State Of Emergency In Thailand

[Siripon]

I cannot believe that any of you can condone that a democratically elected government (no matter how corrupt it might be) is removed by military force. I for one hope that the people of Thailand will rise up against this as I cant believe that a set of military generals etc. will give the power back to the people and at the same time disband the parliament and remove the constitution. So the only outcome I can see is that Thailand will be a military dictatorship for the foreseeable future unless the people act against it now.

P.S. I hope to have the whole thing go peaceful as my wife has family living in Bangkok.

Tourists and Thais are queing up to have their photos taken with the soldiers at various points such as the footbridges at Siam Square and Democracy Monument.

A lot of Thais are very relieved and happy.

ThomasHOL, if you follow Thai politics closely you will understand why so many are overjoyed.

The air feels fresher in Bangkok today, and it's not only due to less traffic!

[bkkandrew]

Just now the BBC cable channel news was interviewing a woman who was saying she didn't like the way the constitution had been abrogated and she would prefer to see Thaksin tried in a court... and then it was cut off. Now it's back to international news.

I saw that too, I managed to hear the rest of that interview on the world service radio!

What was she saying that was so bad?

[onlooker]

There will be a General Election . . . in Oct 2007

[fruittbatt]

I will dare to say the unsayable to those advocates of democracy at any cost: IT DID NOT WORK in the last few years for reasons of untrammelled corruption, vote-buying, an insufficiently strong system of civil checks and balances, Taksin's virtual media monopoly, law suits against his opposition, denial of rights to ethnic minorities,etc etc. It is useless to mourn a democracy that was-latterly at least- an illusion.

I will go further and question whether democracy exists in a pure form in ANY country in the WEST, and whether in fact the democratic model is ultimately the most appropriate and desirable political model. This is a question worth deep thought....

[AlexLah]

Hi all,

I am absolutely sure what I have seen.

Thaksin doing a speech and telling that the problems in the South are caused by people that do not go to school and so, are stupid.

I wanna bet my life on it.

Maybe CNN changed their broadcast of it , as they do many times.

Yes I was shocked when I looked at Thaksin telling that.

I have many Thai friends that looked at that broadcast, unfortunately they are not so good in English.

But I know what I have seen and heard.

Alex

[lingyai]

I cannot believe that any of you can condone that a democratically elected government (no matter how corrupt it might be) is removed by military force. I for one hope that the people of Thailand will rise up against this as I cant believe that a set of military generals etc. will give the power back to the people and at the same time disband the parliament and remove the constitution. So the only outcome I can see is that Thailand will be a military dictatorship for the foreseeable future unless the people act against it now.

P.S. I hope to have the whole thing go peaceful as my wife has family living in Bangkok.

Tourists and Thais are queing up to have their photos taken with the soldiers at various points such as the footbridges at Siam Square and Democracy Monument.

A lot of Thais are very relieved and happy.

ThomasHOL, if you follow Thai politics closely you will understand why so many are overjoyed.

The air feels fresher in Bangkok today, and it's not only due to less traffic!

While I agree that many Thai are happy for the moment I have not read news reports from areas that are in support of Thaksin. Bangkok is not the whole country.

I don' t think that many are thrilled with the anouncement the next election will be just over a year in Oct 2007. I would think this date will be moved to earlier in 2007 after protest.

[simcity]

Just now the BBC cable channel news was interviewing a woman who was saying she didn't like the way the constitution had been abrogated and she would prefer to see Thaksin tried in a court... and then it was cut off. Now it's back to international news.

I saw that too, I managed to hear the rest of that interview on the world service radio!

everytime Cnn or BBC talk about Mr Taskin , the chanel is cut off for sun outrage lol

must be someone with the finger on the switch!

or idem when the CNN want to show pics who as been sent to them !

we are been watch ....

