Army 'needs martial law to shield itself'

[whybother]

Agreed, and that's the point, the government had already caved in and then stayed on a caretaker government (as Thai law dictates) until an election can be held. They tried for an election which was violently halted by the same thugs that were driving around Phuket on motorbikes and closed kids schools for some reason! The coup was not so much a coup just a simple grabbing of power as there was no government!

Which law dictates that a government HAS to stay on after they have dissolved parliament?

Chapter IX, section 181. Constitution of Thailand 2007.

Also apart from the above, there is no provision in that constitution that allow them to stand down for a non elected body such as Suthep and his buddies.

Section 182 (2) allows them to stand down.

That section handles resignation of individual ministers not the whole government.

So all of them individually could have resigned.

[sjaak327]

Agreed, and that's the point, the government had already caved in and then stayed on a caretaker government (as Thai law dictates) until an election can be held. They tried for an election which was violently halted by the same thugs that were driving around Phuket on motorbikes and closed kids schools for some reason! The coup was not so much a coup just a simple grabbing of power as there was no government!

Which law dictates that a government HAS to stay on after they have dissolved parliament?

Chapter IX, section 181. Constitution of Thailand 2007.

Also apart from the above, there is no provision in that constitution that allow them to stand down for a non elected body such as Suthep and his buddies.

Section 182 (2) allows them to stand down.

That section handles resignation of individual ministers not the whole government.

So all of them individually could have resigned.

Ah, so that makes section 181 suddenly not applicable. Only in your dream world. Section 181 is crystal clear and Yingluck's government did follow it to the letter. They could not hand over power to an unelected body and they had to remain in office until a new council of ministers was installed. That council of ministers can only be installed after a general election and hence a new house of representatives.

[fobuff]

"the military will have the power to deal with unexpected problems when they arise" like democracy

[rubl]

Where were you in 2010? Or 1992?

And the Thammasat University Massacre of 1976 when the Army enjoyed torturing the students before killing them.

According to PM the late Samak only one man died in 1976. His party, the Thaksin proxy party PPP, didn't correct him. Must be true then ?

[rubl]

Anyway, in 2007 the Military lifted the Martial Law in the provinces it still was valid in and that before the start of the Election Period of 45 to 60 days. Had something to do with people stating voters might feel intimidated with military around. Obviously that's why the Yingluck government in it's not-so-caretaking role asked the help of the Military to do the elections. Strange that, isn't it?

[Enoon]

Agreed, and that's the point, the government had already caved in and then stayed on a caretaker government (as Thai law dictates) until an election can be held. They tried for an election which was violently halted by the same thugs that were driving around Phuket on motorbikes and closed kids schools for some reason! The coup was not so much a coup just a simple grabbing of power as there was no government!

Which law dictates that a government HAS to stay on after they have dissolved parliament?

Chapter IX, section 181. Constitution of Thailand 2007.

Also apart from the above, there is no provision in that constitution that allow them to stand down for a non elected body such as Suthep and his buddies.

Section 182 (2) allows them to stand down.

That section handles resignation of individual ministers not the whole government.

So all of them individually could have resigned.

Section 182 concerns the termination of a "ministership" (individual) rather than the termination of a "ministry" (group) that is to say "a government headed by" which is covered by section 181.

They could certainly have resigned en masse, thus bringing Section 181 into play.

The purpose of section 181 is to avoid a disorderly power vacuum between the departure of one government and the arrival of the next.

Of course the army chose to move again, thus we arrive at the now, all to familiar, situation.

While they repeatedly behave in the way that they do we may all just as well shout at the wind.

As has been pointed out earlier in this thread the situation will keep returning as long as there is no knowledge of history or development of a "modern" political consciousness amongst a significant number, or cadre, of the Thais.

When they awake from their slumber, as all do eventually, the earth will move, as it always does.

[Bakseeda]

Come on guys ... for us Farangs it is fun to sit back and watch.... Thailand is just a Big funfair for all of us .... Much better to live the easy life here than back in our home countries... So , really who amongst us cares a damn who runs the country.... Leave it to the Thais... If and when we don't like it we can go home.... If there were no girlie bars , massage parlours and cheap beer and food... None of us would be here... Lie back , have fun and enjoy... one day we will all be dead men... just let us hope not too soon.... Pass the Chang..!

