Yingluck: Amnesty Will Restore Peace In Thailand

[ianbaggie]

I would think that the "widely popular" at the time, and well accepted coup in 2006 was far less damaging than Thaksin's War on Drugs --- with 2700 killed ... at least for the families involved. Particularly the families of the 1400+ innocents killed .....

The mind begins to spin at the illogical drift of this post.(I will ignore the suggestion that the drugs war caused more harm to Thailand than the coup because it's such patent nonsense)

I don't actually accept the 2006 coup was widely popular, but hypothetically let's assume it was.Nobody disputes the coup leaders were guilty of a criminal act which had adverse effects on the country.The fact that the coup was "popular" has no relevance to the treasonable and criminal nature of the act.

We are always being told that the drugs war cannot be excused on the grounds it was popular with the Thai people.I agree.

You cannot have it both ways.Either you condemn the coup and the drugs war, or you can shrug your shoulders and say both ,while reprehensible, were popular with the Thai people.

Both events in my view reflect poorly on Thai culture.The objectives in both cases were reasonable even laudable, namely to rid Thailand of Thaksin's poisonous influence and to rid Thailand of the misery caused by the drugs trade.In both cases there was the typical Thai tendency to take the easy way out.No patience for chipping away at Thaksin democratically (which to be fair the PAD movement early on was doing effectively0.And no patience for a multi pronged assault on all the contributing factors in the drugs trade.

Jayboy - havent spoken to you since i thanked you for your kind comments on my experiences whilst a patient during the hospital occupation - however i think it fair to point out that many people including myself.

1) see the coup as a type of arrest by the police - where a criminal HAD to be relieved of his position of trust and removed from that post due to his unethical activities. Personally i dont know how anyone can defend someone in a position of power who forces through a law banning Thai companies from selling their businesses to foriegn investors and then in THE SAME WEEK sells his OWN company to a Singapore holding company. That is the duplicity and the double standards of Thaksin Shinawatra.

2) The war on drugs was OBVIOUSLY MUCH MORE SERIOUS than the coup - 2700 people were systematically KILLED on the orders of Thaksin Shinawatra. If you dont see the vaillain in this scenario and you judge both sides to be the same - then i pity your sense of justice.

All the best Jayboy. Personally i like you but that side that brings up the double standards just to adhere to the red shirt philosophy is beyond me!!

2) The drugs war was an attempt

[ianbaggie]

Well, so far Abhisit's attempts at reconciliation have been spectacularly unsuccessful. Would be hard to do worse.

Especially given the fact that both the Reds and the PT have tried everything possible to prevent him from governing this country.

Was he ever given a fair chance? He can't even travel freely within Thailand, as in most parts groups of sponsored red hooligans would either threaten him, attack him or shout profanities at him. And he crux of it all, is that those red hooligan leaders are gonna be MP in the 'Thaksin-Thinks-PT Does-Party'. How blind can you be not see through this charade?

Exactly - thank you!!

[yoshiwara]

Thaksin, declared himself caretaker in order to rush through his guys into army leadership positions in order to seal state power. Hardly the actions of a caretaker. Having the police and the army under one's control is a very strong position irrespective of electoral mess up ahead. The establishment said 'oh no you don't' and the very peaceful and popular coup took place. The red apologists attempt to create an unbilical cord between the events of 1992 and 2006 was and continues to be a failure. Where there is a tight narrative is with Thaksin's attempts in both 2006 and 2010 to capture the army appointments. It is control of the army which he wants and needs to achieve his original objectives. He hoped in 2010 to destabilise the army with the continual upping of red violence and had moved to action army blackshirt elements under Seh Daeng. He failed, and will continue to fail. With Jatuporn locked up and Arisman still on the run he may still think he will return in triumph like a Caesar, but peace through amnesty is not for one moment on the agenda. Only lying is. And the silly forum supporters are not even good at that.

[ianbaggie]

Thaksin, declared himself caretaker in order to rush through his guys into army leadership positions in order to seal state power. Hardly the actions of a caretaker. Having the police and the army under one's control is a very strong position irrespective of electoral mess up ahead. The establishment said 'oh no you don't' and the very peaceful and popular coup took place. The red apologists attempt to create an unbilical cord between the events of 1992 and 2006 was and continues to be a failure. Where there is a tight narrative is with Thaksin's attempts in both 2006 and 2010 to capture the army appointments. It is control of the army which he wants and needs to achieve his original objectives. He hoped in 2010 to destabilise the army with the continual upping of red violence and had moved to action army blackshirt elements under Seh Daeng. He failed, and will continue to fail. With Jatuporn locked up and Arisman still on the run he may still think he will return in triumph like a Caesar, but peace through amnesty is not for one moment on the agenda. Only lying is. And the silly forum supporters are not even good at that.

An excellent post yoshiwara