SURVEY: Is the rising anger in the NE likely to erupt into political violence?

[Eric Loh]

I cant understand all this talk of anger from a few posters here, as if they wanted the trouble to start again. I have lived in a farming village in Isaan for 10 years, i speak Thai and am relatively active in village life. I see poverty and debt and i see worry for the future but i see no anger. The farmers are used to poverty and are usually completely apathetic towards politics. They will mutter and mumble about the lousy price that they are getting from the millers or about the weather but that is it. Farmers all over the world are a patient lot. I don't see the guillotine set up any time soon.

We are only responding to the topic.I am sure TF has a better pulse on the situation which warrant them to raise the survey. And there are more than few posters that resonated that there are anger. Just check the survey result. As for farmers apathetic towards politics; wrong again. Just check the voters turnout in the North and NE for last 2 elections. But I do agree with you that the rising anger will unlikely to erupt into political violence as long as the junta stick to the election roadmap and not extend their stay.

[Fat Haggis]

just a simple question to the sycophants, why was Martial Law not rescinded in the North East , instead replaced by an even tougher article 44, if everything was rosy in the country?

Why does article 44 still exist, if not to curb dissent among st the population ?

[Thai at Heart]

FH is attacking the poster because he can't attack the issue successfully and he's dreaming that his pet hate of the current government is in fact supported by large numbers of Thai's everywhere - heads up, there's large numbers of farang expats that have lived here for many years, have large extended Thai families, have many Thai friends and are at least on talking terms with those people to understand the direction of the barometer. If I were you I'd check and see what's really in that "cocoa" of yours!

The issue is that the Junta have claimed on more than one occasion there's restlessness coming from red shirt areas is it not?

So let me understand that gingjag see's and hears nothing could be further from the truth and that's believable because he "smothers" UD, and sgtsabai, and a couple of others hear a different slant, but that's not believable?

You keep on about me attacking the poster, well I've also repeatedly stated that it's ALSO the JUNTA who seem to be seeing a similar issue of discontent within the North East, but you conveniently ignore this too.

no agenda there then is there?

I also don't believe that people including farangs have a desire to see a return to violence, which has already been pointed out, and I simply do not believe that ANY farang will draw people towards him willing to start discussing their personal problems, never mind politics with complete strangers.

Violence isn't a solution, but neither is a sticking plaster junta. This has been proven time and time again not to work.

The only complete solution is for the army to step away from political life FOREVER and for things to be allowed to develop on their own. Overbearing parents often produce spoilt children. The army has to allow Thailand to grow up. Unfortunately, the Thai people are still at home with the parents at the age of 70.

[soalbundy]

just a simple question to the sycophants, why was Martial Law not rescinded in the North East , instead replaced by an even tougher article 44, if everything was rosy in the country?

Why does article 44 still exist, if not to curb dissent among st the population ?

Do we have martial law in the NE ? i've never noticed it, life goes on the same here as it always has.

[Fat Haggis]

just a simple question to the sycophants, why was Martial Law not rescinded in the North East , instead replaced by an even tougher article 44, if everything was rosy in the country?

Why does article 44 still exist, if not to curb dissent among st the population ?

Do we have martial law in the NE ? i've never noticed it, life goes on the same here as it always has.

Yep, pretty much in the same way it has done all over the country before, during and after the protests.

Don't take my word about trouble in red shirt areas, take the juntas, as they're the ones who kept citing "national security" the reasons for maintaining Martial Law in red shirt areas, of course you wouldn't notice it, but I dare say many Thais did, student protests ring any bells?

Just as you never noticed martial law, many Thais and Farangs alike all over Thaialnd never noticed anything different during Sutheps protests, life went on as normal.

Is there a point you're trying to make ?

[soalbundy]

just a simple question to the sycophants, why was Martial Law not rescinded in the North East , instead replaced by an even tougher article 44, if everything was rosy in the country?

Why does article 44 still exist, if not to curb dissent among st the population ?

Do we have martial law in the NE ? i've never noticed it, life goes on the same here as it always has.

Yep, pretty much in the same way it has done all over the country before, during and after the protests.

Don't take my word about trouble in red shirt areas, take the juntas, as they're the ones who kept citing "national security" the reasons for maintaining Martial Law in red shirt areas, of course you wouldn't notice it, but I dare say many Thais did, student protests ring any bells?

Just as you never noticed martial law, many Thais and Farangs alike all over Thaialnd never noticed anything different during Sutheps protests, life went on as normal.

Is there a point you're trying to make ?

