Army Chief Urged To Stage Coup

[sunray69]

What I like in this country is that when you are here you really get value for your money. Trust me, come live or spend your holiday in Thailand and you ll never get bored... This place is really funny !

[v2drinkers]

Great idea on the poll

Its so relevant whether the average farang is going to support a coup!

[cmsally]

On Wednesday, a district court ordered the alliance leaders and their supporters to immediately leave Suvarnabhumi, calling the occupation "an infringement on other individuals who have freedom of movement."

So much for the respect for the court and the judges. As always, if it goes PAD's way OK, If not just ignore it.

Pretty much sums up my point of view too.

The army's job is to protect the airports not to let people just waltz in and take them over.

If that were the case surely you could refuse to go through the X ray machines at entrance, saying it was your right to enter, no one could stop you.

[Levanter]

It is unfortunate that such an option is now considered so easily acceptable and highly favoured.

The bloodless coup of 2006 has seemingly turned the military coup into the solution du jour for political problems that people cannot or will not solve through peaceful, open-minded negotiation and democratic mechanisms. Like the aftermath of May 1992, the 2006 coup has left behind a generation of Thais patiently waiting for someone to swoop in to save the country from its political woes through extrajudicial means. What are we to do with a country that cannot walk on its own two feet? That always has to be carried like a toddler over uneven terrain? What are we to do with a country that does not have the institutionalized mechanisms to solve such problems? Or worst of all, a people too used to completely ignoring or trampling over such mechanisms when they actually do exist?

While I am neither pro-PAD nor pro-Thaksin, I am as uncomfortable with the idea of a coup as much as the idea of the government caving into PAD demands -- such acts set dangerous precedents (or have set already), a slope gradually becoming more slippery and more steep as Thailand and her people slowly lose their faith and reliance on democracy.

[toony623]

hope there will not be the coup this night.... too sad

[garywee77]

Coup is the last - and worst - option. I will not support it.

After a possible coup - so what? The army has shown before they cannot run the country, and it is not supposed to be their job either. So use the army only to maintain law and order together with the police. And let the elected govt run the country.

This implies to kick out PAD from the airport and parliament house.

Yes, I totally agree and if the current goverment can clear this matter, it will be a confidence boozer as well!!!

It will not only gain confidence from the Thais but also the tourists, business investment and etc

Edited November 27, 2008 by garywee77

[favre360]

Coup is the last - and worst - option. I will not support it.

After a possible coup - so what? The army has shown before they cannot run the country, and it is not supposed to be their job either. So use the army only to maintain law and order together with the police. And let the elected govt run the country.

This implies to kick out PAD from the airport and parliament house.

It's clear the PAD will not leave the airports unless Somchai is history or the army forcibly removes them. One of these solutions has a violent outcome, the other does not. Which do you think is better for tourism, a protest ending in bloodshed and resentment or a military coup.

[garywee77]

Coup is the last - and worst - option. I will not support it.

After a possible coup - so what? The army has shown before they cannot run the country, and it is not supposed to be their job either. So use the army only to maintain law and order together with the police. And let the elected govt run the country.

This implies to kick out PAD from the airport and parliament house.

It's clear the PAD will not leave the airports unless Somchai is history or the army forcibly removes them. One of these solutions has a violent outcome, the other does not. Which do you think is better for tourism, a protest ending in bloodshed and resentment or a military coup.

No Pain No Gain!!

[johnson36]

I have just heard that the Army has been seen moving in from Korat, has anyone else heard this or seen anything

[PhilHarries]

Why can't the army restore the law without taking over the government? Isn't that what would happen in any other country? I guess a coup was what the PAD has been looking for since the beginning. The next thing to question would be who is behind the PAD and why do they want a military dictatorship? Do they want it to be permanent? Are they staging a military dictatorship as a transition to something else? If so, what transition? Questions, questions and no answers to post on a public forum I suppose. Sad times for Thailand.

