A People And Country Left In Shock And Awe: Thai Opinion

[webfact]

OVERDRIVE

A people and country left in shock and awe

Thanong Khanthong

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been held up to ridicule over her inexperience and her inept management of the country - not to mention her poor language and communication ability.

But make no mistake, under her clumsy mismanagement and seemingly innocent drama over the past four months, Thais have been treated to a series of "shock and awe" events. It sounds like a Hollywood movie.

Shock and awe 1: The floods, built up since late July through nine major storms, have paralysed the whole country, killing more than 600 people, damaging more than 20,000 factories and plants, sending 1.5 million people into unemployment, creating damage to the tune of Bt1 trillion, inundating millions of rai of farmland and creating unprecedented hardship among the people.

The 2011 floods are less severe than the 1943 floods. The volume of water in this year's floods is about the same as that of the 1995 floods. The damages caused by the 2011 floods could have been minimised or managed better. But the government allowed the floods to get out of control through a series of mishaps and mistakes.

Shock and awe 2: The floods were allowed to shut down Don Muang Airport. This is unprecedented. No country in this world would allow one of its major airports to be inundated like this. All this time, we have been kept guessing about the safety of Suvarnabhumi Airport from the floods.

Shock and awe 3: The floods have decimated the manufacturing capacity of seven to eight industrial estates in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani provinces. Japanese investors were shocked and awed by the Fukushima tsunami. Now they are treated to the shock and awe of the Thai floods.

Shock and awe 4: The floods have created further social conflict among the people. Those who live within the flooded part of the dyke barriers, or "big bags", fight against the authorities and those who live outside them, because they want the water to flow out of their communities. They are opening up the water gates and removing the barriers. This community conflict has created ugly scenes that shock and awe all of us.

Shock and awe 5: Even before the floods became more threatening, the government announced the New Thailand Project, worth almost Bt1 trillion. The announcement of this big-time spending scheme shocked and awed fiscal conservatives and the like because the figure is equivalent to 10 per cent of Thailand's gross domestic product. The New Thailand Project will sow the seeds of a Greek tragedy for Thailand.

Shock and awe 6: At a time when millions of Thais are still suffering from the floods, the Cabinet held a secret meeting last week to deliberate on a royal decree to give ousted ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra a pardon. This was part of the shock-and-awe strategy to bring Thaksin back and allow him to regain official control over the country.

Shock and awe 7: The United States last week also launched a shock-and-awe game plan in the Asia-Pacific region by attempting to create a Nato-like alliance. It signed a military pact with Australia, expanded naval cooperation with the Philippines, sold a fleet of 24 F-16 fighters to Indonesia and looked forward to dealing with the Yingluck government over security arrangements. The Asia-Pacific region has so far enjoyed relative peace. But abrupt tension between the US and China has created an uncertain outlook in this region. The government's dealing with the US for its use of U-Tapao and Don Muang as part of the broad alliance to contain China has shocked and awed us.

Shock and awe 8: The former permanent secretary for transport was alleged to have Bt1 billion in cash stacked up in his house. This followed confessions by a gang of robbers, who acted like Robin Hood to tell the police of the massive amount of cash allegedly held by the rich bureaucrat. This surreal incident has turned into the biggest shock-and-awe crime of corruption in recent memory.

Shock and awe 9: A 61-year-old man was given a 20-year jail sentence for sending four text messages on his mobile phone, which the court considered as being defamatory to Her Majesty and the monarchy. The court sentenced Amphon Tangnoppakul, via video conferencing due to flooding, after it refused to accept his claim that he did not know how to use the text-message function on his phone. This case should have been quickly dismissed but the severe sentence has shocked and awed us ahead of the His Majesty the King's birthday next month.

Shock and awe 10: A shock-and-awe plot could lead us to witness the rewriting of the Constitution by the so-called Nitirachadorn Group to create a "New Thailand" by early next year. Thaksin can only come back under a new Constitution. That would be a real shock-and-awe event awaiting us.

Yingluck has managed to shock and awe the public on several occasions during her four months in office. Let's see how many shocks and how much awe is in store until the end of her term.

-- The Nation 2011-11-25

[cloudhopper]

Cognitive dissonance can be a real bitch sometimes...

