Thai Foreign Ministry Plays Down Speculation Of US Intervention

[bangon04]

I hope amnesty in the same report requested that reds shirt guards to not use US made weapons against the army and police. Don't want double standards do we?

Didnt realise sharpened bamboo stakes where US made weapons...

Are you sure? Better check with the US Patent Agency.

The bamboo stakes are part of the skills learnt during the wars against the Burmese, and we know how those turned out....

[321niti123]

I never thought it was even a remote possibility that the US would interfere, why would they...we have no oil...we're too far away...they are trying to recover economically...are we even worth their time and money...and Bush is no longer the president so i dont think they will invade any other country soon (other than what has already been started-iraq afghanistan)

[bangon04]

The US is about as likely to intervene in this "two kids on a school playground fighting over lunch money" type of isolated violence situation as winged monkeys have the chance of flying out of my ass.

For the 'thick' that would be FAR LESS THAN ZERO percent.

I think the thai redz and the PTP totally over estimate their importance on the world stage to the point they first petitioned the UN for frickin' "peace keeping troops". It took the UN years of hand sitting to go into places in Africa where GENOCIDE was happening on a MASSIVE scale. To even begin to think they're just gonna fly in the planes full o' troops over here to this squabble is ludicrous.

Oh dam_n, I see the EU petition didn't go over too well either.

Perhaps Raul Castro, Hun Sen, Kim Jong-il, the ruling junta in Burma, or maybe Hugo Chavez are the next on the list to petition for intervention. Keep working your way down the countries and you'll eventually find someone who cares enough. Or not. ..

The mind wobbles at the self importance the reds seem to have.

Well any country with a functioning police force would be able to help, but not welcome in Thailand, of course.

[gemini81]

givenall, give em some more

It is simply none of the US business to poke their noses here. And, I do not want my brother's and father's taxes paying for one bit of US meddling. And, Obama should not be using his or other US official's time researching the current situation here. If the Ambassador receives some info and emails on to the US which then files it, fine, but not a lot more. No matter who runs the place, and the PM has changed here a lot in the past 20 years, the army will still continue to receive ample support from the US army for no other reason than it has for the past 40+ years.

... and I like your avatar..... Am I allowed to post an Isaan joke which is related to your avatar? It is really quite cute.

well they seem to need some help! its like the bad news bears here. only yesterday did they start to take some action to resolve this madness.

Oughta hire some of those vehicles Israel designed for crowd control, that would send the mob runnin with their tales between their legs.

[elcent]

I never thought it was even a remote possibility that the US would interfere, why would they...we have no oil...we're too far away...they are trying to recover economically...are we even worth their time and money...and Bush is no longer the president so i dont think they will invade any other country soon (other than what has already been started-iraq afghanistan)

Don't worry, help is on its way

tulsathit: Ha ha ha love this RT @JerryOu: In other news, president of Kenya said that the situation in Thailand is normal. I'm getting worried now.

Thu Apr 29 2010 20:59:36 GMT+0700 (SE Asia Standard Time)

:D

Headline for the future: Palestinians, Israelis offer joint condolences as Thai peace talks collapse

1 minute ago via TweetDeck

Edited April 29, 2010 by elcent

[Jimi007]

The US is about as likely to intervene in this "two kids on a school playground fighting over lunch money" type of isolated violence situation as winged monkeys have the chance of flying out of my ass.

For the 'thick' that would be FAR LESS THAN ZERO percent.

I think the thai redz and the PTP totally over estimate their importance on the world stage to the point they first petitioned the UN for frickin' "peace keeping troops". It took the UN years of hand sitting to go into places in Africa where GENOCIDE was happening on a MASSIVE scale. To even begin to think they're just gonna fly in the planes full o' troops over here to this squabble is ludicrous.

Oh dam_n, I see the EU petition didn't go over too well either.

Perhaps Raul Castro, Hun Sen, Kim Jong-il, the ruling junta in Burma, or maybe Hugo Chavez are the next on the list to petition for intervention. Keep working your way down the countries and you'll eventually find someone who cares enough. Or not. ..

The mind wobbles at the self importance the reds seem to have.

Well any country with a functioning police force would be able to help, but not welcome in Thailand, of course.

On a cynical note; a falang can't take away a job that a Thai is capable of doing... Just the facts. LOL

[keemapoot]

True, there are no natural resources or other strategic concerns here for the US. However, Thailand has always been and remains an important ally in SE Asia. As such, I think the US would act if called on.

[lazygourmet]

A bit off topic, but...

Red shirts ask help from EU:

[toenail]

Let's face it, there isn't much the US can do even if it wanted to.(The US has "lost face" as a world leader with their invasion of Iraq but the politicians are too clueless to face reality.) If they come out and support the Red's for their "right to free elections" it will just support the fact that Washington (once again) is mis informed and the American embassy staff (that is into "communications") is only going to cocktail parties not getting various perspectives.

