State Of Emergency Announced In Bangkok

[RadioCityMike]

I was refering to the comment about Cambodia.

Yeah I bet you do, another nice one that was a little bit PAD related don't you think. Of course to go further into that would be OT.

Beleive in me I am no supporter for PAD nor the PPP. If I had my way, I would ban the whole lot from politics/pressure group as they all hold criminal/ corruption records. Problem is I have no idea who could replace them!

Abhisit man, Abhisit.

Did he visit Isaan once during the last election?

You will recall (maybe not) when the Democrats tried to campaign in the northeast, they were physically attacked. I guess they didn't pay as much as the other guys.

They are hated in the northeast because of the perceived belief here of their involvment in the coup.

If the democrat party were to be put in place as the next goverment you might see things get even worse.

So any democrat is unacceptable.

I was under the impression that the EC was mandated to dissolve any political party convicted of election violations irregardless of how minor or inconsequential with no tolerance. And as a resut of that, no one currently in the system would be elegible for politics for 5 years. I am sure that is an exageration, but I do think the democrats will also be dissolved. I have not followed the EC closely, so I am sure someone can clarify this.

[Thai at Heart]

I found this from Asia Times, one of Manager Groups Websites.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/ID27Ae01.html

And if anyone can prove it is a spoof, I please ask the mods to remove it.

Recollections, revelations of a protest leader

By Shawn W Crispin

An interview given by Sondhi.

I don't want to copy it all because there are many references to a very respected man.

Asia Times (founded by Sondhi) went bankrupt in 1997 but continued with some former paper's staff as an online edition and it's hardly an independent news agency/publisher and it's doubtful if Mr. Shawn W Crispin can be considered completely independent as well...

So: not only the article is more than a year old it's also a PRO Sondhi colored article.

LaoPo

I am not supporting, just throwing out for people to read. Very strange language and as I mentioned in the original post, it sounds like more of a spoof than a true interview.

[blaze]

I found this from Asia Times, one of Manager Groups Websites.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/ID27Ae01.html

And if anyone can prove it is a spoof, I please ask the mods to remove it.

Recollections, revelations of a protest leader

By Shawn W Crispin

An interview given by Sondhi.

I don't want to copy it all because there are many references to a very respected man.

No it's not a spoof. It is a genuine interview that can also be accessed in General Topics in Thaivisa. And anyone genuinely interested in what motivates Sondhi should read this article- the relationship between him and the Chinese middle class- his relationship with the elites- why he will be more careful this time around about which particular coupsters he throws his hat in with- the nature of his hostility to Thaksin and what he thinks motivates his supporters.

..

Totally cool article. Sondhi is definitely my hero now. Thanks for posting this article

When it was originally posted (by Lao Po) most PAD supporters in this forum as well as those supporting the coup- kind of put their fingers in their ears- certainly nobody rhapsodized about it as you just have. What in this interview particularly impressed you about Sondhi?

Edited September 2, 2008 by blaze

[Seizhin]

I could never understand how people could worship either Thaksin or Sondhik Limthongkul or even our religious Chamleong Srimeang.

Anyways, this had to end fast, to investors in Thailand, it's either PAD captured to their root or Samak's clan gone from the politics once and for all.

Getting annoyed with the stupid propaganda around, espcially when you're in Southern part where people are worshiping their PAD leaders without much common sense.

Maybe it'll be the same if I'm in Chiang Mai where people would worship the PPP.

[emelie]

In America every man, woman, minority, land owner or not has the right to vote and the majority will rule. With this kind of democracy we have a very stable government that people will invest in and have become the worlds #1 economy.

very stable indeed! over 20 years of war criminals, conan the barbarian ruling california, dollar down to the ground, huge deficits, credit crisis, blood thirsty oil villains. trying to police the rest of the world but cannot win any war since 1945. instead killing thousands of people all over the world at the cost of thousands of american lifes. rampant crime & drugs & corruption. supporting dictators and corrupt governments all over the world for the sake of 'capital'. and you wanna tell us that this is a model for thailand? oh joe oh joe, it hurts so much.........

[animatic]

I found this from Asia Times, one of Manager Groups Websites.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/ID27Ae01.html

And if anyone can prove it is a spoof, I please ask the mods to remove it.

