Thai Army Has Veto Power Over Key Issues: Robert Amsterdam

[hellodolly]

If the PT were not so corrupt and inept, and did not achieve their mandate based on deceptions, they would have all the authority they need to reform the army and the LM laws,

The majority of voters who elected this Government are as solidly behind it now, as the day they were elected.

If another election was called tomorrow, their majority would most likely increase.

Those facts seriously bring into question your assertions of ineptitudes, deceptiveness, etc.

These voters are not dumb, and I respected them for the last election..

Were those voters educated in England or Issan where many of the schools don't even have electricity.

Where they are learn to add two plus two with a calculator.

You really are ignorant of Thailand re you not. A head full of ideas based on no knowledge.

You kept asking what did R A say well what he said was that Thaksin's government was not really running it. Com0ing from a man with a record for spinning facts into imagination no one really takes him to seriously.

If you had enough money and wanted to change other facts he would drop Thaksin like a hot potato and be your life time buddy.

[Reasonableman]

Now after the floods all has changed and the Army was always there to help

Thaskin was no where to be seen

Nothing has changed

The army was there to help, and they had better have been.

To try and equate a salaried state entity, conducting state assigned duties, while accumulating pensionable service,.......... with volunteerism is incorrect.

The UDD/Red Shirts singlehandedly did more than any other organized force in the country, to provide flood assistance to BKK.

I was personally wittness to seven (7) trips to Bangkok, involving sixteen (16) truckloads of stuff. Not pick-ups, but dumptruck equivelants.

The operation at Don Muang was excellent, in spite of the Opposition trying to use it to denigrate the Govt, with their incessant FROC-flogging.

To say that a non-volunteer force did everything and volunteerism did nothing, is a gross indecency.

I'm afraid that all I saw of them was red-clad guys cruising ostentatiously around Ratchaprasong on their motorcycles trying to cadge "donations" from the same people they tried to incinerate. Good luck with that! Otherwise, they were notable by their absence.

WOW!

This opinion absolutely stuns me, having witnessed what I witnessed.

I cannot bring myself to respond to this one.

In fact the opinion is ..............

Enuf for this Post from CalgaryII

It is not opinion, it is what happened. Of course, you cannot rebut a fact.

[CalgaryII]

I'm afraid that all I saw of them was red-clad guys cruising ostentatiously around Ratchaprasong on their motorcycles trying to cadge "donations" from the same people they tried to incinerate. Good luck with that! Otherwise, they were notable by their absence.

They did have their boats "for red shirts only". And they did load their trucks with publicly donated goods "with Love from Thaksin".

Boats were for everyone, and you know it.

Many donations had 'acknowledgements" by everyone who initiated them. Nothing wrong with that. My hats are off to them.

What did you donate and how did you help?

I helped physically and financially with seven trips to BKK, totalling 16 very large truckloads, after days of slogging through dusty villages collecting donations. (I learned that when loading water up on a high truck, dont be the guy standing right beside the truck. Heaving up is harder than just handing off)

To have those who did minimal, if anything at all, disparage those who worked massively is not good.

I am the first to applaud all who worked and worked...good for you.

We all did well.

[johnbkk2007]

I have had two people provide examples of international locxations whose disaster relief efforts matched what Ms. Y and Thailand did. Thanks to those who came up with them.

Nonsense again. Your statement was:

"Whenever one is inclined to criticise this Govts. handling of the flood disaster, I always ask the question, "which nation and leader did better?' I have never received an answer to that question."

So you got 2 nations which did better than Ms. Y

And that in a time frame of a couple of minutes.

Leaves me the question, when did you always asked this question and to whom did you always asked this question that you never received an answer?

[CalgaryII]

Maybe I just don't get it.

3 pages and endless to and fro about Thaksin and barely a word about the original statement that implied that Thailand is in effect a military run country, thus little different politically to Myanmar.

Isn't that what should be discussed or is it all too tricky?

The OP was one of Big Ts proxies saying what he has been paid to regurgatate. Yes the army has a certain amout of influence but a good counter weight aganist a fully in charge PTP with Big T actually running the government thru his sister.Give them everything they want and we have Marcos 2.

