Just long enough to intergrate Thailand into the Eastern Asia Alliance of Communist Military Directorship countries.

It these types of countries the west wants to trade with cheap labor in an iron grip. They can spout democracy till the cows come home its all a sham a ruse to impress the masses at home.

What was the alternative to the coup....... Civil War. Which scenario do you prefer?

Well the military could have always assisted in restoring democracy under the previous Constitution. After all, they wrote it to solve the problems justifying the previous coup, and the previous.

Let's face the facts, there wont ever be civil war in Thailand because they can't even do that right. They will talk about it, huff and puff, chest beat and if it every looked like gaining momentum, they will run as fast as they can, just a few paces behind the military.

The previous government is the one with an armed wing of terrorist that they released on the protesters. It was that wing they kept hidden. I believe there were even high profile PTP ministers at the meeting where people cheered when the armed wing of the government threw grenades in a group of protesters and fired automatic weapons. Killing 2 kids and other people.

You mean the government who bullied anyone who came with proof that the rice program was failing and corrupt ?

You mean the government that held secret sessions of parliament voting while they already send the opposition back home ?

You mean the government that let people vote for others and then have that MP lying about it even though he was caught on video ?

You mean the government led by a convicted criminal ?

You mean the government that wanted to put 26.000 cases of corruption under the amnesty and at the last moment added their criminal leader to the list of people to get amnesty even though they said they would not. (this was what ignited it all)

So you wanted the army to support an utterly corrupt government ?

If the previous government played by the rules they would be in power. If there is anyone to blame its the arrogant Thaksin.

No, he probably means the LEAST CORRUPT government in the history of Thailand : that of Thaksin , according to Transparency International and the one which boosted the international reserves at record levels, the one which PAID ALL THAI DEBT to IMF in advance (first country to do it in advance in all history) and to make Thailand grow at the fastest pace since the Gen. Chatichai govt (who was ousted by a coup too, what a coincidence !) and the fastest reduction of poverty in the history of Thailand.

I guess he meant that government.

Regarding people being happy with innocents being killed, i remember how some people cheered when your hero,the pluriconvicted Suthep ordered to massacre dozens of innocents, including women and children who were inside a temple. I remember some comments full of joy those days, by people who called those women and children "trash" .

Edited February 1, 201511 yr by max72

"The current coup did not fulfil the aspiration of the People's Democratic Reform Committee but it fulfilled the aspiration of the military elites," he said."

Hope his schedule includes a little visit to adjustment center before heading back to Uni....

"If the Lord had not meant them to be sheared, he would not have made them sheep" Eli Wallach as Calvera, head banditto in Magnificent Seven

Sheeple not sheep

Funny, but some of the posters who are all over this story like a cheap suit are well known for being Thai bashers and usually disregard anything a Thai comes out with, unless it suits their agenda.

This guy, Thitinan Pongsudhirak said: "This interim period could be longer - longer than most of us might think."................and you have picked it up and run with it, like a dog with a lamb chop.

Well I'm not a Thai basher, and I don't have any agenda as there is no benefit to me who is in government, but I do have an opinion and voice them as many here do.

So do you think this political science academic is right or wrong or dose he have an agenda?

Do you think he will be "invited" to have a little talk with the powers that be for having dared to voice his opinion? and are these "attitude adjustments" all good in your home country?

Well if you are not a Thai basher and don't have an anti-government agenda then my comment obviously had nothing to do with you. And I do respect your opinion, whether or not I agree with it.

I don't know much about this academic Thitinan Pongsudhirak, except he seems to have very good credentials, and I merely commented on the reaction his opinion received from "some" posters.

I wonder what the reaction had have been if he said he gave full support to the military and that they were doing a good job. The same posters would have castigated him.

No, I don't think he will be invited in for a chat, he did not really say anything wrong and this stupid idea that anyone who dares to voice their opinion is marched into the gulag at gunpoint for brainwashing is just crap, propaganda created by the anti-junta crowd.

My home country does not use attitude adjustments, not that I know of. But then again the Military has never had to step in to sort out a mess like the one created by the Shinawatras either.

Ok cool,

So do you think this "attitude adjustments" a pleasant chat over a nice chamomile tea, and a please if you would be so kind request? "just propaganda created by the anti-junta crowd?" I'd like to ask you just what do you think happens in these meetings?

No, I don't think these talks are "just propaganda created by the anti-junta crowd", and if you read my post again you will see that I did not say that.

And "attitude adjustments" are just another way of saying that someone is told to pull their heads in, or else. A little bit different to the opinions of some posters who cannot comment on the Junta without making comparisons to Stalinist Russia or the Nazi Party.

You do know who the old guard is, right ?

