British PM David Cameron Cancels Vacation In Thailand

[TAWP]

I read elsewhere that it's not the cost of the holiday that the issue, as the Cameron's were paying for that themselves. The problem is the £50,000 cost of security.

Whether you like Cameron and his party, or not, he's still the British Prime Minister, and as such the PM has a right to protection. I think it's pathetic that the press are saying taxpayers would be up in arms at expenditure like this.

Can't see other Presidents, Prime Ministers etc etc foregoing their holidays for reasons such as this.

Even if he vacations in the UK he will need his security detail...or if he travels to the supermarket or go to the cinema in the evening. (One former PM of mine got shot and killed in -86 when he went to the cinema with his wife and waived his security detail that evening...)

[TAWP]

The press have every right to point out this Marie Antoinette, 'let them eat cake' attitude from their heartless, rubbing the peoples noses in it, pm.

Apart from the fact that she never said that...

[truethailand]

Yep, there are also a few reports that suggest it is not only about using taxpayers money.

See this link

There would be a lot of red shirt supporters that would like to believe that.

A few red shirt supporters would like to believe "the protests in March when up to half a million people descended on ­Bangkok," too.

What is your mandate and who give it you. You joined just after the first slaughter in Bangkok and of over 2200 posts most are just an opportunity to put down anything red. As a believer in social equality even I can see some good in people with different views but now you are just getting monotonous. Why spoil your valid points with vitriolic bile. Jog on Mong

[housepainter]

Many of you are missing the point.

Spin doctors have the job of convincing the public. Unfortunately, many of you have followed that line to it's end without question.

The economics of it have many right wing republican capitalists up in arms. Fine. But that's not where the focus should be.

Consider the subject matter available to an independant, free press in the UK. Let's just forget the 5 star hotel and rather look at the up market Pattaya that calls itself Phuket. Lady boys, otherwsie known as cross dressing or genetically challenged street prostitutes, in abundance, in your face and in the proximity of britain's Prime Minister. It was bad enough for Clinton with an intern and a cigar. But just being on the same island where sex is for sale of any permutation the twisted mind can desire would bring bad publicity. Note the considered undertone in which I describe it. And do not be so naive [as you earlier were] by way of believing there is no such thing as bad publicity.

There is. And Cameron, wisely, has crossed Thailand off his list of suitable, acceptable places to go. The TAT can say and do what it likes but many visiting folks do not return. they don't need a rare Tsunami to drive them away; a bird flu; air port closure; political turmoil; murder on the subway; bombings or terrorism.

It is simply the condoned normality of the place. That is, sex for sale; children for sale; murder for sale; haven for criminals; justice for sale.

It is not a suitable place for world leaders to visit. When was President Carter, Ford, Clinton, Bush [2] or Obama last here?

Ask yourself why? Cameron is simply another.

[richard_smith237]

As some have pointed out… I think leadership by example is called for.

He should take public transport around London and the rest of the UK for that matter – it doesn’t matter if that takes 2-3 hours out of his day, that’s what the rest of us do.

He should live in a regular house fitting that of the electorate majority, that’s what the rest of us do.

His salary should be cut down to that of someone on benefits so he has a better understanding of the lower income brackets.

He should not go on holiday when the rest of the electorate clearly can’t afford a weekend at the UK seaside.

And as far as security is concerned, does he really need all that security? After all, the majority of the electorate don’t.

Yes, I definitely agree with many of those posters who say it would be hypocritical of him to enjoy Christmas outside of the UK.

He should suffer with the rest of England… Apart from everyone else who has already booked their ski trips and breaks in the sun.

I really do want those ruling our Country to suffer so much that when they get burnt out and fail at their jobs we can blame them for being pussies and while down the pub talk about how much of a better job we could have done ourselves.....

[whybother]

Yep, there are also a few reports that suggest it is not only about using taxpayers money.

See this link

There would be a lot of red shirt supporters that would like to believe that.

A few red shirt supporters would like to believe "the protests in March when up to half a million people descended on ­Bangkok," too.