As an American working in Thailand I am aware of the US military support they give Thailand (army/navy) annually; now after seeing how the Thai army reacts to protesters and handles aggressive crowds, I think the US military better stop those outdated "war games" out at sea and really teach the Thai military some survival skills with today's military challenges which involves terrorism, bomb threats, and riot control.

[kirk0233]

I think if the mud slinging at the US is thrown out and the real issue of Thailand's incompetence to deal with this issue is examined, it is apparent that different tactics are certainly needed to handle this crisis. It is in fact a crisis despite objections to this phrasing in this forum by some writers. Simple nonlethal tactics available 40 years ago for crowd dispersal could easily be used to end the disruption of business within the city and return many people to work. One such tactic is intermittent loud noise I read about in the 1970s. The noise can cause pain, confusion, or at the right frequncy of bursts, seizures. This technology has advanced since my undergraduate reading in military psychology to directed acoustic nonlethal weapons that can narrowly direct sound to disperse crowds with a deafening 150 decibels that is fifty times the human threshold of pain. Other crowd dispersal techniques include high intensity light that can induce disorientation within crowds. I know that there are differences in opinion as to whether the "red shirts" have a legitimate mission or are puppets of outside control. However, it cannot be disputed that their activty has led to deaths, disruption of commerce, decreased tourism and fear within Bangkok. With the availablity of these nonlethal techniques, what is preventing the government from using them other than ignorance? Or, could the government be afraid to even use nonlethal techniques? Who is in charge of this country and allowing a potentially controlable mob to cause so much disruption and death? Borrowing these devices from the US or any 1st world country if they are not vailable here could help this government gain control of the streets if Abhisit has the will to act.

[surangw]

Just what the US needs, get yet another countries citizens pissed off at it.

nothing good could come from US intervention.

[devaram]

I think if the mud slinging at the US is thrown out and the real issue of Thailand's incompetence to deal with this issue is examined, it is apparent that different tactics are certainly needed to handle this crisis. It is in fact a crisis despite objections to this phrasing in this forum by some writers. Simple nonlethal tactics available 40 years ago for crowd dispersal could easily be used to end the disruption of business within the city and return many people to work. One such tactic is intermittent loud noise I read about in the 1970s. The noise can cause pain, confusion, or at the right frequncy of bursts, seizures. This technology has advanced since my undergraduate reading in military psychology to directed acoustic nonlethal weapons that can narrowly direct sound to disperse crowds with a deafening 150 decibels that is fifty times the human threshold of pain. Other crowd dispersal techniques include high intensity light that can induce disorientation within crowds. I know that there are differences in opinion as to whether the "red shirts" have a legitimate mission or are puppets of outside control. However, it cannot be disputed that their activty has led to deaths, disruption of commerce, decreased tourism and fear within Bangkok. With the availablity of these nonlethal techniques, what is preventing the government from using them other than ignorance? Or, could the government be afraid to even use nonlethal techniques? Who is in charge of this country and allowing a potentially controlable mob to cause so much disruption and death? Borrowing these devices from the US or any 1st world country if they are not vailable here could help this government gain control of the streets if Abhisit has the will to act.

Yeah but fortunately this is a civilized country where they don't use evil technology against their own people.

That wouldnt work anyway.

The only thing thats going to work is if both sides communicate and make a compromise.

And that is what will happen too because there is no other choice.

Anyone thinks the army should march in with guns blazing dont forget that half of those people are women who have children

A violent crackdown would be a total defeat for Abhisit and he knows that already.

All they have to do is agree to dissolve the Parliment in three months time and everybody wins..

[Redsunset]

Believe me, Abhisit needs all the help he can get. No way he will survive into 2011. It doesn't matter whether he is booted out tomorrow or in September. I'm sure there are reasons why he wants at least six months before dissolving Parliament, but I don't know what they are. Why doesn't he come out and tell us. What is the big secret???

This non confrontation, no problem solving is exactly why there are so many expatriates here in Thailand.... if the country was so self sufficient, why in God's name are there so many foreigners working here at three times the salary of locals?

Abhisit, you need help! Don't be too proud. Accept it. Lives depend on reaching the best solution through any means.

[Redsunset]

Just what the US needs, get yet another countries citizens pissed off at it.

nothing good could come from US intervention.

Come on, you know that is not true! There will be hoards of foreign U.S. government workers coming in to support the advisers. They will work four hours a day, then spend five hours in Nana and Soi Cowboy spending our hard earned tax dollars on tarts, beer and more tarts! lols

Seriously though, I know people on this board hate the U.S. for all of its bad (and good!) things, but Abhisit needs all the help he can get from ANYWHERE.... and as we all know by now... he is the master of AVOIDING CONFLICT AND NOT GETTING THINGS DONE!

