Foreigners In Thailand Closely Watching Thai 'Shirts' Reaction To Arab Protesters

[diehard60]

An Australian businessman working in Bangkok, Adrian Lang, says, "Why should the Abhisit government resign? The economy here is among the best in the world."

That's precisely why Thailand deserves change. The economy here is booming and the vast majority of the people have not benefitted at all; quite the reverse, they are struggling to make their low wages stretch to the increasing cost of cooking oil and other staples.

The comparison with Tunisa and Egypt omits one huge detail. Egyptian and Tunisian Troops refused to fire on their own people. The Thai army had and has no such reservations and is completely behind the Ruling Elite. If a renegate officer (Seh Daeng) sides with the people he is assasinated.

WARNING: SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS MAY BE AN EARLY SIGN OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Let me provide you with a few key words that may help you more accurately remember the events of April last:

Arisman -bring bottles for petrol bombs

Military commander killed

M-79 attacks

Dead and wounded soldiers

Thaksin

hospital invasion

RPG attacks

We'll burn the city

Central World

Red shirt confesses to M-79 and RPG attacks

Terrorism charges

If that doesn't burn through the fog of "thai army shoots unarmed protesters" then you should consult a doctor post haste.

WARNING! Reading what is not written comes from laying onto many Lamingtons.

FACT Egyptian and Tunisian Troops refused to fire on their own people.

Question????? Where did the RED SHIRTS get all this high powered MILITARY WEAPONRY in the first place????????????????????? Gee I don't know. Maybe the Generals gave it to them or there is no accountability in the ARMY???????????????????????????????????????

[jackr]

The world supports the citizens in the streets of Cairo and they will support us in Bangkok with our political movement," said a major Red Shirt leader in Pattaya.

But the difference being you lot are simply a minority bunch looking to further their own agenda and that of their master. The world cares not one iota!

The comparison with Tunisa and Egypt omits one huge detail. Egyptian and Tunisian Troops refused to fire on their own people. The Thai army had and has no such reservations and is completely behind the Ruling Elite. If a renegate officer (Seh Daeng) sides with the people he is assasinated.

WARNING: SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS MAY BE AN EARLY SIGN OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Save your breath; some trollish posters will forever remain in denial.

[Thai at Heart]

If you were to take a poll of 2 thousand Thais, you would be lucky if even 1% (20 people) would be able to point to where Egypt is on a world map.....

A couple of years ago I bought a globe for the kids to learn something about the World. Not one family member could point out Thailand. I would say that they are typical of urban residents.

Maybe they were looking for a country called "Hub".

[ballpoint]

The Egyptian protests were a spontaneous reaction by the people in response to what they saw in Tunisia, they were not arranged by a small group because their leader had some of his ill gotten gains confiscated by the court.

The Egyptian protestors were focused on one thing, without the need for silly little publicity stunts such as throwing their (and, for obvious reasons, pigs) blood around.

The Egyptian protests saw a small group of internationally recognised spokesmen, including two Nobel laureates, come out in their favour following the start of the protest, not arranging, and paying for it, before hand.

The Egyptian protestors would not have given up if the government froze the assets of Al Baradei.

The Egyptian protestors did not fire grenades and bullets at the army and anyone else who disagreed with them.

The Cairo protestors came mainly from Cairo, and were not paid to come from elsewhere.

The Egyptian protests were marked by a distinct lack of a bunch of people on a stage calling for the burning of Cairo, and a distinct lack of said burning taking place.

The Egyptian protestors did not go home and then say "well, we're going to come back next Sunday at 15:00, and walk around for a bit, cause some disruption to people going about their business, and then go home again, but we'll be back twice a month, or once a month, or maybe once every two months until we get what we want, which is the elections that we could have gotten earlier but turned down, so we'll have to think of some other reason, I know, we'll protest over the fact that our self appointed leaders got arrested for inciting violence and terror in the last protest".

The Egyptian protestors had a number of world leaders come out in support of them, calling for "orderly transition" of power.

The Egyptian protestors eventually got what they wanted.

Apart from that, yes, they were exactly the same as the red shirts.

