US on martial law in Thailand: must be 'temporary'

[millwall_fan]

The Americans generally have played a positive role in Thailand - and are possibly the only country that the Thais listen to.

Prayuth won't want to upset the Yanks, as after the last coup/martial law situation they suspended the delivery all the latest weaponry and gizmos that the generals go all gooey for.

Well done USA you got it right (for once!).

[impulse]

Here we go again...

The voice of the planets do good angel.

Do all countries belong to the USA?

Are we all USA citizens?

3/4 of a million folks left their home country and became US citizens in 2009. 41 Million immigrants live in the USA.

How many flocked to your shores and became naturalized citizens?

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/publications/natz_fr_2011.pdf

http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states

Edited May 20, 2014 by impulse

[pkspeaker]

it must be 'temporary' in other words the US will continue to press for elections to solve the 'political impasse'

the ? is what will their position be if the Senate 'appoints' a PM with full powers.. before it was a joke because CAPO would not respect it..

but now CRES is in charge of security.. what happens if they (senate) presses the appointment despite 'marshall law'

AND now that we are under martial law- I guess the EC and military gov(CRES) has no excuse to not schedule the next election they will be able to prevent the election from being sabotaged ..something CAPO was unable to do..

[culicine]

Yeaaaah, sure, it will be temporary. Certainly no longer than two or three years, depending how long it takes our next batch of stooges to draft a constitution. We got a lot of practice with that now.

Make that temporary twenty to thirty years.

Since when have the military even been in power 20-30 years ? Last time was 2 years, remember.

This is a golden opportunity - let the military run the country for the year; while parties organise a reform package all can agree on. If they can't do it, let the military remain in control. I'd never trust ANY government to undertake reforms once they are in power.

[geriatrickid]

We do not want your advice USA. Stop invading other nations and the world may respect your advice.

If you want preferred trading status, which includes waivers of some tariffs and duties, and if you want the hundreds of millions of $$ of aid that is channeled through USAID, the NIH , NGOs and the US Army medical corps, and you want US military assistance, then it would be well advised to heed the US advice. You can talk tough when you are the one financing the projects and acting as a buffer against Chinese expansionism. tell you what, the next time there is a tsunami and you need help ask Russia and China to send the helicopters, search & rescue medical teams and money. They have such a brilliant history of helping out…….

[h90]

We do not want your advice USA. Stop invading other nations and the world may respect your advice.

If you want preferred trading status, which includes waivers of some tariffs and duties, and if you want the hundreds of millions of $$ of aid that is channeled through USAID, the NIH , NGOs and the US Army medical corps, and you want US military assistance, then it would be well advised to heed the US advice. You can talk tough when you are the one financing the projects and acting as a buffer against Chinese expansionism. tell you what, the next time there is a tsunami and you need help ask Russia and China to send the helicopters, search & rescue medical teams and money. They have such a brilliant history of helping out…….

And not to forget the direct payments to politicians. The NSA spying and the secret torture centers also bring jobs in Thailand.

Chinese expansionism???? Where??? Which countries were recently invaded by China, which by the USA?

China was very helpful at the floods 2011 and much more efficient than the USA as they handed out everything to the Thai military instead of the politicians so it reached the people faster.

[mrtoad]

Sound advice from the US

Only it arrives with a certain 'stench' attached to it.

Well, if you are from any of the former colonizing nations, that stench might be coming from your upper lip as you look down your long nose.

Do you have a chip on both shoulders?

[Somtamnication]

Every time the US meddles, wars start. They need to <deleted>!

[mrtoad]

The way it works is this.

The moment you stop being a democracy, your aide stops immediately and automacically and sanctions are AUTOMATICALLY imposed.

There is no negotiation on this in US law, you are a democracy or you are toast!! Same as happened last time for those of us who remember.

Really want to bankrupt the country as well as more civil strife? what better way than an appointed PM!!!

This is all incorrect, and the US doesn't provide aid to Thailand anyway.

I've just gone dizzy; a post by In Town which I agree with.

