Thaksin calls USA a "useless friend"

[mrvietnam2001]

What an infantile and whining set of words you actually took the time to type.

nothing better to do with your time bush?

Mr Vietnam

[eteune]

I lived in Thailand for five years and was always amazed at how little the US gov't actually understood what was going on there. I was also shocked at the poor language skills of the US embassy personnel (maybe not totally related, but seemed to me to be indicative of the problem). I love my country but am very often embarrassed by its lack of understanding of the internal workings of other countries such as Thailand.

Remember back in 1991 when Suchinda and Sunthorn lead a bloodless military coop to overthrow the extremely corrupt gov't of Chatichai Choonahavan? It seemed to me at the time that Thais were generally happy that it happened. But the high and mighty US gov't did the knee jerk, "hey, that's a military coop and according to our rule book, we have to cut off all support to Thailand" <<groan>> then by the time the US gov't acknowledged and accepted the interum gov't set up by Suchinda, the Thai people were rioting in the streets to get rid of him, doh! missed the boat again! Always a day late and a dollar short when it comes to actually understanding anything outside their own borders.

I appreciate the tax cuts George W. gave me, but he should leave diplomacy to someone who actually has an edumacation.

[ChiangMaiThai]

It seems to me ( few exemptions ) that all of you don't like Thailand or the way of living here.

If you can't behave as a guest better go back to your home country – or is this not possible?

Whether or not the State Department is publishing human rights reports or not is up to the Americans. Whether Thaksin is reacting on such report is up to him. If Thaksin is disappointed, and is calling the Americans useless friends, why not? Free speech as you proclaimed nosily.

I would venture to say that the vast majority of us love Thailand and it is frustrating for some and even sad for others, to watch the changes being implemented by one idiot. 'If you can't behave as a guest, go home.' What an overly simplistic and arrogant statement. This is a forum for farangs to discuss life in Thailand. Many of us are married to Thais, run businesses here and work for corporations here. While we enjoy life here and choose to stay here, this does not mean that every single facet of life is without problems and when problems arise, we discuss them. We will speak about Thailand all we like and critisize and debate issues that affect us and our Thai friends alike.

Whether Thaksin reacts like an idiot to such a report is up to him. Whether all the members of thaivisa.com come out and call him a foolish ass#ole for doing so, is up to us. Free speach- as we proclaim nosily.

Your remarks are childish and demonstrate your total lack of understanding of the expat community. Perhaps they are better kept to yourself. You won't make many friends here.

[A. BOOZER]

Funny how now we have a lot of new posters.... Could it be cover up by the Bush administration??????

Now, now, we all know that no civilized country would not dream of any such thing!

[Bush]

To the ones who replied, thank you.

All of you ( who replied ) passed the test of tolerance!

What is now the difference between your reaction on my comments, and Thaksin's reaction on the human rights "report"? To ask you is most probably useless or not?

Viva the American free speech! Viva the American double standard.

Again thank you! You confirmed exactly what's all about: Free speech.

[ChiangMaiThai]

What is now the difference between your reaction on my comments, and Thaksin's reaction on the human rights "report"? To ask you is most probably useless or not?

Viva the American free speech! Viva the American double standard.

Again thank you! You confirmed exactly what's all about: Free speech.

Are you serious? Does it really need to be spelled out? What is the difference? Well, let's see. Thaksin is the leader of a country. Statements he makes are heard and read by people around the world. Furthermore, it is safe to assume that they even have some influence on his own people. This being such, perhaps kneee jerk reactions are not in his or Thailand's best interests. Now how you could equate the words of a massively wealthy and influential public figure to those of some idiot calling himself 'ChiangMaiThai' on the internet is beyond me. Maybe this is the real Bush.

[adjan jb]

Maybe this is the real Bush.

To the admins: check his IP. And if he is the real Bush, impeach him.

[et33.com]

i do not understand

please enlighten me

what's the fuss about

getting hot because of ######'s remarks

why get personal at all

if you think you can do a better job

go run for president

or prime minister

at the end of the day

me aim to have food in the stomach

as far as i am concern

it's the pot calling the pan black

basically all gov't are in a certain point

bias and corrupted in their own ways

who cares what rules and names they call for

important is to have me beer on the table

and me chick on my lap...

[wolf5370]

Dkstoney said…

For those of you who think that other countries don't have the right to examine the quality of life in other countries and issue reports, where is the criticism to come from--the people who are being repressed, abused, and terrorized by their very own government? Are they to blame for not having the cajones to speak up for themselves?

No one is suggesting that countries don’t have the right to ‘examine’ other countries quality of life etc, many of us are suggesting that a) governments should not necessarily publish it and that if you come out on the world stage criticizing other governments then you either make sure you are on the morale high ground, or expect reciprocation in kind.

To those of you who think the Rodney King beating is in any way, shape, or form comparable and on a par with Thailand's drug war or that Guantanamo Bay is relative to the same, I'd like to order a steaming hot plate of red herring for dinner--cause you're serving it. The US doesn't condone mass extrajudicial killings of its own population. A few racist police officers stepping out of the line of duty and beating one man is very different from a country's leader issuing carte blanche orders to his national police force.

Nope, can’t find a single post that suggests the Rodney king or Guantanamo Bay are relative to condoning mass extrajudicial killings…all I can see are references to the same to highlight point above. Also, It is not the fact that racist cops beat crap out of a civilian while he lay on the floor, it is the fact that the authorities let them get away with it!

