Post coup election date set

[Pasi Nurminen]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6507129.stm

hai PM sets post-coup vote date
Thai PM Surayud Chulanont
PM Surayud said he wanted to avoid confrontation
Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has announced that general elections will be held in December.

Mr Surayud also rejected a military demand for emergency powers to be restored to curtail growing anti-coup protests in the capital Bangkok.

The military is worried a protest planned for Friday might become unruly.

Mr Surayud was appointed prime minister by the military after the overthrow of his predecessor Thaksin Shinawatra in a coup last September.

Mr Surayud said a general election would be held on either 16 or 22 December.

A government spokesman later said the prime minister had meant to say either 16 or 23 December, French news agency Agence France Presse reported.

Discuss.

 

[Maimonides]

Could you briefly recap what's been going on in Thailand? From what I understand, the monarchy was overthrown by the military. That's about all I know. Can you still buy a 12 year old girl there for $200?

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

Could you briefly recap what's been going on in Thailand? From what I understand, the monarchy was overthrown by the military. That's about all I know. Can you still buy a 12 year old girl there for $200?

Go back to watching Fox News and stop wasting valuable webspace.

 

[PrincepsAmerica]

Go back to watching Fox News and stop wasting valuable webspace.

You're mean.

 

[Tee Kay]

Could you briefly recap what's been going on in Thailand? From what I understand, the monarchy was overthrown by the military. That's about all I know. Can you still buy a 12 year old girl there for $200?

Actually, the military overthrew the prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra (google him if you don't know. He's an interesting personality), appearantly with the support of the monarchy. They set up a junta, although most things remained the same as before the coup (some press freedoms were curtailed though). They promised an election by the end of this year because they know the Thais would revolt otherwise.. (by the time it arrives though the miltiary will probably finish consolidating its power)

The junta justifies its existance by announcing that it will do away with consumerism and restore morality and sustainabilty.

 

[Ramius75]

im skeptical about this. i dont like the military gov nor the king at all.

True that thaksin maybe corrupted but he is no lesser corrupted than the military. The military should have lesser power than before. Thats what they want to avoid. Thailand under thaksin had prosper and recover much faster than more SEA countries and he is still very popular among the rural classes where he introduce alot of benefits to them (pay by the explosive economy growth). Could the military gov emulate the same thing ? I dont think so. In fact, after the military took over. The economy of thailand has been tarnished and willtake time to recover. not to mention the many blunders they had made just within a few short mths.

If they allow the election. Will they allow Thaksin to run again ? What will they do if he decided to return to the country and lead his party again ? Will there be a free election ?

The king should shut up and stay out IMHO and let democracy work.

 

[Maimonides]

Go back to watching Fox News and stop wasting valuable webspace.

??? I don't like Fox News at all. I think "Fox News" is an oxymoron. Why so rude? I often agree with your opinions. Feels like being suckerpunched.

My request for political & social information was serious & sincere. Everytime somebody tells me about their trip to Thailand it involves insane stories about the sex industry there.

Actually, the military overthrew the prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra (google him if you don't know. He's an interesting personality), appearantly with the support of the monarchy. They set up a junta, although most things remained the same as before the coup (some press freedoms were curtailed though). They promised an election by the end of this year because they know the Thais would revolt otherwise.. (by the time it arrives though the miltiary will probably finish consolidating its power)

The junta justifies its existance by announcing that it will do away with consumerism and restore morality and sustainabilty.

Thanks. So does the monarchy have any power? Does this mean that the monarchy will gain more power? There aren't many monarchs left in the world. The ones that still exist are interesting to me.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

??? I don't like Fox News at all. I think "Fox News" is an oxymoron. Why so rude? I often agree with your opinions. Feels like being suckerpunched.

My request for political & social information was serious & sincere. Everytime somebody tells me about their trip to Thailand it involves insane stories about the sex industry there.

The only way you could ask the question you did was if you watched a certain Fox News report given on the subject that was completely and wholly fabricated.

 

[Maimonides]

Not so. I don't remember seeing anything about Thailand on Fox News. I think Fox News is waaay too subjective & full of opinion to be called journalism.

