Tanks

[Guest]

I cant get CNN or BBC anymore on UBC ,, the rest of UBC is fine apart from thoose 2 channels .

[Guest]

Please guys keep us updated as long as you can !!

[Snick]

Statement from the military reformist

The following is the statement from the miliary reform council.

There has been social division like never before. Each side has been trying to conquer another with all possible means and the situation tends to intensify with growing doubts on the administration amid widespread reported corruption.

State units and independent organisations have been politically meddled, not able to deliver their services as specified in the Constitution.

The administration is also usually bordering on "lest majest" actions against the revered King. Despite attempts from social units for compromises, there is no way to end the conflicts.

The revolution body thus needs to seize power. We have no intention to rule but to return the power to the people as soon as possible, to preserve peace and honour the King who is the most revered to all Thais.

[Ladyboy_Loser!]

I did not think that something like this was going to happen. Sure, Taksin is the problem but he was elected in an open election and he does have the rural people supporting him. Trying to off him last month was not a good idea and that failed so now the Military takes matters into its own hands. With National elections only three months away this is not the right thing to do at this time. Must be lovely in the streets as tanks and military vehicles proceed with this Coup. I tried calling my "sweetie" at her parents and all mobile phones have been shut off.
Of course there is an upside to this situation. The strong Thai Baht is going to take a nose dive into the old krapper and for us in the US who have seen the dollar head south against the Baht now fianlly we can hope that it gets back to the over 40 mark.
From other reports on CNN it appears that it is business as usual in Nana this evening and one would not even notice any change in the scene there.
No matter how all of this plays out Thailand is going to suffer big time in the eyes of world. A military coup against a duly elected Prime Minister is not acceptable.

[rxpharm]

Yes, this is a bad situation for Thailand, but Thaksin likely forced the issue. There is widespread speculation the bomb plot was a ploy by Thaksin to justify the removal of the military commanders and place his own loyal friends/followers into positions of power. The bomb squad found the bomb was not assembled to properly detonate, and that the amount of explosive was not comparable to the hundreds of kg used in assassination attempts in other countries.

Although he was democratically elected, his actions are not those of a true democratic politician, especially this past while, manipulations of the electoral commission to approve minor party candidates in an attempt to overcome the boycott of the April election by the opposition, and his continuing lack of concern except to line the pockets of his family and cronies and to maintain power at all costs has led to this.

I guess this is not much different than most other politicians, but he was so blatant about it and buying the votes of the poor with unsustainable policies just made things worse. The military had enough when their experienced leaders were sacked and replaced by inexperienced Thaksin flunkies.

Let us hope this will not end with violence like 1995.

[stogie bear]

Still got internet!

[nemrod]

Take it easy,folks,I was there when the coup of 1991 with Sunthorn Kompsongpong and infamous general Suchinda Kraprayoon(all members of the also infamous class number 5,the same class from former prime minister "Chacha"Choonhawan)and I can tell you that they make the same promises like this guys now.And what happen?Well,for the ordinary people,nothing happen.There where the same assholes with different dresses.But to oust them from power it was necessary that many young people-mainly students-loose their lives in the bloody rallies from 1992.I was there all the time and I remeber it very well.Anyway,if you are not interested in politics and only mid about sex and making work your dick,don't worry:sex bussiness keep working as usual

[Guest]

On Yahoo news about 7 minutes ago:

Army Gen. has taken over the Gov't and kicked out the PM.

The Gen is said to be close to the King and also happens to be a muslim.

[Guest]

Hi,

This is from a news source that reported this article 1 hour and 15 min ago.

If it is okay with Stogie Bear I am posting it here for anyone who is suffering news blackout and does not know what is going on.

Hope this helps as it does say BBC and other foreign news is blocked.


[FLASH=Informaion!!,50]Thai army coup ousts PM By Pracha Hariraksapitak
1 hour, 15 minutes ago[/FLASH]



BANGKOK (Reuters) - The Thai army took control of Bangkok on Tuesday without a shot being fired, dismissed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, revoked the constitution and promised a swift return to democracy after political reforms.



Thaksin telephoned a Thai television station from New York to announce a state of emergency in an apparent attempt to head off the coup. A government spokesman with him at the United Nations said the army could not succeed and "we're in control."