[pkspeaker]

yea i see at the subway this sign that says Japan built it, with their own money, as an economic development thing.. if Thailand is going to take all this money and 'development' (from mostly) western democracy's then they are committed to a democratic system..

you can scream corruption all you want as that is what every dictator does, every dictator claims democracy is 'corrupt'

But first and foremost in a democracy, the people are allowed to VOTE for WHO leads them, you create a shortlist, Yingluck, Abhisit, Chuvwit, a few others.. the people are allowed to CHOOSE which one of these jokers they want as PM, so they vote for that partylist.

When the loosers of the election are ramrodded thru using the courts and military, then we have a military dictatorship here-and a fascists one at that.

[Publicus]

Yawn..... They don't give a toss what you think over there in your imperialist ivory towers while you dictate to the world.

One of the world's youngest nations trying to tell the rest of the world how to run their countries some of which contain civilizations thousands of years in the making.

Pathetic parasites.

Ancient and feudal civilizations, i.e., ones that are dead, decrepit or dying.

Ancien regimes.

[citizen33]

Under s508 of the Foreign Assistance Act, 1961 aid cannot be provided to “any country whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup or decree.” This led to a 2 year cessation of most military aid to the post-coup government after 2006. However, it seems that a few projects deemed to be in the US interest were still funded.

[hard124get]

We do not want your advice USA. Stop invading other nations and the world may respect your advice.

Then stop asking us for billions of dollars........<deleted>

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Who is asking? Foreign Aid is given to corrupt officials in poor countries to further US interests.

Edited May 20, 2014 by hard124get

[jennywren]

Must be well impressed with the Neutrality and impartiallity of the Coup so far.

UDD rally surrounded and hemmed in. V PDRC meeting in Gov house which the Army said they had re-claimed.

It'll over for the Junta and Appointed PM well before xmas this time around.

[Publicus]

“The United States is concerned about the political crisis in Thailand and urges "all parties to respect democratic principles, including respect for freedom of speech,"

Talk about double standards. What a joke!

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/05/18/Harry-Reid-Vote-to-Amend-U-S-Constitution-to-Limit-Political-Speech

Always how it fits them...Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Syria......everywhere the "must be" is very different.

Of the deeply troubled countries you mentioned, Thailand already has become the case study of the failure of democracy in each place due to the strong reaction of the middle classes manipulated by the ruling elites against the socio-economic demands of the excluded, the poor, the historically dispossessed, who instead see democracy as their vehicle to inclusion, participation, equity and equality. The traditional elites and the middle classes that are their creation want to impose the past onto the future by authoritarian rule enabled by "seizing power."

"Fascism seeks to build a mass movement of everyone considered part of

the national community, actively engaged but controlled from above, to seize

political power and remake the social order. This movement is driven by a

vision of the national community rising phoenix-like after a period

of encroaching decadence which all but destroyed it. Such rebirth involves

systematic, top-down transformation of all social spheres by an

anauthoritarian state, and suppression or purging of all forces,

ideologies, and social groups the fascists define as alien."

http://kasamaproject.org/history/2076-8fascism-as-movement-ideology

[Eliot Rosewater]

We do not want your advice USA. Stop invading other nations and the world may respect your advice.

Then stop asking us for billions of dollars........

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Who is asking? Foreign Aid is given to corrupt officials in poor countries to further US interests.

Thailand is asking

They are and have been a HUGE recipient of both economic and military aid

If you dont want our advice then stop asking for and taking OUR money, full stop

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[silverhawk_usa]

If anyone "seriously" wants to read the background and current status regarding the U.S. relationship with Thailand. there is a 2013 report to Congress prepared by the U.S. Congressional Research Service. This is a non-partisan group within the Library of Congress. In my opinion it seems quite truthful and wellbalanced.

Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations

Edit: Typo

Edited May 20, 2014 by silverhawk_usa

[Fookhaht]

Source: http://www.usaid.gov/thailand

[mojorison]

*Deleted Post Edited out*

Being the worlds most powerful nation, (which is not a subject of dispute, it is simple fact...on all levels, technology, materialistic, militarily on and on), they are entitled to give all the advice they want. That's how this old "super-power" thingy works. They can also make the rules, (which I personally support 110%).

