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Global 1,589 posts
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iest_rob 1,671 posts
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Cameron 2,374 posts
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hype 2,964 posts
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ivanisavich 4,196 posts
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Archer 65 posts
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Global 1,589 posts
Hey Hype... Yeah I'm in Bangkok, and tanks have gone past our apartment (we live not so far from Government House where they were all heading). As for Justified?... well that's a whole long story. I believe that all politics and politicians are corrupt in some way... but it would seem that Taksin takes the cake for a lot of 'questionable' policies and methods of government, and um... tax evasion on a $2billion sale of part of his telecoms network.
It all went haywire about 4 months ago with a snap election being boycotted by the rival parties... Taksin won outright but because it was a one horse race the result effectively got anulled by the King (A highly revered figure here.) And it's really been up in the air since then.
Anyhoo... I'm sure it'll all get sorted peacefully. I'm still checking out the news on the BBC website - but will keep you posted as much as I can
ciao ciao
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vader_dk 67 posts
keep safe!
best regards
H.Eisner
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Wow man... do take care! If it were me, I'd be running in the streets taking pictures... but then I know I'd get shot or something... wow
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zachm 1,230 posts
Wow man, that's crazy! hopefully it's over soon.
-Z
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whaaabamb 615 posts
crazy dude im sure it will all work out,
what you should do is make an animation of the tanks driving past your place
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Global 1,589 posts
Well it's now around lunchtime of the first day of the military dictatorship and I gotta say that I'm not feeling too repressed right now!
Just been out to the shops to guage what's going on. Its been declared a national holiday here so banks, schools etc are closed - but apart from that it all seems relatively normal. Shops open, trains running etc. No real military 'presence' on the streets (spotted one APC) and I only live about 1km from Government House.
As far as I can tell a great number of Thais, particularly those in Bangkok, welcome the coup. It's been very peaceful and there seems to be no intention to make this a permanent thing. The military basically saying that they'll be looking after things for a while, 'till the political turmoil settles, but will hand back power to the people asap. Hmm... I can kinda believe it, I really doubt that this is some meglomaniacal attempt to steal power and take over the world... Here is the army chiefs statement if you want to read
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5362332.stm
However, peaceful as this may be... welcome as this may be, It'll certainly have some undesirable repercussions. I hear that the Thai Baht is slumping against the Dollar already. Investors are getting worried and I'm pretty sure it'll hurt tourism for a while (at 14% of the GDP tourism is quite important here) But I guess that's all in the short term. Thailand has a habit of bouncing back very quickly from stuff like this... So we'll see, cross fingers and hope that ultimately this is a good thing for Thailand.
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nux 199 posts
hey man, glas to hear your alright, and that the situation doesn't seem too threatening right now.
hopefully what was said in the statement you linked to above is indeed the true intention of those leading the coup, and that this is actually a routing out of corruption in the beurocratic system there, and that this will eventually lead to the implimentation of a just democratic system.
my cousin and her partner actually just got to thailand a few days ago, and reported on their that they'd been victimised by a tuk tuk driver, lol. glad that's the only trouble they've experienced.
stay well bro.
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Global 1,589 posts
Yeah tuk tuk drivers are a bit of a mare - especially in the touristy areas. I really can't see the appeal myself and would take a taxi over a tuk tuk any day. In a taxi you see how exactly much you are going to pay, and you don't eat traffic fumes.
By the way... the T.A.T is a government organisation (Tourist Authority of Thailand) and can be very useful actually, but I think your cousin, and many other tourists like her, was duped and taken to some dodgy fake outfit. I hear about the same old scams over and over again, I'm so surprised people still fall for them, but they obviously work since they're still going!
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nux 199 posts
i kinda liked taking the tuk tuks over taxis while i was away. of course, i was in another country (sri lanka) and lived with a family of lankans who gave us the scoop on how much a tuk tuk SHOULD cost to go from one point to another, so we always managed to bargain and get the price locals would pay.
although, the traffic fumes were defanitely a downside.
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ALi 608 posts
I just waked up yesterday morning and saw that.. what!? who!? when!?
Hey glad to hear you're ok. take care. I heard from news that there is peace. hope it's over soon.
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MikeWilson 638 posts
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mahmoudnahmad 1,159 posts
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kilroy 787 posts
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Global 1,589 posts
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zachm 1,230 posts
I can't help but feel so far displaced to your situation there. I mean, if Bush went on vacation, and somebody just showed up and was like, "OK, we need to change a couple things here" I can't imagine the incident that would insue. It might even be devastating for the country. In the current case, it might be the right thing, but wow, that must actually be exiting in a way.
-Z
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Global 1,589 posts
Hehe - yeah... Much as I'd love to see some changes I can't imagine what the reaction would be if this happened in the US! But... I guess this is where the cultural differences really stand out. Everyone just seems so chilled at the mo. I've just had word that the King has fully endorsed the coup, so that basically is the end of any kind of counter coup or potential violence. (The king is sooo highly revered no-one at any level of society, from peasant to politician, would even dare say or do anything contrary to his word)
Just have to wait and see if the military fullfill their promises of handing power back to the people. I have faith, that they did this in the interests of the country... just hope I'm not wrong!
