Thaksin Forced To Enlist Army Help For Novice PM Yingluck

[pedro01]

It's amusing that now the sh1t is hitting the fan that Thaksin tells all that he's not in politics.

Fancy hanging your own sister out to dry during a flood crisis.

[prefabs]

I feel a bit sorry for Yingluck, very inexperienced and I bet she wishes she were elsewhere, but trying her best and probably winning a lot of admirers by putting herself around a bit and showing sympathy. Not enough to get it right, but where are her running dogs? However, I wonder if she is being allowed the chance to sink or swim here? She did, let's face it, make a few enemies in her own camp by allowing the photoshoot with Abhisit and looking like she was grateful for advice. Little sign of the Chalerms and Jatuporns getting involved. Guess they must be busy

[atyclb]

One incompetent government versus whatever other incompetent government. They are interchangeable Bipartisan cumulative incompetency.

[coconutter]

Only 24hrs have past since thaksin said he had passed the torch,did someone pass him it back then?

[animatic]

One incompetent government versus whatever other incompetent government. They are interchangeable Bipartisan cumulative incompetency.

Most of her government were also in previous governments, as well as the 111 her brother sent out on a flood junket. They have all contributed to getting it gravely wrong. But lets compare to last year. There was big flooding, but it was curtailed earlier, dams drained off earlier, and general mobility moving earlier.

And let's not even give relevance to the cretins and political hacks who would bemoan her taking a bipartisan meeting and photo op to talk with someone who DID deal with the problem first hand last year, with better results, this was one of the best things she did.

There is also a plug from Meteorological Dept. for money for better radar etc. That wasn't the gravest issue, the lack of leadership and decision, making up and down the chain of command, is much more to blame than not forecasting that a storm in Philippines is set to take the normal course straight to northern Thailand carrying a typical amount of rain, and then 2 more.

All this data was known to ME, at my little desk, by watching international weather channels and their estimates and forecasts. Or would it have been too 'Un-Thai' to watch the regional and neighbors data? This was easily understood without needing 'Pay for Data' regional services which would have been even more precise.

But poor me, I was not able to make the call to drain dams and release more water sooner and make the decisions. I would have.

But I could have had I the powers to do so. And that's the point those with the power to decide; delayed and hedged and screwed the pooch. Yingluck never cut through the red tape, or the lines of padding put around her to prevent difficult decisions from making her look un-perfect, so she didn't know she needed to make a move till things were well past critical.

And then that walkway across a wooden walkway surrounded by 'poor people' waist deep in water was one of the worst PR moments on record.

Edited October 18, 2011 by animatic

[mijan24]

The issue is the disaster guys. Can we agree on that? The reason I suggested the army is they are trained to react quickly and have the ability to dedicate resources to co-ordinate other specialist resources available to my mind better than anyone else, especially those that have a country to run. G'kids response was from a position of fact, hardly one eyed. The cause of this is that it rained, and it rained and it rained.

QED for me.

IssanAussie you are right on the button the issue at hand is THE FLOOD DISASTER Army or Military is a resource available in all countries for all types of situations - floods, bushfires etc they have people power and equipment which in reality belongs to the country (read here people) so why not call upon the ready resource, in time of need.

Governments all over the world are inadequate we know that so lets put forward positive solutions not critism without a solution or we are as bad as those that are being critisized.

[Babcock]

One incompetent government versus whatever other incompetent government. They are interchangeable Bipartisan cumulative incompetency.

Most of her government were also in previous governments, as well as the 111 her brother sent out on a flood junket. They have all contributed to getting it gravely wrong. But lets compare to last year. There was big flooding, but it was curtailed earlier, dams drained off earlier, and general mobility moving earlier.

And let's not even give relevance to the cretins and political hacks who would bemoan her taking a bipartisan meeting and photo op to talk with someone who DID deal with the problem first hand last year, with better results, this was one of the best things she did.

There is also a plug from Meteorological Dept. for money for better radar etc. That wasn't the gravest issue, the lack of leadership and decision, making up and down the chain of command, is much more to blame than not forecasting that a storm in Philippines is set to take the normal course straight to northern Thailand carrying a typical amount of rain, and then 2 more.

