No 'shutdown' planned: PM Prayut

[AlQaholic]

So many posters here seem to delight in bashing the man in charge here, but he DID save the country from imminent civil war, and IMHO is doing the best he can to get rid of the massive corruption endemic in the country. Those who can ... do, those who can,t ,,, teach, those who are absolutely no good at anything ... criticize The way things were going before, the whole country would now belong to the thaksin family, and the streets would have armed bands of redshirt thugs roaming around doing as they pleased, and don,t tell me this is not so because I have seen it with my own eyes !

Well said by someone who have no clue what is really going on behind the scenes.....

[MZurf]

After the denial there was going to be a coup and the single gateway fiasco I have very little confidence in what he is saying.

After he instigated a coup I have had very little faith in him. Edited November 4, 2015 by MZurf

[MZurf]

The poster boy for opening mouth without engaging brain then when it all goes wrong it's laughing, joking or bullying his way out of it.

If ever someone was out of his depth.

Hard to believe he reached the top spot in the military, just as well for LoS he didn't have to lead the country in an armed conflict.

"Hard to believe he reached the top spot in the military...."

Well, if how the top spots in the RTP are awarded is anything to go by then abilities do not matter at all.

[Trouble]

Why is he pointing like that at the Khon dancer? It looks like a comedy skit

It is not enough that the police point at everything, now the PM has to do it too. What's the POINT?

[Cake Monster]

Is he pointing at the next potential leader ?

[Just1Voice]

Make no mistake, this megalomaniac meant exactly what he said at the time. But then there was a furious whispering in his ears by others telling him - "Bad, really bad idea!" - so he switched to the "I was only joking" mode, or "You misunderstood what I said" mode. My feeling is that if this man were left to his own devices, he would do exactly that - Shutdown the country from the outside world.

[MZurf]

Make no mistake, this megalomaniac meant exactly what he said at the time. But then there was a furious whispering in his ears by others telling him - "Bad, really bad idea!" - so he switched to the "I was only joking" mode, or "You misunderstood what I said" mode. My feeling is that if this man were left to his own devices, he would do exactly that - Shutdown the country from the outside world.

Good thing his handlers step in in those instances where his lack of "intellectual excellence" becomes too apparent.

[recycler]

Picture of the cabinet after the latest reshuffle?

[TKDfella]

Pointing to the next PM?

[thelonius]

I came across a wonderful phrase recently, "verbal ectoplasm". No greater exponent of it than this one, that's for sure.

[gchurch259]

It never seems to stop, all this anti-coup garbage that I read !! It is hard to believe that some want to return to the "Status Quo" with the same old corrupt politicians and business men running Thailand. Leave it alone !! Let the PM/General run his course and you will see Thailand will be better off. If you only lived in Thailand and had a closed mind you do not know the difference. If you had your cranium up your tailpipe during the Taksin era and said nothing, you were a large part of the problem.

If you do not believe those responsible for lose from the Rice Scheme should be brought to trial, you are part of the problem.

If you do not believe that a drastic change in the Elementary, High School and College Education System needs and is a top priority, then you are part of the problem. People with no Circumspect are like sheep headed to the slaughter.

[FangFerang]

Commenting on this is like arguing with a tree. I'll ...leaf it alone, and feel sappy about it.

I never thought the original quote was what he literally meant. Now I still don't know what he meant, but I feel better about it, somehow.

[ddavidovsky]

So many posters here seem to delight in bashing the man in charge here, but he DID save the country from imminent civil war, and IMHO is doing the best he can to get rid of the massive corruption endemic in the country. Those who can ... do, those who can,t ,,, teach, those who are absolutely no good at anything ... criticize The way things were going before, the whole country would now belong to the thaksin family, and the streets would have armed bands of redshirt thugs roaming around doing as they pleased, and don,t tell me this is not so because I have seen it with my own eyes !

Just how many pages where there in the propaganda manual they gave you? Or was it just a single sheet?

[JAG]

So many posters here seem to delight in bashing the man in charge here, but he DID save the country from imminent civil war, and IMHO is doing the best he can to get rid of the massive corruption endemic in the country. Those who can ... do, those who can,t ,,, teach, those who are absolutely no good at anything ... criticize The way things were going before, the whole country would now belong to the thaksin family, and the streets would have armed bands of redshirt thugs roaming around doing as they pleased, and don,t tell me this is not so because I have seen it with my own eyes !

Talk about wild exaggeration!

The country was no where near civil war. A minority of vocal well connected and we'll funded protestors were laying siege to certain government offices and inconveniencing central Bangkok. They were regarded with benevolent tolerance by the establishment as they paved the way to overthrow the elected government. The violence used by both sides whilst abhorrent was nowhere near a civil war. The military could have stopped it in hours. They chose not to, waiting instead in the wings for the opportunity to stage their coup.

