Thailand's army moves to ease coup fears

[umbanda]

It's difficult to see the problem resolved without intervention.

On the one hand the protesters want to see Yingluck removed, however she is democratically elected and everybody knows that in any election she will be re-elected.

The answer may be for someone to rule that it's illegal for her to be prime minister because of her connections with her brother, however she would only be replaced with another puppet.

You can't win really, politics the world over only offer an illusion of democracy.. every government knows that you can't actually allow the people to choose..

Wrong...Brazil is an example of Democracy....even if, like any other country needs to follow corporations and military interest. After elected a "socialist" president, Brazil becomes one of the present world economic powers, an active member of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) ending a US export dependency, and being one of the few big countries with its own energy and oil resources. ...and surplus budget.

Read my lips again....

America today it is very afraid of the increasing economic power of "socialist" countries, and it is trying to control what is left vulnerable in the world..the ASEAN countries. .Another "cold war" in process. I do not have any doubts that the US is behind what it is happening in Thailand today. After a new "democratic" government is installed, US money will arrive at the hands of the Thai military and a US Army base will be placed in Thailand soil very soon....like the ones planned for Burma and Laos.

[FangFerang]

What i want to know is when the bookies start taking bets

They are already.

[oldsailor35]

I was against RTA intervention, but now realise that they just have to 'come out' fix the likes of Benito Suthep and then hand it over to the legally elected government to get on with governing.

[scorecard]

Not much change in their stance then! A non news story

Well, on one hand the gov't would scream and yell that a coup is not acceptable and the military should just stay with it's remit of protecting Thailand from foreign invaders, and after all that's the type of training they receive, specific to those duties.

But on the other hand we see the gov't trying to get the military into political / election activities.

Which way do you want it?

[mdmayes]

What i want to know is when the bookies start taking bets

They are already.

What odds are they giving for Jan 12...thats the day i arrive in Bangkok.

[scorecard]

It's difficult to see the problem resolved without intervention.

On the one hand the protesters want to see Yingluck removed, however she is democratically elected and everybody knows that in any election she will be re-elected.

The answer may be for someone to rule that it's illegal for her to be prime minister because of her connections with her brother, however she would only be replaced with another puppet.

You can't win really, politics the world over only offer an illusion of democracy.. every government knows that you can't actually allow the people to choose..

Wrong...Brazil is an example of Democracy....even if, like any other country needs to follow corporations and military interest. After elected a "socialist" president, Brazil becomes one of the present world economic powers, an active member of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) ending a US export dependency, and being one of the few big countries with its own energy and oil resources. ...and surplus budget.

Read my lips again....

America today it is very afraid of the increasing economic power of "socialist" countries, and it is trying to control what is left vulnerable in the world..the ASEAN countries. .Another "cold war" in process. I do not have any doubts that the US is behind what it is happening in Thailand today. After a new "democratic" government is installed, US money will arrive at the hands of the Thai military and a US Army base will be placed in Thailand soil very soon....like the ones planned for Burma and Laos.

A little further, there is, slowly, more and growing discussion whether pure capitalism is all that desirable. And there is plenty of proof that pure capitalism makes the rich richer and the poor poorer and eventually more people move into the poverty group.

So what's the answer?

Nobody has a specific answer right now, but I wonder whether we will eventually see a mixed socialist / capitalist picture in all countries (not tomorrow) where selected items must by law be practiced under socialist principals / procedures / by law (say health for example - a socialist approach whereby all citizens have equal and easy access to the best possible up to date health care, and those who want to pay for a bigger room with Picasso paintings pay more).

But one would also hope that democracy (with laws which strongly stop vote buying, stop cronyism, and stop nepotism, and respect the concept of promotion by proven high performance) is still firmly the umbrella over the mixed picture.

________________________

Another point - umbanda mentioned Brazil. Well a couple of years back I took a team of Thai MBA students to an invited international business case competition.

Thirty universities were invited, the team from a Brazilian university won second place. Their team was highly impressive in whatever factor who might want to look at. Their lecturers (almost zero western lecturers) also impressive.

[cbluck58]

Tomorrow's the day - wait and see.

[jpeg]

my money on a coup within 2 weeks, if Suthep and his Muppets try to close Bangkok down, the army will step in.

Orrrr, if the rat infested PTP insist on pushing through with this 'election' with no regard to the inevitable violence that will ensue.

[tragickingdom]

Thailand's army is a joke. If Prayuth and most of his predecessors had lived in Central Africa they would have been involved in mass murder. They always take sides, sometimes they do it themselves, sometimes they lend support to a mass movement that still is a significant minority and sometimes they instruct courts. Prayuth and his cronies are never unbiased.

