Thai military coup draws international censure

[Gunna]

LOL..."The Pentagon is reviewing military relations with its SE Asia Ally". What a joke. The US has been licking Thailand's boots for years now, trying to keep it's influence and not to loose out to China. Now they are trying to threaten the Thai military

If I was the Thai General, I would have the following message to the US and it's Western Allies..."DILLIGAF"?

Selective reading is your specialty? The article also said:

"The US, EU, France and others expressed deep concern."

And:

"The coup is not a solution at all to end the crisis. This will become the crisis," said Pavin Chachavalpongpun of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Japan's Kyoto University."

And

"UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was "seriously concerned" by the coup, his spokesman said. He urged a return to "constitutional, civilian, democratic rule."

Your prejudice is making you a mental case.

The responses from Western countries are standard procedure, doesn't reflect their actual thinking. They were all happy when Ukraine's Government was kicked out and have sent billions to prop up the new Government . They will only support a coup if it suits their political views and advances people they are backing

[MMarlow]

is it time for the US to invade Thailand ?

they can do for iraq, afganistan, iran ?

The US has invaded Iran?

[MMarlow]

Unbelievable; the EU must think they are the policemen of the world.

Europeans should be VERY ashamed; how dare they meddle in Thailand's affairs.

These are the same euro trash fools that gave us Hitler, Churchill, Stalin etc and now they are sticking their nose where it doesn't belong.

EUROPE- !!!!!! No one cares what you or your corrupt imperialist, capitalist group of criminals and thugs think!!!!!

And if you think that Europe "gave us" Stalin no-one should take any notice or care about what you think.

[silent]

LOL..."The Pentagon is reviewing military relations with its SE Asia Ally". What a joke. The US has been licking Thailand's boots for years now, trying to keep it's influence and not to loose out to China. Now they are trying to threaten the Thai military

If I was the Thai General, I would have the following message to the US and it's Western Allies..."DILLIGAF"?

Selective reading is your specialty? The article also said:

"The US, EU, France and others expressed deep concern."

And:

"The coup is not a solution at all to end the crisis. This will become the crisis," said Pavin Chachavalpongpun of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Japan's Kyoto University."

And

"UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was "seriously concerned" by the coup, his spokesman said. He urged a return to "constitutional, civilian, democratic rule."

Your prejudice is making you a mental case.

Subjectively the emptiest kettles make the most noise and small things do amuse small minds, but if I had the authority of a General, objectively if I saw Suthep strutting around like more of a peacock after putting as much consideration and restraint into things.........

Maybe, just maybe it's a matter of face for the rest of the world too and what else are they going to do and say beyond a wet noodle response in the face of Russia, Korea and others that are more of a threat to human rights and "the democratic way".

Politics............, (but a good throttling to save face on National TV would have been better and definitely more civilized than oh well, another coup in Thailand).

[watcharacters]

You think Obama know the difference between Taiwan & Thailand?

Most American don't.

I once thought Hitler was born in Australia, and CNN was from Georgia CCCP.

.

Are you saying He wasn't and It isn't?

[MMarlow]

The OP contains speculation about the monarchy, violating forum rules and toying with lese majeste violations. (Paragraphs #12 and #13).

Pretty risky stuff.

No it doesn't, and paragraph 13 makes no reference whatsoever to the Monarchy only "royalist elite" which does not mean the Monarchy.

Fail.

I'm glad you recognise your shortcomings but if you try harder you can improve yourself.

[TimCM]

is it time for the US to invade Thailand ?

they can do for iraq, afganistan, iran ?

That would be the shortest war in history. Most of Thailand's defenses are from the 60's or 70's.

It would beat the record for their surrender to the Japanese

[LarryBird]

What does this show?

Either the international authorities have no clue what is and has been going on in Thailand

or they are not benevolent

So nobody should pay attention to this idiots

Yes, because Thailand has been doing so well for itself through the years.

