Civil War

[NALAK]

JT, it's not even a "strong" thing. People here really don't give a toss (80 000 protest in BKK).

If the poll had more sensible choices, it may be of some use as an indicater amongst foreigners. As it currently stands, it has little point other than to polarise foreigners for 'at war' or 'not at war'. Clearly, there is no war & I hope there isn't one.

You're wrong. Abhisit can't travel to Isaan or even Chiang Mai without serious death threats. The rhetoric from the reds typically includes the desire to murder yellows. It is strong. Thaksin is holding this entire country hostage. Something has got to give.

and Taskin could never visit the south without similar threats and a huge army body gaurd. when the yellows were on the rampage in bankok people died, and there was the matter of the airport to which one of Marks ministers said, it was fun, free food and free air con. Marks right hand man, who many Thais beleive is running the country is a gangster from Surat, whos son murdered a night club doorman, disappeared for a while and came back and got off scott free. he had to step down from being a senator soon after the election. why corruption.

Attending a seminar on “ Strategies for Business Organization Administration” at the International College, Surat Thani Rajabhat University, Mr Suthep offered his apology to Surat Thani people for stepping down from the MP post after the Election Commission had announced his conflict of interest for his shareholding in a telecommunication company.

[eggomaniac]

In the worst case Abhisit will call an election, or may be a coup will happen but NO civil war.

Okay, you are talking about history. On several occasions Thailand has experienced military coups to over turn political dissention.

Nowadays, if they resort to a coup, and I that is definitely a strong possiblility, [new poll, do you think Thailand will see a coup? see always trying to be funny

If a coup DOES take place it should only be seen to have any justification if it to divert a civil war, you know? the one that has already began!

Will some killings mark the start 'officially', only, in some minds?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Let's say the reds are succesful in achieving their goals. Would history then declare they won 'civil unrest' of 2010?

Probably. That's what PAD claimed when in their words they won in getting opposing political parties banned by the courts. (I acknowledge that many/most on this forum would say PAD has nothing to do with that as it was the court's decision. The point I'm making is that PAD themselves claimed it as their own victory, which I think is not in dispute)

[mca]

That's rich. Moral authority, eh? The red side's leader is a convicted corrupt criminal too cowardly to face his country's justice, very moral that.

Jing mate your comments may have some validity if the poster had actually posted "moral authority" instead of "moral mandate"

[givenall]

I can’t see this country making a decisive action, either stop all these nonsense and enforce the law, or get into arm conflict.

This is really fight of rich families trying to place themselves in the state of powers. The common folks don’t really care about few spoiled rich trying to kill each other

[Pakboong]

^must be referring to the current yank President BO.

A bit back I tried to put forth the idea that what is happening now in Thailand is similar to what happened in my country in the 1860s (Civil War).

People thought I was crazy.

I said it was a rural vs urban conflict (same as our Civil War........rural south vs urban north).

I said it was about ruling elites fighting urban elites over the future economic direction of the country and who gets the largest piece of the economic pie (same as our Civil War).

I said it had little to do with democracy and all the other slogans and that it was actually an economic battle (some still think our Civil War was about slavery when it wasn't)

The main difference is that we are not seeing these two camps take up arms on a large scale and fighting outright. Now it is a lot of talk and a few grenades here and there.

The other difference is that Thailand has a strong military that can, if it wants to do so, stop all of this within a few days.

What bothers me most is the economic damage both sides are doing to the country.

Hopefully they will resolve their issues via a peaceful democratic process.

The military sits on both sides of the fence. Fortunately for us, the country cannot be easily divided. Simply putting on a shirt of a certain color will not cut it in a civil war. we are looking at a prolonged period of social unrest.

[Cayenne]

Let's see, of the 65 million people in Thailand, only 100,000 showed up to protest. Civil war? Probably not

[G54]

Civil war? That is laughable.

Civil unrest and protest? A bit more like it.

