PM says he staged the May 22 coup for the sake of the country's peace

[Thailand]

all the red TV contingent out in force on this thread I see lol

I wonder what we'd be talking about right now if the good General hadn't stepped in when he did - death and murder would most certainly be involved, how many people that are

today wouldn't be

The country was going down the (deleted) fast - get over it

I wonder what would have happened if the good general had protected those persons trying to exercise their right to vote but we're being prevented from doing so by threats and intimidation from another source.

Now of course happiness and economic stimulus pervades.

[namatjira]

Things would be far far worse for this country and its people if this action by the general was not taken, unfortunate but necessary, we do have some kind of stability now, it's not ideal, however over time it will resolve , and hopefully resolve peacefully.....Thailand would not have escaped a serious economic meltdown as there was no way the Reds were going to back down on the rice pledging farce.........fairly sure many lives would have been lost, and not just the rice farmers, the benefactors of the " scheme " hanging themselves......a very difficult situation, action had to be taken.

Hopefully it will all settle in time.

[halloween]

No you cant , One was a democratically elected Government , One was a PM in Power through Judicial interference . One set of protesters were protesting for Democracy , the other attempting to disrupt/destroy democracy

You have a very strange set of values. When there is a change of government because a government is found guilty (and clearly so) of breaching electoral law the subsequent orchestrated violence is "for democracy". But when people take to the streets to protest against a government that has proven itself to be totally corrupt, they are attempting to destroy it. And this all hinges on the result of an election, ignoring all the other pillars and facets of a real democracy?

Even now, a year later, when the level of corruption of the PTP government is quite clear (the levels of failure of the rice scam, the amnesty debacle, the blatant G2G theft, and the B2.3 trillion debt avoided), you still think that protesting against that is destroying democracy?

[Smokemachine]

A ship is sinking. Loads of people are trap inside the ship. Water are leaking into the ship from a broken hole. People start drowning. The leftover people start having conflict over how to save the sinking boat.

1st group said "lets patch the hole and throw out the water."

The 2nd group said: since there is a hole causing the water leaking into the ship, it is also possible to make another hole to let the water flow back to the sea."

Since the 2nd group has outnumber the 1st group, the minorities can only pray hard for a miracle.

Suddenly! A third group appear. They are the ship crews. They are armed with weapons. They ask the illogical group to step down and do the necessary work to save EVERYONE in the sinking ship.

Peace and happiness once again is found in the ship.

Hurray!!!

[Alwyn]

Everything in Thailand is fine except for the bad people? He should come here and read the news about the South. Seems far from fine there.

[marinediscoking]

I am amazed how many posters supported this coup and who naively believed civil war was imminent. The situation was far from it at the time no matter how much you want to try to spin it that way.

[Laughing Gravy]

Always interesting that its the falang PT/Red shirt corrupt mob on TV who hate the general, but not surprising.

Well as we are generalizing it seems that its always the yellow shirts who always support him.

Yes I am a farang but please don't put me in the bracket of any childish coloured shirt. I believe red and yellows have many faults and really it is the old guard (yellows) who don't ant to relinguish power.

using that 'old chestnut' I have done it to save the people is insulting to anyone with a brain. it has been done to keep the ruling elite in control. we all know that you can't stage a coup here without the support from the higher people.

[heybruce]

He said part of the reason why he invited foreign experts and academics to Thailand was because he wanted to create mutual understanding about what had happened to the country and why the army had to step in.

What Drivel .they did it because his mates in PDRC we going to take the country in to a civil war , a part of a well practiced conspiracy to usurp power How can they be such barefaced liars when they sat back and let Terrorists stop an election as they knew they would get well beaten. t ,"The use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims."

Hope this lot see Justice one day

You don't think there was anything wrong with a convicted criminal fugitive controlling the government form overseas. A government that not surprisingly ignored and broke laws at will and whose number one priority was to get the criminal back and whitewashed of all conviction, charges, and given future immunity?

A government that allowed bombings and shootings on a nightly basis of those who spoke and protested against them? A government who controlled the police and made sure no one was ever charged for doing so? A government that scoffed at the murder of innocent children and threatened to mobilize their private militia and assassins and even divide the country if necessary?

Yes, sure the army should have ignored their sworn oath and come out to protect an openly corrupt government and their openly corrupt and ineffective police.

Where were the police when all these elections were being stopped? Why did they yet again fail to do their duty, as in 2010? And yet so many senior police were and are aligned with PTP and Thaksin.