[Pi Sek]

<snip list of UDD atrocities>

If that doesn't burn through the fog of "thai army shoots unarmed protesters" then you should consult a doctor post haste.

WARNING! believing government propaganda is a typical sign of senile dementia!

Since I first started visiting Thailand (1966), the army has regularly used horrific violence against its own people.

I don't care how long you've witnessed the army regularly using horrific people against its own people, it's not at all relevant. When the UDD publicly incites violence - and I heard this in person, clearly stated at the Rajprasong stage on several occasions - it's not government propaganda.

No, really, Pi Sek - don't bother.

The Egyptian protests were a spontaneous reaction by the people in response to what they saw in Tunisia, they were not arranged by a small group because their leader had some of his ill gotten gains confiscated by the court.

The Egyptian protestors were focused on one thing, without the need for silly little publicity stunts such as throwing their (and, for obvious reasons, pigs) blood around.

The Egyptian protests saw a small group of internationally recognised spokesmen, including two Nobel laureates, come out in their favour following the start of the protest, not arranging, and paying for it, before hand.

The Egyptian protestors would not have given up if the government froze the assets of Al Baradei.

The Egyptian protestors did not fire grenades and bullets at the army and anyone else who disagreed with them.

The Cairo protestors came mainly from Cairo, and were not paid to come from elsewhere.

The Egyptian protests were marked by a distinct lack of a bunch of people on a stage calling for the burning of Cairo, and a distinct lack of said burning taking place.

The Egyptian protestors did not go home and then say "well, we're going to come back next Sunday at 15:00, and walk around for a bit, cause some disruption to people going about their business, and then go home again, but we'll be back twice a month, or once a month, or maybe once every two months until we get what we want, which is the elections that we could have gotten earlier but turned down, so we'll have to think of some other reason, I know, we'll protest over the fact that our self appointed leaders got arrested for inciting violence and terror in the last protest".

The Egyptian protestors had a number of world leaders come out in support of them, calling for "orderly transition" of power.

The Egyptian protestors eventually got what they wanted.

Apart from that, yes, they were exactly the same as the red shirts.

Is this "disgraceful government propaganda"? Whatever it is, it's all true.

[OzMick]

An Australian businessman working in Bangkok, Adrian Lang, says, "Why should the Abhisit government resign? The economy here is among the best in the world."

That's precisely why Thailand deserves change. The economy here is booming and the vast majority of the people have not benefitted at all; quite the reverse, they are struggling to make their low wages stretch to the increasing cost of cooking oil and other staples.

The comparison with Tunisa and Egypt omits one huge detail. Egyptian and Tunisian Troops refused to fire on their own people. The Thai army had and has no such reservations and is completely behind the Ruling Elite. If a renegate officer (Seh Daeng) sides with the people he is assasinated.

WARNING: SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS MAY BE AN EARLY SIGN OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Let me provide you with a few key words that may help you more accurately remember the events of April last:

Arisman -bring bottles for petrol bombs

Military commander killed

M-79 attacks

Dead and wounded soldiers

Thaksin

hospital invasion

RPG attacks

We'll burn the city

Central World

Red shirt confesses to M-79 and RPG attacks

Terrorism charges

If that doesn't burn through the fog of "thai army shoots unarmed protesters" then you should consult a doctor post haste.

WARNING! Reading what is not written comes from laying onto many Lamingtons.

FACT Egyptian and Tunisian Troops refused to fire on their own people.

IMHO One of the main reasons being that the protesters have refrained from shooting at the troops!

[inmysights]

If you were to take a poll of 2 thousand Thais, you would be lucky if even 1% (20 people) would be able to point to where Egypt is on a world map.....

Or Thailand!

[OzMick]

If you were to take a poll of 2 thousand Thais, you would be lucky if even 1% (20 people) would be able to point to where Egypt is on a world map.....

A couple of years ago I bought a globe for the kids to learn something about the World. Not one family member could point out Thailand. I would say that they are typical of urban residents.

I bought an inflatable globe for my wife's family, with lots of school age kids. Left the house for a couple of hours, when I came back they were using it as a football.