All this data was known to ME, at my little desk, by watching international weather channels and their estimates and forecasts. Or would it have been too 'Un-Thai' to watch the regional and neighbors data? This was easily understood without needing 'Pay for Data' regional services which would have been even more precise.

But poor me, I was not able to make the call to drain dams and release more water sooner and make the decisions. I would have.

But I could have had I the powers to do so. And that's the point those with the power to decide; delayed and hedged and screwed the pooch. Yingluck never cut through the red tape, or the lines of padding put around her to prevent difficult decisions from making her look un-perfect, so she didn't know she needed to make a move till things were well past critical.

And then that walkway across a wooden walkway surrounded by 'poor people' waist deep in water was one of the worst PR moments on record.

But they weren't in power until August. They were held at the gate for a month. Remember the election committee? The water should have started to be released in June/July. Clearly no such order and at the dam they couldn't take responsibility.

[Arkady]

I have seen pictures of the army dumping rocks wrapped in wire netting into the flood waters and dropping in a steel container by helicopter. These measures are clearly as inept as Minister Plod's abuse of navy resources to have 1,000 boats churning the surface waters for a 100 metres with their propellers. The military's effectiveness is severely limited by the intellectual capacity of its 600 generals and the fact that its main objective is bifurcation of funds from its obscenely large and unjustifiable budget. However, apart from the worthless stunts that are clearly staged for TV cameras to appeal to uneducated people its large trucks and the brawn of its conscripts can come in handy on a more mundane and necessary level.

Edited October 18, 2011 by Arkady

[HerbalEd]

This article shows the situation here for what it is. Thaksins involvement, if any, to me is a side issue. The government at all levels here is based on Thai culture and the need for consensus and it slows reactions. Works for normal government functions but in an emergency there are just too many people involved for anyone to control or co-ordinate. I humbly suggest that the army should have a permanent charter to react in these circumstances. All the departments of all the ministries, provincial and local government departments with overlapping responsibilities are full of competent people I'm sure but there is no mechanism of delegation or co-ordination that can react quickly. I dont see this situation as anyones fault, it is the system itself that needs to be streamlined.

This government is completely useless... they turned this drama into a serious crisis through Very bad management.... not one minister is worthy of his or her job.... the poor Thai peoples are stuck with this and truth be told..... just as they deserve... you reap what you sow...!!!! Question:... How many Red Vilages were washed away.... Answer:... Not Enough...!

While I agree with the gist of your message, the last sentence is mean spirited and uncalled for. Why wish such devastation on anyone.

[animatic]

One incompetent government versus whatever other incompetent government. They are interchangeable Bipartisan cumulative incompetency.

Most of her government were also in previous governments, as well as the 111 her brother sent out on a flood junket. They have all contributed to getting it gravely wrong. But lets compare to last year. There was big flooding, but it was curtailed earlier, dams drained off earlier, and general mobility moving earlier.

And let's not even give relevance to the cretins and political hacks who would bemoan her taking a bipartisan meeting and photo op to talk with someone who DID deal with the problem first hand last year, with better results, this was one of the best things she did.

There is also a plug from Meteorological Dept. for money for better radar etc. That wasn't the gravest issue, the lack of leadership and decision, making up and down the chain of command, is much more to blame than not forecasting that a storm in Philippines is set to take the normal course straight to northern Thailand carrying a typical amount of rain, and then 2 more.

All this data was known to ME, at my little desk, by watching international weather channels and their estimates and forecasts. Or would it have been too 'Un-Thai' to watch the regional and neighbors data? This was easily understood without needing 'Pay for Data' regional services which would have been even more precise.

But poor me, I was not able to make the call to drain dams and release more water sooner and make the decisions. I would have.

But I could have had I the powers to do so. And that's the point those with the power to decide; delayed and hedged and screwed the pooch. Yingluck never cut through the red tape, or the lines of padding put around her to prevent difficult decisions from making her look un-perfect, so she didn't know she needed to make a move till things were well past critical.

And then that walkway across a wooden walkway surrounded by 'poor people' waist deep in water was one of the worst PR moments on record.

But they weren't in power until August. They were held at the gate for a month. Remember the election committee? The water should have started to be released in June/July. Clearly no such order and at the dam they couldn't take responsibility.