No black and white here.

"Convicted criminal" BS again. Yingluck campaigned promising to listen to her brother. The voters approved, her party was elected, it was legal and it was democratic.

If you have evidence the government was in any way complicit with the bombings and shootings then by all means come forward with it. However stop posting this crap about peaceful anti-democracy protesters (they didn't use flowers and smiles to disrupt the February election) and pretend the only violence was from the backlash they provoked.

The police attempted to contain the protests and ensure a peaceful election, were overwhelmed, and suffered casualties--remember the officer who had his leg blown off by a grenade when trying to break up an illegal protest? If the army had wanted to serve a democratic government they would have helped maintain the peace and ensured an election. However the army didn't want an elected government.

Many things are shades of grey, but one thing is clear--the military wants to decide who should run the country and how.

[dageurreotype]

all the red TV contingent out in force on this thread I see lol

I wonder what we'd be talking about right now if the good General hadn't stepped in when he did - death and murder would most certainly be involved, how many people that are alive today wouldn't be

The country was going down the (deleted) fast - get over it

This inability to get beyond anything other than binary choices is really irritating. There are many posters who are wishing a plague on both their houses.

[heybruce]

No you cant , One was a democratically elected Government , One was a PM in Power through Judicial interference . One set of protesters were protesting for Democracy , the other attempting to disrupt/destroy democracy

You have a very strange set of values. When there is a change of government because a government is found guilty (and clearly so) of breaching electoral law the subsequent orchestrated violence is "for democracy". But when people take to the streets to protest against a government that has proven itself to be totally corrupt, they are attempting to destroy it. And this all hinges on the result of an election, ignoring all the other pillars and facets of a real democracy?

Even now, a year later, when the level of corruption of the PTP government is quite clear (the levels of failure of the rice scam, the amnesty debacle, the blatant G2G theft, and the B2.3 trillion debt avoided), you still think that protesting against that is destroying democracy?

When the government does something illegal it should be dealt with in the courts, when it is incompetent it should be dealt with through elections. Elections are the starting point and periodic validations of democracy, military coups and d******ships are the antithesis of democracy. Didn't you know that?

The corruption of the military isn't as obvious to ex-pats as the corruption of the police, but it is greater and more damaging to society. It's well known to the Thai people, even though no civilian government dares investigate the military and Prayuth has made it clear the military won't be investigated while he's in charge.

[Srikcir]

General Prayut staged the May 22 coup for the sake of the MILITARY'S peace of mind that its "extra-constitutional" powers will remain in place.

Nothing noble or heroic about that.

I have seen democratic soldiers sacrifice their lives to preserve and protect democracy.

I have never seen democratic soldiers sacrifice their lives to destroy democracy.

[lovetotravel]

I am amazed how many posters supported this coup and who naively believed civil war was imminent. The situation was far from it at the time no matter how much you want to try to spin it that way.

Plenty of evidence and news reports to support just this. Masses of weapons found, training camps being setup, and of course at least one group got caught:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/754213-thailand-indicts-26-on-terrorism-arms-charges/

At the time of their arrest, the army said the suspects were allegedly intent on a “large-scale attack” in Khon Kaen, one of the largest northeastern cities.

Interesting article here also. Talks about a civil war and impending chaos if things aren't dealt with properly. Great read:

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-05-23/why-this-thai-coup-matters-more

I'm sure there's plenty more out there none of us know about.

http://time.com/2948172/thailand-isaan-province-identity/

In February, before the coup, Red Shirt leader Suporn Attawong announced plans to recruit 600,000 young men across the 20 northern provinces to join a new progovernment Democracy Protection Volunteers Group. Since the putsch of May 22, caches of weapons have been unearthed alongside stores of Red Shirt propaganda materials. Last week, despite the obvious risk of detention, Red Shirt activist Ittipon Sukpaen threatened civil war on his Facebook page. Weapons are freely available in Thailand: according to one 2011 study, the country has an estimated 10 million firearms in civilian hands.

Edited May 29, 2015 by lovetotravel

[halloween]

No you cant , One was a democratically elected Government , One was a PM in Power through Judicial interference . One set of protesters were protesting for Democracy , the other attempting to disrupt/destroy democracy

You have a very strange set of values. When there is a change of government because a government is found guilty (and clearly so) of breaching electoral law the subsequent orchestrated violence is "for democracy". But when people take to the streets to protest against a government that has proven itself to be totally corrupt, they are attempting to destroy it. And this all hinges on the result of an election, ignoring all the other pillars and facets of a real democracy?