[animatic]

Prime Minister Abhisit was not elected by the people to govern Thailand. He was appointed after the illegal overthrow of an elected Prime Minister in 2006, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Thailand wants democracy and we are going to get it. The world supports the citizens in the streets of Cairo and they will support us in Bangkok with our political movement," said a major Red Shirt leader in Pattaya.

Well...

Thaksin was appointed by MP's in a vote.

Samak was appointed by MP's in a vote.

Somchai was theoretically appointed by MP's in a vote,

if you don't count Thaksin telling them to appoint him.

So Abhisit was also Appointed by MPs In A Vote.

Same mechanism of persons elected by the public deciding on who is the prime minister was used for all 4. The difference is their allies abandoned them, for cause, and the courts found evidence of

Thaksin's party cheating, and Samak and Somchai's party cheating and banned the executives and closed the party.

They STILL have most of their MP's in parliament and/or proxy's for those they lost, what they don't have any more is the faith of several smaller parties that they will get a fair shake, and so they have been abandoned. So now we get Pattaya Times spouting the pure red line and super shallow reporting to back it up in theory.

So 2 years in office for Abhisit, and an election coming in Thailand, is much different than 30 years of Mubarak despotic rule, but this doesn't stop the reds from drooling in total jealousy that major powers are backing the change in Egypt, and ignored the reds totally.

Sour grapes, and not very good grapes to start with.

Oh, and Thaksin was an expired caretaker PM,

who had resigned as caretaker,

not any longer the elected PM, after he dissolved parliament,

and then over stayed his caretaker status,

resigned, and then took the job back.

Abhisit came in years later, but they still cut out the Samak Somchai (Mr.T. proxy) governments in the telling;

'Thaksin goes, Abihisit enters: same day appointment',

as if this was truth.... HAH!

Edited February 12, 2011 by animatic

[elshaheen]

The only people in the "world" who will support Red shirts in Thailand are those who are ignorant of the facts in the country, Events in Middle East and anything happening in Thailand have no comparison.

Don't forget the orange shirts, green shirts, sky blue shirts, dark blue shirts and most of all the Violet shirt

Then Thai will be one big happy gay family and start singing, "We are Family."

[MAJIC]

But who is the Thai Pharaoh? It is not Abhisit. The conclusion is simply that this is indeed a police state.

HOW do you come to that conclusion

carenot:

If it's not a police state now it will be, the same as England what with an English PM and all

MAGIC:

I can't wait for your next Pearls of Wisdom!

carenot:

care to elaborate

MAJIC:

Yes,

If you were here during the Red Shirts Bangkok Demonstration/ Uprising, Last Year,you would surely have noticed the lack of Police Interest in controlling Law and Order,let alone the Police State that you refer to,

That is why the Thai Government called in the Army to claim back Law and Order,which the Thai Police neglected to do.......I dont see any evidence of your claim that England is now/or will be a Police State in the future either,

perhaps you would care to elaborate now on that point,with some evidence, to back up your point?

Also, PM Abhisit has denied claims that he is English .as you stated thus : "what with an English PM and all"

Bangkok Post 08/02/2011

"While Abhisit has an automatic right to register as a British citizen as a result of being born in the UK to foreign parents before Jan 1, 1983, he has publicly stated that he has never taken up that right. In this case it is not possible for him to renounce his British citizenship. He would have to assume his British citizenship first in order to renounce it"

Yes I was in Bangkok during the demonstrations thanks, a stones throw away as it happens

For your information one of the definitions of a police state "A police state is a political condition where the government maintains strict control over society"

So your point about the police has absolutely no bearing as the army was used to control instead.

Maybe you have been living in your ivory tower for too long if you fail to see many so called free countries the UK being one of them slowly eroding civil liberties and heading towards a police state..

He may not have taken up his right to a British passport but when your family is wealthy and has the means for you to attend schools such as Eton your nationality really does become meaningless.

He was however born and educated in England and also worked for a major part of his life in England so one has to assume that some form of indoctrination will have occurred.

carenot

It's hardly the actions of a Police State to give: Demonstrators/ Anarchists and Terrororists a chance of an early Election, (which was refused),as this Government did!

Secondly Facts are Facts, however much you try to wheedle out of them. PM Abhisit is Thai, NOT English,as you stated.

As for The UK "heading towards a Police State" pure Conjecture on your part.