So you are saying it's fine to have an unaccountable military, with the right to stage a coup whenever their economic/personal power is threatened. It's fine to have a military who appear to at least tolerate freelance drug trafficking and timber extraction by its personnel, who are implicated in the recent murder of Chinese sailors/drug traffickers, who have a brutal way of dealing with Burmese migrants, who have a "robust", bordering on extra-judicial, style of crowd control as seen in April 2010 and May 1992.

All this and more because the ruling political party chosen by the majority of voters (given the vote-rigging and general vote-buying of course) needs to be "kept in check".

I'm no Thaksin or any other politico's apologist but simply someone who sees no place for a military in running a country. It's bad for the country, its people and ironically even bad for the military as can be seen in their inept performance in the southern provinces, the spate of helicopter accidents and the farce of recent hardware shopping.

Bravo to that!

[whybother]

So you are saying it's fine to have an unaccountable military, with the right to stage a coup whenever their economic/personal power is threatened. It's fine to have a military who appear to at least tolerate freelance drug trafficking and timber extraction by its personnel, who are implicated in the recent murder of Chinese sailors/drug traffickers, who have a brutal way of dealing with Burmese migrants, who have a "robust", bordering on extra-judicial, style of crowd control as seen in April 2010 and May 1992.

All this and more because the ruling political party chosen by the majority of voters (given the vote-rigging and general vote-buying of course) needs to be "kept in check".

I'm no Thaksin or any other politico's apologist but simply someone who sees no place for a military in running a country. It's bad for the country, its people and ironically even bad for the military as can be seen in their inept performance in the southern provinces, the spate of helicopter accidents and the farce of recent hardware shopping.

It's not fine to have an unaccountable military, but if you think that would change under Thaksin (or the current government), I think you would be sorely mistaken.

The government doesn't need to have control over military appointments to stop coups, drug trafficking, etc. They need to enact laws and make sure they are enforced.

[FOODLOVER]

Amsterdam is funded by Yingluck's elder brother, convicted and fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra".

How's it smell in sphinkterville, Robbie? Sell your soul lately?

Perhaps it would be more fruitful to focus on the message instead of the messenger, esp[ecially when in this case Judiciaql actions following the coup are subject to serious scrutiny regarding validity.

When the Army was defending itself against people who threatened the security of the country by threatening to burn down the capital and lob grenades, it is their duty to protect!

Political negotiation would have solved everything. Even after the protesters were trying to be ignored out of existence

Most people regard the feeble efforts of "fightback" by the demonstrators against the coup perps as fully justified - not anti-social, not anarchic - but fully justified when confronting the force assertions from the coup perps. trying to enforce their undemocratic power grab.

You continue to post information that is not true and as usual you show your ignorance of Thailand.

The terrorists were against the Democrats not the army and the two Governments that followed them.

Get some one to read it to you it is well recorded.

Explain how they gained any thing against the coup makers by invading a hospital?

O please enlighten us all. Yes they were martyrs they even used their children as shields. You are in good company with them.

Answer me this why did they have to import the martyrs from area's with a very low education. There was millions in Bangkok. Yet they had caravans coming from Issan.

What? Don't know anything about killer martyr caravans from Issan but if your trying to imply the Reds were not behind the violence i think you are mistaken. As for the reasoning behind them entering into a hospital goes towards the intellect of those who were running the terrorist campaign. Not a brilliant plan and indeed had bad repercussions in term of the Thai citizens perception of the group. As for enlightenment, always get sauce on the side, you can then add as much as you would like. Tip your waiter. Good day.

Edited February 7, 2012 by Scott
quote fixed

[hellodolly]

The Reds accepted Aphisit's offer of early elections - Thaksin overrode it.

The Reds accepted Aphisit's terms for the reconciliation process - Thaksin overrode it.

What does that tell you?

