sinsin2 Posted September 17, 2001 Report Share Posted September 17, 2001 Thailand allied with Japan, declared war on the United States and Great Britain on January 25, 1942 Think about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinsin2 Posted September 17, 2001 Report Share Posted September 17, 2001 Some background on Thai politics. USA pumped in millions of dollars to stop the communists .(Domino Theory) Hence the 6 lane highway to Nong Khai. Many of the village headmen are ex Communists.Thai CP/Free ISSAN. Ask around you,ll get plenty of information. Look at the I.D of anyone over 50.... no birthdate,The Thais ignored Issan until the USA put up the money during Viet Nam War. Hospitals,schools,police as I,ve posted before, Issan people are Lao,They only learnt to speak Thai 30 years ago. <end of rant> After the First World War, a nationalist renaissance movement developed, leading to a coup against King Prajadhipok. Representative government in 1932 replaced the system of absolute monarchy and in 1939, Siam adopted the name 'Muang Thai' or 'Land of the Free'. From 1941-4, it was occupied by Japan and although the government collaborated, there was a guerrilla resistance movement. Instability followed the Japanese withdrawal and King Ananda Mahidol was assassinated in 1946. The army seized power in 1947 under Field Marshall Pibul Songgram and retained power for two decades. The leadership changed in a series of bloodless coups. Field Marshall Sarit Thanarat took over in 1957 and General Thanom Kittikchorn in 1963. King Bhumibol Adulyadej remained as a figurehead and there were elected assemblies from 1957-8 and 1968-71. Under the military junta, Thailand allied itself with the USA and faced serious insurgency by communist guerrillas on the borders with Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia. There were some economic achievements but the junta was overthrown by violent student riots in October 1973. Free elections were held in 1975 and 1976 but there was a lack of stability under a series of coalition governments and the military resumed power. The supreme commander, General Kriangsak Chomanan, was in power from 1977 and set up a mixed civilian and military government under the king's direction. He was deposed in October 1980 by General Prem Tinsulanonda, who formally gave up his army office to become prime minister of an elected civilian government. His cautious, apolitical rule led to economic improvements and Thailand became an export-orientated, newly industrialized country. Prem survived coup attempts in 1983 and 1985. In 1988, the leader of the Thai Nation Party, Chatichai Choonhavan, was elected prime minister but was overthrown in February 1991 by a bloodless coup led by the supreme military commander, General Sunthorn Kongsompong, and army chief General Suchinda Kraprayoon, the 17th coup, successful or otherwise, since 1932. An interim prime minister, the civilian Anand Panyarachun, was appointed, ultimately subject to the military junta. General Suchinda replaced him in the elections of March 1992 but huge street demonstrations forced him to resign. In May, the ruling coalition agreed to a constitutional reform package, including the proviso that the prime minister should not be a military man, and Anand returned as interim prime minister in June Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatbastard Posted September 17, 2001 Report Share Posted September 17, 2001 Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly NOT a US basher,just tring to balance the discussion. but for all those who are telling us what a generous country the US is, well, Don't know that everyone agree's. I have seen an article from the newsweek which showed that the US's level of overseas aid has declined rapidly over the last 2 decads. Now as a proportion of GDP its far less that most developed Euro counties, Australasia and Japan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinsin2 Posted September 17, 2001 Report Share Posted September 17, 2001 Fatbastard You are a braver man than me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquidflux Posted September 17, 2001 Report Share Posted September 17, 2001 quote: Originally posted by Fatbastard: Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly NOT a US basher,just tring to balance the discussion. but for all those who are telling us what a generous country the US is, well, Don't know that everyone agree's. I have seen an article from the newsweek which showed that the US's level of overseas aid has declined rapidly over the last 2 decads. Now as a proportion of GDP its far less that most developed Euro counties, Australasia and Japan. Of course there will be many people who do not agree with the generocity of the US. I think the point that is trying to be made is that the united states is under no obligation to give any country any "aid" yet we do so on a constant basis often with no hesitation and it seems to go unnoticed. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Toad Posted September 17, 2001 Report Share Posted September 17, 2001 The way this thing is going, at the moment, I am not sure that any country will be able to stay neutral. They maybe able to stay out of it as long as there are no suspected terrorists passing through/staying in that country. What the US seem to be saying is that if we spot a terrorist in your country you either hand him over, or we will come and get him. You try and stop us and we are fighting you! But Thailand are going to get involved other ways. They will need to beef up security to reassure tourists, and if US navy ships are steaming back/to the gulf area they are quite likely to stop here for a little r&r. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentors Posted September 18, 2001 Report Share Posted September 18, 2001 Again, don't worry The time of Mr. Niceguy will be over very soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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