Recollections, revelations of a protest leader

By Shawn W Crispin

An interview given by Sondhi.

I don't want to copy it all because there are many references to a very respected man.

Asia Times (founded by Sondhi) went bankrupt in 1997 but continued with some former paper's staff as an online edition and it's hardly an independent news agency/publisher and it's doubtful if Mr. Shawn W Crispin can be considered completely independent as well...

So: not only the article is more than a year old it's also a PRO Sondhi colored article.

LaoPo

It is not a pro Sondhi article.

It IS an interview with Sondhi and he seems to speak his mind.

and fairly eloquently in english. If you pre-disposed to

not want to hear his own words in print, then you likely will get nothing out if it.

If you are disposed to actual giving a fair listen, like I am then it was enlightening.

I will ghaldly read most everything, and the form my OWN opinion,

based on what I read and pat corroborated evidenses.

Too many here seem to content to repeatedly parrot what they have been told.

With little questioning of it's source's motivations. Or blanket condemnations

based on philisophical absolutes, rather than considering the facts on the ground.

This last can not be considered 'dialog', but hectoring, and serves little purpose.

Edited September 2, 2008 by animatic

[ubonjoe]

I was refering to the comment about Cambodia.

Yeah I bet you do, another nice one that was a little bit PAD related don't you think. Of course to go further into that would be OT.

Beleive in me I am no supporter for PAD nor the PPP. If I had my way, I would ban the whole lot from politics/pressure group as they all hold criminal/ corruption records. Problem is I have no idea who could replace them!

Abhisit man, Abhisit.

Did he visit Isaan once during the last election?

You will recall (maybe not) when the Democrats tried to campaign in the northeast, they were physically attacked. I guess they didn't pay as much as the other guys.

They are hated in the northeast because of the perceived belief here of their involvment in the coup.

If the democrat party were to be put in place as the next goverment you might see things get even worse.

So any democrat is unacceptable.

On one hand, you are probably right. On the other hand, it seems that the northeast keeps voting in crooks. First Thaksin and we don't need to go over this again, and now the PPP. The northeast's voting record in the past few years has been anything but stellar.

Call them crooks if you want. The goverments before them were the same. The only difference is that TRT paid attention to their needs. The changes up here are visable. Economic growth. Better roads, utilities and etc. plus a lot more. You could almost hear the sucking sound as things started getting pulled back into Bangkok after the coup.

[Plus]

The main problem [is] that [the] current constitution doesn't allow for [an] outside government.

[sic]

Duh!

What constitution envisions a government outside itself? I think you're asking for the moon (and won't even get an asteroid).

The clause about a non elected PM was considered in the 2007 constitution draft but was eventually rejected, people were saying there's no need, parlamentary system can heal itself.

Would come in handy now.

As it is only parlament dissolution or at least Samak's resignation are the only available legal options.

Sunday debate has proved yet again that Thai parlament is absolutely useless, just a talking shop to vent your anger. All its decisions for the next four years have been predetermined in those precious four seconds in December when people cast their votes.

[trigger571]

Impact on tourism - 10% of tourists cancel a trip to Thailand in just 2 days!

Further to my previous post, I have had one more cancellation to thailand in my agency bringing the total to 8. Reuters reported a 10% cancellation world-wide in just 2 days!

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSBKK23003020080902

The ultimate victim of all this .... the People of Thailand!

[h90]

I was refering to the comment about Cambodia.

Yeah I bet you do, another nice one that was a little bit PAD related don't you think. Of course to go further into that would be OT.

Beleive in me I am no supporter for PAD nor the PPP. If I had my way, I would ban the whole lot from politics/pressure group as they all hold criminal/ corruption records. Problem is I have no idea who could replace them!

Abhisit man, Abhisit.

Did he visit Isaan once during the last election?

You will recall (maybe not) when the Democrats tried to campaign in the northeast, they were physically attacked. I guess they didn't pay as much as the other guys.

They are hated in the northeast because of the perceived belief here of their involvment in the coup.

If the democrat party were to be put in place as the next goverment you might see things get even worse.

