International alarm mounts over Thai coup

[chadintheusa]

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So it seems that most of the people posting on this site love military dictatorship.

Unbelievable!

It seems that people come to Thailand and then lose all their values - if they had any to begin with.

Or they appreciate the stability it has brought. Any rpg been launched lately?

Maybe they just aren't fooled by the so called democratic governments of Thaksin. Under his leadership there was rampant corruption and violations of human rights. A democratically elected government is not automatically a good government. Some of the very worst leaders in the world can claim to be democratically elected. If you spend any time in Thailand you would know that it is foolish to force your values on the Thai people.

[Credo]

As a Brit, I urge the British Government to mind their own business. Less BBC and more listening to your Ambassador who is the expert on the ground!

The British government is minding their own business. They aren't sending fighter jets, they aren't helping impose a no-fly zone, they aren't canceling the validity of passports for travel to Thailand. They aren't even actively trying to prevent British nationals from visiting Thailand.

They are simply asking for an explanation and clear information on when the country will return to democracy.

My neighbors had one of those house blessing things where they set up the tent and have the monks come and then spend the rest of the day and into the night eating and drinking. I asked them when it would be over, since I could not get into my driveway. I didn't stop their party, but I did want to know how much inconvenience I would have to endure.

[Scott]

Please chose your words carefully during these trying times.

This topic is about the international response to the current situation. Let's keep our personal criticisms very low key.

Your cooperation is appreciated.

[triffid]

As a Brit, I urge the British Government to mind their own business. Less BBC and more listening to your Ambassador who is the expert on the ground!

Do you really think that the FCO and HMG does not read the reports of their ambassador to Thailand? Do you really suppose that the views of educated and experienced career diplomats of the FCO should carry no weight? Do you really believe that democracies, especially those that have economic ties with Thailand don't have a right to say they dislike military dictatorships?

[Basil B]

As a Brit, I urge the British Government to mind their own business. Less BBC and more listening to your Ambassador who is the expert on the ground!

Do you really think that the FCO and HMG does not read the reports of their ambassador to Thailand? Do you really suppose that the views of educated and experienced career diplomats of the FCO should carry no weight? Do you really believe that democracies, especially those that have economic ties with Thailand don't have a right to say they dislike military dictatorships?

I find it hard to believe every minister had the time to read every report that lands in his in try, yet probably watches a news program and/or reads a newspaper over breakfast and listens to the radio or reads a newspaper while travelling to work.

[TomJoad]

"... in a move the United States said had "no justification".

No justification? Maybe it's because my ambassador (& company) didn't have to walk through a demonstration site every day, the same site where some coward threw a hand grenade from a truck that killed 2 people last week. The Thai military cleared the site so at least it is safer now.

Things like that will change your perspective.

[triffid]

As a Brit, I urge the British Government to mind their own business. Less BBC and more listening to your Ambassador who is the expert on the ground!

Do you really think that the FCO and HMG does not read the reports of their ambassador to Thailand? Do you really suppose that the views of educated and experienced career diplomats of the FCO should carry no weight? Do you really believe that democracies, especially those that have economic ties with Thailand don't have a right to say they dislike military dictatorships?

I find it hard to believe every minister had the time to read every report that lands in his in try, yet probably watches a news program and/or reads a newspaper over breakfast and listens to the radio or reads a newspaper while travelling to work.

The foreign secretary or the FCO minister before he releases an official statement regarding the Thai situation takes into account the views of his ambassador in Thailand. And even if he is silly enough not to do it, the FCO staff who draft the statement do. I think one can take that as a given.

[heybruce]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

So it seems that most of the people posting on this site love military dictatorship.

Unbelievable!

It seems that people come to Thailand and then lose all their values - if they had any to begin with.

Or they appreciate the stability it has brought. Any rpg been launched lately?

Maybe they just aren't fooled by the so called democratic governments of Thaksin. Under his leadership there was rampant corruption and violations of human rights. A democratically elected government is not automatically a good government. Some of the very worst leaders in the world can claim to be democratically elected. If you spend any time in Thailand you would know that it is foolish to force your values on the Thai people.

"Under his (Thaiksin's) leadership..."? Are you that ignorant of the history of Thailand or are you attempting to rewrite history? Thailand was at least as corrupt before Thaksin as it has been since he was first elected. Also, what makes you think the military will make fighting a corruption a priority? Do you think they have a squeaky clean reputation?

