PM faces anti-coup gesture in his first Isaan visit

[Local Drunk]

"I am a citizen of the world." Not a good start. Windbaggy. There are seven billion of us who can say this. Yingluk Shinawat is the current legitimate Prime Minister of Thailand. The buffoon who anoints himself as PM can "restore democracy" to Thailand by returning Government House to Yingluk. How about tomorrow, General Cretino?

and "benevolent dictator"? Jeez Louise, this is grotesque. the word is "fascist".

​No she isn't, she isn't PM of anything. She was removed by the courts and not by the military. The closest she'll ever get to political office again is a bad case of PMS.

[fab4]

Well well well...Am I the only one that sees this as a set up by a certain fugitive individual? Consider the location and the target.

Tell me you're joking and you didn't seriously try and link Thaksin with a student group in Kohn Kaen protesting against the coup and the self appointed PM? I mean, seriously?

Man, that's some desperate micro management conspiracy theory there...................................

Edited November 20, 2014 by fab4

[Fat Haggis]

The General is playing his cards wrong, he should just ignore those folks and remove them from the site, not arrest them and have an "attitude adjustment". He should be playing the good cop role and ignore criticisms and keep his cool. Down his ratings go, really don't understand the mindset of these politicians. How hard is it to act like Yingluck in public?

Umm ... he's not a politician.

Neither was Yingluck despite both of them believing and thinking they're politicians ?

[whybother]

The General is playing his cards wrong, he should just ignore those folks and remove them from the site, not arrest them and have an "attitude adjustment". He should be playing the good cop role and ignore criticisms and keep his cool. Down his ratings go, really don't understand the mindset of these politicians. How hard is it to act like Yingluck in public?

Umm ... he's not a politician.

Neither was Yingluck despite both of them believing and thinking they're politicians ?

Yingluck campaign and got elected. That makes her a politician. Whether she's a good politician or not depends on how you analyse it.

Prayuth efffectively appointed himself PM. No campaigning. No election. I don't think he believes he's a politician. He certainly doesn't act like one. He might change his mind and run in the next election. Personally, I rate that chance at zero to none.

[Fat Haggis]

I thought martial law meant no gatherings of more than 5? There were 5 of them.

What Prayuth really means by martial law is that not a single person may criticise me or challenge me. If you do, you'll be locked up!

If you read the rules that they endorsed under this martial law then you can see that protesting against the junta is forbidden under this martial law...

Try this stunt in any other country, for example have 5 protesters run up to the stage where Barack Obama is holding a speech and count how many of them are shot by secret service as potential threats.

Anyone trying to pull this kind of stunt in the US would never got anywhere near Obama. Just goes to show the competency level of the Thai security services. If the army can't guarantee the security of their junta leader, what hope is there for them running the country?

How wrong you are! The Head of the US Secret Service had to resign a few months ago because and I copy the news report:

'Yesterday it emerged that her agents had allowed the armed private security guard with convictions for assault to share a lift with Mr Obama at an appearance in Atlanta just three days previous to the resignation'.

Plus a couple of months ago, a 'jogger' in London was able to get up close to the Prime Minister, David Cameron, in a Northern City of the UK. Just shows were all human and can make mistakes.

http://0.tqn.com/y/politicalhumor/1/S/Y/W/2/bush-flying-shoe.gif - George Bush Jnr having a pair of shoes thrown at him there. The most powerful man in the world at the time...

I am reading an article on the Bangkok post that a student was arrested on the month after the coup for sitting in front of Siam Paragon eating a sandwich and reading a copy of 1984. The irony there is unreal.

The throwing of shoes and the baring of the soles of the feet are Islamic gestures to show their disgust and disdain over something, it's considered the ultimate insult.

It's why crowds who a few weeks prior were 100% behind Saddam Hussain we're seen beating posters and statues with their shoes.

For IanF how many benevolent dictators have you ever lived under to have made that amazing statement professing you were/are a human rights activist?

[Fat Haggis]

The General is playing his cards wrong, he should just ignore those folks and remove them from the site, not arrest them and have an "attitude adjustment". He should be playing the good cop role and ignore criticisms and keep his cool. Down his ratings go, really don't understand the mindset of these politicians. How hard is it to act like Yingluck in public?

Umm ... he's not a politician.

Neither was Yingluck despite both of them believing and thinking they're politicians ?

Yingluck campaign and got elected. That makes her a politician. Whether she's a good politician or not depends on how you analyse it.

Prayuth efffectively appointed himself PM. No campaigning. No election. I don't think he believes he's a politician. He certainly doesn't act like one. He might change his mind and run in the next election. Personally, I rate that chance at zero to none.