Edited September 20, 2006 by simcity

[marquess]

There will be a General Election . . . in Oct 2007

I find the prospect of an election in a years time rather daunting, as it will only help to prolong the current crises. Nearly a year and a half without a democratically elected government. Moreover this idea to tear up the constitution and put another in its place also bodes ill. For the simple reason that consitutions never really manage to establish their weight if they keep being replaced. What would perhaps be better is to have the existing one, amened, to for example limit the terms of the prime minister, and allow any Thai citizen to be elected to parliament, regardless of their educational status, this would help to reduce the Benz worshippers, as it would allow the people to choose from their own number. Thus the present consitution should be suspended and then amended.

As to what the woman was saying earlier, it was simply that she was glad to see the back of Toxic, but she would have preferred that it had not been done in the manner in which it was done!

[Laulen]

From BBC News..

Gen Sonthi claimed he was acting in line with the wishes of the Thai people....

In the interim, he said, a new national assembly would be appointed to draft a new, permanent constitution.

What was wrong with the 1997 constitution? I recall reading it and it sounded fair enough. It isn't the constitution that is wrong, it is the people who are responsible for safeguarding its principles from those in the top echelons of Thai society who, through personal greed and selfishness want to have all the power, politics, and purchasing power for themselves.

No wonder some people call Thaksin Mr. 'Toxin'. It is a shame that so many poor rural people appear to have been 'bought' by his cheap lines of credit, and the 30Baht health scheme. It is understandable though!

Let's hope that whoever is next in power (a woman perhaps???) can maintain a sense of fairness and justice for those poor of Thailand, whether in the city or the countryside.

Laulen

[ThomasHOL]

Tourists and Thais are queing up to have their photos taken with the soldiers at various points such as the footbridges at Siam Square and Democracy Monument.

A lot of Thais are very relieved and happy.

ThomasHOL, if you follow Thai politics closely you will understand why so many are overjoyed.

The air feels fresher in Bangkok today, and it's not only due to less traffic!

No matter how bad Taksin has been that is not a reason for a military coup. In a democratic country the whole process must be made as the constitution says and not my military force. I’m sorry to hear that the Thai’s are not acting out against this as I cant believe that a military government will be any better and less corrupt.

I will dare to say the unsayable to those advocates of democracy at any cost: IT DID NOT WORK in the last few years for reasons of untrammelled corruption, vote-buying, an insufficiently strong system of civil checks and balances, Taksin's virtual media monopoly, law suits against his opposition, denial of rights to ethnic minorities,etc etc. It is useless to mourn a democracy that was-latterly at least- an illusion.

I will go further and question whether democracy exists in a pure form in ANY country in the WEST, and whether in fact the democratic model is ultimately the most appropriate and desirable political model. This is a question worth deep thought....

Just because the system has problems is not a reason to throw it away. In a democracy you work to change the rules. And regarding your last question then I would say yes every western country has a pure democracy. We elect the persons that we believe would do the best for the country. When we get a government we don’t like we live with it. I cannot think of the alternative where I could not even vote for the persons or parties I think will do the best for the country and looking around the world I have no doubt that the democratic countries are generally better of then the ones without.

[p_brownstone]

Having lived here for over 35 years I largely agree with "blam".

Corruption has always been a major force in Thai politics but under Thaksin it was raised to a whole new level.

Having said that however, to me it does not loom as the main cause for concern.

The damage that Thaksin has done to Thailand financially and socially will take years to resolve.

Financially he has used future money to pay for todays’ excesses, from the 30 Baht hospital plan, unbudgeted handouts whenever he goes upcountry and unregulated Baht 1 million per Village schemes, to forcing Government Banks to lend to finance his uneconomic policies. A lot of this is “off Balance Sheet” and will only be uncovered as a new Government takes over. There will be a lot of pain at the grassroots level when a new Government is forced to roll back these giveaway programs which were only instituted to improve Thaksins’ personal popularity with upcountry voters. That will translate into a lot of unrest and disaffection and a problem in waiting for any new Government.

Socially too the problems stored up for the future are enormous.