• An offer is not an agreement. In negotiations, an offer is subject to:
  

#1 - Acceptance

#2 - rejection

#3 - counter offer

#4 - Acceptance with modification

• The UDD/Red Shirts responded to Abhi's with #4
  
• In hindsight, the offer was a "mafia' offer, to which only #1 was acceptable to those making the offer.
  
• The internal dynamics of any negotiation team are not the business of the opposite. Their only responsibility is to respond to the reaction to their offer........#4 in this case.
  
• Abhi chose not to do so in true 'mafia' offer style, with identical results.
  
• With respect to the reconciliation process, again internal dynamics of one side are not important. Only the positions of negotiating entities.
  
• Message - not messenger, is the crux of negotiations.
  

You continue to show your ignorance The red shirts made demands for modifications witch the Dems accepted. Then the red shirts changed their mind and demanded more modifications.

We all know RA makes a mint of money for his malarkey what is in it for you?

[CalgaryII]

The question here is why anyone should pay any attention to a man who is hired by the opposition to run noise for them.

Mister Amsterdam, when you have a government that is being run by the Shinawatra family, its extended family including the Damapongs, friends and other crony assiciates of your clients, you do not have democracy.

If this sorry collection of paid individuals performed well for the country in a matter, say, similar to Singapore then that could possibly be overlooked. But it doesn't.

If the cabinet had performed from the kick-off, we wouldn't have had all these changes (more cronies) but they screwed up whatever they touched. Flooding and post-flood are still disasters. The heros here were the army.

So in a world with minsiters every 5 minutes you want the defense of the country in the same basket? Another man with Shinawatra DNA? Maybe someone with Zimbabwean roots?

Methinks you and your employers are after the crown jewels Mister Amsterdam

• Like him or not, he represents the views of a huge electoral block in the country, those responsible for electing Ms. Y. and co. That is why one should pay attention.
  
• In spite of all the electoral faults of Thailand, this Govt. was elected, and is Democratic as a result. For Thailand, this is pretty good.
  
• This collection of individuals were elected in as fair an election as Thailand can muster.
  
• Political appointees after an election are not cronies, but appointees by those who were elected by the people. Next time Abhi. and Co. win an election, they will also appoint people of their own kind - not cronies.
  
• But those "crown jewels" won an election and were the choice to govern thailand by a majority of the governed.
  
• How the flood was handled was exemplary when compared to how other nations and leaders handled their disasters. Whenever one is inclined to criticise this Govts. handling of the flood disaster, I always ask the question, "which nation and leader did better?' I have never received an answer to that question.
  

JAPAN

Just saying Japan is not enough, as are the two other examples that were Posted (Nederland and an area of Australia).

A appreciate the response, but to be credible, one would need to analyze and research these comparators.

Not opinionating of the top-of-our head here after a 30-second thought delay before posting, but a thorough analysis.

The Opposition would make their charge of Govt. Flood mismanagement credible if they took the time to show how awfull Thailand did, compared to others of similar circumstances in a particular initiative. The notion of comparing oranges to oranges and not apples obviously applies.

I was particularly impressed with Ms. Y's hard work, engagement and empathy. Other than the oposition camp, she was widely admired.

They only comparative example I can think of that equalled Ms. Y's performance, was the Chile leader who really got involved in rescuing those miners.

[thaicbr]

He also has no clue about Thailand, which he clearly proved in all his previous statements as a paid Thaksin lobbyist

A huge swath of the Thai electorate, in fact the majority, would beg to differ with that.

This article demonstrates that he knows very well what is going on behind the scenes.

46% do not make the majority.. as for knowing what is happening behind the scenes, that's <deleted> it is just another attempt to smear the army . Because they did a good job during the flooding..

as for 'But what about what he said?' Really who honestly gives a rats arse what he says..he is paid by thaksin to create trouble and he is fairly good at it. There may actually be NO substance to what he says but what the hell he's just a falang so if it goes wrong thaksin has a get out clause..

[jeffcool]

@ Calgaryll...... You need to lay off that Moonshine, sunshine......

And Stop going to those "political free debate" in Red villages mate....