I was being sarcastic ?

[metisdead]

A post containing a link to a site in violation of the NOTICE TO MEMBERS POSTING IN THAILAND NEWS guideline has been removed.

[Wilsonandson]

The hunger games or dumb and dumber for pulling a stunt like this? The PM is trying to bring Thais together peacefully to form a government without violence. Why some think this is an attack on freedom is ignorant to the fact that if the army hadn't stepped in to control the situation of years of political unrest then we could now be in a much worst situation, civil war!

[fobuff]

Cracks at the seam..... the great leader will have to adjust soon..

[jesimps]

"I am a citizen of the world." Not a good start. Windbaggy. There are seven billion of us who can say this. Yingluk Shinawat is the current legitimate Prime Minister of Thailand. The buffoon who anoints himself as PM can "restore democracy" to Thailand by returning Government House to Yingluk. How about tomorrow, General Cretino?

and "benevolent dictator"? Jeez Louise, this is grotesque. the word is "fascist".

​No she isn't, she isn't PM of anything. She was removed by the courts and not by the military. The closest she'll ever get to political office again is a bad case of PMS.

I'd like to see you eat those words when the time comes for you to do it.

[Thaddeus]

I am a citizen of the world. I have always been a human rights activist and still am. I'd rather have a benevolent dictatorship than a would-be dictator that steals votes from people and who twists democracy for his own ends. Don't forget that the people in Cambodia and Iraq had the right to vote: They had one choice. So 'the right to vote' in your parlance is a red herring. People in Thailand have a right to a proper democracy, something sadly that they will never have (not in our lifetimes anyway).

You are of course aware that you can only own a 49% stake in an axe grinding company, although funding from abroad is allowed.

[Fatty123]

Seems that as a result of this the opening of Thursday's new Hunger Games film has been banned in Thailand. I know nothing about the film or the show - does it promote unrest? Is it anti junta?

It's a Dystopian movie. A bit like Orwell's 1984 (nowhere near as good as the book of course), but with more action and more attractive characters. People fighting a far right dictatorial power (rich vs poor etc). The three fingered salute is from the movie.

[Fatty123]

The three fingers salute? much better than the one finger salute any time...

Perhaps the protesters should've done the 3 fingered salute with the 'longest' finger and two fingers, the two (in total) immediately to the left and right of it. Then they could shout:

''Read between the lines!''

[Fat Haggis]

The hunger games or dumb and dumber for pulling a stunt like this? The PM is trying to bring Thais together peacefully to form a government without violence. Why some think this is an attack on freedom is ignorant to the fact that if the army hadn't stepped in to control the situation of years of political unrest then we could now be in a much worst situation, civil war!

You are not very clued up about Thailand are you? I've told you in another thread that you can't start something that's ongoing as in a Civil war which has been going on for 10 years.

You DONT bring a country together by taking people away to "educate them" in case you forgot these were LAW students who more than likely know more about their countries laws than you do

I have caught onto you quite quickly you says you were only offering your opinions but your not, your criticising others go having opinions that differ from you , you're trolling

Who is " We" by the way ? Are you Thai and have a vote and say on all things political ?

Of just another Farang who thinks because lives here, it's his country too?

The "we" you'd be referring to would actually be a " they" as in the Thais"

The army didn't step in as if by magic , they had been present 90% of the times of the protests and why didn't they step in sooner if it was because if the violence?

They could have done so at any given time but Prayuth being a General and the Commander of the entire Army knew full well what collateral damage would be acceptable before intervention was neccessary.

Please stop the bovine scatology the coup was about ending violence, had they stepped in a few weeks before they did many deaths would have been prevented but that's lost on many posters.

Suthep has already gone public declaring that Prayuth and himself had been planning the coup for a LOT longer than the protests of which the General Vehemently denied but he didn't lock up Suthep for "attitude adjustment " did he ? ?

[sjaak327]

The three fingers salute? much better than the one finger salute any time...

Ahh well, do these children understand the alternative: Benevolent military rule or a Thaksin dictatorship? I know which I'd choose.

Me too, Thaksin. Because there is no denying he (or any of his proxies) never enjoyed this much power.

You probably have no clue about dictatorship, read the interim constitution to see a perfect example.

Not to mention the simple fact that not a single member of the Thai electorate voted for this lot.

[ggt]

Have a big trial...fine them millions of baht and give them 20 years in prison each...without parole...

Then show what big guy the PM is...by commuting their sentences to probation and community service...win-win situation...

[heybruce]

I thought martial law meant no gatherings of more than 5? There were 5 of them.

What Prayuth really means by martial law is that not a single person may criticise me or challenge me. If you do, you'll be locked up!