Incorrect, try and read it fully....

They were in power more than any group

in the last TEN YEARS.

And for this issue in July, arrangements could have been made. If they had simply asked Abhisit as caretaker to take measures in their name, or jointly, his duty would have been to do so. And I am sure he would have. But as caretaker he was just supposed to steer a straight course till handing over the tiller. A joint decisions for the public good is another matter.

That is a strawman argument; they had no power in July.

Not true, there were mechanisms to act even then. Well they fully did have power in August and didn't make serious moves till mid Sept. Consolidating power in their own hands, and getting Thaksin's visas and her little Alphabetical International Roadshow and the like, took precedence over dealing with national issues.

Plain fact is they ignored it till it jumped in front of the ship of state and tried to sink it.

Edited October 18, 2011 by animatic

[jonclark]

Cowslip I think the response and management might have been more co-ordinate d. Many reds supporters are quick to point out that the Dems and the army are bedfellows and here today we see the army playing a pivotal role in assisting the Thai people, whilst the government chases its tail, so given the red argument of the dems and army being close we might have seen a far more structured and proactive approach in the previous administration. Most of the probelms that have occured have been from government officials being unsuitable for the positions of responsibility given to them. In retrospect a better response might have been to sign the whole thing over to the army from day one.

bit of a non-sequitur?

are you suggesting that the army is doing its job therefore not aligned with the old democrat party?

Due to decades of corruption the civil service is FULL of people who aren't up to the job. There are however engineers and others who given the opportunity can get things done....whether in the Army or any other institution.

I also thing the expression "redshirt supporter" is pretty childish.

Red supporter not redshirt supporter is what i wrote- if you have a better more universally understood expression to describe that political faction please share?

As for the rest of your comment - Clearly you misunderstood most of my post if you think it implied the army was doing its job and you therefore jumped to the conclusion that it wasn't aligned to the dems? [The undertone here is that the army wasn't doing its job when the dems were in power - how you reach that conclusion suggest wild conspiracy theories in your mind] The army and dems have and always will be thick as theives. The current government has made an almighty balls up of the situation. The previous administration would have been better - impossible to prove but just an opinion.

It just shows a complete lack of understanding of the issue

you also missed that I was questioning you not stating.

I must say that the standard of argument on TV leaves a lot to be desired.

LOL I'm still waiting for your answer to the red supporter expression question!!!

The logic which you say is missing, well we need to go back to your original quote

" THe previous admin would have been no different"

My argument is based on the fact that the dems and the army are closer (for better or worse) than the army and PTP are, and as such I would have expected a much more co-ordinated response to this that the current government has been able to muster as the only people actually doing anything are the army. Yingluck and Co probably had a brilliant idea to handle this themselves and cover themselves in glory, now its blown up in their face they've called in the Army.

I reckon the Dems would have done things differently and they would have handled things differently

Now - Red Supporter expression please?

Edited October 18, 2011 by jonclark

[animatic]

'jonclark' timestamp='1318911367' post='4773292'

Cowslip I think the response and management might have been more co-ordinate d. Many reds supporters are quick to point out that the Dems and the army are bedfellows and here today we see the army playing a pivotal role in assisting the Thai people, whilst the government chases its tail, so given the red argument of the dems and army being close we might have seen a far more structured and proactive approach in the previous administration. Most of the probelms that have occured have been from government officials being unsuitable for the positions of responsibility given to them. In retrospect a better response might have been to sign the whole thing over to the army from day one.

bit of a non-sequitur?

are you suggesting that the army is doing its job therefore not aligned with the old democrat party?

Due to decades of corruption the civil service is FULL of people who aren't up to the job. There are however engineers and others who given the opportunity can get things done....whether in the Army or any other institution.

I also thing the expression "redshirt supporter" is pretty childish.

Red supporter not redshirt supporter is what i wrote- if you have a better more universally understood expression to describe that political faction please share?