[noitom]

This is a quite laughable opinion piece. Let's start with the claim in the first "shock and awe" that "no country in the world would allow its second airport to be inundated like this." As if losing a major airport to shutdown might be a major security breach. The author makes this claim, despite the fact that Suvarnibhumi airport was kidnapped by a political group known as PAD and shutdown with a "sit in/camp in" from September 26 , 2008 to December 5, 2008, plus a disputed number of days to do a security check, check out equipment and cleanup. The government and the military just standing by watching. It is totally bewildering how a The Nation opinion piece could slip by the editors with this frivolous and preposterous claim.

Since The Nation doesn't publish bios of its opinion writers, one can only wonder about this one. The writer goes on to list several additional "shock and awes", a characterization that he or she probably lifted and plagiarized from the USA's use of that expression in the opening salvos of bombing Iraq during Bush II. The expression shock and awe is typically used in a military context to reflect utter military rapid dominance. For example, something like the 2 AM 2006 military coup, which abrogated the existing Thai constitution, and filled the streets with tanks, might be "stretched" into referring to it as "shock and awe", if the author was looking around for some Thai illustration. It is unfathomable that this The Nation opinion piece would refer to any, let alone all, of these ten incidents of shock and awe as such. Again, on the basis of this type of preposterous writing and utilization of expressions without understanding their meaning is bottom feeding journalism at its worst.

[whybother]

This is a quite laughable opinion piece. Let's start with the claim in the first "shock and awe" that "no country in the world would allow its second airport to be inundated like this." As if losing a major airport to shutdown might be a major security breach. The author makes this claim, despite the fact that Suvarnibhumi airport was kidnapped by a political group known as PAD and shutdown with a "sit in/camp in" from September 26 , 2008 to December 5, 2008, plus a disputed number of days to do a security check, check out equipment and cleanup. The government and the military just standing by watching. It is totally bewildering how a The Nation opinion piece could slip by the editors with this frivolous and preposterous claim.

Since The Nation doesn't publish bios of its opinion writers, one can only wonder about this one. The writer goes on to list several additional "shock and awes", a characterization that he or she probably lifted and plagiarized from the USA's use of that expression in the opening salvos of bombing Iraq during Bush II. The expression shock and awe is typically used in a military context to reflect utter military rapid dominance. For example, something like the 2 AM 2006 military coup, which abrogated the existing Thai constitution, and filled the streets with tanks, might be "stretched" into referring to it as "shock and awe", if the author was looking around for some Thai illustration. It is unfathomable that this The Nation opinion piece would refer to any, let alone all, of these ten incidents of shock and awe as such. Again, on the basis of this type of preposterous writing and utilization of expressions without understanding their meaning is bottom feeding journalism at its worst.

25th November to 2nd December. It was functional again on 5th December.

Edited November 25, 2011 by whybother

[Soutpeel]

shock and awe off....

Shock and awe in Thailand would be:

1. Politicans/goverment officals actually being prosecuted/ convicted and seving jail time for corruption

2. Our man in Dubai actually serves his time in the nick

3. The BiB actually doing their job

4. Jet ski scammers being hung by their nuts on beach road

5. The goverment/BiB admitting that all Farang deaths in Thailand may not be suicide

[nurofiend]

"This is unprecedented. No country in this world would allow one of its major airports to be inundated like this"... with water.... but people are fine, the army won't even bother you.

shock and awe would be no one mentioning thaks.... oops.... for a day

[Buchholz]

Shock and awe 5: Even before the floods became more threatening, the government announced the New Thailand Project, worth almost Bt1 trillion. The announcement of this big-time spending scheme shocked and awed fiscal conservatives and the like because the figure is equivalent to 10 per cent of Thailand's gross domestic product. The New Thailand Project will sow the seeds of a Greek tragedy for Thailand.

and what does the "clumsy management" say about this huge outlay of resources?

Yingluck, "A study was still needed to determine the project's details and required budget" and this is announced AFTER nearly a Trillion Baht is earmarked for the unstudied "New Thailand Project"

.

Edited November 25, 2011 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

Shock and awe 6: At a time when millions of Thais are still suffering from the floods, the Cabinet held a secret meeting last week to deliberate on a royal decree to give ousted ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra a pardon. This was part of the shock-and-awe strategy to bring Thaksin back and allow him to regain official control over the country.