Many of us here have children who, in my case anyway, are Thai and after my death will continue to live here.

Sorry, my kids born anywhere will always be Scottish ...... put your head on the right way round.... A horse born in a pigsty is still a horse...... have some pride in yourself man..!

[Bakseeda]

Come on guys ... for us Farangs it is fun to sit back and watch.... Thailand is just a Big funfair for all of us .... Much better to live the easy life here than back in our home countries... So , really who amongst us cares a damn who runs the country.... Leave it to the Thais... If and when we don't like it we can go home.... If there were no girlie bars , massage parlours and cheap beer and food... None of us would be here... Lie back , have fun and enjoy... one day we will all be dead men... just let us hope not too soon.... Pass the Chang..!

Many of us here have children who, in my case anyway, are Thai and after my death will continue to live here.

Sorry, my kids born anywhere will always be Scottish ...... put your head on the right way round.... A horse born in a pigsty is still a horse...... have some pride in yourself man..!

[whybother]

Ah, so that makes section 181 suddenly not applicable. Only in your dream world. Section 181 is crystal clear and Yingluck's government did follow it to the letter. They could not hand over power to an unelected body and they had to remain in office until a new council of ministers was installed. That council of ministers can only be installed after a general election and hence a new house of representatives.

It doesn't make section 181 not applicable. It just allows a caretaker government to resign. I'm not saying they should. I'm just saying they had the option.

[Bakseeda]

Come on guys ... for us Farangs it is fun to sit back and watch.... Thailand is just a Big funfair for all of us .... Much better to live the easy life here than back in our home countries... So , really who amongst us cares a damn who runs the country.... Leave it to the Thais... If and when we don't like it we can go home.... If there were no girlie bars , massage parlours and cheap beer and food... None of us would be here... Lie back , have fun and enjoy... one day we will all be dead men... just let us hope not too soon.... Pass the Chang..!

If there were no girlie bars , massage parlours and cheap beer and food... None of us would be here.

Not sure where you live, or who your friends are, but I live in Chiang Mai, and every falang I know here is married and taking care of their family, don't go to girlie bars or massage parlors for sex. I really hate to break this to you, but not every farang is a beer guzzling sex-pat. Perhaps you should take a good look around you and see the real world sometime. And perhaps change your class of friends.

Conundrum: How can one change one's class of friends when one has no class oneself?

Come on be truthfull ... where did your wife work before you met her... go on tell me she was a nurse... have I got news for you... And as Chang Mai has the biggest collection of gay guys in Thailand ,, makes me wonder..!

[Enoon]

Agreed, and that's the point, the government had already caved in and then stayed on a caretaker government (as Thai law dictates) until an election can be held. They tried for an election which was violently halted by the same thugs that were driving around Phuket on motorbikes and closed kids schools for some reason! The coup was not so much a coup just a simple grabbing of power as there was no government!

Which law dictates that a government HAS to stay on after they have dissolved parliament?

Chapter IX, section 181. Constitution of Thailand 2007.

Also apart from the above, there is no provision in that constitution that allow them to stand down for a non elected body such as Suthep and his buddies.

Section 182 (2) allows them to stand down.

That section handles resignation of individual ministers not the whole government.

So all of them individually could have resigned.

Section 182 concerns the termination of a "ministership" (individual) rather than the termination of a "ministry" (group) that is to say "a government headed by" which is covered by section 180.

They could certainly have resigned en masse, thus bringing Section 181 (requiring them to "caretake") into play.

The purpose of section 181 is to avoid a disorderly power vacuum between the departure of one government and the arrival of the next.

Of course the army chose to move again, thus we arrive at the now, all to familiar, situation.

While they repeatedly behave in the way that they do we may all just as well shout at the wind.

As has been pointed out earlier in this thread the situation will keep returning as long as there is no knowledge of history or development of a "modern" political consciousness amongst a significant number, or cadre, of the Thais.

When they awake from their slumber, as all do eventually, the earth will move, as it always does.

