Abhisit Insists Thailand Stable, But Emergency Decree Remains

[webfact]

Abhisit insists country stable, but emergency decree remains

by Ian Timberlake

HO CHI MINH CITY (AFP) -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Sunday a state of emergency would remain in force although his country had stabilised since a bloody end to weeks of anti-government protests.

"We are back, stable and secure," he told the World Economic Forum on East Asia, a gathering of global business leaders and regional politicians, on his first trip abroad since the bloodshed.

Thai troops moved on May 19 against the fortified encampment which "Red Shirt" anti-government protesters had occupied in an upscale retail and hotel district of central Bangkok.

The move brought an end to street demonstrations and outbreaks of violence which, at their climax, turned parts of Bangkok into battlezones, left major buildings torched, and led to travel warnings from foreign governments.

Unrest also spread to the Reds' stronghold in the impoverished northeast.

Eighty-nine people, mostly civilians, were killed and nearly 1,900 wounded in violence during two months of protests.

Despite his assurances to the Vietnam forum, Abhisit said it was still too early to lift a state of emergency in place across about one third of the country, including Bangkok, because of fears of fresh unrest.

"We have to accept that even though the situation seems to be more back to normal now, the problems of terrorism and security still exist," he said in his weekly television address.

"We are reviewing the appropriate time to lift the state of emergency."

Human rights campaigners have voiced concern that the government's use of emergency powers lacks transparency and violates freedom of expression.

But Abhisit said in Vietnam that most people would not notice the impact of the decree.

In the television address he also said he was reshuffling his cabinet, seeking to shore up his hold on power after the protests and a rift in his fragile ruling coalition.

The reshuffle is to give the government unity and enable it to "keep on working" to solve the security problems and implement reconciliation, Abhisit said.

There are no changes to the key roles of finance, defence and foreign ministers.

The Reds, whose stronghold is in the rural northeast, complain that Thailand's poor have been left behind. They were campaigning for elections they hoped would oust the government, which they view as undemocratic because it came to power with the backing of the army after a court ruling threw out the previous administration.

Abhisit, who does not have to face voters until the end of next year, had proposed November elections in a bid to end the protests, but he said in Vietnam that a ballot late this year is unlikely given what happened.

"But next year is possible," he said.

He said he is "very determined" to achieve reconciliation in the society and believed most protesters did not want violence -- but some of their leaders "have their own agenda".

"I'm willing to talk to all the elements who refuse the use of violence and illegal means to achieve political ends," he said.

He said he wants to ensure "Red Shirt" representation on an independent panel which will be set up to review what happened over the past two months.

While protesters complained about inequality, Abhisit said a widely-used measure of income inequality shows the rate is "probably about the same" as in the United States. He added that his economic stimulus policies last year had improved indices of poverty.

"Nevertheless, because the perception is there, and perhaps feelings are there about inequality, we will address them," he said.

Confronting concerns about investor confidence after the unrest, Abhisit said the economy has "strong fundamentals" and, despite their political disagreements, Thais are committed to a market economy.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-06-07

[chantorn]

Why does Mark need the SOE.

The government can arrest anyone at will anyway.

[yoshiwara]

Why does Mark need the SOE.

The government can arrest anyone at will anyway.

Sensible question made senseless by a silly answer.

The answer of course is so that your red friends do not think they have a green light to replay 'let's light up a shopping mall' exercise.

A period of calm appreciated by all except the Thaksin puppet circus.

[Jingthing]

Would people have preferred another coup? Abhisit, he's the man!

[mazeltov]

Would people have preferred another coup? Abhisit, he's the man!

The man for who?

Recent polls show that the Abhisit government has only the support of 24% of the people.

the majority chose to give a thai style 'no' answer.

Abac Poll: Majority named themselves as silent group : National News Bureau of Thailand

[animatic]

Would people have preferred another coup? Abhisit, he's the man!

Some certainly would have, A Red Coup of course.

They have been trying to creat a coup from the street,

or bring down the government by creating something it can't survive in censure.

A coup by other means, but a coup in the end product.

[animatic]

Would people have preferred another coup? Abhisit, he's the man!

The man for who?

Recent polls show that the Abhisit government has only the support of 24% of the people.

the majority chose to give a thai style 'no' answer.

Abac Poll: Majority named themselves as silent group : National News Bureau of Thailand

Not even close enough for an accurate sampling of national sentiment.

17,000 over 17 provinces would just barely be enough for a valid polling.

Majority remianed silent... or did you miss that? This makes it a opinion piece, and lets see ;

WHO PAID FOR THIS SAMPLING?

[mazeltov]

Would people have preferred another coup? Abhisit, he's the man!

The man for who?

Recent polls show that the Abhisit government has only the support of 24% of the people.

the majority chose to give a thai style 'no' answer.