What is your mandate and who give it you. You joined just after the first slaughter in Bangkok and of over 2200 posts most are just an opportunity to put down anything red. As a believer in social equality even I can see some good in people with different views but now you are just getting monotonous. Why spoil your valid points with vitriolic bile. Jog on Mong

No mandate. No one voted me to do anything. I just have an opinion. And I just post if I disagree with something. Which is why I have so many posts. There is a lot to disagree with from the many red supporters posting here. I can see some good points with the grass roots red shirts, but that gets ruined 200% by the leaders and Thaksin.

[ServeUncutUncle]

I read elsewhere that it's not the cost of the holiday that the issue, as the Cameron's were paying for that themselves. The problem is the £50,000 cost of security.

Whether you like Cameron and his party, or not, he's still the British Prime Minister, and as such the PM has a right to protection. I think it's pathetic that the press are saying taxpayers would be up in arms at expenditure like this.

Can't see other Presidents, Prime Ministers etc etc foregoing their holidays for reasons such as this.

Probably cost less than what it costs in Motor Car Escorts, Police, Time, Road Blocking, Traffic Hold Ups and all the delays when a membber of the Thai Royal Family goes to Hua Hin for The Weekend.

[yellow1red1]

P*ssy.

Seriously, he was paying out of his own pocket, what is the issue?

People are jelous some people have more? Boo-freaking-hoo.

I think of this public outcry when a politician goes on vacation in a little bit above average style also odd.

There was also criticism that focused on the political situation in Thailand and that such a trip by the PM would send a wrong signal too.

The cancellation and now a stay at home holiday because of solidarity with the country that 'is facing widespread job losses and spending cuts.' (telegraph) is that a PR stunt or was there really heavy pressure by the 'British media'.

Like i could imagine newspaper reports about the hotel room, including photos from the bathroom and remarks how exclusive the marble tiles there are and how much snob and hi-so it is. Or whatever these papers write when the introduce the life of the rich people to their more simple and unsophisticated readership and give them something to bitch about. If yes, what newspaper? Do the Brits really care about how much their PM spend on Christmas holiday?

BINGO, it took 14 Posts before somebody entertained the 'slim' possibility there were reasons for cancelling the politicians would not saying.

not that they would be so dishonest, eh? ha ha ha

if i'm one of the leaders of the Free World better to vacation in one of the bottom rung corruption ridden despots going DUH

[Buchholz]

if i'm one of the leaders of the Free World better to vacation in one of the bottom rung corruption ridden despots going DUH

Someone is woefully uninformed of world events on this planet of 195 countries.

btw, how's life going for you "in one of the bottom rung corruption ridden despots going"?

[yellow1red1]

Yep, there are also a few reports that suggest it is not only about using taxpayers money.

See this link

Can't the text be displayed?

does it violate the draconian , 3rd World, censorship rules to Post what this link says???

dated Oct 31, 2010 Campaigners are urging David Cameron to cancel his winter holiday in Thailand over claims the ­government there ­murdered protesters.Activists accuse Thai ­premier Abhisit Vejjajiva – an Old Etonian like the PM – of widespread persecution of “Red Shirts” during rallies earlier this year.Opposition party The United Front for ­Democracy Against ­Dictatorship has sent a report about alleged human rights abuses to the ­International Criminal Court and called on Mr ­Cameron to call off his visit.The accusations centre on the protests in March when up to half a million people descended on ­Bangkok, ­vowing not to leave until elections were called.They claim the ­government killed ­demonstrators and ***blocked access to websites.Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/2010/10/31/david-cameron-urged-to-axe-trip-to-thailand-115875-22676572/#ixzz16AfTTsU9

*** UK paper is incredulous websites can be blocked

in TIT z up it's called undserstanding Thainess HAR HAR HAR

[Buchholz]

^ for an article that is supposedly on a "blocked website, there doesn't seem to be much difficulty for others to read its nonsense.

Yep, there are also a few reports that suggest it is not only about using taxpayers money.

See this link

Someone should inform the Mirror that the Red Shirts are not a political party:

Opposition party The United Front for ­Democracy Against ­Dictatorship

Mirror (UK) (link above)

and also regarding a quote from the article:

A few red shirt supporters would like to believe "the protests in March when up to half a million people descended on ­Bangkok," too.

