Thailand Prepares for Civil War as Bangkok Grows More Menacing

azgreg said:

I get that, and I know things will never change. However, don't you just get a little tired of hearing about a conflict somewhere around the world every time you turn a corner?

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No. The thought of some type of socialist or religious fanatic being killed somewhere in the world always gives me a warm and fuzzy.

Dittohead not! said:

Yes, I sure do.

Particularly when someone wants the USA to go in and fix things.

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Silly people, don't they know it is better to do it yourself? Besides, where do they get the idea that the USA doesn't need a lot of fixing itself at the moment?

Wait till the King dies, it will be very ugly, he has been in the hospital for over 5 years now. I was there last time they had a flare up and both airports were shut down, threw a kink in my trip. Had to take the bus up from Phuket, spend a few days, take a bus up to Chiang Mai, spend a few days, then fly home. It was a mess. It is a very civil and peaceful country, but the stuff in BKK has just gone on too long. I have a friend that has been living there for 20+ years, he just avoids all the crap and does his job.

Northern Light said:

Thailand is always preparing for civil war, and it never happens. When I went there 2 years ago, the airport was shut down 2 weeks before I got there, and then shut down again a week after I left. I got lucky I guess.

The Thai people take the threats only so far until their very way of life is threatened and then they stop demonstrating, or the government intervenes.

If they really want civil war then they need to ditch the monarchy and have it out, cause every time they try to do it any other ways, the monarchy intervenes and puts everyone back in their corner.

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The Thai have a love of their King that is like a 9 year old girl in love with a boy band. If you even dare to say anything bad about him, you go to jail, Lese majeste, it is crazy.

Demon of Light said:

I can't be so certain about that. Thailand cannot keep going through this cycle where the people elect a government, that government is ousted by the military or some politicized court case, the government is replaced with one affiliated with the Bangkok elites and then when elections come around the people they ousted get elected again. Something has to give in this situation.

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Thailand since about 1930 has had about 30 coups where the military intervenes and then goes back to civilian rule. There are quite a lot of Thai's wanting the Army to take over again, they wonder why they haven't done so yet. In 2006 the King told Thaksin to step down and he refused. Then the King gave the Army the go ahead. I presume it is only his frail health and age that has prevented him from giving the Army the go ahead. Thaksin was one corrupt SOB, now his sister Yingluck is PM and Thaksin is running the government through her.

Sooner or later, the Army will probably have to take over.

cpwill said:

Huh. Who is the opposition family?

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Sondhi for one, he had a falling out with Thaksin and they have been rivals ever since.

Perotista said:

Thailand since about 1930 has had about 30 coups where the military intervenes and then goes back to civilian rule. There are quite a lot of Thai's wanting the Army to take over again, they wonder why they haven't done so yet. In 2006 the King told Thaksin to step down and he refused. Then the King gave the Army the go ahead. I presume it is only his frail health and age that has prevented him from giving the Army the go ahead. Thaksin was one corrupt SOB, now his sister Yingluck is PM and Thaksin is running the government through her.

Sooner or later, the Army will probably have to take over.

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Hope everything is goin g well with your wife's relatives.
AQnd your plans to eventually move there.

Meanwhile, you still live at the southern end of the great AMT.
At my age, all I could do is start in your GA and drive the best points all the way to Maine.

Btw, are you watching your Braves yet ?

Dittohead not! said:

The opposition acting like sore losers? Why, such a thing would never happen in the USA!

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Well I don't think we have an example of an opposition insisting that the incumbent government immediately disband in favor of a caretaker government until the government just elected can take place in order to overturn election results by fiat, but....

NIMBY said:

Hope everything is goin g well with your wife's relatives.
AQnd your plans to eventually move there.

Meanwhile, you still live at the southern end of the great AMT.
At my age, all I could do is start in your GA and drive the best points all the way to Maine.

Btw, are you watching your Braves yet ?

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Howdy Linc, You betcha on the Braves. I have been very pleasantly surprised by their early success. With the injuries to a couple of starting pitchers they relied heavily on last year, I expected a slow start. No complaints here. As for Thailand, so far it hasn’t been a big thing. First the protesters were camped out by the Democracy Monument in Bangkok and the rest of the city went around doing business as usual. Then last month they moved to Lumpini Park, not far from where I use to work at JUSMAGTHAI. I have been in that park many times. Still the rest of the city of Bangkok goes about their normal business as if nothing is happening. It hasn’t put our plans on hold or anything. The big thing now is getting the house ready to sell and then the move will take place. I think we have overcome most other hurdles. Thaksin, Yingluck or no Thaksin, Yingluck or if the Army is in charge of the government, no big thing. I have been through that before.