No previous Prime Minister of Thailand has so deliberately undertaken to split the Thai people between the Bangkok / urban dwellers and the upcountry population, and Thaksins downfall will be seen by many in the Provinces as yet another example of how the “urbanites” engineer politics to their, the rural peoples’, detriment. To unite the Thai people again will be a major task of the new Administration.

Further, the Thaksin policies of throwing money at the Villages in various schemes has undermined the tradition of self-reliance. In the past, in the main, income was a known factor and expenditure was budgeted with that in mind; now the giveaway schemes and debt moratoriums etc. have destroyed that culture and replaced it with the expectation that when something goes wrong the Government will be along with another handout, so it’s OK to buy a Mobile ‘phone or a Honda Wave without any real consideration given as to how the debt will be paid off.

I don’t see the end of Thaksin – desirable as it was, as the end of Thailands’ problems at all.

Patrick

[salween]

I will dare to say the unsayable to those advocates of democracy at any cost: IT DID NOT WORK in the last few years for reasons of untrammelled corruption, vote-buying, an insufficiently strong system of civil checks and balances, Taksin's virtual media monopoly, law suits against his opposition, denial of rights to ethnic minorities,etc etc. It is useless to mourn a democracy that was-latterly at least- an illusion.

I will go further and question whether democracy exists in a pure form in ANY country in the WEST, and whether in fact the democratic model is ultimately the most appropriate and desirable political model. This is a question worth deep thought....

Thank You!

Edited September 20, 2006 by salween

[marshbags]

Latest article from The Independant U.K.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article1621761.ece

From The Independent

20 September 2006 17:03 Home > News > World > Asia

The autocratic billionaire accused of running his country for personal gain

By Jan McGirk

Published: 20 September 2006

It has been almost too easy to caricature Thailand's Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra; like Silvio Berlusconi, the European counterpart to whom he is so often compared, he gave plenty of ammunition to his enemies.

The billionaire businessman described Washington as a "useless friend" after the Americans denounced his human rights record, and he fumed that " the UN is not my father" after stern words from diplomats questioned his bloody campaign against drug-dealers, which resulted in 3,000 extra-judicial killings.

He even hid the first outbreak of bird flu in a vain attempt to protect Thai poultry exports, almost risking a global pandemic in the process.

The anti-Thaksin chants that resounded in Bangkok's streets and outside shopping malls this spring were gradually taken up by Thais across all generations and classes. And now the army has risen up against the autocratic policeman turned billionaire premier.

The efforts of Thai Rak Thai ­ the ruling party founded by Mr Thaksin in 1998 ­ have backfired. After five years in office, Thaksin Shinawatra is on his way out. A political era in Thailand is drawing to an end.

Mr Thaksin's critics have always maintained that an excess of hubris and greed would bring about his downfall. The dam only broke when he used a legal loophole to sell his family's telecommunications conglomerate, ShinCorp, overseas and secure a tax-free profit of $1.9bn (£1bn). In a country where the gap between haves and have-nots has been widening under his governance, it was a deal too far.

Bangkok's power elite and tax-strapped middle classes were incensed when they realised that the wife of Singapore's leader would oversee decisions on Thailand's communications satellites, internet servers, and its biggest mobile-phone network.

Even the deal-making Mr Thaksin, who frequently boasted of running the nation like a modern chief executive, found such a brazen sellout hard to justify. His son, through an offshore company with the almost comically apt name of Ample Rich, was fined for profiteering. What followed was remarkable: day after day of peaceful demonstrations as tens of thousands of Bangkok residents made the city's vast royal Saman Luang park their own, gridlocking the capital, thwarting business decision making, further sapping Thailand's sagging stock market, and provoking political turmoil.

The thin-skinned politician who had boasted of his law and order training at Sam Houston University was hard-pressed to justify all his excesses. When Mr Thaksin called a snap election in April, rival parties boycotted it and a political stalemate resulted. The court threw out the results and his caretaker government stumbled along with no parliament.

