Police Say Anti-American Protest Not Violation of Martial Law

[northernjohn]

In my opinion one fact is being overlooked here.

Ever since the Coup leaders switched the leaders in the police department law breakers have been stopped much more vigilantly than under the old leaders.

Maybe they are also glad to see the corruption going out of business and willing to help make Thailand a better place. that is just my opinion of why they are doing it.

[Bluespunk]

"America, don't poke your nose into Thailand's [internal] issues," Mr. Thep told reporters. "We have been living for many years peacefully. When the Thais started to fight and kill each other, the soldiers intervened to maintain peace, so that Thais won't kill each other."

​The USA isn't poking it's nose into anyones affairs. They are following their own policy of who they deal with. If they want to downgrade military relations that's their choice.

This man should stop poking his nose into America's decisions.

Blues, regardless what one chooses to call it, the fact the US has chosen this particular path (which you are correct they have every right to do) has only given the Chinese an opportunity to solidify their own relations-- favor--here in Thailand.

In the larger picture, it appears to me that the US may have made a poor choice--but thats just my own opinion.

Absolutely agree with you, however nonsensical protests like this get on my nerves.

[stickyrice2000]

If it makes them feel better, they can anti-American as much as they want. I am sure the Americans will not lose sleep over it.

[Morch]

Regardless, when only one man showed up for the protest, the plan to storm the US Embassy was inevitably canceled.

[tagranados]

@northernjohn I see what you mean. Hadn't thought of it that way. Is it sort of like Japan needs to say something? I don't think I'll ever get used to the whole save face thing. It feels deceptive to me.

[salavan]

i would assume any anti foriegn behaviour is acceptable in thailand

[Suriya4]

This is Thailand. And farang still wondering why they don't understand Thai mentality.

[ericthai]

Perhaps Thailand can heal its internal conflict and find unity to move forward in a common cause--and it seems the US has provided the catalyst by their meddling.

Where do you see that the US is meddling? They are doing the opposite and stopped providing support to the Thai Military. I would say if they continued to support the Thai Military aid then that would be meddling. If you don't know the US was giving $4 million USD a year to the Thai Military, so now they stopped.

It's not like the US is sitting at the boarder ready to invade Thailand or trying to tell the military what to do.

As for the report this was being created long before the coup took place and it's not just Thailand that is evaluated.

[Thai at Heart]

They shouldn't interfere in case Thailand ends up like Iraq???????

Maybe they should invade ???

[northernjohn]

Announcing gathering to protest in favor of democracy, calling for eat sandiwches and read book. Lone protester caught eating a sandwich: arrested.

Announcing protests against US in front of US embassy, Lone protester expressing his anger against US. A pat on his shoulder, some smile and a nice article on The Nation.

Talking about double standards...

Not to mention meaningless unsupported nit picking.

[noitom]

If it was a protest against Thai seafood slave labor practices in front of the US embassy asking for the halting of Thai shrimp imports in to US, it would have been shut down quick.

[ClutchClark]

Well, what is the nature of a fascist dictatorship?

It will immediately stifle the press and free speech. In this age it must include the internet, TV and emails. Only items favorable to the dictatorship will be allowed.

It will immediately work hard to disarm its potential dissidents.

It will immediately lock up those who are potential threats to itself. At the least it will keep them locked up until they are sufficiently intimidated and silenced.

It will work hard at putting out statements trying to justify itself.

It will probably initially be seen favorably by the citizens due to the chaos that preceded it. The locals initially feel safer.

The chaos that preceded it is what allowed it to come to power with the approval of the citizens. "Anything is better than that."

Pro-fascist demonstrators are encouraged and anti's are punished.

Certain groups are shown favoritism and certain other groups can be seen to be harassed at the very least.

There is more...

Here is a great example right in the good ol' US of A called "Ag-gag" legislation:

Ag-gag is a term used for a variety of anti-whistleblower laws in the United States of America. In Utah and Iowa, the recording of undercover videos showing animal cruelty in farming practices is now illegal.[1] Reporters have noted that some of these laws (in particular, Pennsylvania's pending bill) could also be used to criminalize anti-fracking activists, or those who protest the drilling of shale oil and gas using hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" technique.[2] The term "ag gag" for the laws was coined by Mark Bittman in an April 2011 New York Times column.[3]

In 2002, the American Legislative Exchange Council drafted the Animal and Ecological Terrorism Act, a model law for distribution to lobbyists and state lawmakers across the nation. The model bill prohibited "entering an animal or research facility to take pictures by photograph, video camera, or other means with the intent to commit criminal activities or defame the facility or its owner". It also created a "terrorist registry" for those convicted under the law.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ag-gag

Edited June 29, 2014 by ClutchClark

[rubl]

Well, what is the nature of a fascist dictatorship?

