Troops And 1,000 Guards For Obama Visit: Thailand

[Sayonarax]

politics suck.

we live in thailand but still you all complain like little kids

you talk bad about the president and you talk bad about thailand.

why in the hell are you so not happy with your life.

we come to this country to enjoy our lifes and relax.

if its so bad GO HOME>

if you are not from the USA and you talk bad about the US president get a life.

if you are not Thai and you talk bad about Thailand GET A LIFE

your life is never going to be happy.

and if this posting bothers you

i am sure you will reply with something stupid to say.

good luck haters.

Enjoy your rant? Feel better now? Not everyone likes your great country. That's their choice.. build a bridge and get over it.

Edited November 14, 2012 by Sayonarax

[Trouble]

I have thought for years the protection for the president is somewhat overblown and too costly. Air Force One costs something like $189,000 per hour to fly because of all the security, back up, etc. Then there are the cargo planes bringing limos, backup limos, helicoptors, back up helicopters and it goes on and on. Might just be better if the President stayed home or invited other leaders to the USA all expenses paid. Sure protection is necessary but this has become a whole business for lots of civil service folks. Job security for the Secret Service. When Kennedy died (and I do recall this vividly, Johnson took over with no problems except the shock of the assassination itself. Of course Johnson was a bit more qualified than Biden. However my point is this it all overdone and if by chance something did happen life goes on. The USA would not crumble but move right along as we did in 1963. Isn't that a risk the president must take? No president is so important that life doesn't move right along with someone else filling those shoes.

With only about 3 weeks left before our Congress goes on its recess and the problems facing the nation before year end, I think the President could have skipped this trip. It's not that important right now for most of us back here at home. He could have sent Hillary.

[fasteddie]

The secret service are in the business of keeping the most powerful man in the world alive - not soothing ruffled Thai sensibilities. They've done their job very well 30+ years. Time for the Thai "Security professionals" to shut the hell up.

''The secret service are in the business of keeping the most powerful man in the world alive''

Rockefeller's coming?

[fasteddie]

The entire tone of this article sucks.

why has it become fashionable to criticise the visitor?

Lady gaga, various farangs in trouble raped or dead, and now Obama. Why is it ok to moan how paranoid his people are,.how large his team is etc.

Of course no over bothered to mention that Thailand had a muslin war going on 250 m from bangkok that they are doing a great job of handling. From that perspective, i am surprised they didn't bring him obama under the same conditions as when he visits iraq.

Then see the security.

What war would that be?

[fasteddie]

No F16s

They just forgot to report it.

There will be at LEAST 1 aircraft carrier task group within a tank of gas of Bangkok,

and quietly flying in the vicinity of the Blackhawk and it's emergency backup Blackhawk.

The Thai officials are told thus and such, knowing their mouths can't stop running

and need some tidbits to blather out and save a little face from not having

ANY SAY AT ALL in the security cordons.

But to imagine the politicians are told every security method defies logic.

I am sure certain high ranking Thai military people are more informed,

and have assorted 'communications liaisons' from USM branches with them,

who they have personally known for years. An know how to get things done.

And the Generals, Admirals, etc, also know which side their bread is buttered in the equation.

If needed in 2 minutes flat air space will be cleared and F-16's, Harriers

and choppers will go WHERE they want to go unimpeded.

And then let the Thai Pols whine AFTER it's over.

Not to mention the lingering memory of the NASA debacle from last summer.

No chance the hammer of certitude was coming down,

knowing the Thai political propensity for fudging most anything.

If needed in 2 minutes flat air space will be cleared and F-16's, Harriers

and choppers will go WHERE they want to go unimpeded.

And then let the Thai Pols whine AFTER it's over''

And that my friends, is what the yanks think of the rest of the world

Wish they'd all stay at home, the world would be a better place.

''

[oops]

A waste of US Tax payer's money and Thai govt resources.

What do the US hope to achieve by putting on this flag waving exercise?

Someone ought to tap Barry O on the shoulder and tell him to stay home and fix the issues there (16 trillion US debt!!) before gallivanting over the globe pretending how much of a big shot he is and how important his country is,.. soon to become the ex-super power of the world and the ex-"united" states of America!

I take it you are not a Obama supporter? Be sure that whatever the media is saying about his trip the real reasons for his visit in the region will not be told. Secret deals behind closed doors.

It's no secret....Thailand has the biggest red light sale on rice so Obama is bringing as many people as he can to load it all on the the aircraft carrier and Air Force 1.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.

