Army chief hits back at red-shirt leaders, telling them to stop framing military

[Cricketnut]

Perhaps the CIC would be better saying nothing as it is becoming plainer by the day where their allegiance lies?

The Thai military take an oath of allegiance to HM the King.

And so does the RTP, point being....?

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 8.2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[pipkins]

And meanwhile back at the office. 13,247 people around the nation and the world have seen this already.

The Student thugs sense they may be able to win a fight.

A dissenter is held by both arms so 3 or 4 of them are brave enough and hyped up enough (what on) to attack.

Brave boys and you are now viral on youtube..... one day, the Police will get you for that cowardly rabbit punch to the back of the head of a man who has his arms held.

More and more and more thuggery and intolerance. Who'se next?

[Nickymaster]

So the one throwing the grenade seems to be one of late Seh Daeng's aides. Interesting. Now I understand who some red shirt supporters here on TV would like to have a coup. A coup is better than the truth I guess...

[Nickymaster]

If it weren't for the military in Thailand back in the sixties we might all be dirt poor communists. Send the average red shirt leader on a tour of the poorest parts of Vietnam to get an idea how they ended up on the right side of history thanks to 'military', never forget that.

And if Thaksin/PT could control the army, Thailand would be as scr....d up as Cambodia.

[Publicus]

It's time for a coup General, get the balls to do with necessary. The people wants their streets back.

The general and the military brass are distressed because the Army knows if it conducts a coup it will have to kill a lot of Thais. The general and the military know that there are only Thai people under the different color shirts and that there are a lot of Thai people who would come out against another coup.

Accordingly, at this point in Thai history the Army is neutralized as a political force. It is internally divided and externally adrift in the society. The general's frustrations represent the lessons learned by the Army in the wake of the disastrous to it 1991 coup, the backfiring of the 2006 coup and the hostility of almost all of the North of Thailand to the tragedy of 2010.

Regardless of who was right or wrong in 2010 the Army's status and prestige in Thai society is greatly soiled. The Army's practical and direct legacy of 2010 is that at least half the population of Thailand - if not more than a half - regard the Army as against the people, as the enemy of the people.

The Army recognizes the time is past when it could interpose itself to stop the political squabbles within the elites to include those generals who were part of a given elite that attempted unsuccessful coups. The new dichotomy in Thai society is not primarily between elites, it is between a mass of the population struggling against another mass of the population. It clearly is not primarily this elite group of families against that elite grouping of families operating behind the scenes while the mass of the population remained largely indifferent.

Serious differences between masses of divided Thais have brought Thai people into the streets in mass and the Army knows its interposition in the current impasse would mean very many dead Thais to include those in green uniforms.

The generals know the Army and the military are finished as a factor in Thai politics and government, at least from the standpoint of the use of force to include a coup because a coup would provoke the use of force against the Army by a mass of Thai people. The Army can't afford this morally or legally so the generals just won't do it.

The general is anguished that so many Thais hold the Army and military in such low regard so the generals as a group are not going to jump into an obvious abyss. Certainly not readily or willingly. That's a huge change from the past, a continental divide.

[pipkins]

So the one throwing the grenade seems to be one of late Seh Daeng's aides. Interesting. Now I understand who some red shirt supporters here on TV would like to have a coup. A coup is better than the truth I guess...

There will be no Coup..

Perhaps after 82 days of this thuggery, some of the reds really do want to come to town. I think the PM has done a fantastic job of keeping things as quiet as this.

It nothing else, it has sapped the coup backers of 82 days financing, and belive me, they cannot coup and get away with it this time.... Coup day is day one of the troubles here.

Far far too many people watching this, seeing pics and videos to let the elites get back at the trough. They may find when they get there, there is nothing there for them as they will have to spend it all on a civil war. This is not the same as 2006 and the Army knows it. Once the backers realise their time is up, then things may start to simmer.

Lets hope for the whiteshirts to pull away some more sheep from Suthep. He is loosing support in droves and had to send his farmers back to the south to create havoc there.

[fab4]

If it weren't for the military in Thailand back in the sixties we might all be dirt poor communists. Send the average red shirt leader on a tour of the poorest parts of Vietnam to get an idea how they ended up on the right side of history thanks to 'military', never forget that.

The top guys in the UDD were there ..... on the Communist side...

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You may want to research the background just a little bit more................

[Publicus]

If it weren't for the military in Thailand back in the sixties we might all be dirt poor communists. Send the average red shirt leader on a tour of the poorest parts of Vietnam to get an idea how they ended up on the right side of history thanks to 'military', never forget that.

The Thai military and the United States Government working hand in glove.

[casualbiker]

If it weren't for the military in Thailand back in the sixties we might all be dirt poor communists. Send the average red shirt leader on a tour of the poorest parts of Vietnam to get an idea how they ended up on the right side of history thanks to 'military', never forget that.

The top guys in the UDD were there ..... on the Communist side...

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You may want to research the background just a little bit more................

Really why? A Communist is a communist or are you.trying to say they were not?