What amazes and disturbs me most is the attitude of many people that any kind of government is better than a democracy they don't like. They actually think a military dictatorship is a good idea.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

^ So.. the argument is that democracy isn't perfect?

I think nobody disputes that. Western thinking however tends to prefer imperfect democracy (which very much involves the people making choices that aren't to the overall benefit of the country) is preferable to dictatorial rule by an upper class establishment that includes the military.

Also, democracy will never mature if you keep pulling the rug from under her feet. Yes democracy leads to crises, and protests, and bloody noses, and whatever else. Noone likes democracy because it's easy, or beautiful. They like it because everything else is potentially a lot worse.

(Anyway, just stating that this is Western thinking. It happens to be my opinion as well, but that's less relevant.)

[WinnieTheKhwai]

^ Worst of all, I actually thought the Democrat party would have a shot at winning elections if they campaigned right. (Or at the very least become big enough to be part of the government)

However with their camp cheerleading a military coup that seems less likely now. :/

It's hard to see how any political reform could result in something the powers-that-be find acceptable, without curbing the one-man-one-vote system even further. Possibly it'd be something like a half appointed parliament (like the senate) which completely disenfranchises around half of the electorate. That won't go down well.

Then again, if it is something like doing away with a district-model in favor of complete equal representation along party lists, then that makes it very unlikely that any party would remain in a dominant absolute majority. And it would actually be a fairer way to go about elections. (And not just for Thailand, it would help some other big democracies too actually. )

Edited May 26, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Sheryl]

This thread is not going to last much longer if people continue to post their opinions about the coup on it. Please confine your comments to the international response.

[dude123]

^ Worst of all, I actually thought the Democrat party would have a shot at winning elections if they campaigned right. (Or at the very least become big enough to be part of the government)

However with their camp cheerleading a military coup that seems less likely now. :/

It's hard to see how any political reform could result in something the powers-that-be find acceptable, without curbing the one-man-one-vote system even further. Possibly it'd be something like a half appointed parliament (like the senate) which completely disenfranchises around half of the electorate. That won't go down well.

Then again, if it is something like doing away with a district-model in favor of complete equal representation along party lists, then that makes it very unlikely that any party would remain in a dominant absolute majority. And it would actually be a fairer way to go about elections. (And not just for Thailand, it would help some other big democracies too actually. )

Would be nice if Thailand became a testbed for direct democracy such as practiced in Switzerland. Any citizen with an idea can force a referendum based on how many legitimate signatures he/she can obtain. Once referendum is voted on, if successful, the idea becomes law. Not saying it is the be all/end all of democracy, but it's a means that gives equal representation to all. The trying part of this is, "who" will enforce the new law? That's where nothing is ever perfect, but it could be a good start to something new.

What the wealthy elite in any country in the world fail to realize is that if you have a population that is equally and fairly treated, everyone wins. Everyone feels they have the same rights as others, everyone with a vision can turn this into a reality through a referendum, crime rates would crash, goodwill would prosper and economies would roar. It's not as scary as many believe it would be. Give people a fair chance and you would be surprised at how their creative spirits would work overtime for the overall good.

By giving equal rights to all citizens, there would be no need for violence as each and everyone one would know that if they would take the time an effort, they themselves could invoke change for the better.

Edited May 26, 2014 by dude123

[kimamey]

As a Brit, I urge the British Government to mind their own business. Less BBC and more listening to your Ambassador who is the expert on the ground!

Do you really think that the FCO and HMG does not read the reports of their ambassador to Thailand? Do you really suppose that the views of educated and experienced career diplomats of the FCO should carry no weight? Do you really believe that democracies, especially those that have economic ties with Thailand don't have a right to say they dislike military dictatorships?

I find it hard to believe every minister had the time to read every report that lands in his in try, yet probably watches a news program and/or reads a newspaper over breakfast and listens to the radio or reads a newspaper while travelling to work.

The foreign secretary or the FCO minister before he releases an official statement regarding the Thai situation takes into account the views of his ambassador in Thailand. And even if he is silly enough not to do it, the FCO staff who draft the statement do. I think one can take that as a given.

