Prayut warns he may stay longer in office if opposing political groups refuse to stop fighting

[Joe Brennan]

Keep up PM! Thailand is not ready for Democracy! Lets continue the Corruption Fight and worry about elections later! 80% of Thai's are happy with the

direction of the country! The PM does need to speedup the setup of the Corruption Courts! We need them now in Korat!

Thailand needs them everywhere but there is nothing in this world more certain than there will be none where there are any friends of, relatives of or people giving money to the decision-makers.

Sophisticated thieves rarely rat out other sophisticated thieves.

[Joe Brennan]

He will stay and there will not be civil war. Thais understand life is cheap here. But they put a high enough price on their life to not waste it on politics. Most are concerned about surviving .Everyone will be quiet and live within the boundaries set by the government simple as that. Pm says jump the people ask how high on the way up.

Ever hear of catastrophe theory?

[eggers]

The country has been running better than when under Yingluck & prior"democratic" Gov'ts & PM Prayut has & is doing a good job.

Realistically,there has been little change to day to day living & in some respects has improved.

Yes, I know, the "naysayers" will say,"keep taking the medicine" !!

Can you give a single example of how the country is "running better"?

The economy is far far worse. Infrastructure projects STILL haven't taken off. Thai airlines are being investigated and blacklisted. Thai fishing is being investigated and blacklisted. The government is sending journalists to attitude adjustment for not writing what they want. Students are being arrested for eating sandwiches. The internet is being <deleted> with. Corruption is still rampant. The work of Prayut-appointed legislative bodies has thus far gone no where. Thai universities rankings continue to fall. Thai business rankings continue to fall. No progress has been made in the South.

but hey, we got Chinese tourists

The issue of the economy is not limited to Thailand & not know of any economies in better shape than they were 1 -2 yrs ago. Can you name any?

All the items you mention have been that way for many years & doubt there is a quick fix. Do you imagine the country would be any better under Yingluck's Gov't, the rot had already started & the Junta inherited a basket case. The Gov't paid out the rice farmers immediately, doubt that would have occurred w/ prior Gov't. Sure there's a lot to fix & get on with, but it's a more stable environment than previously & that was my point. I try to have a positive outlook, not wallow in negativity; life too short. Enjoy!!

Actually the American economy, and the economies of several countries are in better shape than they were 1-2 years ago.

US economy slightly worse, 12/13 GDP was 4.5%, latest as at 03/15 3.9%. The big influencer China, that many countries rely on, has also been sluggish & affected those reliant countries. It's tough times all round.

[baboon]

God forbid that Thailand ever becomes like Singapore. Whether the General stays longer or leaves as promised will depend upon the stability in the country. Since he has come to power there are no street demonstrations blocking business and no one is being shot at. If there is no progress in reconciliation- the General will stay in power and well he should. The alternative is chaos. No one cares what the West thinks.

"No one cares what the West thinks". That will explain the panic over the threatened aviation and seafood sanctions, plus the 'Obama did too shake my hand' howls of protest, plus the, ahem, 'triumphant' UN jaunt, plus the constant protests outside the US Embassy..

I take it you have renounced your Western citizenship as you have such a downer on the place? Thought not.

[Krataiboy]

Quite a collection of BS offered there ' half jokingly ' said he might have to stay on, ' never entertained the idea of staying longer in the office ' and ' just wanted to stay in the office as necessity warrants '.

Let's try this again Mr. PM and this time with more sincerity.

It's called flying a kite. Wait for the next move - another of those gob-smacking surveys which will show 99.9 per cent in favour of Big Chief Five Rivers bossing the wigwam for as long as he deems necessary.

[ginjag]

I've been sideblinded by this, that he would actually go back on his word and stay on.

A bit of difference MAY stay on IF The haters and losers stop their antics..

The PM always said he would stay for as long as it takes IF The haters calmed down and tried to help.

YOUR VERSION has this rhetoric twist to it, the same the rest on here who lunge at the topic like bees round a honey pot.

The country is important NOT THAKSIN or the PM......understand. agenda comes to mind --like it or lump it.

