Goodbye Mr Thaksin and good riddance

Misael says:

Well now that they got rid of the big boss. Maybe the Thais will work hard to get rid of all the other corrupted govermental officers.

Dicer says:

The most beautiful words in the English language: "I told you so!" I keep saying Thailand is the perfect mafia country where the real bullets are the deals in the backrooms. So here is history in the making. With most of my correespondences with friends I've been going on about this....the day Thaksin and Sonthi did a Burma trip Sonthi right in front of Thaksin said, when asked if there would be any coup, said "NOT AT THE MOMENT".... and this was after he refused Thaksin's promotion lists...once back in bkk Sonthi removed all the Thaksin supporting soldiers out of bkk...and that was that...

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/
Southeast_Asia/HI21Ae01.html

"As of midnight Thailand time, there was no indication that army officers loyal to Thaksin intended to enforce the caretaker prime minister’s orders to remove Sonthi. A source close to Sonthi said that they were locked in late-night negotiations with military officials loyal to Thaksin, including from the Bangkok-based 4th Cavalry Division, to avoid bloodshed". There you go deals galore....so the point is these guys dont like using bullets but striking deals...history on the making.

Moving on a bit back, The final straw was....

"According to sources familiar with the matter, Thaksin had attempted to elevate Major General Prin Suwanthat to commander of the First Army Division, which crucially is charged with overseeing security in Bangkok. Thaksin also reportedly pushed to promote Prin’s ally, Major General Daopong Ratanasuwan, to take over the First Infantry. With assistant army commander Pornchai Kranlert in place, the reshuffle, if accomplished, would have given Thaksin an unbroken chain of command over crack troops responsible for Bangkok’s security."

Today govt offices have key people shuffling and reshuffling... amazing thing about these people is they change gear and do the "ant farm" thing as if all was expected! They said public holiday but that does not mean things will close...

When I got my Post and 2 Thai papers at lunch time, I said to the shopkeeper that it's good business for papers, he saw the thai papers and affected surprise...so do you read Thai? I said only when there is a coup, which he thought was very funny..... anyway said it's business as usual as as long as he remembers there has been one every ten years.... And there it was, in Tops people were still sniffing their shampoos and slurping noodle.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/
main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/09/20/
wthai120.xml

Obviously everything done in his name.

When 15 years ago coup hit and they closed ATMs I immediately went to Phuket where I met a lovely southern girl 18 on the beach and she said "You want bang bang?" And that was quite nice, target practice. So as bkk burned I did my version of Nero.

Jack Wow says:

Yeh, but who do you think will be the alpha male next, Dicer, now that square head has gone?

jutter says:

Loved the opening lines and the photo Dave, Taksin on way to England, he'll fit in nicely with the other cotrrupt fuckers that run this country now, Chelski had better watch out as he will be able to run a football team right under Ambramovich's nose, which team do you reckon...!?

dave says:

kharma chamellion,

I wonder if he managed to fit his bullet proof BmW into that chartered plane; after his upsetting vodaphone and carlsberg, its armouring may be needed more abroad than in thailand.

It's highly unlikely, but i hope the U.N gets him for crimes against humanity. Killing 4-6000 'suspected' drug addicts without trial, as a birthday present.

i bet they're having a festival in hat-yai,let alone a holiday.

maybe now the citibank puppet has gone, thailand can be the relaxing place that it used to be.

Common Sense says:

Blah Blah Blah Conspiracy theories abound. Given the Thai's propensity to always save face we should have known this was coming. Seems to me this whole ordeal was planned in advance with Thaksin probably in the drivers seat. He knew he was on the way out and in order to save face he probably requested the damn coup as opposed to being disgraced by being forced out of office by street protests and elections. How else would he have had the foresight to send his belongings off to the UK. (luckily not the U.S.) Makes you wonder who really set up that lousy ass attempt of a bombing a few weeks ago. It's all smoke and mirrors.

Now he has saved face and his political party remains fairly untarnished and popular in the country and the urbanites are satisfied he's gone. Those military officers loyal to Thaksin probably knew the time and date this was coming and rolled over according to plan. Only question is which Thaksin puppet is up next for presidency to keep the corruption going.

