not act in this nonsensical way. I feel a call to ThaiGoon coming on to justify this insanity. If anyone can do it, he can!!

[farang prince]

I really cannot understand why Mr Thaksin does not return to Bangkok, How could they stop him, what would they do? Probably Shit themselves, go for it Thaksin!

Thaksin wouldn't make it three steps off that airplane. Don't forget, there are armed men in uniforms at the airport.

[pap]

If your actions can't stand up to the light of day then maybe you should double check your actions. Apparently Thailands government doesn't get this.

If they practice this type of action with every country he speaks from they will be doing business with no one.

They seem to play right into Taksin's hands at every opportunity.

[pap]

First everybody here on the ThaiVisa bord cry they want Thaksin away,

NOW he is not our Prime Minister anymore but the Chinese...sorry Singaporeans give him a platform to do his speaches against our government here. Will they give a platform to YOU normal civil people too??

No other thing is Thaksin in Thailand in the moment...he is a privateer, with a lot of money but still a private guy. He really should be happy that this goverment dont take further steps, freeze his accounts etc.

OH sorry I forget always he is a poor guy with only 60k on his account....so maybe they should freeze family accounts too. If he want not loose more face as he already have, he should try to live with the decisions our King and the ppl of Thailand made!!

I really have no idea what the most ppl in this bord here want. Thaksin was primeminister they always talked how bad he was. Now he isnt anymore and they talk like they want him back......

Which decision. The one where the people voted for Thaksin or the one where they sat back and watched the Military take over.

I love your country. But your government is doing stupid things right now. I know what stupid things look like because my country does them all the time also. It is important to recognize when you do stupid things so you don't repeat them. If you don't recognize it you will never find a more effective way to deal with it.

Thailand has a legal system. They should use it. What makes you think Singapore or any other country can control their press. Your country does only because they censor things they do not like. That means you only get the part of the story the people in charge want you to hear. That is called brain washing.

Many of the polls from your own countrymen show that if there was another election today it is likely Thaksin would win again. The way to deal with controversy is not to stop it. Its to show the people you are more right than the other guy. If you are in the right the people understand that. Silencing people does not work. So beat him at his own game. That should be fairly easy.

[Jet Gorgon]

This will only get more messy.

Singapore did a right diplomatic gaffe by letting the news out that its deputy PM would meet Thaksin. Private pals or not, this is a stab at the current Thai govt. Allowing CNN to interview Thaksin in Singapore was poke number two. Singapore keeps a stranglehold on media. How many publications/reporters have been banned or deported by Singapore? FEER, Economist...Say the wrong thing and its like you spit out your gum on the street. Byebye.

Temasek obviously has a pinkie in this too. It's money and polar politics.

Try to figure out Singapore's stake in all this.

[pap]

This will only get more messy.

Singapore did a right diplomatic gaffe by letting the news out that its deputy PM would meet Thaksin. Private pals or not, this is a stab at the current Thai govt. Allowing CNN to interview Thaksin in Singapore was poke number two. Singapore keeps a stranglehold on media. How many publications/reporters have been banned or deported by Singapore? FEER, Economist...Say the wrong thing and its like you spit out your gum on the street. Byebye.

Temasek obviously has a pinkie in this too. It's money and polar politics.

Try to figure out Singapore's stake in all this.

Very good points. It was unlikely the interview occurred without tacit approval. The question is was this the most effective way to deal with Singapore on this issue? I don't think so. Lots of subtle ways they could have made a point with teeth without making themselves look like the bad guy.

[Jet Gorgon]

The question is was this the most effective way to deal with Singapore on this issue? I don't think so. Lots of subtle ways they could have made a point with teeth without making themselves look like the bad guy.

I dunno, Pap. I think Thailand did right by this suspension action. Only the jellybabies like Canada would run and hide in the corner if another country did this to them. This is international news and Thailand has to show a don't mess with us image, especially now. I am really shifting the mental sands to figure out why Singapore is doing this. They don't usually interfere with other country's political biz. What's the benefit to them? A telecom/satellite tie? Anti-muslim connection? Money and power is involved here. Singapore is stuck on a little piece of land and depends on Malaysia for food, water, manpower. And you know who runs Malaysia. Don't know the situation well enough to connect the dots.

Where is our erudite TV political professor?