Abac Poll: Majority named themselves as silent group : National News Bureau of Thailand

Not even close enough for an accurate sampling of national sentiment.

17,000 over 17 provinces would just barely be enough for a valid polling.

Majority remianed silent... or did you miss that? This makes it a opinion piece, and lets see ;

WHO PAID FOR THIS SAMPLING?

Thai people don't like to say 'NO'. they give a more diplomatic answer. do you know that?

where the poll comes from, read here:

Assumption University of Thailand

ABOUT THE ABAC Poll RESEARCH CENTER

[Jingthing]

Nothing wrong with the poll. Of those who are aligned, the government is WAY ahead. No surprise at all that MOST Thais are non-aligned, and more or less apolitical.

[Thai at Heart]

Well, the title says it all.

Despite his public statements that Thailand is stable, it patently isn't. Lets hope for a prolonged period of peace and quiet, and long for the day that the SOE can be removed. I see that they have arrested quite a lot of people up country for burning the city halls. That is a good start. Still no news on when or where the PAD cases will be sorted out I see.

As for locking up a couple of foreigners for being involved when in essence, they could arrest thousands for the same thing, is all very silly. But then we are living in silly and quite worrying times. Where will Thailand be in 2 years time?

Edited June 7, 2010 by Thai at Heart

[hansum]

Would Orwell refer to this as Doublespeak?

[hansum]

Nothing wrong with the poll. Of those who are aligned, the government is WAY ahead. No surprise at all that MOST Thais are non-aligned, and more or less apolitical.

And you figured that out from speaking to whom?

Youre a deluded legend on your own keyboard?

[Jingthing]

Nothing wrong with the poll. Of those who are aligned, the government is WAY ahead. No surprise at all that MOST Thais are non-aligned, and more or less apolitical.

And you figured that out from speaking to whom?

Youre a deluded legend on your own keyboard?

The poll results reflect my assertion.

[hansum]

Nothing wrong with the poll. Of those who are aligned, the government is WAY ahead. No surprise at all that MOST Thais are non-aligned, and more or less apolitical.

And you figured that out from speaking to whom?

Youre a deluded legend on your own keyboard?

The poll results reflect my assertion.

So if the poll sided with your views, theyd politically aware.

Youve almost 18000 posts so mustnt get out too much, you live in Pattaya, many of your topics are about complaining about restaurants/ service/ baht buses/ being charged a few baht too much .... what im trying to get at is that you dont ever have much contact with Thais on anything more then a superficial basis so you dont actually know how political they are, you just like to make these things up just for the sake of it without anything substantial to base it on ... but stay in your bubble your wisdom is 2nd to none in there.

Edited June 8, 2010 by hansum

[Jingthing]

Sir, please stick with the CONTENT of the discussion rather than resorting to your CHEAP personal attacks and predictable Pattaya bashing.

[Kusobusisi]

Would people have preferred another coup? Abhisit, he's the man!

The man for who?

Recent polls show that the Abhisit government has only the support of 24% of the people.

the majority chose to give a thai style 'no' answer.

Abac Poll: Majority named themselves as silent group : National News Bureau of Thailand

Not even close enough for an accurate sampling of national sentiment.

17,000 over 17 provinces would just barely be enough for a valid polling.

Majority remianed silent... or did you miss that? This makes it a opinion piece, and lets see ;

WHO PAID FOR THIS SAMPLING?

Thai people don't like to say 'NO'. they give a more diplomatic answer. do you know that?

where the poll comes from, read here:

Assumption University of Thailand

ABOUT THE ABAC Poll RESEARCH CENTER

Yeah right. You Reds always assume things when it's to your advantage. Typical.

[yoshiwara]

Would people have preferred another coup? Abhisit, he's the man!

The man for who?

Recent polls show that the Abhisit government has only the support of 24% of the people.

the majority chose to give a thai style 'no' answer.

Abac Poll: Majority named themselves as silent group : National News Bureau of Thailand

The poll mazeltov quotes says that the Government is supported by 24% of the respondents, but hello....it goes on to say that 15.2% are opposed to the government.

[animatic]

Not even close enough for an accurate sampling of national sentiment.

17,000 over 17 provinces would just barely be enough for a valid polling.

Majority remianed silent... or did you miss that? This makes it a opinion piece, and lets see ;

WHO PAID FOR THIS SAMPLING?

Thai people don't like to say 'NO'. they give a more diplomatic answer. do you know that?

where the poll comes from, read here:

Assumption University of Thailand

ABOUT THE ABAC Poll RESEARCH CENTER

Yeah right. You Reds always assume things when it's to your advantage. Typical.