Definitely a bit over the top

[Thongkorn]

I think that If I and many more people Replied to this thread, It would be deleted, It says a lot about Thailand

[bacchanal]

I do not see how the present situation can be described as anything but civil war.

Civil war? That is laughable.

well, the overwhelming majority puny minority of respondents agreed with the OP's assessment.

I don't think I've encountered a poll here yet where there was as much disagreement with the poll starter's point of view.

17% is laughable.

[IMA_FARANG]

Clearly Thailand is not in a "state of civil war" yet.

So it has to be a NO answer.

That is always a possiblity....but I don't expect it to happen.

In fact, the Thais I know in Bangkok are mostly uninterested in what's happening.

Politics in Thailand, for the average person, has always been a game of crooks telling lies to the people for their own personal profit.

Most of the Thais I know see BOTH SIDES in this little farce as "more of the same".

I won't deny that there is a wide gulf between the people in Bangkok and the up-country folk.

That's something that has to addressed by the Thais someday, or it will tear up their country.

But that has nothing to do with the latest political games...or the Reds/Yellows....both of which are simply controlled by rich monied interests for the continued financial and socio-economic benefit of their own group.

[Naam]

Based on a few facts, I do not see how the present situation can be described as anything but civil war.

[neverdie]

^I agree Naam, that statement is laughable. At the present time, this is not a civil war.

[Pakboong]

Clearly Thailand is not in a "state of civil war" yet.

So it has to be a NO answer.

That is always a possiblity....but I don't expect it to happen.

In fact, the Thais I know in Bangkok are mostly uninterested in what's happening.

Politics in Thailand, for the average person, has always been a game of crooks telling lies to the people for their own personal profit.

Most of the Thais I know see BOTH SIDES in this little farce as "more of the same".

I won't deny that there is a wide gulf between the people in Bangkok and the up-country folk.

That's something that has to addressed by the Thais someday, or it will tear up their country.

But that has nothing to do with the latest political games...or the Reds/Yellows....both of which are simply controlled by rich monied interests for the continued financial and socio-economic benefit of their own group.

There are plenty of ethnic poor living in Bangkok and in all parts of Thailand. What does "up country" have to do with their argumen?

[sarahsbloke]

After a year or thereabouts, the Greek walked past the Chinese restaurant & said the usual, "Good morning flied lice."

The Chinaman immediately responded with, "It's 'fried rice'...you Gleek plick."

I believe that joke was from Lethal Weapon 4

[up-country_sinclair]

The current situation doesn't resemble anything close to what could be defined as a civil war.

[Curt1591]

Also, no I am NOT talking about only the PM. People actively working against Thaksin in the heavily red regions definitely would face violence. So they shut up for FEAR for their lives. If that isn't a civil war mentality, I don't know what is.

I think back to when the PAD was having its way with Bangkok, pre-airport. Even in Bangkok, the stronghold for yellow sensibilities, the yellows took fire when they hit the street randomly.

Wherever they protested, they had to post guards and keep uninvited guests away. The only place they protested, unmolested, was at their Government House encampment (and the airport, pretty much).

People falling for the "Thaksin versus Thailand" rhetoric is a big reason it is so difficult to come to a resolution. It's a distraction, a classic tactic.

Oh, and a civil war? hel_l NO! Who's going to fight the reds? The yellow supporters? :D :

Edited March 29, 2010 by Curt1591

[eggomaniac]

Red-shirts Declare War against Govt

BANGKOK: -- The red-shirt group has declared war against the government after a state of emergency was announced.

It encouraged supporters nationwide to lay siege to provincial town halls.

---------

Who would have thought?

[LuckyLew]

Was George W an activist?

You mean an a*se and pr*ck.

Who is George W

Can you please put G. W ... and the rest of his/her last name?

Thanks

[LuckyLew]

Red-shirts Declare War against Govt

BANGKOK: -- The red-shirt group has declared war against the government after a state of emergency was announced.

It encouraged supporters nationwide to lay siege to provincial town halls.

---------

Who would have thought?