It will immediately stifle the press and free speech. In this age it must include the internet, TV and emails. Only items favorable to the dictatorship will be allowed.

It will immediately work hard to disarm its potential dissidents.

It will immediately lock up those who are potential threats to itself. At the least it will keep them locked up until they are sufficiently intimidated and silenced.

It will work hard at putting out statements trying to justify itself.

It will probably initially be seen favorably by the citizens due to the chaos that preceded it. The locals initially feel safer.

The chaos that preceded it is what allowed it to come to power with the approval of the citizens. "Anything is better than that."

Pro-fascist demonstrators are encouraged and anti's are punished.

Certain groups are shown favoritism and certain other groups can be seen to be harassed at the very least.

There is more...

A fascist dictatorship? Are we still talking about the topic of the police say anti-american not violation of martial law?

[ClutchClark]

Perhaps Thailand can heal its internal conflict and find unity to move forward in a common cause--and it seems the US has provided the catalyst by their meddling.

Where do you see that the US is meddling? They are doing the opposite and stopped providing support to the Thai Military. I would say if they continued to support the Thai Military aid then that would be meddling. If you don't know the US was giving $4 million USD a year to the Thai Military, so now they stopped.

It's not like the US is sitting at the boarder ready to invade Thailand or trying to tell the military what to do.

As for the report this was being created long before the coup took place and it's not just Thailand that is evaluated.

You are right, it was a poor choice to say "meddling" for the reasons you indicate.

I should have stated, "...the US has provided a catalyst by its recent actions".

Thanks for pointing that out.

[Trembly]

Perhaps Thailand can heal its internal conflict and find unity to move forward in a common cause--and it seems the US has provided the catalyst by their meddling.

So America should not have laws that forbid it from providing material support to undemocratically elected governments? Or, is it expected to make a special case for Thailand?

Or are you speaking of the TIP trafficking report- that should be ignored, too?

So Thailand should not be held to the same standards as other nations? Well, I can almost agree with that as no way can it ever achieve that with a largely uneducated populace as its core, which is quite deliberate.

What laws are you talking about. they give the IRA 17million a year.

Here's a list of all the undemocratic dictators that the US overthrew in order to support the democratically elected governments that were actually chosen by the people (mostly). What makes you think anything different is going on right now?

[Jim walker]

I suppose this is all that Thailand is capable of take to the streets even one man would be sufficient to get the Americans trembling to back down and just say sorry we made a big mistake picking on superpower Thailand with their wonderful Junta, and just place your military weapons order as usual and we will get it posted end of month post haste to you.

[vegasphl]

Lets see..........65 million folks in Thailand and only one protestor! I would have thought it would be the opposite...64,999,999 protestors and one Pro-America.

[kmj]

One idiot standing outside The US embassy, hardly a breach of martial law.

Is it going to be a problem if he's not the only Thai who feels this way ?

No...

[kmj]

well I hope the US government gets upset & pulls out of Thailand...

oh by the way they can pack up the CIA "black site" they have here that they been having some"enhanced interrogation" interviews with some prisoners without a trial or any human rights,

but maybe the Thai military shut that down already.

555 CIA black site, don't tell me your'e ex CIA, time for your tablets...

[NeverSure]

Well, what is the nature of a fascist dictatorship?

It will immediately stifle the press and free speech. In this age it must include the internet, TV and emails. Only items favorable to the dictatorship will be allowed.

It will immediately work hard to disarm its potential dissidents.

It will immediately lock up those who are potential threats to itself. At the least it will keep them locked up until they are sufficiently intimidated and silenced.

It will work hard at putting out statements trying to justify itself.

It will probably initially be seen favorably by the citizens due to the chaos that preceded it. The locals initially feel safer.

The chaos that preceded it is what allowed it to come to power with the approval of the citizens. "Anything is better than that."

Pro-fascist demonstrators are encouraged and anti's are punished.

Certain groups are shown favoritism and certain other groups can be seen to be harassed at the very least.

There is more...

A fascist dictatorship? Are we still talking about the topic of the police say anti-american not violation of martial law?

I don't know what you're getting at. On that topic I said:

"It will immediately stifle the press and free speech. In this age it must include the internet, TV and emails. Only items favorable to the dictatorship will be allowed."

[ChiangMike]

Nixon; assh*le. Both Clintons; assh*les. Obama; assh*le (though maybe less than the others) and he has surrounded himself with sycophant assh*les. Bush and Cheney, two of the most bottom feeding scumbag assh*les of my lifespan. I can say those things without fear of retaliation, or worrying about whether my neighbors or social media 'friends' will turn me in for a monetary award. Anyone in my old neighborhood in Los Angeles singing happy USA songs with jingoistic fervor would be seen as a nutter (and on my personal avoid list).

