Democratic will can loosen military’s grip

[Creasy]

Only when the coup leaders end up like the Nicolae Ceaușescus and Muammar Gaddafi's of this world . That's when Thailand will start moving forward.

[HalfLight]

5 hours ago, YetAnother said:

the threat of the military cements their role in this place; the cycle of coups will continue

It will, at least until the Thai people decide that enough of this nonsense is enough.

 

Which might never happen.

2 hours ago, Lupatria said:

For all those still searching for an explanation in this case, sometimes it is hidden in the ads.
The art of placing ads in website design to make a profound but subtle statement seems to be highly underappreciated. However here is another fine example of an artist who knows how to do the job. I like his/her work: 

There'sa dog-whistle ad if ever I saw one.

 

 

[marcusarelus]

55 minutes ago, jayboy said:

Maybe it's you that needs to do the research if you mean the Iraq War. The small Thai contingent was made up engineers and medical workers and was specifically excluded from combat duties - which was what the question I responded to was about.

 

Having said that it's only fair that I point out - with the benefit of personal knowledge from a former American army officer - that some Thai troops performed very well and courageously in Vietnam under American direction. My informant was however fairly contemptuous of the posturing and ineffective Thai officer corps.

Nope.  Back to your history books.  I did not mean the Iraq war.

 

Australia sent 5,500 troops

New Zealand – 1,200

Thailand – 1,600

 

I have a Thai friend who got his leg blown off there. 

[GarryP]

1 hour ago, holy cow cm said:

The 20 yr lock down plan. This is the key problem along with the 250 MP's they will have free.

Every time someone does something to change the plan, even writing a new draft, they are banished and probably arrested I would gather. The only means would be a gathering of the masses of everyone has had enough or maybe a plea to the King?

How about getting sufficient support to hold another referendum. Perhaps one on the 20 year plan and the other on the constitution. Surely, giving the people the chance to voice their opinions on such matter could not be shot down by the Senate or the military, especially as the current constitution was supposedly "supported" by the people at a referendum - we know that was not the reality, but can throw their own argument back at them that people should be allowed to vote on it. If a referendum is not allowed then surely that would make it crystal clear to the people and the world at large who is really controlling the country.  

 

By going the way of the referendum, they would surely avoid the government being dissolved for trying to introduce laws which conflict with the 20 year plan, which is the situation a new government will face when it gets in.  It will be shackled as to what it can do for fear of being dissolved.    

[jayboy]

Nope.  Back to your history books.  I did not mean the Iraq war.
 
Australia sent 5,500 troops
New Zealand – 1,200
Thailand – 1,600
 
I have a Thai friend who got his leg blown off there. 

Instead of playing footsy why don’t you tell us which war you refer to.




Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[dcnx]

3 hours ago, Longcut said:

With all the medals these guys wear, you would think they won every Asian war ever, by themselves.

I’m going to guess that those medals are either easily given out, like good grades at school, or they just buy them. These guys have way too many and they’ve never been in battle and rank certainly doesn’t need anywhere near that many.

 

I’d love to see a breakdown to see what they all mean. It would probably be a good laugh.

[marcusarelus]

33 minutes ago, jayboy said:

Instead of playing footsy why don’t you tell us which war you refer to.
Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

I was trying to encourage you to learn something about Thai history rather than posting before you had adequate knowledge in the area of your posting.  Thai soldiers were involved in East Timor 2000.  The International Force East Timor (INTERFET) from 1999–2000  organised and led by Australia

 

[marcusarelus]

32 minutes ago, dcnx said:

I’m going to guess that those medals are either easily given out, like good grades at school, or they just buy them. These guys have way too many and they’ve never been in battle and rank certainly doesn’t need anywhere near that many.

 

I’d love to see a breakdown to see what they all mean. It would probably be a good laugh.

Ask the families of the 350 Thai troops that were killed and 1400 wounded during the Vietnam war. 

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, HalfLight said:

It will, at least until the Thai people decide that enough of this nonsense is enough.

 

Which might never happen.

There'sa dog-whistle ad if ever I saw one.

 

 

"It will, at least until the Thai people decide that enough of this nonsense is enough."

 

Point taken no disagreement. There's also the point that Thailand needs a new breed of politicians who aren't totally and unethically focused on their own pockets, that would also reduce the need for coups.

 

Yes I know, 'just vote the out', sadly not so easy. 

 

[DrTuner]

I think the OP title forget the rest of the  "maybe won't never" from the "will can".

[GarryP]

30 minutes ago, scorecard said:

"It will, at least until the Thai people decide that enough of this nonsense is enough."

 

Point taken no disagreement. There's also the point that Thailand needs a new breed of politicians who aren't totally and unethically focused on their own pockets, that would also reduce the need for coups.

 

Yes I know, 'just vote the out', sadly not so easy. 

 

I am not so sure you are right with that. At least with the unethical politicians they will throw some coin in the direction of the military to try to keep them happy. Gives them more time to line their own pockets. But ultimately the military will find a reason to hold the next coup. If a cleaner, less self centered lot came into power, the leeching generals would have to tighten their belts - something totally alien to them. So probably more likely to speed up coup no. 20 something. 

[HalfLight]

15 minutes ago, GarryP said:

But ultimately the military will find a reason to hold the next coup.

Yes they will. Ultimately the cause of the coups goes back to 1932. Someone trying to reverse something they didn't like very much.

[gamini]

7 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

I guess the OP has never visited Singapore. 

Singapore has far less political freedom in Thailand. But like Saudi Arabia, the US supports it and has a military base. As a matter of interest, none of the criticism of the Thai government on this forum would have been allowed in Singapore. I was banned for 10 years for writing an article the Bangkok post criticising the Singapore Prime Minister 

[jayboy]

26 minutes ago, gamini said:

Singapore has far less political freedom in Thailand. But like Saudi Arabia, the US supports it and has a military base. As a matter of interest, none of the criticism of the Thai government on this forum would have been allowed in Singapore. I was banned for 10 years for writing an article the Bangkok post criticising the Singapore Prime Minister 

What you say about comparative political freedom is simply incorrect. Singapore is obviously far from being a paragon but it is not a political dictatorship. All the recognized international studies confirm that Singapore despite its authoritarianism is Thailand's superior in all measures of freedom including political freedom. Google for details.

[marcusarelus]

50 minutes ago, HalfLight said:

Yes they will. Ultimately the cause of the coups goes back to 1932. Someone trying to reverse something they didn't like very much.

Are you just talking or do you know what the Siamese revolution of 1932 was about and the results?

[DrTuner]

2 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

Are you just talking or do you know what the Siamese revolution of 1932 was about and the results?

Well the probable causes were certainly interesting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siamese_revolution_of_1932

 

Quote

Rama VI was the first Chakri monarch to have been educated overseas (in Great Britain) and he basically sought to legitimise absolutism through the promotion of Thai nationalism, using a secular, Western approach

Quote

His creation of the paramilitary Wild Tiger Corps alienated many regular military officers, who resented the privileges granted to the corps while their own political and economic interests were being neglected.

Quote

Rise of the Western-educated "commoner" elites
Western education became popular in the reign of Rama V.[28] Although this was still largely limited to the Siamese nobility and the wealthy, new avenues of social mobility were now available to commoners and members of the lower nobility

The military will always use their guns to fight the western ideas, something we're encountering again almost a century later.