Fuck the politics of it all though, as long as I have a dozen or two sleazy women to polish my rod on the next trip to the land of corrupt gash.

Dicer says:

Coup or no coup, retarded people are still sniffing shampoo in Tops and Tesco.

Fkashing News: GENERALS SAY THEY WONT BE ANY INTURRUPTION IN SHAMPOO ACTIVITY....

obviously, cutting short the mutant olifactory chemical absorption is dangerous stuff.

Jack Wow,

We are not seeing alpha male stuff here. This is absolute alpha stuff...the Thai version would be known as maha alpha, mafia people who have too much power and confidence they dont have to prove anything anymore and can sit under the tree and smile like Buddha himself (who btw) was from an alpha warrior princely caste so fits in nicely.

here are the deals galore..

Pojaman (his wife) with her son and that thug of thugs (Newin Chidchob) run to Singapore. Any small plane can do the quick trip so that was that. And Maew (as the local papers call Thaksin) charterd a Russian plane and headed to London.... Tony's chum..... Bush does not like Thaksin from the time they got rid of Thaksin as a non executive director of The Carlysle Group.

You can bet Blair told him to leave quietly if he wanted to go to the UK...one of those terrible rambling chinese mindless speechs would have shamed the entire UN Assembly...So by the looks of it the w****r is going to be in my home borough. Maybe I should ask the local boys to pop over and give him a scare..or do they have the Met paying people to protect him I wonder?

Anyway re deals:

I was wondering what happend to the supreme commander and pol gen chidchai. Ovbiously in the slammer...and then before you know it the pro-Thaksin supreme commander becomes 1st chief advisor to the Council...typical typical Thai, just wonderful these ppl.... giggle giigle and shuffle reshuffle bob up, sink down out and it's like everything is normal! Other deals on the waiting, esp for ex ministers and TRT chiefs. and If you thought a Lao general becoming leader is strange (in the past after Phibun 1957)...now you have a Moslem General in charge; Sonthi that is!

And then the final touch: They ask the Governer of the Bank to become the new PM and he, of course, says yes and runs back from a Singapore meeting. The chaps want the money to keep flowing in you see. In good old Thai fashion, now is the time for the next array of currupt boys to rub their hands and march in, or for old ones to change their coats and do the same.

sniffer says:

Thanks for posting a photo of the evil, paranoid, megalomaniacal bastard at the top of the page. That way, if eagle-eyed readers spot him on the streets of Britain, they'll be able to give the arrogant prick the kicking he deserves before handing him over to the proper authorities for deportation to his third world homeland.
It would be good if they caught Thaksin at the same time, too

Andy says:

His missus; Khunying Brittlehair Na Chiangmai arrived in London with 40 items of luggage last w/e; c/w maids / entourage blah; blah. Done deal; etc.
El Square Head wins. Luxuriously appointed in their new estate in London; The Thaksins reflect on how clever they were stirring the passions of upcountry fuckwits to maintain the xenophobic status quo in Thailand; paradoxically clamping down on the rights of immigrants before fleeing to a country that supports the rice-farming lifestyles of the simpletons that still support him back in LOS.
Nothing ever changes here. haha.

maltesenosher says:

Well that's put an end to the tourists from the 'home of the brave'; have you noticed how americans avoid any travel outside their own backyard (motto 'live free or die') whenever there is the slightest unrest anywhere in the world? I was at home in Ireland when the bombs went off in London last year. As soon as the news hit Irish telly you couldn't see the 'yanks' for dust!!! The best example of this 'the 'commies' (American for 'someone or something who scares the shit out of us') are coming...i want my mom' mentality was the right wing fox news 'presenter' Bill 'plastic paddy' O'Reilly. On holiday in the west of Ireland (following the well worn Richard O'Nixon trail) you would have thought that 'newsman' O'Reilly would have headed to London (only a few hundred miles away) to cover the story. Instead he was seen begging the Air Lingus staff at Shannon airport to give him special treatment and get him a seat on the already overbooked 'planes back to the 'land of the free'.
These americans are legends in their own...minds!!
Fair play to the brits though; like the Irish they don't change their plans for anyone!!

Dick Renegade says:

Hopefully the new constituion will allow the Thais to elect a Farang Prime Minister.

