Guess who is staying for a Thai dinner?

Praetorianism, once it grows is impossible to eliminate.
Cheerios

But the Thais don`t mind... I saw a photo of a woman offering a rose to a soldier in the street... and people taking snaps next to the tanks...

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

Why should any one criticize coup leaders? I am told this coup is the 18th in 60 years or so. So leave them alone to set their house in order. There is no blood shed after all!
Kamath

well after the sterling performance of General Musharraf`s coup in Pakistan -- whom every Pakistani now wants never to leave -- who in South Asia would not be tempted to emulate that success story

Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratkalin may not have an easier to pronounce las name like Musharraf -- but his success as another Miltary Messiah for his country is rest assured -- except for one difference -- the King -- if King Bhumibole doesn`t indulge in hyperbole unlike King Gyanendra did -- both the King and and his adjutant will have great time -- if not then Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratkalin will have to simplify his name to Gen. Sonthi Thapa.....

Ref nasah #5

[..... both the King and and his adjutant will have great time -- if not then Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratkalin will have to simplify his name to Gen. Sonthi Thapa.....]

Hey, at least Gen. Sondhi doesn`t have a name like Shaikh Taimur Sayyid despite being a Muslim. So at least he is not an Arab-wannabe.... unlike people we know on the other side of our border.

Re: # 6

Harimau -- may be it is time for the 90 year young Marshall Manekshaw (today he celebrated his 90th!) to FINALLY fulfill the self-fulfilling fear of Indira Gandhi -- and show the chamatkar of General Musharraf in India as well -- lock stock and barrel -- and rule for another ten years at least --if not 14 like Mush.....

I cant understand what military has got to do with ruling a country. If military rules the country, the civilians are expected to fight or what????????????

There is some basic flaw in the policies of smaller countries. They perhaps, in order to show their strength to their neighbours that they are militarily powerful, nurture snakes in their courtyard..and these snakes are more inclined to bite their masters rather than his neighbours....

#2 by mohar11

But the Thais don`t mind... I saw a photo of a woman offering a rose to a soldier in the street... and people taking snaps next to the tanks...

Nor did Pakis when Musharraf usurped power. I remember watching news footage that showed the average Abduls dancing and jumping up and down with joy that Mushy had gotten rid of Nawaz Sharif. What they failed to realized that democracy had been dealt a kick in the groin again. I`m sure it`ll be the same with the Thais as well.

Considering all this, what the extraordinary Nepalese have accomplished seems superhuman.

Re: # 9

``Considering all this, what the extraordinary Nepalese have accomplished seems superhuman``(Harish)

Harish -- may be like the Nepali`s miracle -- Thailand needs Maoists to bring democracy in Thailand

#10 by nasah

Harish -- may be like the Nepali`s miracle -- Thailand needs Maoists to bring democracy in Thailand

In Nepal, more than the Maoists, it was the fierce opposition from the average Nepali that did Gyanendra in. Every section of the Nepalese public opposed the monarchy. Of course, the insurgency helped in that it weakened the Nepalese Army, which was firmly behind the king. In Thailand, it is a choice between the devil and deep sea. If the Thais seek Maoists` help to bring back democracy, the cure will be worse than the disease.

Re: # 9

True...

Looks like there is a great divide between urban Thais and rural Thais... city people hate the ousted Prime Minsiter while village people loved him... so this coup may lead to unrest in rural areas... who knows?

Author:

The reports coming out of Thailand all say the military has been grumbling about the light handed way the insurgency has been handled.

This is false. It is exactly the other way around. Thaksin had been seen as far too heavy-handed by the military, and perhaps the king. Therefore the coup. Consider the following:




As details emerge, this coup seems to be different. My initial reaction was it would have been because of Thaksin`s sale of Thai Telecom`s shares and corruption etc which was unpopular. But now it seems it was solely because of the situation in the South. Now I wonder if even the King is really on board with this!

Another pointer is that this coup was not condemned till yesterday by USA. Today it is.

Re: # 13

A coup because of islamic insurgency?... now that would be really stupid... In india we have seen worse than what has happened there - we didn`t need no coup to take care of the jihadis...

but who knows - the generals may be using that as an excuse... all they want is power and pelf - the same old story...

#13 radio zeemax
future news served today! (sounds like fiction mostly)

now what do you know -- didn`t I say there is a little bit of Musharraf peeking thru the Thai coup -- Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin is a `broad minded liberal Muslim` chief of the Thai army -- very loyal to the king -- who opposed Thaksin`s treatment of Southern Thai Muslims -- preferred negotiations over confontration -- listen to this -- and was about to be fired by the PM for his outspoken crticism of Thaksin`s brutal use of the army against the southern insurgency.......!

King Bhumibol instructed his loyal Chief of army to carry out the coup to gt rid of Thaksin -- or was it carried out to save the Chief`s job......de ja vu...or voo hoo...