By all means have the last word,.......I carenot.

End of Post by Majic.

Bagwan

If you have nothing constructive to say then don't say anything you make yourself look foolish.

Edited February 12, 2011 by MAJIC

[asiawatcher]

An Australian businessman working in Bangkok, Adrian Lang, says, "Why should the Abhisit government resign? The economy here is among the best in the world."

That's precisely why Thailand deserves change. The economy here is booming and the vast majority of the people have not benefitted at all; quite the reverse, they are struggling to make their low wages stretch to the increasing cost of cooking oil and other staples.

The comparison with Tunisa and Egypt omits one huge detail. Egyptian and Tunisian Troops refused to fire on their own people. The Thai army had and has no such reservations and is completely behind the Ruling Elite. If a renegate officer (Seh Daeng) sides with the people he is assasinated.

WARNING: SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS MAY BE AN EARLY SIGN OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Let me provide you with a few key words that may help you more accurately remember the events of April last:

Arisman -bring bottles for petrol bombs

Military commander killed

M-79 attacks

Dead and wounded soldiers

Thaksin

hospital invasion

RPG attacks

We'll burn the city

Central World

Red shirt confesses to M-79 and RPG attacks

Terrorism charges

If that doesn't burn through the fog of "thai army shoots unarmed protesters" then you should consult a doctor post haste.

Good post - onyamate - straight to the point the others all seem to continue missing!

[scania]

My guess is that Thais identify very little with Muslims ruled by dictatorships.

The Thais might bring down the government, but it will have little to do with Egypt.

Couldn´t agree more..

[letitbe]

An Australian businessman working in Bangkok, Adrian Lang, says, "Why should the Abhisit government resign? The economy here is among the best in the world."

That's precisely why Thailand deserves change. The economy here is booming and the vast majority of the people have not benefitted at all; quite the reverse, they are struggling to make their low wages stretch to the increasing cost of cooking oil and other staples.

The comparison with Tunisa and Egypt omits one huge detail. Egyptian and Tunisian Troops refused to fire on their own people. The Thai army had and has no such reservations and is completely behind the Ruling Elite. If a renegate officer (Seh Daeng) sides with the people he is assasinated.

WARNING: SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS MAY BE AN EARLY SIGN OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Let me provide you with a few key words that may help you more accurately remember the events of April last:

Arisman -bring bottles for petrol bombs

Military commander killed

M-79 attacks

Dead and wounded soldiers

Thaksin

hospital invasion

RPG attacks

We'll burn the city

Central World

Red shirt confesses to M-79 and RPG attacks

Terrorism charges

If that doesn't burn through the fog of "thai army shoots unarmed protesters" then you should consult a doctor post haste.

100% spot on - lucky Thailand has an army who are prepared to stop mad dogs like SI Dang although he could have been assassinated by any group. Time idiots who support Mr T's attempts to rule grew up and understood. Be careful or you might get what you wanted but then forang supporters of reds can always just leave when it all ends in tears and death

[oldsailor35]

The only people in the "world" who will support Red shirts in Thailand are those who are ignorant of the facts in the country, Events in Middle East and anything happening in Thailand have no comparison.

Correct, the facts are .

1) Thailand was ruled by their most successfully elected PM (more than once)

2) This popular PM was overthrown by a military coup.

3) The present PM was not elected by the people,

4) The present PM was appointed by members of a govt put into place by the military controllers of Thailand..

So when the people of the world are aware of the facts, they will support the Red shirts.

Simple hey

First Tunisia, then Egypt, next Yemen then Thailand.

Proves that you cannot keep the people down for ever .

[oldsailor35]

An Australian businessman working in Bangkok, Adrian Lang, says, "Why should the Abhisit government resign? The economy here is among the best in the world."

That's precisely why Thailand deserves change. The economy here is booming and the vast majority of the people have not benefitted at all; quite the reverse, they are struggling to make their low wages stretch to the increasing cost of cooking oil and other staples.

The comparison with Tunisa and Egypt omits one huge detail. Egyptian and Tunisian Troops refused to fire on their own people. The Thai army had and has no such reservations and is completely behind the Ruling Elite. If a renegate officer (Seh Daeng) sides with the people he is assasinated.