In any other country the police would have maintained law and order, that is their job not the army's.

Now the army is between a rock and a hard place. Either stage a coup and face the international condemnation or remove the protesters from the airports and government house. The former can, most likely, be done without bloodshed latter runs the risk of violent confrontation portrayed as a brutal military crackdown by the world's press. Plus they will be storming the airport in front of hundreds of foreign witnesses who, in addition to the tales they'll tell on return to their homelands, are likely to be caught in the crossfire (should it come to that).

The time for sitting back and doing nothing is well past, the rights and wrongs of the various parties are insignificant compared to the damage being done to the country.

No, the government's total incompetance has landed the country in a right old mess.

[whatawonderfulday]

A friend has told me he has seen a few trucks of army guys in full combat gear in BKK within the last hour. Maybe nothing of course. Anybody else who can substantiate that ?

[Wolfie]

I have just heard that the Army has been seen moving in from Korat, has anyone else heard this or seen anything

Yeah, i've heard the same thing...

... the Army is on the move!

/Edit: Hopefully they are just preparing to liberate the airports - fingers crossed!

Edited November 27, 2008 by Wolfie

[Lance_A_Lot]

Girlfriend works for Harrow in Don Muang. Parents are coming to pick their kids up early as tanks are in the area (few km's away). Many seem certain of a coup but everyone's pretty much in the dark at this point.

? coup ... or perhaps the Army, or at least some faction of it, is preparing to take back the airport ?

[fauxie]

Clearly something is afoot and it'll probably go down tonight. That's how they like it, with most people in their homes and off the streets. Army general's job (and power) is on the line, so despite his apparent desire to avoid it, a coup may be on the cards. I'm hoping instead the mobilization of the army is simply a case of them only removing the protesters.

Interesting how close the vote is. Nothing in it, really.

[FatherF]

Coup is the last - and worst - option. I will not support it.

After a possible coup - so what? The army has shown before they cannot run the country, and it is not supposed to be their job either. So use the army only to maintain law and order together with the police. And let the elected govt run the country.

This implies to kick out PAD from the airport and parliament house.

It's clear the PAD will not leave the airports unless Somchai is history or the army forcibly removes them. One of these solutions has a violent outcome, the other does not. Which do you think is better for tourism, a protest ending in bloodshed and resentment or a military coup.

I think it is better for tourism, if the elected government is seen to be strong enough to direct the police/army to remove the protesters from ALL of the places it occupies.

The current perception is that Thailand has "Mob Rule", this is no good for any trade be it tourism, business or anything else!

FF

[LinkPopularity]

what is this about?

illegal wood cutting and drugs trade ... that's what the PAD is really after ... everything else is just blah

PPP has won the elections; they have not only the right to remove the PAD with all means necessary ... it's their duty!

[favre360]

? coup ... or perhaps the Army, or at least some faction of it, is preparing to take back the airport ?

Using tanks to clear out the airports is like hunting with a rocket launcher. Unless they're for intimidation purposes.

[dave9988]

As long as there are elections and as long as the rural majority is allowed to vote, the elected governments will be unacceptable to the PAD.

If this ends in a coup they might as well just skip the new elections part, right?

[grandpops]

I have just heard that the Army has been seen moving in from Korat, has anyone else heard this or seen anything

Must be some PAD in Khorat as they are more likely to be running from a fight than too one.

A coup would be good as those who support democracy can then force them into embarrassing climb down after embarrassing climb down like last time.

Remember FBA and all that? All land and businesses in Thai hands? More restrictions on Foreign Capital inflows etc. Visa restrictions, rights to gather and protest banned.

Why not just invoke that right to protest again now? The Army did it last time and they were happy with it and it would instantly make criminals of the ... well.. criminals at the airports meaning the Army could spring into action. Well meet with the Banks again anyway

The Government in Chaing Mai is still in the country. The army cannot even manage a Rock Festival let alone a country.