Yeeha! Yeeha! Ariba! Ariba!

Mick from Isle of Man says:

Did Pattaya condo prices bounce yesterday or are they still in a freefall?

Little Debbie says:

Dicer,
Your writing is painfully hard to read.

Jonna says:

If Peru can have a Japanese prime minister, why not a farang running Thailand? lol

F. A. Rang says:

Hey maltomealnosering. You have'nt met ME yet. My plans to spend another winter in thailand are full speed ahead. Same as all the other americans. Actually I am hoping quite a few guys will stay home this season and leave a little more elbow room for me. Personally I don't care where they are from. Every year I meet a FEW really interesting guys that are great to share stories and ideas with.They come to thailand from all over hell.Could be from any country. Also plenty of guys I don't want to hang out with and they can be from anywhere also. The important thing is, which kind are you? If this coup transition goes smoothly ,I don't expect any experienced thailand visitors will cancel. A few first timers will probably chicken out.

Yank? says:

One rabble rousing nothing of a fake "newsman" or I don't really know how to describe how phoney (Ivy League) elitist O'rielly is-

Anyway this one- most embarrasing of all Americans- bigshot tries to pull strings at an airport to get back home-

and dim-bulb of the internets goes on a Yank-bashing tirade.

Whatever......

OXO says:

“Those concerned about the arrogant little shit's welfare will be relieved to learn that he and his family are safe and well in their lavish new London home.”

I am not concerned with the little shit David, or any of his sycophants, but I am somewhat saddened by the happiness expressed at a military takeover of a country who was about to have a democratic election in 4 weeks----do we now take the arrogant view that those who the Thai people vote in, if not farrang friendly should go down the same road.

He made money out of being in government, and lied …..Wow !!! …shame shame… lets take a closer look at George, Dick--- Halliburton and weapons of mass destruction, maybe the tanks should be ringing Washington.

The man –Thaksin--was arrogant, dishonest, and a lie and he was also up to face the population in 4 weeks on these issues, if they were willing to except that standard then he “would have stayed” doing the same things. I think that this is called democracy –and (as much as I dislike Thaksin) I would prefer it to a military take over “FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE”

I have heard some madness expressed in Pattaya bars in the last day or so, from people whishing that at least some blood would flow to a certain extent, as the Bhat would then crash, the tourist would dry up …ergo we get to take girls to bed for a cheaper price. The concern for the ordinary Kon Thai seems to be in short supply, from the people that have made this there home.

OXO

anonymous says:

I am no expert on Thai politics, but didn't Thaksin and thai Rak Thai win every election. Anyone who rejoices in the demise of a democracy just because they dislike the elected party should be ashamed. Once again, threat of force triumphs over the ballot box. Welcome to Burma #2. I'm sure the new Thai military junta appreciate the full support of Mangosauce.

Cabby says:

Funny how some foreign governments hate the idea that a coup might be the answer to a corrupt regime that has eroded the democratic processes to a point they are a farce. Much better if the population thinks they can change things next election despite the gerrymandered electoral boundaries, or better yet doesn't want to change anything because they are swallowing the lies force fed to them by the Ministry of Propaganda (aka. 'The Media').

Dicer says:

Puny Debbie,

Glad to hear it.

Paddy O'Ffialle says:

Democracy is more than winning an election every five years and then doing whatever you want. Remember Marcos? He was also quite good at winning elections.

duangping says:

Now that thaksin has gone i sincerely hope that thailand will return to normality as soon as possible i demand the return of full nude dancing and the popular dildo/strap on shows in nana and the return of sensible closing times for bars 8am in the morning.

OXO says:

“Democracy is more than winning an election every five years and then doing whatever you want. Remember Marcos?
Paddy O'Ffialle

Yes Paddy it’s about PEOPLE deciding their fate, Marcos & the Philippines are an example of democracy. Because his elections were rigged, so the PEOPLE rose up & removed him; this is slightly different from a general sending in an army for the good of the people, we have seen Armies take over in Chile & sent into Iraq, Vietnam, & if your name is an indication of your origin, your country also, all for the good of the people, of course. The democratic elections were to be in 4 weeks, when will it now be delayed to, and what new rules on free speech will come into affect,,,,,,,,,,,, all for the good of the people.

