Thaksin Announces House Dissolution, New Election

[sriracha john]

...and if things aren't quite muddled enough, lets stir in the military aspect into the equation :

Military coup possible

A military coup may be unavoidable if Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra refuses to budge and political instability persists much longer, said Panlop Pinmanee, deputy chief of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc). Gen Panlop predicted political turmoil if Mr Thaksin clings to his seat. Uncontrollable tension could necessitate a military revolt to restore national calm, he said.

Gen Panlop was a key figure in Class 7 of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, whose young turks staged an abortive coup in 1981. A coup will be motivated not by the desire to overthrow Mr Thaksin or his opponents, said Gen Panlop.

He believed the soldiers would not want to see protracted turmoil threaten national security.

The coup may not happen any time soon. ''Certainly not today,'' the general said, commenting on the likelihood of the anti-Thaksin rally at Sanam Luang providing the pretext for a revolt.

Gen Panlop said, however, that a coup would not be easy to organise considering that Mr Thaksin's friends in the armed forces almost monopolise the power to authorise military deployment.

''When the country is in a shambles, I trust the soldiers will act professionally and not become the personal protector of the prime minister or the government,'' he said.

The Isoc deputy commander praised army chief Sonthi Boonyaratglin for serving the country well, although some are wondering where his loyalty lies.

A source, however, said Gen Sonthi has been perceived as taking Mr Thaksin's side. He is often seen at social gatherings organised in Mr Thaksin's honour and plays golf with the prime minister. He and other armed forces leaders reportedly made a pact to meet Mr Thaksin regularly. But a source in the armed forces said that even if Gen Sonthi agreed to a ''military intervention'' the success of a coup could not be guaranteed.

The army units backing him are special warfare soldiers, most of whom have now been redeployed as reinforcements fighting separatist insurgents in the deep South.

The power to mobilise personnel is primarily in the hands of Mr Thaksin's classmates at the Armed Forces Preparatory School, the source said.

''There's no way Gen Sonthi's strength alone will get the job done,'' he said.

None of the close aides of Privy Council chairman Prem Tinsulanonda are in key military positions able to call the rank and file to arms. Gen Panlop said Mr Thaksin should stand down because there have been too many questions raised about his suitability as leader.

- BP

[Cassandra]

...and if things aren't quite muddled enough, lets stir in the military aspect into the equation :

Military coup possible

A military coup may be unavoidable if Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra refuses to budge and political instability persists much longer, said Panlop Pinmanee, deputy chief of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc). Gen Panlop predicted political turmoil if Mr Thaksin clings to his seat. Uncontrollable tension could necessitate a military revolt to restore national calm, he said.

Gen Panlop was a key figure in Class 7 of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, whose young turks staged an abortive coup in 1981. A coup will be motivated not by the desire to overthrow Mr Thaksin or his opponents, said Gen Panlop.

He believed the soldiers would not want to see protracted turmoil threaten national security.

The coup may not happen any time soon. ''Certainly not today,'' the general said, commenting on the likelihood of the anti-Thaksin rally at Sanam Luang providing the pretext for a revolt.

Gen Panlop said, however, that a coup would not be easy to organise considering that Mr Thaksin's friends in the armed forces almost monopolise the power to authorise military deployment.

''When the country is in a shambles, I trust the soldiers will act professionally and not become the personal protector of the prime minister or the government,'' he said.

The Isoc deputy commander praised army chief Sonthi Boonyaratglin for serving the country well, although some are wondering where his loyalty lies.

A source, however, said Gen Sonthi has been perceived as taking Mr Thaksin's side. He is often seen at social gatherings organised in Mr Thaksin's honour and plays golf with the prime minister. He and other armed forces leaders reportedly made a pact to meet Mr Thaksin regularly. But a source in the armed forces said that even if Gen Sonthi agreed to a ''military intervention'' the success of a coup could not be guaranteed.

The army units backing him are special warfare soldiers, most of whom have now been redeployed as reinforcements fighting separatist insurgents in the deep South.

The power to mobilise personnel is primarily in the hands of Mr Thaksin's classmates at the Armed Forces Preparatory School, the source said.

''There's no way Gen Sonthi's strength alone will get the job done,'' he said.

None of the close aides of Privy Council chairman Prem Tinsulanonda are in key military positions able to call the rank and file to arms. Gen Panlop said Mr Thaksin should stand down because there have been too many questions raised about his suitability as leader.

- BP

Whether pro or anti Thaksin, we should remind ourselves that in many countries comments such as those of General Panlop -if correctly reported- would invite instant dismissal and possible charges.

[LaoPo]

Oh my Go_d..where is Thailand heading to?

