Will the ARMY step in again

[redwolf]

@Bumper, LYM, Jackspratt,

-thanks for the replies. duly noted in the context you gave them.

However, what I am referring to is not the fights between Red & Yellow, but rather something unprecedented in anyone's time here.

I am referring to when the main leader passes away. (none of us can speak of it directly, and should respect Thai law in this regard) I do sincerely beleive this place has held together OK as everyone respects him. This is why even with red vs. yellow and needing to get to the post office, carry yourself well and you are ok, etc., etc. all understood.

What I am saying is with him gone, the place may in fact become unhinged far more than we have seen with the protests of either political faction.

I concur with your assertions and experience, but still have to ask that we all consider specifically what happens when the widely respected & in many cases deeply revered leader passes on. There *will* be a vacuum, -supposedly succession is in place yet all citizens agree they're not going to stand behind the designated man.

Unknowns far more pressing than political fights currently in play.

Am I still in error to submit there could be trouble of an epic nature, after (or even before) the period of mourning has passed?

RW

[parrot]

"Am I still in error to submit there could be trouble of an epic nature, after (or even before) the period of mourning has passed?"

I think a safe answer is "no one knows". All the reason to always have a plan B in the hip pocket.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

Transitions of power can be messy as they sometimes were in ancient Burma, Siam and Cambodia. But, for the most part they have been handled smoothly in Tai polities in the era since the 19th century.

But...who knows what will transpire with any certainty?

[jai yen yen]

@Jackspratt: Yes, I would like to continue on as if all is well, but even the s##tty things some kids say to our daughter in school show every indication that you cannot take safety for granted here if things pop off.

Even with the drama in BKK right now, various ignorant & uneducated "yokels" for lack of a better word are chomping at the bit to fight with foreigners and certainly one-another, out of simple and undiluted xenophobia. No reason or rational thought attached to it at all.

You just have to understand enough of the language and quiet & not-so-quiet mumblings going on to catch on.

Take the lid off public order and I can assure you it's going to be dangerous here. We'd be in the crossfire without a doubt. Just ask any Thai wife how many times she's heard local people say horrible things, unaccepting of her as a wife of a farang.

Perhaps every place has it's thugs and hooligans, but we'll have to differ in instinct and opinion on this one. I'm trusting street smarts in this case though I respect your position on the matter.

RW

Unfortunately you are right, I myself did not realize the stigma a Thai women faces when married to a Farang until awhile ago.

[jai yen yen]

Something, I gather, is better than nothing.

My wife told me stories of long ago.....communist sympathizers who would come to her village and hand out small packages of fermented fish and fish sauce. Her neighbors looked up to them because that was about the only thing they had ever gotten free.

The rice farmers in my village could care less about overflowing rice stocks....they're happy to be getting more for their crops than ever before. They're happy to have a paved road, even though the paved road is sub-standard. Not so long ago, the only paved road out my way was the main highway. They're happy to have politicians recognize them as a power base and not a bunch of stupid water buffaloes. They didn't have that before. They have running water (most of the time) and power 24 hours of the day.......sounds like a no-brainer, but a good many folks in the NE didn't have those luxuries 20 years ago.
When they see the potential for their majority vote to be excluded, it's no wonder they'll feel dislike for the opposition (as I can understand how the opposition might feel today not having the power they used to have, even though they were in the minority). All those soap opera and movie scenes of the 'haves' looking down on the 'have-nots' may be coming back to bite the 'haves' in the behind.
As I see the tea leaves, the current affair (post 2006) has nothing to do with corruption or a pm who hosted tv shows or the sister of a previous pm. It has all to do with a power struggle.......sort of akin to the republican party in the US trying to get the hispanic vote........when they can't recognize the fact that immigration reform is the key to getting there.
But that's my armchair view from the university of kilo 18.

You nailed it.

[jai yen yen]

He is slightly better in that he did something for the rural people so that they can afford to go and stay in the hospital albeit with crowds of others, and the government's rice-pricing scheme did stimulate the farmers to upgrade their homes, obtain trucks and other appliances, air conditioners, and pay for their kids to attend better schools and go to colleges and universities, et al. This especially helped farmers who grew two or three crops a year. Some farmers fell into debt, but many others improved their lives dramatically.

No other Sino-Thai politician has does anything like this for the rural population, which is why they support him. Suthep, on the other hand, promises nothing for the farmers except to take things away from them. Why should they give Suthep their support?

Yes, I know there are many problems associated with the rice-pricing scheme, and Thaksin's corrupt practices.

I am well aware of the things Thaksin has done for the rural people but the real reason he did it was not to help the people but to guarantee his reelection and future political career. It was a smart move but for his own gains ultimately, this is why I say he is the same as the others.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

The important point in the minds of the rural people is that he came through for them as promised. No other politician delivered in the way he did. Whether he had any real interest in helping them or not, as you suggest, I do not know. But, he was from a small rural town, Samkhamphaeng, about 15 km. outside Chiang Mai so it is possible that he had some genuine sympathy for their plight.

Today most of the rural and city people I know in Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Udonthani and Khon Kaen feel they were/are better off thanks to him.

[trubrit]

[quote="jai yen yen"]
RW

Unfortunately you are right, I myself did not realize the stigma a Thai women faces when married to a Farang until awhile ago.


.


