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500 Protest In Udon Thani, But Thais Won't Revise Singapore Military Pact: Pm


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UDON THANI, Feb 23 (TNA) – Despite as many as 500 protestors from 19 northeastern provinces calling for an end to Singapore use of the Udon Thani Royal Thai Air Base here, some 560 km northeast of Bangkok, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont stressed Friday that Thailand will not revise its military cooperation accords with the island republic.

Although there have been some minor disagreements between the two neighbours, Gen. Surayud made it clear that Thailand does not intend to reduce military cooperation with Singapore.

Marching from Thung Sri Muang field in Udon Thani municipality to Air Base 23, they then read an open letter to Prime Minister Surayud before handing it over to representatives of the base commander.

Representing a coalition of activist groups throughout the northeast, the protestors demanded that the interim government cancel a pact with Singapore signed by the former Thaksin Shinawatra government in 2004 to allow the island republic to use the base for training purposes for 15 years.

Gen. Surayud said the interim government has never discussed such an issue which is a matter of international relations, emphasising that his government has never seriously considered any actions that will cause adverse consequences for the country's relationship with foreign countries.

As member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the premier said, Thailand has always been committed to cooperation it has agreed upon with other country members.

"Our policy concerning cooperation with all foreign countries, especially those in the Asean group, does not change", Gen. Surayud affirmed.

Demonstrators carried banners requesting Singapore to return the military base to Thailand. They also demanded revoking ownership of the entire Shin Group including the Shin Satellite concessions that ousted PM Thaksin's family had sold to Singapore's Temasek Holdings.

Sense of so-called nationalism among some groups of Thai people has apparently flared up when Thai military leader Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, as chairman of the Council for National Security and Army Commander-in-Chief has recently vowed to take back the satellite facilities which he described as "national assets" from Singapore.

A number of critics, including academics and media columnists, have cautioned that the current stream of excessive patriotism may do more harm than good to the nation if it is let to get out of hand. (TNA)–E009

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Sense of so-called nationalism among some groups of Thai people has apparently flared up when Thai military leader Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, as chairman of the Council for National Security and Army Commander-in-Chief has recently vowed to take back the satellite facilities which he described as "national assets" from Singapore.

there-in lies the problem ,

any practical analysis reports repurchasing / buying back .......................

a far cry from taking back

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It looks like the government's anti-Singapore and nationalistic speeches are starting to get the expected results. The masses are starting to protest, inline with the governments wishes, and as expected.

A tried and trusted mechanism, through history.

I bet there are no protests from the drunken thai's earning a living in Singapore when they are bladdered off their faces in The Golden Mile Complex on Sunday

or from the girls in Orchard Towers

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I do recalled reading from somewhere, but could not remember where from. It seems when the agreement was inked, Singapore governement donated a squadron of fighter aircrafts to the RTAF. The obsolete kind that the singapore airforce is phasing out. On top of this, Singapore pays rent on the airbase to the tune of One billion baht per year.

I cannot be sure. So gimme a break. No strong rebutter, please. :o

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So 500 ignorant people gather to shout? Implessive...

How do you know that they are ignorant?

Un-informed or mis-informed perhaps, but ignorant, I wouldn't think so.

ignorant means uninformed

ig·no·rant /ˈɪgnərənt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ig-ner-uhnt] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–adjective

1. lacking in knowledge or training; unlearned: an ignorant man.

2. lacking knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact: ignorant of quantum physics.

3. uninformed; unaware.

4. due to or showing lack of knowledge or training: an ignorant statement.

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As many things in this country I find this hard to believe. Same with this so-called Caravan of the Poor we had recently. These anti-Singapore protesters must have been payed by someone!
500 protestors from 19 northeastern provinces calling for an end to Singapore use of the Udon Thani Royal Thai Air Base

Well you would normally assume that they were either payed or rounded up to facilitate this protest..

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So 500 ignorant people gather to shout? Implessive...

How do you know that they are ignorant?

Un-informed or mis-informed perhaps, but ignorant, I wouldn't think so.

ignorant means uninformed

ig·no·rant /ˈɪgnərənt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ig-ner-uhnt] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–adjective

1. lacking in knowledge or training; unlearned: an ignorant man.

2. lacking knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact: ignorant of quantum physics.

3. uninformed; unaware.

4. due to or showing lack of knowledge or training: an ignorant statement.

