Thai Parliament Stormed

Richard · 04-07-2010, 07:01

And so it goes...

Richard

Quote:

Thai Parliament Stormed; Chopper Rescues Lawmakers
AP, 7 Apr 2010

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared a state of emergency in Bangkok on Wednesday, handing the army broad powers to restore order after anti-government protesters broke into Parliament, forcing some lawmakers to flee by helicopter.

Other lawmakers scaled the compound's walls to escape the most chaotic protest in several weeks of demonstrations by a group demanding Abhisit dissolve the government and call immediate elections. He has offered to do so by the end of the year.

"The government has tried its best to implement the law, but violations have increased. Today, Parliament was raided," Abhisit said in a televised statement that interrupted regular programming.

"The Cabinet has decided to declare state of emergency in Bangkok and nearby provinces," Abhisit said, seated at the center of a long table with the members of his Cabinet beside him. "Our goal is to restore normalcy."

The government already had placed Bangkok under the strict Internal Security Act.

But a state of emergency includes more sweeping powers. It gives the military authority to restore order and allows authorities to suspend certain civil liberties and ban all public gatherings of more than five people.

The so-called Red Shirt protesters have been camped in Bangkok since March 12 and have ignored all other decrees for them to stop their demonstrations.

Abhisit has become the target of harsh criticism for failing to take strong measures to end the protests. He has tried negotiations, and has had security forces pull back from possible confrontations.

In a statement broadcast on all television stations Tuesday, he explained that "the current fragile situation demands careful maneuvering."

"We need to plan and implement everything to the last detail and with thorough care. The last thing we want is for the situation to spiral out of control."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2...rliament_N.htm

**Team Sergeant** · 04-07-2010, 07:31

Happens about every 10-20 years. The Thais are right on time.

Richard · 04-07-2010, 09:48

That's about right - I was there in '73 when Kitakachorn was overthrown and there was rioting by the universsity students - got to spend a couple of extra days 'holed up' in Bangkok until things quieted down enough for the police to reappear and I could return to camp.

Richard

**Team Sergeant** · 04-07-2010, 20:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

That's about right - I was there in '73 when Kitakachorn was overthrown and there was rioting by the universsity students - got to spend a couple of extra days 'holed up' in Bangkok until things quieted down enough for the police to reappear and I could return to camp.

Richard

I was on Oki when they did it in 92 or 93 (I think)?

Lanyard · 04-07-2010, 21:03

"Thailand has suffered nine successful coups, plus 11 failed coups, since 1933. "

Try, try, try and try again.

Richard · 04-08-2010, 05:49

From my experiences and readings, the Thai's pretty much agree to go about their worldly shenanigans in whatever way they see fit...as long as they leave their two most revered objects - Buddha and the King - alone. Most everything else is fair game.

And so it goes...

Richard's $.02

tst43 · 04-08-2010, 09:30

Anyone else ever notice that when the Thai parliament gets attacked, not a single person in the room knows kung fu or any other martial art? From the camera footage it always looks like they were just swinging away at each other.

jar · 04-09-2010, 15:17

Probably need a Civil War to settle things.

mark46th · 04-12-2010, 20:24

I was there when Richard was. Ho-Hum. As long as the khao pat is hot and the Singha is cold. Actually, the start of the Yom Kippur War stirred things up for us more than the coup did. My A team was put on alert to go to the Middle East... I was looking across the Mekong towards Laos when we were told we might be seeing the Jordan...

robert2854 · 04-12-2010, 20:40

i HOPE THEY DIDN'T MESS WITH THE OPERA HOTEL...I THINK THAT WAS NAME OF THE HOTEL WE SPENT R@R IN, BACK IN 1968. I HOPE THE THAI GOVERNMENT STAYS AS ELECTED. KILL A COMMIE FOR MOMMIE

Slantwire · 04-13-2010, 06:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by tst43

Anyone else ever notice that when the Thai parliament gets attacked, not a single person in the room knows kung fu or any other martial art? From the camera footage it always looks like they were just swinging away at each other.

All Asians are martial artists. Just like all Italians are knife-fighters and all Irish are drunks. Well, let me retract that last part....

jar · 04-14-2010, 09:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

From my experiences and readings, the Thai's pretty much agree to go about their worldly shenanigans in whatever way they see fit...as long as they leave their two most revered objects - Buddha and the King - alone. Most everything else is fair game.

And so it goes...

Richard's $.02

I don't think the disagreement will end. Every election in Thailand, there's always question if the poll & votes were rigged. The losing side is always a sore loser and demand a new election. I just wish that they could respect the majority's vote just like America. Even if the head of the government is not what they preferred, at least American people put up with it until the new election.

The only way to end this is to put someone that everybody respect as the head of the government..... The King himself.

mark46th · 04-26-2010, 21:55

Robert- Yep. It was the Opera. There were rooms that were specially equipped for SF personnel only...

Richard · 04-27-2010, 03:22

Quote:

It was the Opera. There were rooms that were specially equipped for SF personnel only...

I always regretted not bringing one of those 'SF chairs' home with me when USASFT was disbanded.

Richard

mark46th · 04-29-2010, 15:22

Knowing what went on in those, You would have had to have sterilized it for a week...