"Where's the Government Now?" Army Chief Asks Reporters

[bristolgeoff]

it was bound to happen after all the problems,maybe it will be sorted out now

[northernjohn]

He sounds like one of my students

With students that smart you must be teaching in another country than Thailand. LOL

[mrtoad]

Good solid approach from The General, needs to get this protest stuff on both sides under control.

This has been needed for sometime , as the current PTP mob have shown little inclination to do anything other than dance to a convicted criminal fugitives drum.

[sweatalot]

Anybody here still think this is not a coup?

Yes, I think it is not a coup.

It is just the appropriate action to handle a greedy, incompetent, undemocratic, criminal destructive gang of politiacians from continuing to rob the country

[sweatalot]

Of course it has only just begun. The international community is fully aware of the total corruption within the Thai armed forces. The only issue is how long will it be before the populas rise up.

What about the corruption within the - until now - governing party?

The internetional community is listening too much to the biased PR of the family behind ptp

[sweatalot]

Hilarious first show of total lack understaning of how things work. Wonder if they need a PR guy to steer the coup through the rest of the day.

Government were busy all day with Reuters, BBC, CNN, US, EU and every Ambassador in Thailand. Check out the reports. Also busy drafting a totally legal draft for elections on 3rd August.

Be difficult now for EC not to comply with election date request now their friends have ensures safety with martial law.

So, whilst the army were posturing, taking selfies and meeting with Suthep and their backers, the Government backed them into a corner with an election date. Hilarious first day in power.

Pity the Army thought to concentrate on his smug allies!!!

You seem to be one of those pathetic individuals who is crying out loud right now, just because someone stepped in in the nick of time to stop psychotic red hordes from starting a civil war. He was right - what government? They lost the control of country some time ago. And might I refresh your memory, we got to this point only because UDD/Red shirts terrorists accelerated smuggling automatic weapons to Bangkok/Thailand. Get some perspective.

It doesn't matter if it UDD/Red shirts or a completely different political party with a brand new name, you will still never be able to overcome the fact that rural Thailand and north-west Thailand will never vote for a party that primarily represents the elites and not after these most recent manoeuvres.

Eventually the Shinawatra family may be completely off the scene and it will no longer be possible to blame them. What you and others like you find difficult to accept is that the Shinawatra legacy was to motivate the masses in Isan and Chiang Mai regarding the power of their vote and the genie will never be able to be put back in the bottle.

There will always be an alternative political party that will command a much bigger vote than the Bangkok elite's party and I can't see how anyone can ever overcome that without Thailand showing that its turning its back on democracy which won't please the outside world and certainly won't help the economy.

rural Thailand and north-west Thailand will never vote for a party that primarily represents the elites

The party that primarily presents the elites may be the party, that primarily presents common sense and abilities that come from indepent education.

When rural and north-west Thailand will get what they urgently need - education - their way of voting might very well change - and they won't fall prey anymore to thugs an frauds.

[northernjohn]

I was really happy when they declared martial law to stop the violence, but this interview does not sit well with me.

It sounded more like a coup-maker talking to the conquered.

Crap. I was happy when the violence would end. Now I am afraid the violence has not begun.....

It sounded like a leader talking to his followers not a politician pandering to his namby pamby illiterate supporters. Who they are afraid of pissing them off so they won't vote for them.

As long as Thaksin has his hired thugs the chance for violence will always be with us. He gave a very good report. He did not cater to the reporters he told it like it is and when they tried to get a different answer from him he put them in their place.

He apparently has no intention of making people happy by catering to them. He told them what he knew and did not try to dignify stupid questions.

My favorite part was

"Prayuth: Do you want me to impose one? I will place a curfew on the media first."

[culicine]

He sounds like one of my students

"where's your homework"..."why don't you ask my father"

[Jackson86]

i literally laughed throughout the interview. The army really cannot speak well to reporters.

[culicine]

Anybody here still think this is not a coup?

Yes, I think it is not a coup.