So any democrat is unacceptable.

unless the put 200 Baht more than Thaksin on the table. Than they would be the darlings. Northeast would meet to celebrate their loved Abhisit.

[onethailand]

Temasak - Managing Director - Former Head of Siam Cement

Siam Commercial Bank - Adviser for the deal

Can you elaborate please?

Owned by which organisation?

All inexplicably linked, and yet still confounds me.

Still cryptic.

Temasek is the investment arm of the Government of Singapore. Not sure what that has to do with its managing director or the former head of Siam Cement.

SCB's major shareholder, if I am not mistaken, is the Crown Property Bureau.

Edited September 2, 2008 by onethailand

[hammered]

Hey guys that is the problem bnoth sides are uuterly hated by swathes of the country. The only way out is for the so called leaders (not that they do much leading unless it is into mindless battle) to come to an agreement. the people are not going to come to one if their leaders are busy rousing them to all kinds of insanity.

There is no win for one side or the other and the sooner they see this the better.

[Seizhin]

In America every man, woman, minority, land owner or not has the right to vote and the majority will rule. With this kind of democracy we have a very stable government that people will invest in and have become the worlds #1 economy.

Majority would choose the government and the minority respects it, that is what Democracy is, but that is only best when the majority of the citizens are educated, and does not bow to a few dollars.

However, if the majority of the people are uneducated, taking our Land of Smile for instance, it's best to adopt our Chinese brother's knowledge, and just adopt the communism.

It's a problem in Democracy when the people who supports the majority are willing to turn into a minority for a few bucks per day.

[Thai at Heart]

Temasak - Managing Director - Former Head of Siam Cement

Siam Commercial Bank - Adviser for the deal

Can you elaborate please?

Owned by which organisation?

All inexplicably linked, and yet still confounds me.

Still cryptic.

Temasek is the investment arm of the Government of Singapore. Not sure what that has to do with its managing director or the former head of Siam Cement.

SCB's major shareholder, if I am not mistaken, is the Crown Property Bureau.

And Siam Commercial Bank who put together a lot of the financing and securitisation?

[Thai at Heart]

I was refering to the comment about Cambodia.

Yeah I bet you do, another nice one that was a little bit PAD related don't you think. Of course to go further into that would be OT.

Beleive in me I am no supporter for PAD nor the PPP. If I had my way, I would ban the whole lot from politics/pressure group as they all hold criminal/ corruption records. Problem is I have no idea who could replace them!

Abhisit man, Abhisit.

Did he visit Isaan once during the last election?

You will recall (maybe not) when the Democrats tried to campaign in the northeast, they were physically attacked. I guess they didn't pay as much as the other guys.

They are hated in the northeast because of the perceived belief here of their involvment in the coup.

If the democrat party were to be put in place as the next goverment you might see things get even worse.

So any democrat is unacceptable.

unless the put 200 Baht more than Thaksin on the table. Than they would be the darlings. Northeast would meet to celebrate their loved Abhisit.

Somehow I just don't see it quite that simply.

[blaze]

I found this from Asia Times, one of Manager Groups Websites.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/ID27Ae01.html

And if anyone can prove it is a spoof, I please ask the mods to remove it.

Recollections, revelations of a protest leader

By Shawn W Crispin

An interview given by Sondhi.

I don't want to copy it all because there are many references to a very respected man.

Asia Times (founded by Sondhi) went bankrupt in 1997 but continued with some former paper's staff as an online edition and it's hardly an independent news agency/publisher and it's doubtful if Mr. Shawn W Crispin can be considered completely independent as well...

So: not only the article is more than a year old it's also a PRO Sondhi colored article.

LaoPo

It is not a pro Sondhi article.

It IS an interview with Sondhi and he seems to speak his mind.

and fairly eloquently in english. If you pre-disposed to

not want to hear his own words in print, then you likely will get nothing out if it.

If you are disposed to actual giving a fair listen, like I am then it was enlightening.

I will ghaldly read most everything, and the form my OWN opinion,

based on what I read and pat corroborated evidenses.

Too many here seem to content to repeatedly parrot what they have been told.

With little questioning of it's source's motivations. Or blanket condemnations

based on philisophical absolutes, rather than considering the facts on the ground.