If you read the rules that they endorsed under this martial law then you can see that protesting against the junta is forbidden under this martial law...

Try this stunt in any other country, for example have 5 protesters run up to the stage where Barack Obama is holding a speech and count how many of them are shot by secret service as potential threats.

"The five students ran to the stage, took their shirts off to reveal black T-shirts with white lettering that read "No to the coup" in Thai when the young men stood side by side.

The students also held up their arms in a three-finger salute - a symbolic anti-coup gesture - at the PM."

The students ran to the stage. The OP does not say how close they got to the stage. There is no indication they presented any kind of a threat. This kind of protest is routinely accepted in the US and other countries with elected governments and without martial law.

[heybruce]

Best way to counter the three finger salute by the people that have no understanding of all the principles of democracy is to do the same salute yourself.

Each finger represents 1/ Reform 2/ Reconciliation 3/ Return to democracy. The most popular PM in the last decade would be wise to do this salute at every speech.

Well done on the students expressing their views even though it is a minority view though. (unless some think only 8 people live in Khon Kaen and 5 makes a majority!!) Even more telling was they did not fear the Junta. Why would they? Only the narrative of the doom and gloomers try to feed that to the gullible. As predicted the students were released and will fight the case in court. Well done. Nothing like North Korea or the Thai regimes previously who just made their opponents "disappear"

Prayut's actions show he is the voice of the majority as well and that he cares for all the Thai citizens (not just the people in and below Bangkok) by visiting Isaan to inspect the drought handling measures in place. One can be assured his nugget of information and input will not simply be "be more efficient with water", but then he never went to Kentucky State University.

Well done Prayut and don't fear the 7%ers. The other 93% did not appreciate having democracy ripped from them 2 seconds after the 2011 election and the protests in Khon Kaen only highlight further that the majority are on your side. (unless some will disregard that majority by making excuses because it does not suit their agenda and narrative)

So, so, so predictable..

"Prayut's actions show he is the voice of the majority as well and that he cares for all the Thai citizens.."

However he clearly doesn't trust them with an election.

Please tell us the source of your 7% vs 93% number, I dare you. I know what it is, I want you to show what kind of poster you are by referencing the numbers.

[heybruce]

The hunger games or dumb and dumber for pulling a stunt like this? The PM is trying to bring Thais together peacefully to form a government without violence. Why some think this is an attack on freedom is ignorant to the fact that if the army hadn't stepped in to control the situation of years of political unrest then we could now be in a much worst situation, civil war!

In 2010 the army stepped in to control a situation with protesters calling for an election by staging a bloody street-clearing crackdown. In 2014 the army stepped in to control a situation with protesters obstructing elections by staging a coup. That says a lot, doesn't it?

All the army had to do to restore peace to Bangkok and allow elections in July is make it clear that it was ready to stage another 2010 style crackdown, Suthep and the protesters would have dispersed before the end of the day. But of course this would have been followed by an election, and the army and many others didn't want an election.

[thaiguzzi]

Best way to counter the three finger salute by the people that have no understanding of all the principles of democracy is to do the same salute yourself.

Each finger represents 1/ Reform 2/ Reconciliation 3/ Return to democracy. The most popular PM in the last decade would be wise to do this salute at every speech.

Well done on the students expressing their views even though it is a minority view though. (unless some think only 8 people live in Khon Kaen and 5 makes a majority!!) Even more telling was they did not fear the Junta. Why would they? Only the narrative of the doom and gloomers try to feed that to the gullible. As predicted the students were released and will fight the case in court. Well done. Nothing like North Korea or the Thai regimes previously who just made their opponents "disappear"

Prayut's actions show he is the voice of the majority as well and that he cares for all the Thai citizens (not just the people in and below Bangkok) by visiting Isaan to inspect the drought handling measures in place. One can be assured his nugget of information and input will not simply be "be more efficient with water", but then he never went to Kentucky State University.

Well done Prayut and don't fear the 7%ers. The other 93% did not appreciate having democracy ripped from them 2 seconds after the 2011 election and the protests in Khon Kaen only highlight further that the majority are on your side. (unless some will disregard that majority by making excuses because it does not suit their agenda and narrative)

So, so, so predictable..

Pass me the bucket... think i'm gonna puke.

[AleG]

The hunger games or dumb and dumber for pulling a stunt like this? The PM is trying to bring Thais together peacefully to form a government without violence. Why some think this is an attack on freedom is ignorant to the fact that if the army hadn't stepped in to control the situation of years of political unrest then we could now be in a much worst situation, civil war!

