Are you happy Thaksin is gone?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Hell yes.

[MODU]

If Yes, why didn't you vote?  Or were you the one that voted no?

I don't see why you would be happy for this anyway (except for the fact that you're kissing Opie's tush again).  Thaksin has been the champion of the poor and limiting the impact of religion in society, something you and Opie keep harping about.  Is it just because he's not a socialist?  You might say his agricultural reform policies to save the farms are very socialistic.  

Oh, I got it . . . you hate the fact that he's doubled the countries GDP while being in power, paying off the nations IMF debts (ahead of schedule even), lowered poverty by 20+%, implemented/strengthened their universal health care program, increased AIDS medication access, deregulation of state-run power/educational operations, and so on.  Yeah, that must be it.

Really, why "Hell yes" (other than Opie is for it)?

[MasterJedi]

Haha, BRTD just got pwned.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Because he's very, very corrupt, and known for massive violations of civil liberties and human rights. Plus is known to be prevelant for election fraud.

[MODU]

Because he's very, very corrupt, and known for massive violations of civil liberties and human rights. Plus is known to be prevelant for election fraud.

Ok, that's a start.  However, he was accused of corruption even before being elected (and re-elected in popular landslides), so are you basing this on the accusations or on actual fact (which none has really been offerred by the opposition)?

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Yes.

[ag]

I am fairly happy that he is gone, but I am very unhappy at how he is gone.  A coup can only be a last resort in a dictatorship, and Thaksin's Thailand wasn't one (yet?).  However much I dislike the Berlusconiesque types, they, as far as possible, should lose elections, not be told by generals to stay in NY. Of course, perhaps there is something we don't know (e.g., preparations for a self-coup by Thaksin, or something along those lines), but on the surface of it, it ain't looking good.  At a minimum, a quick election - where his party should be able to stand (and I, personally, would sincerely hope they'd lose) - should be held.

[MODU]

He was going to be gone by the end of the year anyway with the next election since he had already announced that he was resigning.  This makes the coup unnecessary based on their defense of their action.

[minionofmidas]

No, of course not. Not given the circumstances.

[WMS]

No, of course not. Not given the circumstances.

Yeah, this is the appropriate response. What I want to know is why the coupsters felt they couldn't wait until the next election?

[Colin]

No, of course not. Not given the circumstances.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

I didn't have any love for Thaksin Sinawatra but I would never support a military coup. It's a shame that a military coup had to take place in a developing country with so much potential.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

If Yes, why didn't you vote?  Or were you the one that voted no?

I don't see why you would be happy for this anyway (except for the fact that you're kissing Opie's tush again).  Thaksin has been the champion of the poor and limiting the impact of religion in society, something you and Opie keep harping about.  Is it just because he's not a socialist?  You might say his agricultural reform policies to save the farms are very socialistic. 

Oh, I got it . . . you hate the fact that he's doubled the countries GDP while being in power, paying off the nations IMF debts (ahead of schedule even), lowered poverty by 20+%, implemented/strengthened their universal health care program, increased AIDS medication access, deregulation of state-run power/educational operations, and so on.  Yeah, that must be it.

Really, why "Hell yes" (other than Opie is for it)?

Economic growth in the third world is NOT something to get happy about. IT means they demand more resoruces which increases the strain on the world's environemtn.

[opebo]

He was going to be gone by the end of the year anyway with the next election since he had already announced that he was resigning.  This makes the coup unnecessary based on their defense of their action.

He wasn't going to resign, MODU.  That was just a ploy to buy time.  He would have won the next election and stayed in power.

Of course I'm happy to see him go because he was anti-prostitution.  I couldn't care less what he did about the country's GNP, etc.  I actually prefer a poorer host country.
 
Thaksin had the bars closing at 1:00 AM, and regular department stores, etc. at 10:00PM!  His party had even proposed a 25 year old drinking age!

Thai Rak THai was quite monstrous from the point of view of any freedom lover - obviously this would not include MODU the fascist.

[??????????]

Yes, you prefer the host country to be poor so you can continue to be allowed to rape young girls and little boys. I bet you're proud of yourself.

[opebo]

Yes, you prefer the host country to be poor so you can continue to be allowed to rape young girls and little boys. I bet you're proud of yourself.

Rape?!  If a 20 or 25 year old woman wants to spend some time with a man in return for payment, you call it rape?  What are you, some kind of Marxist?

[??????????]

How many child prostitutes do you pick up?

[opebo]

How many child prostitutes do you pick up?

Such things do not exist, prude.

Seriously I have never seen any youthful prostitutes in Thailand, States.  I believe in very rare cases girls of 16 or 17 who look older can get a fake ID and work as an 18 year old, but this is extremely uncommon.  In reality most working girls here are a bit long in the tooth - with 30 being just as common as 20, and 35 being, alas, far more common than 18.  Presumably the cute young ones are saved for the wealthy Thais or the big-spending Japanese/Korean/Chinese visitors.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

His party had even proposed a 25 year old drinking age!

That alone is justification for this coup.

[opebo]

His party had even proposed a 25 year old drinking age!

That alone is justification for this coup.

I could not agree more!  The very idea was completely bizarre and senseless, like so much from Thai Rak Thai (aka the Thai Republican Party).

[opebo]

Update - all is settled here now - the only inconvenience for foreigners was (and perhaps still is) the closing of the Burmese border.  Hundreds of visa runners stuck there I heard.  I'm not sure if it has reopened yet, but if not I'm sure just a few more days.  Shows the generals don't trust the age-old enemy the Burmese.