Edited November 24, 2010 by Buchholz

[hammered]

In the UK going away and taking a holiday while many suffer the cuts put in place by the government is politically risky to say the least. Politics at least in the UK is about perceptions. And if most or just many are in misery the leader of the government who is meant to represent them all is expected to be in misery too. And elements of the media will rip him to pieces if he acts otherwise, and he has to rely on a coalition including a party sensitive to such stuff who are hemorraguing support and members.

A UK PM visiting a country where a few dozen people were shot on an extended demo (some would say uprising) including probably a majority by troops but others under murky circumstances is not poltically risky at all as most UK voters wont even care about such a thing especially right now. Hey they even let someone responsible for thousands of deaths be a fit and proper person to run a footie club without much criticism.

Totally obvious why Cameron cancelled or was advised or even forced to cancel the visit. It is nothing to do with Thailand at all. All poltics is local as someone once said.

[Basil B]

I find the quote "Cameron was to have footed the bill himself since it was to be a personal trip" to be very misleading statement, as whoever wrote this seems to have forgotten that even if it was a private holiday our PM would need an awful lot of security also advisers and communications that would keep him briefed with "Affairs of State" even if he was being deputised.

Presume:

• Security personnel paid for by British tax payers to vet all venues.
• Security personnel paid for by British tax payers to accompany PM at all times.
• Whitehall "Mandarins" and Embassy officials to be on hand at all times to advise.
• Host nation and venue owners to improve security at their own expense.
• Battalions of police and army to be on hand to protect British PM from protesting "Silver Shits"(Retired British Expats) demanding fairer state pension rights.
• British National Security compromised by American warships, Russian Trawlers and Chinese junks all bristling with the latest electronics eves dropping technologies bobbing around nearby to intercept the PM's communications.

[yellow1red1]

^ for an article that is supposedly on a "blocked website, there doesn't seem to be much difficulty for others to read its nonsense.

what is 'nonsense' is yer 1700 Posts in 6 months shilling for one side. while real Thais, who would like what we in the West take for granted, have been censored, jailed, exiled and killed.

why RU allowed to Post New Topics in News when only Moderators can and we can;t? sniff sniff smells fishy...

What was your nick B4 june 2010?

,,,both sides have paid content writers flooding forums, they stick out.

The next time you see British born, Eton educated Abhisit, ask him why he so thin skinned he would allow flip sellers to be arressted,,,???

NO amount of your spin, spin, spun, will make that any less draconian,,, but spin away... that\s your schtick

A British Bishop was recently caught making rude and gossipy comments about one of the heirs to the British throne and His fiance.,,,

He was relieved of public duties NOT sent to jail for 29 years. < the Free World compared to the NOT free world

Thailand is so,,, medievel,, it aint even funny.

tell US it isn't spin spin spin HA

get back to normal will ya? = corruption without jiggling the pig trough

[Buchholz]

^ for an article that is supposedly on a "blocked website, there doesn't seem to be much difficulty for others to read its nonsense.

what is 'nonsense' is yer 1700 Posts in 6 months shilling for one side. while real Thais, who would like what we in the West take for granted, have been censored, jailed, exiled and killed.

why RU allowed to Post New Topics in News when only Moderators can and we can;t? sniff sniff smells fishy...

,,,both sides have paid content writers flooding forums, they stick out.

The next time you see British born, Eton educated Abhisit, ask him why he so thin skinned he would allow flip sellers to be arressted,,,???

NO amount of your spin, spin, spun, will make that any less draconian,,, but spin away... that\s your schtick

A British Bishop was recently caught making rude and gossipy comments about one of the heirs to the British throne and His fiance.,,,

He was relieved of public duties NOT sent to jail for 29 years. < the Free World compared to the NOT free world

Thailand is so,,, medievel,, it aint even funny.

tell US it isn't spin spin spin HA

get back to normal will ya? = corruption without jiggling the pig trough

That was a nice rant.

So the website isn't blocked.

So the article is littered with inaccuracies and lies (referring to the outing post 4 posts back).

So I'm not allowed to post new topics in the news forum. If a thread I started is in the news forum, it was moved there by a mod, the same as they do for other newsworthy threads written by non-mods.

If I did meet Abhisit, I'd thank him for directing CRES to review their policy on arresting people with satirizing items and getting it rescinded.