Edited April 29, 2010 by Redsunset

[Redsunset]

Huge, scary standoff at Chulalongkorn Hospital as I type this... another explosive situation.....

[keemapoot]

As I think more about this, I think it would be a good intervention by the US. Thailand is a fledgling democracy at best and that would be an opportunity to make things right.

[Ulysses G.]

Is USA perfect? NO not by any means but it certainly doesnt deserve to be dragged in the mud by a bunch of uneducated farangs!

Uneducated is being too kind.

[jimjel]

Kirk 0233,

I think you are behind in your technology. The Thai army has already used LRAD against the protestors. Thais must hear at a different frequency, as it didn't seem to have any impact.

[surangw]

On a cynical note; a falang can't take away a job that a Thai is capable of doing... Just the facts. LOL

well, there were a lot of white faces in the background in the thai 2003 war on drugs (policies of the Shinawatra administration)

[wasabi]

Send in GW Bush he is the only man who can resolve this situation. Fly him in on a Black Hawk, let him parachute down into Bangkok. Have a battleship ready in the Chao Praya. GW will give a speech on the importance of Jesus in our lives. The Red shirts will run howling with their ears covered back to Issan.

[Pib]

The U.S. government and other governments will continue to make "concerned/why can't we all just get along" type statements about the current Thailand situation...that's one of the job duties for politicians/political appointees. Maybe the EU should come in and fix the situation.

[landofthefree]

Is USA perfect? NO not by any means but it certainly doesnt deserve to be dragged in the mud by a bunch of uneducated farangs!

Uneducated is being too kind.

Thailand is already in a dialogue with the EU a much more poweful force than America.

[lannarebirth]

Is USA perfect? NO not by any means but it certainly doesnt deserve to be dragged in the mud by a bunch of uneducated farangs!

Uneducated is being too kind.

Thailand is already in a dialogue with the EU a much more poweful force than America.

If you're talking about cheese or even beer, then I'd have to agree with you.

[Ulysses G.]

Is USA perfect? NO not by any means but it certainly doesnt deserve to be dragged in the mud by a bunch of uneducated farangs!

Uneducated is being too kind.

Thailand is already in a dialogue with the EU a much more poweful force than America.

Nice of you to prove his point.

[bkkjames]

Is USA perfect? NO not by any means but it certainly doesnt deserve to be dragged in the mud by a bunch of uneducated farangs!

Uneducated is being too kind.

Thailand is already in a dialogue with the EU a much more poweful force than America.

Nice of you to prove his point.

Yea, i think they should send in the Swiss and the Belgians to mediate a settlement. In 6 months time of listening to them, the Reds will agree to elections in 2011 as long as they stop talking in 15 days.

[landofthefree]

Is USA perfect? NO not by any means but it certainly doesnt deserve to be dragged in the mud by a bunch of uneducated farangs!

Uneducated is being too kind.

Thailand is already in a dialogue with the EU a much more poweful force than America.

If you're talking about cheese or even beer, then I'd have to agree with you.

Well we agree for once which can't be a bad thing. I actualy quite like Yanks but they often do seem to think that they are the only important force in the world, probably something to do with their culture but look at what happened when they fought a war on their own in Vietnam. I think historically they have always done better when they fought with Allies. America did pump a lot of money into Thailand when they wanted to use Airbases here during the Vietnam war so I understand the historical link with Thailand but I think Thailand is also looking elsewhere for friends these days. p.s. Thanks for your help in WW2 shame you came in so late.

[Jingthing]

I don't one penny of the taxes I pay Uncle Sam (nothing, actually) going down this Thai rathole! They made their bed, let 'em sleep in it. Or make a curry.

[NovaBlue05]

p.s. Thanks for your help in WW2 shame you came in so late.

They probably mistakenly assumed that....collectively.... the Euros could defend themselves against a country the size of Montana

[landofthefree]

p.s. Thanks for your help in WW2 shame you came in so late.

They probably mistakenly assumed that....collectively.... the Euros could defend themselves against a country the size of Montana

What size is vietnam? Same as Texas?

[Motoon]

Yea, i think they should send in the Swiss and the Belgians to mediate a settlement. In 6 months time of listening to them, the Reds will agree to elections in 2011 as long as they stop talking in 15 days.

The Belgians have their own mess to settle since they have currently no functioning Government to speak of...whereas the Swiss still have Ghadaffi to appease and get the hostage back home...

Thailand will sort this mess out on its own - one way or the other. As much as many on this forum constantly refer to the local incompetence (aka TIT), Thais always found a way at the edge of the abyss no matter how unorthodox the solution might appear to the rest of the World.