Govt asks overseas Thais to explain coup to foreigners

[webfact]

Junta Asks Overseas Thais to Explain Coup to Foreigners
By Khaosod English


Soldiers outside of the Army Club moments after Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha announced a coup, 22 May 2014.

BANGKOK — The secretary-general of Thailand's ruling military junta has urged Thais living abroad to explain the reasons behind the May 2014 coup d'etat to foreigners.

"I want all of you who live abroad to explain the situation in our country to foreigners, so that they can understand what happened," said Gen. Chatchalerm Chalermsuk. "That the military does not want to hold on to power, and how we have been trying to restore peace in the country and move the nation forward, and enforce the laws."

Gen. Chatchalerm made the remark in an address to representatives of a Boston-based Thai charity who met with him at Government House in Bangkok to donate one million baht to soldiers stationed in southern Thailand to combat a separatist insurgency.

Gen. Chatchalerm said he has been explaining to foreign government officials during trips abroad that the military was forced to stage the coup on 22 May 2014 because the country’s political situation had reached a dead end.

"I have traveled to the United States and Australia to explain that this government will move along our road map, which will lead to an election," Gen. Chatchalerm said. "In the past, we had no exit, because the [former] government would not resign ... And there were groups that came out to oppose the government. The military was afraid that it would lead to clashes. We could not let the situation to escalate beyond our control."

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1436266628&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2015-07-08

[peterjackson]

Thats an easy one...... The Military staged a Coup. Made promises of an election that never materialised, curbed freedom of speech, brought in a draconian 'Law' called Article 44, started an anti-corruption campaign that after 12 months, netted 71 offenders from millions of civil servants, the Coup 'organiser' resigned/retired from his Military post and undemocratically installed himself as the countries PM and gets into bed with Communist China and runs Thailand from a playbook with severe traits of being a Military D (can't use the word....the truth hurts, apparently). Buys 3 submarines from Communist China whilst asking Thais for donations to pay for the nations healthcare system.

Thats just a quick, brief overview to date.

[rkidlad]

I can imagine some Thai trying to explain this to my friends back home;

A. They wouldn't care

B. Thai who?

C. They wouldn't care

D. The polite ones might say "Well, I hope it all works out" and never think about what they've been told again.

I think they've seriously overestimated their importance on the world stage.

[canuckamuck]

Most Thais who love in a western country are quite embarrassed by the political circus in Thailand, I doubt they would ever say a word. And they certainly would have trouble finding anyone interested.

[tbthailand]

In the past, we had no exit, because the [former] government would not resign ...

there they go again, admitting the real reason for the "intervention" - in broad daylight for all to see.

[Somtamnication]

What Thais? They wouldn't show up for that "meeting"

[kotsak]

This circus is getting funnier by each day.

[BuckBee]

No need for thais abroad to tell westerners, we have hundreds of westerners living, working in Thailand & a far more accurate media network so we pretty much up to speed on the mess & bu11sh1t in lala-land

[Happy Grumpy]

"I want all of you who live abroad to explain the situation in our country to foreigners, so that they can understand what happened,"

The pesky non-elite upshots started pandering to the poor masses, took our power and won 4 democratic elections in a row. We just could not compete with them.

This is despicable behaviour, so obviously we removed each and every one of their democratically elected governments.

No matter what we did when we held elections again, they would trounce us.

So now, finally, after four times of this roundabout nonsense we have decided that we will just take the power again, and not offer any democratic elections at all. Will throw in a nice bit of political purging, and will take and do as we were born to do.

The End.

[Always18]

Yes, Thais living abroad must explain the coup, as foreigners seem persistently immune to the B.S. we spread for domestic consumption..............

[SpokaneAl]

I can imagine some Thai trying to explain this to my friends back home;

A. They wouldn't care

B. Thai who?

C. They wouldn't care

D. The polite ones might say "Well, I hope it all works out" and never think about what they've been told again.

I think they've seriously overestimated their importance on the world stage.

Agreed.

[DM07]

Oh, yes! Please do so!