As for the rest of your comment - Clearly you misunderstood most of my post if you think it implied the army was doing its job and you therefore jumped to the conclusion that it wasn't aligned to the dems? [The undertone here is that the army wasn't doing its job when the dems were in power - how you reach that conclusion suggest wild conspiracy theories in your mind] The army and dems have and always will be thick as theives. The current government has made an almighty balls up of the situation. The previous administration would have been better - impossible to prove but just an opinion.

It just shows a complete lack of understanding of the issue

you also missed that I was questioning you not stating.

I must say that the standard of argument on TV leaves a lot to be desired.

LOL I'm still waiting for your answer to the red supporter expression question!!!

The logic which you say is missing, well we need to go back to your original quote

" THe previous admin would have been no different"

My argument is based on the fact that the dems and the army are closer (for better or worse) than the army and PTP are, and as such I would have expected a much more co-ordinated response to this that the current government has been able to muster as the only people actually doing anything are the army. Yingluck and Co probably had a brilliant idea to handle this themselves and cover themselves in glory, now its blown up in their face they've called in the Army.

I reckon the Dems would have done things differently and they would have handled things differently

Now - Red Supporter expression please?

We saw similar flooding last year, but indeed it was handled much differently and the effects were not near as grievous to as many.

Considering the feelings of PTP/Reds/Shinawatra clan towards the Dems and Army, it tells you how out of their depth they were for this government to abandon it's 'go it alone' arrogance, and to have to call on BOTH and ask/beg for assistance in a big public way from their enemies, who are clearly both more experienced.

I can just hear the teeth gnashing in Dubai.

Edited October 18, 2011 by animatic

[letitbe]

This article shows the situation here for what it is. Thaksins involvement, if any, to me is a side issue. The government at all levels here is based on Thai culture and the need for consensus and it slows reactions. Works for normal government functions but in an emergency there are just too many people involved for anyone to control or co-ordinate. I humbly suggest that the army should have a permanent charter to react in these circumstances. All the departments of all the ministries, provincial and local government departments with overlapping responsibilities are full of competent people I'm sure but there is no mechanism of delegation or co-ordination that can react quickly. I dont see this situation as anyones fault, it is the system itself that needs to be streamlined.

This government is completely useless... they turned this drama into a serious crisis through Very bad management.... not one minister is worthy of his or her job.... the poor Thai peoples are stuck with this and truth be told..... just as they deserve... you reap what you sow...!!!! Question:... How many Red Vilages were washed away.... Answer:... Not Enough...!

+1 and soon even most blinkered Taksin and red supporter will begin to see truth but sorry they deserve what they get for being so naieve of course in my most humble opinion or ill be banned again for implying some thais are shall we say misguided

[Buchholz]

But are people really suggesting that Army generals ought to be in charge of formulating plans for flood control and how to deal with flooding problems? Is that really what Army generals are trained to do?

No, one would think, when it comes to flood control issues, the government would have experts in FLOOD CONTROL and Emergency Preparedness to help direct responses to such situations....

Indeed. Very knowledgeable and capable experts like Science Minister Plodprasop.

Just another 75,000 ships and the flood will be controlled. Until then, he can again tell people to evacuate again.

[steveromagnino]

I'm sure the Thai military has expertise in something... And no doubt they have the broadest and best equipped resource of manpower and logistical resources that Thailand can draw on....

But are people really suggesting that Army generals ought to be in charge of formulating plans for flood control and how to deal with flooding problems? Is that really what Army generals are trained to do?

No, one would think, when it comes to flood control issues, the government would have experts in FLOOD CONTROL and Emergency Preparedness to help direct responses to such situations....

I don't know how much you have been involved HANDS ON with actually distributing aid; the problem is MASSIVE and right now, as of today, at least 50% maybe more of the aid being handed out in the areas I've personally seen, is via the private sector and NGOs.

As of today, only the army have the manpower, the equipment and the air access/water access and GPS technology to systematically distribute the massive pile of donated stuff that is coming in, again, much from the private sector/NGOs to ALL villages.

The distribution as it stands today, is haphazard and irratic; some areas are profiteering because they are getting so many donations, others are running on fumes. The stuff being distributed is often innappriate and innefficient (e.g. distributing water by bottle, instead of water filters). Medicine and medical care is missing.