[MW72]

He is right....better than having some red mob burning downtown Bangkok again.

Better less democracy than deads on the street.

Nobody can condone the political violence that took place in the past but how many died? 40 Thais die every day on the roads but I don't see your beloved ruler doing anything about that. You just keep on believing he took charge to make his beloved thai brothers and sisters safe and happy.

[Joe Brennan]

God forbid that Thailand ever becomes like Singapore. Whether the General stays longer or leaves as promised will depend upon the stability in the country. Since he has come to power there are no street demonstrations blocking business and no one is being shot at. If there is no progress in reconciliation- the General will stay in power and well he should. The alternative is chaos. No one cares what the West thinks.

"No one cares what the West thinks". That will explain the panic over the threatened aviation and seafood sanctions, plus the 'Obama did too shake my hand' howls of protest, plus the, ahem, 'triumphant' UN jaunt, plus the constant protests outside the US Embassy..

I take it you have renounced your Western citizenship as you have such a downer on the place? Thought not.

Indeed. Comments from the good general suggest he cares quite a lot about what the west thinks, Especially those parts of the west who have a choice about buying or not buying Thai products.

Our friend is still lost in a dream. let him enjoy it while it lasts.

[LannaGuy]

I've been sideblinded by this, that he would actually go back on his word and stay on.

A bit of difference MAY stay on IF The haters and losers stop their antics..

The PM always said he would stay for as long as it takes IF The haters calmed down and tried to help.

YOUR VERSION has this rhetoric twist to it, the same the rest on here who lunge at the topic like bees round a honey pot.

The country is important NOT THAKSIN or the PM......understand. agenda comes to mind --like it or lump it.

and of course YOU see no veiled threat only peace, love and harmony

what are you on as I'd like some

[Thaidream]

I have no intentions of discussing my personal desires re citizenship with any members of this board so your comment has no validity other than to try and bait me. This is your standard modus operandi when you cannot discuss an issue without some type of personal innuendo or veiled attack.

The West can say and do what it wants- it will have no affect on whether Thailand reverts to 'democracy' or not. I criticize the West when it is wrong and praise it when it is correct. I have no hidden agenda. You can think what you want just as any person can. It is how you say it which will determine whether anyone listens to you. In this case I am not listening to you.

[baboon]

The country has been running better than when under Yingluck & prior"democratic" Gov'ts & PM Prayut has & is doing a good job.

Realistically,there has been little change to day to day living & in some respects has improved.

Yes, I know, the "naysayers" will say,"keep taking the medicine" !!

You spout about what the "naysayers" will say but in reality is this not exactly what P is sayin to everyone? Keep taking the medicine and it will get better soon?

Possibly, but ask yourself, is your life any worse since junta been in power? if yes, in what way?

The Internet is significantly worse.

[eggers]

The country has been running better than when under Yingluck & prior"democratic" Gov'ts & PM Prayut has & is doing a good job.

Realistically,there has been little change to day to day living & in some respects has improved.

Yes, I know, the "naysayers" will say,"keep taking the medicine" !!

Can you give a single example of how the country is "running better"?

The economy is far far worse. Infrastructure projects STILL haven't taken off. Thai airlines are being investigated and blacklisted. Thai fishing is being investigated and blacklisted. The government is sending journalists to attitude adjustment for not writing what they want. Students are being arrested for eating sandwiches. The internet is being f****** with. Corruption is still rampant. The work of Prayut-appointed legislative bodies has thus far gone no where. Thai universities rankings continue to fall. Thai business rankings continue to fall. No progress has been made in the South.

but hey, we got Chinese tourists

The issue of the economy is not limited to Thailand & not know of any economies in better shape than they were 1 -2 yrs ago. Can you name any?

All the items you mention have been that way for many years & doubt there is a quick fix. Do you imagine the country would be any better under Yingluck's Gov't, the rot had already started & the Junta inherited a basket case. The Gov't paid out the rice farmers immediately, doubt that would have occurred w/ prior Gov't. Sure there's a lot to fix & get on with, but it's a more stable environment than previously & that was my point. I try to have a positive outlook, not wallow in negativity; life too short. Enjoy!!