In 2010 the army stepped in to control a situation with protesters calling for an election by staging a bloody street-clearing crackdown. In 2014 the army stepped in to control a situation with protesters obstructing elections by staging a coup. That says a lot, doesn't it?

All the army had to do to restore peace to Bangkok and allow elections in July is make it clear that it was ready to stage another 2010 style crackdown, Suthep and the protesters would have dispersed before the end of the day. But of course this would have been followed by an election, and the army and many others didn't want an election.

No it doesn't say a lot, in fact you deliberately not say that in both instances the army came out after the same group resorted to violence, intimidation and terrorism in order to push a political agenda.

[Fat Haggis]

You have to hand it to Djjamie as he's the master of satire ?

[whybother]

The hunger games or dumb and dumber for pulling a stunt like this? The PM is trying to bring Thais together peacefully to form a government without violence. Why some think this is an attack on freedom is ignorant to the fact that if the army hadn't stepped in to control the situation of years of political unrest then we could now be in a much worst situation, civil war!

In 2010 the army stepped in to control a situation with protesters calling for an election by staging a bloody street-clearing crackdown. In 2014 the army stepped in to control a situation with protesters obstructing elections by staging a coup. That says a lot, doesn't it?

All the army had to do to restore peace to Bangkok and allow elections in July is make it clear that it was ready to stage another 2010 style crackdown, Suthep and the protesters would have dispersed before the end of the day. But of course this would have been followed by an election, and the army and many others didn't want an election.

The way I remember it, the government has to request the army to do policing. They won't just come out on their own accord (except to stage a coup of course). The Abhisit government requested the military's help. Yingluck's government didn't.

[whybother]

I thought martial law meant no gatherings of more than 5? There were 5 of them.

What Prayuth really means by martial law is that not a single person may criticise me or challenge me. If you do, you'll be locked up!

If you read the rules that they endorsed under this martial law then you can see that protesting against the junta is forbidden under this martial law...

Try this stunt in any other country, for example have 5 protesters run up to the stage where Barack Obama is holding a speech and count how many of them are shot by secret service as potential threats.

"The five students ran to the stage, took their shirts off to reveal black T-shirts with white lettering that read "No to the coup" in Thai when the young men stood side by side.

The students also held up their arms in a three-finger salute - a symbolic anti-coup gesture - at the PM."

The students ran to the stage. The OP does not say how close they got to the stage. There is no indication they presented any kind of a threat. This kind of protest is routinely accepted in the US and other countries with elected governments and without martial law.

They got within about 3 metres of the PM with nobody around them. If they had got that close to a PM of any other country (without martial law), they'd have a dozen people on top of them.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/777670-khon-kaen-students-protest-at-coup-during-pms-speech/

[whybother]

Best way to counter the three finger salute by the people that have no understanding of all the principles of democracy is to do the same salute yourself.

Each finger represents 1/ Reform 2/ Reconciliation 3/ Return to democracy. The most popular PM in the last decade would be wise to do this salute at every speech.

Well done on the students expressing their views even though it is a minority view though. (unless some think only 8 people live in Khon Kaen and 5 makes a majority!!) Even more telling was they did not fear the Junta. Why would they? Only the narrative of the doom and gloomers try to feed that to the gullible. As predicted the students were released and will fight the case in court. Well done. Nothing like North Korea or the Thai regimes previously who just made their opponents "disappear"

Prayut's actions show he is the voice of the majority as well and that he cares for all the Thai citizens (not just the people in and below Bangkok) by visiting Isaan to inspect the drought handling measures in place. One can be assured his nugget of information and input will not simply be "be more efficient with water", but then he never went to Kentucky State University.

Well done Prayut and don't fear the 7%ers. The other 93% did not appreciate having democracy ripped from them 2 seconds after the 2011 election and the protests in Khon Kaen only highlight further that the majority are on your side. (unless some will disregard that majority by making excuses because it does not suit their agenda and narrative)

So, so, so predictable..

"Prayut's actions show he is the voice of the majority as well and that he cares for all the Thai citizens.."

However he clearly doesn't trust them with an election.

Please tell us the source of your 7% vs 93% number, I dare you. I know what it is, I want you to show what kind of poster you are by referencing the numbers.

It's not the people that he doesn't trust with an election. It's the politicians. It's a bit hard for him to put in the reforms that he wants if he's not in power, and he wouldn't be in power if there was an election because he wouldn't be standing in it.

BTW ... you should read more news: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/769564-prayuts-approval-rating-rises-to-933-per-cent/

"Be Informed, not just Opinionated".

Edited November 21, 2014 by whybother

[Fat Haggis]

Whybother, do you seriously take that poll at face value?

