4 hours ago, webfact said:

It is about national security. If we can deter attacks, we don’t really have to go to war.”

 

Here is the reason it will get knocked down by the 250 implant MP's or plainly speaking charged as unconstitutional going against National Security. The Junta have already covered the angle, and most every other point that tries to unravel anything they have wound in the 20 yr plan. And with that matter, whomever pushes for something(s), it will plainly be deemed against National Security or against the 20 yr plan (same thing), and they will be up on dereliction charges, possibly treason.

3 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

While I agree with your comment, it's the people in power who don't want better, educated people.

The population would realise the raw deal they have been getting for centuries. Those in power would lose their grip on it.

Absolutely. They want serfs to fix their cars and open doors for them, etc. Just enough education to preform. Then they complain when the people they’ve purposely not educated drive like idiots or can’t perform tasks so they have to employ foreigners, etc. The elite want to have their cake and eat it. But in this age of internet and information, it’s just getting harder and harder to keep people ignorant. 

Conscription is a bunch of BS. They speak of 4.0 and uplifting Thailand, but for the military side they should make it attractive to join. Not just being a grunt as they like, but having some education for University degree offered or a trade. Say join for 2-3 years, and then an additional 2 are educational. Some trades learned can be reapplied almost immediately in active service. But washing and licking someone's shiny boots or shoes is not applicable anywhere. It's demeaning. 1000 Generals x 10 or 20 conscripts per house = 10,000 to 20,000. and this does not include the higher ranking officers.

2 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Absolutely. They want serfs to fix their cars and open doors for them, etc. Just enough education to preform. Then they complain when the people they’ve purposely not educated drive like idiots or can’t perform tasks so they have to employ foreigners, etc. The elite want to have their cake and eat it. But in this age of internet and information, it’s just getting harder and harder to keep people ignorant. 

Agreed.

Right now it will only be the truly inquisitive who will be interested in using the internet to find out information. The rest will be watching soap operas and facebook. It will take a long time, but the opportunity is there, as you say.

No conscription makes the army very insignificant and that’s what scares the Junta head , the wannabe PM in the fake election who can’t even defend his position in open debate !


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1 hour ago, steven100 said:

I see where your coming from and I don't disagree, however evidence has shown, and especially in Thailand, that kids who have been in the military for a few years do seem to come out with a better understanding, more responsible within their local village and generally become better men. At least that's what I see in our village and town.

I feel only old dinosaurs have this opinion, i come from a country that had conscription and ended it just before I had to go. I can tell you it did not impact my generation one bit. 

 

It was actually far more useful to have all those young men to do some actual work instead of a stupid conscription. I can't say if its the same in Thailand, but IMHO most people who bring it up are old dinosaurs who have been conscripted themselves or fear their shadow and think conscription will tame the natives (strange as they are taught to kill).

 

I have always been AGAINST conscription my whole life, not going to change that now. Its a wast of time. People should not be forced to give up productive time to the government. A professional army with people in it who really want to do the job is far better as unmotivated draftees. 

 

 

To be fair I do feel so safe living here now knowing they have invested in some new submarines. 

Yes. Investing

in slaves is good for Elite Generals. Wife's nephew spent his mandatory 2 years as a General's houseboy. Excellent for the General, waste of time and 2 years life of a young man. F.rediculous!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arent all thais slaves in some way to a stupid government. The place is out of control from greed and egos. A military is needed to sort things out perhaps? Think about it. There is a ban on burning yet did anyone stop. Its mass murder in a slow sickening way. Problem is this military is not a real military. They wouldnt last a minute against a real army. These idiots are buying tanks and troop carriers for urban warfare? I thought the future is drones and robots. There is no need for any recruits at all and good luck recruiting my son to serve as a worthless sheild for corrupt lil dik pigs.

32 minutes ago, Hayduke said:

 

This doesn’t appear to be military service…it rather appears to be some sort of reactionary youth program running off the rails. It's a type of pre-emptive criminal probation for potentially wayward young people. Who, by the way, haven't committed any crime, but need to be punished and forcibly indoctrinated...just in case. This does not describe the purpose and function of a modern military...and is not something any free society would ever endorse or tolerate.

 

 

 

I agree with what you mentioned, but if it was implemented as a conscription military training program that also encumbers job recruitment and career prospects and try to convince / instill in the youth how rewarding such a program can be for their future. Don't market it as a disipline or indoctrine type of program ...

Also, the community involvement seems to go a long way to making youth have appropriate respect for the elderly and their local community.