[jonclark]

Rather than discuss Mr. Amsterdam, how about some attention be given to his statement. Do people agree or disagree with this;

The Yingluck administration is not fully in charge of this country. We all know it. We all know the Army has a veto over what happens here. Let's not pretend. And therefore I understand that were this government to [sack General Prayuth], it would be removed militarily without hesitation," he said. Nevertheless he wished Prayuth could be removed

I agree with him. The military is still calling the plays and that is why there cannot be any progress on key issues such as corruption.

Perhaps he just misunderstands. We often hear that Farlangs don't understand Thailand and Thai people, So perhaps...just perhaps this farland doesn't or mis understands????

[hellodolly]

Now after the floods all has changed and the Army was always there to help

Thaskin was no where to be seen

Nothing has changed

The army was there to help, and they had better have been.

To try and equate a salaried state entity, conducting state assigned duties, while accumulating pensionable service,.......... with volunteerism is incorrect.

The UDD/Red Shirts singlehandedly did more than any other organized force in the country, to provide flood assistance to BKK.

I was personally wittness to seven (7) trips to Bangkok, involving sixteen (16) truckloads of stuff. Not pick-ups, but dumptruck equivelants.

The operation at Don Muang was excellent, in spite of the Opposition trying to use it to denigrate the Govt, with their incessant FROC-flogging.

To say that a non-volunteer force did everything and volunteerism did nothing, is a gross indecency.

You claim

"I was personally wittness to seven (7) trips to Bangkok, involving sixteen (16) truckloads of stuff. Not pick-ups, but dumptruck equivelants."

And you knew they were red shirts no one else.

I know that to be false as I personally donated at Makro and there were many other business donating. Besides seven truckloads is a drop in the bucket compared to what was donated and you claim it came from the majority of the people.

[Moruya]

1. Are you saying that the electorate voted for Thaksin or Yingluck?
   Both. And they did it knowingly.
   
2. Do you think they voted for the person or the handouts?
   Well, they didn't vote for Abhi and friends, who desparately tried to emulate the PTP when they realized they were going down the electoral tubes.
   
3. Cronies are friends and relatives appointed to senior positions based on who they are not on their capabilities. See the Marcos and Castro families for example.
   Political appointees after an electoral victory are not cronies. They are like-minded people. This goes as much for Abhi. with his Kasit (as an example) as for Ms. Y. and Red Shirts. The spoils of electoral victories if you will.
   
4. Your knowledge of English precludes you from understanding the finer points of some of my comments I'm afraid.
   Hopefully my answers rectify that for you.
   
5. If you think the handling of the floods was "exemplary" then that tells me something......
   

Good.

I have had two people provide examples of international locxations whose disaster relief efforts matched what Ms. Y and Thailand did. Thanks to those who came up with them.

Judging Ms. Y and Thailand's performance can only be measured against other national entities faced with similar disasters. Just to say it was bad, without applying a standard to measure it against, is just so much Opposition folderol.

You didn't answer any questions and therefore I understand all.

[ginjag]

Now after the floods all has changed and the Army was always there to help Thaskin was no where to be seen

Nothing has changed

The army was there to help, and they had better have been.

To try and equate a salaried state entity, conducting state assigned duties, while accumulating pensionable service,.......... with volunteerism is incorrect.

The UDD/Red Shirts singlehandedly did more than any other organized force in the country, to provide flood assistance to BKK.

I was personally wittness to seven (7) trips to Bangkok, involving sixteen (16) truckloads of stuff. Not pick-ups, but dumptruck equivelants.

The operation at Don Muang was excellent, in spite of the Opposition trying to use it to denigrate the Govt, with their incessant FROC-flogging.

To say that a non-volunteer force did everything and volunteerism did nothing, is a gross indecency.

lol utter factless crap

This poster is entitled to his useless propaganda in favour of Mr. Amsterdam. this man is a highly paid overweight, and will always be on the payroll until this rubbish he speaks is ended. Army is here to save the nation from dictatorship-pillage-plunder, and if these now in power carry on despite Khun Thaksin or Amsterdams money==it will sure step in again.

If they perform well (impossible with P.M. cabinet) there will be no problems.