I have heard all kinds of things about Thailand from friends who have been there. Little of it was positive. Mostly, they talk of impoverished families who sell their young daughters into the sex industry, brothels & strippers who do insane things like inserting hamsters where the sun doesn't shine while dancing.

I do remember seeing a CNN report recently about the unregulated trade in endangered species along the border between Thailand & Cambodia.

The only positive thing I've heard about Thailand is it's natural beauty. I do love phad thai.

 

[nivi]

The only way you could ask the question you did was if you watched a certain Fox News report given on the subject that was completely and wholly fabricated.

You know, instead of being an ass you could be usefull and educate him about it.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

You know, instead of being an ass you could be usefull and educate him about it.

You know, instead of being a prick you should know that I don't deal with people who don't know anything about the world around them. I do not deal with people who have preconceived notions and think (for example) a given country is full of sex tourists lusting after 12 year old children, something at the very least strongly implied in his post. He even admitted that the only thing he knows about Thailand is that there is prostitution there, and why would you even bother to talk to someone like that? I'd much rather engage with people who don't feel the need to ask "is it true you can buy a little girl for $200 there?"

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

Not so. I don't remember seeing anything about Thailand on Fox News. I think Fox News is waaay too subjective & full of opinion to be called journalism.

I have heard all kinds of things about Thailand from friends who have been there. Little of it was positive. Mostly, they talk of impoverished families who sell their young daughters into the sex industry, brothels & strippers who do insane things like inserting hamsters where the sun doesn't shine while dancing.

I do remember seeing a CNN report recently about the unregulated trade in endangered species along the border between Thailand & Cambodia.

The only positive thing I've heard about Thailand is it's natural beauty. I do love phad thai.

You should try talking to someone who has seen more of the country than a go-go bar. I would, but I shouldn't need to "educate" someone on something they should already know. It's okay to not know much about another country, but to presume things about a country (like that you can buy a little girl for $200, a complete fabrication) based on the testimony of a couple of college losers who went there on their spring breaks is just intellectually irresponsible.

At the very least, you should be able to say "this is what some people say, but I know that there's a lot more to a country than the experience of a few people who vacationed there for two days."

 

[nivi]

You know, instead of being a prick you should know that I don't deal with people who don't know anything about the world around them. I do not deal with people who have preconceived notions and think (for example) a given country is full of sex tourists lusting after 12 year old children, something at the very least strongly implied in his post. He even admitted that the only thing he knows about Thailand is that there is prostitution there, and why would you even bother to talk to someone like that? I'd much rather engage with people who don't feel the need to ask "is it true you can buy a little girl for $200 there?"

What an elitist snob, people don't know everything about anything, which is why, the ones who want to know, ask. And if you'r too good to deal with those "ignorant",at least don't be so rude about it.

And yeah, like it or not there is a big sex industry in thailand, which thailand is notrious for, and many people know only somethings which a country is famous becuase.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

What an elitist snob, people don't know everything about anything, which is why, the ones who want to know, ask. And if you'r too good to deal with those "ignorant",at least don't be so rude about it.

And yeah, like it or not there is a big sex industry in thailand, which thailand is notrious for, and many people know only somethings which a country is famous becuase.

Anyways, can we get back on topic? What do people think of the forthcoming elections? Will the military junta actually step down as they promise? Or what if the 'wrong' party wins the elections?

 

[Tee Kay]

Does this mean that the monarchy will gain more power? There aren't many monarchs left in the world. The ones that still exist are interesting to me.

Technically, the Thai monarchy is like any constitutional monarchy in the world that is with only a figurehead role. But such is the popularity and respect for the monarchy among the Thais plus Thai traditions that hold that the monarchy is the absolute authority in the land that whatever the monarch degrees it would be necessary to act accordingly.

I have heard all kinds of things about Thailand from friends who have been there. Little of it was positive. Mostly, they talk of impoverished families who sell their young daughters into the sex industry, brothels & strippers who do insane things like inserting hamsters where the sun doesn't shine while dancing.

Thailand? It's a great place. Those things that you mentioned happen, but it happens elsewhere too not just in Thailand, and it doesn't represent Thai society. Western media have a tendency to bring out the worst in other cultures and forget about the positive side. Trust me, I lived there.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

To give an idea how powerful King Bhumibol is, protests against Thaksin's government of over a hundred thousand people each were common occurances in the streets of Bangkok, and he never caved into them until the King held a private meeting in which he asked Thaksin to step down.