The Thai army is the root of corruption. Under the democrat governments Thailand's infrastructure was as badly managed as the US's infrastructure under the tea party. All the money went to the military and the military and the politicians got rich.

Under Thaksin the money shifted from the military to infrastructure from airports to roads and bridges and the politicians still got rich.

I rather prefer the latter form of corruption.

[GazR]

Game over, then.

There's deffo gonna be a military coup.

Orwell was right (he's always right).

Doublespeak as in "I cannot foresee my ever challenging for the leadership" whenever a politician is asked if he/she wants to be the boss.

Not so fast: As I recall, in one of his Wartime Diaries I-V, Orwell expressed the view that Gandhi's non-violent protests presented no great threat to British rule as they would ultimately prove ineffective against military force. I'm not saying he was wrong about this, I'm just saying we will never know if he was right.

No, he was right.

Any unarmed group facing down an army is gonna be pretty ineffective, I'd wager.

As you say though, it never came to that as Britain was already tired of Empire by that point.

Good thing, too.

Well, he was writing DURING the war, so on one side there was Churchill the wartime British PM who was dead against losing 'the jewel in the crown of empire' and on the other was the quid pro quo to the Indians for helping to defeat the Axis Powers. I guess he though that Churchill and the army of the Raj would prevail at least a while longer.

[andyww]

I was against RTA intervention, but now realise that they just have to 'come out' fix the likes of Benito Suthep and then hand it over to the legally elected government to get on with governing.

Err no.

Doesn't work like that. The army and Suthep have the same backers and are essentially on the same side. The plan is for Suthep to undermine the legally elected government and prepare the ground for a coup which is largely done. Pretty much on schedule for 1st or 2nd Jan.

[Thaiready]

Seems some people here have clue as to what Democratic Election is....if you don't like the one incharge present a canidate we can believe in.....but this nut job that is blocking streets and threating people is a loser, he will never be elected.

[fab4]

Suthep better report to the police before a coup. He would be safer in jail then with the Army.

Wrong!! He was the one, who enabled the army to get their place at the trough, so they will reward him by giving him power after a year or so, with help of the "legal" system!!

We all know, that Dear Leader thinks, that democratic elections are "undemocratic"!

On a sidenote. This story was reported earlier, how can be "news" again by being repeated by Voice of America??

Wrt your sidenote. Yes part of the story was reported earlier, with Prayuth running off at the mouth as he is wont to do.

The "new" story is that the Army Spokesman has stepped in as part of a damage limitation process to deny, despite Prayuths "there may well be a coup or maybe not" speech, that there will be a coup. Unfortunately Prayuth has a tendency to open his mouth without engaging brain first. Here's some earlier examples http://asiancorrespondent.com/57493/thai-army-chief-vote-for-good-people-some-media-are-divisive/

The most moronic ironic must be "We, the military, have never hurt the people."

[fab4]

Game over, then.

There's deffo gonna be a military coup.

Orwell was right (he's always right).

Doublespeak as in "I cannot foresee my ever challenging for the leadership" whenever a politician is asked if he/she wants to be the boss.

Like to point out the very title of the book 1984 makes him wrong from the start.

They say Thaksin has effectively manipulated a fragile democracy by buying the support of the rural poor with populist policies such as cheap healthcare, easy credit and subsidies for rice farmers. Many poor voters say Thaksin was the first leader to actually keep election promises to help them.

I hear that often. other than access to medical help what have they got to show from his years in power. the world was booming and ?Thailand was just riding on it. It had nothing to do with Thaksin. Yes the cheap credit. Thereby increasing their poverty.

I had to laugh at the last paragraph where Yingluck said she would do any thing as long as it is constitutional to ease the situation. So far I have heard that it is constitutional to delay the election and form a committee to look into reform for the Election system and the rest of the Government but she is not willing to step down and do that. After the election which she will probably win she says she will do it. But she has no interest what so ever in reform in the electoral system until she is once a gain in the drivers seat. Some how that does not reassure me. As for a coup not going to happen.Suthep has tried to get the army but they won't even talk to him. But they will set up a meeting between him and Yingluck.

I think we would only see the army get involved if it was to turn into a armed assault on the country such as the red shirts did in 2010. Keeping it peaceful is Suthep's biggest problem particularly when it is easy for some one to infiltrate them and cause a disturbance.

" So far I have heard that it is constitutional to delay the election and form a committee to look into reform for the Election system and the rest of the Government but she is not willing to step down and do that."

Oh, really, Dolly, what knowledgeable person did you hear that from, suthep? Would you care to tell what article/section of the constitution allows you to blockade election candidate registration centres, or, come to that, shutdown the capital city until a self decreed saviour of democracy gets what he wants? Let's face it, Dolly, you just nail your colours to the mast of anyone who is against Thaksin.

