Yingluck Bets On Army Calm As Thai Strains Rise

[siampolee]

Concerning the up rating of the state of readiness by the police.

Yes it seems as if there is some sort of activity possibly in the offing as my brother in law who is a police major and was on leave has also been ordered (not requested) to return to his station and department as quickly as possible. .

Regarding the issue of assorted equipment as used in hostile environments I cannot comment as he has said nothing about that issue as yet

.His personal opinion is that someone higher up is over reacting to the current situation.

Edited June 1, 2012 by siampolee

[gand]

For red shirts, democracy means, the majority gets to be a dictator.

[EarthAlien]

Someone should tell Abhisit and his yellow shirt cronies that the Thai people voted against their policies at the last election, an election acknowledged as being fair and democratic. This time the army will not heed the yellowshirt calls for another bloodletting coup.

"Fair & Democratic",..... are you on drugs or something?

Votes were paid for plain and simple and the Abhisit government in its apathy and fear to induce yet another red shirt riot did nothing to disqualify PTP from the election candidates based on it clearly being a proxy party for Thaksin,.. something that could never have happened in a truly democratic and properly governed country but of course This is Thailand and anything goes!

[bigbamboo]

If the situation goes where I think it will, the people of Thailand will soon be begging for military intervention. I wish the Army would get on with it now and save the bloodshed that is inevitably coming.

I know I'm stating the obvious here but Thailand's troubles would all go away if one individual who already has more money than he can ever spend would actually put his country before himself for once.

As it is waiting for the next coup is a bit like waiting for the 'Golden Goal'....... almost certain it will come, just don't know when.

[w11guy]

The Kingdom is on auto-pilot. Corruption, protectionism, and nationalism have completely obscured the public's realization of the fact (presented today on the BBC, in the context of discussion of the WEF) that Thailand is fundamentally noncompetitive. Twenty-five years ago, Thailand would have continued to attract the majority of investment in Southeast Asia, as it was the West's only ally against communism and it was not a despotic country. Today, there is still much about Thailand to fawn over, but that is changing very fast. Indonesia's population nearly guarantees a massive increase in the country's regional significance. The future of ASEAN will be decided by Myanmar, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Thailand will slowly and very gradually fall into an isolated status that guarantees future political and social strife, as Bangkok will make progress while the rest of Thailand looks more like Laos. The proposals to create high-speed rail links to Chiang Mai are fairly comical, considering that few outside Bangkok could contemplate ticket-prices for such infrastructure; they are a rough microcosm of the larger problems of general ignorance and over-extended pride in Thailand. The Yingluck administration and Thaksin's sublime arrogance guarantee further ripples in a system that has extraordinary future "challenges" (deaths) to overcome.

If the rail line is from Bangkok to Chiang Mai what difference does it make if most people outside Bangkok can't afford it. The UK has an extensive rail network but the majority of people can't afford to use it. I'm sure it's being built for the people that can afford it not those that can't. I think it's a superb idea. But you probably prefer Thailand to stay stuck in the past.

[OzMick]

More to the point, the 17.5 million votes PTP received represents 27% of the 65million population.

Can babies and small children vote or have a political leaning?

The eligible voting poulation of Thailand apparently is 47.3 million, please somebody clarify this for me, (still looking for an "acceptable" source),

I have this at the moment, http://news.xinhuane.../c_13962683.htm )

The EC said the voter turnout was 75 %. So with those figures in mind the PTP support is roughly 49.3 % of the eligible voters that turned up to vote but someone please double check for me, I could be wrong.

What to see some pictures of the little kiddies in their red shirts and toy guns?

You are not only mathematically challenged but logically as well. If you include the eligible voters who didn't vote, how could the percentage go UP? D'oh

FYI The vote received was 37% of the eligible voters on your figure of 47.3million. Or 48.4% of those who did vote. Those who didn't vote due to age, roll problems, or simple disinterest are still Thai citizens who did not express any support of this pack of criminals.

I'm using your figures - you tell me PTP received 17.5 million votes, right? The EC says that 75% of eligible voters turned up to vote, right? We agree on an eligible voting population of 47.3 million, right?

75% of 47.3 million eligible voters turned up to vote

That means of those eligible voters 35,475,000 eligible voters actually turned up to vote.

Now if 17.5 million of those eligible voters who turned up to vote, voted for the PTP (your figures), it follows that

The number of eligible voters who turned up to vote, who voted for the PTP is 17,500,000 / 35,475,000 X 100 per cent =

49.33%

Your example of the percentage of PTP votes compared to the entire nation (which is nearer 69 million anyway) is ridiculous, only 47.3 million of them are eligible to vote, the rest are under 18 or not eligible or some other reason.