WARNING: SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS MAY BE AN EARLY SIGN OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Let me provide you with a few key words that may help you more accurately remember the events of April last:

Arisman -bring bottles for petrol bombs

Military commander killed

M-79 attacks

Dead and wounded soldiers

Thaksin

hospital invasion

RPG attacks

We'll burn the city

Central World

Red shirt confesses to M-79 and RPG attacks

Terrorism charges

If that doesn't burn through the fog of "thai army shoots unarmed protesters" then you should consult a doctor post haste.

Not forgetting two months of holding down town Bangkok under siege even after giving them the elections they came supposedly asking for...

And the Hi-jacking of the countries airports, think you conveinently forgot that

[oldsailor35]

The comparison with Tunisa and Egypt omits one huge detail. Egyptian and Tunisian Troops refused to fire on their own people.

The protesters in Egypt are not (up to now) heavily armed with military weapons, nor have leaders incited violence from the start to crowds like Arisman and other leaders:

The protests there are still happening so we'll have to wait and see if they do turn violent with the use of military weapons, but I doubt that the protesters are heavily armed.

The Thai army had and has no such reservations and is completely behind the Ruling Elite.

If you were here during the protests in Thailand you would know that the Thai military were also hesitant for a long time to use violence to disperse the protest in April and May 2010. It went on for too long after repeated requests to go home so tear gas and rubber bullets were used. Protesters responded with grenades and machine guns, killing several military officers. "You don't bring a knife to a gunfight".

If a renegate officer (Seh Daeng) sides with the people he is assasinated.

He was calling for violent bloody revolution. Many innocent people could have died if things went on the way he wanted. He was insane and had no qualms about killing. It is not known who ordered the assassination; there are many possibilities as has been discussed before.

Cannot remember the time that Tear gas and rubber bullets were used, am sure that it was full on metal jacket and tanks etc

[oldsailor35]

The main difference seems to be the role of the army which in Thailand will use violence against its own citizens (or rather subjects) at the drop of a hat.

If the military did actually use violence "at the drop of a hat" then the April to May 2010 protests would not have lasted that long.

You are also ignoring the fact that protesters here used military weapons, and were supported by an opposition party and an ex-PM wanting to regain power.

Well, i stood amongst a very large group of protesters at lower Sukumvit and just as many police. I can honestly say, i saw no weapons whatsoever in the hands of the protesters. They were very decent to the police who acted likewise, even giving them cold water.The real trouble started on another part of town when the army started shooting thus causing an explosion of violence. Until the army went out of control it was just a protest. I only saw one instance of trouble and that was when a middled aged lady threw some water at the police. The Redshirt crowd controllers quickly grabbed her and took her away. As the police were returning to their busses, the crowd all parted and clapped them as they left and the police were waving and slapping hands with the crowd. It was the army who caused the big problem by stopping the rights of peaceful protest and stirring the crowd. If i had been one of them, i too would have been angry.

[animatic]

The only people in the "world" who will support Red shirts in Thailand are those who are ignorant of the facts in the country, Events in Middle East and anything happening in Thailand have no comparison.

Correct, the facts are .

1) Thailand was ruled by their most successfully elected PM (more than once)

2) This popular PM was overthrown by a military coup.

3) The present PM was not elected by the people,

4) The present PM was appointed by members of a govt put into place by the military controllers of Thailand..

So when the people of the world are aware of the facts, they will support the Red shirts.

Simple hey

First Tunisia, then Egypt, next Yemen then Thailand.

Proves that you cannot keep the people down for ever .

Rather than go into, yet again,

the laundry list of actual truth that dispels your list of misconceptions,

I will simply say;

ONLY your point 1,

has any actual, untwisted and manipulated, truth in it.

[whybother]

Well, i stood amongst a very large group of protesters at lower Sukumvit and just as many police. I can honestly say, i saw no weapons whatsoever in the hands of the protesters. They were very decent to the police who acted likewise, even giving them cold water.The real trouble started on another part of town when the army started shooting thus causing an explosion of violence. Until the army went out of control it was just a protest. I only saw one instance of trouble and that was when a middled aged lady threw some water at the police. The Redshirt crowd controllers quickly grabbed her and took her away. As the police were returning to their busses, the crowd all parted and clapped them as they left and the police were waving and slapping hands with the crowd. It was the army who caused the big problem by stopping the rights of peaceful protest and stirring the crowd. If i had been one of them, i too would have been angry.