OXO

Andy says:

Got to agree with duangpin earlier; all-night drinking and dildo shows made this country what it is, ffs! Take that away, and what is there?
Normal service is resumed.

Dicer says:

the trecherous Brits have an agreement with the generals to keep him there it as long as he does not stir up trouble.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/
0,,3-2367963,00.html

For those in London who want to have a wee tea with da squarefaced one or a few spray pants with MAEW GO HOME on them, the address is, 50, Maple Lodge, London W8 5UN...only has one dribbling security guard outside who will mutter in Lao and has a stash of sticky rice to smear trespassers with. So at least wear glasses or take the guard some somtam and namprik and he'll happily let you in.

The rest of the people who went with Thaksin to New York are back this lunch time, detained and queued at immigration and once they got the stamp TOLD TO GO HOME..... this is what I love about this country...any other country they'd shoot all of them.... interesting life to go from chinese mafia to absolutely nothing...I think they'd best call in a few shrinks.

[ those who bitch about history look away here]

And how does the current shampoo revolution (some would say fait accompli coup) compare with the past:

In the 50s a Gen Phao had forty thousand police officers to a Gen Sarit's forty-five thousand-man army. All the state's spoils were split with equal harmony in pure Thai style. These two guys did things smoothly until a bitter struggle over control of the opium traffic broke out. The funniest event occurred in 1950 as one of General Sarit's army convoys approached the railhead at Lampang in northern Thailand with a shipment of opium. Phao's police surrounded the convoy and demanded that the soldiers surrender the opium since anti-narcotics work was the exclusive responsibility of the police. When the army men, threatening to shoot its way through to the railway, the police brought up big guns and dug in for a fire-fight. A nervous standoff continued for two days until Phao and Sarit themselves arrived in Lampang, took possession of the opium, and jointly escorted it to Bangkok, where it quietly disappeared. Superb Thai dealing skills here..... Makes you think about what Thaksin's war on drugs was all about.

The Gen Phao geezer took over the vice rackets, repossessed the bkk abbetoirs, played the gold exchange, collected protection money from bkk's Chinese businessmen, and forced them to appoint him to the boards of over twenty corporations. His National Police Force had become the largest opium-trafficking syndicate in Thailand and was ultimately involved in every phase of the narcotics traffic, a remarkable achievement even by Thai standards. If the smuggled opium was destined for export, police border guards escorted the KMT caravans from the Thailand-Burma border to police warehouses in Chiang Mai. From there police guards brought it to Bangkok by train or police aircraft. It was then loaded onto civilian coastal vessels and escorted by maritime police to a mid-ocean rendezvous with freighters bound for Singapore or Hong Kong. Magic.

Forward to 1957, Marshal Sarit took over the show as the super alpha male of Thailand. He had over a hundred mistresses, arbitrarily executed criminals at public spectacles, and died insanely rich. They've come a long way in finnessing their coup into a benign circus.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/
article/0,9171,875951,00.html

Now one wonders.... yesterday they had the Channel 5 news announcements made not by Tuesday night's dour guy in glasses, but by a former Miss Asia. She was chosen for the job by one of the 5 boys in uniform..... I wonder what Sonthi thinks of Sarit. By the looks of the pageant girl on the telly the boys are already sprucing up their revolution with Tarts R Us.

more about times gone and opium stuff at http://ciadrugs.homestead.com/files/index.html

Mick fro Isle of Man says:

Again I ask, is the condo market in a freefall right now? Thinking of buy a $USD5k condo in North Patttya that some bloke from leeds bought for $230KEuros according to my US lawyer 3 months ago.

Craig says:

Maltesenoshe,.
Please do not generalize Americans and their travel habits. Do you know all Americans?
For that matter all Americans are generals per the American King. The world does see us ride in and take control very quickly. We are scared of nothing but British dentists.
The problem has always been the morning following the ho ha. The hangover is hell. That is our only problem. In any case the only one I can think of right now.

When SARS was at it height I called my shiftless Cuban American counterpart and said. “Asia has run amuck with paranoia and the pussy is free.” Was anyone in Pattaya those wonderful days? I did not see you.

