Political un-rest and rally

[BaaBaa.]

I'm trying to be fair here, but could the reds not wait an extra month or two for elections? Is it really so important to have them this very instant. If they are so sure of victory, why the rush?

While Abhisit has argued strongly that parliament must approve the government’s budget before it is dissolved, he also has a strong interest in a smooth annual reshuffle of civilian and uniformed officials. He and his allies need to ensure that people on whom they can rely are in position at the time of the next elections and that they continue to control the security apparatus.

[BelgianBoy]

A chilling report from Nick Nostitz, who has covered the protests for some time. He is a red sympathizer, but this is simply a story of what happened to him yesterday.

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandal ... #more-9486

LOL seems you dont know Nick at all.
He definitely does not support the reds.

BB

Sorry to reply twice. It's too late to edit my earlier post.

This is why I think he is sympathetic to the reds from his speech to the FCCT http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandal ... -the-fcct/

his sympathies are for the poor people, he is very much anti-taksin.
I hope he keeps safe, like all my friends in BKK.

BB

[Name Taken]

Sky News are reporting that the US Embassy are offering to evacuate US families of people working in Bangkok.

Get to the Choppa!

LOL

[STEVE G]

I'm trying to be fair here, but could the reds not wait an extra month or two for elections? Is it really so important to have them this very instant. If they are so sure of victory, why the rush?

While Abhisit has argued strongly that parliament must approve the government’s budget before it is dissolved, he also has a strong interest in a smooth annual reshuffle of civilian and uniformed officials. He and his allies need to ensure that people on whom they can rely are in position at the time of the next elections and that they continue to control the security apparatus.

And we also get the usual round of banning in the courts any party that people might want to vote for.
Actually Abhisit had always said there would be an election by the end of the year, so having one in November could hardly be considered a concession.
The big problem now, as I see it, is that when they've finally finished with putting down this protest, the embittered hardliners will simply go underground and start a campaign of terrorism which will be far more difficult to deal with.

[STEVE G]

This quote from the link posted above makes the point:

Given the fundamentally non-electoral chain of events that brought Abhisit to power, why would the red shirts place their faith in his offer of an election? There are some powerful figures within the government who are extremely reluctant to subject themselves to electoral judgement so how could red shirt leaders persuade the doubters in their midst that the road map was solid? With the yellow shirts openly hostile to the deal, how could the red shirts be confident that they wouldn’t seek to disrupt it?

And even if an election went ahead, recent history underlines the likelihood of extra-electoral intervention, either on the streets or in the courts, to overturn the result. The red shirt protesters are repeatedly vilified as a crowd-for-hire so how could they be confident that their future votes wouldn’t be similarly dismissed as the product of money politics? Could they rely on the palace to add its moral authority to a defence of the electoral process? Of course not.

Thailand’s fatal flaw is its loss of faith in the electoral process. This loss of faith has opened the way for hardliners to pursue violent alternatives. Violence on all sides is deplorable, but remember that those who condemn the red shirt provocations most vigorously are also those who have consistently denied the legitimacy of their peaceful statements at the ballot box.

[HHADFan]

his sympathies are for the poor people, he is very much anti-taksin.
I hope he keeps safe, like all my friends in BKK.

That makes sense. Sounds like we'd get along fine. I feel about the same way.

I'll say this: If he went out today after yesterday's experience, he is one brave journalist.

[sandman67]

Thailand’s fatal flaw is its loss of faith in the electoral process.

I disagree mate

Thailand fatal flaw is it is run by Thais.

Thais have a culture that teaches that people should blindly kow tow to others who are percieved to be of higher status. Add a uniform, some stupid ill deserved title and a few bottle-top medals and bingo - the person instantly deserves fawning respect.

Thai culture teaches it is acceptable to tell bare faced lies to save "face", and to cover up for incompetance by telling bigger and bigger lies.

That breeds LIARS

Thai culture teaches it is acceptable, nay expected practice, to take or ask for bribes or "comissions" just to do your daily job, and to expect and accept bribes to cast votes. Taking backhanders or dipping the till is seen as acceptable in every aspect of life, and is expected.

That breeds THIEVES

The Thai education system is lamentable at best, and counter productive in reality. It breeds a nation of ill informed xenophobes incapable of original thought and adept at copying without evaluating the pros and cons of such actions. A nation of people who cant even point to their own country on a map of the world. It teaches that questioning things and free thought are bad, civic responsibility is an alien concept, and that blind duty with no questions is amirable.

That breeds drone like CRETINS

Thai society is run as a set of separate petty fiefdoms managed by the ignorant, incompetant and indifferent. The police and armed forces are run as independant quasi-criminal organisations beyond the law and beyond questioning. They serve and protect only their own interests, and follow no orders but their own.