If Abhisit and his reasonable cabinet was so bad-Why wasn't there a coup?????? to get him out. I am sure even the Dems being corrupt as this lot would have been out. All Thai governments have corruption, BUT non as much as this regime.

[CalgaryII]

You continue to post information that is not true and as usual you show your ignorance of Thailand.

What I post is true.

Not sure what else I can say to such a drve-by smear about opinions expressed.

The terrorists were against the Democrats not the army and the two Governments that followed them.

Anti-coup demonstrators and taxpayers are not terrorists. They are politically disenfranchised citizens who objected to their Govt. being stolen via a coup.

They were against Coup perps, and all their associates.

Get some one to read it to you it is well recorded.

I was there!

Explain how they gained any thing against the coup makers by invading a hospital?

There were many instances of opposition by the demonstrators.

This one in particular involved suspicions that anti-demonstration threats emenated from that location.

This particular hospital had a reputation, then and now, for being administered by anti-demonstrator activists.

O please enlighten us all. Yes they were martyrs they even used their children as shields. You are in good company with them.

Trying to demonize legitimate protesters rallying against a coup which stole their elected Governments, and were then assaulted by elements of the coup perps, doesn't resonate with fair-minded people.

Answer me this why did they have to import the martyrs from area's with a very low education. There was millions in Bangkok. Yet they had caravans coming from Issan.

Thank you for that.

Yes, the protest against a Government these people elected had nation-wide participation.

Even the low-educated (I will ignore the arrogance of your comment) became thoroughly politicized. A much regretted side-effect of the coup by its' perpetrators.

Edited February 7, 2012 by CalgaryII

[CalgaryII]

Thank god the military are in charge ,better than theses clowns

So you prefer a military administration to elected officials?

Well OK, I guess we are not all in favor of Democracy.

The problem with that, is the military often cannot be 'unelected'.

If these 'clowns' as you characterize them are the screw-up you say, aren't you pleasde you can turf them in three years or so.

Good luck with that, as their current performance would certainly deserve re-election in even greater numbers.

If you want to prevent that, Abhi. and friends really need to do something different.

[CalgaryII]

Now after the floods all has changed and the Army was always there to help

Thaskin was no where to be seen

Nothing has changed

The army was there to help, and they had better have been.

To try and equate a salaried state entity, conducting state assigned duties, while accumulating pensionable service,.......... with volunteerism is incorrect.

The UDD/Red Shirts singlehandedly did more than any other organized force in the country, to provide flood assistance to BKK.

I was personally wittness to seven (7) trips to Bangkok, involving sixteen (16) truckloads of stuff. Not pick-ups, but dumptruck equivelants.

The operation at Don Muang was excellent, in spite of the Opposition trying to use it to denigrate the Govt, with their incessant FROC-flogging.

To say that a non-volunteer force did everything and volunteerism did nothing, is a gross indecency.

I'm afraid that all I saw of them was red-clad guys cruising ostentatiously around Ratchaprasong on their motorcycles trying to cadge "donations" from the same people they tried to incinerate. Good luck with that! Otherwise, they were notable by their absence.

WOW!

This opinion absolutely stuns me, having witnessed what I witnessed.

I cannot bring myself to respond to this one.

In fact the opinion is ..............

Enuf for this Post from CalgaryII

It is not opinion, it is what happened. Of course, you cannot rebut a fact.

See Post #95

[Moruya]

You continue to post information that is not true and as usual you show your ignorance of Thailand.

What I post is true.

Not sure what else I can say to such a drve-by smear about opinions expressed.

The terrorists were against the Democrats not the army and the two Governments that followed them.

Anti-coup demonstrators and taxpayers are not terrorists. They are politically disenfranchised citizens who objected to their Govt. being stolen via a coup.

They were against Coup perps, and all their associates.

Get some one to read it to you it is well recorded.

I was there!

Explain how they gained any thing against the coup makers by invading a hospital?

There were many instances of opposition by the demonstrators.

This one in particular involved suspicions that anti-demonstration threats emenated from that location.