[Enoon]

Ah, so that makes section 181 suddenly not applicable. Only in your dream world. Section 181 is crystal clear and Yingluck's government did follow it to the letter. They could not hand over power to an unelected body and they had to remain in office until a new council of ministers was installed. That council of ministers can only be installed after a general election and hence a new house of representatives.

It doesn't make section 181 not applicable. It just allows a caretaker government to resign. I'm not saying they should. I'm just saying they had the option.

Section 182 concerns the termination of a "ministership" (individual) rather than the termination of a "ministry" (group) that is to say "a government headed by" which is covered by section 180.

They could certainly have resigned en masse, thus bringing Section 181 into play. It requires them to caretake, they can't stop caretaking and go on holiday,

by law, until a new government is formed. They only start caretaking because they have resigned!

The purpose of section 181 is to avoid a disorderly power vacuum between the departure of one government and the arrival of the next.

Of course the army chose to move again, thus we arrive at the now, all to familiar, situation.

While they repeatedly behave in the way that they do we may all just as well shout at the wind.

As has been pointed out earlier in this thread the situation will keep returning as long as there is no knowledge of history or development of a "modern" political consciousness amongst a significant number, or cadre, of the Thais.

When they awake from their slumber, as all do eventually, the earth will move, as it always does.

[whybother]

Ah, so that makes section 181 suddenly not applicable. Only in your dream world. Section 181 is crystal clear and Yingluck's government did follow it to the letter. They could not hand over power to an unelected body and they had to remain in office until a new council of ministers was installed. That council of ministers can only be installed after a general election and hence a new house of representatives.

It doesn't make section 181 not applicable. It just allows a caretaker government to resign. I'm not saying they should. I'm just saying they had the option.

Section 182 concerns the termination of a "ministership" (individual) rather than the termination of a "ministry" (group) that is to say "a government headed by" which is covered by section 180.

They could certainly have resigned en masse, thus bringing Section 181 into play. It requires them to caretake, they can't stop caretaking and go on holiday,

by law, until a new government is formed. They only start caretaking because they have resigned!

The purpose of section 181 is to avoid a disorderly power vacuum between the departure of one government and the arrival of the next.

Of course the army chose to move again, thus we arrive at the now, all to familiar, situation.

While they repeatedly behave in the way that they do we may all just as well shout at the wind.

As has been pointed out earlier in this thread the situation will keep returning as long as there is no knowledge of history or development of a "modern" political consciousness amongst a significant number, or cadre, of the Thais.

When they awake from their slumber, as all do eventually, the earth will move, as it always does.

If they resign they are no longer MPs or ministers, caretaker or otherwise. Dissolving parliament is not resigning.

[Enoon]

Ah, so that makes section 181 suddenly not applicable. Only in your dream world. Section 181 is crystal clear and Yingluck's government did follow it to the letter. They could not hand over power to an unelected body and they had to remain in office until a new council of ministers was installed. That council of ministers can only be installed after a general election and hence a new house of representatives.

It doesn't make section 181 not applicable. It just allows a caretaker government to resign. I'm not saying they should. I'm just saying they had the option.

Section 182 concerns the termination of a "ministership" (individual) rather than the termination of a "ministry" (group) that is to say "a government headed by" which is covered by section 180.

They could certainly have resigned en masse, thus bringing Section 181 into play. It requires them to caretake, they can't stop caretaking and go on holiday,

by law, until a new government is formed. They only start caretaking because they have resigned!

The purpose of section 181 is to avoid a disorderly power vacuum between the departure of one government and the arrival of the next.

Of course the army chose to move again, thus we arrive at the now, all to familiar, situation.

While they repeatedly behave in the way that they do we may all just as well shout at the wind.

As has been pointed out earlier in this thread the situation will keep returning as long as there is no knowledge of history or development of a "modern" political consciousness amongst a significant number, or cadre, of the Thais.

When they awake from their slumber, as all do eventually, the earth will move, as it always does.

If they resign they are no longer MPs or ministers, caretaker or otherwise. Dissolving parliament is not resigning.

But they have to stay there, that's what the constitution says.