Even now, a year later, when the level of corruption of the PTP government is quite clear (the levels of failure of the rice scam, the amnesty debacle, the blatant G2G theft, and the B2.3 trillion debt avoided), you still think that protesting against that is destroying democracy?

When the government does something illegal it should be dealt with in the courts, when it is incompetent it should be dealt with through elections. Elections are the starting point and periodic validations of democracy, military coups and d******ships are the antithesis of democracy. Didn't you know that?

The corruption of the military isn't as obvious to ex-pats as the corruption of the police, but it is greater and more damaging to society. It's well known to the Thai people, even though no civilian government dares investigate the military and Prayuth has made it clear the military won't be investigated while he's in charge.

So when the police, and especially the DSI, are paid stooges and refuse to act, how do matters reach a court?

Leaving aside the strawman arguments, my question was how is the people protesting against a blatantly corrupt government (who the police won't touch) destroying democracy?

[halloween]

General Prayut staged the May 22 coup for the sake of the MILITARY'S peace of mind that its "extra-constitutional" powers will remain in place.

Nothing noble or heroic about that.

I have seen democratic soldiers sacrifice their lives to preserve and protect democracy.

I have never seen democratic soldiers sacrifice their lives to destroy democracy.

Not only don't i recall any soldiers being killed in the coup (or anybody else for that matter), I don't recall anything like a democracy that was overthrown.

[phoenixdoglover]

I am amazed how many posters supported this coup and who naively believed civil war was imminent. The situation was far from it at the time no matter how much you want to try to spin it that way.

Plenty of evidence and news reports to support just this. Masses of weapons found, training camps being setup, and of course at least one group got caught:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/754213-thailand-indicts-26-on-terrorism-arms-charges/

At the time of their arrest, the army said the suspects were allegedly intent on a “large-scale attack” in Khon Kaen, one of the largest northeastern cities.

Interesting article here also. Talks about a civil war and impending chaos if things aren't dealt with properly. Great read:

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-05-23/why-this-thai-coup-matters-more

......

I love your overheated rhetoric:

"masses of weapons"

"at least one group got caught"

...oh yeah, the hothead on Facebook; there's your evidence of an insurrection.

I guess you didn't read the Bloomberg article closely. Apropos of the topic of this thread, I quote:

"Never mind that no one outside the army chiefs who grabbed power Thursday can explain why a coup was even necessary."

That is still true today.

Edited May 29, 2015 by phoenixdoglover

[metisdead]

A post containing an unnecessary reference to the Monarchy has been removed.

[heybruce]

I am amazed how many posters supported this coup and who naively believed civil war was imminent. The situation was far from it at the time no matter how much you want to try to spin it that way.

Plenty of evidence and news reports to support just this. Masses of weapons found, training camps being setup, and of course at least one group got caught:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/754213-thailand-indicts-26-on-terrorism-arms-charges/

At the time of their arrest, the army said the suspects were allegedly intent on a “large-scale attack” in Khon Kaen, one of the largest northeastern cities.

Interesting article here also. Talks about a civil war and impending chaos if things aren't dealt with properly. Great read:

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-05-23/why-this-thai-coup-matters-more

I'm sure there's plenty more out there none of us know about.

http://time.com/2948172/thailand-isaan-province-identity/

In February, before the coup, Red Shirt leader Suporn Attawong announced plans to recruit 600,000 young men across the 20 northern provinces to join a new progovernment Democracy Protection Volunteers Group. Since the putsch of May 22, caches of weapons have been unearthed alongside stores of Red Shirt propaganda materials. Last week, despite the obvious risk of detention, Red Shirt activist Ittipon Sukpaen threatened civil war on his Facebook page. Weapons are freely available in Thailand: according to one 2011 study, the country has an estimated 10 million firearms in civilian hands.

Actually the Bloomberg article explains that things, including the coup, were not being dealt with preperly. The Times article explains why the Northeast has legitimate complaints against the elites and military junta. The weapons cache (not caches) was minuscule, and a couple of hotheads mouthing off don't impress me.

Sorry, the civil war claims are BS.