At least if they do the coup we will then have the Appointed ones put in the Junta Cabinet and they can show the world for the second time in 2 years what a bunch of complete 1950's throwback Fascists they are. Wheel em out, lets have a laugh at em.

This appointed Intelect Government propsal sounds good on the PAD stage (to them) but Who are the real life people they are proposing... Muppets thats what. Remember the Culture ministry at the time, they wanted to turn the clock back to 1920 or earlier.

Edited November 27, 2008 by grandpops

[IAMSOBAD]

The PAD is shooting itself in the foot. They are pisssssing off travellers ...tourists ...businesses ...relatives ...neighborhoods ...friends ...allies ...enemies...pilots...

flight attendants...hotels...taxis......EVERYONE!

[phupaman]

Hi

Cougar 52,, Was it like that with Thaksin and the courts, only worse.

phupaman

[wrecker]

They should immediately cancel the pension of this chap. HE is co responsible for what is going on, he is a PAD supporter, Both he and Prem should be brought to trial. If Thaksin gets a prison term, Chamlong and Sondhi and the mountain goat impersonator should be given the bullet. Especially given the fact that they demand sympathy from everybody and cause sorrow for hundreds of thousands of people. Sick, dying, children, elderly travellers. And if this work, the UDD should apply the very sam tactic to any new government that is formed. Unfortunately in this backward country, the leaders are all in their late 70's and 80's. They live a life from back in the 70's. People who are over 70 should resign and ask younger people to rule. We need an kind of Obama here, a young guy who lives now and not in the past. What the PAD is doing is nothing less than trying to keep the clock from going forward. they have had a cozy live in which they could misuse the boys as virtual slaves in their factories, the girls as entertainers from the worst kind, and they held the elderly hostage by denying them healthcare and schooling for their children and grandchildren. Take all the money that these people hold, and confiscate it, they have caused considerable more damage to Thailand than Thaksin could do in 7 lives.

Where is the police how cme the generals are not purged? Where are the sharpshooters who take out all armed civilians disobeying orders to disperse? Where are the courts that jumped over Thaksin and his cronies whenever they could and that are held in contempt by the PAD over and over. Thaksin has a case, the system is rotten, the elite is rotten, the generals are rotten. If anyone give the PAD what they want you better emigrate to Zimbabwe Mugabe is more decent than Sondhi and Chamlong.

[Farfetched]

OK, so we have a coupe. They hold new elections and the same government under a new name is brought back into power. What has been gained.

Ok, so we go the route of the PAD, and let them select the the MP's and a new Prime Minister. Then the Red shirts come out and protest just the same as PAD has. What have we gained.

It is time to let the people decide and may the best or strongest team win. Democracy comes with a price. It is time to pay the piper. I do not see anyway around mass bloodshed at this point in time. It will happen. It has already started to happen. hel_l, Even different factions of the military are divided on what to do. The time has come to S#!T or get of the pot.

The PAD is nothing but a bunch of spoiled middle and upper class fools that are mad because they did not get their way. The rural farmers are the smart one for taking the bribes from both sides and then voting their will.

LET PAD FALL TO THEIR KNEES AND BEG FOR MERCY.

IMHO

[dave9988]

Btw, PPP plans to bring 200,000 people to Bangkok. Perhaps those of you in the North can weigh in on the atmosphere there. Are the people prepared to fight and die for their democratic ideal of representation in government?

[Asian Frog]

But to stage a coup you must control the Army totally or nearly. Is it the situation today? Inside the Army is the Government without Allies? I think the situation quite different from 2006. Your opinion?

[dave9988]

OK, so we have a coupe. They hold new elections and the same government under a new name is brought back into power. What has been gained.

Ok, so we go the route of the PAD, and let them select the the MP's and a new Prime Minister. Then the Red shirts come out and protest just the same as PAD has. What have we gained.

The Army won't be worrying about civilian causulaties when its the red shirts protesting.