[oneday]

Thats an easy one...... The Military staged a Coup. Made promises of an election that never materialised, curbed freedom of speech, brought in a draconian 'Law' called Article 44, started an anti-corruption campaign that after 12 months, netted 71 offenders from millions of civil servants, the Coup 'organiser' resigned/retired from his Military post and undemocratically installed himself as the countries PM and gets into bed with Communist China and runs Thailand from a playbook with severe traits of being a Military D (can't use the word....the truth hurts, apparently). Buys 3 submarines from Communist China whilst asking Thais for donations to pay for the nations healthcare system.

Thats just a quick, brief overview to date.

A phenomenal summary. Ten "likes" if I could give them.

But they haven't bought the toy sub-marines yet for their tin soldiers. They also want to get in bed with Russia, but not as bad as getting in bed with China. They LOVE China.

I can't for the life me of understand why they think Thais living abroad would support them, let alone explain the UN-explainable. It's just getting to be all very pathetic.

Edited July 8, 2015 by oneday

[sirineou]

This circus is getting funnier by each day.

You cant make this Sh#* Up

[sammygood]

so (ex) bargirls, massage parlour girls & waitresses in western countries have to explain to their customers:

PEE - EM , GOOOOOOD MAN

[quandow]

Hasn't this government tried to extradite and prosecute Thai's living abroad telling the truth of what's happening here? Are there a bunch of empty cells next to the university students that they don't want to let go to waste? Feeding them all that left over rice they have on their hands?

[bangsaenguy]

Simple. Peter Jackson summarized the situation very well. I think foreign gov'ts understand completely.

[Laughing Gravy]

Yes it has been explained to me by many Thais overseas. if I repeated it here I would be in Jail.

My daily fix of laughter. I can always rely on a story every day from those in charge.

[Bannum opinions]

In the past, we had no exit, because the [former] government would not resign ...

there they go again, admitting the real reason for the "intervention" - in broad daylight for all to see.

Yeah, I was going to jump all over the idiocy in this quote as well.

An election was not an exit? Even with an Election Commission made up of their political their soul-brothers?

Rapists can also 'explain' their actions, but does that make them anymore valid?

In all of this, is an extreme arrogance and of a mind-set they are so superior and everyone else are unthinking dolts, that they can come up with anything, and people will believe.

[Emster23]

If they explain situation accurately, then would need to be concerned if ever returned here. Get arrested for tarnishing image and all that. Or perhaps Thailand might ask for extradition..... in spite of that never working. "Freedom of speech? We don't need no stinkin' freedom of speech!"

[h90]

Thats an easy one...... The Military staged a Coup. Made promises of an election that never materialised, curbed freedom of speech, brought in a draconian 'Law' called Article 44, started an anti-corruption campaign that after 12 months, netted 71 offenders from millions of civil servants, the Coup 'organiser' resigned/retired from his Military post and undemocratically installed himself as the countries PM and gets into bed with Communist China and runs Thailand from a playbook with severe traits of being a Military D (can't use the word....the truth hurts, apparently). Buys 3 submarines from Communist China whilst asking Thais for donations to pay for the nations healthcare system.

Thats just a quick, brief overview to date.

And that only because Thailand was on the way to be like Greek in financial terms and the government controlled by a criminal on the run shot on protesters. And I forgot a caretaker government that was technically not in power anymore, because the caretaker time had expired.

[h90]

I don't know what the government worries what foreigner think.

Does Putin, Merkel, Kim etc worry what some other countries think?

[Laughing Gravy]

I don't know what the government worries what foreigner think.

Does Putin, Merkel, Kim etc worry what some other countries think?

Erm yes they do. Putin worries as does Merkel. Even Kim worries what the Chinese think or he wouldn't be there.

Also h90 please stop using the clap trap of an excuse regarding Taxsin. Yes he was a bad one, we know that. You are sounding like a broken record trying to justify what those in power here, have done. People are not stupid and we all know the reason why it happened.

But of course we cant say.

[Soutpeel]

Thai living overseas explaining things to foreigners ? Er I think you will find the Thais living over seas ARE the Johnny bloody foreigners so their talking to themselves

[lust]

Explain Thailand's problems? Thai people don't seem to understand that everyone outside Thailand doesn't care about Thailand, unless they can gain or lose money.