LaoPo

[VegasVic]

My wife is Thai and has lived in the states for some time now and I have to tell you that the general feeling of the Thai community stateside is that Thaksin has been doing a good job(particularly in clamping down on the drug situation) , however it is very possible that we get a filtered or slanted press over here about Thailand and the PM. Having a backround myself in Chicago politics I know first hand that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutly. The best example of this in my lifetime was the U.S. presidential election of 1960 that was altered by one mans (Richard J. Daley) absolute power. I feel that perhaps when PM Thaksin won his second election by a landslide that this absolute power syndrome may have taken over his persona as well, however with that said I have a strong sense that the Thai electorate will arrive at the polls on April 2nd and vote for the devil they know as opposed to the devil they don't know. My wife and I pray for a peaceful election in any case, and we hope that any fallout from this election will not adversely affect the expat community over there.

[tettyan]

My wife is Thai and has lived in the states for some time now and I have to tell you that the general feeling of the Thai community stateside is that Thaksin has been doing a good job(particularly in clamping down on the drug situation)

That may be true where you are, but from what I'm hearing from friends and family, it's certainly not true among the Thai community in LA, where half the Thais in the states live. Of course, the government boasted that a letter of encouragement for Thaksin signed by a 1000 Thais in LA recently shows that Thais abroad support the government. But they forgot to mention that an anti-Thaksin petition circulating in SoCal managed to get 10,000 signatures.

however it is very possible that we get a filtered or slanted press over here about Thailand and the PM.

Your family doesn't happen to get ASTV channels via satellite, do you?

Edited February 27, 2006 by tettyan

[lukamar]

lukamar has either no idea about politics, is paid by thaksin or is simply a bit stupid

True stupidity h90 & tettyan is pointing a finger to deflect the fact that you don't have any intelligent answer to what some of us see as a very serious problem.

If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. So do something intelligent and offer a solution rather than a flippant derogatory aside to hide your uncultivated upbringing.

[BPayette]

because someone has done some good things doesnt excuse his midemeaners. Thaksin is very corrupt, he uses his position to make himself more wealthy. Corruption is a huge problem in Thailand and if the prime minister is getting away with it and condoning it then this sends a terrible message and example to the rest of the country. This is why Thaksin has to go!

I have lived this life for 68 years and I yet to meet any person who is not corrupt to a greater or lesser degree, It is my belief that we are all currupt in one form or another.

Saying that, does it matter if the corruption is on a grand scale or a minor chord? after all corruption is corruption, and there is no country that is free from it.

Poeple who live in glasshouses should not throw stones (IDIOM )

Iam Breconman ....your not

Who was it who said "better to be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt"?

[tettyan]

lukamar has either no idea about politics, is paid by thaksin or is simply a bit stupid

True stupidity h90 & tettyan is pointing a finger to deflect the fact that you don't have any intelligent answer to what some of us see as a very serious problem.

If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. So do something intelligent and offer a solution rather than a flippant derogatory aside to hide your uncultivated upbringing.

Excuse me, who are you calling stupid? I directly addressed the point you brought up, but instead of trying to rebut my arguments in a reasoned way, you lash out with a personal attack. Keep this up, and we'll have to bring this to the moderators' attention.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

There is strong thoughts that the opposition won't contest the election. That might leave the outcome wholly at an impasse.

[lukamar]

Excuse me, who are you calling stupid? I directly addressed the point you brought up, but instead of trying to rebut my arguments in a reasoned way, you lash out with a personal attack. Keep this up, and we'll have to bring this to the moderators' attention.

As you so eloquently put it in your last post to me.... LOL LOL

The report button is there on the left, just remember who answered my post with this...

LOL :D LOL

First......

[gurkle]

Q: Can he win the election?

A: Of course, and probably be a landslide again, because those who oppose him tend to be only the (relatively) small number of middle-class establishment families in Bangkok who've lost their privileged access to the civil service largesse (bureaucrats on 40,000 B/month salaries who built their 2nd homes in Hua Hin and own 2 Mercedes Benz' via procurement skimming). It looks like he's given up on winning any seats in BKK but that doesn't really matter cause the farmers of Isaan will lead him right back to Govt House.

I could never understand why the anti-Thaksin contingent was so fanatical and irrational (read their posts), but this seems to be the best rationale – they’re about to lose their graft benefits.

What do I mean by irrational?

-They say “the people” want Thaksin out, but they don’t want to have an election because they’re afraid he’ll win.

-They point to petitions of a few thousand people to prove that “the people” want him out, but they forget that he won an election by many millions.

-They supposedly support democracy, but they don’t want an election held.