Western democracies will never support coups so will voice concern. It doesn't mean they liked what was going on before or that they considered it democratic.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[fullar]

Been following the situation on the news,how safe is it to come to Thailand at the moment.

[i claudius]

OMG...the Thai Military is coming...

Get a grip...this is Thailand...not Africa or South America...Martial Law...is a precursor to forming a democratic government in this country...and you should already know that...and quit acting like an overbearing school principal...

I have no great love of the govt ,but they were democratically elected , like it or not ,

just to add that ,i have just flown in on a half empty plane that would usually be packed to the gills ,while i was in the UK loads of people were crossing Thailand off their list ,to them ,its the army on the streets.,they do not see it like we do. the tourists that is .

Edited May 26, 2014 by i claudius

[citizen33]

Been following the situation on the news,how safe is it to come to Thailand at the moment.

Probably safe so far. However, there were some worrying signs of anti-foreigner sentiment today reported on social media, which seem to be linked to unhappiness with the international media reportage. See various twitter feeds on you know what.

[ALFREDO]

Been following the situation on the news,how safe is it to come to Thailand at the moment.

Come, if problems, they will be normally only in some special areas!

but leave RED shirts and =I love Thaksin= or =I LOVE DEMOCRACY= T shirts at home, ,

[ALFREDO]

Been following the situation on the news,how safe is it to come to Thailand at the moment.

Probably safe so far. However, there were some worrying signs of anti-foreigner sentiment today reported on social media, which seem to be linked to unhappiness with the international media reportage. See various twitter feeds on you know what.

LINK !

[wolf5370]

As a Brit, I urge the British Government to mind their own business. Less BBC and more listening to your Ambassador who is the expert on the ground!

Do you really think that the FCO and HMG does not read the reports of their ambassador to Thailand? Do you really suppose that the views of educated and experienced career diplomats of the FCO should carry no weight? Do you really believe that democracies, especially those that have economic ties with Thailand don't have a right to say they dislike military dictatorships?

I find it hard to believe every minister had the time to read every report that lands in his in try, yet probably watches a news program and/or reads a newspaper over breakfast and listens to the radio or reads a newspaper while travelling to work.

...and in Britain's case, probably just paraphrases whatever the USA's position is.

[Artisi]

Been following the situation on the news,how safe is it to come to Thailand at the moment.

where are you now as that could well be the yard-stick in gauging how safe is safe?

[wolf5370]

^ Worst of all, I actually thought the Democrat party would have a shot at winning elections if they campaigned right. (Or at the very least become big enough to be part of the government)

However with their camp cheerleading a military coup that seems less likely now. :/

It's hard to see how any political reform could result in something the powers-that-be find acceptable, without curbing the one-man-one-vote system even further. Possibly it'd be something like a half appointed parliament (like the senate) which completely disenfranchises around half of the electorate. That won't go down well.

Then again, if it is something like doing away with a district-model in favor of complete equal representation along party lists, then that makes it very unlikely that any party would remain in a dominant absolute majority. And it would actually be a fairer way to go about elections. (And not just for Thailand, it would help some other big democracies too actually. )

Would be nice if Thailand became a testbed for direct democracy such as practiced in Switzerland. Any citizen with an idea can force a referendum based on how many legitimate signatures he/she can obtain. Once referendum is voted on, if successful, the idea becomes law. Not saying it is the be all/end all of democracy, but it's a means that gives equal representation to all. The trying part of this is, "who" will enforce the new law? That's where nothing is ever perfect, but it could be a good start to something new.

What the wealthy elite in any country in the world fail to realize is that if you have a population that is equally and fairly treated, everyone wins. Everyone feels they have the same rights as others, everyone with a vision can turn this into a reality through a referendum, crime rates would crash, goodwill would prosper and economies would roar. It's not as scary as many believe it would be. Give people a fair chance and you would be surprised at how their creative spirits would work overtime for the overall good.

By giving equal rights to all citizens, there would be no need for violence as each and everyone one would know that if they would take the time an effort, they themselves could invoke change for the better.

Can you imagine that? Let say a wealthy man, lets call him Mr. Sinktap WashinWater, has an idea that all WashinWater's should never have to pay taxes again - so he makes a Facebook page and promises a 100 baht free to anyone who signs his petition - and 200 baht more for every vote in the referendum. Worth it in the end.