[diehard60]

"Suthep and his followers want an appointed “people's council” to take over and begin a reform program before another election is held, at some point in the future."

In Thailand that means between now and the next ten years. So in between all this there will be a dictatorship with suthep as the dictator as he is the only one that he himself trust.

[ggold]

Not much change in their stance then! A non news story

Well, on one hand the gov't would scream and yell that a coup is not acceptable and the military should just stay with it's remit of protecting Thailand from foreign invaders, and after all that's the type of training they receive, specific to those duties.

But on the other hand we see the gov't trying to get the military into political / election activities.

Which way do you want it?

We know why the government want to involve the military, thinking the protesters would not fight with them! When you have a government that is set on having it's way regardless of the law or constitution, a coup may be the only answer to avoid bloodshed on a big scale!

The military may prefer to wait till on the verge of civil war to act. I think however it is sad when a country finds itself in a situation where there is no real voice of reason or a leader capable of rallying the people together for the good of the country not for the good of an individual or minority group of supposed elitists.

The reality is that a coup is the only solution to the present situation, I know most look back in History and make comparisons with what went before.

If, and its a big if.

They must change the law and constitution to rid the country of the corrupt politicians. they should all be behind bars their wealth confiscated if proven to be amassed from graft and corruption, Never to be allowed to become politicians again for life. And that is just for starters!

That really has to happen if Thailand is not to go around in political circles. Do the military have the will to do that or will they be swayed by being bought off to the highest bidding political party?

So on one hand I would like to see the military intervene, On the other hand I would like to see a politician who can clean up the corruption, Now ask yourself if there really is a desire for that in Thailand, and I don't mean Sutheps brand of politics, though he is the only one able to challange PTP. He is not the solution.

To quote Martin Luther King "I have a dream"

I'll wake up soon and return to reality!

[TinoThailand]

Sorry if I'm completely off topic. I'm not real familiar with Thai politics at all as I have never really taken an interest. To me Governments are all the same, full of shit and only ever do what's right for them. So was wondering if someone could please explain why, if the people of the country don't want Yinluck in power did they ever vote for her in the first place? I understand that her brother was in power before which seems quite strange how a brother and sister can both have their time at the top of the political ladder (Corruption at it's finest). Could someone also explain why, if she has the interests of the country at heart would she not step down in order to keep peace? If everyone hates her so much I'm surprised she hasn't been physically removed one way or another. I also don't understand why "The Family" don't step in and sort this out (Rule as rulers do). After all the entire country loves them and will listen to their every word.

Yea, most are pro corruption. When the benefits not go some way; that will be the way to where the protests will come from. When share in benefits there's not much protest under the pinheads on planet earth.

[ggold]

Suthep better report to the police before a coup. He would be safer in jail then with the Army.

You really think so? I think you'll find it is totally the opposite!

[WitawatWatawit]

Watch for reports of military hardware and troops being moved from one place to another in and around Bangkok and Prayuth strenuously denying that anything is going on. It's usually a signal from the military that they are losing patience.

[ABCer]

That is it!

To coup or not to coup is not a question anymore.

I'm not an expert on Thai politics simply because I am not interested.

Any Government is better than none. And this is what Thais have now - no Government.

The Army has no alternative but restore at least a visibility of Law and Order.

Have no fear. They did it before many times and must do it again now. But not for the last time.

Reason? - Thais talk of Democracy too much and know of it too little.

For better or for worse they had a legitimate democratically elected Government.

If not happy with it they should wait for the next election. But that would have been a Democracy at work.

Instead they paralyzed the existing Government and paralyzed the vital capital life.

Hence - the inevitable coup. And the rigmarole is going on circles. Next Government will suffer the same fate.

Reason? - Thais talk of Democracy too much and know of it too little.... just keep going and repeat.

Happy New Year to all!

[Bpuumike]

 

I was against RTA intervention, but now realise that they just have to 'come out' fix the likes of Benito Suthep and then hand it over to the legally elected government to get on with governing.

Err no.

Doesn't work like that. The army and Suthep have the same backers and are essentially on the same side. The plan is for Suthep to undermine the legally elected government and prepare the ground for a coup which is largely done. Pretty much on schedule for 1st or 2nd Jan.

 

They'll be too hungover on the 1st.

[Bkungbank]

Very smart General playing psychology warfare for not mixing colours just warning

[winstonc]

Thailand's army is a joke. If Prayuth and most of his predecessors had lived in Central Africa they would have been involved in mass murder. They always take sides, sometimes they do it themselves, sometimes they lend support to a mass movement that still is a significant minority and sometimes they instruct courts. Prayuth and his cronies are never unbiased.