-They blame him for the extremist-Muslims killing innocent people such as teachers. Um, that’s like blaming Winston Churchill for the Holocaust. How about putting the blame on the extremist-Muslims themselves for the murders they commit instead of shifting it elsewhere.

As the history of democracy proves, sometimes you need to break a few eggshells to make an omelet. Hopefully democracy will succeed.

Edited February 27, 2006 by gurkle

[Heng]

A bloodless coup might be the best solution for the current situation. From my grandparents to parents time, coups (besides the 2 incidents where there was indeed bloodshed.... not too bad considering the time spans involved though and the sheer number of coups) were just another day to stay home from school, close the shop for a day...... let the army folks roll out their aging rusty tanks for a day and then put them back into storage.

[VegasVic]

My wife is Thai and has lived in the states for some time now and I have to tell you that the general feeling of the Thai community stateside is that Thaksin has been doing a good job(particularly in clamping down on the drug situation)

That may be true where you are, but from what I'm hearing from friends and family, it's certainly not true among the Thai community in LA, where half the Thais in the states live. Of course, the government boasted that a letter of encouragement for Thaksin signed by a 1000 Thais in LA recently shows that Thais abroad support the government. But they forgot to mention that an anti-Thaksin petition circulating in SoCal managed to get 10,000 signatures.

however it is very possible that we get a filtered or slanted press over here about Thailand and the PM.

Your family doesn't happen to get ASTV channels via satellite, do you?

I have no dog in this race, you obviously do! As for your outrageous statement that 1/2 the Thais in the U.S. live in the LA community , I think you need to get around this country a little more. While there is a very large Thai community in southern California it constitutes no more than 6 or 7 % at most of thais in the states. I am an Air Force veteran and my wife and I have many friends in the Thai communities in Florida, Texas, Utah, Nevada, Illinois, and Arizona and while I have taken no straw polls, this is where I get my gut feelings from. Thaksin may very well be completely corrupt and may not be the best man to take Thailand into the twentyfirst century, if that is the case I certainly hope that the opposition can vote in a qualified candidatre that can help the country move ahead. Do yourself a favor in the future though, before you make an outrageous statement like 1/2 the Thais in the states live in LA, do some research to find out the real answer. I can assure you that your bias showed up and your credibility was lost by any reader who knows the the true demogrphics of Thais in the U.S.

[Neeranam]

A bloodless coup might be the best solution for the current situation. From my grandparents to parents time, coups (besides the 2 incidents where there was indeed bloodshed.... not too bad considering the time spans involved though and the sheer number of coups) were just another day to stay home from school, close the shop for a day...... let the army folks roll out their aging rusty tanks for a day and then put them back into storage.

smile.gif

I first arrived in Thailand in Oct 92, and I wouldn't want another coup like that!

but I agree with you, a bloodless coup would be best.

Look out for General Prem. He's still VERY much involved.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Neeranam

The coup was some months earlier than October 1992

[Jai Dee]

General Prem refused to speak on poltiical matters, to maintain his neutrality.

Chairman of the Privy Council and Statesman General Prem Tinsulanon (เปรม ติณสูลานนท์) refused to speak on the current political situation, saying that he rather remain neutral.

General Prem presided over the ceremony to present certificates to Buddhism promoters yesterday. The recipients included Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayothin (อภิรักษ์ โกษะโยธิน), city clerk Khunying Nathanon Taweesin (ณฐนนท ทวีสิน), and students participating in the events. General Prem delivered a speech, saying that youths should receive education on ethics, as society is suffering ethical problems. He said that all state and private agencies should be responsible for developing youths, to prevent them from being misled and becoming victims of all vices.

After the ceremony, General Prem refuserd to comment on the current political situation at Sanamluang grounds, saying only that we can only wait to see the situation unfolds.

As for the opposition’s threat to boycott the election, General Prem said that he cannot comment on politics, as he must maintain his neutrality.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 27 Febuary 2006

[dan10400]

That may be true where you are, but from what I'm hearing from friends and family, it's certainly not true among the Thai community in LA, where half the Thais in the states live. Of course, the government boasted that a letter of encouragement for Thaksin signed by a 1000 Thais in LA recently shows that Thais abroad support the government. But they forgot to mention that an anti-Thaksin petition circulating in SoCal managed to get 10,000 signatures.

