Thai Minister asserts respect for rights of individuals summoned for 'attitudinal discussion

[Manbing]

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I dont believe it in the least. Every person that has gone there has come back and not said anything since. They were threatened, coerced whatever you want to call it.

That is the whole idea of attitude adjustment.......to keep their mouths shut and not cause distraction to the building of the road to Democracy by the Government..
Either you like it or not you have to accept it.
Although, you can keep on shouting as you have no affect on the political situation in Thailand.
Bless you.

I find it difficult to understand how some expats comprehend their homelands and the differences they see here.

Just to clarify, The good old USA, protector of peace and justice and freedom for all. Has a supermax (military) prison, and operates secret black sites, kidnapping people from around the world and torturing them. There are no rights to lawyers, or even to understand any charges they are being held for. 'Terrorists' are held for undetermined amounts of time under inhumane conditions. (By the standards of basic human rights charters- not my standards)
Now that's OK by most people.

The Thai junta, who took over power to restore the country to peace, because almost a year ago there was serious legitimate concerns of civil war.
They have a system in place where some people are publicly called into talk with the government officials to be reminded and I feel sure threatened, threatened that they could lose their liberty for creating civil disorder.

Not disappeared (USA)
Not tortured (USA)
Not confined without charge, legal representation, for unknown periods (USA)

They are called in for a chat.

Big Deal, this is about as friendly as it would ever get in any situation under any other government.

Those of you who don't see this are beyond help. As deluded as the red shirt farmers being ripped off in the rice scam and voting the shins back in for more.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Manbing

[heybruce]

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I dont believe it in the least. Every person that has gone there has come back and not said anything since. They were threatened, coerced whatever you want to call it.

That is the whole idea of attitude adjustment.......to keep their mouths shut and not cause distraction to the building of the road to Democracy by the Government..

Either you like it or not you have to accept it.

Although, you can keep on shouting as you have no affect on the political situation in Thailand.

Bless you.

I find it difficult to understand how some expats comprehend their homelands and the differences they see here.

Just to clarify, The good old USA, protector of peace and justice and freedom for all. Has a supermax (military) prison, and operates secret black sites, kidnapping people from around the world and torturing them. There are no rights to lawyers, or even to understand any charges they are being held for. 'Terrorists' are held for undetermined amounts of time under inhumane conditions. (By the standards of basic human rights charters- not my standards)

Now that's OK by most people.

The Thai junta, who took over power to restore the country to peace, because almost a year ago there was serious legitimate concerns of civil war.

They have a system in place where some people are publicly called into talk with the government officials to be reminded and I feel sure threatened, threatened that they could lose their liberty for creating civil disorder.

Not disappeared (USA)

Not tortured (USA)

Not confined without charge, legal representation, for unknown periods (USA)

They are called in for a chat.

Big Deal, this is about as friendly as it would ever get in any situation under any other government.

Those of you who don't see this are beyond help. As deluded as the red shirt farmers being ripped off in the rice scam and voting the shins back in for more.

You don't like they way things are done in the US so that makes everything the junta does in Thailand is acceptable. Is that your argument?

Regarding "called in for a chat", if they don't come when they're called people in uniform come after that. And before they are released they are::

"...forced to sign documents that allow the junta to seize their assets if they become involved with “any political movement.”" http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/10/world/asia/thailand-junta-drowning-the-opposition-in-paperwork.html?_r=3

Regarding your claim:

"The Thai junta, who took over power to restore the country to peace, because almost a year ago there was serious legitimate concerns of civil war."

There was little risk of a civil war. The real risk was to democracy, and it came from groups that could not win elections and could not accept that they weren't in power. So long as the military caters to these people there will be no democracy in Thailand, and it could lead to a civil war.

For all of the faults with the current and past governments in the US, there is still freedom to criticize governments and elections to change the political leadership. You can't say that about Thailand under the junta.

Edited February 12, 2015 by heybruce

[Manbing]

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I dont believe it in the least. Every person that has gone there has come back and not said anything since. They were threatened, coerced whatever you want to call it.

That is the whole idea of attitude adjustment.......to keep their mouths shut and not cause distraction to the building of the road to Democracy by the Government..

Either you like it or not you have to accept it.

Although, you can keep on shouting as you have no affect on the political situation in Thailand.

Bless you.

I find it difficult to understand how some expats comprehend their homelands and the differences they see here.

