Djokovic and Nadal mix tennis with politics on Thailand trip

[JGV]

I am a great fan of tennis and love watching these two but to give them 4 million dollars is outrageous

They were only too happy to oblige the junta's desperate attempt to get people to visit Thailand. What about the victims of the bombing - offered a pittance

[farangmick]

I was once a famous sportsman. My team won the Tetley Minster pub darts league in Halifax in 1972. I'm open to offers for an exhibition match, and a lot cheaper.

[smutcakes]

As post #45 indicated ...... When foreign golfers come to play in the Thailand open do you all castigate them?

This is no different from the US paying Tiger Woods to appear at an event.

But just because it's Thailand , their are the whingers. Of coarse it's a PR stunt .. who the faq cares what it's for !!!!!!

GET OVER IT FOLKS ! .... This government is running the country and that's it. They are there to stay so get over it !! And quite frankly, he is doing a damn site better job than his controversial predecessors. Somehow I just can't image Yingluck on the podium at the UNGA, at the Paragon maybe... but not the UN.

Well yes there is quite a massive difference! They have been paid to come and pay an exhibition match for 150 million baht! ( i wonder who owned the PR company etc) not to play in a tournament, and part of that 150 million baht (public money) there seemingly were stipulations about shaking peoples hands and looking goofy in 1920 shirts.

[LannaGuy]

As post #45 indicated ...... When foreign golfers come to play in the Thailand open do you all castigate them?

This is no different from the US paying Tiger Woods to appear at an event.

But just because it's Thailand , their are the whingers. Of coarse it's a PR stunt .. who the faq cares what it's for !!!!!!

GET OVER IT FOLKS ! .... This government is running the country and that's it. They are there to stay so get over it !! And quite frankly, he is doing a damn site better job than his controversial predecessors. Somehow I just can't image Yingluck on the podium at the UNGA, at the Paragon maybe... but not the UN.

Well yes there is quite a massive difference! They have been paid to come and pay an exhibition match for 150 million baht! ( i wonder who owned the PR company etc) not to play in a tournament, and part of that 150 million baht (public money) there seemingly were stipulations about shaking peoples hands and looking goofy in 1920 shirts.

yea but if i was 'them' and i knew 'nothing' I 'probably' would have taken the money and sipped my Pina Colada in my choice of location and though what the f*** and in fact I would not have even got that far in the thought process

what do they care? EASY MONEY

but they still go down in my estimation that's only because I DO care

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

What a waste of 150 million THB, an overseas tourist advertising campaign would have resulted in many more visitors to Thailand than a Tennis match most people will never hear of.

[JAG]

As post #45 indicated ...... When foreign golfers come to play in the Thailand open do you all castigate them?

This is no different from the US paying Tiger Woods to appear at an event.

But just because it's Thailand , their are the whingers. Of coarse it's a PR stunt .. who the faq cares what it's for !!!!!!

GET OVER IT FOLKS ! .... This government is running the country and that's it. They are there to stay so get over it !! And quite frankly, he is doing a damn site better job than his controversial predecessors. Somehow I just can't image Yingluck on the podium at the UNGA, at the Paragon maybe... but not the UN.

Well as a matter of fact I can imagine Yingluck on the podium at the UNGA. I also can imagine that as a democratically elected Prime Minister (yes I know many deny that, it is such a damn ed inconvenient truth) she would have been rather better received than the present incumbent, who let's face it is just another military d*ct*t*r. They are something of a dying breed at the UN anyway- Thailand is somewhat "behind the curve" in adopting that form of government. Not the choice of the Thai people I know, they will just have to "GET OVER IT FOLKS".

Incidentally I can also imagine her out and about doing some serious shopping. She certainly wouldn't stay in her room eating from room service to avoid protestors!

[steven100]

'Not the choice of the Thai people I know,'

not based on recent poll results :

Thais are generally happy with the way the current government is being run as a recent poll indicates.

78.54 percent satisfied with performance in tackling corruption and influential people; 73.46 percent satisfied with performance in suppression of narcotics and social order management.

[steve654]

If these 2 tennis stars had an ounce of compassion for the families of the deceased and the injured, they should have played for free and on the basis that all revenues should be handed to the victms of the bombing. Makes me sick!

That was the first thing that crossed my mind too. Would have been great, since they are both extremely wealthy, to show a little compassion and do the right thing for once, but nope, lets just take the money and run.

Edited October 4, 2015 by steve654

[thaiguzzi]

'Not the choice of the Thai people I know,'

not based on recent poll results :

Thais are generally happy with the way the current government is being run as a recent poll indicates.

78.54 percent satisfied with performance in tackling corruption and influential people; 73.46 percent satisfied with performance in suppression of narcotics and social order management.

If you believe those polls, then the earth is flat, and Elvis has been reincarnated as Mugabe...

[aussieinthailand]

Yes, Im sure if they are willing to pay 150 mil Baht people will come to Thailand. Would even do it myself but require a bit more to meet the junta and shake his hand or a bit less if I can have 2 minutes of free speech.

So what exactly would you say in your two minutes ?.

What liberties have you been deprived of which you had before ?. Maybe you own an M79 and got put out of work ?. Or maybe you are a rice-miller whose profits have dropped sharply ?.

Would you talk about the people who have gone missing ?. Oh, there aren't any. I bet you wish there were so you could complain about it.

