Thai Foreign Ministry Plays Down Speculation Of US Intervention

[Groongthep]

Seven pages of posts, most of them off topic, in response to an article based on the preposterous rumor that the US may intervene in this domestic dispute. We must all be pretty bored. I think I'll go out and get something to eat.

[Publicus]

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!

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

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.

[ozzieman05]

Seven pages of posts, most of them off topic, in response to an article based on the preposterous rumor that the US may intervene in this domestic dispute. We must all be pretty bored. I think I'll go out and get something to eat.

Okay back on subject

American marines land in Thailand to help with our political problem

They of coarse must enforce the law of the land

while using the America interpretation of this law

If it moves shoot it

If you shoot an innocent look up the manual

1001 reasons why they should have stood still

I dare not show the Thai wife this posting

Thai want Farang to take charge

Loss of face I would not see her for a week

[OzMick]

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..

You forgot to start with "I'm not a red supporter, but..................." Please explain how non-lethal methods of crowd dispersal are "evil". Is it the fact that they work?

[tom206]

Seven pages of posts, most of them off topic, in response to an article based on the preposterous rumor that the US may intervene in this domestic dispute. We must all be pretty bored. I think I'll go out and get something to eat.

Okay back on subject

American marines land in Thailand to help with our political problem

They of coarse must enforce the law of the land

while using the America interpretation of this law

If it moves shoot it

If you shoot an innocent look up the manual

1001 reasons why they should have stood still

I dare not show the Thai wife this posting

Thai want Farang to take charge

Loss of face I would not see her for a week

you forgot " shoot them even if they are on our side"

[OzMick]

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.

".............when they fought a war on their own in Vietnam." You seem to be historically challenged. The USA had 8 allies besides RSVN during the Viet Nam war, including Thailand. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viet_Nam_War Having Thailand as an ally is a dubious privilege though; while they had troops fighting and dying in 'Nam, Nakhon Phanom was a major R&R centre for the NVA. If you doubt this, there is a large clocktower in the city donated by Ho for their "services."

[Mosha]

Hasn't the US enough on it's plate with Afghanistan, Iraq, plus Iran and N.Korea waiting on the sidelines. Not to mention a 13 Zillion dollar debt?

[Publicus]

Seven pages of posts, most of them off topic, in response to an article based on the preposterous rumor that the US may intervene in this domestic dispute. We must all be pretty bored. I think I'll go out and get something to eat.

Okay back on subject

American marines land in Thailand to help with our political problem

They of coarse must enforce the law of the land

while using the America interpretation of this law

If it moves shoot it

If you shoot an innocent look up the manual

1001 reasons why they should have stood still

I dare not show the Thai wife this posting

Thai want Farang to take charge

Loss of face I would not see her for a week

you forgot " shoot them even if they are on our side"

Pardon me but you'd posted earlier that the little woman had already locked herself in the br with a shytload of DVD's after the Redshirts had asked the horrendously (my word) non-Thai UN to intervene and, not only to intervene, but to resolve that which Thais are fully capable of creating but wholely incapable of resolving.

[coconutmonkey]

Hasn't the US enough on it's plate with Afghanistan, Iraq, plus Iran and N.Korea waiting on the sidelines. Not to mention a 13 Zillion dollar debt?

And at home with the Federal Reserve, CIA, pharmaceutical corruption in the FDA

pushing their war on drugs around the globe

US isn't all that bad

and certainly isn't all that good

Can't even clean up the messes they make

let alone get involved in more problems they will only add to

Or maybe Obama can shout 'hope' and 'change' again..... sure someone will buy it.

[animatic]

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!

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

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.

6 Weeks time!

[Publicus]

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?

Vietnam's a c_nt hair smaller but while Vietnam gave us the fascists Nguen Khao Ky and Ho Chi Minh, Texas gave us the bozos LBJ and George Bush. That would be exceeded only by Arizona which gave us Barry Goldwater and John McCain. If it might mean anything, LBJ and shrub Bush won while Goldwater and McCain lost.

Concomitantly, Isaan and the northwest have given us Chavalit, Newin, Barnyard, Thaksin etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc.............but then again the Thai North is bigger than Montana, which is the approximate size of Germany but, excepting some severe summer electrical storms, is a serene place, the "Big Sky" state. This contrasts to the Thai North, which is the "Big Politics Rathole."

