51 minutes ago, ronnie50 said:

The only real hope is that an election is forced (I don't know how) - beause that's the only chance the people have to elect a majority progressive government (e.g. currently called People's Party, formerly Move Forward). I'm sceptical though that an election won't be called soon, and even if it was the usual suspects would have it disbanded for some illogical reason as usual. In any case, that latter group would probably prefer a coup - and this ditz is playing right into their hands for that to happen by not calling an election.

I will make a most optimistic prediction. There will never be another military coup here. Think about it. The moral authority that backed the coups in the past, is long gone. And the army does not have the guts to wage war against their people, Burmese style. 

 

It won't happen. The Thai army does not have the guts for it, and the Thai soldiers, and the families of the soldiers would never tolerate their sons murdering innocent Thais. The moms would say "you murder one Thai, and you are never welcome in our family home again. Listen to me. Do not do this". And you would have massive army defections. Who will fight at that point? Not the cowardly generals? They would flee into exile with their billions, and the army might collapse, or give up, at that point.

 

One of the fundamental differences, is the Thai soldiers are not facing the level of desperation the young Burmese are. The poverty here is not as grinding as it is in Burma. I do not think it could be sustained, if the fools started it. Thailand is a very different culture than Burma, on a dozen significant levels. And the youth now, are very different people than they were during past coups, which were violent. and were supported with a sort of moral authority, which is gone now. 

 

The army is in a difficult position now. If the people resisted, they would have to accept it. The generals would have to be content with their ill gotten fortunes. 

 

10 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I will make a most optimistic prediction. There will never be another military coup here. Think about it. The moral authority that backed the coups in the past, is long gone.

I'd like to think you're right, but I don't think so. Also there was no 'moral authority' that backed either of the last two coups. They overthrew two popularly elected majority governments at the urging of the minority establishment classes. They blamed 'chaos' but the chaos was caused by the establishment's mobs and the authorities didn't lift a finger to stop them - a complete opposite to how they treated the Red Shirt protests in central Bangkok - nearly 100 dead, mostly unarmed civilians. No moral authority whatsoever.