[Songhua]

I have thought for years the protection for the president is somewhat overblown and too costly. Air Force One costs something like $189,000 per hour to fly because of all the security, back up, etc. Then there are the cargo planes bringing limos, backup limos, helicoptors, back up helicopters and it goes on and on. Might just be better if the President stayed home or invited other leaders to the USA all expenses paid. Sure protection is necessary but this has become a whole business for lots of civil service folks. Job security for the Secret Service. When Kennedy died (and I do recall this vividly, Johnson took over with no problems except the shock of the assassination itself. Of course Johnson was a bit more qualified than Biden. However my point is this it all overdone and if by chance something did happen life goes on. The USA would not crumble but move right along as we did in 1963. Isn't that a risk the president must take? No president is so important that life doesn't move right along with someone else filling those shoes.

With only about 3 weeks left before our Congress goes on its recess and the problems facing the nation before year end, I think the President could have skipped this trip. It's not that important right now for most of us back here at home. He could have sent Hillary.

Hillary's in Australia ATM. She has inspected a submarine construction facility and has denied (when asked specifically) that her visit is aimed at forcing Australia, a strategic ally in the Asia Pacific region, to 'make a choice' between the US and China. I'm sure there's plenty of persuasive talk going on though, just as there may well be in Thailand and right across the region. So, the Prez and Hillary seem to casting a rather large net over this part of the world to see what they can catch. Maybe they'll just keep the more edible ones for now and come trawling again later when the others measure up.

Edited November 15, 2012 by Songhua

[Bagwan]

The secret service are in the business of keeping the most powerful man in the world alive - not soothing ruffled Thai sensibilities. They've done their job very well 30+ years. Time for the Thai "Security professionals" to shut the hell up.

The Kennedy brothers? Reagan? Hmmm.

[PoodMaiDai]

What bullshit about bringing their own water from the states. Why can't somebody from his team of 400-500 people just go about 50 meters in any direction to the local 711 and secure the best water in the store. I am embarrassed for the US Presidential team.

They can't take that risk. That would be silly to have all this security and then lose the President to poisoned water, or at the very least, cause him to stay indoors the entire time due to the Siam squirts.

[EarthAlien]

A waste of US Tax payer's money and Thai govt resources.

What do the US hope to achieve by putting on this flag waving exercise?

Someone ought to tap Barry O on the shoulder and tell him to stay home and fix the issues there (16 trillion US debt!!) before gallivanting over the globe pretending how much of a big shot he is and how important his country is,.. soon to become the ex-super power of the world and the ex-"united" states of America!

I don't think he's pretending!

Perhaps a better choice of word would have been "imagining",.. in which case there's now at least two minds in the world where we know that such a vivid imagination exists,.... his and yours

[transam]

Have they told Obama when the lunch hour is and to lay low. ?

[simple1]

Obama faces mores death threats than any other President; according to media reports approximately 30 a day. Total cost to provide services and security for Obama and his family is around US$1.4 billion a year. The assassination of the President would cost a dam_n site more to the US economy and prestige than US1.4billion. Let alone the increase in security and other measures for his successor.

Edited November 18, 2012 by simple1

[Thai at Heart]

The entire tone of this article sucks.

why has it become fashionable to criticise the visitor?

Lady gaga, various farangs in trouble raped or dead, and now Obama. Why is it ok to moan how paranoid his people are,.how large his team is etc.

Of course no over bothered to mention that Thailand had a muslin war going on 250 m from bangkok that they are doing a great job of handling. From that perspective, i am surprised they didn't bring him obama under the same conditions as when he visits iraq.

Then see the security.

What war would that be?

Um, the one still going on down south, with daily roadside bombings in public areas, and insurgents shoot the army largely with impunity....

[Thai at Heart]

What bullshit about bringing their own water from the states. Why can't somebody from his team of 400-500 people just go about 50 meters in any direction to the local 711 and secure the best water in the store. I am embarrassed for the US Presidential team.

They can't take that risk. That would be silly to have all this security and then lose the President to poisoned water, or at the very least, cause him to stay indoors the entire time due to the Siam squirts.

You think the Chinese, Russians, brits, Germans, Singaporeans or any other organised place bother to take the risk with the water. A couple of cubic on the plane is hardly going to make any difference.

After all that work, you really going to allow some dodgy cook or anyone knock him off for a bung? Plenty would do it for free.

[jackr]

You think the Chinese, Russians, brits, Germans, Singaporeans or any other organised place bother to take the risk with the water. A couple of cubic on the plane is hardly going to make any difference.