Just to clarify, The good old USA, protector of peace and justice and freedom for all. Has a supermax (military) prison, and operates secret black sites, kidnapping people from around the world and torturing them. There are no rights to lawyers, or even to understand any charges they are being held for. 'Terrorists' are held for undetermined amounts of time under inhumane conditions. (By the standards of basic human rights charters- not my standards)

Now that's OK by most people.

The Thai junta, who took over power to restore the country to peace, because almost a year ago there was serious legitimate concerns of civil war.

They have a system in place where some people are publicly called into talk with the government officials to be reminded and I feel sure threatened, threatened that they could lose their liberty for creating civil disorder.

Not disappeared (USA)

Not tortured (USA)

Not confined without charge, legal representation, for unknown periods (USA)

They are called in for a chat.

Big Deal, this is about as friendly as it would ever get in any situation under any other government.

Those of you who don't see this are beyond help. As deluded as the red shirt farmers being ripped off in the rice scam and voting the shins back in for more.

You don't like they way things are done in the US so that makes everything the junta does in Thailand is acceptable. Is that your argument?

Regarding "called in for a chat", if they don't come when they're called people in uniform come after that. And before they are released they are::

"...forced to sign documents that allow the junta to seize their assets if they become involved with “any political movement.”" http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/10/world/asia/thailand-junta-drowning-the-opposition-in-paperwork.html?_r=3

Regarding your claim:

"The Thai junta, who took over power to restore the country to peace, because almost a year ago there was serious legitimate concerns of civil war."

There was little risk of a civil war. The real risk was to democracy, and it came from groups that could not win elections and could not accept that they weren't in power. So long as the military caters to these people there will be no democracy in Thailand, and it could lead to a civil war.

For all of the faults with the current and past governments in the US, there is still freedom to criticize governments and elections to change the political leadership. You can't say that about Thailand under the junta.

So to clarify,

1. Called in for a chat and threatened, we agree on that. Arrested for not coming agreed.

2. USA literally disappearing people, agreed. Ok by your standards but somehow not as bad as calling people to have a chat???

Losing everything and being imprisoned indefinitely, without charges or rights is somehow better than having your wealth taken?

I don't think so, but it's your right to voice that.

As you have done here. Therefore your right to free speech is not lost.

And people are not disappeared to protect it.

I am afraid your argument doesn't hold much water so far.

Democracy is precious, I agree, but paying for support and using blatant lies and propaganda is dishonest and illegal. It's called election fraud.

It is undemocratic, as is putting down dissent with violence and arming a militia to protest against legal governments. That's called terrorism.

These are tactics used for a long time by the shins to get power.

That's not Democracy.

And I never even mentioned the rice scam and the history of blatant corruption under successive shin governments and nominees.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Manbing

[heybruce]

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I dont believe it in the least. Every person that has gone there has come back and not said anything since. They were threatened, coerced whatever you want to call it.

That is the whole idea of attitude adjustment.......to keep their mouths shut and not cause distraction to the building of the road to Democracy by the Government..

Either you like it or not you have to accept it.

Although, you can keep on shouting as you have no affect on the political situation in Thailand.

Bless you.

I find it difficult to understand how some expats comprehend their homelands and the differences they see here.

Just to clarify, The good old USA, protector of peace and justice and freedom for all. Has a supermax (military) prison, and operates secret black sites, kidnapping people from around the world and torturing them. There are no rights to lawyers, or even to understand any charges they are being held for. 'Terrorists' are held for undetermined amounts of time under inhumane conditions. (By the standards of basic human rights charters- not my standards)

Now that's OK by most people.

The Thai junta, who took over power to restore the country to peace, because almost a year ago there was serious legitimate concerns of civil war.

They have a system in place where some people are publicly called into talk with the government officials to be reminded and I feel sure threatened, threatened that they could lose their liberty for creating civil disorder.

Not disappeared (USA)

Not tortured (USA)

Not confined without charge, legal representation, for unknown periods (USA)

They are called in for a chat.

Big Deal, this is about as friendly as it would ever get in any situation under any other government.

Those of you who don't see this are beyond help. As deluded as the red shirt farmers being ripped off in the rice scam and voting the shins back in for more.

You don't like they way things are done in the US so that makes everything the junta does in Thailand is acceptable. Is that your argument?