The army need even today, to be called in to solve the humanitarian crisis that is emerging; and no amount of idiotic running boats in a river nor pretending to answer calls on the phone nor posing on catwalks over the water is going to solve anything; this problem is going to be here in THailand for another 30-45 days.

The PM needs to take a leadership position and immediately hand over the delivery and provision of aid as outlined above to the armed forces supported by private sector and NGOs. She needs to be upfront and appoint a non government civil servant spokesperson who will clearly outline the problem and set up a single point of contact for media, so we get the real story, not PR. We need to swallow our pride and ask for assistance from abroad.

We need to admit some of the magnitude of damage of the flood is the direct result of mismanagement for the last 30 days, and immediately move prime instigators of problems like the science /tech minister aside (boat idiocy, panic). If she doesn't have the stones for it (and all signs from the magic 8 ball point to 'ask again later') hand over leadership to someone capable - i.e. not the current PM - to run us through this crisis.

It takes 48 hours of steady leadership to get the country on the right path; not solving the problem but understanding clearly the magnitude and putting in place the right people to reach a solution.

There are experts, but unfortunately people like Plodprasorp are too busy trying to get face time and are stealing resources and time away from those experts.

At least BMA is under control (mostly) because this for them is not a publicity exercise; it is LIFE as Bangkok has long struggled with flooding for various reasons.

That leadership is now urgently required - the army are not known for intelligence or smarts anywhere in the world. But when you need manpower and unquestioning willingness to do what needs to be done...they are there and paid...for that very reason.

<deleted> call them in and let them take over ASAP.

We are flooded. Flooded as.

Edited October 18, 2011 by steveromagnino

[Buchholz]

It's amusing that now the sh1t is hitting the fan that Thaksin tells all that he's not in politics.

Fancy hanging your own sister out to dry during a flood crisis.

Clones are dispensable and replaceable.

.

[Robby nz]

I know from experience that the Thai Military is more than just a little used draw on the budget of the country as they run hospitals and train doctors and nurses among other things.

I also watched them work in last years floods and see then now not just on TV but on the ground.

They are doing a good job but as so many have said need to be called on sooner.

As the military can train doctors and nurses they should also be called on to set up specialist units to not only respond to disasters of any kind but also to train others in responce and mitigation to disasters such as the present floods and things like oil spills and major fires.

Such units would also be a great central point for the storage of gear for such disasters and would have the resorces and manpower at hand to get things on the job quickly.

Whoever was in charge of any responce would be aaother thing but whoever it was should be highly trained and have a staff under them who would get on with the job without having to worry about the politics of what they were doing.

[Buchholz]

I feel a bit sorry for Yingluck, very inexperienced and I bet she wishes she were elsewhere, but trying her best and probably winning a lot of admirers by putting herself around a bit and showing sympathy. Not enough to get it right, but where are her running dogs? However, I wonder if she is being allowed the chance to sink or swim here? She did, let's face it, make a few enemies in her own camp by allowing the photoshoot with Abhisit and looking like she was grateful for advice. Little sign of the Chalerms and Jatuporns getting involved. Guess they must be busy

Polls lambasting the inefficiency of Yingluck's government response to the flood would seem to indicate that she's not "winning a lot of admirers." Having nearly 80% of the country saying you're doing a <deleted> job should be a wake-up, although not that it really matters as she's not really running things.

I'd have sympathy for her myself... if she was a minor, but, as a middle-aged billionairess, she's gets but a few satang worth. She's had her ticket conveniently punched her whole life and from that, she's showing her incompetence to be P.M. daily.

The people got what the wanted. It seems now they are beginning to wake up to see what it is they got. It's the one blessing this flood has provided.

.

[JAG]

Rubbish article with the intention of denigrating the elected government . The indirect result is that it insults the Thai military. . The military has been involved in the flood relief and prevention activities since the start of the crisis. It's active role was initiated as part of the longstanding government natural disaster protocol that predates the current administration. The reason that the military has been involved is attributable to the fact that the expenditures of the Defence Ministry are among the greatest of any ministry, absorbing a large proportion of the total national budget (source Thailand Ministry of Defense, http://www.mod.go.th/eng_mod/ ) As the ministry that gobbles up a large part of the budget, it is reasonable to expect that it would then shoulder a large part of the response. The large transport trucks that the MOI has been borrowing since the start of the crisis came from the military. The Nation appears to be on a mission to muckrack and try and stir up unrest.