They only become a “caretaker” government because they have resigned as the “elected” government, thus bringing Section 181 (requiring them to caretake) into play.

It requires them to caretake, they can't stop caretaking and go on holiday, by law, until a new government is formed. They only start caretaking because they have resigned!

The law (the constitution) does not allow them to give up and walk away until a new Council of Ministers is ready to take over.

They have to wait until an election has taken place and a new government has been formed, just like when an American president hands over to the next one.

[DaffyDuck]

This thread is so full of BS and monstrous double-standards, it's not true.

I followed events very closely and what happened to cause the coup was pretty straightforward:

Pheu-Thai refused point blank to allow any political reform before a new election. They were 100% prepared to use every means in their power to prevent it. This slid into open terrorist attacks against innocent protestors of the WORST kind : grenades being firing randomly into crowds.

As things were getting more desperate, Prayuth got them all together (a deliberate act) and gave them a chance to back away from the killing. They refused and so he took control. They refused because they had no power to agree : that decision was taken from a luxury hotel room in Dubai long before the meeting.

The rest is all just a consequence of that decision. Once Prayuth had made the decision, he had no choice but to follow the current path, and to commit to it 100%.

I have no reason to prefer one side over another. I form my opinions by following the news over time and things become pretty clear if your glasses are not tinted red or yellow.

Nobody wants this Junta, but all you people whining about it are blaming the wrong people. Of course, there's nothing new there. I've met very few Thais who will accept the consequence of their actions : they always blame somebody else.

John, you nailed it - unfortunately there is a naive, uninformed faction of semi-libertarians in these threads that absolutely abhors facts, or what is really happening, and prefers their own naive, conspiracy-tinged scenarios. They can't be helped, just as small children can't be helped.

[EnglishJohn]

This thread is so full of BS and monstrous double-standards, it's not true.

I followed events very closely and what happened to cause the coup was pretty straightforward:

Pheu-Thai refused point blank to allow any political reform before a new election. They were 100% prepared to use every means in their power to prevent it. This slid into open terrorist attacks against innocent protestors of the WORST kind : grenades being firing randomly into crowds.

As things were getting more desperate, Prayuth got them all together (a deliberate act) and gave them a chance to back away from the killing. They refused and so he took control. They refused because they had no power to agree : that decision was taken from a luxury hotel room in Dubai long before the meeting.

The rest is all just a consequence of that decision. Once Prayuth had made the decision, he had no choice but to follow the current path, and to commit to it 100%.

I have no reason to prefer one side over another. I form my opinions by following the news over time and things become pretty clear if your glasses are not tinted red or yellow.

Nobody wants this Junta, but all you people whining about it are blaming the wrong people. Of course, there's nothing new there. I've met very few Thais who will accept the consequence of their actions : they always blame somebody else.

Interesting; so both parties are equally to blame, and because there was no enforcement of civil order there was a coup ? I thought this all came about because of a pardon for Thaksin Shinawatra.

Please do try to keep up. The whole reason for the civil disorder was because of the amnesty bill where not one single Pheu-Thai MP from 310 had the ethics to vote against this disgrace to all things decent..

Thaksin tried to break these protests using the terrorism and murder of innocent Thais rather than lose power - and with it his chance to force amnesty. The UDD were caught red-handed with the grenade launchers.

That's when the Army had to step in.

[tbthailand]

If it's not bad enough this bloke with the mood swings taking over the via the barrel of a gun now we have the military in possible conflict with itself .

As for the army needing martial law to shield itself that's just another excuse to keep the boot on the throats of the thai people while they rort the system to keep the true peoples government out.

Where is this barrel of a gun you keep mentioning?

He saved the country from the barrel of a gun. He saved the majority who do not like violence from the 7% that thrive on it to further their political agenda.

Remember the daily terrorist attacks pre coup? Do you remember? That was not fought with flowers.

Then on the day of the coup Prayut brought all parties together and asked them to sort their differences out. He didn't shot anyone, didn't hurt anyone, didn't kill anyone, didn't maim anyone. He asked them to sort their differences out. Guess what? With their fate in their own hands they told Prayut they will not sort those differences out. So he removed them and the barrel of the gun vanished ergo the terrorist attacks stopped.

