Tanks Sent For Maintenance Lead To Coup Scare

[webfact]

4 tanks sent for maintenance lead to coup scare

BANGKOK: - Four tanks were spotted on the Vibhavadi Rangsit near the Samien Nari Temple Monday evening, leading to coup scare.

But officials explained that the tanks were decommissioned from an operation in the southern border provinces and were sent for maintenance in Pathum Thani, and thus having to run through Bangkok.

The officials said the tanks would later be deployed to a UN operation in Sudan after the maintenance.

-- The Nation 2010-01-26

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[edwinchester]

Practice run?

[Splatter]

Where the tanks having windowboxes and vases fitted?

For flowers?

[thaicbr]

If they drove them up from the south no wonder they need maintenance. Surely they were on low loader trucks and not driving along the street?

HALF A STORY AS USUAL

Edited January 26, 2010 by thaicbr

[harrry]

A long bumpy ride in a tank from the south of thaland. Havent they heard of tank carriers here.

[animatic]

Were the tanks having windowboxes and vases fitted?

For flowers?

LOL good one.

We should be so luck.

It does go to show how nervous many are about this situation.

[SM7WGP]

Why all get scared and think that coup is in progress.

They have it nearly every 6 years so here in Thailand That the same like buying a news paper and you read the same story's again.

[webfact]

Why all get scared and think that coup is in progress.

They have it nearly every 6 years so here in Thailand That the same like buying a news paper and you read the same story's again.

They have it nearly every 6 years so here in Thailand

That is not true. Last coups: 1992, 2006.

[edwinchester]

Why all get scared and think that coup is in progress.

They have it nearly every 6 years so here in Thailand That the same like buying a news paper and you read the same story's again.

They have it nearly every 6 years so here in Thailand

That is not true. Last coups: 1992, 2006.

1998/1999's was cancelled as there was a particularly good run of Thai soaps on then.

[Meridian007]

Search the forum, you'll see many cases of people being surprised at seeing tanks in the street around there. They commonly go on practice runs after servicing the tank, but in typical Thai fashion, they don't stop to think about the fear that this may cause.

The creation of this coup scare worries me more than the prospect of an actual coup. If the military is unlikely to start a coup against Abhisit, (Why would they? Except for that one rogue Shinawatra relative, but I'm not sure if he is still in active service), then would the other side really think that "staging" a coup to look like the military would work?

That combined with Thaksin's claims that he will start a government in exile, make for some really confused potential situations.

[mythBuster]

Where the tanks having windowboxes and vases fitted?

For flowers?

and will get yellow ribbons attached so the tanks are looking better in the desert.

[ballpoint]

A long bumpy ride in a tank from the south of thaland. Havent they heard of tank carriers here.

They take them off the carriers when they go through Bangkok. It gets them through the traffic a lot quicker.

[animatic]

Why all get scared and think that coup is in progress.

They have it nearly every 6 years so here in Thailand That the same like buying a news paper and you read the same story's again.

They have it nearly every 6 years so here in Thailand

That is not true. Last coups: 1992, 2006.

1998/1999's was canceled as there was a particularly good run of Thai soaps on then.

Depending on coup definitions,

Thailand averaged between coups 3.6 and 4.9 years up till 1991

and 5.9 after, but '91 to '06 is a nice 15 year break.

1932: King Prajadhipok is overthrown in a coup d'etat.

Two in 1933: Manopakorn dissolves the National Assembly and rules by decree, until he is removed in another coup.

1947: Military coup by General Phin Choonhavan deposes the government.

1951: Phibun leads another military coup and restores the 1932 version of the Constitution.

1957: Following a coup led by General Sarit Thanarat

Two 1976: An attempted military coup is defeated in February, but a successful coup in October overthrows Pramoj.

Oct 20, 1977: The government of Thanom Kravichien, appointed in 1976, is overthrown by a military coup,

April 1, 1981: An attempted coup, led by General Sant Chipatima, D

Sept 9, 1985: A coup is attempted by Colonel Manoon Roopkachorn;

Feb 23, 1991: The government of General Chatichai is ousted in a bloodless military coup.

Sept 19, 2006: The armed forces take power and dismiss Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's caretaker government

Over 74 years there were 13 it seems, some say 17.

But at thirteen listed that's every 5.9 years, but yes there was a long break. Maybe they forgot.

Prior to that they averaged ever 4.9 years.

Ignoring the recoups of 1933 & 1976, we are not yet due,

but looking at the twin coup years Thaksin is a slow starter with his recoup attempt.

But also with 2 recoups or replacements of post coup leadership, it's not hard to see why Thaksin still has hopes.

And he did study at the knee of a coup leader how to win friends, wind enemies, and distribute patronage to gain power.

