FreeTime Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Thailands military is recruiting, training and arming civilians in southern provinces to combat insurgents: http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=48493 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Central Scrutinizer Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Yeah, but why use civilians? Sounds like a recipe for further disaster and problems using these basically untrained armed civilians for this when they have quite a large army (and trained naval and air force combat personell) already trained that they could use to beef up the southern battalion forces. And with a half a million males each year reaching the age of conscription they could easily conscript, train and reinforce the southern forces in a matter of months with overwhelming manpower. Just seems rather silly to use civilians, women, untrained citizens when they have the ability to act in a more intelligent way to do their duty to protect the Thai citizens in the south. The generals must be wanting to keep the troops nearby for the next coup. ------------------------ THAI MILITARY STATS: Air force personnel: 40,000 Armed forces personnel: 301,000Army personnel: 150,000 Manpower > Availability > Males age 15-49 --- 17,904,300 Manpower > Military age 18 years of age Manpower > Reaching military age annually > Males: 531,315 Navy personnel: 64,000 Personnel: 421,000 personnel > % of total labor force 1.18 % Service age and obligation: 21 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; males are registered at 18 years of age; 2-year conscript service obligation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Arming civilians? bad idea! People could just use the weapons and training to settle old family scores and feuds...on the other hand, it almost seems to make sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Sounds like the old Village Scouts of the 1970s ... or the "Ruff Puffs" of South Vietnam. p.s. Translation please? << THAI MILITARY STATS: Air force personnel: 40,000 Armed forces personnel: 301,000Army personnel: 150,000 Manpower > Availability > Males age 15-49 --- 17,904,300 Manpower > Military age 18 years of age Manpower > Reaching military age annually > Males: 531,315 Navy personnel: 64,000 Personnel: 421,000 personnel > % of total labor force 1.18 % >> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTO Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 The arming of the civilians seems to be a "new" announcement every year or so - last time I remember the photo's teaching the civilians to use shotguns. Nothing new - same as usual doubt it's a good thing - last time with the shot guns some ended up in the "wrong hands" Oooops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 << Nipa, a single mother, maintains a vigil through the night armed with a shotgun at the entrance to a Buddhist village on the outskirts of this southern city. With her, on a recent night, were 15 other men and women, similarly armed, who are part of a civilian defence force. >> I wouldn't want to face terrorists armed with military weapons with just a shotgun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.