[heybruce]

No you cant , One was a democratically elected Government , One was a PM in Power through Judicial interference . One set of protesters were protesting for Democracy , the other attempting to disrupt/destroy democracy

You have a very strange set of values. When there is a change of government because a government is found guilty (and clearly so) of breaching electoral law the subsequent orchestrated violence is "for democracy". But when people take to the streets to protest against a government that has proven itself to be totally corrupt, they are attempting to destroy it. And this all hinges on the result of an election, ignoring all the other pillars and facets of a real democracy?

Even now, a year later, when the level of corruption of the PTP government is quite clear (the levels of failure of the rice scam, the amnesty debacle, the blatant G2G theft, and the B2.3 trillion debt avoided), you still think that protesting against that is destroying democracy?

When the government does something illegal it should be dealt with in the courts, when it is incompetent it should be dealt with through elections. Elections are the starting point and periodic validations of democracy, military coups and d******ships are the antithesis of democracy. Didn't you know that?

The corruption of the military isn't as obvious to ex-pats as the corruption of the police, but it is greater and more damaging to society. It's well known to the Thai people, even though no civilian government dares investigate the military and Prayuth has made it clear the military won't be investigated while he's in charge.

So when the police, and especially the DSI, are paid stooges and refuse to act, how do matters reach a court?

Leaving aside the strawman arguments, my question was how is the people protesting against a blatantly corrupt government (who the police won't touch) destroying democracy?

The police acted. One of them had his leg blown off acting. The military didn't act until it overthrew the government.

People protesting peacefully don't destroy democracy. People using violence and intimidation to obstruct elections do.

If you think the military isn't blatantly corrupt, then I've got some wonderful investment opportunities I'd like to present to you.

[lovetotravel]

I love your overheated rhetoric:

"masses of weapons"

"at least one group got caught"

...oh yeah, the hothead on Facebook; there's your evidence of an insurrection.

I guess you didn't read the Bloomberg article closely. Apropos of the topic of this thread, I quote:

"Never mind that no one outside the army chiefs who grabbed power Thursday can explain why a coup was even necessary."

That is still true today.

If you followed the news just after the coup, you would have read about weapons caches being found almost every week. Here's a pic of one such cache. They use the term "huge".

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Huge-cache-of-seized-weapons-revealed-30237404.html

He did not reveal the source of the weapons but said an investigation was under way.

However the junta has already linked the war weapons to fugitive Jakrapob Penkair, a former spokesman for the Thaksin Shinawatra government.

The military court issued an arrest warrant for Jakrapob and eight other people believed to be connected with the confiscated weapons, according to deputy national police chief Somyot Phumphanmuang.

[phoenixdoglover]

I remember this photo op. Short on specifics. Strangely devoid of people to go along with the hardware. In short, a little fodder for the gullible rubes.

[JOC]

Always interesting that its the falang PT/Red shirt corrupt mob on TV who hate the general, but not surprising.

If you are a spokesperson for the elite, I think we plebs can relax................

[halloween]

When the government does something illegal it should be dealt with in the courts, when it is incompetent it should be dealt with through elections. Elections are the starting point and periodic validations of democracy, military coups and d******ships are the antithesis of democracy. Didn't you know that?

The corruption of the military isn't as obvious to ex-pats as the corruption of the police, but it is greater and more damaging to society. It's well known to the Thai people, even though no civilian government dares investigate the military and Prayuth has made it clear the military won't be investigated while he's in charge.

So when the police, and especially the DSI, are paid stooges and refuse to act, how do matters reach a court?

Leaving aside the strawman arguments, my question was how is the people protesting against a blatantly corrupt government (who the police won't touch) destroying democracy?

The police acted. One of them had his leg blown off acting. The military didn't act until it overthrew the government.

People protesting peacefully don't destroy democracy. People using violence and intimidation to obstruct elections do.

If you think the military isn't blatantly corrupt, then I've got some wonderful investment opportunities I'd like to present to you.

Don't come the raw prawn pal. The RTP including the DSI did nothing to stop the blatant corruption of the Yingluk government. I'm glad you agree that the people were justified in protesting against a blatantly corrupt government, that it was not destroying democracy.

That was the subject of the discussion you joined. Your continued attempts to deflect to another subject don't interest me.

[MobileContent]

Finally he speaks the truth after talking a year bullocks that this was not a coup.

[aaacorp]

Always interesting that its the falang PT/Red shirt corrupt mob on TV who hate the general, but not surprising.

Always interesting it s people who are for the generals and who obviously want to see only one side of the story who write such comments

Prayout jailing without trial, threaten and abuse of power, amnesty for themselves...not so different that thaksin..but one more time not any surprise coming from you..enjoy your fsh rod on the mekong and keep sleeping.

