I'll give them a gold star for a "super good effort"

[J-Mann]

Paper Birds Don't Stop Thai Violence

By RUNGRAWEE C. PINYORAT, Associated Press Writer

BANGKOK, Thailand - A massive airdrop of paper birds intended to promote peace failed to halt violence in Thailand's restive south, with a spate of new attacks Monday that targeted soldiers and local officials.

[snip]

Thaksin said Sunday the paper bird airdrop showed residents of the three southern provinces that they are part of Thai society, and that their countrymen care for them.

Hours after Thaksin spoke, the owner of a tea shop in Pattani was slain by gunmen, grenades were thrown at the homes of two policemen in the same province and arsonists set fire to a state school in Yala and a teacher's house in Narathiwat.

[patrick1]

I saw that on the news yesterday.  WTF are they thinking.  That was probably the stupidiest stunt I have ever seen.  Hooray, trash is being dropped on us by our Air Force.  I have never been to Thailand but I can't imagine too many people doing cartwheels over that one.

[opebo]

I found this gesture pretty lame, but a lot of Thais here think it is a nice idea.  They're pretty attached to their King, culture, national identity, etc.  They think that this kind of symbolic stuff can change things. 

I was actually afraid people would fight over the birds, considering there were prizes involved.  I absolutely despise the current regime in Thailand - Thaksin is a sort of Thai Bush, implementing a freedom-reducing 'family values' agenda.  Bush and Taksin both kill a lot of Muslims, but this does not make up for their repressive social controls.

[Storebought]

I found this gesture pretty lame, but a lot of Thais here think it is a nice idea.  They're pretty attached to their King, culture, national identity, etc.  They think that this kind of symbolic stuff can change things. 

I was actually afraid people would fight over the birds, considering there were prizes involved.  I absolutely despise the current regime in Thailand - Thaksin is a sort of Thai Bush, implementing a freedom-reducing 'family values' agenda.  Bush and Taksin both kill a lot of Muslims, but this does not make up for their repressive social controls.

Considering that the kings of Thailand have for centuries managed to keep their nation free from colonialist mutants like China, France, the UK, Imperial Japan, and Marxist generals, this is a small gesture of appreciation from the Thai people.

And "repressive social controls" =" no 14 year old prostitutes plying their trade on every streetcorner" Good riddance!

[opebo]

I found this gesture pretty lame, but a lot of Thais here think it is a nice idea.  They're pretty attached to their King, culture, national identity, etc.  They think that this kind of symbolic stuff can change things. 

I was actually afraid people would fight over the birds, considering there were prizes involved.  I absolutely despise the current regime in Thailand - Thaksin is a sort of Thai Bush, implementing a freedom-reducing 'family values' agenda.  Bush and Taksin both kill a lot of Muslims, but this does not make up for their repressive social controls.

Considering that the kings of Thailand have for centuries managed to keep their nation free from colonialist mutants like China, France, the UK, Imperial Japan, and Marxist generals, this is a small gesture of appreciation from the Thai people.

And "repressive social controls" =" no 14 year old prostitutes plying their trade on every streetcorner" Good riddance!

I am not critical of Thai's respect for the King.  Heck I respect him, though I do suspect the current one was re-installed by the CIA.

As for as the prostitutes - you're misrepresenting the industry.  It has long been very well run, with the age limit of 18 strictly enforced.  In fact the great majority of girls are well into their 20's or even thirties, and the most typical reason for entering the industry is having a child out of wedlock and the resultant financial demands.  There are no 14 year olds on any streetcorner I've ever seen in Thailand, and I've traveled around the country for years.

What Taksin has been cracking down on is the 'entertainment' industry - bars and brothels - both of which do include prostitutes of course.  By doing so, he has robbed sex workers of the safest venue for their business, driving many out on the street - a rarity before.  Making the sale of sex illegal mainly makes it more difficult and dangerous for the girls involved.