State Of Emergency Decree Imposed In Bangkok

[animatic]

I think if nothing else, if Anupong doesn't act, a lot of people who had no idea at all will start to realise that in reality the PM is not actually running the army.

That in itself will be quite an eye opener for a lot of people and will cause quite a bit of head scratching.

Well the truth is the PM does not actually run the army - it's completely independent. One of the major problem's that Thailand has IMHO.

aint that the truth...

Even in countries like the UK or US, the political head of state does not "actually run the army" and they are "completely independent" - what happens there, as here, is that the government allocates a budget for running the army and the army then uses it to maintain what they need. As for it's independence, the government in all the countries named, simply pass objectives to the army command, and the route by which they achieve them is up to the army command. ....

Foggy

Sorry to disturb, but not so.

The Congress allocates budgets.

The President of USA is the Commander In Chief of all Armed Forces and intelligence branchs.

He is over the chairman of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff.

Certainly the army figures out it's game plans and presents the President alternative scenarios,

but when he say go, they go

and when he says far enough, they stop,

and when he says game over, they go home.

[Sunderland]

UDD leaders announcing provincial centers they have seized or are moving towards or surrounded (not usre on translation). Quite a few it seems. Not sure if true or not

PURPLE SKIRT TV:

I'm hearing that Nakhon Nowhere is surrounded by 5 million red shirts and they are declaring victory over the government.

[monkfish]

Will try keep it simple

Without Military backing Abhisit would not be PM now.

Therefore I announce it undemocratic!

[animatic]

No, but he was brought into power with the help of the yellow shirts, and as a "thank you" made the yellow shirt Kasit his Foreign Minister. Makes sense?

He was brought into power, by way of a coalition Government when Mr Thaksin's party was over, due to election rigging. Now it makes sense.

Cheers, Rick

The truth is, Thaksin's obvious massive corruption destroyed him.

And what he could have salvaged, he will lose totally after this debacle.

[Netfan]

WRONG! It means they were accepting orders from their elected government to not be provoked into reaction. It is called discipline and is a military characteristic. If the generals were interested enough in their country's welfare to remove a nascent dictator, what makes you think they will allow it to be taken over by his rabble? Do you think they want Thaksin to take command, kiss and forget?

What ELECTED government? I remember military taking over one actually ELECTED government not so long ago...

But you don't remember the election that came 13 months AFTER the coup? Odd, because there was one. Look it up, it was was in all the papers.

We remember a rigged ballot where every party and individual that might be a threat to the PAD/Army Junta was removed.

Those too thick to remember that are welcome to their rose tinted view of it though.

It would be hard for another Coup now as they are still in control and at the trough from the 2006 job.

Rigged ballot? Please link one news story about rigged ballots. "PAD" was not on the ballot. It was more like rigged polling stations - booths turned around so the vote could be seen. Vote buying so blatant it was caught on video. That's why T's buddies were given the old heave ho. You got a beef with the current government - take it up with the smaller parties who jumped ship - bailed on Thaksin. Also, links for some evidence of "at the trough" for anyone in the current govt or army. I think, though that in your search you might find some evidence of one Thaksin Shinawatra benefiting from his time in office.

[TPI]

Me, I'm 63 years old so my "future" in Thailand is somewhat limited. But my wife and 3 children are Thai, and I care about their future in this country. I don't want it determined by demagogues of any persuasion, and the reds' leaders are a clear and present danger to rational, benevolent, and progressive governance.

Thank you for that very credible testimony. Of course, I agree with your conclusion. A Thaksin red shirt dictatorship would be a disaster for Thailand and a huge step backwards. Thailand is running out of time to compete in the modern world. It really can't afford any more delays imposed by Thaksin and the insurgent red leaders.

Well that make 3 of us that think more of our Thai families than we do about our western superiority to tell Thai's what they must do in their own country

as it seems there's some kind of "polling" going on..., count me in... to make it 4... for starters.

Count me in No 5

[animatic]

Dude -- get this straight.

I am not pro yellow. I am anti-red.

The Abhisit government is 100 percent legal and freely elected under the laws of Thailand. You want elections? Fine. WAIT for them, an angry mob is not the answer. Neither is declaring war on the government.

Excuse I must have been asleep.. What election was Abhisit and his cronnies elected in??? Did the world and myslef miss something?????

The 2007 one. He was elected Minister Of Parliament.

Later he was chosen by a coalition to be Prime Minister.

[moresomekl]

But you don't remember the election that came 13 months AFTER the coup? Odd, because there was one. Look it up, it was was in all the papers.

"Elections were held on 23 December 2007, after a military-appointed tribunal outlawed the Thai Rak Thai party of Thaksin Shinawatra and banned TRT executives from contesting in elections for 5 years."