I wonder what your views would be had the army killed 28 and injured over 700 innocent people over a 7 month period and the PTP came in and stopped it.

Good PTP I assume.

The Junta need martial law because the innocent blood on the streets of Bangkok and Trat are still fresh on their minds. The majority need it because they do not hold violence in a good light.

I see you're back to tossing out numbers without references again. Where does you 7% come from? And on the subject of "the 7% that thrive on it to further their political agenda", do you think the junta doesn't have a political agenda?

"I wonder what your views would be had the army killed 28 and injured over 700 innocent people over a 7 month period and the PTP came in and stopped it."

Actually that's a low casualty count considering the number of protesters determined to topple the elected government and stop future elections. How many innocents were killed or injured during the New Year's weekend? Should the military have used martial law to stop all New Year's festivities?

btw, the army have already killed many more than 28 and in far less time that 7 months... just as recently as 2010. But there wasn't any other group to come in and stop it.

[tbthailand]

This thread is so full of BS and monstrous double-standards, it's not true.

I followed events very closely and what happened to cause the coup was pretty straightforward:

Pheu-Thai refused point blank to allow any political reform before a new election. They were 100% prepared to use every means in their power to prevent it. This slid into open terrorist attacks against innocent protestors of the WORST kind : grenades being firing randomly into crowds.

As things were getting more desperate, Prayuth got them all together (a deliberate act) and gave them a chance to back away from the killing. They refused and so he took control. They refused because they had no power to agree : that decision was taken from a luxury hotel room in Dubai long before the meeting.

The rest is all just a consequence of that decision. Once Prayuth had made the decision, he had no choice but to follow the current path, and to commit to it 100%.

I have no reason to prefer one side over another. I form my opinions by following the news over time and things become pretty clear if your glasses are not tinted red or yellow.

Nobody wants this Junta, but all you people whining about it are blaming the wrong people. Of course, there's nothing new there. I've met very few Thais who will accept the consequence of their actions : they always blame somebody else.

Interesting; so both parties are equally to blame, and because there was no enforcement of civil order there was a coup ? I thought this all came about because of a pardon for Thaksin Shinawatra.

Please do try to keep up. The whole reason for the civil disorder was because of the amnesty bill where not one single Pheu-Thai MP from 310 had the ethics to vote against this disgrace to all things decent..

Thaksin tried to break these protests using the terrorism and murder of innocent Thais rather than lose power - and with it his chance to force amnesty. The UDD were caught red-handed with the grenade launchers.

That's when the Army had to step in.

the reason for the disorder was not the amnesty bill.

long after it was dead, the protests continued. They just switched their protest to 'corruption'.

it is clear enough that the protest phase was a preparatory step to the 'intervention'. Nothing more was behind it.

[halloween]

You believe that bs????? The couphad nothing to do with the protests, killings, rice scheme or corruption. They were nothing more than an excuse.

The problem is, it was a very GOOD excuse. Not only that, 3 out of 4 have been stopped cold and corruption is getting a bloody good smack. Oh dear.

And despite the parrot claiming that the jackboot is on the public's throat, the bloody masochists seem to prefer that to a red thug's gun.

[The stuttering parrot]

It's from Sutheps own mouth that he conspired with the general to overthrow the democratically elected government of Thailand and yet you yellow dem supporters chose either to ignore that fact or fully support it.

To say people prefer the jack boot on the throat is a ignorant statement .

Put the general and Abhisit up for PM and deputy PM against Thaksin and Yingluck in an election and see what happens.

The PTP don't have to do anything and why should they.

They won the past elections via the will of the people not via the barrel of a gun.

[sjaak327]

Ah, so that makes section 181 suddenly not applicable. Only in your dream world. Section 181 is crystal clear and Yingluck's government did follow it to the letter. They could not hand over power to an unelected body and they had to remain in office until a new council of ministers was installed. That council of ministers can only be installed after a general election and hence a new house of representatives.

It doesn't make section 181 not applicable. It just allows a caretaker government to resign. I'm not saying they should. I'm just saying they had the option.

No they didn't have that option, as section 181 clearly states "shall". One would call such a situation a power vacuum, probably why section 181 specifically says "shall".