Now tell me I'm wrong again.....................

D'oh! You are wrong again! Doesn't the figure of 75% seem just a little too neat and round - like an approximation for press release. And you accept it as gospel and base your whole calculation around it.

All you had to do was google "election 2006" to get all the accurate figures.

[ginjag]

Most of the problems lay with the Prime Minister, If she knew how to do her job correctly, the lady would not have many problems, She is afraid, unable to debate, unable to control, as was thought from th e onset--a puppet that has now turned into a NOTHING. Everyone in her government is running the job---outcome CHAOS. The stirrer from Dubai has over cooked the soup. It is time to run Thaksin S and family+cronies. They thought they had enough power, when the crunch comes they have to resort to pushing the law out the way, the red power in it's wisdom thought they had it cut and dried, This dictatorial government is now showing it's true colours. You got a dictatorship--not the democracy Thailand needs. the Joke of the last month---we will eradicate anything wrong--main thing--CORRUPTION

[OzMick]

The Kingdom is on auto-pilot. Corruption, protectionism, and nationalism have completely obscured the public's realization of the fact (presented today on the BBC, in the context of discussion of the WEF) that Thailand is fundamentally noncompetitive. Twenty-five years ago, Thailand would have continued to attract the majority of investment in Southeast Asia, as it was the West's only ally against communism and it was not a despotic country. Today, there is still much about Thailand to fawn over, but that is changing very fast. Indonesia's population nearly guarantees a massive increase in the country's regional significance. The future of ASEAN will be decided by Myanmar, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Thailand will slowly and very gradually fall into an isolated status that guarantees future political and social strife, as Bangkok will make progress while the rest of Thailand looks more like Laos. The proposals to create high-speed rail links to Chiang Mai are fairly comical, considering that few outside Bangkok could contemplate ticket-prices for such infrastructure; they are a rough microcosm of the larger problems of general ignorance and over-extended pride in Thailand. The Yingluck administration and Thaksin's sublime arrogance guarantee further ripples in a system that has extraordinary future "challenges" (deaths) to overcome.

If the rail line is from Bangkok to Chiang Mai what difference does it make if most people outside Bangkok can't afford it. The UK has an extensive rail network but the majority of people can't afford to use it. I'm sure it's being built for the people that can afford it not those that can't. I think it's a superb idea. But you probably prefer Thailand to stay stuck in the past.

Way to go! Use the money of the people of Thailand to build a railway that only the rich can afford, rather than schools, hospitals, improving the railway they have,...............

We'll have a modern 21st century Thailand that the peasants can look at in awe and wonder where they went wrong. Bad choice of parents possibly.

[gand]

Will we be seeing TS & YS in military fatigues soon?

[pastitche]

.... I said 52% of the population voted against Thaksin....

I honestly dislike Taksin, but your assertion that 52% of the population voted against him at the last election is ludicrous. You don't have an election to vote against someone. Elections are not that black or white, i.e you're either with us or against us. I'm sure a large chunk of the public voted for PTP just for the 300 baht minimum wage, or tablet for their child, whilst some Dem voters voted for the gradual 25% wage hike across the country, or to show their displeasure at the UDD.

Taksin is divisive that's for sure. But i don;t think 52% (i.e. the entire non-PTP vote ) voted against Taksin as the sole reason for not voting PTP

Not voting for someone is voting against them and it is actually over 52% if you include the Thais that did not vote but were legal to.

More to the point, the 17.5 million votes PTP received represents 27% of the 65million population.

Hardly more to the point, the electorate is not 65 million.

[otherstuff1957]

Well, I'm certainly no fan of the Redshirts or PT/PPP/TRT, but I do hope that the army doesn't get involved with this current mess. IMHO, another coup would be a horrible mistake.

[seminomadic]

The Kingdom is on auto-pilot. Corruption, protectionism, and nationalism have completely obscured the public's realization of the fact (presented today on the BBC, in the context of discussion of the WEF) that Thailand is fundamentally noncompetitive. Twenty-five years ago, Thailand would have continued to attract the majority of investment in Southeast Asia, as it was the West's only ally against communism and it was not a despotic country. Today, there is still much about Thailand to fawn over, but that is changing very fast. Indonesia's population nearly guarantees a massive increase in the country's regional significance. The future of ASEAN will be decided by Myanmar, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Thailand will slowly and very gradually fall into an isolated status that guarantees future political and social strife, as Bangkok will make progress while the rest of Thailand looks more like Laos. The proposals to create high-speed rail links to Chiang Mai are fairly comical, considering that few outside Bangkok could contemplate ticket-prices for such infrastructure; they are a rough microcosm of the larger problems of general ignorance and over-extended pride in Thailand. The Yingluck administration and Thaksin's sublime arrogance guarantee further ripples in a system that has extraordinary future "challenges" (deaths) to overcome.