[manzan]

LOL..."The Pentagon is reviewing military relations with its SE Asia Ally". What a joke. The US has been licking Thailand's boots for years now, trying to keep it's influence and not to loose out to China. Now they are trying to threaten the Thai military

If I was the Thai General, I would have the following message to the US and it's Western Allies..."DILLIGAF"?

Selective reading is your specialty? The article also said:

"The US, EU, France and others expressed deep concern."

And:

"The coup is not a solution at all to end the crisis. This will become the crisis," said Pavin Chachavalpongpun of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Japan's Kyoto University."

And

"UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was "seriously concerned" by the coup, his spokesman said. He urged a return to "constitutional, civilian, democratic rule."

Your prejudice is making you a mental case.

Lets just for once cut all the rhetoric and get straight to the point. Thaksin is an illuminati puppet and Thailand the easiest of all the SE Asian countries to be manipulated by them (or as they thought) in bringing about the New World Order. It is documented fact that the senior players in the NWO are the USA, EU(Grea Britian) and France.

This whole series of events over the last 6 - 7 months has been orchestrated by those opposed to a NWO and Suthep was the instigator on behalf of them.

Of course if the PT government had resigned and the Shins removed from the equation, military intervention would not have been required.

I wrote exactly about this scenario at the very beginning and all is unfolding thus. I have no special insight, I just do not wear blinkers and follow all the world events without bias and face and accept the reality of what is really happening.

Thailand is but a drop in the ocean of what is yet to come.

This just goes to show how hot the sun has been of late........

actually, unfortunately antimedia's post is mostly accurate, although i don't think Suthep and backers are really against NWO as much as they just want to be in power themselves.

However, that does not take away Thaksin's ties with the New World Order. He has ties to G H W Bush who came to visit him in Thailand, who famously used the phrase New World Order in his speech to the UN on Sept. 11 1991. The globalist elite are using the phrase over and over, it is not something made up by "conspiracy theorists"

How many regime changes have we seen the past years that the US and NATO have instigated or failed to condemn? Where is the condemnation of the unelected bankers and oligarchs in charge of the Ukraine, violently crushing opposition to their illegitimate regime! They have been very busy installing puppets that are doing exactly what they want them to do.

The reason that many people can not see what is really happening is because the international media is a well oiled propaganda machine that blatantly lies and plays on people's emotions to further their agenda. If you would realize some of the lies that the media have perpetuated you will never look at the world in the same way.

.

[LukDod]

Is Thailand just maintaining their historic rankings in statistical averages????

This current military coup is the 12th which has occurred since 1932.

They've averaged a coup every 7-years and as the last once was in 2006, this one is a year late ;-)

Alas, they are now 4th place on the list of countries having had coups, following behind

Afganistan, Haiti and Bolivia

Thailand's goverment has also done a fine job of maintaining a high ranking on lists

which monitor a countries' negative attributes, such as corruption and highway deaths.

It's so sad...yet potentially correctable

[useronthenet]

More like international condemnation, evidently Thailand is still not ready to embrace democracy so it seems.

Army promised there wouldn't be a coup, but there was, so that was a total fabrication. The execution of the shutdown

was like a well-oiled machine, rehearsed, and planned with precision. Will thailand ever embrace true democracy ?

[icommunity]

There is not going to be any immediate uprising at the moment. They will be more arrests on people linked to UDD, PTP, Thaksin nationwide. The anti-democracy movements have achieved their objectives and they won't come out to create violence.

The only objective of 7-partite 'negotiation' is to pressure the resignation of the government without any guarantee that there will not be sued for dereliction of duties.

I salute the government ministers for valiantly fought for the people who entrusted them until the moment the 'old elite power' decided to seize power.

The 'old elite power' again won. They again did it through forcing the people at 'gun point' and the judiciary they set up and interpret laws they've written in the way that suit only their agendas. Creating chaos and hardships to people and country they premeditated and engineered. There is no way they can win the hearts and minds of the people.