There's a long litany of legitimate criticism of US foreign policy, but using Anti US sentiment to deflect focus away from the very real and scary precedents being set now in the Land of Smiles is a joke. And sad. It begs the question - what's your hierarchy of values.

Lets all play pop goes the weasel.

[chainarong]

This sends a message that Thailand has not improved , the Police have not improved and the Junta has not improved Thailand's lot, as I have predicted, that within six months, the situation in Thailand will be the same as before General Prayuth took the reins , there is nothing wrong with holding peaceful protests in a democracy , however you can hardly call Thailand a democracy at this stage , As for the interference of USA in Thailand's affairs and don't get me wrong I don't like interference in other countries , but me thinks Thailand winges to much , any little thing that happens in Thailand is generally of Thailand's own making , as the saying go's , put your own house in order before trying on the most powerful country in the world, USA is trying to guide a miss behaving ally,(Child) Remember, USA didn't get to its power status by behaving in the manner that Thailand has. Think about it before mouthing off. From the land of OZ.

[londonthai]

here is about the hero of this article http://www.tsroadmap.com/physical/vaginoplasty/thep-vechavisit.html

he is a medical doctor, surgeon, specialising in vaginoplasty. He came to protest in his clinic's uniform, with a logo and name.

however, he hasn't got qualifications:

"According to media sources, Thep Vechavisit "has no license to practice." However, he told the Sydney Morning Herald he "is a registered Thai doctor who did a two-month course in cosmetic surgery through New York University."

A note to plasticsurgery.or.th in January 2006 confirmed that Thep Vechavisit is NOT a national board certified plastic surgeon in Thailand.

He also has divulged information about prospective patients to the press (see below), raising questions about his ability to keep patient records confidential."

there might be better anti-american/anti-western thais than a fake surgeon

Edited June 30, 2014 by londonthai

[Tatsujin]

Perhaps Thailand can heal its internal conflict and find unity to move forward in a common cause--and it seems the US has provided the catalyst by their meddling.

So America should not have laws that forbid it from providing material support to undemocratically elected governments? Or, is it expected to make a special case for Thailand?

Or are you speaking of the TIP trafficking report- that should be ignored, too?

So Thailand should not be held to the same standards as other nations? Well, I can almost agree with that as no way can it ever achieve that with a largely uneducated populace as its core, which is quite deliberate.

Given the USA's track record overseas of meddling in politics, installing new Govt's and generally ignoring anything they don't agree with as long as the oil flows, or they can retain "influence" in whatever country happens to interest them at that moment, it is rather hypocritical of the USA to tell Thailand what to do or not do.

[Morch]

Perhaps Thailand can heal its internal conflict and find unity to move forward in a common cause--and it seems the US has provided the catalyst by their meddling.

So America should not have laws that forbid it from providing material support to undemocratically elected governments? Or, is it expected to make a special case for Thailand?

Or are you speaking of the TIP trafficking report- that should be ignored, too?

So Thailand should not be held to the same standards as other nations? Well, I can almost agree with that as no way can it ever achieve that with a largely uneducated populace as its core, which is quite deliberate.

Given the USA's track record overseas of meddling in politics, installing new Govt's and generally ignoring anything they don't agree with as long as the oil flows, or they can retain "influence" in whatever country happens to interest them at that moment, it is rather hypocritical of the USA to tell Thailand what to do or not do.

I don't think the USA told Thailand "what to do or not do".

The USA basically said "you're doing A, we do not approve and we would prefer you doing B".

There are no serious sanctions in place, there's no strong-arm overthrowing of the regime.

So far it is all rather within the limits of acceptable diplomacy.

It can certainly be argued that the USA's stance on this is wrong (at least, I think their wrong).

But at the same time I do not believe they crossed any diplomatic lines.

My guess this will all blow over in a few months, even less.

[metisdead]

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[atsiii]

"The lone protester, Thep Vetchavisit, said he was there to voice his anger towards the US government for downgrading its military relations with Thailand..."

The Mouse That Roared

Great book! Will they declare war next?

[atsiii]

It's pretty funny, really, and US politicians are fair game. But remember, playing around with caricatures of Mohamed or the King can get you killed.

[bangkokheat]

thats kinda like the thai government sticking their finger up at the US

[gemini81]

If sanctions were imposed against Thailand by the USA, the place would fold up like a chair. Silly really, US didn't tell them what to do, just mentioned it'd be ideal to get a government together. Thailand better get a grip and learn to take criticism; or agree to disagree. Sheesh.