I'm sure most of us do but it cannot be discussed here and that has been made clear so I hope you are not 'tempting' us to get a ban. Let it be until, if ever, freedom of speech is a basic right here.

a prayer for Sunday

"Dear Lord lead me not into temptation by junta lovers and hence into a ban Amen"

This guy is the patsy, brainwashed and gullible, faithful to his masters but in the end if he doesn't pull this off he'll be toast,

The old money families will find another one to take his place.

The bottom line is that the gravy train must continue.

When western money began arriving in Thailand, back in the day, they got the first concessions.

That was the way it was always done, those families closest to the big Cahuna got the money.

Nothing has really changed, only now, with education, the internet and facebook the people are waking up.

It's a lot more difficult to keep the status quo intact.

So, the military, has to keep order, keep the status quo intact.

Meanwhile, the spoiled brats, rich beyond imagination enjoy a life most Thais don't even know exists.

Check out the private jets parked at Bangkok airport.

Check out the names of the biggest shareholders of Thai companies.

There are two societies here in Thailand, and the old money has no intention of those two ever becoming one.

Quote:

Like the military, the civil service after 1932 was still an aristocratic institution. The civil service continued to be an elite system. Approximately 74% of the special-grade officers, the top seventh through eleventh grades, were from official and business families that accounted for only 10% of the national population. Politics in Thailand after World War II was a matter of the struggle for dominance among three groups: the military, the parliament and elite aristocracy group, and the smaller but more prestigious traditionalists and royalists.

Very accurate.

..... and no amount of votes bought for 500 Baht will change that, or make Thailand a true democracy.

What was the alternative to the coup....... Civil War. Which scenario do you prefer?

You know I was just thinking the same thing. It seems to me the military should have partnered with the Democratically elected government and helped them clear Bangkok of the demonstrators who were being extremely disruptive and committing all kinds of ILLEGAL acts.

I'm not saying Yingluck's government was right or wrong or good or bad. What I'm saying is they WERE Democratically elected and deserved the right to fulfill their term. If they were bad then they would have been voted OUT and that is how Democracy works. If someone is doing something illegal while holding a government or political position then the constitution should have provisions to prosecute them. Democracy is a system and a process that needs to be given a chance to work. Every time you short-circuit it with a coup you put the clock back to zero and start all over again.

Looks like someone will be summoned for an attitude readjustment.

Daaa You think ?

what a surprise.

Many similarities between thailand and fiji.

It took fiji 8 years to return to elections.

Edited February 1, 201511 yr by DoctorG

The fact that Thailand is a country that suffers from "cycles of coups" is a matter of history.

The recent fact that "The conservative middle class eventually turned to the military when that was combined with the fact that the majority of voters were rural poor and deemed to have been manipulated by populist policies under Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra." Indicates that the populist policies; affordable health care, programmes to benefit the rural poor, infrastructure to help them appealed to that segment of the population that held the largest number of votes.

Democracy will NEVER return to Thailand...elites and royalists make too much money and don't want to share it with the poor.

Prayut is there for the rich.

Apparently it was time for another coup... I'm sure the good general would not have done it otherwise!

Some posts have disappeared:

Any discussion of the Monarchy or members of the royal family in a political context will result in a ban. This includes vague comments that could be construed as referring to the Monarchy.

I would say the OP failed to mention if this goes on much longer without a date for elections there will be some form of trade sanctions from the international community. Thailand's economy is propped up by the manufacturing base and that is the golden goose of the country. Factory owners and businesses that contract them are not stupid people, after the labor rate spike in China about 15 years ago factory's exploded here and now that the labor rate has caught up with them it would not take much to sway them away to other countries. Goods manufactured from a Junta controlled country already have a sigma attached to them.

Usually people without jobs are the biggest threat to a government.

Edit: spelling.

Edited February 1, 201511 yr by marinediscoking

What was the alternative to the coup....... Civil War. Which scenario do you prefer?

A civil war would have been better for Thailand in the long run

A coup is just repeating the past as IMO nothing will change if and when they hold "Thai Style Democratic Elections"

What a suggestion!

Do you know what a civil war is?

it has nothing to do with civilization!

Stay, General just a little bit longer.
Please, please, please, please, please tell us General that you're gonna.
Now, Some TVF posters don't mind,
And the NLA don't mind,
If we have one more coup here: just one more time,

Oh, won't you stay General just a little bit longer,
Please stay here, please say that you will.

Apologies to Four Seasons

What a suggestion!

Do you know what a civil war is?

it has nothing to do with civilization!

Really?

Generally civil war is when one segment of society violently disagrees with the civilzation that the other segment wants to live by.

Amazes me how many people think a Civil War would be good for the country. Don't they watch the news and see what's happening in countries like Syria or Ukraine, just to set two examples? Inviting a Civil War in any country is sheer blind madness and could only ever be suggested by people who live well away from what would happen or by internal War Mongers with personal agenda's.