The worrying scenarios now are likely that the next uprising will not just be the people but also the 'new generation' of ranks and files and officers in the armed forces. Increasingly many are tired of continually used as a tool serving the 'dictator regimes'. They want democracy and their votes counted. Only democracy can give them the dignity as solders to serve the country professionally and protect it from external threats.

Another worrying scenario I see is that we are going to face many border disputes with countries surrounding Thailand and from secessionists in the south. The people of various places will begin to assert their 'background linkages' to liberate themselves from bitterness, hurt and humiliation by their oppressors.

[NeverSure]

Since US and other countries that opposed to the coup are not important, I dare Thailand to respond back ending all ties with them. It's very simple.

Huh? The US is by far the biggest buyer of Thai exports and gives weapons and money to Thailand's military. It also trains Thai pilots and does joint exercises with them. The US is also a significant provider of jobs and exports for Thailand by doing manufacturing in Thailand.

The US has a treaty with Thailand and other SE Asian countries to defend them if needed.

If the US Publicly flipped Thailand the bird, China would move right in, and China is a taker, not a giver.

What are you smoking, for cripe's sake?

[bangkoklasse]

Is Thailand just maintaining their historic rankings in statistical averages????

This current military coup is the 12th which has occurred since 1932.

They've averaged a coup every 7-years and as the last once was in 2006, this one is a year late ;-)

Alas, they are now 4th place on the list of countries having had coups, following behind

Afganistan, Haiti and Bolivia

Thailand's goverment has also done a fine job of maintaining a high ranking on lists

which monitor a countries' negative attributes, such as corruption and highway deaths.

It's so sad...yet potentially correctable

Great countries Afganistan, Haiti ,Bolivia & Thailand

[dhrobertson]

It really is tragic that the BBC, CNN and others can not give a balanced analysis.

All this juvenile journalism just misses the essential points and opens the door to misinformed criticism.

Democrats v Royalists, Rich v Poor, Yellow v Red is way too simplistic. (The anti government protestors did not look particularly) aristocratic to me!

In fact, most thinking people here seem to be more optimistic following the coup. How do Jonathan Head & Co explain that?

Why can they not explain how democracy was hijacked and there wasa total lack of good governance

No easy answers for sure, but better reporting would help set the record straight.

[dhrobertson]

Since US and other countries that opposed to the coup are not important, I dare Thailand to respond back ending all ties with them. It's very simple.

Huh? The US is by far the biggest buyer of Thai exports and gives weapons and money to Thailand's military. It also trains Thai pilots and does joint exercises with them. The US is also a significant provider of jobs and exports for Thailand by doing manufacturing in Thailand.

The US has a treaty with Thailand and other SE Asian countries to defend them if needed.

If the US Publicly flipped Thailand the bird, China would move right in, and China is a taker, not a giver.

What are you smoking, for cripe's sake?

10M USD. Big Deal

Manufacturing here is to take advantage of very low wages to maintain "shareholder value"

How many Americans come here on vacation?

[dhrobertson]

And another thing....

All this bleating about democracy misses a key point

Hitler came to power in an advanced democracy

Blame alll the troubles on some group and watch all the others flock to your banner!

Pity the wehrmacht didn't stage a coup in time......

[triffid]

There is a lot more to come. A LOT MORE. No one knows why this General who has shown restraint thus far and had the country already under his control with the Military Martial Law needed to do this. Why now capture all ministers and politicians? I have been doing a little research and the last coup did not have a full lock down of the country. It did not cut TV stations. Movement was not restricted.There is more to come folks... watch this space!

'No one knows why this General who has shown restraint thus far and had the country already under his control with the Military Martial Law needed to do this.'

The current issue of The Economist purports to know the reason. You can read its piece online - the print issue has been stopped.

[bigbamboo]

Have to tread carefully here but whilst it is never a good thing to see a democracy fall under military rule sometimes it is the lesser of two evils. And when foreign governments comment on what has happened they should also be mindful, as we are in Thailand, of who is actually the head of state here.