After all that work, you really going to allow some dodgy cook or anyone knock him off for a bung? Plenty would do it for free.

Take it 'brits' was a typo?

The kerfuffle is all about them saying something as opposed to saying nowt.

[jbrain]

I have thought for years the protection for the president is somewhat overblown and too costly. Air Force One costs something like $189,000 per hour to fly because of all the security, back up, etc. Then there are the cargo planes bringing limos, backup limos, helicoptors, back up helicopters and it goes on and on. Might just be better if the President stayed home or invited other leaders to the USA all expenses paid. Sure protection is necessary but this has become a whole business for lots of civil service folks. Job security for the Secret Service. When Kennedy died (and I do recall this vividly, Johnson took over with no problems except the shock of the assassination itself. Of course Johnson was a bit more qualified than Biden. However my point is this it all overdone and if by chance something did happen life goes on. The USA would not crumble but move right along as we did in 1963. Isn't that a risk the president must take? No president is so important that life doesn't move right along with someone else filling those shoes.

With only about 3 weeks left before our Congress goes on its recess and the problems facing the nation before year end, I think the President could have skipped this trip. It's not that important right now for most of us back here at home. He could have sent Hillary.

It is indeed overblown, but as you say in your post, I guess all these costly measures are taken to save the world from Biden taking over.

[Thai at Heart]

You think the Chinese, Russians, brits, Germans, Singaporeans or any other organised place bother to take the risk with the water. A couple of cubic on the plane is hardly going to make any difference.

After all that work, you really going to allow some dodgy cook or anyone knock him off for a bung? Plenty would do it for free.

Take it 'brits' was a typo?

The kerfuffle is all about them saying something as opposed to saying nowt.

Spell checker didn't capitalise it.

Does anyone honestly think for example that the Chinese premiers ownerswon't bring 99% of what they need, from China.

Would they trust local water supply? if the job is to protect someone 100%, you do what you have to do.

[onthemoon]

Obama faces mores death threats than any other President; according to media reports approximately 30 a day. Total cost to provide services and security for Obama and his family is around US$1.4 billion a year. The assassination of the President would cost a dam_n site more to the US economy and prestige than US1.4billion. Let alone the increase in security and other measures for his successor.

Do you have a source for these figures?

[simple1]

Obama faces mores death threats than any other President; according to media reports approximately 30 a day. Total cost to provide services and security for Obama and his family is around US$1.4 billion a year. The assassination of the President would cost a dam_n site more to the US economy and prestige than US1.4billion. Let alone the increase in security and other measures for his successor.

Do you have a source for these figures?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/5967942/Barack-Obama-faces-30-death-threats-a-day-stretching-US-Secret-Service.html

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/the-presidency-costs-taxpayers-a-lot-but-thats-not-obamas-fault/

[fasteddie]

The entire tone of this article sucks.

why has it become fashionable to criticise the visitor?

Lady gaga, various farangs in trouble raped or dead, and now Obama. Why is it ok to moan how paranoid his people are,.how large his team is etc.

Of course no over bothered to mention that Thailand had a muslin war going on 250 m from bangkok that they are doing a great job of handling. From that perspective, i am surprised they didn't bring him obama under the same conditions as when he visits iraq.

Then see the security.

What war would that be?

Um, the one still going on down south, with daily roadside bombings in public areas, and insurgents shoot the army largely with impunity....

The one 250m south of bangkok?

[Thai at Heart]

The entire tone of this article sucks.

why has it become fashionable to criticise the visitor?

Lady gaga, various farangs in trouble raped or dead, and now Obama. Why is it ok to moan how paranoid his people are,.how large his team is etc.

Of course no over bothered to mention that Thailand had a muslin war going on 250 m from bangkok that they are doing a great job of handling. From that perspective, i am surprised they didn't bring him obama under the same conditions as when he visits iraq.

Then see the security.

What war would that be?

Um, the one still going on down south, with daily roadside bombings in public areas, and insurgents shoot the army largely with impunity....

The one 250m south of bangkok?

M, being miles.

[onthemoon]

Obama faces mores death threats than any other President; according to media reports approximately 30 a day. Total cost to provide services and security for Obama and his family is around US$1.4 billion a year. The assassination of the President would cost a dam_n site more to the US economy and prestige than US1.4billion. Let alone the increase in security and other measures for his successor.

Do you have a source for these figures?

http://www.telegraph...et-Service.html

http://www.outsideth...t-obamas-fault/

OK, I see. Thanks.