I only ask because EVERYTHING obama does either:
a) Weakens America/AmericansI have yet to have anyone raise a single substantive counter example in several years of posting this.
b) Distances America's allies
c) Strengthens America's enemies
d) Serves Islam
e) Harms Israel
Or some combination of the above.
The Disney movie "Frozen" features the oh-so-popular song "Let it go". This song has been performed in dozens of languages, most of which seem to be available on Youtube, with english translation subtitles.
The song (for those who don't know) is about a young woman who has led a very controlled life, constantly guarding her behavior; then she breaks free and behaves more like her true self. In English, one line of the song is "That perfect girl is gone".
There is a subtitle for the Thai version which blatantly says: "The good girl is worthless".
Which I think is tremendously funny (sad too) when you think about Thailand.
Prime Minister Flank Shinawatra?
Wrong. So far the curfew does apply in Pattaya and Phuket too. It has been observed mostly nationwide. Even 7-11's are closed up by 10. Pretty shocking cause I can't recall seeing an actual 7-11 closed in Thailand. I've seen the beer coolers boxed over on holidays and elections and early voting, but never actually closed.
Still, Thai's and tourists adapt. Now everything just opens earlier.
Curfew won't last long outside of hotspots though. Pattaya, Phuket, etc, will be back to normal inside a week or less.
With reform coming before any further elections, this sounds like a complete victory for Suthep and the Yellows.
There is no danger to going to Thailand as a tourist despite all the media blather. Stay away from protests, don't take sides and get involved in their politics, use common sense as you always should, carry identification if out outside curfew hours or near police/military checkpoints, and anyone can still have a great visit.
The people of Thailand deserve what they get.
Over and over again, even elections have not been enough and upon losing the losers create a militant opposition, take over the streets, hold political progress hostage, bring down a government, get a new election, obtain a slim majority which is not accepted by THEIR opponents and the whole thing starts over again.
Sometimes this cycle is immediate. Sometimes a government has a small period of political peace, but most of the time the need for a transition to a new government arises out of protests and not in the normal election cycle process.
I used to see the Thai military as the bad guys.
Maybe they know and understand the Thai people better than everyone OUTSIDE of Thailand.
hmmm..after the coup in Egypt, we continued to give money and weapons to the new regime. Arizona Senator Jeff Flake explained on his Facebook page that it was just honoring America’s commitment.
The curfew is country-wide.