Dicer,
This were days for me to say, “I told you so.” I was doing a Thai giggle for 6 weeks.
Was it for free? More or less, yes.
I never doubted you. You then are not telling us of the petty mafias and the deals.. You have the forum Sir! Talk to your grasshoppers.

Craig says:

Dave,
It is late and I can’t wade through all of this to find if someone talked about it more.
What are you talking about 4000 executions? At one time? Help me out here.

-----------------

He's referring to the extra-judicial killing of thousands of "drug dealers" a couple of years ago. - David

maltesenosher says:

To all my yankee friends; just check the statistics on which nationalities cancel their travel plans when they perceive a threat...even when that 'threat' is in a different country/continent to their destination. Generalising from data is not a crime, and of course there will be a MINORITY that do not conform to the norm. There may be fewer 'no shows' on Bangkok bound flights than those to eg Madrid/London; patently the cultural 'draws'(or should that be 'drawers'?) of Bangkok are more than a match for european culture! Lucky for South East Asia some yanks think with their dicks (Thailand) as well as their wallets (Iraq)...where,craig, we watched your country ride in and lose control very quickly!!

Dicer says:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/
read.php?newsid=30014359

well... this didnt happen then?

"Pojaman (his wife) with her son and that thug of thugs (Newin Chidchob) run to Singapore."

someone did the poop on them. Blackmail? shafted good and proper. hmmm.

with a thousand generals and admirals smirking over ten thousand deals it's difficult to catch up. Two things were fun though, seeing today the alpha boys crawling on the royal carpet and getting bitten, one would hope, by royal dust mites...gives them something to hiss about during whisky soda.

The other? Expats and tourists walking around saying how jolly the coup is, in a bubble painted pink and don't want anyone messing about...like they have vested time and maybe an iPod mantra clip playing I AM A F.... MORON I AM A F... MORON... so the mind, the critical mind is swichted off.

Craig,

One couldnt be asked about the zillion deals. It's like a pup scout show. Wait and see, later all the soldiers will get badges and ribbons and will congratulate each other blah blah.

The Phao Sarit example above shows the format of evil...they slither around writhing in hatred and waiting for their chance to strike. Foreign criminals of course think this is cute. Why, with the locals here hate is a condiment in the larceny buffet; If you hate people it is much easier to rip them off.

The bottomline is when you have idealism you have hope, paradigms, and future goodness...when you reduce idealism as when the gigglers here with their organising skills take over, you kill not only idealism (god is dead) but civilisation itself...Rome and Peking both became suffocating places of the crafty buying their way to the top, then the goths and mongols stomped them. After the attempt of fitting ideals into society, you get retrogression...first the tossers suffocate the entire society and alienate it. Later the emotional bunch like the French and the Khmers go wild in their revolutions... back to the animal kingdom where the strong and not the good survive, just the evil violent alpha w****krs. If you use right thinking you get enlightenment, if not you get grim wars, abu ghraib, bomb the Pakis, and screaming mullahs plus ruthlessness as in yanks and Israelis...warrior society gives way to mafia...the dark ages sneaking back. Here in Thailand they've, of course, jumped straight from neolithic to the mafia stuff with a smiley gloss to boot. Do you concur, grasshopper?

Sparky says:

It's now illegal to show pictures of Thaksin on TV and websites. You're in biiiiiiiiggg trouble

Mick from Isle of Man says:

I am probably going to buy the condo next week. It only costs 206,500 baht and even if I lose it (government seizes the property or some other shite), I will be happy knowing some bloke from leeds paid 9.66 million baht for the condo in May 2006! I had to spend 200k baht between my US and Thai lawyer to make sure we have title, but it is confirmed. Wow, these are truly exciting times in LOS. The condo has 2 bath/ 2 bed room, pool and 1100 sq. feet in pattaya! awesome deal! its a buyers market fellas. you should check it out.

TANAI KWAI says:

There's hardly a point to responding to a yapping Maltese who is, by heavyhanded implication, desperately making the point that he is a courageous man.

Does anybody really believe this last-picked-on-the-playground outpatient has what it takes to lead the charge of the Light Brigade? Yes, do regale us with stories of your own action-packed military service, since you are so well-situated to opine on the tactical shortcomings of American troops in Iraq... Perhaps you could stage a courage workshop to help them out? Asshole.