Edited April 30, 2010 by Publicus

[swillowbee]

. . . oh, pul-LEAZE! . . . no foreign country has any interest, or a meaningful reason, to get into this sad mess . . . from here in Thailand, we might think this pathetic mess is the biggest deal going on . . . it is not . . . it registers low on the international Richter Scale of concern.

. . . for Christ's sake, the world watched gape-mouthed as hundreds of thousands were slaughtered in Rwanda, millions killed in Cambodia, still unknown thousands killed in Bosnia . . . anyone who thinks this warrants international intervention is simple-minded and delusional.

(. . . oh . . . um . . . that would be the IQ-deficient idiot Thai generals, morally politicians and inbred elites running this country, all of whom seem to think the world gives a dam_n about their entitled, privileged, rotted lives.)

Edited April 30, 2010 by swillowbee

[Sisaketmike]

A week is a long time in politics

Please watch this. I'm neither red, nor yellow.

http://www.france24.com/en/20100411-exclus...-thailand-crack

It clearly shows that the Army was firing on people, not just in the air. I think everybody should understand that you can't keep peace with such deadly weapons.

[jacobus]

I have wondered about the silence of the US...usually the US is so vocal when it comes to free speech and democracy around the world; in my view, often the comment is appropriate and fair, but sometimes it is self serving hypocrisy to cover some less than excellent behavior on their part.

Being an American citizen I do read the US press...if you had read the thousands of column inches given to Chavez' closure of one anti-government TV station, you would have thought that thewhole Western hemisphere was about to collapse...why the deafening silence when Abhisit closes down all anti-government TV stations, web-sits and radio stations here in Thailand?

Or when armies mow down their protesting citizens there is usually some statement from the US condemning the act (unless it's Israel doing the mowing down, of course) since the US the military doesn't intervene in civil matters, which are handled by the police force...in this case, again nothing but a bland statement calling for a peaceful solution.

Another double standard if you like, showing you that Thailand is not the only country with double standards.

Personally, I think that the US are just waiting to see who 'wins' and then resume the relationship...incidentally the silence speaks volumes about the importance of Thailand to the US....ie I guess there're really not that interested in trying to solve another insoluble dispute on top of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine....

Very well said. It's nice to see that someone has a clue to what is going on in the world.

[whybother]

A week is a long time in politics

Please watch this. I'm neither red, nor yellow.

http://www.france24.com/en/20100411-exclus...-thailand-crack

It clearly shows that the Army was firing on people, not just in the air. I think everybody should understand that you can't keep peace with such deadly weapons.

There was a followup article from france24 explaining that the soldiers had just been attacked with a grenade. ... sorry, can't find the link now, but it was widely posted on TVF.

[Publicus]

I have wondered about the silence of the US...usually the US is so vocal when it comes to free speech and democracy around the world; in my view, often the comment is appropriate and fair, but sometimes it is self serving hypocrisy to cover some less than excellent behavior on their part.

Being an American citizen I do read the US press...if you had read the thousands of column inches given to Chavez' closure of one anti-government TV station, you would have thought that thewhole Western hemisphere was about to collapse...why the deafening silence when Abhisit closes down all anti-government TV stations, web-sits and radio stations here in Thailand?

Or when armies mow down their protesting citizens there is usually some statement from the US condemning the act (unless it's Israel doing the mowing down, of course) since the US the military doesn't intervene in civil matters, which are handled by the police force...in this case, again nothing but a bland statement calling for a peaceful solution.

Another double standard if you like, showing you that Thailand is not the only country with double standards.

Personally, I think that the US are just waiting to see who 'wins' and then resume the relationship...incidentally the silence speaks volumes about the importance of Thailand to the US....ie I guess there're really not that interested in trying to solve another insoluble dispute on top of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine....

Very well said. It's nice to see that someone has a clue to what is going on in the world.

Chavez and Venezuela are in the US "backyard" whereas Thailand is a half world away - remember the US got quite involved in tiny Honduras after Zalena got chucked by the Supreme Court to prevent him being 'president' for life after the Chavez model.