This last can not be considered 'dialog', but hectoring, and serves little purpose.

What did you find in the article that would piss off some people (other than those hoping that they would find corroberation for the notion of Sondhi as a graft fighter).

[ubonjoe]

I was refering to the comment about Cambodia.

Yeah I bet you do, another nice one that was a little bit PAD related don't you think. Of course to go further into that would be OT.

Beleive in me I am no supporter for PAD nor the PPP. If I had my way, I would ban the whole lot from politics/pressure group as they all hold criminal/ corruption records. Problem is I have no idea who could replace them!

Abhisit man, Abhisit.

Did he visit Isaan once during the last election?

You will recall (maybe not) when the Democrats tried to campaign in the northeast, they were physically attacked. I guess they didn't pay as much as the other guys.

They are hated in the northeast because of the perceived belief here of their involvment in the coup.

If the democrat party were to be put in place as the next goverment you might see things get even worse.

So any democrat is unacceptable.

unless the put 200 Baht more than Thaksin on the table. Than they would be the darlings. Northeast would meet to celebrate their loved Abhisit.

Some parties spent a lot of money up here. But most people took it and voted for their party of choice.

Thats why PPP won not the money.

[onethailand]

Still cryptic.

Temasek is the investment arm of the Government of Singapore. Not sure what that has to do with its managing director or the former head of Siam Cement.

SCB's major shareholder, if I am not mistaken, is the Crown Property Bureau.

And Siam Commercial Bank who put together a lot of the financing and securitisation?

What's the point you're trying to make? I'm confused.

[h90]

I could never understand how people could worship either Thaksin or Sondhik Limthongkul or even our religious Chamleong Srimeang.

Anyways, this had to end fast, to investors in Thailand, it's either PAD captured to their root or Samak's clan gone from the politics once and for all.

Getting annoyed with the stupid propaganda around, espcially when you're in Southern part where people are worshiping their PAD leaders without much common sense.

Maybe it'll be the same if I'm in Chiang Mai where people would worship the PPP.

That's another kind of corruption...only thinking what foreign investors think.

Clean the politics, you have for 5 month less investment and for 5 years higher investments. As well you can reduce all taxes by 5 % if you get rid of corruption.

[animatic]

In America every man, woman, minority, land owner or not has the right to vote and the majority will rule. With this kind of democracy we have a very stable government that people will invest in and have become the worlds #1 economy.

Majority would choose the government and the minority respects it, that is what Democracy is, but that is only best when the majority of the citizens are educated, and does not bow to a few dollars.

However, if the majority of the people are uneducated, taking our Land of Smile for instance, it's best to adopt our Chinese brother's knowledge, and just adopt the communism.

It's a problem in Democracy when the people who supports the majority are willing to turn into a minority for a few bucks per day.

The only way it REALLY works well is if a majority puts in a government

that RESPECTS the minority also. When Thaksins said, and backed up,

Any province that doesn't vote for TRT will not get ANY development money,

he meant it, and acted in it.

PPP is TRT under a different name, even some of the

backroom ruling clique are banned TRT leaders,

with the same mind set:

We won, and you weren't with us TOUGH, no tit for you.

A recipee for disaster for sure.

[emelie]

It's the first time I feel relieved hearing a state of emergency has been declared. And from what I heard from friends and relatives, and very few of them are Samak's suporters, I'm far from the only one.

As eastwest says rightly " If the military stays behind Samak and the principles of elected government, Thai democracy and the rule of law might very well be strengthened." Hope at last !

maybe 'pierrots' are not in thailand these days and don't have many friends here anyway. if the military stayes behind 'bought' governments, the rule of law might well be weakened. hope needs to go a long way these days

[Thai at Heart]

Still cryptic.

Temasek is the investment arm of the Government of Singapore. Not sure what that has to do with its managing director or the former head of Siam Cement.

SCB's major shareholder, if I am not mistaken, is the Crown Property Bureau.

And Siam Commercial Bank who put together a lot of the financing and securitisation?

What's the point you're trying to make? I'm confused.

The deal was brokered by Temasak by a former head of Siam Cement, Thai gentleman, owned by CPB, and the securitisation was put together by SCB, owned by CPB. A very strange situation one would think.