I’m sorry is your point that it is OK to impede people human rights as long as it doesn’t go as far as “mass extrajudicial killings”? Is it OK to seize people, andimprison them in a third-party foreign country without charge? Is it OK to allow police, the upholders of the law (an the constitution in this case too) to beat a man half to death and get away with it, but not if they succeed? Or is it a case of numbers – Ok to attempt to kill one man, but no a few thousand?

To those of you who reason that drug dealers have no rights and are despicable creatures below the line of humanity, therefore it's ok to kill the other 1200 or so innocent people, I commend you for your outstandingly, redundant lack of compassion. "You have to break eggs to make an omelet."?!?! I only need to break the 3 eggs I'm going to use in the omelet, not the other 9 of the dozen. You make better commentary with your mouths shut.

I agree – human rights carry both ways. The Thai government should not have condoned such activity by its police and should endeavor to sift out those responsible for crimes within the police too. This is OK for me and you to say. Its certainly OK for Thai’s to say. It is even OK for countries to document it. It is not OK, in my opinion, to broadcast it especially as a diversionary measure away from, or in spite of, the fact that the world is asking similar questions of your governance. If Bush really gave a flying you-know-what, he would have said something during his recent visit. He could have approached the Thai government in any number of diplomatic ways with different amounts of pressure. One has to wonder why, knowing about Asia face principles (if he doesn’t he has enough IQ points advising him/operating his strings), he chose to make such a public declaration. Thaksin had little choice but to respond – though this certainly could have been handled better too. Diplomatioc pressure would have been better all round and allowed Thaksin to keep face in front of his people. Why then this course of action Mr Bush?

For more information follow this link: US STATE DEPT

Scroll down to: RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom From: a. Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life

Er, somehow I don’t accept this as a very accurate definition at all – should I?

Martin Luther King paraphrasing the constitution/Declaration of Independence was a much better definition: “I Have a Dream Speech” Here

[Guest The Judge]

Perhaps part of this issue is about two businessmen saying my dick is bigger than your dick, and being told that so and so has proof that this is not the case.

Taksin is no statesman, any more than Dubya is a statesman. There is a dearth of such people in the world in my opinion. Having been spoiled by the likes of Winston Churchill et al., who among world leaders today, is in fact a statesman as we think of them? Nelson Mandela springs to mind, as does, surprisingly, Kofi Annan.

A statesman would have delivered the report personally, to an ambassador, not left his no-nothing mates to blurt it out via CNN. Likewise a statesman would have taken it into account in dealings with the deliverer, and may have seen it as an opportunity to tidy up.

IMHO though, Dubya, as has been opined here by others, is in no position to criticise the Human Rights record of anyone, especially following his Governorship of Texas.

If good christian men are all like that, give me Buddhism any day.

[thailien8]

I believe that the useless US report that so irritated Dear Leader was merely an echo of the main point made by His Majesty the King in his birthday speech of last year. Thaksin must dread these speeches, as he needs to pay a little lip service to the King's wise words. Still, almost nothing was done to provide justice to those murdered in the Drug War, just as nothing curbed Thaksin's arrogance that was so justifiably pointed out by the King in his birthday speech of 2002, also ignored by Thaksin, except to sack the editor of Bkk. Post for headlining what the King said.

[mrvietnam2001]

I believe that the useless US report that so irritated Dear Leader

Ahhhh personally I would simply close the door to any products which originate in Thailand and any country who does business with Thailand for awhile if I had executive powers in the USA.

I wouldn't say a word, nor would people like thaksin even get a chance at reaching me on the telephone. Just close the door and make sure that one of my reps made a few phone calls to all other countries who do business with Thailand and simply tell them that Thailand is "quarantined" for awhile.

Oh how the tune would change so quickly. You don't know how good you have it till you lose it. It's coming.

Mr Vietnam

[paulsenp]

I believe that the useless US report that so irritated Dear Leader

Ahhhh personally I would simply close the door to any products which originate in Thailand and any country who does business with Thailand for awhile if I had executive powers in the USA.

I wouldn't say a word, nor would people like thaksin even get a chance at reaching me on the telephone. Just close the door and make sure that one of my reps made a few phone calls to all other countries who do business with Thailand and simply tell them that Thailand is "quarantined" for awhile.

Oh how the tune would change so quickly. You don't know how good you have it till you lose it. It's coming.

Mr Vietnam

and you would end up being the one in quarantine.

Try to make the rest of the world do as you tell them, and you will soon be all alone.

[Guest IT Manager]

Can I have a room at your luxury hotel. What nonsense.

If the calls were made, like it or not, life would change a lot here, and you know it.

[Arnold]

If somebody feels that something is wrong in Thailand or wherever, there are proper ways to deal with. Go to the U.N. or go to the courts in The Hague, otherwise stick to your own business.

The U.S. State Department report criticising Thaksin and his government's human rights record is a "PROPER WAY TO DEAL WITH IT"

What should the US do remove Thaksin from office?

The comment sounds very Thai. Unable to take constructive critism.

[tuky]

Ho Hum...*Yawn*

[hkthai]

What an infantile and whining set of words you actually took the time to type.

nothing better to do with your time bush?

Mr Vietnam

I believe that the useless US report that so irritated Dear Leader

Ahhhh personally I would simply close the door to any products which originate in Thailand and any country who does business with Thailand for awhile if I had executive powers in the USA.

I wouldn't say a word, nor would people like thaksin even get a chance at reaching me on the telephone. Just close the door and make sure that one of my reps made a few phone calls to all other countries who do business with Thailand and simply tell them that Thailand is "quarantined" for awhile.

Oh how the tune would change so quickly. You don't know how good you have it till you lose it. It's coming.

Mr Vietnam

I guess that makes two whinning infantile