Obviously it s also always the same who drag the thaksin/red shirt in the talks as soon as the dear Commandate show his weakness and inabilities

Edited May 29, 2015 by aaacorp

[kingalfred]

Always interesting that its the falang PT/Red shirt corrupt mob on TV who hate the general, but not surprising.

If you are a spokesperson for the elite, I think we plebs can relax................

nah. Hung up on your "elite"junk remarks.The Intelligent element know the country was in "crisis" under the convicted yingluck and her convicted brother. The puppet party Peau Thai could not, and cannot be allowed to inflict their corrupt practices anymore.

[heybruce]

I love your overheated rhetoric:

"masses of weapons"

"at least one group got caught"

...oh yeah, the hothead on Facebook; there's your evidence of an insurrection.

I guess you didn't read the Bloomberg article closely. Apropos of the topic of this thread, I quote:

"Never mind that no one outside the army chiefs who grabbed power Thursday can explain why a coup was even necessary."

That is still true today.

If you followed the news just after the coup, you would have read about weapons caches being found almost every week. Here's a pic of one such cache. They use the term "huge".

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Huge-cache-of-seized-weapons-revealed-30237404.html

He did not reveal the source of the weapons but said an investigation was under way.

However the junta has already linked the war weapons to fugitive Jakrapob Penkair, a former spokesman for the Thaksin Shinawatra government.

The military court issued an arrest warrant for Jakrapob and eight other people believed to be connected with the confiscated weapons, according to deputy national police chief Somyot Phumphanmuang.

Those look like military weapons. Gee, where would military weapons come from?

[ginjag]

all the red TV contingent out in force on this thread I see lol

I wonder what we'd be talking about right now if the good General hadn't stepped in when he did - death and murder would most certainly be involved, how many people that are

today wouldn't be

The country was going down the (deleted) fast - get over it

I wonder what would have happened if the good general had protected those persons trying to exercise their right to vote but we're being prevented from doing so by threats and intimidation from another source.

Now of course happiness and economic stimulus pervades.

All this twaddle-----good governance after being elected would have saved Thailand from all the dung that the Shins piled up. Not forgetting please people who are pretty well governed any place in the world do not revolt for nothing, Why would there have to have been early elections ???? because of the Amnesty, and who drew it up to cause the big stink-------He is not residing in Thailand.

[off road pat]

He said part of the reason why he invited foreign experts and academics to Thailand was because he wanted to create mutual understanding about what had happened to the country and why the army had to step in.

What Drivel .they did it because his mates in PDRC we going to take the country in to a civil war , a part of a well practiced conspiracy to usurp power How can they be such barefaced liars when they sat back and let Terrorists stop an election as they knew they would get well beaten. t ,"The use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims."

Hope this lot see Justice one day

You are so full of it,.....fact is that Thailand is relatively peaceful now and did not had political killings sins the coup, and they take on corruption for the first time ever....never have there been so much mid level or high placed people cough for there misdeeds....were in thew past they could do anything they pleased unchallenged. in full impunity...

I prefer this government than a elected government who just takes care of themselves and has complete disregard of the law and justice....and lacks any decency ...

You can like anything you want....

Regards, Off Road Pat

[JAG]

I love your overheated rhetoric:

"masses of weapons"

"at least one group got caught"

...oh yeah, the hothead on Facebook; there's your evidence of an insurrection.

I guess you didn't read the Bloomberg article closely. Apropos of the topic of this thread, I quote:

"Never mind that no one outside the army chiefs who grabbed power Thursday can explain why a coup was even necessary."

That is still true today.

If you followed the news just after the coup, you would have read about weapons caches being found almost every week. Here's a pic of one such cache. They use the term "huge".

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Huge-cache-of-seized-weapons-revealed-30237404.html

He did not reveal the source of the weapons but said an investigation was under way.

However the junta has already linked the war weapons to fugitive Jakrapob Penkair, a former spokesman for the Thaksin Shinawatra government.

The military court issued an arrest warrant for Jakrapob and eight other people believed to be connected with the confiscated weapons, according to deputy national police chief Somyot Phumphanmuang.

Those look like military weapons. Gee, where would military weapons come from?

From the armskote in the barracks where the photo - op was staged?

[angiolo]

democracy..civil war .. not even in Thailand. Maybe a lot of demonstrations