Quoted because it needs to be said again. Excellent post!

[rubl]

D'oh! You are wrong again! Doesn't the figure of 75% seem just a little too neat and round - like an approximation for press release. And you accept it as gospel and base your whole calculation around it.

All you had to do was google "election 2006" to get all the accurate figures.

Assuming the discussion was on the 2011 election results, after some searching and wading through various sites and figures I got this:

Total registered voters: 46,904,823, total votes cast (valid & invalid): 35,469,811 (75.62%)

Pheu Thai party: 15,744,190 (44.38% of votes cast, 33.57% of total possible)

Democrats party: 11,433,762 (32.24% of votes cast, 24.38% of total possible)

Mind you, I might be off the odd .xx%

[OzMick]

More to the point, the 17.5 million votes PTP received represents 27% of the 65million population.

Hardly more to the point, the electorate is not 65 million.

Nor did I say that it was. There are many Thais (I have been corrected on the total) who do not or cannot vote but who will be affected by PTP's actions. They have no right to claim support from half the people because they got nearly half the cast ballots.

[phiphidon]

D'oh! You are wrong again! Doesn't the figure of 75% seem just a little too neat and round - like an approximation for press release. And you accept it as gospel and base your whole calculation around it.

All you had to do was google "election 2006" to get all the accurate figures.

<deleted> Why don't you just admit you were wrong. No, instead you go round and round in little circles trying to divert everybodies attention that your maths and logic are at fault not mine.

Lets go back to your results for PTP votes shall we? 27% of a 65 million population!

Never mind the fact that the eligible voting population is 17.7 million less that.

And you tell me I'm wrong by using 75% turnout figure? OK, actually the final agreed figure is 73.91%

According to EC Secretary-General Dr Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn, over 97% of ballots were counted as of 22.00 hrs. There were 73.91% or 34,449,326 people coming out to cast their votes from total 47,018,625 eligible voters.

http://thaifinancial...oncluded-at-73/

Do you want to recalculate that to come up with 27%? Don't bother..................

Edited June 1, 2012 by phiphidon

[animatic]

Someone should tell Abhisit and his yellow shirt cronies that the Thai people voted against their policies at the last election, an election acknowledged as being fair and democratic. This time the army will not heed the yellowshirt calls for another bloodletting coup.

The Thai people DID NOT vote against Abhisits polices, because they wouldn't know what they were, 75% of Thailand have no Idea----they voted for money-given-known fact, but most importantly voted because they believed Thaksin would make the poor rich in 6 months, DID he ??? NO all they have acieved is more division-in trying to give the fugitive a pardon.

And they voted the way they were paid to vote.

OK. So abolish voting.

Just hand power to Sonthi.

Not in the cards, nor the likely person.

But stil better than handing it further into Thaksin's hands.

[bigbamboo]

D'oh! You are wrong again! Doesn't the figure of 75% seem just a little too neat and round - like an approximation for press release. And you accept it as gospel and base your whole calculation around it.

All you had to do was google "election 2006" to get all the accurate figures.

Assuming the discussion was on the 2011 election results, after some searching and wading through various sites and figures I got this:

Total registered voters: 46,904,823, total votes cast (valid & invalid): 35,469,811 (75.62%)

Pheu Thai party: 15,744,190 (44.38% of votes cast, 33.57% of total possible)

Democrats party: 11,433,762 (32.24% of votes cast, 24.38% of total possible)

Mind you, I might be off the odd .xx%

In any election if you don't vote you don't count and I admit to not voting more often that voting because of the voting system. For example in the UK about half the seats in any election are a gimme. The rest are swing seats. If you live in a safe seat constituency there is often little incentive to vote. Now in Thailand they have party list MPs, a form of PR but if you vote in Isan Thaksin's auntie's maid's best friend's next door neighbour could stand and they'd win so if your against them why bother?

Having said all that I was under the impression that voting in Thailand was mandatory.

[rubl]

Having said all that I was under the impression that voting in Thailand was mandatory.

Voting is mandatory and if you didn't without an officially accepted reason, you cannot vote or be MP candidate again for five years I think.

Edited June 1, 2012 by rubl

[HUAHIN62]

The yellow shirts can only muster 2 000 protesters compared to 30 000 red shirts in 2010. Thasins return have already been cleared with the army. In return for Thasin been allowed back the army will be safe from any prosecution for the 2006 coup. It is done deal with no coup in sight. As to the morality of everything that's another matter.

[Crushdepth]

If the situation goes where I think it will, the people of Thailand will soon be begging for military intervention. I wish the Army would get on with it now and save the bloodshed that is inevitably coming.