If you weren't in "the other part of town", how do you know the army started shooting?

[oldsailor35]

JayJay0.......OK if Abhisit is the best that Thailand has to offer today. Why does he not get on and rule the country instead of continuing to be a "Puppet on a string"

Edited February 13, 2011 by metisdead
Corrected misspelling of PM Abhisit's name.

[Buchholz]

Well, i stood amongst a very large group of protesters at lower Sukumvit and just as many police. I can honestly say, i saw no weapons whatsoever in the hands of the protesters. They were very decent to the police who acted likewise, even giving them cold water.The real trouble started on another part of town when the army started shooting thus causing an explosion of violence. Until the army went out of control it was just a protest. I only saw one instance of trouble and that was when a middled aged lady threw some water at the police. The Redshirt crowd controllers quickly grabbed her and took her away. As the police were returning to their busses, the crowd all parted and clapped them as they left and the police were waving and slapping hands with the crowd. It was the army who caused the big problem by stopping the rights of peaceful protest and stirring the crowd. If i had been one of them, i too would have been angry.

If you weren't in "the other part of town", how do you know the army started shooting?

It's funny how anything that might have happened outside his personal peripheral vision, must not have occurred:

"I can honestly say, i saw no weapons whatsoever in the hands of the protesters."

but then, inconsistently, something that did happen outside his personal peripheral vision, most definitely did occur:

"The real trouble started on another part of town when the army started shooting"

[oldsailor35]

The only people in the "world" who will support Red shirts in Thailand are those who are ignorant of the facts in the country, Events in Middle East and anything happening in Thailand have no comparison.

Correct, the facts are .

1) Thailand was ruled by their most successfully elected PM (more than once)

2) This popular PM was overthrown by a military coup.

3) The present PM was not elected by the people,

4) The present PM was appointed by members of a govt put into place by the military controllers of Thailand..

So when the people of the world are aware of the facts, they will support the Red shirts.

Simple hey

First Tunisia, then Egypt, next Yemen then Thailand.

Proves that you cannot keep the people down for ever .

Rather than go into, yet again,

the laundry list of actual truth that dispels your list of misconceptions,

I will simply say;

ONLY your point 1,

has any actual, untwisted and manipulated, truth in it.

Up to you 'andsome man'

[metisdead]

One post removed. It is quite possible to disagree with someone without name calling.

[metisdead]

A post has been removed. No matter how veiled the speculation is, remember this:

2) Not to express disrespect of the King of Thailand or anyone else in the Thai royal family, whether living or deceased, nor to criticize the monarchy as an institution. Speculation, comments and discussion of either a political or personal nature are not allowed when discussing HM The King or the Royal family. Discussion of the lese majeste law or lese majeste cases is permitted on the forum, providing no comment or speculation is made referencing the royal family. To breach this rule will result in immediate ban.

[ginjag]

JayJay0.......OK if Abhisit is the best that Thailand has to offer today. Why does he not get on and rule the country instead of continuing to be a "Puppet on a string"

As the army are in control, (in the wings) he doesn't have much choice. most people seem to accept this as fact. But I believe if he had full control, he would GRADUALLY turn this country around. Too much of an uphill task for ANYONE here. But if you don't like him for some reason-put another name forward with pleasure. I bet you can't.

[hyperdimension]

In Egypt, the military are now in power to run the country after the resignation of Mubarak.

Would you guys who are UDD supporters or sympathisers or anti-Abhisit want things here in Thailand to play out in a similar fashion?

[Bagwan]

If you were to take a poll of 2 thousand Thais, you would be lucky if even 1% (20 people) would be able to point to where Egypt is on a world map.....

A couple of years ago I bought a globe for the kids to learn something about the World. Not one family member could point out Thailand. I would say that they are typical of urban residents.

I bought an inflatable globe for my wife's family, with lots of school age kids. Left the house for a couple of hours, when I came back they were using it as a football.