The Thai army is the root of corruption. Under the democrat governments Thailand's infrastructure was as badly managed as the US's infrastructure under the tea party. All the money went to the military and the military and the politicians got rich.

Under Thaksin the money shifted from the military to infrastructure from airports to roads and bridges and the politicians still got rich.

I rather prefer the latter form of corruption.

priceless...

[a99az]

Again why the need to say anything he is not an MP.

[bigbamboo]

Like the Army are going to post up advanced notices of their intentions! They may not be as cunning as the government like trying to pass get out of jail bills at 3 am when they think the opposition are either at home asleep or tucked up with their mia noi but I can't imagine a Thai army officer's diary reading: Thursday....... playing snooker; Friday....... playing snooker; Saturday......... coup.

[binjalin]

Again why the need to say anything he is not an MP.

indeed Army business is to serve the elected government

imagine, for a moment, a US General, or a British Field Marshal even hesitating for a second when asked to undertake their duty by the elected President or Parliament? let alone having the affront to speak about it

now imagine, for a moment, a country where students rise up AGAINST democracy, fight an elected government, take over a Police station because the Police General says 'it is the people's as they are tax payers'

or a country which allows the Prime Minister to be confronted by a tomboy whistle blower up to his/her face with no security

or allows a minority to force an election THEN say they don't want one as they would rather a Fascist non-elected council?

you could hardly make it up : Amazing Thailand

[khunken]

I'd say the chances of a coup have gone up a notch but are not yet in the red zone. More deaths, unfortunately, would increase the possibility.

Prayuth (he who must be criticised by red shirt supporters no matter what he says) was only telling the truth when he didn't rule out a coup. It can never be ruled out here.

It is hilarious to see that someone regards a coup as illegal when both the PTP and the protestors have disregarded the law.

[Roadman]

Again why the need to say anything he is not an MP.

indeed Army business is to serve the elected government

imagine, for a moment, a US General, or a British Field Marshal even hesitating for a second when asked to undertake their duty by the elected President or Parliament? let alone having the affront to speak about it

now imagine, for a moment, a country where students rise up AGAINST democracy, fight an elected government, take over a Police station because the Police General says 'it is the people's as they are tax payers'

or a country which allows the Prime Minister to be confronted by a tomboy whistle blower up to his/her face with no security

or allows a minority to force an election THEN say they don't want one as they would rather a Fascist non-elected council?

you could hardly make it up : Amazing Thailand

Now Thailand has a governance the equal of the US or Britian. I imagine their President or Prime Minister is also a convicted criminal living in Dubai and they also over ride their Constitutions and laws. You could hardly make up the idiotic conclusions that some come up with.

[binjalin]

Again why the need to say anything he is not an MP.

indeed Army business is to serve the elected government

imagine, for a moment, a US General, or a British Field Marshal even hesitating for a second when asked to undertake their duty by the elected President or Parliament? let alone having the affront to speak about it

now imagine, for a moment, a country where students rise up AGAINST democracy, fight an elected government, take over a Police station because the Police General says 'it is the people's as they are tax payers'

or a country which allows the Prime Minister to be confronted by a tomboy whistle blower up to his/her face with no security

or allows a minority to force an election THEN say they don't want one as they would rather a Fascist non-elected council?

you could hardly make it up : Amazing Thailand

Now Thailand has a governance the equal of the US or Britian. I imagine their President or Prime Minister is also a convicted criminal living in Dubai and they also over ride their Constitutions and laws. You could hardly make up the idiotic conclusions that some come up with.

explain dear poster, explain

"equal of the US or Britain" where did that come from?

The Thai PM is elected by the people

"ride over constitution (s) and laws"? when???

what FACTS, dear poster, did I get wrong? or are you just trolling? or making it up?

[bigbamboo]

I'd say the chances of a coup have gone up a notch but are not yet in the red zone. More deaths, unfortunately, would increase the possibility.

Prayuth (he who must be criticised by red shirt supporters no matter what he says) was only telling the truth when he didn't rule out a coup. It can never be ruled out here.

It is hilarious to see that someone regards a coup as illegal when both the PTP and the protestors have disregarded the law.

In my ten years here the most tranquil time was after the 2006 coup when children were playing on tanks and tourists were being photographed with soldiers and the politicians were sent to the naughty step where we barely heard a peep out of them. It may not be a democratic ideal but neither is Thailand.

After the relentless childish squabbling of the past two years a bit of order in the political classroom would be a blessing. Some homework for the MPs on how to run a country without lying, cheating and thieving wouldn't go amiss either.