Yes, the point is it doesn't affect you or me and if it did there would be nothing we could do about it so why this intense debate ? I live near a small market town, no students here people just get on with there lives as before, no gestapo knock on the door. My step daughter studies at the technology University in Surin, i have asked her about student unrest, she looked puzzled and asked ''about what''. People want to get on in life. intellectuals and politicians may use this situation as an intellectual exercise but the normal man in the street couldn't care less, my experience anyway.

[Thai at Heart]

just a simple question to the sycophants, why was Martial Law not rescinded in the North East , instead replaced by an even tougher article 44, if everything was rosy in the country?

Why does article 44 still exist, if not to curb dissent among st the population ?

Do we have martial law in the NE ? i've never noticed it, life goes on the same here as it always has.

Yep, pretty much in the same way it has done all over the country before, during and after the protests.

Don't take my word about trouble in red shirt areas, take the juntas, as they're the ones who kept citing "national security" the reasons for maintaining Martial Law in red shirt areas, of course you wouldn't notice it, but I dare say many Thais did, student protests ring any bells?

Just as you never noticed martial law, many Thais and Farangs alike all over Thaialnd never noticed anything different during Sutheps protests, life went on as normal.

Is there a point you're trying to make ?

Yes, the point is it doesn't affect you or me and if it did there would be nothing we could do about it so why this intense debate ? I live near a small market town, no students here people just get on with there lives as before, no gestapo knock on the door. My step daughter studies at the technology University in Surin, i have asked her about student unrest, she looked puzzled and asked ''about what''. People want to get on in life. intellectuals and politicians may use this situation as an intellectual exercise but the normal man in the street couldn't care less, my experience anyway.

They have knocked on the important doors already. Everyone has been told, shut up, put up, or get a bit more re-education. The fact that no one is doing anything publicly now, is measure of happiness with the situation.

[Fat Haggis]

just a simple question to the sycophants, why was Martial Law not rescinded in the North East , instead replaced by an even tougher article 44, if everything was rosy in the country?

Why does article 44 still exist, if not to curb dissent among st the population ?

Do we have martial law in the NE ? i've never noticed it, life goes on the same here as it always has.

Yep, pretty much in the same way it has done all over the country before, during and after the protests.

Don't take my word about trouble in red shirt areas, take the juntas, as they're the ones who kept citing "national security" the reasons for maintaining Martial Law in red shirt areas, of course you wouldn't notice it, but I dare say many Thais did, student protests ring any bells?

Just as you never noticed martial law, many Thais and Farangs alike all over Thaialnd never noticed anything different during Sutheps protests, life went on as normal.

Is there a point you're trying to make ?

Yes, the point is it doesn't affect you or me and if it did there would be nothing we could do about it so why this intense debate ? I live near a small market town, no students here people just get on with there lives as before, no gestapo knock on the door. My step daughter studies at the technology University in Surin, i have asked her about student unrest, she looked puzzled and asked ''about what''. People want to get on in life. intellectuals and politicians may use this situation as an intellectual exercise but the normal man in the street couldn't care less, my experience anyway.

Which is the very point I have been making now for 2 years, outside of areas in Bangkok life was as normal as it has been, the nonesence posts about civil war imminent and the gates of hell being opened.

The picture being painted during the protests that Dantes Inferno was blazing and Satan himself was about to be unleashed, which is odd, as all the places I visited from North to South I never saw anyone preparing for war, it was the same things they were doing the year before, and the year before that.

And I keep trying to point out, the alleged unrest in the red shirt areas isn't coming from farangs, it's mostly coming from government officials.

Edited October 9, 2015 by Fat Haggis

[elgordo38]

Ginjag, you have the biggest fattest agenda of anyone who posts on this forum!

You -Fat haggis - are telling me This

I cover all subjects on TVF unlike some of you who select posters and oppose their view--and select government near only subjects,and slag the PM off.

I have just slagged off the PM if this Submarine purchase goes ahead, and other government decisions. ALL these are overlooked, because it is not in your interest.

I do notice MOST of your posts are answering posters with nasty comments about their view PLUS any government matters that can be twisted.

Rarely do you post on subjects offering normal comments, seemingly only the ones like this topic. a topic given for you people to get your teeth into.

I gave a pretty normal view of the everyday lives and attitude of N/E people---no anger shown with most persons-----ywho you posters here are wishing for problems to back up your rants.

in other words you're a stalker? I've told you what my beef is, the junta, it's well known.