Actually the American economy, and the economies of several countries are in better shape than they were 1-2 years ago.

Recent US GDP data shows GDP at 0315 as 3.9%, whilst 12/13 GDP was 4.5%. As always, do you believe the statistics? The big influencer, China, has seen it's GDP also decline in this period.

If Yingluck still in power, how would things be now? On prior performance,think be much worse. There's no perfect system, just what's right for the time.

[eggers]

The country has been running better than when under Yingluck & prior"democratic" Gov'ts & PM Prayut has & is doing a good job.

Realistically,there has been little change to day to day living & in some respects has improved.

Yes, I know, the "naysayers" will say,"keep taking the medicine" !!

You spout about what the "naysayers" will say but in reality is this not exactly what P is sayin to everyone? Keep taking the medicine and it will get better soon?

Possibly, but ask yourself, is your life any worse since junta been in power? if yes, in what way?

The Internet is significantly worse.

In what way is it worse, I mean we're using now & it seems fine. Would your life be better or worse if Yingluck Gov't still in power?

[MZurf]

I've been sideblinded by this, that he would actually go back on his word and stay on.

A bit of difference MAY stay on IF The haters and losers stop their antics..

The PM always said he would stay for as long as it takes IF The haters calmed down and tried to help.

YOUR VERSION has this rhetoric twist to it, the same the rest on here who lunge at the topic like bees round a honey pot.

The country is important NOT THAKSIN or the PM......understand. agenda comes to mind --like it or lump it.

and of course YOU see no veiled threat only peace, love and harmony

what are you on as I'd like some

Something really, really potent!

[Joe Brennan]

You spout about what the "naysayers" will say but in reality is this not exactly what P is sayin to everyone? Keep taking the medicine and it will get better soon?

Possibly, but ask yourself, is your life any worse since junta been in power? if yes, in what way?

The Internet is significantly worse.

In what way is it worse, I mean we're using now & it seems fine. Would your life be better or worse if Yingluck Gov't still in power?

Well, speaking personally, my life hasn't changed at all if you ignore the economy crashing and the possibility that the West will put their collective boot into Thailand, But when I went to school. I learned about the law and collective responsibility and matters of principle.

But I was lucky, I did go to a good school, so perhaps that makes a difference.

I do grieve for the people of Isaan though, a lot of them are hurting, and that will make a difference when push comes to shove. As come it will.

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmmm..... I suggest he wanted to stay longer right from the outset

[Thaidream]

All the discussion about crime rates, GDP before and after the coup; past Army takeovers mean nothing at this juncture in time. The General is in power and looks like he is going to keep it. I was here during most of the prior coups and their result was no gain for the country. While the General does not have a good public persona- he is not a politician who speaks out of both sides of his mouth. He speaks straight and sometimes in an authoritarian manner. Some of the things he says makes much sense such as crackdowns on corruption; re-organizing the police' ending costly handouts and trying to bring investment to other than Bangkok.When you look back at both the military and elected governments of the past- there has not been a whole lot of progress on what the General is trying to accomplish. The reason many posters will not give him a chance is they don't like the way he gained power. For some reason, you would prefer massive street demonstrations and the Yingluck 'government' You continue to use your Western mindset when judging Thailand. After living in the West for years- I don't see much progress in real social programs that help the middle class and the poor. Do we really want Thailand to emulate the US or UK?

[baboon]

I have no intentions of discussing my personal desires re citizenship with any members of this board so your comment has no validity other than to try and bait me. This is your standard modus operandi when you cannot discuss an issue without some type of personal innuendo or veiled attack.

The West can say and do what it wants- it will have no affect on whether Thailand reverts to 'democracy' or not. I criticize the West when it is wrong and praise it when it is correct. I have no hidden agenda. You can think what you want just as any person can. It is how you say it which will determine whether anyone listens to you. In this case I am not listening to you.