Also Anupong recently spent several days at the Pentagon getting the Riot Act read to him by army chief Gen. Casey.....no crackdowns period....scuffles if unavoidable but no massive bloody crackdowns. Let the country dissolve like an alka seltzer but no big bloody crackdowns period. We're getting the fizzle and pop of the dissolution every day but there just isn't going to be a big bloody crackdown. After the Reds are spent just put the peices back together again and hopefully in a different arrangement.

The US some time ago made itself clear to the Thai government so it's hot air when others talk of a special envoy or 'intervention.'

[gemini81]

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?

c'mon dude, Texas is just a little bit bigger. You are startin' to make Thais look like they have an understanding of geography.

[bangon04]

. . . oh, pul-LEAZE! . . . no foreign country has any interest, or a meaningful reason, to get into this sad mess . . . from here in Thailand, we might think this pathetic mess is the biggest deal going on . . . it is not . . . it registers low on the international Richter Scale of concern.

. . . for Christ's sake, the world watched gape-mouthed as hundreds of thousands were slaughtered in Rwanda, millions killed in Cambodia, still unknown thousands killed in Bosnia . . . anyone who thinks this warrants international intervention is simple-minded and delusional.

(. . . oh . . . um . . . that would be the IQ-deficient idiot Thai generals, morally politicians and inbred elites running this country, all of whom seem to think the world gives a dam_n about their entitled, privileged, rotted lives.)

You mentioned Cambodia - don't you think that just maybe the Cambodian army is wondering that if they just march over the border at Preah Vihear, that the Thai army will simply hand over their weapons and go home (it is April 30 already). Maybe the Cambodians are wondering if there are any real Thai soldiers anywhere near the border. There might just be only the militias, and they can only cope with shooting refugees.

The Cambodian army could really use some nice shiny M16s.

Edited April 30, 2010 by bangon04

[whiterussian]

http://www.timesrecord.com/articles/2010/0...e7084903546.txt

Peace or war in Thailand?

By Eric Herter

Eric Herter was a military advisor in Vietnam, then in Vietnam Veterans Against the War and the Peace Corps in Thailand. In the 1990s he was bureau chief for Associated Press Television in Vietnam

[Jingthing]

http://www.timesrecord.com/articles/2010/0...e7084903546.txt

Peace or war in Thailand?

By Eric Herter

Eric Herter was a military advisor in Vietnam, then in Vietnam Veterans Against the War and the Peace Corps in Thailand. In the 1990s he was bureau chief for Associated Press Television in Vietnam

I read his item. Incredibly idiotic really. The guy should stick to Vietnam historical issues.

[misterjag]

http://www.timesrecord.com/articles/2010/0...e7084903546.txt

Peace or war in Thailand?

By Eric Herter

Eric Herter was a military advisor in Vietnam, then in Vietnam Veterans Against the War and the Peace Corps in Thailand. In the 1990s he was bureau chief for Associated Press Television in Vietnam

The Times Record is a tiny newspaper in Maine read by a few thousand local residents.

Important national media outlets in the U.S. include: the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, Fox News, ABC News, MSNBC, and the Wall Street Journal.

[misterjag]

Here's some background supplied by the U.S. Dept. of State:

U.S.-THAI RELATIONS

On March 20, 1833, the United States and Thailand, then Siam, signed the Treaty of Amity and Commerce, the United States' first treaty with a country in Asia.

Since World War II, the United States and Thailand have developed close relations, as reflected in several bilateral treaties and by both countries' participation in UN multilateral activities and agreements. Thailand and the U.S. became treaty allies in 1954 (Manila Pact). The principal bilateral arrangement is the 1966 Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations, which facilitates U.S. and Thai companies' economic access to one another's markets... In June 2004, the United States and Thailand initiated negotiations on a free trade agreement which, when concluded, would reduce and eliminate barriers to trade and investment between the two countries. These negotiations were placed on hold following the dissolution of the Thai parliament in February 2006 and the subsequent coup in September.