[pauleddy]

good points raised:

1. The new government ordered 6 Swedish fighters (Viggens) for about double the price that anyone else would pay. the Viggens are good, but the Yanks and others have better. The article refers to each government buying new planes. In the Bangkok Post, I read that (my paraphrase) the high costs were justified because of the need for extras incl pilot training and equipment. I think myself that somebody's pension is coming out of the "extras."

2. Seizhin sums it up very well. Too much of this will mean that tourists won't come here and investors won't invest. Remember that motherboards and BMWs are now made here. Seizhin is right that this will need to be sorted. it doesn't matter that Samak says he will not give up, or ditto the PAD. talk is cheap. This won't last more than a few days without something happening. the King will step in and tell Samak to go, or the people to go home. Or the army will get hard. Thaksin is very smart and-or was prompted not to come back now. I really can't see that this will last for weeks.

PE

[animatic]

I found this from Asia Times, one of Manager Groups Websites.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/ID27Ae01.html

And if anyone can prove it is a spoof, I please ask the mods to remove it.

Recollections, revelations of a protest leader

By Shawn W Crispin

An interview given by Sondhi.

I don't want to copy it all because there are many references to a very respected man.

Asia Times (founded by Sondhi) went bankrupt in 1997 but continued with some former paper's staff as an online edition and it's hardly an independent news agency/publisher and it's doubtful if Mr. Shawn W Crispin can be considered completely independent as well...

So: not only the article is more than a year old it's also a PRO Sondhi colored article.

LaoPo

It is not a pro Sondhi article.

It IS an interview with Sondhi and he seems to speak his mind.

and fairly eloquently in english. If you pre-disposed to

not want to hear his own words in print, then you likely will get nothing out if it.

If you are disposed to actual giving a fair listen, like I am then it was enlightening.

I will ghaldly read most everything, and the form my OWN opinion,

based on what I read and pat corroborated evidenses.

Too many here seem to content to repeatedly parrot what they have been told.

With little questioning of it's source's motivations. Or blanket condemnations

based on philisophical absolutes, rather than considering the facts on the ground.

This last can not be considered 'dialog', but hectoring, and serves little purpose.

What did you find in the article that would piss off some people (other than those hoping that they would find corroberation for the notion of Sondhi as a graft fighter).

Well I get a definite that sense several here would preffer to find him

talking like a Hilter Youth speach writer and corroborate him as a nut case.

I got no sense of that at all, or anything vaguely similar.

[Insight]

If I ever get clubbed over the head by a DAAD protester I'll be asking him what his ThaiVisa nick is. There's little evidence of them anywhere else....

Edited September 2, 2008 by Insight

[Tony Clifton]

I was refering to the comment about Cambodia.

Yeah I bet you do, another nice one that was a little bit PAD related don't you think. Of course to go further into that would be OT.

Beleive in me I am no supporter for PAD nor the PPP. If I had my way, I would ban the whole lot from politics/pressure group as they all hold criminal/ corruption records. Problem is I have no idea who could replace them!

Abhisit man, Abhisit.

Did he visit Isaan once during the last election?

You will recall (maybe not) when the Democrats tried to campaign in the northeast, they were physically attacked. I guess they didn't pay as much as the other guys.

They are hated in the northeast because of the perceived belief here of their involvment in the coup.

If the democrat party were to be put in place as the next goverment you might see things get even worse.

So any democrat is unacceptable.

That incident was BEFORE the coup.

So Northeners hate and even attack a democrat rally's stage and it's participants while p[olice watch with a smile, even hitting them with chairs on their heads before the elections and are crying foul over democracy still today?

In the same line of democratic thought, word from DAAD since yesterday is they are coming down hard to shut down the ASTV station tonight.

[uptou]

Emergency may be lifted in a few days after problems solved: Samak

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said he made the decision with caution to announce the state of emergency and would try to end the problems in a few days.

He said the announcement was made after consulting officials concerned.

He said the emergency would be lifted after he solved the problems.

He said he would try to solve the problems as soon as possible.

He said the problems would be ended in a few days and Bangkok governor election candidates would later be allowed to launch their election campaigns.