Reprehensible wasting of the government's time and resources during a critical time in order to absolve a fugitive on the run with the "clumsy management". This begins as the floodwaters have already begun as it was started as soon as Yingluck's and Thaksin's cousin, Surapong, is made Foreign Minister who then spearheads a Japanese visa for him.

It continues to the present time with the most pressing business for the Deputy Prime Minister is to seek a legislated amnesty for the unrepentant fugitive.

.

.

[animatic]

Shock and awe 5: Even before the floods became more threatening, the government announced the New Thailand Project, worth almost Bt1 trillion. The announcement of this big-time spending scheme shocked and awed fiscal conservatives and the like because the figure is equivalent to 10 per cent of Thailand's gross domestic product. The New Thailand Project will sow the seeds of a Greek tragedy for Thailand.

and what does the "clumsy management" say about this huge outlay of resources?

Yingluck, "A study was still needed to determine the project's details and required budget" and this is announced AFTER nearly a Trillion Baht is earmarked for the unstudied "New Thailand Project"

.

Here's the graft boys,

we'll sort out the details and the cover story later.

[noitom]

This is a quite laughable opinion piece. Let's start with the claim in the first "shock and awe" that "no country in the world would allow its second airport to be inundated like this." As if losing a major airport to shutdown might be a major security breach. The author makes this claim, despite the fact that Suvarnibhumi airport was kidnapped by a political group known as PAD and shutdown with a "sit in/camp in" from September 26 , 2008 to December 5, 2008, plus a disputed number of days to do a security check, check out equipment and cleanup. The government and the military just standing by watching. It is totally bewildering how a The Nation opinion piece could slip by the editors with this frivolous and preposterous claim.

Since The Nation doesn't publish bios of its opinion writers, one can only wonder about this one. The writer goes on to list several additional "shock and awes", a characterization that he or she probably lifted and plagiarized from the USA's use of that expression in the opening salvos of bombing Iraq during Bush II. The expression shock and awe is typically used in a military context to reflect utter military rapid dominance. For example, something like the 2 AM 2006 military coup, which abrogated the existing Thai constitution, and filled the streets with tanks, might be "stretched" into referring to it as "shock and awe", if the author was looking around for some Thai illustration. It is unfathomable that this The Nation opinion piece would refer to any, let alone all, of these ten incidents of shock and awe as such. Again, on the basis of this type of preposterous writing and utilization of expressions without understanding their meaning is bottom feeding journalism at its worst.

25th November to 2nd December. It was functional again on 5th December.

Maybe you are right on Dec 5th. I guess it would depend on your definition of "functional." Doesn't change the "main point" of the post regarding the newspaper's editorial professionalism and subject matter.

[garrfeild]

The Only Shock and Awe is Just how low the nation will go to try and make headlines. They may be right, But Shock and Awe? Should read Thai politics, same same no change for future.

[dominique355]

Shock and awe 9: A 61-year-old man was given a 20-year jail sentence for sending four text messages on his mobile phone, which the court considered as being defamatory to Her Majesty and the monarchy. The court sentenced Amphon Tangnoppakul, via video conferencing due to flooding, after it refused to accept his claim that he did not know how to use the text-message function on his phone. This case should have been quickly dismissed but the severe sentence has shocked and awed us ahead of the His Majesty the King's birthday next month.

.. and Shock and awe 9.1: ICT Minister Anudith warned yesterday that people who press "share" or "like" buttons on Facebook in response to lese majesty-related content can violate the Computer Crime Act.

As we have seen with people translating "sensitive" text, this will also apply to Facebook readers outside Thailand. They may get arrested upon entering the Kingdom on a vacation.

Perhaps we should let TAT put this information on their website, waring tourists who think of coming to Thailand.

Please also note that the ICT Minister's gag order refers to lese majesty related content. The content itself may not be offensive, just related to, such as e.g. talking about a book banned in Thailand.

[Buchholz]

This is a quite laughable opinion piece. Let's start with the claim in the first "shock and awe" that "no country in the world would allow its second airport to be inundated like this." As if losing a major airport to shutdown might be a major security breach. The author makes this claim, despite the fact that Suvarnibhumi airport was kidnapped by a political group known as PAD and shutdown with a "sit in/camp in" from September 26 , 2008 to December 5, 2008, plus a disputed number of days to do a security check, check out equipment and cleanup. The government and the military just standing by watching. It is totally bewildering how a The Nation opinion piece could slip by the editors with this frivolous and preposterous claim.