Then report me if you think I am attacking or baiting you, which I am not, and let a mod decide. I am merely engaging you in a manner which is clearly not to your liking, but hey, that is what happens on public discussion forums.

As for "I criticize the West when it is wrong and praise it when it is correct", how can you say that after such a sweeping statement such as "No one cares what the West thinks"? Ideed when have you praised the West in relation to disputes with Thailand?

[HenryB]

Prayut is an idiot, as he cannot see the falacy of his statement. All the while he says he wants peace and quiet, yet fails to see, hear or take note of the rising undercurrent of unrest and dissatisfaction with his rule. Or perhaps he just does not care.

Thailand is headed for a civil war. The question is not if, but when. How much longer will the people continue to tolerate this dictator?

On the plus side, 50 baht per US$ here we come.

You are nothing but a trouble maker the Thai Baht shall get stronger now 25 to dollars

We expats and the thai people are very lucky now to have such a great leader

All the world loves Thailand and st the UN soon Thailand shall be voted in as a member of the famous Security Council

It is hard for me understand people like you

Are you getting paid for hateful posting?

[baboon]

Eggers - In what way is the Internet worse? It is significantly slower and more unreliable than it used to be in recent weeks. A lot of posters have commented on this so it isn't my connection.

[Rumblecat]

The country has been running better than when under Yingluck & prior"democratic" Gov'ts & PM Prayut has & is doing a good job.

Realistically,there has been little change to day to day living & in some respects has improved.

Yes, I know, the "naysayers" will say,"keep taking the medicine" !!

But the acid test - has he made the trains run on time?

Use BTS frequently & seems to operate perfectly. Do you have different experience?

Awesome! Gauging Thailand's democratic progress by the efficiency of a state-owned train set that only serves the Bangkok masses... or rather the ones that don't have Benz's and Beemer's.

How do you gauge the nations morality? Personally, I have found over my 20-odd years in LOS that the dipstick still works just fine.

Uh, yeah... guys, he wasn't actually asking if he's made the trains run on time. It's a famous expression and a pretty apt one in this situation.

That's kind of lovely that it's passed so far over both your heads though.

[ginjag]

I've been sideblinded by this, that he would actually go back on his word and stay on.

A bit of difference MAY stay on IF The haters and losers stop their antics..

The PM always said he would stay for as long as it takes IF The haters calmed down and tried to help.

YOUR VERSION has this rhetoric twist to it, the same the rest on here who lunge at the topic like bees round a honey pot.

The country is important NOT THAKSIN or the PM......understand. agenda comes to mind --like it or lump it.

and of course YOU see no veiled threat only peace, love and harmony

what are you on as I'd like some

My sight is Thailands stability--future, It is not my fault that your a Minority PM hater.

[Thaidream]

I have no intentions of reporting you or anyone / I stopped doing that when I was 7 years old. The difference between you and me is I don't have to add any personal comments regarding anyone. I state my opinion -period. You might want to try it.

I will agree with you that the internet is much slower recently. However, I don't attribute that to the single gateway . I attribute that to bad weather and poor internet connections due to greedy companies not spending any money to upgrade their systems. I recently talked to a technician from an Internet company who told me all the lines need an upgrade as they have been in place for 8 years and that is slowing connections due to shorts and also bad weather. I have no reason not to believe him. Frankly, I don't think the Thai government has the expertise to force a single gateway and they wouldn't do it now anyway as the majority of the population are against it. The General has bigger issues to work out. If you do not like him or what he doing that is your choice. As I have mentioned many times I am willing to give him a chance to execute his program. If he succeeds Thailand will be much better off. I do not support a single gateway, the way the alcohol laws have been applied or any attempt to use Article 44 for overstay. Since I am not a Thai citizen, my opinion carries no weight.

[ginjag]

The country has been running better than when under Yingluck & prior"democratic" Gov'ts & PM Prayut has & is doing a good job.

Realistically,there has been little change to day to day living & in some respects has improved.

Yes, I know, the "naysayers" will say,"keep taking the medicine" !!