Street demonstrations grew rowdier, tens of thousands of voices demanded their arrogant leader get out of government. As Thailand's body politic slouched toward constitutional chaos, something had to give. In the end it was Thaksin Shinawatra.

The silver jubilee celebration of King Bhumibol Adulyadej brought street marches to a decorous halt in mid-June, and the Prime Minister managed to cling to power for few extra months.

But the war on separatist insurgents in the three Muslim-majority provinces in the south, which has claimed more than 1,400 lives since it reignited in January 2004, shows no sign of abating. In fact, on Saturday night, five synchronised blasts in Hat Yai resort killed four people, including a Canadian teacher and a Chinese tourist. This may have been the final straw.

It has been almost too easy to caricature Thailand's Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra; like Silvio Berlusconi, the European counterpart to whom he is so often compared, he gave plenty of ammunition to his enemies.

The billionaire businessman described Washington as a "useless friend" after the Americans denounced his human rights record, and he fumed that " the UN is not my father" after stern words from diplomats questioned his bloody campaign against drug-dealers, which resulted in 3,000 extra-judicial killings.

He even hid the first outbreak of bird flu in a vain attempt to protect Thai poultry exports, almost risking a global pandemic in the process.

The anti-Thaksin chants that resounded in Bangkok's streets and outside shopping malls this spring were gradually taken up by Thais across all generations and classes. And now the army has risen up against the autocratic policeman turned billionaire premier.

The efforts of Thai Rak Thai ­ the ruling party founded by Mr Thaksin in 1998 ­ have backfired. After five years in office, Thaksin Shinawatra is on his way out. A political era in Thailand is drawing to an end.

Mr Thaksin's critics have always maintained that an excess of hubris and greed would bring about his downfall. The dam only broke when he used a legal loophole to sell his family's telecommunications conglomerate, ShinCorp, overseas and secure a tax-free profit of $1.9bn (£1bn). In a country where the gap between haves and have-nots has been widening under his governance, it was a deal too far.

Bangkok's power elite and tax-strapped middle classes were incensed when they realised that the wife of Singapore's leader would oversee decisions on Thailand's communications satellites, internet servers, and its biggest mobile-phone network.

Even the deal-making Mr Thaksin, who frequently boasted of running the nation like a modern chief executive, found such a brazen sellout hard to justify. His son, through an offshore company with the almost comically apt name of Ample Rich, was fined for profiteering. What followed was remarkable: day after day of peaceful demonstrations as tens of thousands of Bangkok residents made the city's vast royal Saman Luang park their own, gridlocking the capital, thwarting business decision making, further sapping Thailand's sagging stock market, and provoking political turmoil.

The thin-skinned politician who had boasted of his law and order training at Sam Houston University was hard-pressed to justify all his excesses. When Mr Thaksin called a snap election in April, rival parties boycotted it and a political stalemate resulted. The court threw out the results and his caretaker government stumbled along with no parliament.

Street demonstrations grew rowdier, tens of thousands of voices demanded their arrogant leader get out of government. As Thailand's body politic slouched toward constitutional chaos, something had to give. In the end it was Thaksin Shinawatra.

The silver jubilee celebration of King Bhumibol Adulyadej brought street marches to a decorous halt in mid-June, and the Prime Minister managed to cling to power for few extra months.

But the war on separatist insurgents in the three Muslim-majority provinces in the south, which has claimed more than 1,400 lives since it reignited in January 2004, shows no sign of abating. In fact, on Saturday night, five synchronised blasts in Hat Yai resort killed four people, including a Canadian teacher and a Chinese tourist. This may have been the final straw.

Quote...........................................................................

...............................................................ended

Quite a bit of ground covered in this article and from UK observation which should be considered neutral in political terms.