Sorry if you consider the realities and truths above as "spin." Do you have anything to counter the original post you quoted, such as evidence there were 1/2 million Red protesters assembled in Bangkok or that the UDD is a registered political party?

OR, were you just interested in throwing out a rambling, attacking reply 4 days after its posting?

[Rinrada]

48,000 Baht a night in some doss house in Poo kit.....Jesu c...and I thought 750 in the Honey was Peng...even with breakies...times change....

MPR

anyway CSR is over and the next purge is due so recon ....a etc...

prols only fit for breeding and all that ...gorra laff....C-LD manifesto...the midnight hour....

[yellow1red1]

^ for an article that is supposedly on a "blocked website, there doesn't seem to be much difficulty for others to read its nonsense.

what is 'nonsense' is yer 1700 Posts in 6 months shilling for one side. while real Thais, who would like what we in the West take for granted, have been censored, jailed, exiled and killed.

why RU allowed to Post New Topics in News when only Moderators can and we can;t? sniff sniff smells fishy...

,,,both sides have paid content writers flooding forums, they stick out.

The next time you see British born, Eton educated Abhisit, ask him why he so thin skinned he would allow flip sellers to be arressted,,,???

NO amount of your spin, spin, spun, will make that any less draconian,,, but spin away... that\s your schtick

A British Bishop was recently caught making rude and gossipy comments about one of the heirs to the British throne and His fiance.,,,

He was relieved of public duties NOT sent to jail for 29 years. < the Free World compared to the NOT free world

Thailand is so,,, medievel,, it aint even funny.

tell US it isn't spin spin spin HA

get back to normal will ya? = corruption without jiggling the pig trough

That was a nice rant.

So the website isn't blocked.

So the article is littered with inaccuracies and lies (referring to the outing post 4 posts back).

So I'm not allowed to post new topics in the news forum. If a thread I started is in the news forum, it was moved there by a mod, the same as they do for other newsworthy threads written by non-mods.

If I did meet Abhisit, I'd thank him for directing CRES to review their policy on arresting people with satirizing items and getting it rescinded.

Sorry if you consider the realities and truths above as "spin." Do you have anything to counter the original post you quoted, such as evidence there were 1/2 million Red protesters assembled in Bangkok or that the UDD is a registered political party?

OR, were you just interested in throwing out a rambling, attacking reply 4 days after its posting?

so you can't directly start a Topic in News? your just a newbie who happens to amaze the mods so much with news stories in General , which would be a violation of the Temporary,/ permament policy that they quickly move them to news? you average 10 Posts a day? yes you will respond in 4 minutes to 4 hours,,, non FULL timers might take a few days..sheesh.

&lt;deleted&gt; difference does it make whther it was 5 million or 500,ooo?!, LOOK what happened,,!?, and the Article was ABOUT how idiotic it would be for a PM of a Modern Nation to give any breathing points to a country with no free speech and in the bottom of the world's barrel on corruption,and yellow and red unrest and riots,, u deflect to they didn't actually know UDD was not a party BFD!!! red herring

The GOOD news is the British PM had cold water thrown in his face on making a BIG mistake...

do you ACTUALLY think he should have holidayed in Thailand??? can you answer that one on TOPIC question?????? its A, yes or B. no

and we know how TOT would reply, what do you think?

HE is letting people be arrested for selling flip flops --- good f,, en C,,st man give your head a shake...\

him for directing CRES to review their policy on arresting people with satirizing items and getting it rescinded

REALLY well U can run the story...

I USED to have respect for him, but then I used to have respect for Obama, too

both men who HAD good ideas but both took the reins of of wild out of control horses

you just wait and see what is on the way!!!

Copy and Paste this for Dec 1 2011;;; Dec 1 2012;;; Dec 1 2013,,,

it's &lt;deleted&gt; and MORE &lt;deleted&gt; is on the way,,, wix i wz rong,,,, but am NOT

out of your 1700 Posts, just try to guess how many minds you've changed?

wot a magnificent waste of time,,, if yer not preparing to apply with 'everything is rosy' TOT

[whybother]

so you can't directly start a Topic in News? your just a newbie who happens to amaze the mods so much with news stories in General , which would be a violation of the Temporary,/ permament policy that they quickly move them to news? <snip>

Where has Buchholz started a topic that has been moved into News?