Tick Tock .... tick tock ... KABOOM

I would say

[unclejunta]

A Revolution us upon us and the reds will emerge as the winners of the impending civil war

[Birdman]

...there will be nothing at all, folks...

sorry, you bored to death farangs stuck in the middle of nowhere rice fields

[Jingthing]

The current situation doesn't resemble anything close to what could be defined as a civil war.

You may want to rethink that one, buster.

[dave2]

eggomaniac

once again you live up to your thai visa name !

sad ... sad ... sad man

enjoy .... dave2 : )

[whistleblower]

I dont know about civil war, but judging from the amount of 'rocket grenades/bombs' that have been hurled/thrown/tossed in the last 2/3 weeks and not injured anybody (or anything) and the utter compliance of the Thai police to let the protesters roam wherever they want and the eagerness of the military to 'withdraw' from any location that an angry mob demands (whilst being unarmed), I would say that Thailand is ripe for invasion from another/any other country!

[eggomaniac]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Bangkok-10-D...-B-t355116.html

It was in the spirit of 'loving kindness' I created this Poll; to point out the, then impending, severity of the situation and TRY to head off these kind of results, bloodshed.

My several Posts and Topics for the the Past Year will confirm I have been forecasting these results. My forecast, from Dec of 2009, that military rule was immanent, stills stands.

Oh,,, do you remember when the SOME OF US were saying, months ago, the SIZE of the red shirt movement was underestimated? The same ones who were wrong then will still 'blatantly' spout their newest nonsense today.

Who lost face?

Military rule, won't THAT look attractive to the World Community!?

The Joseph Solution and The Joseph Plan would put an end to all this nonsense!

There are legitimate and positive aspects in both the red and yellow camps. They could be put to pulling on different tacks, for the same purpose, the Kingdom of Thailand; instead of the head on train wrecks we are witnessing.

It is going to get way worse, folks. Search in TV 'perfect storm'.

You can find my I have been saying for MONTHS that the Thais didn't know what is coming at them.

It is WAY more than gang warfare that has preoccupied them for the past 80 years.

IS THAILAND A STATE OF CIVIL WAR, yes! SINCE the 1930's!!!

Travel Warnings would be lifted before the end of this year. Thailand would be Stable, Peaceful and on the road to great Prosperity. Doors would be closed to corruption in politics if The Joseph Solution was implemented.

If only discussion was 'allowed'....

It's sad a 'Buddhist' nation, which teaches 'delusion' is one of mankind's poisons grinds out a law that suppresses 'enlightenment'.

Even IF my theory that this whole conflict is between 2 camps that most will not even imagine, intellectual curiosity is not even allowed and everybody will have to be ground down, between them.

[monkfish]

Please change my vote to YES

[Jingthing]

This poll is now irrelevant in view of today's historic events. The poll needs to be redone now, don't you agree?

[eggomaniac]

The current situation doesn't resemble anything close to what could be defined as a civil war.

You may want to rethink that one, buster.

It seems, though I could be wrong, that, for the first time jingthing and I agree.

eggomaniac

once again you live up to your thai visa name !

sad ... sad ... sad man

enjoy .... dave2 : )

Dave,

Here I was knowing and forecasting dire consequences, predicting there would be deaths, trying, in the very limited means at my disposal to point out the train were going to collide and suggest ways to stop it.

There you are .... WHAT??? [Don't enjoy!]

[bifftastic]

Several things need to happen before unrest can be described a s civil war. Military units declaring themselves on one side or the other. Parts of the country being under the control of those military units, then those units moving towards contact and then engaging each other.

At the moment you have unrest, possibly an uprising, a popular movement, (in the literal sense of the word) maybe even an insurgency or an attempted revolution. You also have, so far, the forces of the state staying on the side of the state, which, by definition, means it's not a civil war.

What will happen? I don't know, but if it all carries on deteriorating as it is at the moment, more poor people (on both sides) will die, I'm sure they're not interested in my definitions, dead is dead.

Long live the King