The 7% is clearly aimed at the hardcore UDD so where do the anti junta groups down in the South of the country fit into this?

7% of 65 million people is still 4.5 million people which is way more than what kick started the anti corruption protests last year and way more than any single protest march during the 8 months of protests.

If it took less than 2% of the population to bring about a coup, with the protests and violence no wonder Prayuth wants to keep ML as 7% hardcore reds is treble the Royal Thai Armed Forces, throw in another 3-8% of Anti Junta Muslims in the South and you can see exactly why ML will not be lifted any time soon.

He might well be popular but is be more inclined to believe it's about 65-70% which isnt too shabby either.

Don't forget that even if you win an ejection with 51% you still have 49% that wants to see you eaten by zombies!!! ?

[whybother]

Whybother, do you seriously take that poll at face value?

The 7% is clearly aimed at the hardcore UDD so where do the anti junta groups down in the South of the country fit into this?

7% of 65 million people is still 4.5 million people which is way more than what kick started the anti corruption protests last year and way more than any single protest march during the 8 months of protests.

If it took less than 2% of the population to bring about a coup, with the protests and violence no wonder Prayuth wants to keep ML as 7% hardcore reds is treble the Royal Thai Armed Forces, throw in another 3-8% of Anti Junta Muslims in the South and you can see exactly why ML will not be lifted any time soon.

He might well be popular but is be more inclined to believe it's about 65-70% which isnt too shabby either.

Don't forget that even if you win an ejection with 51% you still have 49% that wants to see you eaten by zombies!!! ?

"do you seriously take that poll at face value?"

No. Just pointing out where the numbers came from. I would have thought that Bruce had seen them mentioned a number of times, but it seems he doesn't actually read much. ...

edit: I generally agree with your numbers. Most people are accepting of what's happening. I expect that would change if things were delayed too much next year.

Edited November 21, 2014 by whybother

[Wilsonandson]

Yes its too early to protest when reforms haven't even been suggested and put to the people. Wait and see before passing judgement on the current PM.

[heybruce]

The hunger games or dumb and dumber for pulling a stunt like this? The PM is trying to bring Thais together peacefully to form a government without violence. Why some think this is an attack on freedom is ignorant to the fact that if the army hadn't stepped in to control the situation of years of political unrest then we could now be in a much worst situation, civil war!

In 2010 the army stepped in to control a situation with protesters calling for an election by staging a bloody street-clearing crackdown. In 2014 the army stepped in to control a situation with protesters obstructing elections by staging a coup. That says a lot, doesn't it?

All the army had to do to restore peace to Bangkok and allow elections in July is make it clear that it was ready to stage another 2010 style crackdown, Suthep and the protesters would have dispersed before the end of the day. But of course this would have been followed by an election, and the army and many others didn't want an election.

No it doesn't say a lot, in fact you deliberately not say that in both instances the army came out after the same group resorted to violence, intimidation and terrorism in order to push a political agenda.

I didn't point out that violence was committed by both sides, I thought that was obvious. I assume you wish to imply that the red side of the divide is responsible for all the violence, however it was clearly not the red side that used violence and intimidation to disrupt one election and threatened to do the same in future elections.

Regardless of who did the most of what, the fact remains that there was an obvious alternative to the coup that was not used. The coup happened not because it was necessary, but because the military didn't want an elected government.

[heybruce]

The hunger games or dumb and dumber for pulling a stunt like this? The PM is trying to bring Thais together peacefully to form a government without violence. Why some think this is an attack on freedom is ignorant to the fact that if the army hadn't stepped in to control the situation of years of political unrest then we could now be in a much worst situation, civil war!

In 2010 the army stepped in to control a situation with protesters calling for an election by staging a bloody street-clearing crackdown. In 2014 the army stepped in to control a situation with protesters obstructing elections by staging a coup. That says a lot, doesn't it?

All the army had to do to restore peace to Bangkok and allow elections in July is make it clear that it was ready to stage another 2010 style crackdown, Suthep and the protesters would have dispersed before the end of the day. But of course this would have been followed by an election, and the army and many others didn't want an election.

The way I remember it, the government has to request the army to do policing. They won't just come out on their own accord (except to stage a coup of course). The Abhisit government requested the military's help. Yingluck's government didn't.

Ok, then all the army had to do was state that they were ready to stage another 2010 style crackdown at the government's request. Suthep clearly wanted a coup, and the PTP government was clearly concerned that the military would use any pretext to stage a coup. That didn't prevent the military from stating that it would defend the elected government and wanted elections.

Every alternative to the coup should have been exhausted, the coup should have been the last resort. Clearly it wasn't.