If a Coup restores peace and order, with or without Martial Law, i'm all for it. After all; Democracy is not always what it's cracked up to be and most of us would do better taking a good long look at the kind of 'Democracy' we have in our own countries. It aint all cake and honey !

They were poised to have elections which the yellows blocked and the army assisted by its lack of assistance to enable the election.

If everyone played by the rules the election would have happened. There needent have been any so threatened civil war.

Allthough he may be right, it is still the opinion of a scholar.

Wait and see !!

I think that the point has come where it is getting to dangerous to comment. I have known people from the DDR and have heard their stories how things can change so gradually that you hardly notice it until you get a knock on the door.

some how I feel the ordinary citizen some how feels they are more comfortable with Military Government than corrupt political government. I may be totally wrong....or may be right.

"The current coup did not fulfil the aspiration of the People's Democratic Reform Committee but it fulfilled the aspiration of the military elites," he said."

Hope his schedule includes a little visit to adjustment center before heading back to Uni....

"If the Lord had not meant them to be sheared, he would not have made them sheep" Eli Wallach as Calvera, head banditto in Magnificent Seven

"It is the duty of a good shepherd to shear his sheep, not to skin them" (Tiberius) Roman emperor, 14 AD.

The Elites got it way back then but here????

Of course he will. Everyone including blind Freddy knew that. He will hold onto power as long as he can. That is what his ilk does.

Good i hope he stays. Mr. T and family are finished !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My personal opinion:
The army is here to stay, that's clear. They didn't even manage to lift the martial law by now.
Most probably the army will at least stay until some indiscussable transition will happen, and probably many years after that.
The transition to democracy will cost lives.

rasmus5150, on 01 Feb 2015 - 07:12, said:

What was the alternative to the coup....... Civil War. Which scenario do you prefer?

It seemed to work ok for the USA. So many coups here and what has been achieved.... absolutely nothing! The "alternative" is to "educate" the population in what democracy is....NOT Thai democracy, and to inform the population they should QUESTION those in authority, NOT accept everything they are told, but this is unlikely to happen as it doesn't suit those in power/control, this includes the military, the ultimate control freaks.

I fear our beloved leader will say on until he's dead.

What a suggestion!

Do you know what a civil war is?

it has nothing to do with civilization!

Really?

Generally civil war is when one segment of society violently disagrees with the civilzation that the other segment wants to live by.

Only the sick want death but what other way can the people finally remove all army influence in politics. The army should doing the bidding of the democratically elected government, not conspired with a violent opposition (Suthep) to remove the said government. The good general now finds himself in the position that Suthep wanted for the country. That is no elections and a hand picked mob to run the country. I would guess it will be nearer to ten years than 5 to democratically remove these treasonists from office

Amazes me how many people think a Civil War would be good for the country. Don't they watch the news and see what's happening in countries like Syria or Ukraine, just to set two examples? Inviting a Civil War in any country is sheer blind madness and could only ever be suggested by people who live well away from what would happen or by internal War Mongers with personal agenda's.

If a Coup restores peace and order, with or without Martial Law, i'm all for it. After all; Democracy is not always what it's cracked up to be and most of us would do better taking a good long look at the kind of 'Democracy' we have in our own countries. It aint all cake and honey !

They were poised to have elections which the yellows blocked and the army assisted by its lack of assistance to enable the election.

If everyone played by the rules the election would have happened. There needent have been any so threatened civil war.

Go back to the red protests when the police did not lift a finger to prevent the violence as it was plainly obvious it was coming judging by all the guns, grenades, petrol etc which went in to the protest site right under their noses; & so round & round it goes. The offer of elections during the same protests which was shown live on TV & which were about to be accepted by the red leaders until the phone call. So if you want to talk about what if, then if those elections had gone ahead then we might not be where we are today.

mikemac, on 01 Feb 2015 - 07:49, said:mikemac, on 01 Feb 2015 - 07:49, said:

Funny, but some of the posters who are all over this story like a cheap suit are well known for being Thai bashers and usually disregard anything a Thai comes out with, unless it suits their agenda.

This guy, Thitinan Pongsudhirak said: "This interim period could be longer - longer than most of us might think."................and you have picked it up and run with it, like a dog with a lamb chop.

So, besides "bagging" all those so called ( your cheap name calling) thai bashers, just what is your intellectual stance on the op, or are you only capable off cheap shots at those who see Thailand as it really is...NOT perfect, but would like to see it improved for the sake of ALL Thais, including they now Thai families. What a tosser.

Edited February 1, 201511 yr by Rorri

Excellent. The longer you have a military dictatorship which is what this is TVA so don't mute me, the worse their economy will get and of course the cheaper it will be for us. Cheers Pon Ek!!