It is just the appropriate action to handle a greedy, incompetent, undemocratic, criminal destructive gang of politiacians from continuing to rob the country

This is indicative of one last chance being given to these politicians to come some agreement on the way to move forward. If they can't we know what will happen. Prayuth has been very patient in my opinion.

[nidieunimaitre]

So the army is going to clean up the mess the civilians made?

Sounds good.

Same thing was said in Chile, Argentina, Greece, Turkey,.....

How did that end?

The army has been busy cleaning up South Thailand for how many years now?

Perhaps that without the countless coups, Thailand would not need a clean up?

[northernjohn]

Hilarious first show of total lack understaning of how things work. Wonder if they need a PR guy to steer the coup through the rest of the day.

Government were busy all day with Reuters, BBC, CNN, US, EU and every Ambassador in Thailand. Check out the reports. Also busy drafting a totally legal draft for elections on 3rd August.

Be difficult now for EC not to comply with election date request now their friends have ensures safety with martial law.

So, whilst the army were posturing, taking selfies and meeting with Suthep and their backers, the Government backed them into a corner with an election date. Hilarious first day in power.

Pity the Army thought to concentrate on his smug allies!!!

You seem to be one of those pathetic individuals who is crying out loud right now, just because someone stepped in in the nick of time to stop psychotic red hordes from starting a civil war. He was right - what government? They lost the control of country some time ago. And might I refresh your memory, we got to this point only because UDD/Red shirts terrorists accelerated smuggling automatic weapons to Bangkok/Thailand. Get some perspective.

It doesn't matter if it UDD/Red shirts or a completely different political party with a brand new name, you will still never be able to overcome the fact that rural Thailand and north-west Thailand will never vote for a party that primarily represents the elites and not after these most recent manoeuvres.

Eventually the Shinawatra family may be completely off the scene and it will no longer be possible to blame them. What you and others like you find difficult to accept is that the Shinawatra legacy was to motivate the masses in Isan and Chiang Mai regarding the power of their vote and the genie will never be able to be put back in the bottle.

There will always be an alternative political party that will command a much bigger vote than the Bangkok elite's party and I can't see how anyone can ever overcome that without Thailand showing that its turning its back on democracy which won't please the outside world and certainly won't help the economy.

Considering in the last 14 years the Shinawatra's have been in power for 9 of them it would seem all they are is motivating the rural poor to listen to them as they ramble on and on with out ever delivering any thing. they are just as poor today as they were in 2,000.

About time they move over and let some real leaders in. They are a miserable failure the only thing they have succeeded in is robbing the treasury. I have a friend who bought a sugar plantation in Issan so his in laws could run it and make good money. His father in law could not say enough good things about how good Thaksin was for the country. He also couldn't get sober enough to run the plantation.

[northernjohn]

i literally laughed throughout the interview. The army really cannot speak well to reporters.

Are you implying that they can not stoop low enough to pander to idiots who don't listen?

[djjamie]

Oh dear scamper, what you fail to grasp is that General Prayuth is very much a politician, as well as a military leader, whether he likes it or not.

It's very common for staff officers of such high ranking to be involved in politics especially in Thailand, all one needs to do is look at the senate, I do believe there are former Generals sitting there due to the events of the past.

To also think he's naive and not aware of the potential implications of today's events with regards to the political climate is also naive.

I like him, he seems a no none sense type of person, I personally know a British General, he used to be my old company Commander who was also a no none sense type of guy, but the higher the ladder he rose, the more political his position was, rather than being Military tough guys, many British Generals were the same, and at the end of the, he's decided to step in, so in effect he's now a statesman and a politician as well as the leader of the Royal Thai Army.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

How do you know the General is a politician? Are you privvy to the information or are you taking someone else's words as face value?

Have you got the facts at hand to back up your claims or are you just talking speculation and guessing??

I want evidence from you that he is a politician, statements from the political party he is in, reports to back this from the EC and electoral ballots showing his name. All original documents please lest you fabricate the evidence. Seeing as you seem to have inside knowledge as you seemingly only deal in FACTS then this should not be an issue for you.