Would you talk about wanting 'democracy' ?. Do you seriously think you had it before when every MP voted for the disgraceful amnesty bill because they were ordered to by Thaksin for his own personal benefit ?. Where a deputy Prime-Minister said "We don't need to worry about minorities. If they don't like it, they can vote us out" ?.

Did you go out and protest against the amnesty bill ?. Or the attempt to take massive loans off-budget ?. Did you voice concern that the government were murdering protesters to try and scare them away ?.

Even if you had your 2 minutes, I'm quite sure we would just get more of the same meaningless rhetoric we see here all the time which you just copied from some other red-shirt forum. You pretend you are championing some 'noble cause' but in reality you want everything back the dirty and corrupt way it was before.

So 150million baht in your great wisdom is better given to 2 ridiculously wealthy pro tennis players rather than to the family of the dead and the maimed to help with hospital bills and rehab and most probably retraining for a job that can be done by the ones left without an arm, leg/legs, eyes, the now deaf, the now crippled, yes oh yes oh great wiser than all English john, you make such a case for the justification of the 150 million and where it should go, well done I'm sure you will have massive likes to your underwhelming post in agreement at the junta party line.

I wonder if you went to talk to the victims and their family's and tried this little speech and justification on allocation of money if they would be ok with it?

Edited October 4, 2015 by aussieinthailand

[JAG]

'Not the choice of the Thai people I know,'

not based on recent poll results :

Thais are generally happy with the way the current government is being run as a recent poll indicates.

78.54 percent satisfied with performance in tackling corruption and influential people; 73.46 percent satisfied with performance in suppression of narcotics and social order management.

If you believe those polls, then the earth is flat, and Elvis has been reincarnated as Mugabe...

Didn't you see them, they were in the line up to shake hands with Obama, just before the LGHSN (last great hope to save the nation) aka General Prayut.

Back to polls, it's been asked before, and it will continue to be asked, because they simply won't answer, if the government is so popular why not stand for election?

If he won he wouldn't have to hide in his hotel room if he came to New York!

[bim]

If these 2 tennis stars had an ounce of compassion for the families of the deceased and the injured, they should have played for free and on the basis that all revenues should be handed to the victms of the bombing. Makes me sick!

Totally agree. Well said. Why dont these people just do some good rather than enrich themsleves even more than they are. Just do not understand greed in people at all. In my eyes at least they have done more damage to the image of this wonderful country. Edited October 4, 2015 by bim

[balo]

Maybe they were not well enough informed about the tragedy that killed more than 20 ?

They could have easily just said to the media : We will donate 20% of the prize money to the victims.

That would have been around 25 million baht , a lot more than what the victims received from Thailand.

.

Edited October 4, 2015 by balo

[Patsycat]

So, did any of you go to see the tennis match?

[bamnutsak]

So, did any of you go to see the tennis match?

Tickets sold out quite quickly, priced at 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000 and 5,000 baht each at Hua Mark Indoor Stadium.

Highlights of the match are on Youtube; it looked like a 3/4 speed match/hitting practice to me, when compared to a Grand Slam.

Sponsored by CP and True.

I actually feel bad for Nadal and Djokovich, getting paraded about like some prize animals, but assume they knew what they were getting into as they have vast sports management companies/advisers and lawyers.

A sampling of English-language news articles paints a relatively bland portrait of this "event", with the monetary payments highlighted so as to remove any doubt as to why they came "Back to Bangkok".

Some of the Thai social media comments have been quite scathing (suspect some may be rounded up for re-education?), given that some Thais are relatively knowledgeable about, and positively predisposed to, the top tennis players.

Edited October 4, 2015 by bamnutsak

[aussieinthailand]

As post #45 indicated ...... When foreign golfers come to play in the Thailand open do you all castigate them?

This is no different from the US paying Tiger Woods to appear at an event.

But just because it's Thailand , their are the whingers. Of coarse it's a PR stunt .. who the faq cares what it's for !!!!!!

GET OVER IT FOLKS ! .... This government is running the country and that's it. They are there to stay so get over it !! And quite frankly, he is doing a damn site better job than his controversial predecessors. Somehow I just can't image Yingluck on the podium at the UNGA, at the Paragon maybe... but not the UN.

"And quite frankly, he is doing a dam site better job than his controvertible predecessors". Hmm really lets see,

The current junta leader V's his "predecessors", WOW man you have made this ridiculously ezy or your taking the p*ss,???ok heres just three.

Current PM list of achievement's,

1.steal the government from the people and any who voice opposition are "invited" for "attitude adjustment" while having bank accounts frozen and family's intimidation, and or gaoled for having the audacity for voicing their opinion.

2."If I want to use my full powers I can have people taken out and shot" (executed).

3.The gate way is just a "study". don't worry about what the official government documents say about quickly "implement" this policy.

Now for one of this "predecessor's"

1.Natinal health scheme, Now a poor family don't have to borrow money from loan sharks or sell the family farm to save a family members life.

2. lowering the national dept while on a massive national building program and increasing GDP and empolyment.

3.Micro loans to villagers to start a small business, affordable housing for the poor, getting swampy airport finished.

Sorry mate but when your wrong , then your wrong, GET OVER IT.......

Edited October 4, 2015 by aussieinthailand

[mike324]

2 million euro each, more compensation than for all the dead victims combine....this government is sick!