Thai Coup on PM

[run don't walk]

http://news.yahoo.com/fc/world/thailand

What effects (if any) will this have on the rest of the world?

[coheneran]

Just saw this, it's about to come up on News Night. Will report back with fresh BBC info.

[run don't walk]

Just saw this, it's about to come up on News Night. Will report back with fresh BBC info.

Ok.

[Chrizzle fo' Shizzle]

I predict slim to nil

[coheneran]

Unless they decide to turn communist, stop their tourism industry, or attack Laos. Seeing as it's the army, though, I'm putting my money on a general taking power and holding a faux-elections.

Wait a minute, wasn't there some massive elections "ruckus" a few months ago in Thailand? President accused of heavy corruption etc.?

BBC Update:

The military is unhappy about the current administration's meddling in the military, and the increasing autocracy of the administration. PM Taxin is mostly disliked, apparantly, was a telecoms tycoon, started running Thailand like a corporation, tens and hundreds of thousands marched in the streets against him a while ago. Middle-classes also worried about Taxin's "creeping autocracy", cronyism, and by 2005 there were no independent news channels on telly. Everyone got pissed when he massacred (Confirmation?) Muslim separatists in the South. Success of coup depends at least partly on the King's support, a retired general is a PM temporarily.

Most likely, a counter-coup by Taxin-loyalists, which will be the most unbalanced short-term solution. Better, an election held in a month or so, which will be the best option for the Thai people. More unlikely, civil unrest.

[StreetlightRock]

Wow, thats crazy. I knew there was some major hatin' of Taskin going on, but not to the extent a coup would be carried out by the army. I can't see where this is going to go, TBH, I just hope to god that it dosn't become a militry dictatorship.

[strummerkid]

From all the reports i've read the Military seem to be doing what the general population want, and have promised a swift return to democracy. However i can't see where this is headed, and don't know how trustworthy the military is. i'll post anything else i find out too. Any news coverage here is just about Australian tourists in Bangkok.

edit: Here are two decent articles from the BBC;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5361210.stm - Some Background.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5361512.stm - Abit of an update.

[Dropsonde]

Tourism will drop drastically

[Iskandar]

This is a very dangerous and critical time for Thailand. What happens in the foreseeable future will determine the nation's fate as a democracy or dictatorship.

[coheneran]

They have a coup like every 5 years. It's quicker and cheaper than an election.

[VomitStainedCretin]

From what I heard, the city-folk hate the regime, but its got widespread support in the countryside.

Apparently one of the Opposition Parties is run by an ex-pimp I think.

[coheneran]

It's because there was a massive economic boom thanks to all the sweatshops and cheap labour, and of course these are all in the countryside. The cityfolk (ie. the middle-classes) haven't seen much of this money.

[Superfly]

They don't have a coup every 5 years. Anyway hopefully the military doesn't pull something new out of the bag...they've banned CNN and other international news networks from broadcasting on cable within the country.

Thaksin made quite a mess of things especially when he sold his company Shin Corp to the singapore government owned temasek holdings, garnering accusations of corruption.

Lucky everyone loves the king, otherwise this would be a lot worse. As long as he comes out to speak to the people it should be alright...

[Superfly]

It's because there was a massive economic boom thanks to all the sweatshops and cheap labour, and of course these are all in the countryside. The cityfolk (ie. the middle-classes) haven't seen much of this money.

The economic boom is due mostly to foreign investment and tourism. Sweatshops don't play a major role in the economy even though they do exist along the Thai/Burmese border.

[EinzingerIsGod]

Something about this makes me uneasy. I don't get why they would use a coup to promise elections in a year when they just recently had them. I understand why it happened, but I hope they actually go through with their promise to hold elections.

[Secumbro]

They don't have a coup every 5 years. Anyway hopefully the military doesn't pull something new out of the bag...they've banned CNN and other international news networks from broadcasting on cable within the country.

Thaksin made quite a mess of things especially when he sold his company Shin Corp to the singapore government owned temasek holdings, garnering accusations of corruption.

Lucky everyone loves the king, otherwise this would be a lot worse. As long as he comes out to speak to the people it should be alright...

I don't think the military will pull anything funny as they have declared themselves loyal to the king and are promising to work towards the interest of the Thai people. The response to the coup was nothing less than acceptance, at least here in Bangkok. The only thing that's worrying me are the rumours of possible clashes between military factions, ie. those loyal to Thaksin and those loyal to the coupe, but I somehow doubt that anyone would step up to an army representing his majesty the king.

[coheneran]

The economic boom is due mostly to foreign investment and tourism. Sweatshops don't play a major role in the economy even though they do exist along the Thai/Burmese border.

Uhh, what do you think foreign companies are investing in? They bring jobs to the countryside in the form of sweatshops, which boosts the economy no end.

[Reaganista]

that sucks I wanted to go to thailand

[coheneran]

Go to Thailand, I'm sure they still welcome yuppy tourists loaded with cash.

[Reaganista]

yeah but I'm not gonna give them any

[coheneran]

How will you eat, where will you sleep, and how will you get laid without money?

[Secumbro]

that sucks I wanted to go to thailand
What exactly changed your mind? It's honestly not that different now.

[Secumbro]

How will you eat, where will you sleep, and how will you get laid without money?
You don't need money to get laid in Thailand as a foreigner.

[coheneran]

You don't need money to get laid in Thailand as a foreigner.

You do if you're that guy. Pwned.

[Secumbro]

You do if you're that guy. Pwned.
Haha! :D

[stevensonmat2]

Yeah way off topic but that dudes pee pee time avatar was jumping in perfect time with my song I was lsitneing to. Crazy. Oh and yeah thailand big deal, drop in the ocean.

[matt_h]

****, I am on a school "trip" to Thailand in October. But it is none violent so we should be OK

[Reaganista]

How will you eat, where will you sleep, and how will you get laid without money?
I meant I'm not gonna go
not I'm gonna go and try to not buy anything
wtf kind of stupid anarchist conclusion is that

[Volumnius Flush]

The price of chicken will probably go up.

[Chrizzle fo' Shizzle]

The price of chicken will probably go up.

what

[Krabsworth]

Chickens are grown in Thailand.

[coheneran]

On chicken plantations, amirite?

[VomitStainedCretin]

No, they are harvested using chicken rigs from deep beneath the earth.

[stevensonmat2]

Yeah but at what price? Those chicken rigs are polluting the colonies of pigs in the earths mantle. Its not right.

[Otherside]

WON'T SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF THE PIGS



besides like roger waters f him

[stevensonmat2]

roger waters is pink floyd

[Otherside]

no wai

[stevensonmat2]

\/\/\/\/\ wai /\/\/\/\/

[coheneran]

Pink Floyd is greater than the sum of its parts.

[stevensonmat2]

Fair enough.
DSTM

[eseer erre]

I like how the Onion put it.
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/53188?utm_source=onion_rss_daily
"I'm looking forward to seeing this on the political edition of While You Were Out."

[Volumnius Flush]

My... I may be having steak tonight. These chicken hikings have really taken a toll.