If run correctly, and became compulsary / the norm .....   and if successful, then youth and kids would be keen to join such a program.

I see it as a recruitment/training/career development/community involvment program.

But as you say ....  today the ' do gooders ' wouldn't accept a common sense job creation approach like that.

2 hours ago, steven100 said:

I believe compulsary conscription should be implemented in some western countries such as Australia & US,  even as a 6 month requirement.

The reason I say this is becuase I have always maintained that kids who have responsibility, respect, community involvement and who are kept busy .... they generally don't fall into bad habits, drug taking, criminal activity and the likes.

Australia has a high youth drug problem, crime, school brawling, waywould students etc ....

 

A one or two year compulsary conscription could be implemented and broken down :

6 months service to learn dicipline, respect and responsibility.

6 months community service with local government involvement.

6 months career path and job training for when they leave.

6 months higher studies and further job skill training.

 

The money that is currently being spent on social security and youth unemployment could be used for this.

If this type of senario had been implemented and actually up and running some years ago, Australia and other countries wouldn't have the big drug problems they are facing now.

 

I know some of you will say ' you can't implement that ' or ' that goes against basic human rights etc ....  well,  I'm just saying that it would go a long way to keeping kids off the street and stop them getting into trouble.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Conscription can be done / approached in different ways.

 

Both Singapore and Sth. Korea take a quite different approach and a very large % of youngsters see it as their duty.

 

Plus in both countries conscription is very well organized and boys come out will valuable skill sets, many complete a degree whilst in the ranks.

 

To some extent I buy the need for a force to help in fairly big number during massive floods etc., but the Thai military certainly doesn't need thousands of generals, this part of the puzzle is just soldiers playing games with themselves with for zero solid valuable benefit for Thailand.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

 

“Our past experiences show that going to war without being fully prepared can result in huge casualties,” Kongcheep said, adding that this is the reason why mandatory conscription has been in effect since 1954. 

War?? With whom??? Hello we live in the year 2019....

15 minutes ago, BobbyL said:

To be fair I do feel so safe living here now knowing they have invested in some new submarines. 

Do you live at the top of Doi Inthanon by any chance?

Investing in the Army is important.

 

OVER investing in the Army, and other military branches, encourages corruption and misuse of funds and human resources, holds back the country in a perpetual cycle of coups, and prevents investment in non-military items that could improve life for all Thai citizens.

 

Thailand needs and deserves a professional, well-trained army that operates under the country's civilian government -- not a perpetual cycle of conscripted lackeys who become personal servants and have the unfortunate habit all too often of getting beaten to death during training.

 

Edited February 28, 20197 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

17 minutes ago, unamazedloso said:

Arent all thais slaves in some way to a stupid government. The place is out of control from greed and egos. A military is needed to sort things out perhaps? Think about it. There is a ban on burning yet did anyone stop. Its mass murder in a slow sickening way. Problem is this military is not a real military. They wouldnt last a minute against a real army. These idiots are buying tanks and troop carriers for urban warfare? I thought the future is drones and robots. There is no need for any recruits at all and good luck recruiting my son to serve as a worthless sheild for corrupt lil dik pigs.

That's not correct. It was longer than that.

The last invasion of Thailand was by the Japanese in 1941, the Thai army fought against them for five hours.

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

The past situation where the army is above the government

It is not a "past situation" it has been, for a long time now (and probably for the foreseable future) the military will be above or be the government. Despite the upcoming 'fake' election.

 

Investing in the younger peoples education could bring about a more industrious generation for the benefit of all. The danger being that they will challenge how they are governed and the military will NOT tolerate that. Ipso facto - lets spend money on the military! 

 

We need troops and material to help in 'civil emergencies' - specious argument, haven't seen too many tanks sent out to help the locals! ????

5 hours ago, webfact said:

expenditure on military affairs cannot be seen as a financial gain or loss. 

 

Well its a financial gain for some in the army.

regards worgeordie

8 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

the Thai army fought against them for five hours.

That long? Unbelievable. Tokenism at its best. ????

'Investing in the army is important', says Prayut.

Well, he would say that, wouldn't he! Duh!!

5 hours ago, webfact said:

He said conscripts acquired discipline and good ideology during their time in service, “so they will be quality citizens after they are discharged”. 

In other words, they're not quality citizens while in service .... (so they will be quality citizens after they are discharged) 

Of course army is very important , how else can you have so much bling and no one to boss around .