Regarding "called in for a chat", if they don't come when they're called people in uniform come after that. And before they are released they are::

"...forced to sign documents that allow the junta to seize their assets if they become involved with “any political movement.”" http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/10/world/asia/thailand-junta-drowning-the-opposition-in-paperwork.html?_r=3

Regarding your claim:

"The Thai junta, who took over power to restore the country to peace, because almost a year ago there was serious legitimate concerns of civil war."

There was little risk of a civil war. The real risk was to democracy, and it came from groups that could not win elections and could not accept that they weren't in power. So long as the military caters to these people there will be no democracy in Thailand, and it could lead to a civil war.

For all of the faults with the current and past governments in the US, there is still freedom to criticize governments and elections to change the political leadership. You can't say that about Thailand under the junta.

So to clarify,

1. Called in for a chat and threatened, we agree on that. Arrested for not coming agreed.

2. USA literally disappearing people, agreed. Ok by your standards but somehow not as bad as calling people to have a chat???

Losing everything and being imprisoned indefinitely, without charges or rights is somehow better than having your wealth taken?

I don't think so, but it's your right to voice that.

As you have done here. Therefore your right to free speech is not lost.

And people are not disappeared to protect it.

I am afraid your argument doesn't hold much water so far.

Democracy is precious, I agree, but paying for support and using blatant lies and propaganda is dishonest and illegal. It's called election fraud.

It is undemocratic, as is putting down dissent with violence and arming a militia to protest against legal governments. That's called terrorism.

These are tactics used for a long time by the shins to get power.

That's not Democracy.

And I never even mentioned the rice scam and the history of blatant corruption under successive shin governments and nominees.

You clearly would like to derail a topic about the junta's violation of human rights and make it a discussion about the US. Sorry, I decline to accommodate

The junta calls in people, arrests them if they don't come voluntarily, holds them incommunicado for days without charge, and forces them to sign a statement agreeing to refrain from political activity or lose all their assets, and you continue to refer to it as a "chat". If that's your idea of a chat I must assume you have no friends at all.

"Democracy is precious, I agree, but paying for support and using blatant lies and propaganda is dishonest and illegal. It's called election fraud."

Agreed. But you have no evidence of fraud on a scale that would have changed past election outcomes, and ignore that the 2011 election was monitored by ANFREL and deemed legitimate. Abhisit, the loser in that election, didn't claim election fraud. Do you know something he doesn't?

"These are tactics used for a long time by the shins to get power."

Do you have evidence to support that? How do you feel about the yellow's tactic of coming to power through military coups? Do you think Thailand has democracy now?

"It is undemocratic, as is putting down dissent with violence and arming a militia to protest against legal governments. That's called terrorism."

There were illegal actions on both sides before the coup; the actions on one side misguided attempts to defend an elected government, the actions on the other side to prevent elections, topple the elected government, and prompt a coup. No evidence has been presented that indicates any of the actions were initiated or condoned by the government at the time, and they never reached a level that necessitated a coup. While I don't approve of any of the violence, my harshest criticism is reserved for those fighting against democracy.

Corruption has been endemic to Thailand well before the Shinawatra's started winning elections, is well established in the military, and won't be investigated in the military under Prayuth. The rice scheme and other programs of the elected government should have been dealt with through elections.

Here's a news flash: Supporters of democracy support that system of government even when they don't like the election results. You and all others cheering a junta that toppled an elected government and defending its human rights violations are not supporters of democracy. Haven't you figured that out?

[2fishin2]

^^^ LIKE^^^

Im trying to understand why such a simple concept (in my mind anyways) is so difficult for people to realize and comprehend. Your assessment is spot on. Why anyone in their right mind would think that an illegal military takeover of a country is good....well it boggles my imagination.

[lildragon]

^^^ LIKE^^^

Im trying to understand why such a simple concept (in my mind anyways) is so difficult for people to realize and comprehend. Your assessment is spot on. Why anyone in their right mind would think that an illegal military takeover of a country is good....well it boggles my imagination.

Could you imagine the outcry if it happened in their home nations? Military coups and attitude adjustments? It would insult the intelligence of the vast majority of people.

These foreigners here cheering this junta are just like the snobby, sanctimonious, think they know it all elite thinking that the majority of Thai people are too stupid to vote. This attitude is holding Thailand back more than Thaksin ever could.