That breeds COWARDS and CRIMINALS

and that my mate is why this country is spiralling down the pan -

because Thai culture and democracy-in-a-box western style are INCOMPATABLE with an electorate of corrupt greedy CRETINS and an executive manned by COWARDS THIEVES and LIARS.

som nam na

[sargeant]

i take it you are fitting in well and totally integrated then

after all you are still here

[richard]

SM

Thought you were in the UK. Where is your bunker in Thailand?

[Spitfire]

Quite a bit of truth in that post SM67, even if a bit cutting and to-the-point. Hell, I have worked in the Thai education sector for 8 years and I'll agree that it is a joke. SM just has the balls to say it, stay here long enough and all etc. However, for now, the pros still outweigh the cons for us, but they have been taking a battering in the last few years, not the deal it once was, although still good compared to elsewhere.

[BaaBaa.]

TT [at]jin_nation: 7:24pm URGENT!! Lotus Express at Bon Kai is now on fire! #redshirts #CH7
half a minute ago via TweetDeck

TT [at]jin_nation: 6:42pm #Redshirts at Din Dang try 2 storm into Century hotel, shouting "we need 2 burn this hotel down". 18 minutes ago via TweetDeck

Building next to Lumpini Tower is on fire, says witness.
19 minutes ago via mobile web

[richard]

Timed out on editing my last post

Thunderstorms and power blackouts now occuring

Sarge

Integration is one thing. Critisising their culture is another

I consider my self pretty well integrated as I'm living in a poverty stricken village but I am free an able to criticize their culture on a forum but would not openly in the village. Much of what SM says is true and I see it all around me and there is nothing you can do to change it. Thais will listen to your views but at the end of the day they dismiss us as just farangs who know nothing.

Read my next posting on life in the village. Education is Zilch, propaganda is rife starting at 6am. Most Thais here cannot read or write Thai and most speak Laos/Thai

You take it or leave it. You aint going to change it. There is no way you think you will win mingling with Thais. YOU ARE A FARANG OUTSIDER and will be tolerated but not heeded

You mix with the tin shack people near you home but how do they view you? Think about it



We are all still better off than we would be at home in our respective countries

[caller]

Hi BG, I can't really add to anything that Steve G has written since your/my last post.

I do feel however, that if the Reds had ceded to the proposals and perhaps left a smaller, more manageable presence and just been patient, they would have legitimacy on their side once Abhisit backtracked, as I'm sure he would have?

I think one of the problems is that on both sides, it appears internal wrangling is a huge obstacle. Thai generals become prominent and then are never heard of again and on the Reds side, it appears the hardliners have won the day.

One thing I am actually convinced of, is that Abhisit has no real say in anything and that whatever the outcome of this incident, the issue won't go away.

[BaaBaa.]

INTERACTIVE GOOGLE MAP

[hhfarang]

Thailand fatal flaw is it is run by Thais.

Thais have a culture that teaches that people should blindly kow tow to others who are percieved to be of higher status. Add a uniform, some stupid ill deserved title and a few bottle-top medals and bingo - the person instantly deserves fawning respect.

Thai culture teaches it is acceptable to tell bare faced lies to save "face", and to cover up for incompetance by telling bigger and bigger lies.

That breeds LIARS

Thai culture teaches it is acceptable, nay expected practice, to take or ask for bribes or "comissions" just to do your daily job, and to expect and accept bribes to cast votes. Taking backhanders or dipping the till is seen as acceptable in every aspect of life, and is expected.

That breeds THIEVES

The Thai education system is lamentable at best, and counter productive in reality. It breeds a nation of ill informed xenophobes incapable of original thought and adept at copying without evaluating the pros and cons of such actions. A nation of people who cant even point to their own country on a map of the world. It teaches that questioning things and free thought are bad, civic responsibility is an alien concept, and that blind duty with no questions is amirable.

That breeds drone like CRETINS

Thai society is run as a set of separate petty fiefdoms managed by the ignorant, incompetant and indifferent. The police and armed forces are run as independant quasi-criminal organisations beyond the law and beyond questioning. They serve and protect only their own interests, and follow no orders but their own.

That breeds COWARDS and CRIMINALS

and that my mate is why this country is spiralling down the pan -

because Thai culture and democracy-in-a-box western style are INCOMPATABLE with an electorate of corrupt greedy CRETINS and an executive manned by COWARDS THIEVES and LIARS.

Once again Sandman, you paint an entire country of people with your broad brush. There are good and bad people and intelligent and uneducated people in every country in the world... yes, sorry, even in yours. I have a Thai family and they are honest and good, hard working people, not liars, thieves, cretins, cowards or criminals, who want the best for their country just like you and I do for ours. Maybe it's time to be a little more positive and supportive for those in each country who are trying their best to just earn a living, support their families, and get the best they can out of life instead of constantly criticizing everyone who is religious, patriotic, or supports their origins and culture.