So the military does not want to be involved in politics!!!!! I assume that means that the 25% of the current members of the military in the govt. will all step down when elections ultimately take place????

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Meanwhile, his deputy General Prawit Wongsuwan reiterated that the military never wanted to get involved in politics, and that they would end their roles once the national election had taken place. 

 

what a joke.......over decades they have been involved in politics

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“So, next year, let’s talk about it, but you should in the meantime prepare for it. Everything is on the roadmap,” said the premier. “When the time comes, how can I stop it?”

 

Most likely stop it the same way he does everything else..... 'Absolute Power' ..... LOL..........

I just can't imagine how the US can welcome to the US White House who an unelected self declared Head of State.......... It goes against all the US stands for but apparently Trump is going to make him welcome......

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Meanwhile, his deputy General Prawit Wongsuwan reiterated that the military never wanted to get involved in politics, and that they would end their roles once the national election had taken place. 

So does that mean the military will not be appointing the whole of the Senate with reserved seats for themselves!..... What a load of .....

…the military never wanted to get involved in politics

 

However, he stressed he could not give any assurance that a coup would not take place again, as nobody knew what would happen in the future.

 

Maybe the suppression of free speech is not such a bad idea at all…

Once I see the that the tanks, subs fighter trainers & the high speed trains  have been paid for & are non

reversible then we can talk about my retirement package.

But seriously, my problem is that on handover within 1 year we may have a repeat the  of anarchy  & rioting

that we had before

 

Seeing backstage faces take in charge is the worst nightmare for people who are not rich but have dreams to have better lives.
For God sake take all the money you want and leave your people alone.

sounds fair enough, there was a reason for the coup, which cant be discussed here, and that reason isnt over yet. it will be next year though. but who knows, things might happen before then, thats, as I said, why the army wants to be in control at the moment, or at least, the person that heads the army wants the army in control now

2 hours ago, phycokiller said:

sounds fair enough, there was a reason for the coup, which cant be discussed here, and that reason isnt over yet. it will be next year though. but who knows, things might happen before then, thats, as I said, why the army wants to be in control at the moment, or at least, the person that heads the army wants the army in control now

While I agree with the first part of your analysis, I think that now he is just looking for any possible reason to delay elections .

On 11/07/2017 at 3:44 PM, Moonmoon said:

use Article 44 to get their way and exhaust the taxpayers money to buy chinese submarines and tanks instead of investing in their own people and infrastructure

Thailand's military budget (as a percentage of GDP) has been less than almost every SE Asian nation for at least the past decade, and the 2017 budget that ends in September is still only around 1.5 percent of the country’s GDP. The current budget is 210.7 billion baht, the defense budget of course will be spent on the military, just like in every other country around the globe, that's what it's for.

 

To put it in to context, the UK are signing off on renewing their Trident defense system at an estimated cost which would equate to around 40 times Thailand's yearly defense budget or around 8500 billion baht!

8 hours ago, candide said:

While I agree with the first part of your analysis, I think that now he is just looking for any possible reason to delay elections .

I think out that out of respect nothing is going to go down till after a certain event takes place latter this year. if things remain calm after that they will have elections. but things may not remain calm. it depends on how good a job the army has done at removing opposition

Not likely.  This dictatorship will be around for a long time.

On ‎12‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 9:17 AM, williamgeorgeallen said:

actually it was over 80 years ago when power was given to the people/army. 20 coups and counting.

The army will stay in power until the country goes bankrupt. Then the Thai army will do the traditional thing and run for the hills leaving others to pick up the pieces of the mess they have left behind.

On 7/11/2017 at 6:23 PM, snoop1130 said:

However, he stressed he could not give any assurance that a coup would not take place again

Just to make sure the Thai people don't ever forget who really holds power over the Thai people, no matter the faux democratic mechanisms put into place such as a Constitution and elections.

This is a glimpse at the Deep State that exists outside the sovereignty of the Thai people. And don't you forget it!

Well said Prayut.

On 11/07/2017 at 7:09 PM, Father Fintan Stack said:

2001 until 2005 were halcyon days for Thailand. 

 

Certainly the best years economically, politically and in regards stability in my 30 years here.

 

 

Indeed. I have many Thai friends, from all walks of life. To a man, (and Woman) they despise the current govt, and what has happened the last decade, and crave for the good times to come back aka Mr T.

On 2017-7-11 at 1:35 PM, ratcatcher said:

“When the time comes, how can I stop it?”  

When a pm gets power he is given 3 letters. When he screws up open the first letter and blame the previous regime. When he screws up the second time. He blames the new government. The third time he opens the envelope. It says write 3 letters

 

Ï

Having stopped it for three years, you could either continue to delay it or make it illegitimate by virtue of it being an election for a government under the military as opposed to a democratic, transparent government under the law; the law being arrived at by tradition and by proper process of elected members of a parliament elected by a free and fair voting system and being presided over by an independent and impartial judiciary both of which as well as the police and the military being under the law in exactly the same way as the general populace.