Sinecure Posted September 19, 2006 Report Share Posted September 19, 2006 I thought it was a country full of smiling happy people? WTF is with this coup thing? Please report in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipstar Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 Hey thanks a lot for your concern :-) I actually work with the son of one of the privvy concillors and my girlfriend is the great granddaughter of Thailand's first PM (who was displaced by a military coup himself ironically); one of my major clients is an ex deputy PM. So I have a few inside lines on info. AFAIK this is very much being driven by support from the majority of civil servants, and certainly reflects the majority of BKK citizens; less so in the northeast and the north where Taksin is able to garner support in an 'estrada philipines' type way; vote buying, free things for poor people that sort of thing. Typically Thai, the coup was done with many apologies; so this morning the news was, sorry please take the day off while we sort things out, yours faithfully, Coup leaders. Seriously! So far no violence, let';s hope it stays that way. In case you are interested to know why it has come to this.... Taksin is a bit of a love him or hate him kind of guy. He is very action orientated; very business like in some ways, but also corrupt, dodgy (his record on crime reads like a mafia hit man with extra judicial executions, the inability to control the south of Thailand and of course then there is the fact he has sold his mobile network to Singapore with 96% ownership, when Thai law specifically states all companies must have majority 51% Thai ownership except for American companies who get a freebie thanks to some corrupt deal dating back to Vietnam, and for telco stocks, 51% Thai ownership is required to operate a network as cnosidered a national security issue; he also sold shares to his family at 3b then they resold them at 45b a month later in an off market transaction; he paid no tax on any of the sale even the off market transactions; he also rigged pretty much every election through vote buying and also has stacked the media (as Thailand's richest man he uses his advertising budget + threats of legal action) and most non partisan bodies e.g. electrocal commission, anti corruption, universities, army, police, etc with his own people even when his own people have no qualification) and has repeatedly been given the option to stand down and he didn't take it. Commander Sondhi is a friggin great guy, and has my personal full support (not that this means anything to him of course!). There are forces behind this, that don't exist in USA; I think a royally appointed PM should be appointing within the week, and then everything will be back to normal. AFAIK there isn't any opposition to this decision; at least not within BKK; unless Taksin can mobilise poor people, but I doubt it. Thai people love the King beyond almost all other aspects of Thai life. The King is a very wise person and I believe he knows what is best for the country and will guide it out of this short lived non violent 'liberation from Taksin'. This has been building ever since Taksin sold off his company to Singapore (early this year) and in fact even before that; there is no democratic solution because none of the opposition parties can afford to vote buy at the same rate; so that's why the coup. Thanks very much for your concern; it means a lot :-) Bring on snow!! That should be the new law here!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 Sawadee Khrap. Glad youre doing ok. I just know the military of Thailand are known to be a real fierce fighters, and are not to be taken lightly, as it was the case back in Vietnam War. Keep us posted, will you? And how the heck do you get your "fix" to go ride when there's none in Thailand? And I dont know if this will happen or not, my thai aunt (Im half thai) is trying to persuade me to go to Thailand with her after more than 20 years. Last time I was there, I was visiting my grandparents as well as two great grandmother out in Ayuthaya. So if I do go there, think we could hook up? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 Kipstar, Right on, good to hear all is OK on your end. My sister lives in Phuket and I e-mailed her last night. She pretty much had the same thing to say as you did about the situation. Even still, a tad scary I am sure. Be safe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipstar Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 thanks guys; that's why alpine riders ROCK!! LeeW - you are look krueng rue? Wow... ditto. If you come over here, I have a spare room, hang in BKK for a while, before you go and see your folks in Ayuttaya; Ize gotz clubs and windsurf and all manner of action. Regarding snow 'fix' well there isn't much here that is for sure. Closest are China, Korea and Japan; I went Korea this year and it was pretty decent. Tahoe is my favrouite, and i lived in NZ and also Mammoth before, so I enjoyed snow before moving back here. Next March will be in Tahoe for sure. It is a bit crazy and not that much like a coup at all. The military were all hanging out at govt house yesterday and it was like a circus; people could go and chat and take photos and many many people gave them food and support. So far, it is all very one sided; TAKSIN ORK PAI!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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