If you fast forward a few months things about Toxin ( by then infamous ) will really make for some good reading

Autocratic, now there,s a good discription don,t you think.

marshbags

Edited September 20, 2006 by marshbags

[salween]

I will dare to say the unsayable to those advocates of democracy at any cost: IT DID NOT WORK in the last few years for reasons of untrammelled corruption, vote-buying, an insufficiently strong system of civil checks and balances, Taksin's virtual media monopoly, law suits against his opposition, denial of rights to ethnic minorities,etc etc. It is useless to mourn a democracy that was-latterly at least- an illusion.

I will go further and question whether democracy exists in a pure form in ANY country in the WEST, and whether in fact the democratic model is ultimately the most appropriate and desirable political model. This is a question worth deep thought....

Thank You!

What is it they say about the definition of stupidity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?

Well if there was another election, would there be a different result? No, things indeed would have gotten much worse heading down the path blam so eloquently described. Thaksin’s era was far from a functioning democracy, thus what democracy was really at stake by pursuing the course of action we are all now witnessing?

I certainly struggled with the dichotomy between coups and democracy when first observing this crisis facing the Thai politic. Democracy seems to be the best our species can come-up with for the time being, and definitely worth fighting for. But not the idea of it as has been co-opted by Thaksin, the furtherance of would in no way benefit anyone but him and his band of cronies, and enlarge the mess that folks now claim they want to clean up.

Fundamentalism can get us, or keep us, in trouble. Evan when we’re talking about democracy.

In the same vein, must all coups be seen as bloody, or a guns and tanks version of what Thaksin has heaped on the Thai people these past few years? Maybe not? The folks in charge here do seem to have “done their homework” as one poster has noted, so possibly this will indeed by something much different, and actually a wonderful step in really advancing democracy in Thailand.

[awayfoe]

From BBC News..

Gen Sonthi claimed he was acting in line with the wishes of the Thai people....

In the interim, he said, a new national assembly would be appointed to draft a new, permanent constitution.

What was wrong with the 1997 constitution? I recall reading it and it sounded fair enough. It isn't the constitution that is wrong, it is the people who are responsible for safeguarding its principles from those in the top echelons of Thai society who, through personal greed and selfishness want to have all the power, politics, and purchasing power for themselves.

No wonder some people call Thaksin Mr. 'Toxin'. It is a shame that so many poor rural people appear to have been 'bought' by his cheap lines of credit, and the 30Baht health scheme. It is understandable though!

Let's hope that whoever is next in power (a woman perhaps???) can maintain a sense of fairness and justice for those poor of Thailand, whether in the city or the countryside.

Laulen

well say laulen but some people here have nostalgy of MILITARY DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

[bob4you]

I cannot believe that any of you can condone that a democratically elected government (no matter how corrupt it might be) is removed by military force. I for one hope that the people of Thailand will rise up against this as I cant believe that a set of military generals etc. will give the power back to the people and at the same time disband the parliament and remove the constitution. So the only outcome I can see is that Thailand will be a military dictatorship for the foreseeable future unless the people act against it now.

P.S. I hope to have the whole thing go peaceful as my wife has family living in Bangkok.

I think you are missing the big picture. Thatskin was so corrupt, had so many people in his pocket that it was not a true democracy. He manipulated everything so as to remain in power and continue stripping the country. He would probably been reelected again based on bribing the masses with government sponsored programs to buy the needed votes while he funneled off the spoils. Good riddance to a corrupt dictator who sold his people and country down the river in the name of "democracy".

[shotover]

Just watching CNN in Bangkok. Just as the journalist said "here are some photos relating to the coup", the broadcast suddenly switched to a series of montages of various models, actors, and actresses.

Seems like someone has their fingers on the edit switch at UBC.

[ThomasHOL]

I think you are missing the big picture. Thatskin was so corrupt, had so many people in his pocket that it was not a true democracy. He manipulated everything so as to remain in power and continue stripping the country. He would probably been reelected again based on bribing the masses with government sponsored programs to buy the needed votes while he funneled off the spoils. Good riddance to a corrupt dictator who sold his people and country down the river in the name of "democracy".