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[casualbiker]

If it weren't for the military in Thailand back in the sixties we might all be dirt poor communists. Send the average red shirt leader on a tour of the poorest parts of Vietnam to get an idea how they ended up on the right side of history thanks to 'military', never forget that.

The Thai military and the United States Government working hand in glove.

Same same different era..something like this is said about thaksin...

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[paz]

The general and the military brass are distressed because the Army knows if it conducts a coup it will have to kill a lot of Thais. The general and the military know that there are only Thai people under the different color shirts and that there are a lot of Thai people who would come out against another coup.

...

The general is anguished that so many Thais hold the Army and military in such low regard so the generals as a group are not going to jump into an obvious abyss. Certainly not readily or willingly. That's a huge change from the past, a continental divide.

That is an interesting evaluation that you made, unfortunately I personally don't think that is true, under multiple points. Also I do not believe that many That would be willing or able come out "agaisnt a coup" when it's implicitely blessed by the high powers and stops the 'noise'. History has proved that many times in Thailand and elsewhere.

I hope to be wrong but my feeling is that, as I said many times, a military coup is in the cards, if the stalemate created by the parties boycotting elections (any elections) find not other solution as it seems likely it won't.

[Emptyset]

So the one throwing the grenade seems to be one of late Seh Daeng's aides. Interesting. Now I understand who some red shirt supporters here on TV would like to have a coup. A coup is better than the truth I guess...

Which 'red shirt supporters here on TV' have called for a coup? Anyway, yeah, I noticed last night that it looked like a Seh Daeng aide. But then again it also looked like a SEAL. The former seems far more likely - but then those accusing people of spreading rumours and false information by sharing the picture of the SEAL guy should probably follow their own advice in not leaping into judgements about who the culprit is...

[BlueSkyCowboy]

My dear General, you should know by now the red shirts NEVER take responsibility for anything. It's always someone elses' fault, not theirs'.

Is that where Obama learned it ?

[Honkytowner]

My dear General, you should know by now the red shirts NEVER take responsibility for anything. It's always someone elses' fault, not theirs'.

Surely this is true of most people in Thailand?

[JosteinSetsaas]

How much money does the Generales gets from the Suthep collect bags, this for having no police protection?

[sirchai]

The hub of...coups......aeeh cops.-

[techboy]

My dear General, you should know by now the red shirts NEVER take responsibility for anything. It's always someone elses' fault, not theirs'.

There is nothing to take responsibility for that I know of. Using violence against a dictatorship is always justified.

I am unable to equate maiming citizens who operate shop stalls with fighting a dictatorship. And neither can you. You immediately and exuberantly condone the violence and the bloodshed because they are gratification to you. Thailand is not a dictatorship and I suspect that you know this. It doesn't matter to you because you like bombs and grenades going off in public places.

[diceq]

My dear General, you should know by now the red shirts NEVER take responsibility for anything. It's always someone elses' fault, not theirs'.

There is nothing to take responsibility for that I know of. Using violence against a dictatorship is always justified.

I am unable to equate maiming citizens who operate shop stalls with fighting a dictatorship. And neither can you. You immediately and exuberantly condone the violence and the bloodshed because they are gratification to you. Thailand is not a dictatorship and I suspect that you know this. It doesn't matter to you because you like bombs and grenades going off in public places.

I wasn't referring to today's grenade bombings. I was referring to the 2010 violence when red shirts & police attacked (and were attacked) by the military.

[rebelplatoon]

These guys don't care for the people, they just care about holding on to power for them and their elite allies.

Waaaaahahahahahahaha Yep just repeat the press rhetoric.... 12 MILLION people voted for the Dems last election. 14 million for the TRT but they divided the constituencies so that they got a large majority in Government. Wouldn't it be great if "The Elite" was 12 million Thais??! THAT would really put Thailand on the map!!! I have seen your "Prai" (Slaves) in Chiang Mai Red shirt supporters in brand new Hummers and Mercedes vehicles... Stop repeating this nonsense. The People have an argument. They should find a way out together but the rhetoric is muddying the efforts. That's all there is to it.

[pipkins]

These guys don't care for the people, they just care about holding on to power for them and their elite allies.

Waaaaahahahahahahaha Yep just repeat the press rhetoric.... 12 MILLION people voted for the Dems last election. 14 million for the TRT but they divided the constituencies so that they got a large majority in Government. Wouldn't it be great if "The Elite" was 12 million Thais??! THAT would really put Thailand on the map!!! I have seen your "Prai" (Slaves) in Chiang Mai Red shirt supporters in brand new Hummers and Mercedes vehicles... Stop repeating this nonsense. The People have an argument. They should find a way out together but the rhetoric is muddying the efforts. That's all there is to it.

So you are teling us there were only 2 million votes between them.

I'm telling you there were 4,310,428 votes difference. which makes you out by a factor of well over 100%.

Wrong again on the dividing up the constituencys because the Government had nothing to do with that. The country was run by the Junta from 2006 - 2011 and they re-wrote the constitusion.

Some fair points you made as well in there, but the anger comes from the size of the win and the audacity of the coup plotters to try again to oust a government with such a large mandate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_general_election,_2011

[fab4]

Really why? A Communist is a communist or are you.trying to say they were not?