I have no dog in this race, you obviously do! As for your outrageous statement that 1/2 the Thais in the U.S. live in the LA community , I think you need to get around this country a little more. While there is a very large Thai community in southern California it constitutes no more than 6 or 7 % at most of thais in the states. I am an Air Force veteran and my wife and I have many friends in the Thai communities in Florida, Texas, Utah, Nevada, Illinois, and Arizona and while I have taken no straw polls, this is where I get my gut feelings from. Thaksin may very well be completely corrupt and may not be the best man to take Thailand into the twentyfirst century, if that is the case I certainly hope that the opposition can vote in a qualified candidatre that can help the country move ahead. Do yourself a favor in the future though, before you make an outrageous statement like 1/2 the Thais in the states live in LA, do some research to find out the real answer. I can assure you that your bias showed up and your credibility was lost by any reader who knows the the true demogrphics of Thais in the U.S.

hmmm. doesn't seem that the statement "over 1/2 the thais in the

U.S. live in the LA" is so incredibly outrageous that it warrants such

a attack on someone's credibility. It is clearly one of the largest,

if not the largest, concentrations of Thais in the US.

you, yourself are basing your attack on a "gut feeling" - where is all

the research you expose? Better you should follow your own

advice.

[VegasVic]

That may be true where you are, but from what I'm hearing from friends and family, it's certainly not true among the Thai community in LA, where half the Thais in the states live. Of course, the government boasted that a letter of encouragement for Thaksin signed by a 1000 Thais in LA recently shows that Thais abroad support the government. But they forgot to mention that an anti-Thaksin petition circulating in SoCal managed to get 10,000 signatures.

I have no dog in this race, you obviously do! As for your outrageous statement that 1/2 the Thais in the U.S. live in the LA community , I think you need to get around this country a little more. While there is a very large Thai community in southern California it constitutes no more than 6 or 7 % at most of thais in the states. I am an Air Force veteran and my wife and I have many friends in the Thai communities in Florida, Texas, Utah, Nevada, Illinois, and Arizona and while I have taken no straw polls, this is where I get my gut feelings from. Thaksin may very well be completely corrupt and may not be the best man to take Thailand into the twentyfirst century, if that is the case I certainly hope that the opposition can vote in a qualified candidatre that can help the country move ahead. Do yourself a favor in the future though, before you make an outrageous statement like 1/2 the Thais in the states live in LA, do some research to find out the real answer. I can assure you that your bias showed up and your credibility was lost by any reader who knows the the true demogrphics of Thais in the U.S.

hmmm. doesn't seem that the statement "over 1/2 the thais in the

U.S. live in the LA" is so incredibly outrageous that it warrants such

a attack on someone's credibility. It is clearly one of the largest,

if not the largest, concentrations of Thais in the US.

you, yourself are basing your attack on a "gut feeling" - where is all

the research you expose? Better you should follow your own

advice.

I don't think that I attacked anyones credibility I merely pointed out the facts, and the facts are that this poster doesn't appear to have the first clue as to the total population of Thais in the states and where they reside. My gut feeling as you put it was merely the input that I have gotten from hundreds of our Thai friends around the country, and that is that they think that Thaksin has done a good job so far. If you also believe that 1/2 of all Thais in the U.S. live in the LA area then I will gladly give you the same advice, you need to get around to other Thai communities in the states a little more. If you are a anti Thaksin person thats fine, please put forward any intelligent discourse that might make your case as to why any Thai should vote against Thaksin or more importantly why they should vote for your candidate. Finally to end this evening I will say yes, it was an incredibly outrageous statement to say that 50% of all Thais in the states live in LA(when the fact is that it is more like 5 or 6%) , kind of like if I were to say that 50% of all Irish live in the Boston area just because there is a large and concentrated Irish community in Boston. I think that you may want to think a little more next time before you post. Whoever the new PM is, lets hope that he is good for Thailand and all of its citizens.

[Jai Dee]

Deputy TRT leader raised doubt about the Alliance for Democracy's protest

The Deputy Leader of the Thai Rak Thai Party, Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan (คุณหญิง สุดารัตน์ เกยุราพันธุ์), is unconvinced over the Alliance for Democracy’s protest. The alliance is demanding Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to resign from his post. She views that this demand shows that the alliance is not respecting the voices of the general public, as it is using the majority power to overcome the rule of law.

The Alliance of Democracy has affirmed that it will continue its protest until the premier will resign. However, Khunying Sudarat said that this group of protesters is insulting the Thai people because the premier has already decided to dissolve the parliament, in order to return power to the people. She said that this is the best solution because people can make their own decisions.

