Junta Hits Back At Politico’s Call For Draft Abolition

[KiwiKiwi]

3 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Good example of abuse that you gave. Also extended to abuse resulting in death from sadistic senior ranks & not as a result of training (a recalcitrant here seem unclear of the difference). Really not ethical to force someone to be a soldier. I also question the effectiveness of the conscripts in supporting the regular force. There are no re-training or involvement in any military exercises to maintain their skill after the 2 years conscription period. Normally for some countries that have conscription to recall them for a period of time for training and joint exercises. Conscription is more suitable for countries that have a small population not Thailand. 

In Thailand, the process of conscription and the subsequent routine 'psychological alignment' is just one more part of the conditioning of a population. The hazing and peer punishment is a control mechanism. Nothing too smart in here, it's largely a heavy blunt instrument. Much like most of the army pooyay's I suppose, none of whom were hazed, beaten nearly to death or seconded out as a gardener to some fat and lazy general and his fat and lazy wife. The fast track to riches, fame and glory goes by another route.

 

Create a fierce loyalty and he's mine forever... better if you can give him a tall hat and trousers that are 3 sizes too small. That way, when they bend over, all kinds of other opportunities open up...

Edited April 24, 2018 by KiwiKiwi

[farcanell]

6 hours ago, hansnl said:

In Thailand, as in most other countries a purely volunteer army is very difficult to fill.

A conscript army isn't that bad.

An army made up wholly of professional soldiers is bad for democracy and difficult to control.

 

???? and yet, in general, democracies have proffessional armies....Strange hey..., or perhaps not really that difficult to control, after all.

[candide]

8 hours ago, candide said:

It's seems the PTP hits where it hurts and that the Junta has forgotten to prevent it in the constitution. 

Despite the serious doubts I may have about a professional army in Thailand, I must admit the beauty of the idea. The beauty of this idea is that the consequence would be an unavoidable reform of the army which will be subject to parliamentary debate, open consultations, inputs from the public, etc... A total nightmare for the current bunch. It's a master strike, in case it has any chance to succeed. Hats down!

[heybruce]

2 hours ago, candide said:

Gosh! For once in my life I may not disagree with hansln!  

 

You guys praising the merits of a professional army seem to live in an ideal world and forget which country is concerned. In this country, the hierarchy of the army has always been anti-democracy, and will likely remain so for a long time.

So what is better? An conscript army with an anti-democracy hierarchy, or a professional army with an anti-democracy hierarchy (in which professional soldiers are likely to be selected and trained according to the hierachy's ideology)?

Some of us are simply engaging in the fantasy of Thailand having a proper military, one that is a fraction of its current size and trained and equipped to defend the country, not suppress the population. 

 

As I noted earlier, the military doesn't want it and, in Thailand, the military doesn't let the government tell it what to do.  So an end of conscription isn't going to happen. However it is potentially a popular campaign issue and a way for the voters to let the military know how unpopular it is.  People won't be allowed to elect a government with real power, so this is an alternative way for voters to express themselves.

[farcanell]

2 hours ago, candide said:

Gosh! For once in my life I may not disagree with hansln!  

 

You guys praising the merits of a professional army seem to live in an ideal world and forget which country is concerned. In this country, the hierarchy of the army has always been anti-democracy, and will likely remain so for a long time.

So what is better? An conscript army with an anti-democracy hierarchy, or a professional army with an anti-democracy hierarchy (in which professional soldiers are likely to be selected and trained according to the hierachy's ideology)?

Lol... not so fast buddy... ???

 

your post doesn’t nessesarily agree with Hansln.... it’s actually got very little in common with Hanslns post

 

1/... a volunteer army is hard to fill ( not just in Thailand)

2/... conscript armies aren’t nessesarily bad

3/... professional armies are bad for democracy.

4/... professional armies are hard to control

[Baerboxer]

9 hours ago, GarryP said:

Adequate manpower!!!! Not as if Thailand has invaders knocking on the borders.  And the last time there was any border trouble, which lasted all of 3 months in 1987-1988, the generals stayed well away, while conscripts and other cannon fodder fled in panic.  It was absolutely pathetic. Thailand needs a professional army and that would mean getting rid of the vast majority of the generals and doing away with conscription. When you have armed forces run by people who have no idea what they are doing, and manned by people who have absolutely no desire or motivation to serve, you are wasting money that could be better spent elsewhere. 