And your solution is to let the military take control thinking that will make it better? Sorry being raised and live in a western country I see the democracy as the highest goal for a rule and no matter how corrupt he may be it must always be sorted out within the constraints of the constitution.

Military coup is newer a way out.

[salween]

I think you are missing the big picture. Thatskin was so corrupt, had so many people in his pocket that it was not a true democracy. He manipulated everything so as to remain in power and continue stripping the country. He would probably been reelected again based on bribing the masses with government sponsored programs to buy the needed votes while he funneled off the spoils. Good riddance to a corrupt dictator who sold his people and country down the river in the name of "democracy".

And your solution is to let the military take control thinking that will make it better? Sorry being raised and live in a western country I see the democracy as the highest goal for a rule and no matter how corrupt he may be it must always be sorted out within the constraints of the constitution.

Military coup is newer a way out.

Never say never.

[cclub75]

And your solution is to let the military take control thinking that will make it better? Sorry being raised and live in a western country I see the democracy as the highest goal for a rule and no matter how corrupt he may be it must always be sorted out within the constraints of the constitution.

Military coup is newer a way out.

It's so true what you say about the great western democracy and its virtues... remember.... Hitler was elected...

Different times, different places...

Thai "democracy" was a fake, some nice words on nice glossy paper. Thaksin has had 5 years to put the country at his service, with corruption, cronyism and crime (yes crime of blood) on an industrial scale.

And supreme perversion, he did it with the "democracy's clothes". It's so easy to fool the sweet westerns minds and medias.

So at one point : military coup is the only way out.

[Tony Clifton]

I wonder what they'll find now when they start searching the TRT headquarters. Computers and filing cabinets full of Thaksin's "plans" for Thailand.

With Thaksin out of the picture, watch and see how many will come out, now unafraid to speak. Expect many books exposing how TRT really worked.

[ace]

I will dare to say the unsayable to those advocates of democracy at any cost: IT DID NOT WORK in the last few years for reasons of untrammelled corruption, vote-buying, an insufficiently strong system of civil checks and balances, Taksin's virtual media monopoly, law suits against his opposition, denial of rights to ethnic minorities,etc etc. It is useless to mourn a democracy that was-latterly at least- an illusion.

I will go further and question whether democracy exists in a pure form in ANY country in the WEST, and whether in fact the democratic model is ultimately the most appropriate and desirable political model. This is a question worth deep thought....

Strictly speaking the Thaksin regime was an Oligarchy: "a form of government where most or all political power effectively rests with a small segment of society (typically the most powerful, whether by wealth, family, military strength, or political influence)"

I always liked the Churchill quote: "Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government. Except all others ....."

However, my opinion is generally in accordance with yours - people who simply say "democracy at any cost" (Americans for example) betray a lack of deep knowledge. A benevolent dictatorship has it's place and time, thailand and now in this case

[PeaceBlondie]

....Sorry, being raised and live in a western country I see the democracy as the highest goal for a rule and no matter how corrupt he may be it must always be sorted out within the constraints of the constitution.

Military coup is never a way out.

I understand your point of view, Thomas, but I waste too much time on other web forums arguing with people who worship democracy as their highest God, higher than Jesus or Buddha.

I do not believe in armed resistance to the powers that be, but I am in a smaller minority than those who worship democracy as a god. When a dictator like Thaksin lies and steals and buys votes and evades taxes and makes a mockery of democracy, there is no democracy; it's dead. The constitution was as alive as a dead maggot.

While I would never vote for a military coup, and much preferred the total non-violent protests of PAD, I can understand how the military leadership saw that the non-violence was ineffective. You can't blame the military for thinking they could do a better job than Thaksin did.

Democracy is too imperfect, especially in some countries, to be worshipped as a god.

[astral]

This is the 19th coup since 1932, all boodless. 7-11s still open, looks like business as usual.

Hmmm, all bloodless? Better get the facts straight. Last time the army shot a number of protesters.

People certainly died in 1992

and some families are STILL looking for people who went missing then.