In spite of some rumours to the contrary it is not The Sandman.

Edited May 23, 2014 by bigbamboo

[xminator]

US led? I doubt that any of the European countries that denounced the coup see themselfs as US led.

[NeverSure]

Since US and other countries that opposed to the coup are not important, I dare Thailand to respond back ending all ties with them. It's very simple.

Huh? The US is by far the biggest buyer of Thai exports and gives weapons and money to Thailand's military. It also trains Thai pilots and does joint exercises with them. The US is also a significant provider of jobs and exports for Thailand by doing manufacturing in Thailand.

The US has a treaty with Thailand and other SE Asian countries to defend them if needed.

If the US Publicly flipped Thailand the bird, China would move right in, and China is a taker, not a giver.

What are you smoking, for cripe's sake?

10M USD. Big Deal

Manufacturing here is to take advantage of very low wages to maintain "shareholder value"

How many Americans come here on vacation?

"Thailand is the 27th largest export destination for the United States. Two-way trade in goods and services in 2013 was about $40 billion, with $26.1 billion in Thai goods exported to the U.S. and $11.8 billion in U.S. goods exported to Thailand." LINK

[dhrobertson]

Since US and other countries that opposed to the coup are not important, I dare Thailand to respond back ending all ties with them. It's very simple.

Huh? The US is by far the biggest buyer of Thai exports and gives weapons and money to Thailand's military. It also trains Thai pilots and does joint exercises with them. The US is also a significant provider of jobs and exports for Thailand by doing manufacturing in Thailand.

The US has a treaty with Thailand and other SE Asian countries to defend them if needed.

If the US Publicly flipped Thailand the bird, China would move right in, and China is a taker, not a giver.

What are you smoking, for cripe's sake?

10M USD. Big Deal

Manufacturing here is to take advantage of very low wages to maintain "shareholder value"

How many Americans come here on vacation?

"Thailand is the 27th largest export destination for the United States. Two-way trade in goods and services in 2013 was about $40 billion, with $26.1 billion in Thai goods exported to the U.S. and $11.8 billion in U.S. goods exported to Thailand." LINK

Agreed, but that's not the point.

The USA will do business with the devil if there's a buck to be made.

Trade is not in question.

Withdrawing 10M USD in "aid" is what is being mooted by the state dept

[manzan]

When will the US and the UK finally realise that they cannot dictate to ther countries. Look around the globe at some of the most f' upped countries and there are US and/or UK footprints all over them....and that goes waaay back through the history and legacy of the British Empire all the way right up to the Middle East/Iraq/Iran/Afghanistan.

Let Thailand find its own way, making mistakes or positive steps as the case maybe, but at least according to their own way, not what the US and the UK perceive to be "right".

You do realise how diplomacy and foreign relations work right ?

You dont deal or have close relations with a country that dosnt share your values of human rights or worse break them ... you dont have close ties with a nation that dosnt hold the same values or morals... you dont do trade with someone who you dont share basic principles with... you dont provide military support or partnership for the same reasons.. if a principle isnt shared then youd expect your partner to tell you.. youd also not expect to take all the good stuff like trade and export when you dont hold the same basic required principles.

Moan as much as you like but basic foreign relations are based on basic upholding of rights and principles or what someone needs, no one needs rice in the west .. when they fail so does that relationship and it is the duty of that other partner to remind in this case Thailand what principles it agreed to in the first place to be recognised.

Oh dear, oh dear. First sentence Oak, clearly you do NOT understand.

Diplomacy is the art of telling people to go to hell in such a way that they ask for directions.