This particular hospital had a reputation, then and now, for being administered by anti-demonstrator activists.

O please enlighten us all. Yes they were martyrs they even used their children as shields. You are in good company with them.

Trying to demonize legitimate protesters rallying against a coup which stole their elected Governments, and were then assaulted by elements of the coup perps, doesn't resonate with fair-minded people.

Answer me this why did they have to import the martyrs from area's with a very low education. There was millions in Bangkok. Yet they had caravans coming from Issan.

Thank you for that.

Yes, the protest against a Government these people elected had nation-wide participation.

Even the low-educated (I will ignore the arrogance of your comment) became thoroughly politicized. A much regretted side-effect of the coup by its' perpetrators.

It would provide some credibility if you could provide copies of your passport to prove that you were here at the times mentioned. But not that much!

Now answer truthfully - is your name Robert Amsterdam?

If not, are you in any way related to him?

If not, are you in his employ?

If not, are you in any other form of relationship with him?

[CalgaryII]

So you got 2 nations which did

better

than Ms. Y

Maybe they did, maybe they didn't

Just throwing out the name of a couple places where a disaster occurred, after 30-seconds of thought, does not mean they did better or worse.

Only a researchy, analytical comparative would show if they did better or worse.

The Opposition should heed this advice, if they expect any credibility to their bald accusations that the Govt. screwed up disaster management. To make such a statement credible, one needs

'standards of performance"

And that in a time frame of a couple of minutes

Yeah, it didn't take long.

Hence my comments above.

Leaves me the question, when did you

always

asked this question and to whom did you

always

asked this question that you never received an answer?

Just take my word for it.

I did!

[CalgaryII]

Were those voters educated in England or Issan where many of the schools don't even have electricity.

Where they are learn to add two plus two with a calculator.

You really are ignorant of Thailand re you not. A head full of ideas based on no knowledge.

The above opinion and comments reek of arrogance.

To malign an entire class of people as uneducated dolts, who dont know their ass from their political interests, is arrogance in the extreme

.

You kept asking what did R A say well what he said was that Thaksin's government was not really running it. Com0ing from a man with a record for spinning facts into imagination no one really takes him to seriously.

If you had enough money and wanted to change other facts he would drop Thaksin like a hot potato and be your life time

buddy

A large sector of the Thai electorate disagrees with you, and agrees with RA.

[hellodolly]

Maybe I just don't get it.

3 pages and endless to and fro about Thaksin and barely a word about the original statement that implied that Thailand is in effect a military run country, thus little different politically to Myanmar.

Isn't that what should be discussed or is it all too tricky?

The OP was one of Big Ts proxies saying what he has been paid to regurgatate. Yes the army has a certain amout of influence but a good counter weight aganist a fully in charge PTP with Big T actually running the government thru his sister.Give them everything they want and we have Marcos 2.

So you are saying it's fine to have an unaccountable military, with the right to stage a coup whenever their economic/personal power is threatened. It's fine to have a military who appear to at least tolerate freelance drug trafficking and timber extraction by its personnel, who are implicated in the recent murder of Chinese sailors/drug traffickers, who have a brutal way of dealing with Burmese migrants, who have a "robust", bordering on extra-judicial, style of crowd control as seen in April 2010 and May 1992.

All this and more because the ruling political party chosen by the majority of voters (given the vote-rigging and general vote-buying of course) needs to be "kept in check".

I'm no Thaksin or any other politico's apologist but simply someone who sees no place for a military in running a country. It's bad for the country, its people and ironically even bad for the military as can be seen in their inept performance in the southern provinces, the spate of helicopter accidents and the farce of recent hardware shopping.

Bravo to that!

]

Care to show where there is a ruling party run by the majority of voters. Here in Thailand we have a ruling party run by a minority of voters. Who owe their allegiance to a proven criminal on the run from justice.

You may be right by the military having no place in running a country but here in Thailand it is a part of the way it is and a good thing it is. We all saw how the army got out and helped with the flood with out the Government telling them to do so. If it had not been for them we would be under a dictatorship now.