Would anyone want this petty, sniping little decorative animal at his side in a firefight or a bar brawl or a bridge match? What country would be proud to claim a loudmouth whose thesis is that the citizenry of America (or Britain, or wherever) are cowards? Perfect. Just the kind of individual I would want as my ambassador to the world.

I'll wager that Bill O'Reilly, such as he is, would kick your ass from sea to shining sea. Is there anybody here who would turn down that action? Ask around. Don't think so.

Real courage is generally quiet, tempered by logic and marked by humility. It is forged by the experience of overcoming fear and personal anguish in the face of true danger. Disdaining the fears of others is not a preoccupation of the courageous.

And so, proclaiming courage on behalf of yourself and your fellow louts might lead one to wonder whether you really have big brass balls as you claim -- or if perhaps this Maltese standing so proudly on its hind legs has been fitted with a different kind of gear entirely:

http://www.neuticles.com/index1.html

With typical show-dog panache, you preen about how brave you are to vacation in Thailand -- a place a hundred times safer than most of its neighbors under any circumstances. What's next on your agenda of courage? Skiing at Sölden? Or perhaps a walking tour of Salt Lake City?

My kingdom for a vaguely intelligent wind-up artist.

TK

Dimmi says:

Just a reminder to all those wailing and lamenting the foiling of YOUR sacred 'democratic' institutions- (like tossing out a corrupt though voted for politician, to be replaced with another equally or more corrupt politician)

Britain is a MONARCHY.
Your soldiers swear a sacred oath of allegiance to the QUEEN.

American Soldiers swear an oath to the US Constitution-
then spend a career violating it, side point

I prefer Monarchy myself (American me)
and the USA is a CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC.

The founding fathers of my country USA universaly hated democracy, did not use the word except in derision, and warned future Americans against the evils of mob rule (democracy)

I challenge you to find the odious word in the US Constitution or the Declaration of Independance.

A pox on Democracy,
God save the Queen.

Common Sense says:

Maltese,
I will give you this much that Bill Oreilly is a cunt. But given his name i would think he is from the same place as you. It appears as if Ireland has shipped off yet another one of their cunts to America so they can continue on with their American bashing.

I am a Marine by the way who has spent 19 months in Iraq. Ill tell you now that if you think we are pussies i will gladly meet you the next time i am in Thailand to disuss this matter further or are you to much of a pussy for that.

Dont mistake Bushs political misgivings for our cowardice. Were not the reason things are working out so well in Iraq the politicians are.

Yeah Americans might cancel some travel plans when things arent looking so rosy in another country but thats only COMMON SENSE. Who wants to spend a vacation wondering if the will get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time because the local politics have gone to shit. But when it comes to canceling travel plans i would think it was the Europeans who are worse. Well at least your militarys anyways. Anytime NATO or the UN needs some gunslingers to quell a disturbance the dirty work falls on the Americans while the Europeans fill the administrative and security posts or refuse to send in troops altogether.

Dicer says:

The Shampoo Revolution and The Smiling Army Tarts

By Sombat and Boonlert

ok, we go from generals talking to a picture to this mornings directive telling all to smile more... and all the guards at army HQ have been replaced by cute looking tart MPs.... these boys must love da boxes.... what next?

And someone mentioned al Fayed. Thaksin is actually staying at Fayed's Park Lane flat...emerged yesterday to say " hehehe I go get Thai grocery".... urrgh. With the Khunying Toxin holed up here no one to mix the mama noodle...

khunlau says:

Now Thaksin in the UK, which kind of VISA does he have? Will he do VISA runs to the US every 30 days?

Mr Thaksin, BKKchat.org says:

mick you knob jockey, hahahahaha trusting a thai lawyer { let alone a thai} like trusting king cobra to babysit your 2 month old kid.

wonkers all wonkers

Thako.

Craig says:

Dicer,
Your command of the English language brings a tear to all who attempt to write anything of merit.

We see that criminals as such should beware of the new given practice on visa and games. Sorry, you taught me the game is not new.

May I ask you how the new drama affects the Thai people and how their new found revelation and incite of said people affects the price of pussy?

Do not get me wrong. I love Thai people but I love Thai pussy as well.