Section 182 allows individual ministers to resign, which means they will be replaced, it does not cover the resignation of the whole government.

Apart from that, the notion brought forward by some posters that the Yingluck government held on to power is incorrect, they just followed the constitution to the letter. There is only one group of people to blame for this government still being in power after February 2014 and that is Suthep and his fancy marketing name council.

Who knows, had they not sabotaged the elections, we could have a different government altogether, hell if the democrats would have run, they might have won. Not likely, but it could have happened.

Edited January 3, 2015 by sjaak327

[sjaak327]

This thread is so full of BS and monstrous double-standards, it's not true.

I followed events very closely and what happened to cause the coup was pretty straightforward:

Pheu-Thai refused point blank to allow any political reform before a new election. They were 100% prepared to use every means in their power to prevent it. This slid into open terrorist attacks against innocent protestors of the WORST kind : grenades being firing randomly into crowds.

As things were getting more desperate, Prayuth got them all together (a deliberate act) and gave them a chance to back away from the killing. They refused and so he took control. They refused because they had no power to agree : that decision was taken from a luxury hotel room in Dubai long before the meeting.

The rest is all just a consequence of that decision. Once Prayuth had made the decision, he had no choice but to follow the current path, and to commit to it 100%.

I have no reason to prefer one side over another. I form my opinions by following the news over time and things become pretty clear if your glasses are not tinted red or yellow.

Nobody wants this Junta, but all you people whining about it are blaming the wrong people. Of course, there's nothing new there. I've met very few Thais who will accept the consequence of their actions : they always blame somebody else.

Interesting; so both parties are equally to blame, and because there was no enforcement of civil order there was a coup ? I thought this all came about because of a pardon for Thaksin Shinawatra.

Please do try to keep up. The whole reason for the civil disorder was because of the amnesty bill where not one single Pheu-Thai MP from 310 had the ethics to vote against this disgrace to all things decent..

Thaksin tried to break these protests using the terrorism and murder of innocent Thais rather than lose power - and with it his chance to force amnesty. The UDD were caught red-handed with the grenade launchers.

That's when the Army had to step in.

The amnesty bill was dead in the water, it became dead the minute Yingluck dissolved the lower house December 2013.

[DaffyDuck]

Thaksin tried to break these protests using the terrorism and murder of innocent Thais rather than lose power - and with it his chance to force amnesty. The UDD were caught red-handed with the grenade launchers

Isn't it funny how, consistently, tbthailand, stuttering parrot, sjaak, et al are completely ignoring when these points are raised? When the additional point is raised that the CURRENT army government hasn't applied any violence or done any killing, they consistently bleat "oh, but in 2010, and before...!" - while hoping no one notices that these times were both under a different regime, AND that most of these incidents were provoked by the same RedShirts that these tools so fervently defend.

I don't see anyone burning now Central World down, or throwing grenades into crowds - it almost makes you think that tbthailand, stuttering parrot, sjaak, et al are in favor of such violence and killings, since they want the country to return to such a configuration.

[englishoak]

But as John higher up mentioned, apparently whenever there is a mob a government is suppose to cave in. Apparently this govt according to him.intervened because of the attacks on the protesters. And terrible they were too.

I presume in another time, this govt would be just as accomodating of a mob protesting their overthrow. I mean, its not as though the army has any experience of shooting its own people.

Agreed, and that's the point, the government had already caved in and then stayed on a caretaker government (as Thai law dictates) until an election can be held. They tried for an election which was violently halted by the same thugs that were driving around Phuket on motorbikes and closed kids schools for some reason! The coup was not so much a coup just a simple grabbing of power as there was no government!

The successful blocking of the election whilst everyone stood around and let it happen was quite astonishing. It was a blatent show to the world that there was a willingness to do anything necessary to stop any elections whatsoever happening. It really was a very embarassing moment for Thailand, made all the more embarassing by peoples reaction on here, who should have known better than to support that action.