[Thaising]

I wonder what they'll find now when they start searching the TRT headquarters. Computers and filing cabinets full of Thaksin's "plans" for Thailand.

With Thaksin out of the picture, watch and see how many will come out, now unafraid to speak. Expect many books exposing how TRT really worked.

Not only the headquarter. Military men already carting boxes and boxes of documents from his residence in charan sanitwong since this morning. Let’s wait and see what turn out for everybody to see.

[astral]

I cant believe that a set of military generals etc. will give the power back to the people

It's not as unlikely as you imagine. We shall see.

It has always happened in the past.

[skippybangkok]

....Sorry, being raised and live in a western country I see the democracy as the highest goal for a rule and no matter how corrupt he may be it must always be sorted out within the constraints of the constitution.

Military coup is never a way out.

I understand your point of view, Thomas, but I waste too much time on other web forums arguing with people who worship democracy as their highest God, higher than Jesus or Buddha.

I do not believe in armed resistance to the powers that be, but I am in a smaller minority than those who worship democracy as a god. When a dictator like Thaksin lies and steals and buys votes and evades taxes and makes a mockery of democracy, there is no democracy; it's dead. The constitution was as alive as a dead maggot.

While I would never vote for a military coup, and much preferred the total non-violent protests of PAD, I can understand how the military leadership saw that the non-violence was ineffective. You can't blame the military for thinking they could do a better job than Thaksin did.

Democracy is too imperfect, especially in some countries, to be worshipped as a god.

Agreed PB. I saw comments from over seas officals who probably could not find Bangkok on a map. You need to understand Thailand. I coup in a western country would be different than here. For those of us who have been here along time, I think we can read between the lines that this coup is very different than others.

I was out and about today, flowers every where for the military guys. Sitting in restaurants, and overheard so many people talking positively about it.

For those who find the Coup distastefull, maybe hire Taksin ( I heard he is out of a job) as your PM, and who knows what you might end up doing in a few years from now!!!

Edited September 20, 2006 by skippybangkok

[The Mask]

I wonder what they'll find now when they start searching the TRT headquarters. Computers and filing cabinets full of Thaksin's "plans" for Thailand.

With Thaksin out of the picture, watch and see how many will come out, now unafraid to speak. Expect many books exposing how TRT really worked.

Not only the headquarter. Military men already carting boxes and boxes of documents from his residence in charan sanitwong since this morning. Let’s wait and see what turn out for everybody to see.

Although I am no fan of Thaksin why is everyone behaving like the heavens have opened and some divine light has shone on the military leaders?. Of course Thaksin is corrupt, but corruption runs deeply through every aspect of Thai soceity, most Thais are corrupt by nature!.

Why does anyone think that this new military regime will be any less corrupt than TRT?. This military regime is here to stay unless there is a counter coup. Of course the military will mask the new regime with various puppet officials who are just mouthpieces, but mark my words, your looking at a dictatorship for at least a year.

The military said they have seized power 'temporarily', an ambiguous term to say the least. However in my opinion temporarily does not mean until October 2007.

[astral]

[And your solution is to let the military take control thinking that will make it better? Sorry being raised and live in a western country I see the democracy as the highest goal for a rule and no matter how corrupt he may be it must always be sorted out within the constraints of the constitution.

Military coup is newer a way out.

Thailand is not a western country, thank God.

The Thais have their own ways of dealing with matter and it does seem to work.

I am sure the Army will be very glad when a real democracy exists and they

do not have to step in.

IMHO Taksin would like nothing better to be a dictator.......

That will not happen.

[Bizz]

thai bart sell off down 1.4% against dollar

bart falls sharply against us dollar

What's with these guys who type "bart" and "bath"? Its spelled baht, according to every bank in the world!

Bart is a bratty 10 year-old, and a Bath is something everyone in the world should do at *least* once a month

You obviously have a lot of time on your hands. If checking my spelling was the only contribution you could make to this thread.