Winston Churchill

Let's not start on the US/UK supported dictatorships of the past and the millions that suffered as a result, or is this your version of foreign relations at work?

yes its telling others to go to hell... or that you dont approve...for many reasons... .. we are not living in 1945 btw any longer... look i couldnt give a fig who the UK tell or not to do this or that... i just get irritated when people expect to do business with a nation or organisation and have concessions and benefits and yet tell them to mind their own business on everything else.. there are some things (signed up to at the UN ) etc etc principles if you will.. when a nation breaks that they do and would expect a rebuke.... yknow common sense and stuff... this is something already taken was going to happen anyway by any thai think tank... if they have them.

yeesh

You mean like the rebuke that the ukrainian unelected coup leaders have received, in the form of financial aid and help from the CIA and Blackwater killing protesters who are against their illegitimate imposed regime

[Baerboxer]

LOL..."The Pentagon is reviewing military relations with its SE Asia Ally". What a joke. The US has been licking Thailand's boots for years now, trying to keep it's influence and not to loose out to China. Now they are trying to threaten the Thai military

If I was the Thai General, I would have the following message to the US and it's Western Allies..."DILLIGAF"?

As usual, you would be overstating the significance of Thailand to US interests. It hasn't been of any strategic importance since the Vietnam War ended..

Your expertise appears equal in all the subjects you espouse.

Better to remain quiet and let us all think you a fool than to post and confirm out thoughts.

The situation is warming up significantly in SE Asia. Don't underestimate Thailand's position in this.

[Baerboxer]

US led? I doubt that any of the European countries that denounced the coup see themselfs as US led.

Maybe not. But from a self defense view they'd be up shit creek without a paddle without the US.

How many planes, aircraft carriers and troops do Britain and France have between them at the moment? The newer members are much worse off militarily.

There is no way that EU can really upset or break the friendship with the US now. Look at Merkel. Lot of huffing and puffing when she found her phone hacked by the CIA. So what did she do. Grumble, scowl and FA else.

America leads the West. China is starting to flex its muscles in the East, but very slightly whilst Russia sabre rattles and Putin dreams of past glories as he sees them. Should Putin push his luck and look more Westwards it will be the US that stops him, with help form their allies, not the other way around.

[oldsailor35]

Who cares what farang media say.

They don't understand Thai problems.

Besides, all foreign media are block in Thailand anyway.

I hope the army will politely ask the farang media to stop reporting live from Thailand. Any news tapes can be mailed out, but must be censored and obtain the necessary news export approval from army first.

"They don't understand Thai problems".................of course not, i don't think anybody can understand Suthep who is THE Thai problem.

[edgarfriendly]

Thailand - dont want, dont need, dont understand, dont care, dont know, dont want to know, dont try, dont think, dont exceed, dont excel, dont.....just dont.

we not to be needing yiuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.......na

we to be needing you moneeeeeeeeeeeeee....na

chai-yoooooooooooo...na

[boomerangutang]

Ho Y'all, chill out.
The US gov't and anyone else saying, 'cool it' to Thai military brass, ...it's no big deal. It's a perfunctory thing. Thailand even does it, when some other little country has a coup d'etat. They issue a form letter which says something like;

"We hope cool heads will prevail, and _country name_ will avoid violence - and get back on the track to democracy."

Many countries probably keep a small stack of those form letters in their left hand desk drawer, and just fill in the name of the country, and send it on down to their ambassador, who in turn hands it to the army brass of the country which has just been commandeered.

[khunsiam]

Did I read correctly, Chalerm was detained by the military ?

BUT, BUT do they know who he is ?

didn't you know? a bunch here on TV better climb out of the cocoon once in a while.

[wabothai]

LOL..."The Pentagon is reviewing military relations with its SE Asia Ally". What a joke. The US has been licking Thailand's boots for years now, trying to keep it's influence and not to loose out to China. Now they are trying to threaten the Thai military

If I was the Thai General, I would have the following message to the US and it's Western Allies..."DILLIGAF"?

As usual, you would be overstating the significance of Thailand to US interests. It hasn't been of any strategic importance since the Vietnam War ended..

it sure is, don't forget they can't get into Birma, so they need thailand. birma is of great interest to the US.