 

The ratio of Generals to manpower is nowhere near what you'd expect. Very top heavy. Without the conscript national servicemen to swell the numbers, that ratio is gonna look even worse and very difficult to defend. 

 

But doing away with it, cutting army numbers, moving bases out of Bangkok and making parliament responsible for hiring and firing senior officers? He's living in a fantasy if he thinks they'll get away with that one!

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, heybruce said:

Some of us are simply engaging in the fantasy of Thailand having a proper military, one that is a fraction of its current size and trained and equipped to defend the country, not suppress the population. 

 

As I noted earlier, the military doesn't want it and, in Thailand, the military doesn't let the government tell it what to do.  So an end of conscription isn't going to happen. However it is potentially a popular campaign issue and a way for the voters to let the military know how unpopular it is.  People won't be allowed to elect a government with real power, so this is an alternative way for voters to express themselves.

"Some of us are simply engaging in the fantasy of Thailand having a proper military, one that is a fraction of its current size and trained and equipped to defend the country, not suppress the population. '"

 

Might as well indulge in the fantasies of having a professional police force, robust impartial justice system and honest ethical law abiding politicians too.

 

 

 

 

[digbeth]

10 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

for what?

servants for the senior ranks?

Well the shirts ain't gonna iron itself and there's lawn to be mowed

[The Old Bull]

Prayut believes the people love him . In fact they hate him and loading the armed forces with people that hate him is a stupid move. If there is ever a revolution 

having armed you enemies will not go well for the junta.

[stephen tracy]

1 minute ago, The Old Bull said:

Prayut believes the people love him . In fact they hate him and loading the armed forces with people that hate him is a stupid move. If there is ever a revolution 

having armed you enemies will not go well for the junta.

It's good that he's stupid. Let's just hope the people that installed him or equally stupid and shortsighted.

[bandito]

18 hours ago, robblok said:

Not sure, but if there is a volunteer army it will be smaller so you can raise salaries of the people serving. That might attract people.

There are not enough volunteers for the Thai Army in peacetime.

Most Thai boys don't want an Army career and the ones who do volunteer because of unemployment.

What attract people is an Army in wartime, the legally killing and the raping and shooting a gun.

It is in the human nature.

[robblok]

18 minutes ago, bandito said:

There are not enough volunteers for the Thai Army in peacetime.

Most Thai boys don't want an Army career and the ones who do volunteer because of unemployment.

What attract people is an Army in wartime, the legally killing and the raping and shooting a gun.

It is in the human nature.

I might not think highly of soldiers but this goes a bit too far IMHO. Even in my country where we certainly don't see revere soldiers like in some other countries we get enough of them. To be honest i don't think that the majority of soldiers wants to be in war. What I have read a lot of them come back damaged (mentally) PTSD ect.

Edited April 25, 2018 by robblok

[robblok]

11 hours ago, candide said:

Despite the serious doubts I may have about a professional army in Thailand, I must admit the beauty of the idea. The beauty of this idea is that the consequence would be an unavoidable reform of the army which will be subject to parliamentary debate, open consultations, inputs from the public, etc... A total nightmare for the current bunch. It's a master strike, in case it has any chance to succeed. Hats down!

I would love for this to come true.. but its a dream. There are too many senators in the armies pockets. 

[humbug]

11 hours ago, candide said:

Despite the serious doubts I may have about a professional army in Thailand, I must admit the beauty of the idea. The beauty of this idea is that the consequence would be an unavoidable reform of the army which will be subject to parliamentary debate, open consultations, inputs from the public, etc... A total nightmare for the current bunch. It's a master strike, in case it has any chance to succeed. Hats down!

totally agree,this a great upper hand punch by peu thai party knowing that they follow through with their election pledges and planting the seeds and let them grow in the thai population and the thai army. Whatever the army/cpgroup/beaurocrats try next to neutralise peu thai, it wont stop those seeds growing

[joebrown]

16 hours ago, chainarong said:

They need the conscripts to meet their manpower demands , yeah right , looking after the paddy fields and harvesting rice for their meals , looking after the fish farms, cleaning the top brass motor vehicles , keeping the motor pool clean, house cleaning  the General's house,  bagman pay off duties , arrange set up for the top brass party, helping the major's wife do the shopping,  the Junta fools some some of the time but not all of the time............................................

You forgot to mention all the military golf courses maintained by the conscripts!

[unblocktheplanet]

Don't have any faith in politicians or their promises. However, abolishing the draft and downsizing Thailand's military are long overdue. Finally, some pol just broke the ice and stated the obvious.