The alliance has also claimed that fraud can be found nationwide. However, the Deputy Leader of the Thai Rak Thai Party has argued that such accusation is impossible to take place.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 27 Febuary 2006

[tettyan]

I don't think that I attacked anyones credibility I merely pointed out the facts, and the facts are that this poster doesn't appear to have the first clue as to the total population of Thais in the states and where they reside. My gut feeling as you put it was merely the input that I have gotten from hundreds of our Thai friends around the country, and that is that they think that Thaksin has done a good job so far. If you also believe that 1/2 of all Thais in the U.S. live in the LA area then I will gladly give you the same advice, you need to get around to other Thai communities in the states a little more. If you are a anti Thaksin person thats fine, please put forward any intelligent discourse that might make your case as to why any Thai should vote against Thaksin or more importantly why they should vote for your candidate. Finally to end this evening I will say yes, it was an incredibly outrageous statement to say that 50% of all Thais in the states live in LA(when the fact is that it is more like 5 or 6%) , kind of like if I were to say that 50% of all Irish live in the Boston area just because there is a large and concentrated Irish community in Boston. I think that you may want to think a little more next time before you post. Whoever the new PM is, lets hope that he is good for Thailand and all of its citizens.

I don't know if I should be dignifying your post with a response, but here goes. Yes, I was merely pointing out facts, not advocating an opinion. Before you attack my account of the facts, maybe you should do your homework first. The fact is that the Thai community in America numbers around 200,000 (including my family). About 100,000 of these are estimated to be in the Southern California area. Yes, there are Thais all over the country - I'm familiar with significant communities in Maryland, Virginia, Portland, Chicago and St. Louis to name a few. But these are all dwarfed by the community in the LA area.

So who's the one shooting from the hip here? I'll let this one go, but if you keep doing this, it's your credibility that's at risk, not mine.

[ColPyat]

You are correct there in a way. The separatist movement (PLUO) began to use violent tactics in 2001 after the TRT, headed by Thaksin, formed the government. The Southern 4 provinces voted primarily Democrat but the separatists failed to run a single candidate in the 2001 or 2005 elections. There is an election coming and they once again have the chance to put forward candidates but they will not. The separatists have been targeting government officials, teachers, policemen and anyone it views as part of the establishment Buddhist and Muslin alike.

I'm really interested in a reply to the question below. Lots of people complain about the actions taken but don't put forth any concrete alternative to the action taken by the government. Go for it tell me what action would stop the unrest and how the government should implement it. There you go Your turn to be PM of Thailand for 5 minutes.

What should the government have done/should do when confronted by increasing numbers of drive by shootings, murders and bombings since 2001, from an anonymous group with the absence of any concrete demands?

I'll give you all some hints. When the FLQ was bombing in Montreal in 1963 the Canadian Government instituted martial law (War Measures Act). After the Hurricane in Louisiana earlier this year the US government sent in Regular army troops, contrary to the constitution, and did the same thing declared Martial Law.

The basic problem is that nobody exactly knows who is behind the attacks. It might be PULO, but it might be a new group. Evidence suggests also that at least some of the problems have nothing to do with separatism or religion, but pure mafia activities. Separatists, by the way, cannot field any candidate, as even non-violent separatism is illegal.

As to your question - the government has to realise that there is no military solution to such a problem. High level army does know that since a long time. The problem can only be solved through negotiations. Negotiations have to be started, the offers of the exiled PULO leadership of negotiations have to be taken up. One can later always see if it has any effect, or if the PULO is exagerating its present influence.

Foreign conflict management groups have to get involved. These groups are there for exactly that kind of conflicts, there is no national shame in taking advantage in their services.

It has to be understood by the government that separatists do have a few points, and that some sort of compromise has to be worked out on the negotiation table.

Most important also is that a proper, feasable strategy has to be formulated. It sounds difficult to believe, but until today there is no strategy, or better, everybody has his own strategy, and all strategies suffer from severe political interference.

In question of intelligence: there is very little proper intelligence gathering, and what there is, is consistently harmed by political interference and inter-departmental rivalries. Just look at the completely unfounded accusations of Thaksin against Malaysia. Sorry, but there is clear evidence that the foreign support of the southern unrest is coming from a different country in the region (look at the trail of illegal small arms sales, and you know which country, or area, i am talking about...).

Now, look at the possible future scenario if the government is not going to do what high level military recommends, and what history has shown us with most similar conflicts in the region .

The international jihad groups often use nationalist/separatist conflicts for their own agenda (perfect example: Kashmir - what once started as a purely nationalist conflict has been taken over by Paksithan based international jihad groups. Most original separatists have years ago switched sides and fight for the Indian army, or laid down arms, and the armed fight is led by the jihadists. There is no talking possible with jihadists). Nobody wants the southern unrest extended into such a situation.

Due to the nature of such a conflict a military solution is simply not possible. The war will go on in such a low level way. Life is going to be hel_l for the normal citicens, as it usually does in such conflicts. The normal population is going to be caught between the Government's increasing human rights violations, and the guerilla will also be not one bit nicer to the population they claim to fight for.