Until Thailand can step up to the plate and except democracy the military will be the only buffer between Democracy and dictatorship.

For those who don't know Democracy is the election by a majority of voters under no pressure t vote as they wish. Now if any one thinks that is what we have here I have a map to a sunken Spanish galleon loaded with doubloons I will let you have for 5% of the treasure with a up front payment of 1,000,000 Baht.

[jeffcool]

"Leaves me the question, when did you always asked this question and to whom did you always asked this question that you never received an answer?

Just take my word for it.

I did!"

The 7 years old kids that runs around your home in Ubon are not the most experts on the questions my friend......

[hellodolly]

The question here is why anyone should pay any attention to a man who is hired by the opposition to run noise for them.

Mister Amsterdam, when you have a government that is being run by the Shinawatra family, its extended family including the Damapongs, friends and other crony assiciates of your clients, you do not have democracy.

If this sorry collection of paid individuals performed well for the country in a matter, say, similar to Singapore then that could possibly be overlooked. But it doesn't.

If the cabinet had performed from the kick-off, we wouldn't have had all these changes (more cronies) but they screwed up whatever they touched. Flooding and post-flood are still disasters. The heros here were the army.

So in a world with minsiters every 5 minutes you want the defense of the country in the same basket? Another man with Shinawatra DNA? Maybe someone with Zimbabwean roots?

Methinks you and your employers are after the crown jewels Mister Amsterdam

• Like him or not, he represents the views of a huge electoral block in the country, those responsible for electing Ms. Y. and co. That is why one should pay attention.
  
• In spite of all the electoral faults of Thailand, this Govt. was elected, and is Democratic as a result. For Thailand, this is pretty good.
  
• This collection of individuals were elected in as fair an election as Thailand can muster.
  
• Political appointees after an election are not cronies, but appointees by those who were elected by the people. Next time Abhi. and Co. win an election, they will also appoint people of their own kind - not cronies.
  
• But those "crown jewels" won an election and were the choice to govern thailand by a majority of the governed.
  
• How the flood was handled was exemplary when compared to how other nations and leaders handled their disasters. Whenever one is inclined to criticise this Govts. handling of the flood disaster, I always ask the question, "which nation and leader did better?' I have never received an answer to that question.
  

JAPAN

Just saying Japan is not enough, as are the two other examples that were Posted (Nederland and an area of Australia).

A appreciate the response, but to be credible, one would need to analyze and research these comparators.

Not opinionating of the top-of-our head here after a 30-second thought delay before posting, but a thorough analysis.

The Opposition would make their charge of Govt. Flood mismanagement credible if they took the time to show how awfull Thailand did, compared to others of similar circumstances in a particular initiative. The notion of comparing oranges to oranges and not apples obviously applies.

I was particularly impressed with Ms. Y's hard work, engagement and empathy. Other than the oposition camp, she was widely admired.

They only comparative example I can think of that equalled Ms. Y's performance, was the Chile leader who really got involved in rescuing those miners.

Not according to the rules of negotiating you laid out earlier.

Just another red shirt who gets what he wants so he changes the rules.

You really are a sad individual.

I find it amusing that all the villagers in the countless villages you helped collect donations understood hat it was easier to pass it hand to hand than to lift up on to a truck.

Pretty well speaks to your knowledge of reality.

[CalgaryII]

It would provide some credibility if you could provide copies of your passport to prove that you were here at the times mentioned. But not that much!

I trust my points-of-view give some clue to having been in the environs

Now answer truthfully - is your name Robert Amsterdam?

LOL

Never met the man, although I believe he is a fellow Canadian, in spite of his Dutch name.

If not, are you in any way related to him?

Only being a fellow Canuck

If not, are you in his employ?

No.

Not smart enough

retired, fat 'n happy in Thailand with a professional, well educated, lovely Thai lady

.

If not, are you in any other form of relationship with him?

LOL

[hellodolly]

Thank god the military are in charge ,better than theses clowns

So you prefer a military administration to elected officials?

Well OK, I guess we are not all in favor of Democracy.

The problem with that, is the military often cannot be 'unelected'.

