gobbledonk Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 I know that many longtime board members, particularly those who reside in Thailand, are very blase about the whole 'political turmoil' thing, having lived through various crises without so much as a hair out of place. My own fears centre on a city several flying hours south of Bangkok - Jakarta. I made a prediction on this board 2-3 years ago that China would be the next economic superpower, and I was largely pooh-poohed. The US and Oz, among others, are now looking to China for more money to dig us out of this hole. I'll make another prediction : if Wiranto is elected to the Presidency in July, we will see the TNI on the streets of Jakarta by October, 'suppressing' civil unrest. I cant say how many new Wahabist/Jihadists this will spawn, but it will make current events in Thailand look like a scout jamboree. Hopefully, you can all have a good laugh at my expense in just a few short months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Ummmm ... that was another government and PAD didn't topple it. The courts convicted the PM and a new government was formed by the members of parliament. So what has that got to do with Abhisit's government? Yo no comprendo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clubsiam Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 The root of the problem is the yellow team can't win an election. The rural poor are now able to vote as an organized block. Team yellow is freaking out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drogon Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Yo no comprendo tampoco... Anyway, the main difference IMO: The PAD never called for a civil war to start -> contrary to the UDD... I forgot: Happy Songkran to all.... http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/04/12/headlines/headlines_30100345.php ---------------------------------- ANALYSIS Round Three: Nation on the Brink By Tulsathit Taptim The political showdown has reached the point where everyone can only pray and nobody dares to predict the outcome. Ads by Google Thailand Vuela a Bangkok desde 330â?¬ Compara precios y vuela con eDreams www.edreams.es Thaksin Shinawatra says he wants to "conclude" it during, if not before, Songkran. Abhisit Vejjajiva says everything will return to normal after Songkran. What will this dangerous common ground of the two men who have become arch-rivals lead us to is anyone's guess. One day after the whole of Thailand is the ultimate loser, the nation is staring at one of the most monumentous political showdowns in modern history. And interestingly, both warring parties are up against the ropes. Thaksin and the red-shirted movement have gambled with everything they had, alienating themselves from non-partisan Thais with the kind of aggession that has put the already weak Thai economy in jeopardy and further threatened frabics of nationhood. Abhisit, on the other hand, has cornered himself with the Mr Nice Guy approach and the only way to shore up his wavering legitimacy is to act tough. Thaksin has nothing to lose, albeit except Bt76 billion which may be the final answer to the question "Why?". Abhisit has everything to lose and some values to protect. The prime minister was said to have lashed out at the police, military and government kingmaker Suthep Thaugsuban after the Pattaya debacle which is costing much more than just his face. The turmoil that caused the cancellation of the Asean summit with dialogue partners, however, has eaten into public sympathy for the red shirts as much as Abhisit's leadership. Declaration of state of emergency in Bangkok and its suburbs was Abhisit's only choice. If it wasn't his last throw of the dice, it was something very close. A failed state of emergency like the one declared by the ill-fated government of Samak Sundaravej last year could doom Abhisit's reign. But a bloodshed as a result of the state of emergency could also generate political repercussions that are as bad, if not worse. And Abhisit's state of emergency will be enforced against a backdrop of doubtful loyalty from the police and, to a lesser extent, the military. Conspiracy theorists are seeing an increasingly isolated prime minister after what should have been a high-alert security routine in Pattaya provided a non-existent barricade allowing protesters to sleepwalk to the summit hotel in great numbers. Other analysts, however, simply view the outbreak of red-shirted aggression as a result of a too-cautious approach of authorities too fearful of things getting out of control. It will become evident very soon whether Abhisit is acting tough when it's too late. If they had failed in Pattaya on Saturday, the red-shirted protesters could have been tamed or calm today. But now that they have been buoyed by the Pattaya "victory", the movement will naturally be more difficult to contain. One thing remains unchanged for Thaksin. A crumbled government, or a House dissolution, or a large-scale bloody riot, or even a coup, will not be enough to bring him home, let alone restore him politically. This is a war just for the man to get even, or at best some leverage to push for return of the frozen Bt76 billion. So, it's fast becoming a war between enemies whose only way to go is forward. One side is very desperate, while the other has been jolted into a near panic mode. This is the kind of situation where no pundit dares predicting the immediate result, let alone a long-term one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Yes ..Songkran has been forgotten in all this madness... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Sukhumvit was about empty all day...but that is typical for Songkran...only some Thai azzholes had started throwing water on soi 22....grrrrr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 They got you!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentors Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Thai protesters seize army tank Posted: 12 April 2009 1757 hrs BANGKOK : Thai protesters seized at least one army tank deployed to enforce a state of emergency in Bangkok, a police spokesman told AFP on Sunday. "The protest has spread to many parts of Bangkok. Protesters have seized tanks and armoured cars," Major General Suporn Phansua, spokesman for Bangkok Metropolitan Police, told AFP. He added they were still tallying up how many had been taken by protesters. Minutes earlier, protest leader Hweng Tojirakarn announced to supporters outside government offices that the group had taken two tanks and one armoured car in the heart of Bangkok's shopping district. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/421827/1/.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentors Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 CNN shows new video yet, protesters seize tanks, soldiers smiles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanddawg1 Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Ummmm ... that was another government and PAD didn't topple it. The courts convicted the PM and a new government was formed by the members of parliament. So what has that got to do with Abhisit's government? Yo no comprendo. The courts were pressured by PAD to convict the PM. My point is why didn't the army step in and keep peace when PAD was raising hell? Closing the country's lifeline airport for over a week I would call that civil unrest!!! You watch the red shirts will target the airport too if they are not stopped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.