If they didn't invade a country or 2 from time to time, the world would be run by the Chinese and the Russians. Is that what you really want.

Most of this thread will be filled with US bashers, but it may be wiser if if the bashers spent half a second to actually think about the alternatives.

(Having said that, they don't always get it right...but give me a world run by the Americans over one run by Kim rong-un, Putin and about 50 other nameless despots... LOL)

Edited May 20, 2014 by Scott

[heybruce]

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Yawn..... They don't give a toss what you think over there in your imperialist ivory towers while you dictate to the world.

One of the world's youngest nations trying to tell the rest of the world how to run their countries some of which contain civilizations thousands of years in the making.

Pathetic parasites.

The U.S. has functioned under the same constitution since 1787, making it the oldest functioning constitutional democracy in the world. It isn't perfect, and the constitution has been modified with 27 amendments over 237 years, but overall it's worked pretty well. Fledgling democracies would be foolish not look more experienced democracies for useful lessons.

“The United States is concerned about the political crisis in Thailand and urges "all parties to respect democratic principles, including respect for freedom of speech,"

Talk about double standards. What a joke! alt=bah.gif>

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/05/18/Harry-Reid-Vote-to-Amend-U-S-Constitution-to-Limit-Political-Speech

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is proposing a constitutional amendment limiting the ability of billionaires like the Koch brothers to use their money to unduly influence elections. The proposed amendment stands little chance of passage, but many people think it's a good idea.

Regarding the U.S. statement that martial law must be temporary and democracy return; how many people disagree with this sentiment?

Edited May 20, 2014 by heybruce

[Water Buffalo]

How about the US allows the world to practice democracy and vote them out! Why is it they can just do whatever they want, but nobody else can?

[heybruce]

We do not want your advice USA. Stop invading other nations and the world may respect your advice.

Being the worlds most powerful nation, (which is not a subject of dispute, it is simple fact...on all levels, technology, materialistic, militarily on and on), they are entitled to give all the advice they want. That's how this old "super-power" thingy works. They can also make the rules, (which I personally support 110%).

If they didn't invade a country or 2 from time to time, the world would be run by the Chinese and the Russians. Is that what you really want.

Most of this thread will be filled with US bashers, but it may be wiser if if the bashers spent half a second to actually think about the alternatives.

(Having said that, they don't always get it right...but give me a world run by the Americans over one run by Kim rong-un, Putin and about 50 other nameless despots... LOL)

The US empire is crumbling, other nations nether fear nor respect you. We are entering the Asian empire whether you like it or not.

Do you like it? When you write "Asian empire" I assume you mean Chinese empire. What do you think this Chinese empire will be like? Should it be welcomed or resisted?

[55Jay]

Is issuing a statement after an action has begun, considered meddling?

UK and EU are meeting and expected to meddle issue statements shortly

Switzerland has issued a preview of their meddling statement:

Thailand must resolve its political conflict by democratic means. We urge full respect for human rights also in today’s difficult situation.

— Carl Bildt

May 20, 2014

Be interesting to see how many other foreign countries come out to meddle in Thailand's affairs, and the responses to them.

To all the US "fans" out there, you should be over the moon that Thailand (Army) has, indeed, done exactly what it intended despite any meddling or statements from the US or anyone else. Instead, your predisposition about the US has you knee jerking all over the place, like a schizophrenic chimpanzee.

[55Jay]

Sound advice from the US

Only it arrives with a certain 'stench' attached to it.

Well, if you are from any of the former colonizing nations, that stench might be coming from your upper lip as you look down your long nose.

Do you have a chip on both shoulders?

As other nations and nation groups being to release their own similar statements, it will be obvious which shoulders have chips on them.

[WhizBang]

Why was the US totally silent on the rape and pillaging of Thailand by this despotic government?

Why silent on the total lack of law and order in Thailand?

