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I remember thinking a while ago that it was strange Mossad had never featured in any James Bond film when virtually every other Spy/Intelligence agency in the world has.

I may be wrong but am sure they have not even had a mention.

Thailand went from an imperfect democracy to a dictatorship.

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Not really. The way power/authority works in Thailand is kind of like this:

First - Buddha/Buddhism
Very close second - The King
Incredibly distant third - Politicians

The Thai people actively encourage this state of affairs and believe that their King is the father of the nation.

The majority of Thaksin supporters will side with the wishes of the King over Thaksin.

Nationally this makes perfect sense, even to most foreign residents, but understandably internationally it makes no sense at all.

All in all things ain't that bad.

Taksin planned and strategized the coup which was designed to rationalizing his Marcos-ing of Thai politics, the declaration of martial law by him and for him and to keep him in power for years, perhaps decades.

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Everything I hear makes it sound very similar to what Hun Sen did in Cambodia.

Ohh, sorry. Hope you enjoy your forced government.
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Having worked in an office in Thailand for 1.5 years I can tell you it is not possible to force a Thai or the Thai people to do anything they do not want to do.

The military took over with the King's blessing. Because the Thai people respect their King so much they support his decision entirely.

If the King did not support the coup, then the people would take to the streets and the leaders of the military would be forced to go into self-imposed exile as has been the case in similar situations in the past.

Thailand works on a different logic to the rest of the world, it may be hard to understand but basically the Thais are okay with the situation and are happy that the political tension (and subversion) caused by Thaksin has now ended.

On a lighter note, have you had a chance to read about the Suvarnabhumi Airport opening?? I gather that there were only three problems encountered in the first day's operation.

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Apparently there is a completely inadequate number of toilets as well................

Thailand has changed so much in such a short time. When my friends visited in the late nineties it was still a hippy backpacker pot smoker hangout but now it is catering to middle class families and affluent people who want a second home in paradise.

There is a sex industry (as there is in every country) but the Thai authorities love nothing more than to crack down on child sex perverts.

I have been here for nearly two years now and have never, ever encountered any kind of peadophilia out in the open as Fox News recently reported. Those days are long gone.

Simply put the Thai Authorities recognise that it is bad for business.

This is really somewhat amazing to me that American conservative could possibly hold a KING in such high regard. Not only that, but they defend a coup!
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It sounds weird doesn't it?

But as they say here "This is Thailand". Thai logic works differently than Western logic.

I am in the country now and to be honest everyone is relieved that someone has taken responsibility for the whole political mess of the last 12 months.

The fact that the Army supports the King and the King has, tacitly, given his support to the situation means in Thai minds everything is fine - and they are right, everything is fine.

No riots, no fighting, everybody had a national holiday on Wednesday, went shopping and had a few beers. Then on Thursday everyone went back to work like nothing had happened.

This must have been the most peaceful military coup in 50 years! And there have been figures quoted of 85% of the population supporting it!

>Sorry "Buster" -- but he's not my King. I'm born in the good ole USA, of 100% southern, redneck, Scots-Irish stock.<

To be fair the King Of Thailand was born in the USA too! (No joke - google it!)


>On the other hand, I deeply respect how the King of Thailand has been a genuine force for good in his country for the past 60 years. Any knowledgeable observer will tell you that his calming and unifying influence has been the number one reason Thailand hasn't sunk into the chaos and poverty that describe its neighbors -- Laos, Burma and Cambodia. On top of his sincere and dedicated service to his country, which is universally admired by all Thais (just ask one!), the King is most assuredly pro-USA -- which certainly has helped the Kingdom to remain as our most important ally in southeast Asia.<

You are 100% correct!

The King has the best interests of Thailand and his people at heart.

Thailand is a big exporter of rice (the biggest maybe?)
Also exotic fruits like Durian, Mangosteen.

Thai beer (Chang, Singha) is also popular abroad although personally I think it sucks.

Beer Lao is vastly superior as is Beer Myanmar, as is Tiger, as is virtually every other beer in Asia.

This has been covered elsewhere on this board and commented on by seasoned expats and Asian based freepers.

Basically the guy is okay and hates terrorists.

Why give a Rolls Royce to dumb farmers when a Toyota pickup would do? That, for me, pretty well sums up Thaksin Shinwatra.
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I heard at the last election he gave some farmers cows and simply had 500 baht (US$12) notes handed out to people who voted for his party.

It is only implied at the moment but no official statement has been made.

Sonthi is close to the King and well-trusted and has made several visits in recent days.

However, it would be unusual that the King actively interfered with politics.

There was some really interesting stuff happening in Indonesia when they published Playboy there (they did two issues before mass public protests and detah threats put the magazine to bed). They are also demonstrating for Sharia law and many other things.

It all put me off visiting really!

I think there is a poster here (jakartaexpat?) who would be more knowledgable than me on the situation on the ground though.

Granted the large number of Malaysians I know are not Muslim but I get the feeling as a country they are more interested in becoming rich than blowing stuff up.

I do not get that impressions from the Indonesians I know who have been beaten and chased from their homes and country because they are not muslim.

Indonesia has the population and the population are angry - a real breeding ground for terrorism.

The Malay authorities have at least taken action against Madrassas etc.

Twenty-five years ago I lived in Thailand for six months. I remember the King as an excellent gentleman and leader who was universally respected by the Thais. When I saw that he was supporting Sondhi I figured there must be a lot more to this than the simplistic "rebels topple government" line our uninformed media is repeating.

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I live here now and that is exactly what I think.

I trust the King implicitly. Whatever he says will be followed and he is a wise man who protects his people.

Correction : not Indonesia, Northern Malaysia.

Like there is a big difference.

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They are quite different countries actually. Malaysia is far more advanced and a lot less "explosive".

You should see my earlier post regarding the history of their complaints - they are not ethnically or culturally Thai and their provinces were annexed. Apart from Hat Yai they have left the rest of Thailand alone.

The stuff Thaksin ordered against the CIVILIAN population there was wrong. Many innocent people died. Thaksin handled the situation very badly.

Is the coup a new ally of the axis of evil?
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No, absolutely not.

There will be negotiations with the Muslims, they have honest grievances.
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True.

For those that do not know Thailand's history:

The muslims make up 4 southern provinces which were annexed from Malaya (as it was then known). They have a different language, culture and religion. Thaksin pissed them all off and helped reignite a decades old struggle.

They will listen to Sondhi and the King.

Maybe he's just a puppet
The king is a popularly revered figure that the new regime will trot out to appease the masses.

He won't have any actual authority, of course.
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What the King says goes - Period.

He has supreme authority over his subjects. No politician or Army General would dare contradict him.

General Sondhi works, and pledges his allegiance, for the King.