Whilst I can't deny that does occur it is netherless, a generalization which I have not experienced .The thing we have to understand in marrying a Thai lady is that others will judge us as a couple .Therefore if, whatever status the man is , or perceives himself to be, he will be judged by the appearance of his chosen partner. If she shows herself to be from a lower level, educationally or otherwise, he automatically will be seen as the same, regardless of how much bling she wears, sometimes , because of it .Conversely if a lady of good education and appearance marries a scruffy looking farang she is downgraded in their eyes to his .I am not saying this applies to the OP, but it is something we should all be aware of .Which ever combination, the lowest denominator is applied .

[bumper]

Oddly enough my wife and I were both accepted into the Thai Family at the farm. She is an Orphan. All I did was when i saw a need I did something about it. I was never asked to do it. Grand am is 78 now dying of cancer, she always introduces my wife a her daughter, I'm known a Luk Chai Yai Oldest son, translates to oldest son. Other Thai's question why I'm treated the way I am, till she tells them.

There are two in the family that try to play me, I don't let that happen. The majority of the family treat me very well and ask for nothing.

Yes the is a huge unknown out there. But painting Thai's with a huge brush is a mistake. It wasn't that long ago that there want that many of us here, we almost had celebrity status and you really had nothing to worry about. That has changed no doubt about it.

All you can do is have a plan B, I have always had that. Keep in mind that Thai's may not like you. But, they will always love your money. We go to Thai Bike parties we are always the manority. We are always treated well and most of the time Thai's go out of their way to be gracious to us. Most of have Thai wives, I have never seen them shunned.

Yes there are some that are jerks about it. But, they are not the majority.

Things can change with time, there was a time that my dream was to retire in Mexico. I wouldn't even want to visit there now, with the Narco wars going on.

as long a I live my life a I am now. I'm not really worried about change. But. I may go downtown twice a month, never go to bars. So i might not see what others see.

Yes there will be a power vaccum. But, how it will effect us no one really knows.

[faranginUTH]

Will the ARMY step in again

[jai yen yen]

RW

Unfortunately you are right, I myself did not realize the stigma a Thai women faces when married to a Farang until awhile ago.


.


Whilst I can't deny that does occur it is netherless, a generalization which I have not experienced .The thing we have to understand in marrying a Thai lady is that others will judge us as a couple .Therefore if, whatever status the man is , or perceives himself to be, he will be judged by the appearance of his chosen partner. If she shows herself to be from a lower level, educationally or otherwise, he automatically will be seen as the same, regardless of how much bling she wears, sometimes , because of it .Conversely if a lady of good education and appearance marries a scruffy looking farang she is downgraded in their eyes to his .I am not saying this applies to the OP, but it is something we should all be aware of .Which ever combination, the lowest denominator is applied .

My wife donates a lot of her time at a local temple near her village. The head monk there really likes her and treats her very well. Awhile back a police captain was at the temple and referred to my wife as a lowly Farang wife, I was not there and had never met this guy.
He was put right by another Thai lady who informed him that my wife was a good lady and a friend of the monk. He than changed his attitude. My wife has never worked in bars and is a very conservative person. I was surprised about this but when I asked if this was the way a lot of people looked at our wives I was told it was. Sad but true.

[bumper]

Ok back to the Army, they have stepped in to follow the law at this juncture.

[Aardvark]

Red Shirts to hold Forum in Udon, and Yingluck to visit next Friday and Saturday ... http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... vote-feb-2

[parrot]

Duncan mccargo weighs in on the color divide
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/20/opini ... wanted=all

[faranginUTH]

and heres the good news:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-2 ... tests.html

[bumper]

Duncan mccargo weighs in on the color divide
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/20/opini ... wanted=all

Excellent article not much else to say. To see where it goes now is what is left. It's interesting the Army did take a position this time it followed the Constitution. I would imagine that was a big surprise to some. My take on what we have seen in recent years. The Courts get stuck with the major moves, and some minor ones as well. Everything contested seems to end up in Court.

I think the real test for the military is going to be when the anti government protestors don't accept the vote. a look back a few years may be an indication. They followed the marching orders of the Democratic led Government. If they continue on this tract. I would say they are conducting themselves within the mandate of their duties. That would be a positive change.

The baht I would say had a lot less to the do with this, then the Fed Taper did. There is a long running thread on this:

http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/b ... t1041.html

[FrazeeDK]

hmm.. "good news"?? Political instability, lower baht, probably mean higher inflation and higher commodity prices overall in the country...

[faranginUTH]

if there was no political turmoil the baht may still be at 31


"because my mind works faster then my fingers"

[parrot]

Good insight into the makeup of the pro versus con government:
http://asiancorrespondent.com/117464/as ... rotesters/

[redwolf]

BBC Headline: "Thai army chief warns of 'civil war' unless crisis ends"

The head of the Thai army has warned the current political crisis in the country could "trigger a civil war".

General Prayuth Chan-ocha has proposed a "people's assembly", made up of civilians from all sides, not the leaders, to heal the divisions.

Thailand is facing its most serious political turmoil since 2010.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has called snap elections for February, but has rejected protesters' demands to resign beforehand.

She won the last polls in 2011, but protesters say her brother - the controversial ousted former leader Thaksin Shinawatra - remains in charge.

The army has intervened directly in previous political stand-offs, but has so far refused to get involved in the latest dispute between the prime minister and her opponents.

However, Gen Prayuth said on Saturday he was deeply concerned by the latest crisis, saying the divisions were across the country and not just in Bangkok.

"The situation could trigger a civil war," he told the Bangkok Post.