[dominique355]

The 5 "NO PLANS" of the general:

1. I do not plan to shut down the country. (I need no plan to do that)

2. I do not plan to build a single gateway. (CAT is doing this for me)

3. I do not plan to stay in power. (I simply have to stay)

4. I do not plan be come a politician (I am one already)

5. I do not plan to have elections any time soon. (See point 3)

[soalbundy]

i wish i had a hat like that, gives me dignity in case i have to go to the UN again

[lovelomsak]

I thought the quote was "close Thailand" not" shutdown." But i quess if he "closed" it then it would "shutdown" by itself

[DM07]

"Yes, yes...I said A...but I meant B!"

"Yes, I know...I said A, but meant B...but it was a joke!"

What a clown!

[Andrew65]

If the country was shut down, what would that mean, what would be the difference compared to the situation now?

I wonder what the bosses of companies like Toyota and Western Digital thought when they heard this?!

[LivinLOS]

Well that is reassuring to know that the PM wont shutdown Thailand anytime soon.

On perhaps a more important matter...

Regarding the finger pointing in this photo - the PM would do well to study the technique and delivery of the finger pointing taking in place in Pattaya yesterday.

This right here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/867719-fake-police-gang-arrested-in-pattaya/ is some next level finger pointing, Prime Minister.

My immediate thought was that was some pretty unconvincing pointing going on.. Barely a passing grade to be honest.

[NCC1701A]

What? Which is it? Shutdown or not? I just came from my company meeting cancelling our investment in Thailand. Stopped looking for a condo too.

[LivinLOS]

So many posters here seem to delight in bashing the man in charge here, but he DID save the country from imminent civil wa!

No.. The actions of the military, in supporting Suthep, stopping the police from ensuring crowd control, and constantly reminding the elected government that any attempt at controlling the minority protesters who illegally blockaded the capital (who had dwindled to a few 100 happy clapping grannys by the time of the coup) was the exact source of the risks of conflict.

The yellows lose elections.. The yellows had run out of steam at protesting their losses anyway.. The losers need to understand how elections work, you campaign on a platform, you win or lose, then the winners get to enable that platform, if it fails (as per the rice system) you then use their failures to show you would do a better job.

[NickJ]

Well....one good thing about Thaksin was his slamming the door on the visa loopholes. His plan of only allowing ed visas for Uni level courses and creating the Thai Elite card for the quality tourist. Not to mention ending the ability of anyone using a visa service to get by the money seasoning. And his plan for nominee shareholders existing to allow farang to own homes would have had its effects.

[EnglishJohn]

So many posters here seem to delight in bashing the man in charge here, but he DID save the country from imminent civil wa!

No.. The actions of the military, in supporting Suthep, stopping the police from ensuring crowd control, and constantly reminding the elected government that any attempt at controlling the minority protesters who illegally blockaded the capital (who had dwindled to a few 100 happy clapping grannys by the time of the coup) was the exact source of the risks of conflict.

The yellows lose elections.. The yellows had run out of steam at protesting their losses anyway.. The losers need to understand how elections work, you campaign on a platform, you win or lose, then the winners get to enable that platform, if it fails (as per the rice system) you then use their failures to show you would do a better job.

What a magnificent post. Thank you for showing us all exactly what grip the average Pheu-Thai supporter has on reality.

Just a couple of questions:

Why did you omit any reference to the murder of 30 protesters by government backed terrorists which is what led to the coup ?.

Why did you omit any reference to the police failing to stop or catch any of these terrorists ?. Was that Sutheps fault as well ?.

Please give us your opinion of the situation in 2010 when red-shirts built their camps in Bangkok and ?.

On second thoughts don't bother. I nearly forgot my own signature message.

[Vandadavid]

All smoke and mirrors this bloke

What is really funny is he keeps using the word "" conflict ""

The only conflict is in your imagination and your projecting it to the public.. Obviously to hold power. People only want the elections. There not interested in stories

[Vandadavid]

Well....one good thing about Thaksin was his slamming the door on the visa loopholes. His plan of only allowing ed visas for Uni level courses and creating the Thai Elite card for the quality tourist. Not to mention ending the ability of anyone using a visa service to get by the money seasoning. And his plan for nominee shareholders existing to allow farang to own homes would have had its effects.

YEs this guy in not falang friendly its all a front and the Thais are suffering... Forget the culture and Thainess chit chat... Thais rely on us sorry buddy wake up

[Vandadavid]

Honestly what leader would even speak like that about not only there own country but a cointry relying on tourists to survive. It is outrageous and this ongoing saga with immigaration and bad cops wake up call

You are not WALL ST or a leading nation in terms of financial stability... Get real and return the country and leave knowing you did justice

[casindonet]

Nice photo but why is he pointing at the guy squatting below??

[Gandtee]

I like the picture. The caption should read, "Send him for attitude adjustment"!

[elgordo38]

Looks like the blowback from that statement didnt take to long to reach the leader

I am surprised the hit to the stock market wasn't larger.