 

just as getting few subs to go fishing instead of perhaps functioning fighter jets or attack helicopters 

2 hours ago, steven100 said:

I believe compulsary conscription should be implemented in some western countries such as Australia & US,  even as a 6 month requirement.

The reason I say this is becuase I have always maintained that kids who have responsibility, respect, community involvement and who are kept busy .... they generally don't fall into bad habits, drug taking, criminal activity and the likes.

Australia has a high youth drug problem, crime, school brawling, waywould students etc ....

 

A one or two year compulsary conscription could be implemented and broken down :

6 months service to learn dicipline, respect and responsibility.

6 months community service with local government involvement.

6 months career path and job training for when they leave.

6 months higher studies and further job skill training.

 

The money that is currently being spent on social security and youth unemployment could be used for this.

If this type of senario had been implemented and actually up and running some years ago, Australia and other countries wouldn't have the big drug problems they are facing now.

 

I know some of you will say ' you can't implement that ' or ' that goes against basic human rights etc ....  well,  I'm just saying that it would go a long way to keeping kids off the street and stop them getting into trouble.

Just my 2 cents worth.

When I went to university they had just ended conscription. The guys that had done military service were the wildest and most drunken bastards . They totally lacked dicipline and respect.

21 minutes ago, lvr181 said:

It is not a "past situation" it has been, for a long time now (and probably for the foreseable future) the military will be above or be the government. Despite the upcoming 'fake' election.

 

Investing in the younger peoples education could bring about a more industrious generation for the benefit of all. The danger being that they will challenge how they are governed and the military will NOT tolerate that. Ipso facto - lets spend money on the military! 

 

We need troops and material to help in 'civil emergencies' - specious argument, haven't seen too many tanks sent out to help the locals! ????

Yes indeed, lvr181! When the junta speaks of the need for the army's presence to help in 'civil emergencies', it means those 'emergencies' where people are standing up for their rights and daring to voice their own opinion. That is a 'civil emergency' that needs to be put down at all costs. The military is perfect and well practised at doing it. 

That is the ONLY function of the military in Thailand.

9 minutes ago, Eligius said:

Yes indeed, lvr181! When the junta speaks of the need for the army's presence to help in 'civil emergencies', it means those 'emergencies' where people are standing up for their rights and daring to voice their own opinion. That is a 'civil emergency' that needs to be put down at all costs. The military is perfect and well practised at doing it. 

That is the ONLY function of the military in Thailand.

You're correct. I wasn't thinking about that type of 'civil emergency'.

 

Silly boy, will give myself an uppercut!

2 minutes ago, lvr181 said:

You're correct. I wasn't thinking about that type of 'civil emergency'.

Silly boy, will give myself an uppercut!

I'm sure Prayut would be happy to offer you a 'punch in the face.'

Investing in the Army is important.

He is Right.
Investing in Aircraft carrier without Aircraft, in shallow waters submarines, in falling helicopters, in thousands of golfing generals and in luxury wrist watches.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha declared yesterday that investing in soldiers is important and expenditure on military affairs cannot be seen as a financial gain or loss. 

Certainly a financial gain for the upper echelons I would say,.........

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“The country can call troops out any time of the day for a mission. If you downsize the armed forces, who will help out in times of disaster?” asked Prayut, who himself was once an Army chief.

Bullshit at the highest order. As an army chief he should have his intelligence apparatus to know any immediate and imminent security threats and there are none except for the insurgency in the southern provinces that require professional trained soldiers; not conscripts. 

 

He should know as a General that the political and security contexts have changed from what it was in 1954 when the Military Service Act for conscription was promulgated. Conscription is not applicable in current context. 

 

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

However, it is widely believed that some of these conscripts end up running personal errands for generals, and the Defence Ministry’s spokesperson Lt-General Kongcheep Tantrawanit also admitted that this was the case yesterday.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

In fact, a popular soap opera even depicts conscripts washing clothes and cleaning the home of a senior military officer. 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

“But I would like to emphasise that the conscripts running personal errands are very few in number,” he said, adding that the public should not associate scenes in TV soap operas with real life. 

???????????????? Stop it. I can't go on.

I've wet 'em.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

“Our past experiences show that going to war without being fully prepared can result in huge casualties,”

When?

We are not talking about elephants and horses and the Burmese 200 years ago.

But since WW II, say 1945.

When?

Or lets say since the Commies won, the dominoes did'nt all fall down, and Viets won in 1975.

When then?

Well, no surprises there then.....