Unfortunately the one man who stands at the moment between a solution is Thaksin. He has isolated himself in a circle of power. Nobody who does not completely toe his line can penetrate those walls he built up around himself. Within his circle nobody is left who could possibly contradict Thaksin. Those who could in the past have been banished.

[tettyan]

Excuse me, who are you calling stupid? I directly addressed the point you brought up, but instead of trying to rebut my arguments in a reasoned way, you lash out with a personal attack. Keep this up, and we'll have to bring this to the moderators' attention.

As you so eloquently put it in your last post to me.... LOL LOL

The report button is there on the left, just remember who answered my post with this...

LOL :D LOL

First......

I don't take this personally. Honestly though, as I read your initial post, I really couldn't stop laughing, because your opinions were so completely at odds with the facts as I understand them that I thought it ludicrous. I don't think that's a personal insult, plenty of people here react to posts using the "cheesy" figure without causing offense to others (or else the mods wouldn't allow us to use it anyways).

In any event, I describe based on the merits exactly why I felt a cetain way about your post. On the other hand, you, given a chance to react to my post on the merits, choose the route of making a direct personal attack on the OP without addressing the substance of the post.

Quite frankly, I find that to be an insult on the intelligence of all who read this board. But fine, I will let this one slide. I'm also inviting you again to address the SUBSTANCE of my original response to you ON THE MERITS.

Edited February 27, 2006 by tettyan

[BPayette]

I don't think that I attacked anyones credibility I merely pointed out the facts, and the facts are that this poster doesn't appear to have the first clue as to the total population of Thais in the states and where they reside. My gut feeling as you put it was merely the input that I have gotten from hundreds of our Thai friends around the country, and that is that they think that Thaksin has done a good job so far. If you also believe that 1/2 of all Thais in the U.S. live in the LA area then I will gladly give you the same advice, you need to get around to other Thai communities in the states a little more. If you are a anti Thaksin person thats fine, please put forward any intelligent discourse that might make your case as to why any Thai should vote against Thaksin or more importantly why they should vote for your candidate. Finally to end this evening I will say yes, it was an incredibly outrageous statement to say that 50% of all Thais in the states live in LA(when the fact is that it is more like 5 or 6%) , kind of like if I were to say that 50% of all Irish live in the Boston area just because there is a large and concentrated Irish community in Boston. I think that you may want to think a little more next time before you post. Whoever the new PM is, lets hope that he is good for Thailand and all of its citizens.

I don't know if I should be dignifying your post with a response, but here goes. Yes, I was merely pointing out facts, not advocating an opinion. Before you attack my account of the facts, maybe you should do your homework first. The fact is that the Thai community in America numbers around 200,000 (including my family). About 100,000 of these are estimated to be in the Southern California area. Yes, there are Thais all over the country - I'm familiar with significant communities in Maryland, Virginia, Portland, Chicago and St. Louis to name a few. But these are all dwarfed by the community in the LA area.

So who's the one shooting from the hip here? I'll let this one go, but if you keep doing this, it's your credibility that's at risk, not mine.

OFF TOPIC!!!!

Get back to the subject. Who cares about how many Thais live where in the U.S.? What does that have to do with Toxin?

[Jai Dee]

There is still no clear standing point whether the opposition will send its candidates for the general election

Chart Thai Party leader Banharn Silpa-archa (บรรหาร ศิลปอาชา) is still attending the meeting between the core figures of his party. However, there has not been a clear indication whether the party will send its members to take part in the upcoming general election.

The Chart Thai Party members and the media have gathered at the party’s head office since morning. They are keeping a close eye on the party's resolution over the current political situation.

However, the Chart Thai Party leader has refused to reveal the party's decision to send its candidates for the next general election.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Leader of Chart Thai Party, Mr. Nikorn Chamnong (นิกร จำนง), said the problems are likely to follow if the Opposition does not send the candidates to run for the election, especially in the southern region where it is unlikely for the Thai Rak Thai Party to attain the house members.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 27 Febuary 2006

[sriracha john]

Q: Can he win the election?

A: Of course, and probably be a landslide again, because those who oppose him tend to be only the (relatively) small number of middle-class establishment families in Bangkok who've lost their privileged access to the civil service largesse (bureaucrats on 40,000 B/month salaries who built their 2nd homes in Hua Hin and own 2 Mercedes Benz' via procurement skimming). It looks like he's given up on winning any seats in BKK but that doesn't really matter cause the farmers of Isaan will lead him right back to Govt House.

I could never understand why the anti-Thaksin contingent was so fanatical and irrational (read their posts), but this seems to be the best rationale – they’re about to lose their graft benefits.

What do I mean by irrational?

-They say “the people” want Thaksin out, but they don’t want to have an election because they’re afraid he’ll win.