Maybe JBseara had mixed up ignorant with arrogant. Anyway, don't these protestors have jobs? It was held this morning, they should be at work. Yes so, I agreed that these people could have been paid to protest.

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As many things in this country I find this hard to believe. Same with this so-called Caravan of the Poor we had recently. These anti-Singapore protesters must have been payed by someone!

Absolutely

Thailand would shit itself if Singapore was to bite back. Behind the scenes the junta would be assuring Singapore that this was all about discrediting Thaksin....nothing more.

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Absolutely

Thailand would shit itself if Singapore was to bite back. Behind the scenes the junta would be assuring Singapore that this was all about discrediting Thaksin....nothing more.

Well that's a possibility. In sofar, Singapore has been very much playing the "let's wait and see what is going to happen next" with the junta. But to all thais and foreigner, it may be seen that Singapore is weak in its reply to these kind of meaningless onslaught by people who do not even speak in a straight tongue, and also by those who don't even know the time of the day. Cutting to the chase, do not disturb a sleeping fire spewing dragon.

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As many things in this country I find this hard to believe. Same with this so-called Caravan of the Poor we had recently. These anti-Singapore protesters must have been payed by someone!

Absolutely

Thailand would shit itself if Singapore was to bite back. Behind the scenes the junta would be assuring Singapore that this was all about discrediting Thaksin....nothing more.

I reckon so. Just something for the top heavy brass to puff their chests out for.

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UDON THANI, Feb 23 (TNA) – Despite as many as 500 protestors from 19 northeastern provinces calling for an end to Singapore use of the Udon Thani Royal Thai Air Base here, some 560 km northeast of Bangkok, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont stressed Friday that Thailand will not revise its military cooperation accords with the island republic.

Although there have been some minor disagreements between the two neighbours, Gen. Surayud made it clear that Thailand does not intend to reduce military cooperation with Singapore.

Marching from Thung Sri Muang field in Udon Thani municipality to Air Base 23, they then read an open letter to Prime Minister Surayud before handing it over to representatives of the base commander.

Representing a coalition of activist groups throughout the northeast, the protestors demanded that the interim government cancel a pact with Singapore signed by the former Thaksin Shinawatra government in 2004 to allow the island republic to use the base for training purposes for 15 years.

Gen. Surayud said the interim government has never discussed such an issue which is a matter of international relations, emphasising that his government has never seriously considered any actions that will cause adverse consequences for the country's relationship with foreign countries.

As member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the premier said, Thailand has always been committed to cooperation it has agreed upon with other country members.

"Our policy concerning cooperation with all foreign countries, especially those in the Asean group, does not change", Gen. Surayud affirmed.

Demonstrators carried banners requesting Singapore to return the military base to Thailand. They also demanded revoking ownership of the entire Shin Group including the Shin Satellite concessions that ousted PM Thaksin's family had sold to Singapore's Temasek Holdings.

Sense of so-called nationalism among some groups of Thai people has apparently flared up when Thai military leader Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, as chairman of the Council for National Security and Army Commander-in-Chief has recently vowed to take back the satellite facilities which he described as "national assets" from Singapore.

A number of critics, including academics and media columnists, have cautioned that the current stream of excessive patriotism may do more harm than good to the nation if it is let to get out of hand. (TNA)–E009

One has to wonder if the protest would have taken place if America Bought the "Shin Group"

As I see it, you cant penalize the Buyer, So I think the poster who called the Group Ignorant, was correct....

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One has to wonder if the protest would have taken place if America Bought the "Shin Group"

As I see it, you cant penalize the Buyer, So I think the poster who called the Group Ignorant, was correct....

The usual "rent-a-mob" given flags; headbands; and Leo Beer by their puppeteers.

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It looks like the government's anti-Singapore and nationalistic speeches are starting to get the expected results. The masses are starting to protest, inline with the governments wishes, and as expected.

A tried and trusted mechanism, through history.

Yep, now I understand why I was in a Bangkok-like traffic jam for 5 minutes on the way out of Udon Thani yesterday at lunch time, the "masses" hey! :o:D:D

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Only to be surpassed by the former 'Iron Curtain' spontaneous anti-capitalist.

Forgive them, for they know not what they do.

Seriously, though, how stupid do the junta believe the genral populace to be? Singapore may be tiny but it has more international credibility in one suburb that Thailand has as a whole.

Possibly the powers that be in LoS need to read publications with less pictures and more words.

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