The suffering of the dollar and my fear of British dentists allows me only to fear. I see news but good news?

My girl friend is happy with the coup but, thus far, I see no request in a reduction of support.

I would like that hear all is good and all of us may allow ourselves to be ripped off again as part of normal Thai practice.

Can you tell us when the mafia will step up to the plate and resume the normal game of deals?

Actually I cheer (not like a girl) for the Thai people, in general, but that is a long shot. If they win my GF will surely decide to leave me and we both can get back to our true character. It is something we understand.

Potofjam says:

Mick from Isle of man:
So you bought a condo from Thaksins lawyer, good deal! Should be a few more bargains to come! Wonder can you sell me any cats tails from the wonderful Isle?

Dicer says:

Craig,

"... my fear of British dentists allows me only to fear."

lol, yes a mare. Last time I had a Brit dentist did a coup on my molars the region ended up looking like a miniscule Sadr City. As if the pain was not enough an extra dosage of rudeness was thrown in for free!

"... when the mafia will step up to the plate and resume the normal game of deals?"

Probably not much will change. Behind the giggling army boys facade and manly uniforms it's really more of the same. If you look back in history Thailand was sold off to four families by Narai and asked to tax farm the country, as I said a rice gambling den. Essentially things went to the highest bidder with a flat cut for the royal household. In 1911 (after 200 years) Rama V stopped it and started a bureaucracy. The point is, there is an entrenched, unchangeable patronage system present in the armed forces, a parallel on in the police force, yet another one in bureacracy and business world. Some of these overlap. This past week has been a perfect window for us foreigners to watch same old antics replayed with aplomb. Even with Thaksin gone govt offices are going on as usual, beauty pageants and the rising daily ebb and flow of the puzzy market continue unabated. Why? After all is said and done locals dont really give a shit about individuals, rather they're scared of the symbols of power. For instance, yesterday the generals made a press announcement saying they are giving Newin Chidchob and Yongyuth Tiyapairat a good treatment. These were two of the pathetic thugs in cabinet, hated by all. There was a very telling remark by one of the generals afterwards. He said, "after all these are former cabinet members." Meaning? What he means is yes they're thugs who deserve to be shot, but they held offices, were part of the top bit of a patronage system and even if we do not respect the individuals we have to be seen as respecting the offices they held!

This is remarkable. I mean Thaksin still has his diplomatic passport and his Thai special branch protection. Have you heard anywhere else on the globe where a deposed leader gets deferential treatment. This gives us a unique insight into local thinking. Obviously there is going to be a long negotiation on how much of his wealth he's going to hand over, but thats a different matter.

Another thing to notice is how many newspaper articles go on and on about who was whose classmate. All these boys are graduates of 68 - 70. Back to the patronage system. The system is self sustaining. Every year when old boys retire the ones under them move up the post with little performance assessment or such. Then you have a civilian mafia leader who comes along and upsets the old mafia system. Noone puts up with that, so a bloodletting of sorts ensues and all that comes from it therefrom. Evil reorganises itself and smiles. The whole system is evil, and I dont have to mention that evil can be, or in fact, is, very pragmatic. And those of us outsiders who enjoy them cute boxes observe from a detached distance and wonder how they do it. Unless you're in the cream of society or the boss of Tesco much of this wont affect you.

Dicer says:

Put another way think of the vast military, bureacratic and business elite that has flourished with its connection to the palace. Coups come and go but the traditional elite stays.

Thaksin's downfall was trying to reshuffle the old royalist elite in the military and govt offices. Now the soldier ants will shuffle and reshuffle to give an illusory semblance of change. The rest of the country and it's shampoo dazed lumpen will continue as usual in it's unthinking and unreflective harmony.

Mr Thaksin, BKKchat.org says:

l saw thaky last night waiting for night bus at marble Arch.
he looked well pissed.
might of had something to do with the 2 glum faced Pole hookers he had paid to escort him arond town.
slappers here don't smile even when you pay them up front.
my guess he'll be found hanging under Lambeth bridge before the yr is up.

Thaxo.