On the contrary it just shows how many selfish closet fascists a holes and there are about these days. Not that they have ever considered where theyd probably be now if they hadnt grown up in a democracy, I doubt many would be in Thailand if they had or have the life they have now but of course they prefer Thailand for the birds and sun and lack of rights, certainly isnt opportunity but they are alright jack thx having never needed to deal with making an honest living here.

Bunch of hypocrites tbh.

Edited January 3, 2015 by englishoak

[sjaak327]

Thaksin tried to break these protests using the terrorism and murder of innocent Thais rather than lose power - and with it his chance to force amnesty. The UDD were caught red-handed with the grenade launchers

Isn't it funny how, consistently, tbthailand, stuttering parrot, sjaak, et al are completely ignoring when these points are raised? When the additional point is raised that the CURRENT army government hasn't applied any violence or done any killing, they consistently bleat "oh, but in 2010, and before...!" - while hoping no one notices that these times were both under a different regime, AND that most of these incidents were provoked by the same RedShirts that these tools so fervently defend.

I don't see anyone burning now Central World down, or throwing grenades into crowds - it almost makes you think that tbthailand, stuttering parrot, sjaak, et al are in favor of such violence and killings, since they want the country to return to such a configuration.

Since you mention my name, I am forced to react to this.

Our English bloke is accusing Thaksin of things he doesn't have a shred of evidence for.

Furthermore he forgets that the government already lost power, they were merely in a care taker capacity. The amnesty law was already dead in the water as I already pointed out in a previous post.

Let alone trying to blame the actual PM (Yingluck) for using violence, as she clearly showed previous PM's (Abhisit) how restraint towards protests really works.

By the way, Central world was burnt down well after the Thai military killed over 90 people, most of them Thai, some of them from other countries. One would be well advised to shut up about violence, as the Thai military has a well documented history of violence against the people they should serve and protect.

But I have to say, your utter ignorance about how the various Thai power brokers really work is highly amusing. And then to think you used the word naïve in a reaction to another poster !

Oh and the protestors weren't innocent, they broke the law by sabotaging elections and preventing their fellow citizens from running for office and from voting, a criminal offence.

But we get the drift, justice only for people you don't like,, people you like can get away with anything, including the current criminals running this country.

Edited January 3, 2015 by sjaak327

[soalbundy]

Come on guys ... for us Farangs it is fun to sit back and watch.... Thailand is just a Big funfair for all of us .... Much better to live the easy life here than back in our home countries... So , really who amongst us cares a damn who runs the country.... Leave it to the Thais... If and when we don't like it we can go home.... If there were no girlie bars , massage parlours and cheap beer and food... None of us would be here... Lie back , have fun and enjoy... one day we will all be dead men... just let us hope not too soon.... Pass the Chang..!

Many of us here have children who, in my case anyway, are Thai and after my death will continue to live here.

Sorry, my kids born anywhere will always be Scottish ...... put your head on the right way round.... A horse born in a pigsty is still a horse...... have some pride in yourself man..!

A look at his birth certificate would suffice to know his nationality. If you are brought up in Thailand, go to school in Thailand and have a Thai mother,that is what you are, Thai. As for pride, i turned my back on the UK 45 years ago and went to Germany,something i have never regretted. Looking at the BBC news on the internet shows it has only got worse since i left, food banks, stabbings, and an ultra PC mob controlling every utterance that one makes, UK, you can keep it.

[Muirton]

With God knows how many Generals in Thailand it would be naive to think there is not some dangerous discontent with some of the Generals in the army, who they themselves probably have large group of armed men under their command they wished to summon them.

There are potentially numerous reasons there is discontent namely:

1) Generals being left out the decision making

2) Generals not being paid their fair share of the loot

3) Inter region rivalry

4) Jealousy

and in my opinion the most pertinent is frustration in some that head of armed forces and all important positions are just being handed down/passed along from mate to mate in one regiment. I doubt other large regiments are just going to let the Queens guard monopolize the power over everything into eternity with Prawit passing to his little brother Anupong, Anupong passing it to his little brother Prayuth, he passing to his classmate Udomej etc etc

With so many armed men out there in the army, navy etc there are a lot of people to keep happy- and we all know the best way to keep them happy.....

Much can be said about "the Queen's guard" if one is prepared for 15 years in the slammer.