Kinda nice to hold elections when you ban the opposing party....

Even though the TRT has been banned , its off-spring the PPP (proThaksin) won that election with an absolute majority.

Of course once the PPP was banned later on , the dems did not want the PTP (PPP offspring) to win yet again .

On the other end in all fairness PPP and TRT were so corrupt , buying the votes of poor farmers , that its kind of difficult to

support them . Its truly a different case then Europe or USA. Democracy in THailand is dysfunctional because of wide scale

corruption

[lannarebirth]

No, but he was brought into power with the help of the yellow shirts, and as a "thank you" made the yellow shirt Kasit his Foreign Minister. Makes sense?

He was brought into power, by way of a coalition Government when Mr Thaksin's party was over, due to election rigging. Now it makes sense.

Cheers, Rick

The truth is, Thaksin's obvious massive corruption destroyed him.

And what he could have salvaged, he will lose totally after this debacle.

It would be nice if they started going after his family's VAST other assets here in Thailand.

[Chinavet]

I am an Aussie who subscribes to Thai Visa. I have been following this since it started, mostly on the "news only" topics. I am about to book flights from KL to Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi for May.

Do I book or not?? at the moment my only financial commitment to Thailand is $200, that will increase to $2000 if I book.Now a State of Emergency has been declared that voids travel insurance.

Ok folks - what do I do? Well me and probably thousands of other tourists.

My sister is coming in May too - her first overseas holiday - there are 18 in her group.

Very valid question. Truth is I don't think anyone, from top to bottom, has much of a clue on what might evolve in the next days and weeks. Ignore the posts about 'balls' and location.....soon people on these chats will be accusing you of being rabidly political with some colour faction, just for asking. Fact is, there is a real risk of ongoing and more widespread trouble. Hope not, but there is no way to know. Decide accordingly.

[Sunderland]

PURPLE SKIRT TV:

Armed forces have been called to the homes of thousands of Thavisa forum members who have begun a virtual reality war.

Speaking exclusively to Purple Skirt TV General Pingpongapoo said,'This is more serious than the relatively peaceful protests at Rajaprasong intersection. It's been very bloody and there have been lots of casualties. We will be shutting down Thaivisa's forum as soon as we can."

[Meridian007]

Has there been any update? The last post on the news update thread was at 6:56. Declare SOA, and then nothing for three hours? Hmmm...

[commons]

Will try keep it simple

Without Military backing Abhisit would not be PM now.

Therefore I announce it undemocratic!

interesting view of thai history ;-)

[TravellinB]

As a visitor here in Thailand, I would like to know, which Government the majority of Thai people support -

(a) The one they themselves elected or

( The one brought to power by the military.

Just A or B answers only please.

Edited April 7, 2010 by TravellinB

[traderjm]

Will try keep it simple

Without Military backing Abhisit would not be PM now.

Therefore I announce it undemocratic!

So the smaller parties that are part of the current coalition government were put into power by the military? Or they threatened them to form the gov't with the DEMS? Hmmmmm seems a little shaky sounding to me

[britmaveric]

Will try keep it simple

Without Military backing Abhisit would not be PM now.

Therefore I announce it undemocratic!

interesting view of thai history ;-)

Any PM would not be PM without military support I am afraid and looks like abhisit has lost his.

[grandpops]

Has there been any update? The last post on the news update thread was at 6:56. Declare SOA, and then nothing for three hours? Hmmm...

Nothing!!1 nothing!! You call two hours and 17 pages of mindless drivel nothing.

Time to break out the chang and let the old delusionals dream their dreams of an army takeover.

Good night

[landofthefree]

It's about time! Totally justified for all the world to see.

A message to the good people of Thailand.

I can tell you with confidence the vast majority of foreigners support your honorable PM Abhisit in his valiant effort to fight anarchic red shirt's illegal attempt at revolution and the rule of a violent mob. Good luck to and best hopes for a PEACEFUL resolution.

This one doesn't support Abhisit. It doesn't really matter because as with all Thai PMs he will be gone soon. Good riddance to him!

Do you understand the meaning of vast majority? Is everyone who isn't in that vast majority going to speak here? Go ahead, but no need, as I never said ALL.

Have you held an election or an opinion poll to determine what the vast majority of foreigners think? No, I didnt think so, in which case this is a guess on your part or perhaps too much reading and also believing the opinions of the Nation newspaper.All of the Fallang I know want to see this Government gone preferably ASAP as it obviously cannot run the country.

[Jingthing]

As a visitor here in Thailand, I would like to know, which the majority of Thai people support -

(a) The one they themselves elected or

( The one brought to power by the military.

Just A or B answers only please.