-- The Nation 2008-09-02

Samak sounds almost as honest and patronizing as Magunbee our beloved "President" of Zimbabwe.

How could anyone doubt such sincerity.

It has to be said Samak doesnt come across as the most sincere of prime ministers.He reminds me of a dodgy chinese market seller flogging very iffy merchandise who will tell you anything to get a sale.I'd like to see him don a fake fur coat,& some tasteless chunky gold jewelry just to complete the used car salesman look.

At the end of the day he's Thaksins puppet,& if Thaksin genuinely cared about Thailand he would have dissapeared sooner,which makes it obvious that its all about power,& regardless of what the PAD's ultimate motives are,surely its a good thing for thailand that this sort of thing will be fought against.

[h90]

I was refering to the comment about Cambodia.

Yeah I bet you do, another nice one that was a little bit PAD related don't you think. Of course to go further into that would be OT.

Beleive in me I am no supporter for PAD nor the PPP. If I had my way, I would ban the whole lot from politics/pressure group as they all hold criminal/ corruption records. Problem is I have no idea who could replace them!

Abhisit man, Abhisit.

Did he visit Isaan once during the last election?

You will recall (maybe not) when the Democrats tried to campaign in the northeast, they were physically attacked. I guess they didn't pay as much as the other guys.

They are hated in the northeast because of the perceived belief here of their involvment in the coup.

If the democrat party were to be put in place as the next goverment you might see things get even worse.

So any democrat is unacceptable.

unless the put 200 Baht more than Thaksin on the table. Than they would be the darlings. Northeast would meet to celebrate their loved Abhisit.

Some parties spent a lot of money up here. But most people took it and voted for their party of choice.

Thats why PPP won not the money.

What the local boss told they should vote, as he also got money. They told lies all the day.....For the 30 Baht insurance Thaksin will pay the difference from his own money, paying back the credits after 1997...Thaksin paid it from his privat money to help Thailand. They spread rumor about how the not allowed to post love Thaksin. AND they got some money so they can see how Thaksin loves them.

And that is just a simple explanation on what happened.

That also explains why some people when tired and bored get the idea of they are simply not educated enough in Isaan to vote. That is not meant against the people it is just out of frustration in a weak moment.

No question that every government the last 50 years failed to bring some education to that areas, but on the other hands that silly areas get smaller (but get more children so more population).

[blaze]

In America every man, woman, minority, land owner or not has the right to vote and the majority will rule. With this kind of democracy we have a very stable government that people will invest in and have become the worlds #1 economy.

Majority would choose the government and the minority respects it, that is what Democracy is, but that is only best when the majority of the citizens are educated, and does not bow to a few dollars.

However, if the majority of the people are uneducated, taking our Land of Smile for instance, it's best to adopt our Chinese brother's knowledge, and just adopt the communism.

It's a problem in Democracy when the people who supports the majority are willing to turn into a minority for a few bucks per day.

\

Any province that doesn't vote for TRT will not get ANY development money,

he meant it, and acted in it.

I can't say what Thaksin meant when he said that- but I do know what one of the most important PMs of Canada, Trudeau, meant when he said the same thing to the western provinces of Canada- in a representative democracy, representatives who are in the winning party stand a much better opportunity to get things done for their constituencies than representatives outside of the party. THat's unfortunate- I don't like that situation- but it's hard to get rid of.

[koosdeboer]

I found this from Asia Times, one of Manager Groups Websites.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/ID27Ae01.html

And if anyone can prove it is a spoof, I please ask the mods to remove it.

Recollections, revelations of a protest leader

By Shawn W Crispin

An interview given by Sondhi.

I don't want to copy it all because there are many references to a very respected man.

Enlightning Thai At Heart - Thanks.

Yes interesting reading.

It filled in a few gaps. No Spoof.

Nothing seems out of place,

just some interesting details of the last year or so.

Bound to piss off several here,

no doubt, without a doubt , doubtless.

Here another link written by Shawn W Crispin, written tomorrow 3 sept,

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/JI03Ae01.html

Southeast Asia

Sep 3, 2008

Thailand teeters on the brink

By Shawn W Crispin