Why silent on the endless stream of threats and intimidation of the NACC, the Constitution Court, the government workers and the protesters by this government and CAPO?

Why silent on all the government MPs and officials endlessly flying off to Dubai, Hong kong or Singapore to meet with the fugitive criminal?

No double standards you say? Total BS I say.

If the US really wanted to help Thailand, then they should have been screaming from the rooftops since this government came to power by illicit means.

[wwest5829]

Why was the US totally silent on the rape and pillaging of Thailand by this despotic government?

Why silent on the total lack of law and order in Thailand?

Why silent on the endless stream of threats and intimidation of the NACC, the Constitution Court, the government workers and the protesters by this government and CAPO?

Why silent on all the government MPs and officials endlessly flying off to Dubai, Hong kong or Singapore to meet with the fugitive criminal?

No double standards you say? Total BS I say.

If the US really wanted to help Thailand, then they should have been screaming from the rooftops since this government came to power by illicit means.

"...this government came to power by illicit means". You mean an election? Because the U.S. Government has not deemed to consult you personally, do not assume they were not voicing their concerns to the Thai government. The current U.S. Government statements appear innocuous enough to me, simply stating they basically hope for Thailand to keep working toward a democracy with freedoms embarrassed by several successful democracies ( yes, yes, we can debate the success and shortcomings).

[kingalfred]

The US just saying that they will not give money ( borrowed money by the way) if the situation was to continue for too long. Now what is "temporary" in the eyes of Uncle Sam is anyones guess. The good ol' USA decides and changes as is "its want."

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited May 20, 2014 by kingalfred

[heybruce]

Why was the US totally silent on the rape and pillaging of Thailand by this despotic government?

Why silent on the total lack of law and order in Thailand?

Why silent on the endless stream of threats and intimidation of the NACC, the Constitution Court, the government workers and the protesters by this government and CAPO?

Why silent on all the government MPs and officials endlessly flying off to Dubai, Hong kong or Singapore to meet with the fugitive criminal?

No double standards you say? Total BS I say.

If the US really wanted to help Thailand, then they should have been screaming from the rooftops since this government came to power by illicit means.

So you want the US to be more involved in the internal affairs of other nations, not less. I lot of people, in and out of the US, would disagree with that.

In this case it seems you wanted the US to take sides and actively support Suthep in his quest to topple a democratically elected government and hand over government to some unelected committees with directions to "reform" the system, with no firm deadline for completion. Once again, a lot of people would disagree.

[hansnl]

The way it works is this.

The moment you stop being a democracy, your aide stops immediately and automacically and sanctions are AUTOMATICALLY imposed.

There is no negotiation on this in US law, you are a democracy or you are toast!! Same as happened last time for those of us who remember.

Really want to bankrupt the country as well as more civil strife? what better way than an appointed PM!!!

As the US sees a democracy to be "honestly" voted for, where were they before?

Besides that, it is definitely NOT the business of the US.

[hansnl]

Why was the US totally silent on the rape and pillaging of Thailand by this despotic government?

Why silent on the total lack of law and order in Thailand?

Why silent on the endless stream of threats and intimidation of the NACC, the Constitution Court, the government workers and the protesters by this government and CAPO?

Why silent on all the government MPs and officials endlessly flying off to Dubai, Hong kong or Singapore to meet with the fugitive criminal?

No double standards you say? Total BS I say.

If the US really wanted to help Thailand, then they should have been screaming from the rooftops since this government came to power by illicit means.

So you want the US to be more involved in the internal affairs of other nations, not less. I lot of people, in and out of the US, would disagree with that.

In this case it seems you wanted the US to take sides and actively support Suthep in his quest to topple a democratically elected government and hand over government to some unelected committees with directions to "reform" the system, with no firm deadline for completion. Once again, a lot of people would disagree.

Democratically elected government?

For the US and most US citizen democracy is voting, and only that.

If a voted for government is making a mess of it, breaking the laws, ignoring the laws, trying to change the laws to suit their own ends, for the US, never mind, the government has been elected for...........