But tanks and troops took over Government House in Thailand's first coup in 15 years and a coup spokesman said the army and police were in control of the capital and surrounding provinces.

Armored vehicles and soldiers took up position on many street corners, but life in most of Bangkok continued much as usual with traffic moving through rain drenched streets and the airport operating normally.

The seizure would be temporary and power "returned to the people" soon, retired Lieutenant-General Prapart Sakuntanak said on all Thai television channels.

Foreign news channels, including CNN and the BBC, were cut off.

The army told all soldiers to report to base and banned unauthorized troop movements, suggesting the military leadership was worried that Thaksin loyalists in the armed forces might attempt a counter-coup.

Prapart said the armed forces and police had set up a body to decide on political reforms, ousting billionaire telecoms tycoon Thaksin in the midst of a political crisis stemming from accusations he had subverted Thailand's 74-year-old democracy.

"RAMPANT CORRUPTION"

"Never in Thai history have the people been so divided," Prapart said.

"The majority of people had become suspicious of this administration, which is running the country through rampant corruption," he added.

"Independent bodies have been interfered with so much they could not perform in line within the spirit of the constitution."

Weerasak Kohsurat, a deputy minister in a previous government, said he believed royal adviser Sumate Tantivejakul would steer the political reform process.

Elections would be called when it was done and Thaksin, Thailand's longest serving elected prime minister, would be allowed to take part, he said.

Thaksin himself was scheduled to address the opening of the U.N. General Assembly at 2300 GMT on Tuesday, and it was not immediately clear when he would return to Bangkok.

After mass street protests against him in Bangkok, Thaksin, winner of two election landslides, called a snap poll in April, hoping his firm rural following would counter his metropolitan opponents.

However, opposition parties argued he had skewed neutral bodies such as the Election Commission in his favor and boycotted the poll. That rendered the election result invalid.

Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party was expected to win a re-run tentatively scheduled for late November, increasing pressure on his opponents in the military and the old establishment to resort to removing him by force.

"There is no other means to solve the political deadlock," said a former senior official close to the top military brass. "It's been almost a year that the country has no democracy, no legitimate government to run the country.

"I've told foreign diplomats Thailand may need to take a step backward, if they think a coup will, in order to leap forward."

BAHT PLUNGES

The Thai baht, one of Asia's strongest currencies this year, suffered its biggest fall in three years within hours of the coup.

But the Stock Exchange announced it would open as usual on Wednesday, although it clearly expected investors to sell, saying it would halt trading if the main index fell more than 10 percent.

News of the coup also helped lift the dollar and U.S. Treasuries as some investors ducked into safe havens.

In his television statement, Thaksin ordered troops not to "move illegally" and told army commander-in-chief Sonthi Boonyaratglin to report to acting Prime Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya.

He also ordered Armed Forces Supreme Commander Ruangroj Mahasaranond to implement the emergency order.

The transmission stopped after 10 minutes while he was still talking.

[nemrod]

Don't forget that the King-despite all his great prestige-cannot afford to mingle in politics too often because this could undermine his moral influence.Above all he is a constitucional King.If he risks to back some of the people that are struggling in these coup it could be very dangerous for him,so he must be very carefully and stand by side as much as he could

[nemrod]

As I tell before.it looks a"coup d'etat as usual"in Thailand.Don't worry too much:some dirty guys of Government House will step out and will be replaced with other dirty guys with maybe different looks but the same empty and big word promises as ever they have do.In this country they have a record of 19 military coups from 1932 till today,So this somethig relatively normal to them

[Snick]

My Thai friends think this is a good thing.

Thaksin was step by step destroying the democratic institutions in the country. What does winning an election mean if you have a one party state that owns all the media, and uses the Electoral commision to invalidate contestants and overlook your tampering.

The sentiment here was we do not want a Marcos, and thats what Thaksin was trying to become.

If the coup leaders do follow thru on their promise to have elections very soon, then this coup is the lesser of two evils IMHO.

[katoeylover]

BBC News now reporting that the Military have full power.

Has control of government and TV Stations.

Meeting with King to discuss new government.

[Napalm]

I hope the Bhumibol does the necessary and kicks the army back to barracks. Take care my friends out there and stay indoors...

[stogie bear]

Yawn... Nana is still open, right boys?