Things that rely on integrity and forward thinking are always going to be doomed here - the poor are kept poor and uneducated so small hand outs will keep them clambering like koi at feed time.

[wolf5370]

Been following the situation on the news,how safe is it to come to Thailand at the moment.

Probably the safest for the last 7 moths - but probably best avoided simply because of the curfew and other short term restrictions, that may make for a boring holiday

[icare999]

nonsense here theirs no or little alarm and most of us are grateful that army has restored some sanity

[chotthee]

Farang no understand Thai.

Farang no like Thai, farang go home.

Thai no like Thai, this is Thai home (no escape).

[heybruce]

Been following the situation on the news,how safe is it to come to Thailand at the moment.

Where do you want to go and what do you want to do?

Pretty much anywhere in the north, northeast, and Bangkok (in other words, most of Thailand), is a potential flashpoint. For as long as the 10 p.m. curfew is enforced, and it is being enforced, there is no point in coming for the nightlife. If you want to play on a beach in the south and go to bed early you should be fine.

[bkkgooner]

A nationwide curfew and detaining journalists is a long long way from sanity

[Basil B]

I find it hard to believe every minister had the time to read every report that lands in his in try, yet probably watches a news program and/or reads a newspaper over breakfast and listens to the radio or reads a newspaper while travelling to work.

The foreign secretary or the FCO minister before he releases an official statement regarding the Thai situation takes into account the views of his ambassador in Thailand. And even if he is silly enough not to do it, the FCO staff who draft the statement do. I think one can take that as a given.

I find it hard to believe that the minister had read a true report on the on going situation...

Speaking today, the Minister of State responsible for South East Asia, Hugo Swire, said:

I am extremely concerned at the deterioration of the democratic environment in Thailand. Arbitrary detentions, restrictions on local and foreign media, and limitations on freedoms of expression and assembly undermine trust in the intentions of the military leaders. I urge the Thai military authorities to provide a clear timetable for the restoration of civilian government by means of elections, in line with democratic values, and to respond proportionately to peaceful protest and dissent. In view of these negative developments, the UK is reviewing the scope of its cooperation with Thailand.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fco-minister-extremely-concerned-about-situation-in-thailand

Is he aware that Thailand is a lot safer than it was 7 days ago?

Is he aware that the thugs who have been shooting and throwing grenades are actually being rounded up and arrested?

Is he aware that the poor rice farmers are now being paid?

Thailand has improved a lot in the last 7 days, yes the situation of Thailand without a democratic elected government is a concern but until it has a constitution that outlaws corruption and allows for a election system that speaks for all, what Thailand has is a lot better than what it had last week.

Funny how he did not speak out about the corruption in last administration.

Edited May 26, 2014 by Basil B

[johnnywishbone]

Obama should send john Hanoi Jane Kerry to advise. 555!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[plachon]

Been following the situation on the news,how safe is it to come to Thailand at the moment.

Where do you want to go and what do you want to do?

Pretty much anywhere in the north, northeast, and Bangkok (in other words, most of Thailand), is a potential flashpoint. For as long as the 10 p.m. curfew is enforced, and it is being enforced, there is no point in coming for the nightlife. If you want to play on a beach in the south and go to bed early you should be fine.

Oh yeah, go south, as there's no problems down there. In fact, the further south the better. Try the beaches in Pattani and Narathiwat - lovely and deserted this time of year, or so I'm told.

[triffid]

As a Brit, I urge the British Government to mind their own business. Less BBC and more listening to your Ambassador who is the expert on the ground!

Do you really think that the FCO and HMG does not read the reports of their ambassador to Thailand? Do you really suppose that the views of educated and experienced career diplomats of the FCO should carry no weight? Do you really believe that democracies, especially those that have economic ties with Thailand don't have a right to say they dislike military dictatorships?

I find it hard to believe every minister had the time to read every report that lands in his in try, yet probably watches a news program and/or reads a newspaper over breakfast and listens to the radio or reads a newspaper while travelling to work.

...and in Britain's case, probably just paraphrases whatever the USA's position is.

And in the case of the condemnation of scores of other countries? And commentators? And press? In fact everyone other than a minority of thais (and their foreign journeymen here).

Edited May 26, 2014 by triffid