[Buchholz]

That was a nice rant.

So the website isn't blocked.

So the article is littered with inaccuracies and lies (referring to the outing post 4 posts back).

So I'm not allowed to post new topics in the news forum. If a thread I started is in the news forum, it was moved there by a mod, the same as they do for other newsworthy threads written by non-mods.

If I did meet Abhisit, I'd thank him for directing CRES to review their policy on arresting people with satirizing items and getting it rescinded.

Sorry if you consider the realities and truths above as "spin." Do you have anything to counter the original post you quoted, such as evidence there were 1/2 million Red protesters assembled in Bangkok or that the UDD is a registered political party?

OR, were you just interested in throwing out a rambling, attacking reply 4 days after its posting?

so you can't directly start a Topic in News? your just a newbie who happens to amaze the mods so much with news stories in General , which would be a violation of the Temporary,/ permament policy that they quickly move them to news?

I guess it was the "OR" just interested in throwing out a rambling, attacking reply, afterall.

Yes, I can't post directly in News, the same as every other newest newbie OR the longest 8 year-long TV member and everyone else in between, with the exception of a few mods and admins. It's a forum software setting, not a dark hidden conspiracy of international proportions.

you average 10 Posts a day? yes you will respond in 4 minutes to 4 hours,,, non FULL timers might take a few days..sheesh.

You should really be concerned about these members, then, as many are well over 10 posts a day. You should PM all of them and express your incredulous reaction at the number of their postings.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=stats

&lt;deleted&gt; difference does it make whther it was 5 million or 500,ooo?!

It's a little matter of credibility. If they make such glaring errors in their reporting of such basics as attendance figures as well as misidentifying a group of protesters as the opposition political party, how much credence can one put into much of their other reporting?

What you call "red herring", I call ridiculous inaccuracies that discredit anything else that they may guessing at in their reporting. Surely you've read (or even participated in) The Nation bashing for precisely those same reasons, but yet when The Mirror does the exact same thing, it's a "red herring."

[Buchholz]

The GOOD news is the British PM had cold water thrown in his face on making a BIG mistake...

do you ACTUALLY think he should have holidayed in Thailand??? can you answer that one on TOPIC question?????? its A, yes or B. no

and we know how TOT would reply, what do you think?

Wow.... a treat. An actual on-topic question nearly hidden in and amongst your other ramblings.

I think the British PM should decide with his family when and where he and his family take their vacation. I can appreciate he wanted to go to Phuket as his hotel looks to be a very nice place and Phuket has some very nice sunny beaches. I can also appreciate the feelings of his constituents who may be dismayed that he would be traveling to such a luxurious destination during a time of economic downturn and hardship as well as cold dreary weather at the same time. horizon.

HE is letting people be arrested for selling flip flops --- good f,, en C,,st man give your head a shake...\

Do you mean like this? :jerk:

I would proffer that there are more egregious events occurring all over the world than the arrest of a couple of flip-flop sellers, whose cases have been brought to light and will likely be rectified on a positive note shortly. Should the British PM eliminate all countries with such minor travesties of justice? It would likely eliminate any where for him to go for Christmas but Antarctica... and that's only a maybe.

I USED to have respect for him, but then I used to have respect for Obama, too

both men who HAD good ideas but both took the reins of of wild out of control horses

I won't even ask about that one. Your Thailand-related ramblings are more than enough.

you just wait and see what is on the way!!!

Copy and Paste this for Dec 1 2011;;; Dec 1 2012;;; Dec 1 2013,,,

I'm sorry, but you've lost me on this one.

[Buchholz]

your 1700 Posts

wot a magnificent waste of time

I'm sure the 393 members with greater than that number would appreciate hearing your opinion.

It's more PM's for you to send off.

[Siam Simon]

your 1700 Posts

wot a magnificent waste of time

I'm sure the 393 members with greater than that number would appreciate hearing your opinion.

It's more PM's for you to send off.

You guys prattle on via pm? I had a forum weirdo going by the name of 'Insight' try the same with me.