I post in many many other topics too, I'm quite prominent in the Koh Tao threads.

You people? aye, you old aged Nakhon nowhere sycophants do fit into the "you people" very well.

You're not short of a few nasty comments yourself, must be from all the bitter lemons you eat in the mornings instead of a good Colombian coffee

No you didn't give a pretty normal view, you gave YOUR view, and other posters such as SgtSabai offered a very different view, and you basically called him and other liars who haven't seen what you have seen/heard..

if the cap fits

Your rant F H. about me calling persons near liars is no where near the truth. Just because of your deep hatred of the (Junta) and not thankyou for good riddance of PTP is a very bad sign of being a bit OTT. I have said all along I do not like army control, but in this case thank god they intervened.

In a RED stronghold here in Udon MY VIEW is as stated--------go anywhere in the city and area---see if the people are bound and gagged--see if the people are ready to leave work and march Suthep style on the streets NO NO it is fact NOT just my view, I do not have to justify anything, nothing to gain. Your hatred of the PM is too ingrained to talk anything like sense.

All we have had from you few over the last year are---illegal---coup---elections---no improvement-----brainwashing camps----re-hab centers for opposition. YOU read back and devour what some of you PM haters post--------good luck with you silly effort to gain support to overthrow the PM.......relax even if you hate------things are proceeding ----people are getting caught in the net for their corruption, and it does not matter who runs the court as long as they are brought to heel.

Methinks the holes in the net are to big allowing the fatter fish to wriggle through. Things are proceeding can you explain where apart from all the minor things done. I can think of only 1 big fish captured in the last year and I think that was only because he was on the wrong side of the political divide. There were a lot of away from the trough transfers but nothing earth shattering oh sorry he did solve the lottery ticket crisis and the government land encroachment and also the beach chair wars and also the jet ski boys have been quiet lately. Did I leave something out?

[JAG]

Bike lanes, don't forget the bike lanes. The world is watching with bated breath!

[ianf]

Ultimately it will happen if the country is not returned to a democracy. This government/oligarchy/dictatorship has been given time to sort out various problem but if it takes the long term option there will be opposition and more than just civil unrest.

How can we return to democracy when there was no democracy here to start with?

If you mean that there is democracy to start with because the repeated coups always truncated democracy, I agree with you.

Eirc: I think you have the intelligence to know that there has never been democracy in this country. You can't have a true democracy without the rule of law, as you know, and you can't call democracy here with the huge amount of corruption that permeates this society. Don't let ideology get in the way of your ability to think for yourself!

[elgordo38]

Ultimately it will happen if the country is not returned to a democracy. This government/oligarchy/dictatorship has been given time to sort out various problem but if it takes the long term option there will be opposition and more than just civil unrest.

How can we return to democracy when there was no democracy here to start with?

If you mean that there is democracy to start with because the repeated coups always truncated democracy, I agree with you.

Eirc: I think you have the intelligence to know that there has never been democracy in this country. You can't have a true democracy without the rule of law, as you know, and you can't call democracy here with the huge amount of corruption that permeates this society. Don't let ideology get in the way of your ability to think for yourself!

Huge amounts of corruption well Thailand does not have the market cornered in this department its only that it is more blatant and open here. In Western societies there is stealth corruption. A good example is the GOP presidential race. Singer has just stepped in and bought Rubio who is all smiles with lots of this billionaires money jingling in his pockets. The Koch Bros have "Just call me Jeb" all wrapped up like a Thanksgiving turkey. By comparison The Bern just received 2 million dollars in mom and pop donations of 25 to 50 dollars. Corruption takes many forms shapes and sizes. It is slowly creeping like a the black plague over the planet.

[SaamBaht]

The masses will rise up for a price. The question is, who will pay it?

[NovaBlue05]

The junta would love this to happen, as it's just another excuse to hold onto power indefinitely.

Every single person who has a little knowledge about Thai history knows exactly why the Junta need to be in control of the country, or at least have their puppets controlling it.

Everything else is smoke and mirrors.

A cynical person might even suggest it's in the junta's interest to foment unrest

[SpoliaOpima]

The junta would love this to happen, as it's just another excuse to hold onto power indefinitely.

Every single person who has a little knowledge about Thai history knows exactly why the Junta need to be in control of the country, or at least have their puppets controlling it.

Everything else is smoke and mirrors.

A cynical person might even suggest it's in the junta's interest to foment unrest

Absolutely. Without unrest, how could Thailand's elite continue the cycle of coup, new constitution, elections, protest/unrest, coup?