Since The Nation doesn't publish bios of its opinion writers, one can only wonder about this one. The writer goes on to list several additional "shock and awes", a characterization that he or she probably lifted and plagiarized from the USA's use of that expression in the opening salvos of bombing Iraq during Bush II. The expression shock and awe is typically used in a military context to reflect utter military rapid dominance. For example, something like the 2 AM 2006 military coup, which abrogated the existing Thai constitution, and filled the streets with tanks, might be "stretched" into referring to it as "shock and awe", if the author was looking around for some Thai illustration. It is unfathomable that this The Nation opinion piece would refer to any, let alone all, of these ten incidents of shock and awe as such. Again, on the basis of this type of preposterous writing and utilization of expressions without understanding their meaning is bottom feeding journalism at its worst.

25th November to 2nd December. It was functional again on 5th December.

Maybe you are right on Dec 5th. I guess it would depend on your definition of "functional."

Re-posted reply that corrected your earlier misstatement last week about the airport closure.

Purely for accuracy sake, 8 day shut down with the airport reopening a day and half later:

Bangkok airport re-opens

AFP

Fri, Dec 05, 2008

BANGKOK - BANGKOK'S main airport resumed full operations Friday

A ceremony due mid-morning was to officially reopen Suvarnabhumi international airport, after an eight-day siege by anti-government protesters ended on Wednesday.

"There are about 550 scheduled flights due to operate (Friday) at Suvarnabhumi," an Airports of Thailand spokesman said, adding that passengers would be treated to puppet shows and dance performances.

http://www.asiaone.com/Travel/News/Story/A1Story20081205-105780.html

[givenall]

Cognitive dissonance can be a real bitch sometimes...

Impeach and kick her out of office before the next crises

Edited November 25, 2011 by givenall

[BabySun]

"This is unprecedented. No country in this world would allow one of its major airports to be inundated like this"... with water.... but people are fine, the army won't even bother you.

shock and awe would be no one mentioning thaks.... oops.... for a day

Major,international airport Sendai was flooded,airplanes flooded,jetfighters thrashed like paper planes just half a year ago.

Short memory - Mr.Nation - Altzeimer progressing?

[DocN]

"This is unprecedented. No country in this world would allow one of its major airports to be inundated like this"... with water.... but people are fine, the army won't even bother you.

shock and awe would be no one mentioning thaks.... oops.... for a day

Major,international airport Sendai was flooded,airplanes flooded,jetfighters thrashed like paper planes just half a year ago.

Short memory - Mr.Nation - Altzeimer progressing?

...and since when is Don Muang a "major" airport anyways?!

[Credo]

Cognitive dissonance can be a real bitch sometimes...

Impeach and kick her out of office before the next crises

Impeaching her would be the next big Shock and Awe.

[Buchholz]

Shock and awe 6: At a time when millions of Thais are still suffering from the floods, the Cabinet held a secret meeting last week to deliberate on a royal decree to give ousted ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra a pardon. This was part of the shock-and-awe strategy to bring Thaksin back and allow him to regain official control over the country.

Reprehensible wasting of the government's time and resources during a critical time in order to absolve a fugitive on the run with the "clumsy management". This begins as the floodwaters have already begun as it was started as soon as Yingluck's and Thaksin's cousin, Surapong, is made Foreign Minister who then spearheads a Japanese visa for him.

It continues to the present time with the most pressing business for the Deputy Prime Minister is to seek a legislated amnesty for the unrepentant fugitive.

Surapong is at it again today. Supposedly on an official visit to Abu Dhabi, UAE, to strengthen Middle East ties, he stated he is sure that his cousin Thaksin won't be staying in neighboring Dubai much longer and will certainly be back to Thailand soon.

In other apparently pressing Foreign Ministry matters, he stated that they are studying the legalities of returning Thaksin's ordinary passport adding that he was absolutely certain it could rightfully returned to Thaksin.

.

Edited November 25, 2011 by Buchholz

[Thaddeus]

The New Thailand Project will sow the seeds of a Greek tragedy for Thailand.

Making a Drachma out of a crisis.