Neither. They didn't elect anyone. A coalition was formed in parliament. The Thaksin puppet party won the most votes but nowhere NEAR a majority of Thai voters. Since then, based on polling and events like Black Songkran, polling has shown an erosion of Thai support for the Thaksin puppet party.

BTW, your question is loaded and based on false assumptions, so if you want an A or B answer to that, you basically want a garbage answer. There is no A or B answer to that.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Jingthing

[moresomekl]

Exactly . Agree 100%.

A court dissolves an entire party , the one in power mind you .

(Well it could have been the army arresting all the MPs same philosophy)

Then the opposition can take over , no general election .

Surrealist

Hmm, I thought the party in power did some things that were against the law? Could that be?

Individual persons did something illegal , not the entire party .

If you find another democratic country where an entire party is banned

because of few of its members then i am very interested to learn bout it

[ChiangMaiFun]

exactly - but the yellow fellows on here won't accept this

Isn't it cute for you that yellow rhymes with fellow? You are having so much fun with that. Good for you. Of course the fact that the vast majority of anti-Thaksin people are NOT supporters of PAD/yellow is an inconvenient truth for you. So sorry about that.

Well... well... you also cannot fathom that not all red sympathisers are Thaksin apologists or supporters.

So that makes inconvenient truth number two - any more seeing as you represent all us farangs and anti-insurgents?

[hammered]

Reports from Udon suggest that there is nobody outside the provincail hall as claimed on the red stage.

[ChiangMaiFun]

As a visitor here in Thailand, I would like to know, which the majority of Thai people support -

(a) The one they themselves elected or

( The one brought to power by the military.

Just A or B answers only please.

Neither. They didn't elect anyone. A coalition was formed in parliament. The Thaksin puppet party won the most votes but nowhere NEAR a majority of Thai voters. Since then, based on polling and events like Black Songkran, polling has shown an erosion of Thai support for the Thaksin puppet party.

Then be a brave fellow (you see no yellow?) and support an election and let's see if your hero wins

[traderjm]

Have you held an election or an opinion poll to determine what the vast majority of foreigners think? No, I didnt think so, in which case this is a guess on your part or perhaps too much reading and also believing the opinions of the Nation newspaper.All of the Fallang I know want to see this Government gone preferably ASAP as it obviously cannot run the country.

Interesting I don't know a single farang OR Thai that wants to see this gov't gone. I am only talking about people I know personally of course. By the same token all are wishing that something would be done to end the RED shirt madness, but are hoping for as peaceful an end to things as possible.. but looks less likely the more the RED leaders are ramping up their rhetoric.

[FarangCravings]

As a visitor here in Thailand, I would like to know, which the majority of Thai people support -

(a) The one they themselves elected or

( The one brought to power by the military.

Just A or B answers only please.

Neither. They didn't elect anyone. A coalition was formed in parliament. The Thaksin puppet party won the most votes but nowhere NEAR a majority of Thai voters. Since then, based on polling and events like Black Songkran, polling has shown an erosion of Thai support for the Thaksin puppet party.

BTW, your question is loaded and based on false assumptions, so if you want an A or B answer to that, you basically want a garbage answer. There is no A or B answer to that.

So why not hold an election

Its very clear why they will lose

The brits just annouced dissolution of parliment and elections in 6 weeks, pretty quick surely abhisit could do the same to put and end to this

[fnprop]

Someone who enter in the Parliament House wearing weapont (a stone or a rifle is not important) is not a protester, is a BANDIT.

And as a bandit have to be treated.

Another myth debunked...the weapon in question was being worn by and taken from Suthep's 'unarmed' security detail.

[animatic]

You are wrong. The word FITS and I encourage everyone to start using it. That is truth about what happened today.

Main Entry: 1in·sur·gent

Pronunciation: \-jənt\

Function: noun

Etymology: Latin insurgent-, insurgens, present participle of insurgere to rise up, from in- + surgere to rise — more at surge

Date: 1765

1 : a person who revolts against civil authority or an established government; especially : a rebel not recognized as a belligerent

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insurgent

absolute nonsense and everyone will recognise it - same as your 'majority of farangs' rant - I wont bother to counter as it's blatantly obvious they are not insurgents

Obviously, you can not read a definition and apply it to reality.

[RickBradford]

Has the Thai Army got the willingness, the skill and the means to get in there and arrest the top 20 Red Shirt organisers without causing a bloodbath?

[hammered]

This all looks like psyops. The pressure is being increased by all but what is the reality noit that that is important to winning if a myth can be made to seem true. Intersting game

[traderjm]

So why not hold an election

Its very clear why they will lose

The brits just annouced dissolution of parliment and elections in 6 weeks, pretty quick surely abhisit could do the same to put and end to this

have you cleared this with the RED leaders? They say 15 days is all they will accept... you should get on the bat phone right away and sort this one out