You spout about what the "naysayers" will say but in reality is this not exactly what P is sayin to everyone? Keep taking the medicine and it will get better soon?

Possibly, but ask yourself, is your life any worse since junta been in power? if yes, in what way?

The Internet is significantly worse.

I have just asked myself---reply was No my life here is a little more easier in UDON without the red threat-intimidation, it is showing with the locals in general---BUT there are the hard liners as in any country that will stick to their old ways and beliefs. (THAKSIN STYLE).

Can I return the valid question you put--to you ?? but please do not give me no freedom concentration camp stuff.

[thesetat2013]

Eggers - In what way is the Internet worse? It is significantly slower and more unreliable than it used to be in recent weeks. A lot of posters have commented on this so it isn't my connection.

Personally my internet has slowed significantly and in i keep getting pages that time out when i try to go to my US online banking. Pages are super slow to load sometimes which leads me to think somethings up because everything is faster using a vpn which i have had to resort to doing now.

As for things better in thailand i have not seen much difference except maybe the money is looked at more carefully. Police are still corrupt and having collection checkpoints. There are still problems with the farmers but now it is with the southern rubber tree farmers.

It is true that most of the problems faced to fix by P are from decades of previous gov letting them go astray but P talks and there are only a few now that listen. If he wants to use a hard hand to make changes like he talks then he should just do it. Not give more time and more chances even if it means having to hire new people and truly punish the bad. Saying you will do something and then backing out of it because people complain they got away with it for years tends to reduce his credibility. This single gateway idea is probably going to hurt all of thailand and their businesses

[dhream]

The country has been running better than when under Yingluck & prior"democratic" Gov'ts & PM Prayut has & is doing a good job.

Realistically,there has been little change to day to day living & in some respects has improved.

Yes, I know, the "naysayers" will say,"keep taking the medicine" !!

Eggers, in some respect you are right, but it all comes down to the price you are willing to pay for your 'smooth running country' by the time you (or more correctly, the Thai people) decide the price is too high, it might be pretty difficult to hit the 'reset' button.

There is ALWAYS a price to pay for such efficiency, it is rarely worth it when everyone looks back over the carnage that results from the inevitable backlash. Thailand itself, barely 40 years ago, during the epoch of another coup, people were burned alive for being 'suspected' Communists.

Such accusations can be made, and made to stick, in totalitarian regimes, just because your neighbour dislikes you.

Be careful what you wish for.

[baboon]

Ginjag - I was under the impression I had answered the question. My now crappy internet is a real pain in the arse. Previously replying to the likes of your good self was a case of tappity tap, Send, done. Now it is Hit 'Quote', wait, try again, blank page, refresh, start typing, page drops out.. Have you not noticed this yourself?

Now I spend quite a bit of time online for one reason or another, so I would say the inconvenience is making my life worse.

[lavender19]

Should change his name to Putin.

He has already done done the kick boxing stunt.

What next ? Fly a plane ? Arm wrestle? Take his shirt off?

[dhream]

Ginjag - I was under the impression I had answered the question. My now crappy internet is a real pain in the arse. Previously replying to the likes of your good self was a case of tappity tap, Send, done. Now it is Hit 'Quote', wait, try again, blank page, refresh, start typing, page drops out.. Have you not noticed this yourself?

Now I spend quite a bit of time online for one reason or another, so I would say the inconvenience is making my life worse.

I think you need to scoot over to the tech threads on this site and start asking about a new internet plan.

Even in China, the actual speed of the internet works just fine, even with a thousand spying eyes upon it.

[Trouble]

The country has been running better than when under Yingluck & prior"democratic" Gov'ts & PM Prayut has & is doing a good job.

Realistically,there has been little change to day to day living & in some respects has improved.

Yes, I know, the "naysayers" will say,"keep taking the medicine" !!

One could probably apply this to any country. Governments just muddle along by themselves regardless of who is in power. The problem is one can't consider Thailand a democracy at the moment as there is no elected government, no freedom to gather, no press independence, and if one talks against the current power, they are hauled in for reeducation.