Thailand troubles...

namaarie

namaarie

Joined
Aug 23, 2004
Messages
1,499
Smoke request for Thailand today. There's a coup underway that, while not yet violent, is always unsettling. My girlfriend's entire extended family lives there, so my contact to this issue is pretty personal. Let's hope this doesn't get ugly.

Chris
 
I have friends from Thailand, good people, you can count on my prayers Chris, that situation does sound a bit dicey at best.

Sarge
 
I am concerned. My wife's friend lives there, but seems to think that there is nothing to worry about.
 
These people have been and will continue to be our best friends in Asia. I hope this is resolved quickly and with a minimum of hurt.
 
That's good to know, Jurrassic, about our friendship with Thailand.


munk
 
I was in Thailand IIRC 1973 when Kittakachorn pulled a coup....there's probably been a dozen since then. Note please that these are pretty much not against the Monarchy, rather against Politicians who try to manuver wealth around out of the country for their own benefit. Most Thai coups have been well planned not to screw with the common guy on the street, but to clean house, so to speak. Most are relatively bloodless, more evidence of being well planned. The current General will probably have elections next year as announced, and step aside. Note this coup has the King's strong support! And the little brown people of Thailand will bounce back, smiling as always.
 
jurassicnarc44 said:
I was in Thailand IIRC 1973 when Kittakachorn pulled a coup....there's probably been a dozen since then. Note please that these are pretty much not against the Monarchy, rather against Politicians who try to manuver wealth around out of the country for their own benefit. Most Thai coups have been well planned not to screw with the common guy on the street, but to clean house, so to speak. Most are relatively bloodless, more evidence of being well planned. The current General will probably have elections next year as announced, and step aside. Note this coup has the King's strong support! And the little brown people of Thailand will bounce back, smiling as always.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, there is a fly in the ointment. The Commanding General, and his Chief of Staff are both muslim; and, they have announced that as their first order of business; after suspending democracy, and ousting the elected government; will be to normalize a relationship with the rebellious musilims in the South. This is a military action on part of Islam. We can pretend otherwise - but, the growing global war has just claimed another victim. It will not be long before the Burkas are rolled out and Shira law becomes dominant.

You can read about it here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060919/ap_on_re_as/thailand

n2s
 
Hey, n2s, I think I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one. Yup, he's a Muslim, but this isn't about his faith. It's about corruption and dissatisfaction with the current administration. The military is loyal to (and the whole country truly ADORES AND REVERES) their King, who is a pretty good guy. Furthermore, he's a Buddhist with a long history of secular tolerance and a genuine desire to improve the lives of his subjects, regardless of faith. To call this a Muslim coup is not correct, and any change in position with regard to the the insurgency is probably just a temporary expedient solution while they're dealing with this.

My $0.02.

Chris
 
namaarie said:
Hey, n2s, I think I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one. Yup, he's a Muslim, but this isn't about his faith. It's about corruption and dissatisfaction with the current administration. The military is loyal to (and the whole country truly ADORES AND REVERES) their King, who is a pretty good guy. Furthermore, he's a Buddhist with a long history of secular tolerance and a genuine desire to improve the lives of his subjects, regardless of faith. To call this a Muslim coup is not correct, and any change in position with regard to the the insurgency is probably just a temporary expedient solution while they're dealing with this.

My $0.02.

Chris
Click to expand...

Chris,

I don't share your confidence; but, I hope that you are right.

n2s
 
"An exiled rebel leader welcomed the military coup, saying it could help resolve the country's bloody Muslim insurgency.

Lukman B. Lima, head of one of several groups fighting the central government for a separate Muslim state, said Sondhi, a Muslim, was the "only one who knows the real problems" of the Muslim-dominated provinces of southern Thailand."

Rest of the article is here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/21/AR2006092100120.html

n2s
 
My old high-school mate was from thailand...he sums it like this...coup ....??

Change of hands to make money.
 
Yeah, Astro, thats pretty much what I've been hearing, too. I've spoken with my girlfriend's family about this at length. All their relatives are in Bangkok. Still pretty much business as usual, just with a new face on the gov. and some more troops on the streets. But people aren't really scared or anything.

And yes, this general was largely appointed because he was Muslim in the first place, so that he might be seen as more sensitive to the issues of the Muslim minority in the South. Sort of a policy of trying to win the hearts and minds, as I take it. Anyhow, it's true that the insurgents didn't like Thaksin, but neither did a LOT of Thailand, Bangkok's predominantly Buddhist political elite among them. Really, I think this General's allegiance is to Thailand, or his King, or his revolution, or something else tangible. This has certainly not taken a religious bent yet, and would stand no chance of doing so because the military and country are so overwhelmingly Buddhist, excluding the south.

But as Astrodada said, I think the Thai peoples' biggest concern right now is economic.

Chris
 
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