-They point to petitions of a few thousand people to prove that “the people” want him out, but they forget that he won an election by many millions.

-They supposedly support democracy, but they don’t want an election held.

-They blame him for the extremist-Muslims killing innocent people such as teachers. Um, that’s like blaming Winston Churchill for the Holocaust. How about putting the blame on the extremist-Muslims themselves for the murders they commit instead of shifting it elsewhere.

As the history of democracy proves, sometimes you need to break a few eggshells to make an omelet. Hopefully democracy will succeed.

I'm so glad you encouraged others to read posts.

I would direct your attention to the multitudes of news reports regarding just who is opposing Thaksin and those that are also rallying.

From lied-to tsunami victims in the mid-South to high schoolers in Bangkok to defaulting Northern/North-Easterner farmers to Eastern Seaboard university students to.......et al.

This isn't only about middle-aged, middle-income Bangkokians. Those in opposition to him run the gamut and from all areas of Thailand and across all socio-economic stratas.

Once you got a handle on that, I would then encourage you to read why the opposition is really deciding to boycott the election as it does not to resolve the central issue.

After you've been enlightened on that aspect, instead of your suppositions.... then you should be illuminated by the other reports about the 80,000 signatures that university students obtained in just a few days, followed by the poll results showing Thaksin's plummeting popularity, and articles about what the current thoughts are of his previous "19 million voters."

Now that you are beginning to understand the length and breadth of these issues, tackle some reading on how they DO support democracy and that a 90 day snap election is the only truly democratic election. Some follow-up with viewing the defections within his own party, who are so opposed to Thaksin they are amazingly giving up their opportunity to run in the election because of the 90 day rule would add some clarity to that.

Now, as you are becoming much better acquainted with Thailand, you can take on the daunting task of trying to understand how much worse the situation is in the Deep South during Thaksin's administration. Read about how shallow his "6 month deadline" to comletely solve the Southern disputes really was. Browse through the reports of how by exacerbating the Southern difficulties, victim fatalities on all sides have crossed the 2,000 dead mark... which is still shy of the infamous 2,600 non-judicial, non-investigated "drug war" murders that occured at his urging.

You should complete that education by researching that the troubles in the Deep South far surpass only those of the extremist Muslim genre.

Here's hoping that indeed no more "eggshells" are cracked as there's already been enough bloodshed during his tenure. With his resignation, Thailand can have that hope.

Thanks again for encouraging others to read. Once you are up to speed yourself, I look forward to reading your improved posts.

My wife is Thai and has lived in the states for some time now and I have to tell you that the general feeling of the Thai community stateside is that Thaksin has been doing a good job(particularly in clamping down on the drug situation)

That may be true where you are, but from what I'm hearing from friends and family, it's certainly not true among the Thai community in LA, where half the Thais in the states live. Of course, the government boasted that a letter of encouragement for Thaksin signed by a 1000 Thais in LA recently shows that Thais abroad support the government. But they forgot to mention that an anti-Thaksin petition circulating in SoCal managed to get 10,000 signatures.

however it is very possible that we get a filtered or slanted press over here about Thailand and the PM.

Your family doesn't happen to get ASTV channels via satellite, do you?

I have no dog in this race, you obviously do! As for your outrageous statement that 1/2 the Thais in the U.S. live in the LA community , I think you need to get around this country a little more. While there is a very large Thai community in southern California it constitutes no more than 6 or 7 % at most of thais in the states. I am an Air Force veteran and my wife and I have many friends in the Thai communities in Florida, Texas, Utah, Nevada, Illinois, and Arizona and while I have taken no straw polls, this is where I get my gut feelings from. Thaksin may very well be completely corrupt and may not be the best man to take Thailand into the twentyfirst century, if that is the case I certainly hope that the opposition can vote in a qualified candidatre that can help the country move ahead. Do yourself a favor in the future though, before you make an outrageous statement like 1/2 the Thais in the states live in LA, do some research to find out the real answer. I can assure you that your bias showed up and your credibility was lost by any reader who knows the the true demogrphics of Thais in the U.S.

Do you have any statistical data to back up your assertions beyond your "gut feeling?" Without it, tettyan's assessment is of no less value than yours.

Are you familiar with the movie, "77th Province?"