The United States and Thailand are among the signatories of the 1954 Manila Pact of the former Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO). Article IV(1) of this treaty provides that, in the event of armed attack in the treaty area (which includes Thailand), each member would "act to meet the common danger in accordance with its constitutional processes."...Thailand continues to be a key security ally in Asia, along with Australia, Japan, the Philippines, and South Korea. In December 2003, Thailand was designated a Major Non-NATO Ally...

Thailand's stability and independence are important to the maintenance of peace in the region. Economic assistance has been extended in various fields, including rural development, health, family planning, education, and science and technology...

Thailand has received U.S. military equipment, essential supplies, training, and assistance in the construction and improvement of facilities and installations for much of the period since 1950; since then more Thai have been trained under the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program than any other country. Over recent decades, U.S. security assistance included military training programs carried out in the United States and elsewhere...As part of the mutual defense cooperation over the last three decades, Thailand and the United States have developed a vigorous joint military exercise program, which engages all the services of each nation and averages 40 joint exercises per year.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2814.htm

Also, the National Security Agency (NSA) operates a SIGINT antenna array in Khon Kaen to intercept Chinese military communications.

Edited April 30, 2010 by misterjag

[gk10002000]

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.

Don't worry too much - the US will never interfere unless it has some kind of payback. They let millions get murdered in Rawanda and never lifted a finger cos there was nothing there they wanted or could use. Here though... only to get a foot in the door of Asia but not worth the millions unless of course Cheyney and the corrupt ass***s can get a payback but doubling and tripling the cost and ripping off the US system further. Who cares - the tax payers foot the bill and they voted for them! Som Num Na

Please don't exaggerate. There were hundreds of thousands killed in Rwanda, not millions. Very few countries took much interest in Rwanda during those large scale killings. Don't just focus on the US. Most European countries and Asian countries also did little.

[Ulysses G.]

Don't worry too much - the US will never interfere unless it has some kind of payback. They let millions get murdered in Rawanda and never lifted a finger cos there was nothing there they wanted or could use. Here though... only to get a foot in the door of Asia but not worth the millions unless of course Cheyney and the corrupt ass***s can get a payback but doubling and tripling the cost and ripping off the US system further.

It's all America's fault!

[rfukata]

Hmm - that would reek of a cold war, meaning in the same vein, why wouldn't china send in some troops

as a red victory would make thailand a natural client state for PRC

I would think the current admin and the Yellow would make 'thailand a natural client state for Red China'

Its already in place with..

[ronz28]

This is a Thai matter and only they will resolve it. Speculation that the US would intervene is nonsense.

[Beardog]

Why would the U.S. give a shit about This problem unless they blocked access to the air base if needed. I don't think Thailand right now is in the top 100 priority list or the top 1000 priorities. Got our hands full at home on much more important issues.

[ableguy]

I am always amazed at the number of ignorant people who are members of this site!

They have no ability to read a thread and follow it in any sensible manner....

Many of you also think it is a mark of your intelligence to bad mouth USA without having any idea of what the USA does to help people around the world.

As far as USA's effort in Africa just google the amount of money that the Bush administration initiated with efforts still continuing to provide medical care to literally MILLIONS of people living living in Africa.

And as far as Thailand is concerned not only does USA support the military financially, but also provides MILLIONS of dollars for the education, prevention and treatment of AIDS.

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!

Agrred I am tired of USA bashing, truth is most of you Brits would not be here had the US not won the second war for you and ever here of the marshal plan? When the USA rebuilt the rubble of Europe, get a life

[toptuan]

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)

Yeah, but all it took was a dormitory-full of US medical students for President Reagan to invade Grenada. We have 4-5 USA teachers in my town up here in Isaan, and are confident of a USA invasion to whisk us out of here, if need be.

Edit: Spelling error corrected. No, it was not Granada, Spain that was invaded.

Edited May 1, 2010 by toptuan

[Thongkorn]

hope its un troops. not just the usa and better yet let thailand solve thailands problems.

When are they going to start?? This conflict is dragging on and on, and is causing harm to millions of people and thousands of business owners.

It is time to call a halt, and do some talking.

Take a look at Ireland, There problems went on for over 30 years, Even now it is still rumbling on. You are right the way forward is talking as proved in the past, The UK found that out. The US has realised this, talking to The Taliban, but will the people act on good advise,