Mr. Hearst would have been proud.

You know if you took off those thick red goggles you are always wearing once in a while you would see the world in a much different light.. so sad to go through life as you do so stuck following someone else's dogma you can't think for yourself. Anything that even hints at a problem with this gov't or the red shirt movement in general you begin to slobber like a rabid dog pouncing on your keyboard to defend your allies... what a sad existence indeed.

Nice to see reasoned debate on Thai Visa, especially as it takes into account the validity of all points of view!

[cdnski12]

Thaksin decide ... "All Thai people not to pee in Chao Prha Ya Reevar, pawnee!"

[BuckarooBanzai]

The current government is at a cross roads. If heads do not start to roll due to the incompetence and mismanagement we have all observed during this natural disaster, and open and appropriate replacements made, then the government bashers will have been proven correct. And importantly, the personnel shake up should happen now not later, before the clean up money is spent. This time around people who are clearly experts in their field should be appointed to leadership response roles as they relate to natural disasters.

And serious studies, not window dressing, should be initiated to broaden the methodology of flood mitigation. It is painfully clear that the current polder methodology for flood control has once again miserably failed the Thai public as well as many prominent international investors in the Thai economy.

The clock is ticking. Perhaps this time around people will not forget so quickly.

[hardy1943]

Rubbish article with the intention of denigrating the elected government . The indirect result is that it insults the Thai military. . The military has been involved in the flood relief and prevention activities since the start of the crisis. It's active role was initiated as part of the longstanding government natural disaster protocol that predates the current administration. The reason that the military has been involved is attributable to the fact that the expenditures of the Defence Ministry are among the greatest of any ministry, absorbing a large proportion of the total national budget (source Thailand Ministry of Defense, http://www.mod.go.th/eng_mod/ ) As the ministry that gobbles up a large part of the budget, it is reasonable to expect that it would then shoulder a large part of the response. The large transport trucks that the MOI has been borrowing since the start of the crisis came from the military. The Nation appears to be on a mission to muckrack and try and stir up unrest.

Mr. Hearst would have been proud.

You know if you took off those thick red goggles you are always wearing once in a while you would see the world in a much different light.. so sad to go through life as you do so stuck following someone else's dogma you can't think for yourself. Anything that even hints at a problem with this gov't or the red shirt movement in general you begin to slobber like a rabid dog pouncing on your keyboard to defend your allies... what a sad existence indeed.

Nice to see reasoned debate on Thai Visa, especially as it takes into account the validity of all points of view!

To me it is not reasonable. Why always use the Nation? The fact is and it has been stated here before there is not a country made to stand up to severe natural disasters but lets blame it on the reds in Chiang Rai it is dry here. Japan is one of the best in prevention and it failed in Kobe earthquake and never had a chance in the nuclear meltdown. The next severe drought lets blame that on her too.

[GazR]

THe previous admin would have been no different.

Agreed, the previous government would have been helpless, they were in a weak coalition and had to spend vast amounts of energy trying to fend off the red mobs. They didnt get chance to govern. The last government was crippled by the red mob, this government is crippled by ineptitude.

Which is better?

" The last government was crippled by the red mob," I've read some tripe in my time but this has to be up there in the top ten.

It would really be off topic to post at length here so why don't you PM me ? I could do with a laugh

Seems like a fairly obvious factual statement to me: Maybe you could do with a day off the suds.

[Tanaka]

The issue is the disaster guys. Can we agree on that? The reason I suggested the army is they are trained to react quickly and have the ability to dedicate resources to co-ordinate other specialist resources available to my mind better than anyone else, especially those that have a country to run. G'kids response was from a position of fact, hardly one eyed. The cause of this is that it rained, and it rained and it rained.

QED for me.

The issue is that the country is at the moment run by retarded 13 year olds everyone trying to promote himself in front of the cameras. As for the army, who told you that they are trained for anything? And as for Gkid basing his post on facts, give me a break! You were joking, right?