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I'm saying you might want to examine the background of why they joined the communist party of Thailand, the CPT in 1976. You are aware of what else happened in 1976, I take it? In the meantime you might want to reflect on your thinking "a communist is a communist" as there are many variations on the "theme"

From success to crisis: 1973–1982The CPT developed itself along the fault lines of Thai society. The militants were devoted to serving the people; the CPT participated in social protection more than fomenting revolution. It protected the tribal communities or villages from outside threats such as armed forces, a corrupt administration and usurers. It also offered services that the state did not, such as healthcare and education and consequently benefited from a moral debt of recognition. The party acted in favour of social justice but without necessarily radicalising the social sphere itself. http://links.org.au/node/1247

And then there's this "commie lover"

"Long live the Cuban Revolution. Long live comrade Fidel Castro ... Cuban internationalists have done so much for African independence, freedom, and justice. We admire the sacrifices of the Cuban people in maintaining their independence and sovereignty in the face of a vicious imperialist campaign designed to destroy the advances of the Cuban revolution. We too want to control our destiny ... There can be no surrender. It is a case of freedom or death. The Cuban revolution has been a source of inspiration to all freedom-loving people." -- Mandela during a speech at a Cuban rally on July 26, 1991.

But then again, if you are of this persuasion

“How do you tell a Communist? Well, it’s someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It’s someone who understands Marx and Lenin.” Ronald Reagan

Theres not much point.

[Bkk Cruiser]

Here is the clip shown on Channel 3 this afternoon showing the view of the bombers face...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg6GOc9tehk

I am really surprised it has not been posted more widely.

Edited January 20, 2014 by Bkk Cruiser

[casualbiker]

I'm saying you might want to examine the background of why they joined the communist party of Thailand, the CPT in 1976. You are aware of what else happened in 1976, I take it? In the meantime you might want to reflect on your thinking "a communist is a communist" as there are many variations on the "theme"

And then there's this "commie lover"

"Long live the Cuban Revolution. Long live comrade Fidel Castro ... Cuban internationalists have done so much for African independence, freedom, and justice. We admire the sacrifices of the Cuban people in maintaining their independence and sovereignty in the face of a vicious imperialist campaign designed to destroy the advances of the Cuban revolution. We too want to control our destiny ... There can be no surrender. It is a case of freedom or death. The Cuban revolution has been a source of inspiration to all freedom-loving people." -- Mandela during a speech at a Cuban rally on July 26, 1991.

But then again, if you are of this persuasion

“How do you tell a Communist? Well, it’s someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It’s someone who understands Marx and Lenin.” Ronald Reagan

Theres not much point.

A good read.. i think that they were actually Communist party members before that.. it's the reason they fled into the jungle.. it must have been extremely irritating for them to have to work in a government that had Samak however briefly as PM... interesting to see that ALL of the UDD are/were either communist or from the South of Thailand and all the communist leaning ones were initially against Thaksin.

it's good to talk about Mandela.. he is a reformed terrorist / freedom fighter and his mark on South Africa is profound. BUT he was a terrorist in the same vein as the IRA in Northern Ireland.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/12/06/9-questions-about-nelson-mandela-you-were-too-embarrassed-to-ask/

i have deleted some of your quote simply to post..

[casualbiker]

Here is the clip shown on Channel 3 this afternoon showing the view of the bombers face...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg6GOc9tehk

I am really surprised it has not been posted more widely.

Looking at that footage.. it almost looks like he knew there was a camera there!

[EyesWideOpen]

Is he referring to this photo...

How is that trying to frame? If they really were neutral and one of their men had been found to break their orders shouldn't they welcome the information so they could investigate?

Why is his face blacked out ? It this some sort of effort to prevent his real identity from

coming out ?

[Emptyset]

Is he referring to this photo...

Why is his face blacked out ? It this some sort of effort to prevent his real identity from

coming out ?

Here's a clearer one:

[tingtongteesood]

It's time for a coup General, get the balls to do with necessary. The people wants their streets back.

You really are a $h!t stirrer or the worst kind, why don't you take it somewhere else as it is really stinking up this place very badly......

[fasteddie]

My dear General, you should know by now the red shirts NEVER take responsibility for anything. It's always someone elses' fault, not theirs'.

There is nothing to take responsibility for that I know of. Using violence against a dictatorship is always justified.

Such a shame they took on a democratically elected govt really. Shame they only killed unarmed people just going about there lives. Shame they chose to storm hospitals. Shame they only attempted to burn down non military targets.

Shame you keep lying through your teeth!

[diceq]

“How do you tell a Communist? Well, it’s someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It’s someone who understands Marx and Lenin.” Ronald Reagan

I've read a few chapters of Das Kapital, and I can say for certain that 99.9% of people who call themselves anti-communist have neither read or understood anything by Marx.

[diceq]

Looking at that footage.. it almost looks like he knew there was a camera there!

No it doesn't. He is waiting for the people that come out of the door to walk away before he throws it. At no point does he look into the camera.