[Skorz]

This is a quite laughable opinion piece. Let's start with the claim in the first "shock and awe" that "no country in the world would allow its second airport to be inundated like this." As if losing a major airport to shutdown might be a major security breach. The author makes this claim, despite the fact that Suvarnibhumi airport was kidnapped by a political group known as PAD and shutdown with a "sit in/camp in" from September 26 , 2008 to December 5, 2008, plus a disputed number of days to do a security check, check out equipment and cleanup. The government and the military just standing by watching. It is totally bewildering how a The Nation opinion piece could slip by the editors with this frivolous and preposterous claim.

Since The Nation doesn't publish bios of its opinion writers, one can only wonder about this one. The writer goes on to list several additional "shock and awes", a characterization that he or she probably lifted and plagiarized from the USA's use of that expression in the opening salvos of bombing Iraq during Bush II. The expression shock and awe is typically used in a military context to reflect utter military rapid dominance. For example, something like the 2 AM 2006 military coup, which abrogated the existing Thai constitution, and filled the streets with tanks, might be "stretched" into referring to it as "shock and awe", if the author was looking around for some Thai illustration. It is unfathomable that this The Nation opinion piece would refer to any, let alone all, of these ten incidents of shock and awe as such. Again, on the basis of this type of preposterous writing and utilization of expressions without understanding their meaning is bottom feeding journalism at its worst.

You forgot to start your astonishingly patronizing response with 'Gather round children'.

[samjaidee]

This is a quite laughable opinion piece. Let's start with the claim in the first "shock and awe" that "no country in the world would allow its second airport to be inundated like this." As if losing a major airport to shutdown might be a major security breach. The author makes this claim, despite the fact that Suvarnibhumi airport was kidnapped by a political group known as PAD and shutdown with a "sit in/camp in" from September 26 , 2008 to December 5, 2008, plus a disputed number of days to do a security check, check out equipment and cleanup. The government and the military just standing by watching. It is totally bewildering how a The Nation opinion piece could slip by the editors with this frivolous and preposterous claim.

Since The Nation doesn't publish bios of its opinion writers, one can only wonder about this one. The writer goes on to list several additional "shock and awes", a characterization that he or she probably lifted and plagiarized from the USA's use of that expression in the opening salvos of bombing Iraq during Bush II. The expression shock and awe is typically used in a military context to reflect utter military rapid dominance. For example, something like the 2 AM 2006 military coup, which abrogated the existing Thai constitution, and filled the streets with tanks, might be "stretched" into referring to it as "shock and awe", if the author was looking around for some Thai illustration. It is unfathomable that this The Nation opinion piece would refer to any, let alone all, of these ten incidents of shock and awe as such. Again, on the basis of this type of preposterous writing and utilization of expressions without understanding their meaning is bottom feeding journalism at its worst.

Spot on. To say the author plagiarised the expression "Shock and Awe" is a little unfair as it is in common usage now but it is, however, a criminal misuse of the expression. It is, overall, a lazy, insipid opinion piece.

[LuckyLew]

Why do people on this web site continually put down articles in other Thai publications??

Does it make you feel better about yourself?

Does it make you feel superior or smarter?

I would like to see you people write an article in Thai

Guess opinions are like backsides, everyone;s got one ... but some are smellier then others

[EastSaxCol]

This is a quite laughable opinion piece. Let's start with the claim in the first "shock and awe" that "no country in the world would allow its second airport to be inundated like this." As if losing a major airport to shutdown might be a major security breach. The author makes this claim, despite the fact that Suvarnibhumi airport was kidnapped by a political group known as PAD and shutdown with a "sit in/camp in" from September 26 , 2008 to December 5, 2008, plus a disputed number of days to do a security check, check out equipment and cleanup. The government and the military just standing by watching. It is totally bewildering how a The Nation opinion piece could slip by the editors with this frivolous and preposterous claim.

Since The Nation doesn't publish bios of its opinion writers, one can only wonder about this one. The writer goes on to list several additional "shock and awes", a characterization that he or she probably lifted and plagiarized from the USA's use of that expression in the opening salvos of bombing Iraq during Bush II. The expression shock and awe is typically used in a military context to reflect utter military rapid dominance. For example, something like the 2 AM 2006 military coup, which abrogated the existing Thai constitution, and filled the streets with tanks, might be "stretched" into referring to it as "shock and awe", if the author was looking around for some Thai illustration. It is unfathomable that this The Nation opinion piece would refer to any, let alone all, of these ten incidents of shock and awe as such. Again, on the basis of this type of preposterous writing and utilization of expressions without understanding their meaning is bottom feeding journalism at its worst.