[tlansford]

The issue is the disaster guys. Can we agree on that? The reason I suggested the army is they are trained to react quickly and have the ability to dedicate resources to co-ordinate other specialist resources available to my mind better than anyone else, especially those that have a country to run. G'kids response was from a position of fact, hardly one eyed. The cause of this is that it rained, and it rained and it rained.

QED for me.

The issue is that the country is at the moment run by retarded 13 year olds everyone trying to promote himself in front of the cameras. As for the army, who told you that they are trained for anything? And as for Gkid basing his post on facts, give me a break! You were joking, right?

If you feel the issue is not the flooding - as IsannAussie does - then that is up to you.

If G'kid is not correct, then you are welcome to dispel the accuracy of G'kid's post.

Edited October 18, 2011 by tlansford

[mca]

Rubbish article with the intention of denigrating the elected government . The indirect result is that it insults the Thai military. . The military has been involved in the flood relief and prevention activities since the start of the crisis. It's active role was initiated as part of the longstanding government natural disaster protocol that predates the current administration. The reason that the military has been involved is attributable to the fact that the expenditures of the Defence Ministry are among the greatest of any ministry, absorbing a large proportion of the total national budget (source Thailand Ministry of Defense, http://www.mod.go.th/eng_mod/ ) As the ministry that gobbles up a large part of the budget, it is reasonable to expect that it would then shoulder a large part of the response. The large transport trucks that the MOI has been borrowing since the start of the crisis came from the military. The Nation appears to be on a mission to muckrack and try and stir up unrest.

Mr. Hearst would have been proud.

You know if you took off those thick red goggles you are always wearing once in a while you would see the world in a much different light.. so sad to go through life as you do so stuck following someone else's dogma you can't think for yourself. Anything that even hints at a problem with this gov't or the red shirt movement in general you begin to slobber like a rabid dog pouncing on your keyboard to defend your allies... what a sad existence indeed.

What I most admire about the TVF News section is the inate ability of some posters to rationally refute another persons differing point of view by offering alternative compelling arguments backed up by irrefutable evidence.

Edited October 18, 2011 by mca

[hyperdimension]

An article in the Bangkok Post published a week ago titled "Army chief Prayuth met by angry red-shirts" describes red shirt supporters in Pathum Thani berating Prayuth as he inspected troops making sand bags to protect the locals.

If they don't want the help of the military then the military should simply move along to help others instead.

[MrJohnson]

Rubbish article with the intention of denigrating the elected government . The indirect result is that it insults the Thai military. . The military has been involved in the flood relief and prevention activities since the start of the crisis. It's active role was initiated as part of the longstanding government natural disaster protocol that predates the current administration. The reason that the military has been involved is attributable to the fact that the expenditures of the Defence Ministry are among the greatest of any ministry, absorbing a large proportion of the total national budget (source Thailand Ministry of Defense, http://www.mod.go.th/eng_mod/ ) As the ministry that gobbles up a large part of the budget, it is reasonable to expect that it would then shoulder a large part of the response. The large transport trucks that the MOI has been borrowing since the start of the crisis came from the military. The Nation appears to be on a mission to muckrack and try and stir up unrest.

Mr. Hearst would have been proud.

You know if you took off those thick red goggles you are always wearing once in a while you would see the world in a much different light.. so sad to go through life as you do so stuck following someone else's dogma you can't think for yourself. Anything that even hints at a problem with this gov't or the red shirt movement in general you begin to slobber like a rabid dog pouncing on your keyboard to defend your allies... what a sad existence indeed.

What I most admire about the TVF News section is the inate ability of some posters to rationally refute another persons differing point of view by offering alternative compelling arguments backed up by irrefutable evidence.

Indeed. The debate has reached dizzying heights. If only sandbags could be filled with hot air - TV could make a real contribution to the flood relief effort.

[rogerdee123]

Thaksin Thinks ... Thailand Sinks

[h90]

An article in the Bangkok Post published a week ago titled "Army chief Prayuth met by angry red-shirts" describes red shirt supporters in Pathum Thani berating Prayuth as he inspected troops making sand bags to protect the locals.

If they don't want the help of the military then the military should simply move along to help others instead.

Well if you have 10.000 people who need help and 10 red idiots you can't stop helping the other 9.990.