Still regardless of the Reddened TVF Pundits party line bolierr plate,

the military didn't appoint Abhisit like they DID appoint Surayud,

the elected representitives of the people DID appoint Anhisit.

So this can't be a counter coup, just a new coup attempt for a retrieving of Thaksin's lost power and cash...

He's 3 years late for the Government in exile gambit.

Edited January 26, 2010 by animatic

[Scully]

Why all get scared and think that coup is in progress.

They have it nearly every 6 years so here in Thailand That the same like buying a news paper and you read the same story's again.

They have it nearly every 6 years so here in Thailand

That is not true. Last coups: 1992, 2006.

1998/1999's was cancelled as there was a particularly good run of Thai soaps on then.

I have never seen so much rubbish in all my time as a member of Thai Visa.

There are never any good soaps on in Thailand.

[nonthaburial]

In fact totally false reporting. Tanks are tracked vehicles with turrets and heavy weaponry. The vehicles moved through Bangkok (for whatever reason) were not "tanks" but V150's which are wheeled Armoured Personnel Carriers. A big difference certainly when the story went on to state that these "tanks" were to be used in a UN deployment soon, "Tanks" I could not understand being used for the UN but I certainly can now that under the camouflage they were in fact APC's

[Thai at Heart]

1998, the IMF was running the economy so the army couldn't write any blank cheques.

[ratcatcher]

In fact totally false reporting. Tanks are tracked vehicles with turrets and heavy weaponry. The vehicles moved through Bangkok (for whatever reason) were not "tanks" but V150's which are wheeled Armoured Personnel Carriers. A big difference certainly when the story went on to state that these "tanks" were to be used in a UN deployment soon, "Tanks" I could not understand being used for the UN but I certainly can now that under the camouflage they were in fact APC's

Quite right, here's a picture of a V150 Armored Personnel Carrier.

This is a picture of a tank on a tank transporter.

[Hardback]

Didn't the coup occur back when Somchai was booted out?

[zzaa09]

Why all get scared and think that coup is in progress.

They have it nearly every 6 years so here in Thailand That the same like buying a news paper and you read the same story's again.

....fool me again, shame on me!!

[salty]

Perhaps retreating from the airport just in case.

[Payboy]

1998/1999's was cancelled as there was a particularly good run of Thai soaps on then.

I have never seen so much rubbish in all my time as a member of Thai Visa.

There are never any good soaps on in Thailand.

Er, correction - read that as "soapies".

[Ricardo]

In fact totally false reporting. Tanks are tracked vehicles with turrets and heavy weaponry. The vehicles moved through Bangkok (for whatever reason) were not "tanks" but V150's which are wheeled Armoured Personnel Carriers. A big difference certainly when the story went on to state that these "tanks" were to be used in a UN deployment soon, "Tanks" I could not understand being used for the UN but I certainly can now that under the camouflage they were in fact APC's

Surely this confusion just goes to show, how effective their camouflage is, that the vehicle-type was unable to be detected accurately, any votes for 'Thailand - Hub of Camouflage' ?

[NanLaew]

Maybe some of these tanks were from the train load of them that passed near Mahidol Uni some time last Sunday, headed into town.

[Ricardo]

Maybe some of these tanks were from the train load of them that passed near Mahidol Uni some time last Sunday, headed into town.

Were those 'on patrol' or 'en petrole' perhaps ?

[NanLaew]

^ Reminds me when I was a 'hostage' in Iraq before Desert Storm. We were in Balad and watched a couple of trains of really buggered tanks and tank bits headed for Baghdad. They had tracks missing, holes in them where engines and transmissions used to be, some even had the turret missing. Within a few days, the BBC was reporting huge trainloads of military hardware on the way south to bolster defences on the Kuwait border. We laughed and had another beer.*

* Suggest that some of you do the same now.

[IMA_FARANG]

In fact totally false reporting. Tanks are tracked vehicles with turrets and heavy weaponry. The vehicles moved through Bangkok (for whatever reason) were not "tanks" but V150's which are wheeled Armoured Personnel Carriers. A big difference certainly when the story went on to state that these "tanks" were to be used in a UN deployment soon, "Tanks" I could not understand being used for the UN but I certainly can now that under the camouflage they were in fact APC's

Not everyone has the military expereince or background to know the difference. I do, having spent quite a bit of time associated with both.

I also had the same problem back during the Yellow Shirt/Red Shirt troubles trying to explain why an M-79 grenade couldn't be "thrown" into a crowd.

P.S. I won't bother to quibble about the difference between an APC, and an Armored Car or Armored Patrol Vehicle....as that is a contentious point anyhow. But in my opinion based on U.S usage an APC is a tracked vehicle and an Armored Car or APV has no track, but regular tires. In the U.S. military they are all vehicles (and should be called that, anyhow)

Edited January 29, 2010 by IMA_FARANG