Banning AI would be a statement in itself. These guys sre delusional. Like it makes any difference. We all know Thailand's problems in the human rights sphere. Personally, I follow the paradigm give to Caeser what is Caeser's.

 

On 1/18/2022 at 10:03 PM, Kinnock said:

Why would anyone, outside of senior military or government officers, sign a petition to oust an organisation that most people in Thailand would only be vaguely aware of?

 

Although I can believe there are at least a million government employees here, if we include Police and Army, so perhaps they all signed it?

Or perhaps well, not perhaps) it's all a load of hogwash with the purpose of creating an atmosphere of petty coercion against AI. 

On 1/20/2022 at 10:17 PM, baboon said:

So the folks who gave shelter to Anne Frank and her family were nothing but common criminals, were they? Bloody hell, man, think...

So, you are going soo far overboard that you are comparing the second world war with daily common laws? Yeah, I thought I´ve heard it all.

28 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

So, you are going soo far overboard that you are comparing the second world war with daily common laws? Yeah, I thought I´ve heard it all.

I have not brought WWll into it at all. I am pointing out that there is nothing morally wrong in breaking unjust laws. You seem to disagree so there we are. 

On 1/18/2022 at 6:12 PM, StayinThailand2much said:

Feudalism is alive, kicking, and screaming in Thailand. Back to the past!

I'm sure you've caught one of those Thai historical dramas about the Ayutthaya times. When the servants get out of line they're tied to a pole and whipped mercilessly, crying out in pain for a good five minutes or so while dramatic music plays. They even go through a lot of trouble with make up to make it look realistic. I reckon a great many of them yearn for those good ol' days.

On 1/18/2022 at 4:33 AM, Petey11 said:

If they could just get rid of that pesky Amnesty International the government could really get to work on consolidating their grip on power. 

Amnesty gets US govt funding and is trying to steer Thai politics into an anti China stance. Good riddance

12 hours ago, baboon said:

I have not brought WWll into it at all. I am pointing out that there is nothing morally wrong in breaking unjust laws. You seem to disagree so there we are. 

Yes you have. The reason why she was hunted down was Hitler, and the holocaust during WWII. You can not compare what happens during war with times of peace. So, yes, there we are. And you did bring WWII into it. No meaning denying that.

3 hours ago, Harsh Jones said:

Amnesty gets US govt funding and is trying to steer Thai politics into an anti China stance. Good riddance

never heard of this allegation.

care to post any credible source?

Contrary:

"FINANCIAL & LEGAL DOCUMENTS

Responsible, accountable, and transparent

Amnesty International is completely independent – we do not accept contributions from any government entities, and we are accountable to our members and the communities we serve.

The Programmatic and Audited Financial Statements below provide a full accounting of income, expenses, and programmatic activities over the last decade."

https://www.amnestyusa.org/about-us/financial-and-legal-documents/

 

AI is apolitical. Defending human rights, exposing violation of law by authorities is not political.

They defend unjustly imprisoned in non political cases, for example conscience objectors (resisting compulsory military service, pacifists, anti-militarists).

 

Surely this attack by royalists in thai government is political and is state sponsored. Most probably the PM knows all details from where money came.

That at the time, when political prisoners numbers are rising again. In november 2020 the PM said he will use all possible laws, including lese majeste, to squash any opposition.

That includes human rights defenders, including mothers of those imprisoned or a sister of thai dissident murdered by thai state in june 2020 in cambodia, which sparked the wave of mass protests at universities and sparked monarchy reform demands

To internationalism: Thanks for the link to AI. I was the Executive Director of a 501(c)(3) for several years and received no pay although it was a fair amount of work and potential liability. So the financial statement linked is interesting for several reasons, one of which is that on a quick perusal I see no list of individual compensations. Of course this is the problem with all (fairly) full financial disclosures--there is aways someone wanting to second guess the details, especially if there is politics or large amounts involved. Also, the huge jump in total assets from 2019 to 2020 is notable and needs explanation, not that it's bad.

5 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Yes you have. The reason why she was hunted down was Hitler, and the holocaust during WWII. You can not compare what happens during war with times of peace. So, yes, there we are. And you did bring WWII into it. No meaning denying that.

As you wish. Let the forum readers be the judge.

Let's try another one. Imagine a military coup in, say, 2014, in a Southeast Asian country. Immediately after illegally seizing power, they change the law to make anything they have ever done, are doing now and will do in the future perfectly legal. Anything. While they are at it they rip up the constitution and criminalise dissent. ("Don't protest, it's no use.") 

This upsets quite a few people who make their feelings known despite these 'laws'. This is in peacetime, remember. Now, do they have any right to voice their indignation or should they shut up and do as their new lords and masters demand? 

Streisand effect - how many Thai people had even heard of AI, before now, that is. Most people didn't give a monkey's, more pressing worries, I guess. Obviously grates against a certain section of the population. What's weird is that these are the guys reading the reports - their very concern validates, certainly raises AI's profile.

On 1/18/2022 at 6:35 PM, tomacht8 said:

If the expel become a reality, then there will be negative consequences for Thailand in terms of international investment decisions.

Doubtful. The successful international investment firms enhance their bottom lines with an eye more on realpolitik than on human rights. Such firms don't blatantly stiff arm human rights; but they do recognize that strong anti-sedition laws, like in Malaysia and Singapore, prevent unrest not condusive to stable manufacturing.

 

And then there's Vietnam. International investment there certainly isn't thwarted by their human rights position, at least by businesses that would get my nod for stock purchase. And Vietnam certainly pushes back against organizations like AI.

Quote

Amnesty International’s Senior Director of Global Operations, Minar Pimple, has been refused an entry visa to speak at this week’s World Economic Forum on ASEAN event in Hanoi, further evidence of the Vietnamese government’s ongoing crackdown against freedom of expression.

Realpolitik indeed -- by successful businesses.