In our Dr's visit yesterday he told us that the U.S. Embassy, did not invite the army to the 4th of July party, we already knew about that. Personally I think that was a mistake. These General are probably the same ones who helped u through Vietnam. Now come the rumor and that is that the Phua Thai party has been invited. anyone here anything about this?

I will give my thoughts on this move to punish Thailand, it would seem we Americans have learned very little, I'm speaking of cuts in Military aid Ect. It would seem we have learned nothing from Syria, Afghanistan. Iraq, or Libya. Most of the time it's best for us to just mind or own business. We armed Afghanistan when they were fighting Russians, these days those weapons are being used to kill our people.

You get the picture, so here we are with a Country that is friendly to us.. They have great divide in who should be in power. To the point that people were being killed on the streets of Bangkok with RPG's. A civil war threatened with ammo stock piled all over the Country, so that certainly had some credence. Maybe there would not have been a Civil war. In any event. there would have been riots and blood bath.

One has to ask if the same situation existed in the States, would they just set back in the name of liberty. The answer is no not based on conjecture. Based on actions in the past where the military (National guard ) was called out. The can call it anything they want to. But, it was martial law in the areas involved. Curfews were imposed, people were not allow to gather and protest. Folks I'm not just guessing I was there I saw it. LA Riots, Rodney individual incident so the military was called in to restore order. So one has to wonder why, we would judge what happened here, I see very
little difference.

If the military had not stepped in, what could have happened, all of Thailand becoming like the South ?

If I know these things surely our Ambassador would know much more then I do. She should have stepped up and told the truth. With the way our governments is function these days maybe she did I don't know, maybe she did and was just ignored, shades of Bengazzi. We have enough real enemies we don't need to create more.

If this rumor is true might want to say your from Canada for awhile.

I know what tat the local Thai's are thinking true or not.

So does anyone know if there is any validity to the rumor?

Well here is the article. Not a clear cut as the rumor.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politic ... 37805.html

Scot Marciel Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Testimony Before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
Washington, DC

...However, recent events have shown that the current military coup is both more repressive and likely to last longer than the last one. The ruling military council has continuously summoned, detained, and intimidated hundreds of political figures, academics, journalists, online commentators, and peaceful protesters. It continues to censor local media sources and the internet, and has in the past weeks blocked international media as wel...l

blah blah blah

The coup and post-coup repression have made it impossible for our relationship with Thailand to go on with “business as usual.”

No hot dogs for you on July 4!

We call on the NCPO to stop detaining people and allow freedom of speech," Kenney told reporters.

Op Cit.

That says it all to me. Well done the US government.

it is indeed very difficult to get a quality hot dog in Thailand.

Interesting developments when you consider the credence placed on loss of face within LOS. Scuttlebutt on FB that the invited former PM was paid a visit and it was suggested that she may prefer to stay at home and pass on the hotdogs. Maybe she dialed out for pizza

Let me make this clear I'm unhappy with my home Countries actions.

Rumur surely should be RUMOUR

Sounds good to me notice my disclaimer

kubotatim wrote:Rumur surely should be RUMOUR

That's humourous!

I am of the opinion that Thailand is responsible for taking care of its own problems. Even the expats who live here really have no idea of what goes on behind closed doors. Other countries have their own problems and should concentrate taking care of those problems rather than sticking their noses where they don't belong. As an expat, we are able to leave the country any time we choose. As for myself, I'll be here as long as possible.

glalt wrote:I am of the opinion that Thailand is responsible for taking care of its own problems.

I agree, and I think that should be done with their own money at some point.

“Foreign Assistance is not an end in itself. The purpose of aid must be to create the conditions where it is no longer needed- where we help build the capacity for transformational change in a society”
– President Barack Obama

The US has always cut a portion of aid to Thailand when they have a coup (do a google search) and restores it after they hold elections. I'm sure the cuts were no surprise to them nor the "snub" so to speak, as a matter of official policy.

bumper wrote:might want to say your from Canada for awhile.

---- that!

From Khaosod news:

Today Col. Winthai Suwaree, a spokesperson of the NCPO, said the junta did not receive any invitations to the party, but explained that it is "understandable" because the American authorities need to stick to “customs and rules of public display.”

Maybe the Gen will have better luck on July 14.
[quoteTo celebrate French National Day, Alliance Francaise Bangkok is holding a party to which everyone is invited.

bumper wrote:might want to say your from Canada for awhile.

Better start practicin on yer accent eh?

Maybe the U.S should spend more time on these kind of things EH!

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/21128 ... cia-report

Let Thailand clean it's own house. Considering the actions taken they have very little to say about others in my mind. I'm not saying they were wrong, I'm saying if they can do it in the name of Security. then the other Countries should be allowed to protect themselves as well. Without being condemned.

bumper wrote:Maybe the U.S should spend more time on these kind of things EH!

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/21128 ... cia-report

I wonder if after the release of this report we're going to find out that the "rouge" soldiers of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal were not rouge at all but scapegoats following policy?

bumper wrote:Let Thailand clean it's own house. Considering the actions taken they have very little to say about others in my mind. I'm not saying they were wrong, I'm saying if they can do it in the name of Security. then the other Countries should be allowed to protect themselves as well. Without being condemned.

Unfortunately not the only example of our "do as we say, not as we do" foreign policy.

You got to love the latest some a German Spy selling Information to the states, so a double spy. Germany is upset. But, you have to ask who was the German spy spying on?

He got caught as he was going to sale the information to Russia as well. A little to greedy I suppose.

It's crazy world and very few don't have their hands dirty.

"According to a four-month investigation by The Washington Post, “nine of 10 account holders found in a large cache of intercepted conversations, which whistleblower and former NSA contractor Edward Snowden provided in full to The Post, were not the intended surveillance targets but were caught in a net the agency had cast for somebody else.” "

The US can't even spy correctly. It is relying on tips from 20 year olds visiting wnd.com, and beforeitisnews.com! Just Great!