 

[Maimonides]

You know, instead of being a prick you should know that I don't deal with people who don't know anything about the world around them.

Why should he know that much about random people on an internet forum?

I do not deal with people who have preconceived notions and think (for example) a given country is full of sex tourists lusting after 12 year old children, something at the very least strongly implied in his post.

I never said that. I'm sure the locals must be heavily involved, not just tourists.

He even admitted that the only thing he knows about Thailand is that there is prostitution there, and why would you even bother to talk to someone like that?

Look back please. I also knew it has a monarchy, desperate poverty, beautiful scenery, trade in endangered species & is the home of phad thai.

You should try talking to someone who has seen more of the country than a go-go bar.

That's why I'm here asking questions. The people I know who have been there also told me about beautiful, remote islands & beaches.

I would, but I shouldn't need to "educate" someone on something they should already know.

But you just said...

It's okay to not know much about another country, but to presume things about a country (like that you can buy a little girl for $200, a complete fabrication) based on the testimony of a couple of college losers who went there on their spring breaks is just intellectually irresponsible.

I did not presume that. I asked if it was true. Read it again please.

They were not attending college at the time. One is a woman who spent 3 months traveling around Thailand & India.

Attending college does not make someone a loser.

At the very least, you should be able to say "this is what some people say, but I know that there's a lot more to a country than the experience of a few people who vacationed there for two days."

That's why I asked about it. It is unreasonable to try to dictate the thoughts of others by specifically stating how they should say something. The friends I refered to were there for more than 2 days. I never said how long they were there.

I think you are missing the humor in that image. The Simpsons is doing a parody of teachers who aren't concerned enough about their students' education to answer their questions without becoming annoyed or defering them elsewhere.

Technically, the Thai monarchy is like any constitutional monarchy in the world that is with only a figurehead role. But such is the popularity and respect for the monarchy among the Thais plus Thai traditions that hold that the monarchy is the absolute authority in the land that whatever the monarch degrees it would be necessary to act accordingly.

Thanks. What an interesting contrast between written law & cultural tradition. Cultural tradition must be quite strong there.

From this, it sounds like the people will go along with the military coup because the king supports it even though it is illegal. Fascinating. I suppose it's a good sign that the military is holding elections instead of just staying in power.

Thailand? It's a great place. Those things that you mentioned happen, but it happens elsewhere too not just in Thailand, and it doesn't represent Thai society.

Understood.

Western media have a tendency to bring out the worst in other cultures and forget about the positive side. Trust me, I lived there.

Yup. One doesn't often see or read good news. It's usually all bad news that's reported.

To give an idea how powerful King Bhumibol is, protests against Thaksin's government of over a hundred thousand people each were common occurances in the streets of Bangkok, and he never caved into them until the King held a private meeting in which he asked Thaksin to step down.

Amazing that he holds such influence without legal backing. Traditions must be deeply ingrained there. Subjects of the British Commonwealth openly discuss eliminating their monarchy. Big contrast between those cultures.

 

[Turner]

Quite a bit of trolling and flaming here.

It best stop.

 

[Sophie 378]

Pasi, is there any news about who's going to stand, or how "free and fair" the elections are going to be? Still, if it's not for nine months, then maybe no-one is ready for that sort of thing yet ... except you said that the military had previously said there'd be elections by the end of the year. So December ... holding on to power until the last minute?

 

[MjM]

You know, instead of being a prick you should know that I don't deal with people who don't know anything about the world around them. I do not deal with people who have preconceived notions and think (for example) a given country is full of sex tourists lusting after 12 year old children, something at the very least strongly implied in his post. He even admitted that the only thing he knows about Thailand is that there is prostitution there, and why would you even bother to talk to someone like that? I'd much rather engage with people who don't feel the need to ask "is it true you can buy a little girl for $200 there?"

Your only argument to people who don't know much about East Asian way of life is telling them to go live there. We don't all want to throw our lives away and live in the third world Pasi. So when people ask questions, don't act surprised.