It's fine if you're not able to provide this evidence, it's as I suspect it's just another opinion here on TVF that is one of many that mean diddly squat

This is a reasonable request of evidence since you have asked the same of me here.

[MaxLee]

Where's the Government Now?

In their secret hideout, talking to the man in Dubai via Skype...

[rametindallas]

"Where's the Government Now?"

Asked myself the same question ever since PTP came to power, not that I expect alot from super greedy Thai-Chinese clans, but PTP must been the worst government in SE. Asia since Marcos.

Ran out of 'Likes'. +1

[rametindallas]

"We will try not to violate human rights -- too much. We will try not to cause inconvenience to the public. There are still many provisions in the martial laws we have not used."

The message should be clear. This is considered 'blunt speech' for a Thai. (Pol. Capt. Chalerm is an extreme 'blunt speaker') In case you still don't 'get' it, I will translate his remark into Western blunt speech: "Don't start any s*it and there won't be any s*it, I'm serious as a heart attack". It's clearly a direct threat of violence against anyone involved with civil disturbance.

BTW, did you read the list of powers available to the army, constitutionally, under the rules of Martial Law? Gen. Prayuth, so far, has hardly used any of the provisions of Martial Law. He's just stating a fact.

Edited May 20, 2014 by rametindallas

[NCFC]

This is going to turn out a big win for the government. The general simply will be unable to say he cannot protect the forth coming election. To do so will be to admit failure

Suthep and his thugs will not be able to stop the election this time and the result will be backed up by the authority of the army to see that no monkey business takes place at the booths.

And PTP will be returned with the biggest landslide in Thai history.

And Scampi will disappear up his own rhetoric.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[JAG]

Straight to the point, Respect to Gen. Prayuth. Need Generals like him in the British Army and then maybe Britain would still have a military rather than a defence force

A remarkable statement, given the Thai Army's performance in the south, and against the Cambodians, and the Laotians.... If you see what I mean.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[mrtoad]

This is going to turn out a big win for the government. The general simply will be unable to say he cannot protect the forth coming election. To do so will be to admit failure

Suthep and his thugs will not be able to stop the election this time and the result will be backed up by the authority of the army to see that no monkey business takes place at the booths.

And PTP will be returned with the biggest landslide in Thai history.

And Scampi will disappear up his own rhetoric.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Unlikely, as there will be very little left of PTP , and Thaksin is not as supported as some May think these days.

Hopefully, there will be some reforms put into place prior to any election as well.

[JAG]

Hilarious first show of total lack understaning of how things work. Wonder if they need a PR guy to steer the coup through the rest of the day.

Government were busy all day with Reuters, BBC, CNN, US, EU and every Ambassador in Thailand. Check out the reports. Also busy drafting a totally legal draft for elections on 3rd August.

Be difficult now for EC not to comply with election date request now their friends have ensures safety with martial law.

So, whilst the army were posturing, taking selfies and meeting with Suthep and their backers, the Government backed them into a corner with an election date. Hilarious first day in power.

Pity the Army thought to concentrate on his smug allies!!!

You seem to be one of those pathetic individuals who is crying out loud right now, just because someone stepped in in the nick of time to stop psychotic red hordes from starting a civil war. He was right - what government? They lost the control of country some time ago. And might I refresh your memory, we got to this point only because UDD/Red shirts terrorists accelerated smuggling automatic weapons to Bangkok/Thailand. Get some perspective.

It doesn't matter if it UDD/Red shirts or a completely different political party with a brand new name, you will still never be able to overcome the fact that rural Thailand and north-west Thailand will never vote for a party that primarily represents the elites and not after these most recent manoeuvres.

Eventually the Shinawatra family may be completely off the scene and it will no longer be possible to blame them. What you and others like you find difficult to accept is that the Shinawatra legacy was to motivate the masses in Isan and Chiang Mai regarding the power of their vote and the genie will never be able to be put back in the bottle.