[jayboy]

Thats an easy one...... The Military staged a Coup. Made promises of an election that never materialised, curbed freedom of speech, brought in a draconian 'Law' called Article 44, started an anti-corruption campaign that after 12 months, netted 71 offenders from millions of civil servants, the Coup 'organiser' resigned/retired from his Military post and undemocratically installed himself as the countries PM and gets into bed with Communist China and runs Thailand from a playbook with severe traits of being a Military D (can't use the word....the truth hurts, apparently). Buys 3 submarines from Communist China whilst asking Thais for donations to pay for the nations healthcare system.

Thats just a quick, brief overview to date.

And that only because Thailand was on the way to be like Greek in financial terms and the government controlled by a criminal on the run shot on protesters. And I forgot a caretaker government that was technically not in power anymore, because the caretaker time had expired.

That is a very poor reading of the situation.Neverthless one accepts that supporters of the military regime will become increasingly hysterical and illogical as its incompetence, corruption and unpopularity becomes more apparent.It's becoming increasingly evident that the Bangkok well educated middle class is in despair at the current debacle.However one must point out dishonesty where it occurs and it of course nonsense to suggest that Thailand's economy was heading to disaster under the last administration.Certainly no reasonable or informed person would deny the economy (all the main indicators including fdi) has deteriorated sharply under the military government.Some of this was inevitable given the macro environment but the loss of confidence arising from the military takeover was a significant factor.The ludicrous comparison to Greece is of course economic illiteracy: in fundamentals Thailand remains quite sound assisted by professional management at key institutions like the Ministry of Finance and BOT.Thai banks remain in very good shape.The challenge is really a strategic one, namely to avoid the middle income trap.

In attempting to defend the coupsters there is the familiar refrain of suggesting there was no coup at all, the government firing on peaceful protestors, the Voldemort mastermind pulling the strings - the usual cacophony of lies and half truths.I have some sympathy because in a forum like this it is all to easy to resort to tired and un thought through explanations.Sometimes however it's necessary to think hard and honestly and not take the easy way of countering opposing views.

[ggt]

I could not help myself...after reading the title of the post I laughed out loud...thanks for the humor...

I would dearly love to hear a Thais explanation of the Military coup to foreigners...while you are at it...also take us thru why journalist have to be told what they can ask and how to ask it...why students and faculty have a gag order and are arrested and detained without probable cause...

And top it off as to why it is going to become a crime to speak negatively about the newly self-appointed PM...

That should just about do it...your foreign friends will surely think Thailand is headed into the toilet...

[mmh8]

Yeah they should stick to the truth, - the country is corrupt, we all know it is corrupt from justice system down , however, just because we corrupt country does not mean you can take the piss and make corruption lawful, well last corrupt government try to make corruption lawful, ok ok we corrrupt ignorrant frogheads, but even we know you should not make it lawful so we complain, try to get stuff changed, other people don't want change cos they are profiting from corruption. So military come in saying ok ok we corrupt, but no need to lose face ,look we have a blimp, bomb detectors, aircraft carrier and no planes to go n aircraft carrier, blimp did not come with pump and bomb detectors no work, rather than lose face we take over country in military coup. ok we corrupt too, but we not make it lawful, we just arrest everyone that disagrees -

that in a nutshell is the way things should be explained to foreigners. no loss of face, and acceptance of the truth that anyone who sees the news and gives a wet fart about it ( more than spilling their cup of cha over the breakfast table) will see oh yeah, it makes perfect sense, they is corrupt but no need to take the piss

[Yunla]

The problem is twofold really, number one is that foreigners have their own real lives and real problems to think about, and don't have the time to listen to a lot of this stuff.

And secondly, Thailand is advertised as a tourist destination, and when you are a tourist you are thinking about things like suncream and planning what historic sites you will visit etc. Most tourists do not want to be thinking about complex political issues, when they are going on holiday to relax and enjoy themselves. Obviously all tourists should be aware of current national laws, local etiquette and other things that will hopefully make their travels problem-free. But beyond noting those basic travel-info facts, they are going on holiday to relax and be happy, which is the opposite of entering the surreal doors-inside-doors realm of politics in some nations.

[sawadee1947]

what the soldier'll expect? That the overseas Thais would lie?????