Go out now and buy a gross of balloons. St. Valentines Day is at hand. Thailand has enough kids.

[Bagwan]

Yes I was in Bangkok during the demonstrations thanks, a stones throw away as it happens

For your information one of the definitions of a police state "A police state is a political condition where the government maintains strict control over society"

So your point about the police has absolutely no bearing as the army was used to control instead.

Maybe you have been living in your ivory tower for too long if you fail to see many so called free countries the UK being one of them slowly eroding civil liberties and heading towards a police state..

He may not have taken up his right to a British passport but when your family is wealthy and has the means for you to attend schools such as Eton your nationality really does become meaningless.

He was however born and educated in England and also worked for a major part of his life in England so one has to assume that some form of indoctrination will have occurred.

Bagwan

If you have nothing constructive to say then don't say anything you make yourself look foolish.

Only in your myopic eyes and inside your fuddled mind. Your remark leads me to consider whether or not you are a not a supporter of free expression. Unlike your misguided self I would encourage you to post your desperate mis-truths further since, for some, it is good sport to see you and your ilk being metaphorically beat up here by more sentient and informed persons. Incidentally I consider your viewpoint to be the very antithesis of constructive; it surely lends itself to further unrest in this troubled country.

Your contention that you believe that England (but not apparently Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) is morphing into a police state is laughable. I might give some support to the notion that the UK, like the rest of Europe is, moving gradually into becoming a Muslim state. Would you be offended if I sent, under plain cover of course, an atlas so that you may acquaint yourself with the land mass of the United Kingdom and its constituent countries? I did consider a globe but then, as another poster has pointed out, there is a danger that you may use it to play football.

One aspect of the Egyptian situation that encourages me is that the populace is now engaged on clearing up the mess created during their legitimate protests. Red shirts please note. Yet another difference to the situations of both Thailand and Egypt.

[Spee]

I really don't understand how so many believe that what is occurring in Egypt will result in a democracy. Yes there will be a democratic process, but the end result is likely to be Sharia law with a possible eventual outcome of a radical Muslim superstate.

Climbing into my asbestos coveralls now.....

What you predict (a full theocracy) is very possible, but not inevitable. At the very least whatever government Egypt transitions will be heavily influenced by Islamic culture, no doubt, simply based on the demographics there.

Have you slaked your thirst with the "lamestream" media koolaid once more?

What happened in Egypt has absolutely nothing to do with establishing a democracy, much less a constitutional republic as in the US or a constitutional monarchy as in Thailand.

Referring back to your post on page 2 of this thread, the masses of Egyptian protesters were not masses. In fact, most of the protesters were foreigners, paid foreigners sent in to make trouble. Egypt is a country of some 80 MILLION people. The relatively few that the world saw protesting absolutely did not represent the masses. Did they represent the thousands of small and large businesses in the resort areas who saw their prime tourist season drop to jack squat?

You wrote:

"The Egyptian protesters aren't puppets of a self exiled fugitive autocrat."

Not an individual by name perhaps, but they are puppets to an extremist movement of radical Islam which has done nothing but cause pain and suffering to the vast majority of citizenry everywhere it has been established.

You wrote:

"The Egyptians protesters are AUTHENTICALLY pro democratic ...."

This statement is so far off base as to be ridiculous. I would refer you to the attached poll, which at least was done by a reputable firm whose job it is to conduct fair and reasonable polls.

http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/562840/201102101920/What-Egyptians-Really-Do-Want.htm

Sharia law is not democracy, even if supposedly most of the people want it.

One must always remember that countries that are truly democratically centered, have at their core, some sort of governing principles regarding individual rights to freedom, liberty and property. Countries are made up of individuals, not of central governments. If the people don't have the minimum inalienable rights, then they have nothing and the country has nothing. This is the case with both countries in this topic, which is one of the very very few similarities between them.

What happened in Thailand last year was bad for Thailand, bad for the ASEAN region and bad for the rest of the world. What happened in Egypt this month was bad for Egypt, bad for the middle east, and bad for the rest of the world. Again, this is one of the few similarities between the two countries.

Edited February 14, 2011 by Spee