There will always be an alternative political party that will command a much bigger vote than the Bangkok elite's party and I can't see how anyone can ever overcome that without Thailand showing that its turning its back on democracy which won't please the outside world and certainly won't help the economy.

rural Thailand and north-west Thailand will never vote for a party that primarily represents the elites

The party that primarily presents the elites may be the party, that primarily presents common sense and abilities that come from indepent education.

When rural and north-west Thailand will get what they urgently need - education - their way of voting might very well change - and they won't fall prey anymore to thugs an frauds.

A challenging concept, considering that the party which you laud as "primarily presents common sense and abilities that come from independent education" appears to have fallen prey to Suthep, the last word in "thugs an frauds"!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[anteater]

Hilarious first show of total lack understaning of how things work. Wonder if they need a PR guy to steer the coup through the rest of the day.

Government were busy all day with Reuters, BBC, CNN, US, EU and every Ambassador in Thailand. Check out the reports. Also busy drafting a totally legal draft for elections on 3rd August.

Be difficult now for EC not to comply with election date request now their friends have ensures safety with martial law.

So, whilst the army were posturing, taking selfies and meeting with Suthep and their backers, the Government backed them into a corner with an election date. Hilarious first day in power.

Pity the Army thought to concentrate on his smug allies!!!

You seem to be one of those pathetic individuals who is crying out loud right now, just because someone stepped in in the nick of time to stop psychotic red hordes from starting a civil war. He was right - what government? They lost the control of country some time ago. And might I refresh your memory, we got to this point only because UDD/Red shirts terrorists accelerated smuggling automatic weapons to Bangkok/Thailand. Get some perspective.

The perspective from Nuremberg in the 1930s, perhaps?

[rametindallas]

Anybody here still think this is not a coup?

Nah. You'd need a functioning government to have a coup on. The remains of the Thaksin puppet, PTP government were non functioning. The military is filling a huge security void. Yesterday, before Martial Law was declared, I got a formal notice from the U.S. State Dept. warning of possible 'sudden outbreak of violence in an, otherwise, peaceful demonstration.

This is the second warning I have received since 2010 and the protest has been going on for seven months. The U.S. Embassy was aware of the sudden escalation of deadly violence by pro-government operatives, there had to be intense pressure on Prayuth to stop the violence. The army can't stop the violence in the Deep South so I think we will continue to see more grenades and gunfire against the anti-government organizations. Of course, that will compel and legitimate Gen. Prayuth to assume more power. It's lose, lose, now, for Thaksin and his supporters; paid or otherwise. This may turn into a coup but it is not a coup yet. It is Thaksin's move now.

[Thaddeus]

Anybody here still think this is not a coup?

It isn't, it's a spanking and well deserved.

[rametindallas]

As some folk in the Deep South say, 'He sure told them how the cow ate the cabbage'. I admire the tenacity of the reporter not being 'kreing jai' (respectful of feelings) with the General at all. The Thaksin puppet, PTP cabinet is still in place but redundant and I expect to read of their resignations soon. I think the deadly M-79 grenade attack and drive-by shooting at Democracy Monument (in the heart of original Bangkok) was a 'bridge too far' for Thaksin's forces. The more Thaksin's forces agitate, the more power the general assumes. Your move, Thaksin.

[sumtingwong]

Isn't the government in Dubai?

[noitom]

Based on his comments and attitude, Thailand is clearly in military dictatorship status.

[Maestro]

Removed two posts, one defamatory, the other using abusive language, both directed at a general.

Members should be extra careful not to post in this manner during this time of martial law as it could get them into serious trouble with the authorities.

[kuiburi]

Way to go General ,

[nidieunimaitre]

Removed two post, one defamatory, the other using abusing language, both directed at a general.

Members should be extra careful not to post in this manner during this time of martial law as it could get them into serious trouble with the authorities.

Oh my god.

Have we really reached that stage?

This post is not intended as a criticism of Maestro!