New tactic down here against Michelle Nunn, the Republicans are now putting forth that if she is elected her first vote in the Senate would be to make Harry Reid Majority leader again. That is enough to get the republican base motivated, but means little to nothing to independents. Don’t know why the Republicans are starting so early, unless she puts the fear of god into them. Especially this far out, early voting starts down here for our primaries on the 28th of April. Michelle has a primary opponent, so I probably will vote for her in the Democratic Primary and skip the Republican one. I think I owe her daddy Sam, at least that much as to help her make it to November. I really think she can win and have her doing so in my monthly updates.

Perotista said:

Howdy Linc, You betcha on the Braves. I have been very pleasantly surprised by their early success. With the injuries to a couple of starting pitchers they relied heavily on last year, I expected a slow start. No complaints here. As for Thailand, so far it hasn’t been a big thing. First the protesters were camped out by the Democracy Monument in Bangkok and the rest of the city went around doing business as usual. Then last month they moved to Lumpini Park, not far from where I use to work at JUSMAGTHAI. I have been in that park many times. Still the rest of the city of Bangkok goes about their normal business as if nothing is happening. It hasn’t put our plans on hold or anything. The big thing now is getting the house ready to sell and then the move will take place. I think we have overcome most other hurdles. Thaksin, Yingluck or no Thaksin, Yingluck or if the Army is in charge of the government, no big thing. I have been through that before.

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I find your insight into Thailand fascinating.
It will be really cool having you communicate with us from there some day.

New tactic down here against Michelle Nunn, the Republicans are now putting forth that if she is elected her first vote in the Senate would be to make Harry Reid Majority leader again. That is enough to get the republican base motivated, but means little to nothing to independents. Don’t know why the Republicans are starting so early, unless she puts the fear of god into them. Especially this far out, early voting starts down here for our primaries on the 28th of April. Michelle has a primary opponent, so I probably will vote for her in the Democratic Primary and skip the Republican one. I think I owe her daddy Sam, at least that much as to help her make it to November. I really think she can win and have her doing so in my monthly updates.

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That Reid tactic is an answer to Reid's superPAC bringing DEM Southern Senators back up in the polls.
Nunn should plaster the face of Cruz all over your five GOP primary people.

The "guns everywhere" law was pretty slick, forcing Carter to vote for it.
Linc believes the link between Governor's and Senator's races in the same several states is underestimated and misunderstood .

NIMBY said:

I find your insight into Thailand fascinating.
It will be really cool having you communicate with us from there some day.


That Reid tactic is an answer to Reid's superPAC bringing DEM Southern Senators back up in the polls.
Nunn should plaster the face of Cruz all over your five GOP primary people.

The "guns everywhere" law was pretty slick, forcing Carter to vote for it.
Linc believes the link between Governor's and Senator's races in the same several states is underestimated and misunderstood .

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I really do not see much of a link down here, yet anyway. Deal isn't that well liked, he is an ex-democrat turned republican when the republicans became the dominate party here. How he ever won the governorship, I don't know. In the senate race I am hoping for a Perdue vs. Nunn match up, son vs. daughter and then throw in grandson Carter, that should make it mighty interesting.

Thailand is Thailand and Bangkok is Bangkok and corruption reigns galore. But I have to hand it to the Thai's, their election corruption is above board and in plain sight for all to see. In areas where thaksin's party won big, his supports would be outside the polling places handing out 100 and 500 baht notes to obtain a vote for him. Try doing that in the states.

But at least one know who is buy whom instead of having all the campaign donation behind the scenes. I think I would rather have the Thai corruption vs. the U.S. election corruption. One knows who is who and where one stands.

Perotista said:

Thailand since about 1930 has had about 30 coups where the military intervenes and then goes back to civilian rule. There are quite a lot of Thai's wanting the Army to take over again, they wonder why they haven't done so yet. In 2006 the King told Thaksin to step down and he refused. Then the King gave the Army the go ahead. I presume it is only his frail health and age that has prevented him from giving the Army the go ahead. Thaksin was one corrupt SOB, now his sister Yingluck is PM and Thaksin is running the government through her.

Sooner or later, the Army will probably have to take over.

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Except, in the event of a coup, the Red Shirts have been very explicit that they intend to begin a violent armed resistance. It is partly because of the 2010 crackdown where citizens were slaughtered by the military. There are now many who feel the only way to stop this cycle is to fight until only one side is left standing.

Demon of Light said:

Except, in the event of a coup, the Red Shirts have been very explicit that they intend to begin a violent armed resistance. It is partly because of the 2010 crackdown where citizens were slaughtered by the military. There are now many who feel the only way to stop this cycle is to fight until only one side is left standing.

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I think it may all boil down to the King's blessing or not.