The army stepping in won't save any bloodshed. It will just change where it's coming from.

I don't think so. Not one person was injured in the last coup. But the black shirts can arrange bodies on demand.

[bigbamboo]

Having said all that I was under the impression that voting in Thailand was mandatory.

Voting is mandatory and if you didn't without an officially accepted reason, you cannot vote or be MP candidate again for five years I think.

Does that apply to party list MPs too? If so then that would mean due to his self imposed exile Thaksin could not vote in the last election and as such would not be eligible to take office as PM for another four years.

Or they could just change the rules.

[OzMick]

The yellow shirts can only muster 2 000 protesters compared to 30 000 red shirts in 2010. Thasins return have already been cleared with the army. In return for Thasin been allowed back the army will be safe from any prosecution for the 2006 coup. It is done deal with no coup in sight. As to the morality of everything that's another matter.

Tha RTA is already safe from prosecution for the 2006 coup, so why sell their soul to Thaksin after taking a pledge to king and country?

Any government that decided that they wished to prosecute would be risking another, so why bother?

[ginjag]

Why doesn't Yingluck, if she cares for the people call an emergency meeting and stop this Shizen <deleted>. Can anyone imagine the Burmese lady not listening to the people. Thai do not want it. PERIOD. Please stop the (who had 1/2 % more in the last election) and comment on what is the best way to avoid this mega problem. Example of stupidity--Bkk to Ch-Mai high speed rail. It was suggested that it will be built for money people only to travel on--BULs#it these persons have the money to fly. Expensive for locals. Who is left ?? This is happening because of rake off corruption, the same as the problem in the government now--to allow monies to be returned, and corruption to expand===opposite to what Yingluck said last month

[OzMick]

Having said all that I was under the impression that voting in Thailand was mandatory.

Voting is mandatory and if you didn't without an officially accepted reason, you cannot vote or be MP candidate again for five years I think.

Does that apply to party list MPs too? If so then that would mean due to his self imposed exile Thaksin could not vote in the last election and as such would not be eligible to take office as PM for another four years.

Or they could just change the rules.

One of my favourite quiz questions is "Who is the president of the DPRK?" The answer is Kim Il-Sung, dead 18 years, is president forever.

The new holder of the World's Biggest Ego Award aspires to something similar, changing laws for self-benefit is SOP.

[Skywalker69]

BANGKOK: -- As Thailand nears a showdown over the fate of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the exiled tycoon's sister is banking on the army's neutrality to avoid a repeat of 2008 protests that led to the ouster of a government.

The other "banking" she'll be doing is the 900 Million Baht windfall she'll receive after the reconciliation bill is approved.

Sent from my iPad

He'll get his what was it? 48 billions back and give little sister just 900 Million.

Someone should tell her that he is cheating her, she deserves half of it.

They both needs a kick in the back for putting the Thai people and Thailand in this mess.

[Skywalker69]

Thaksin plans to do just that, abolish voting, one party system for Thailand, like China, Russia, N Korea.

The 3rd Reich was to last for a 1000 years, but fell a bit short. Thaksin won't even get close to his 20 years (or was it 30?)

Wonder if he will last stepping out of his "Learjet" into Thai soil?

[rubl]

Thaksin plans to do just that, abolish voting, one party system for Thailand, like China, Russia, N Korea.

The 3rd Reich was to last for a 1000 years, but fell a bit short. Thaksin won't even get close to his 20 years (or was it 30?)

Wonder if he will last stepping out of his "Learjet" into Thai soil?

A bit of a slip of the pen there, my dear chap. It's unto Thai soil

[Skywalker69]

I can see the so-called Yingluck/Thaksin bashers are getting paranoid.....it seems that these farangs can run the country better...

Running it worse is totally impossible.

[ratcatcher]

Thaksin plans to do just that, abolish voting, one party system for Thailand, like China, Russia, N Korea.

The 3rd Reich was to last for a 1000 years, but fell a bit short. Thaksin won't even get close to his 20 years (or was it 30?)

Wonder if he will last stepping out of his "Learjet" into Thai soil?

A bit of a slip of the pen there, my dear chap. It's unto Thai soil

Shouldn't we try..............onto Thai soil? Uncle

Edited June 1, 2012 by ratcatcher

[Skywalker69]

I can see the so-called Yingluck/Thaksin bashers are getting paranoid.....it seems that these farangs can run the country better...

I can see the so-called Yingluck/Thaksin bashers are getting paranoid.....it seems that these farangs can run the country better...

Yes numb nuts is doing an outstanding job! Have you freaking noticed! How many lies can the shits tell to the people without helping them! Ridiculous! Help the people not themselves! Any one agree?

Agreed.