[sunray69]

I think to remove the protesters is legitimate and is the job of the police force...

[slim]

If 5000 blue shirted Conservatives stormed Heathrow and demanded that the army overthrow the democratically elected government and the resignation of Gordon Brown it would result in anarchy.

Lets face it Sondhi Lomthongkul and his right wing PAD dont just want the resignation of the current prime minister - they want power irrespective of the wishes of the popular vote.

Having successfully forced the CNS (Council for National Security) to stage a bloodless coup in September 2006 which saw the end of Thaksin and the TRT he must have thought he'd breeze through a new round of elections having prevented Thai Ruk Thai's 111 executives members from engaging in politics for 5 years. Little could he have imagined that the PPP rising from the ashes of the TRT would sweep to power again in February of this year.

Sondhi and the PAD cannot keep on claiming "foul" everytime they lose an election.

By rights Sondhi should be arrested and charged with insurrection.

We all know this is not going to happen.

With the army and the police divided between support for the PPP and support for the PAD the current situation can only escalate.

Long live the King - because without him Thailand would be on the brink of civil war.

Edited November 27, 2008 by slim

[whatawonderfulday]

They should immediately cancel the pension of this chap. HE is co responsible for what is going on, he is a PAD supporter, Both he and Prem should be brought to trial. If Thaksin gets a prison term, Chamlong and Sondhi and the mountain goat impersonator should be given the bullet. Especially given the fact that they demand sympathy from everybody and cause sorrow for hundreds of thousands of people. Sick, dying, children, elderly travellers. And if this work, the UDD should apply the very sam tactic to any new government that is formed. Unfortunately in this backward country, the leaders are all in their late 70's and 80's. They live a life from back in the 70's. People who are over 70 should resign and ask younger people to rule. We need an kind of Obama here, a young guy who lives now and not in the past. What the PAD is doing is nothing less than trying to keep the clock from going forward. they have had a cozy live in which they could misuse the boys as virtual slaves in their factories, the girls as entertainers from the worst kind, and they held the elderly hostage by denying them healthcare and schooling for their children and grandchildren. Take all the money that these people hold, and confiscate it, they have caused considerable more damage to Thailand than Thaksin could do in 7 lives.

Where is the police how cme the generals are not purged? Where are the sharpshooters who take out all armed civilians disobeying orders to disperse? Where are the courts that jumped over Thaksin and his cronies whenever they could and that are held in contempt by the PAD over and over. Thaksin has a case, the system is rotten, the elite is rotten, the generals are rotten. If anyone give the PAD what they want you better emigrate to Zimbabwe Mugabe is more decent than Sondhi and Chamlong.

Ehm, do I detect slight resentment of the PAD .

[dageshi]

Coup is the last - and worst - option. I will not support it.

After a possible coup - so what? The army has shown before they cannot run the country, and it is not supposed to be their job either. So use the army only to maintain law and order together with the police. And let the elected govt run the country.

This implies to kick out PAD from the airport and parliament house.

It's clear the PAD will not leave the airports unless Somchai is history or the army forcibly removes them. One of these solutions has a violent outcome, the other does not. Which do you think is better for tourism, a protest ending in bloodshed and resentment or a military coup.

Honestly I imagine most people think Thailand is a joke at the moment, what first world country lets a ragtag bunch of protestors take over the nations main airport and close it down. What first world police force sits on it's hands and does nothing while this takes place? And what first world country suggests a coup as the easy way out?

The answer unfortunately is Thailand is patently not a first world country and is no danger of becoming one any time soon, when your answer to a difficult polticial question is to have a coup the whole system is a failure. I'm sorry to those who rely on tourism but on top of the financial crisis this year and next Thailand couldn't do anything more stupid than this, it's frankly laughable and I'm seriously regretting that 2 month tourist visa I just got from Laos since at the rate we're going I might as well head off to Vietnam before there are soldiers on the street. Because coup or not that seems to be where we're heading.