If these 'clowns' as you characterize them are the screw-up you say, aren't you pleasde you can turf them in three years or so.

Good luck with that, as their current performance would certainly deserve re-election in even greater numbers.

If you want to prevent that, Abhi. and friends really need to do something different.

Explain O mighty sage how a government with only 46% of the vote is a democratic one.

[takatukaland]

What about what he said, he said exactly what he was told to say by Big T. If anyone thinks these were Amsterdams

opinions then I have some swamp land in Issaan I will sale with full canote

but still true what he said since 1932 15 coups or attempts,i think this says all

[folium]

So you are saying it's fine to have an unaccountable military, with the right to stage a coup whenever their economic/personal power is threatened. It's fine to have a military who appear to at least tolerate freelance drug trafficking and timber extraction by its personnel, who are implicated in the recent murder of Chinese sailors/drug traffickers, who have a brutal way of dealing with Burmese migrants, who have a "robust", bordering on extra-judicial, style of crowd control as seen in April 2010 and May 1992.

All this and more because the ruling political party chosen by the majority of voters (given the vote-rigging and general vote-buying of course) needs to be "kept in check".

I'm no Thaksin or any other politico's apologist but simply someone who sees no place for a military in running a country. It's bad for the country, its people and ironically even bad for the military as can be seen in their inept performance in the southern provinces, the spate of helicopter accidents and the farce of recent hardware shopping.

It's not fine to have an unaccountable military, but if you think that would change under Thaksin (or the current government), I think you would be sorely mistaken.

The government doesn't need to have control over military appointments to stop coups, drug trafficking, etc. They need to enact laws and make sure they are enforced.

And until the majority of people also agree that it is utterly wrong for the military to have run the country for the last 80 years it will not change. I do fully understand that current politicians lack the means or the desire to change the status quo, but as events in Egypt and elsewhere have shown in the last 12 months once yo p**s off enough people change will come. Sadly if you get on the wrong side of history it can be unpleasant, and the longer an unaccountable power base is allowed to remain the messier its removal becomes for all parties involved.

[Reasonableman]

This is from Wikipedia, so is not necessarily authoritative or objective. Please use your own best judgment:

RA Blogging activity

Amsterdam has two official blogs listed on Amsterdam & Peroff’s website:^[20] and.^[21]Amsterdam has published more than 5,000 original articles on his main blog and many legal blogs have cited his ^[22]" The prestigious blog "Siberian Light has ranked ^[23]" as one of the "Top 5 Russia blogs."^[24] Amsterdam's blog was also a finalist in the 2007 Weblog Awards.^[25]Among the various publications mentioning Mr. Amsterdam's achievements, a recent article published on the legal circuit quoted colleague lawyers stating that Amsterdam's blogging and lobbying activities are an example demonstrating legal and ethical obligations to clients.^[26]Amsterdam is known to use Blogs as a platform for sharing his cause with internet readers. He is well verse with gorilla [guerrilla, sic] marketing and getting his clients point across the web in a short amount of time. K Social Media Consulting LLC ^[27] is a company that runs full scale media campaigns for clients. Amsterdam employs this company to establish a strong presence in the online community to support his clients cause. Although Robert Amsterdam champions free speech, many people have raised concerns when they try to post comments on his Blog that does not support Mr. Amsterdam's view. Internet readers have repetitively said that their comments were never posted or simply deleted on Amsterdam's blogs.

Edited February 7, 2012 by Reasonableman

[longway]

Maybe I just don't get it.

3 pages and endless to and fro about Thaksin and barely a word about the original statement that implied that Thailand is in effect a military run country, thus little different politically to Myanmar.

Isn't that what should be discussed or is it all too tricky?

If the military etc were to vanish from thailand today, thailand would become even less democratic than it is now tomorrow. thats the tricky bit that the red shirt faux democracy activists never address.

Whats happening now is a transfer of power from bangkok to isaan, the culture of cronyism, nepotism, violence and corruption remains untouched as ever, mob rule with a different geographic centre.

Edited February 7, 2012 by longway