Biggus Dickus says:

Cor blimey

we aren't have got some political philosophers on this page, shouldn't they be writing a thesis somewhere instead of boring us with their mindless speculation

Quid pro quod my knob

Mike Aponte says:

This is for maltesenosher. I am an American though of Puerto Rican decent. I still travel abroad and not scared to do so. I have actually gotten more problems from our so called allies Brits and Irishman. Than our enemies. Though when I do confront them back all I get is some stupid Euro slang like boolocks etc.. Then they leave me alone. Though I am a very freindly person. There are still some stupid people out there who wants to mess with an easy going though very strong person. Everyone is superman when they drink enough. And boy do the Euros drink.

chris says:

thaskin the criminal in england and all the english criminals in thailand ironic dont u think.

Grunt says:

The dicer Code of Conduct clearly states that; When exposed as being a tedious snivelling wanker, please initiate Operation: Summon the Toady.

"Dicer,
Your command of the English language brings a tear to all who attempt to write anything of merit." - craig

Mission Accomplished!

Dicer says:

Your fixation is a tad eager like that of an overtipped hooker's. You seem to follow my arse from thread to thread to make one sad contretemp after another. If you want to make any impact, try a little harder. Or has your ex-soviet midget chopped your balls off for you?

"Quid pro quod my knob" says the eloquent man before ye...

The quo for this wasted quid is certainly in lieu of yur chopped balls. n'est-ce pas?

Grunt says:

"Theres no place like home, theres no place like home, theres no place like home..." - dicer

Its not you thats the fool, dicer, its all of us? And its not so much me following you as there is no escape from your mind-numbling drivel!

Take a friggin hint and piss off already, you cheezer.

Dicer says:

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/
mercurynews/news/world/15610757.htm

noodle therapy to disaffected shampoozins. yeah yeah said it above already. If the generals really need to get in touch with the folks they should hire the choicest mamasans as economic and social advisors. I remember long ago seeing in a pattaya headed bus a couple of fresh rice cuties sulking and having their arom sias. The mamasan bought them Popsicles and soda and told them what is to be done. These world weary ladies have sussed out not only the whims of village girls, but that of their usually baffling foreign customers. At least they instruct their girls to be polite and cheerful to the customers, something even chinese managers of big shops have trouble doing. And then you go to one of the shows where the very same sulking and childish girls jump naked through hoops for 20 baht and love it what's more. It's the mamasan training. You look in the back and the mamasan has 20 types of food, plenty of noodle therapy and knows all the girls' affairs. If the generals want to get fresh insights and want to get things done they should get a committee of mamasans rather than fiddle with daft ex-beauty queens. After a long day knocking up economic policies they can also recall the mamasan committee to organise R&R for the top brass.

An example of life imitating art: There is a Peruvian film made in 1999 called Pantaleón y las visitadoras. An efficient Peruvian army captain Pantaleon Pantoja, is chosen and sent to Iquitos by his superiors to set up a special cuties service to take care of the horney soldiers. A whole lineup of cuties are recruited....Here is more

http://www.amazon.com/
Pantaleon-las-Visitadoras-Francisco-Lombardi/
dp/B0000AGWRF

sandman says:

Watching the coup on three news channels in my place in the middle east and simultaneously relaying the info back to Chang rai what struck me was the understated threat of the military who stressed that if Mr T came back to Thailand he would be classified as just a normal citizen. That was a death sentence...I smiled and gigggled then burst out laughing...So no security or protection then.......so he would be dead meat as a result of having made so many enemies.....But does anyone think the change will improve the visa situation?

Dicer says:

A month on it's almost interesting, the generals going to complete sleaze and eveyrone involved. Pojaman went to see Prem the other day and everyone was screaming...deals are flying left and right...well there you go... and Poji is known for her legendary capacity for making deals.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/28/
asia/AS_GEN_Thailand_Royal_Accusation.php

keep watching.

Somsak (one of the key figures in Thai politics who just quit TRT was playing football with Sonthi yesterday). There is plan to get a new party headed by Pridiyathorn (ex bkk governor and present deputy PM and Somsak and Suriya) i.e. key TRT power boys. Also they've told Jaruvan (the auditor general) to keep it quiet.

Of course what is amazing is pojipoji and maeow or not about to give up a good thing. In UK they are just foreign swine. No one paying respect lol.

Anyone who showed up in LOS on coup day and followed them since will learn everything there needs learning about these bunch.