Spot on. To say the author plagiarised the expression "Shock and Awe" is a little unfair as it is in common usage now but it is, however, a criminal misuse of the expression. It is, overall, a lazy, insipid opinion piece.

Not so much a plagiarised expression - more a cliche to be fair. And a pretty sensationalist one at that. Just proving that Thailand and its people continues to consider itself universe-centric. Less "shock and horror" more bothered and bewildered.

[drdoom6996]

shock and awe off....

Shock and awe in Thailand would be:

1. Politicans/goverment officals actually being prosecuted/ convicted and seving jail time for corruption

2. Our man in Dubai actually serves his time in the nick

3. The BiB actually doing their job

4. Jet ski scammers being hung by their nuts on beach road

5. The goverment/BiB admitting that all Farang deaths in Thailand may not be suicide

I agree with you completely. Too bad none of it will ever happen. Just like the promises made by the current government.

[drdoom6996]

Cognitive dissonance can be a real bitch sometimes...

Impeach and kick her out of office before the next crises

Impeaching her would be the next big Shock and Awe.

Boy you got that right. Most Thais still think she's THE MAN.

[jimbeam1]

Kin Awesome, Shocking

jb1

[falangjim]

Wow. Shit writing. Isn't the term shock and awe a phrase from "Dubbya" Bush's rain of bombs on Tehran? Are there any Thai journalists who can write about serious issues in decent English. The last two Opinion articles have read like high school projects.

[thaigold]

This is a quite laughable opinion piece. Let's start with the claim in the first "shock and awe" that "no country in the world would allow its second airport to be inundated like this." As if losing a major airport to shutdown might be a major security breach. The author makes this claim, despite the fact that Suvarnibhumi airport was kidnapped by a political group known as PAD and shutdown with a "sit in/camp in" from September 26 , 2008 to December 5, 2008, plus a disputed number of days to do a security check, check out equipment and cleanup. The government and the military just standing by watching. It is totally bewildering how a The Nation opinion piece could slip by the editors with this frivolous and preposterous claim.

Since The Nation doesn't publish bios of its opinion writers, one can only wonder about this one. The writer goes on to list several additional "shock and awes", a characterization that he or she probably lifted and plagiarized from the USA's use of that expression in the opening salvos of bombing Iraq during Bush II. The expression shock and awe is typically used in a military context to reflect utter military rapid dominance. For example, something like the 2 AM 2006 military coup, which abrogated the existing Thai constitution, and filled the streets with tanks, might be "stretched" into referring to it as "shock and awe", if the author was looking around for some Thai illustration. It is unfathomable that this The Nation opinion piece would refer to any, let alone all, of these ten incidents of shock and awe as such. Again, on the basis of this type of preposterous writing and utilization of expressions without understanding their meaning is bottom feeding journalism at its worst.

Shame on The Nation's editors, if this is true.

[loseless]

Great post!

This is a quite laughable opinion piece. Let's start with the claim in the first "shock and awe" that "no country in the world would allow its second airport to be inundated like this." As if losing a major airport to shutdown might be a major security breach. The author makes this claim, despite the fact that Suvarnibhumi airport was kidnapped by a political group known as PAD and shutdown with a "sit in/camp in" from September 26 , 2008 to December 5, 2008, plus a disputed number of days to do a security check, check out equipment and cleanup. The government and the military just standing by watching. It is totally bewildering how a The Nation opinion piece could slip by the editors with this frivolous and preposterous claim.

Since The Nation doesn't publish bios of its opinion writers, one can only wonder about this one. The writer goes on to list several additional "shock and awes", a characterization that he or she probably lifted and plagiarized from the USA's use of that expression in the opening salvos of bombing Iraq during Bush II. The expression shock and awe is typically used in a military context to reflect utter military rapid dominance. For example, something like the 2 AM 2006 military coup, which abrogated the existing Thai constitution, and filled the streets with tanks, might be "stretched" into referring to it as "shock and awe", if the author was looking around for some Thai illustration. It is unfathomable that this The Nation opinion piece would refer to any, let alone all, of these ten incidents of shock and awe as such. Again, on the basis of this type of preposterous writing and utilization of expressions without understanding their meaning is bottom feeding journalism at its worst.

[Jingthing]

Great post!

Not so great post!