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I don't think that I attacked anyones credibility I merely pointed out the facts, and the facts are that this poster doesn't appear to have the first clue as to the total population of Thais in the states and where they reside. My gut feeling as you put it was merely the input that I have gotten from hundreds of our Thai friends around the country, and that is that they think that Thaksin has done a good job so far. If you also believe that 1/2 of all Thais in the U.S. live in the LA area then I will gladly give you the same advice, you need to get around to other Thai communities in the states a little more. If you are a anti Thaksin person thats fine, please put forward any intelligent discourse that might make your case as to why any Thai should vote against Thaksin or more importantly why they should vote for your candidate. Finally to end this evening I will say yes, it was an incredibly outrageous statement to say that 50% of all Thais in the states live in LA(when the fact is that it is more like 5 or 6%) , kind of like if I were to say that 50% of all Irish live in the Boston area just because there is a large and concentrated Irish community in Boston. I think that you may want to think a little more next time before you post. Whoever the new PM is, lets hope that he is good for Thailand and all of its citizens.

I don't know if I should be dignifying your post with a response, but here goes. Yes, I was merely pointing out facts, not advocating an opinion. Before you attack my account of the facts, maybe you should do your homework first. The fact is that the Thai community in America numbers around 200,000 (including my family). About 100,000 of these are estimated to be in the Southern California area. Yes, there are Thais all over the country - I'm familiar with significant communities in Maryland, Virginia, Portland, Chicago and St. Louis to name a few. But these are all dwarfed by the community in the LA area.

So who's the one shooting from the hip here? I'll let this one go, but if you keep doing this, it's your credibility that's at risk, not mine.

OFF TOPIC!!!!

Get back to the subject. Who cares about how many Thais live where in the U.S.? What does that have to do with Toxin?

It has FA to do with the Thaksin announcement

[Jai Dee]

Prime Minister says he will keep fighting because people are giving him moral support

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has indicated he is unattached to the current political situation but he had to fight because people have given him moral support.

The Prime Minister arrived at Government House this morning and carried on business at the Thai Khu Faa (ไทยคู่ฟ้า) building, after which at around 10.30 he traveled to a noodle shop in Worachak (ร้านก๊วยเตี๋ยวเนื้อตลาดวรจักร) market. The Prime Minister was joined in his brunch by Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal (พงษ์ศักดิ์ รักตพงศ์ไพศาล), and both discussed the government’s mega-projects. The premier stated that he believe auctioning letters for the projects will be submitted on May 28th, by which time an administration fairly created should be in place.

Dr. Thaksin also remarked on the political situation, and said he will work his best in all aspects because the people are still cheering him on. At the same time, vendors at the market flocked to give moral support and roses to the premier. Dr. Thaksin then traveled to the Thai Rak Thai party, after affirming that a Cabinet meeting will be held as normal tomorrow.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 27 Febuary 2006

[gurkle]

Now that you are beginning to understand the length and breadth of these issues, tackle some reading on how they DO support democracy and that a 90 day snap election is the only truly democratic election.

I'm glad to see how SOME of them changed their minds about the boycott:

(from The Nation) The Democrat, Chat Thai and Mahachon parties failed to agree on a boycott on Saturday after Chat Thai delayed its decision amid rumours the party was lobbied heavily by TRT to break ranks with the other two opposition parties.

If 1) all your allegations are true, 2) the people believe that the protestors have noble intentions, and 3) MOST IMPORTANTLY Thai people feel that SOMEONE ELSE can do a better job than Thaksin, then the protestors should have nothing to fear from an election.

There will always be unfortunate crises; we live in a world where evil people exist.

I agree Thaksin could have handled certain situations better, but it's still UP TO THE PEOPLE to decide if someone else could have done a better job than Thaksin. In a democracy, "the people" are the majority (not the most vocal) and get to decide who they want in times of a crisis - that's why an election is the fairest process.

Edited February 27, 2006 by gurkle

[Jai Dee]

Mr. Thanong: Parliament dissolving has least impact on the economy

Commerce Minister Thanong Bidaya (ทนง พิทยะ) has insisted that the government’s decision to dissolve the parliament will have less impact on the national economy since the primary factors are still considered to be good.

Mr. Thanong said he is comfortable with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s decision in dissolving the parliament since it is only the way to ease the problems. The decision will lead to the new general election.

He said it is impossible to predict the impact of the decision towards the economy at the moment. However, he is confident that it will not affect much since the investors are still confident over the national economic status.

He also referred to the rally, saying that if it proceeds in a peaceful manner, then there would be minimal impact on the economy.

Concerning the seven measures that have been proposed to the conference on 2006 economic policies, he said the Cabinet will consider whether or not these measures would be carried out.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 27 Febuary 2006

[sriracha john]

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has indicated he is unattached

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 27 Febuary 2006

HUH?!...WHA??!!.. has he somehow forgotten about his stunningly attractive and strikingly gorgeous wife of all these years, Potjaman?

She's given him the best 29 years of her life in deep devotion to him and this how he repays her?? With a one-line blurb in the press?

Shame on him for abandoning this lovely woman in such a heartless manner.

Edited February 27, 2006 by sriracha john