ABAC says:

"...Some of the ABAC Poll's clients include: The Ministry of Public Health, The Office of Thai Health Promotion,

The Office of the Prime Minister, The Office of National Health System Reform, The Office of the Narcotics Control Board,

The Ministry of Justice, The Ministry of Finance, The Bank of Government Housing,

other nondisclosable private companies,

and domestic and international news/media agencies. ..."

"... Who We Serve : กลุ่มผู้ใช้บริการเอแบคโพลล์

• Government agencies : หน่วยงานราชการ
• Business companies : บริษัท / องค์กรธุรกิจ
• Non-government organizations : องค์กรภาคเอกชน
• Academicians and students : นัิกวิชาการและนักศึกษา
• Mass media : สื่อมวลชน

"Non-governmental Organizations" and "Business Companies". "other nondisclosable private companies"

Who commissioned this poll?

Low head count polls are easy to skew by their methodology and types and order of questions.

Yet by having a respected polling name attached to it, it adds a patina of reality that may or may NOT be there.

There is every reason lacking more specifics including '% of error' ,and the 'actual question list, '

to make any such poll suspect.

Edited June 8, 2010 by animatic

[mazeltov]

^

of course, there must be something wrong with that poll, that doesn't show a 99.56% support for the Abhisit government. You should call immediately the authorities and demand the arrest of the suspects, the poll maker and anyone who didn't vote for full support when asked.

It's SoE, how can they dare to say something or publish something like that. They only want the government look bad.

Insurgents, terrorists, thugs, treason, criminals. disgusting.

[Neurath]

There was a real poll on the weekend.

Interesting results.

[mazeltov]

There was a real poll on the weekend.

Interesting results.

what was interesting? a voter turnout of 37.42 %?

in Thailand voting is compulsory.

[Rucharee]

Contradictionat its best.

Replying to Abhisit Insists Thailand Stable, But Emergency Decree Remains

[Rucharee]

There was a real poll on the weekend.

Interesting results.

what was interesting? a voter turnout of 37.42 %?

in Thailand voting is compulsory.

Bingo. PAD got it right all the time.

30% election; 70% appointment.

Remember this formula?

[yoshiwara]

There was a real poll on the weekend.

Interesting results.

what was interesting? a voter turnout of 37.42 %?

in Thailand voting is compulsory.

Bingo. PAD got it right all the time.

30% election; 70% appointment.

Remember this formula?

Now that some of the red cheerleaders have failed at their appointed tasks they try to be joke yellows.

First time tragedy, second time farce.

Stability is fragile now, so no windows for the thugs to leap through for the moment thank you.

Be patient for the election even though in your hearts force is the only way to go.

Nostalgia for the burning tyres.

[yoshiwara]

^

of course, there must be something wrong with that poll, that doesn't show a 99.56% support for the Abhisit government. You should call immediately the authorities and demand the arrest of the suspects, the poll maker and anyone who didn't vote for full support when asked.

It's SoE, how can they dare to say something or publish something like that. They only want the government look bad.

Insurgents, terrorists, thugs, treason, criminals. disgusting.

Couldn't have put it better myself for your mates last month.

Now? cats chasing their tails.

And cheerleader cats chasing us with tales.

[Thai at Heart]

Nice to see that the police can understand what the SOE is for, by arresting blind people protesting the allocation of lottery tickets. The BIB are a bunch of ...........

Front page, the paper we cannot talk about.

[Rucharee]

Nice to see that the police can understand what the SOE is for, by arresting blind people protesting the allocation of lottery tickets. The BIB are a bunch of ...........

Front page, the paper we cannot talk about.

SOE does not give the right for the handicaps to protest.

Double standard?

[yoshiwara]

Contradictionat its best.

Replying to Abhisit Insists Thailand Stable, But Emergency Decree Remains

Er, no.

Stable means that your red mates aren't running around setting light to things.

Keeping the decree to quieten the thug inclinations for the moment.

It will be lifted soon. Reasonably calm now.

[Thai at Heart]

Nice to see that the police can understand what the SOE is for, by arresting blind people protesting the allocation of lottery tickets. The BIB are a bunch of ...........

Front page, the paper we cannot talk about.

SOE does not give the right for the handicaps to protest.

Double standard?

Of course I don't support the SOE being used for this kind of thing. It is an abominable action by the police and completely and utterly unnecessary.

Oh dear. How low has this country sunk.

If we are going to say that the SOE stops all forms of all complaints without resort to any common sense, then we are indeed slipping further and further into the abyss. If you or any other right minded person can see a reason to support this type of action against blind people, then I change my opinion that the SOE is necessary to calm the situation and want it repealed now to be never enforced again.

[erniebanks]

I predict

The fight will start all over again in less than 3 months.

More killings

More buildings destroyed

UN will Begin to call Thailand a Rouge nation state

Paid propaganda machine will just keep controlling TV, Radio, print, and the INTERNET.

Meltdown of this place is inevitable.

It is only a matter of when.