[Muirton]

This thread is so full of BS and monstrous double-standards, it's not true.

I followed events very closely and what happened to cause the coup was pretty straightforward:

Pheu-Thai refused point blank to allow any political reform before a new election. They were 100% prepared to use every means in their power to prevent it. This slid into open terrorist attacks against innocent protestors of the WORST kind : grenades being firing randomly into crowds.

As things were getting more desperate, Prayuth got them all together (a deliberate act) and gave them a chance to back away from the killing. They refused and so he took control. They refused because they had no power to agree : that decision was taken from a luxury hotel room in Dubai long before the meeting.

The rest is all just a consequence of that decision. Once Prayuth had made the decision, he had no choice but to follow the current path, and to commit to it 100%.

I have no reason to prefer one side over another. I form my opinions by following the news over time and things become pretty clear if your glasses are not tinted red or yellow.

Nobody wants this Junta, but all you people whining about it are blaming the wrong people. Of course, there's nothing new there. I've met very few Thais who will accept the consequence of their actions : they always blame somebody else.

Unfortunately for this narrative you've left out the key player; yes, Suthep and his barmy army.

For six months they blocked the traffic, caused immense disruption to ordinary people going about their business, were guilty of just as much violence as the PTP people and ultimately obstructed and caused the abandonment of free elections. On the basis of Suthep's subsequent comments it is almost certain that the whole point of the exercise was to bring about the coup; ie he was simply acting as an agent provocateur for the military.

Your version of events is rather like the Second World War without Hitler.

Whoa! On this you are completely wrong. I was living off Sathorn in 2010 when Taksin's rent a rabble were hurling grenades and using rocket launchers to bring down Sala Daeng Sky Train. They also turned Central World to toast and made great use of gasoline tankers. In no way can that be compared with Suthep's popgun

Thaksins "rent a rabble"

" rocket launchers to bring down the sky train"

"turned Central World to toast"

Rather sad for your case that after all these years and so few accused, there are no convictions in the CW arson.

Rather begs the question, who actually did it, rather than who is it most convenient to blame.???

Let's not talk about medics and journalists being murdered and the use of snipers in demonstration control...... ( possibly a world first )

All is rosy, and "all for the best, in this best of all possible worlds" for the right whingers ( spot the typo) here.

Taksin's 'rent a rabble' which the fascist expats so go on about, don't they, is the equivalent of Barack Obama's Kenyan birth certificate and Queen Elizabeth's instructions to have Priness Diana off'd.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.

[Muirton]

This thread is so full of BS and monstrous double-standards, it's not true.

I followed events very closely and what happened to cause the coup was pretty straightforward:

Pheu-Thai refused point blank to allow any political reform before a new election. They were 100% prepared to use every means in their power to prevent it. This slid into open terrorist attacks against innocent protestors of the WORST kind : grenades being firing randomly into crowds.

As things were getting more desperate, Prayuth got them all together (a deliberate act) and gave them a chance to back away from the killing. They refused and so he took control. They refused because they had no power to agree : that decision was taken from a luxury hotel room in Dubai long before the meeting.

The rest is all just a consequence of that decision. Once Prayuth had made the decision, he had no choice but to follow the current path, and to commit to it 100%.

I have no reason to prefer one side over another. I form my opinions by following the news over time and things become pretty clear if your glasses are not tinted red or yellow.

Nobody wants this Junta, but all you people whining about it are blaming the wrong people. Of course, there's nothing new there. I've met very few Thais who will accept the consequence of their actions : they always blame somebody else.

Interesting; so both parties are equally to blame, and because there was no enforcement of civil order there was a coup ? I thought this all came about because of a pardon for Thaksin Shinawatra.

Please do try to keep up. The whole reason for the civil disorder was because of the amnesty bill where not one single Pheu-Thai MP from 310 had the ethics to vote against this disgrace to all things decent..

Thaksin tried to break these protests using the terrorism and murder of innocent Thais rather than lose power - and with it his chance to force amnesty. The UDD were caught red-handed with the grenade launchers.

That's when the Army had to step in.

"the grenade launchers" Poodle in the microwave, poodle in the microwave, call in the Army.