Comments on: Tsunami By Choice

By: Charles Frith

Charles Frith — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 09:16:11 +0000

The myopic and solipsistic content of the post are in part responsible for the demise of Thailand.

Take a look at the wider world and the macro problems are evident. You can still pick a mango off the tree in Thailand. Not the same as 3 days food supply in most American cities.

By: stefan

stefan — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 10:10:52 +0000

350,000-stem grapevine. It’s hard to comment on Thailand without sounding like a headline for NotTheNation, which despite it’s name, is more accurate than The Nation. The memories of 350,000 travelers who were held hostage by a bunch of spoilt children will not fade fast, and each individual acts as an indepenent advertizing agency, with more proliferation and viral spread of negative information on this country and some of its people. Some Thais choose to have short memory, while many a victim of the airport seizure will not.

By: Mark Lamerton

Mark Lamerton — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 06:45:31 +0000

Great post and very interesting comparison. I also agree with martin above. I think what will happen in 2009 – in a country in a state of denial and political turmoil, unable and unwilling to discuss the facts about anything and rapidly falling into recession – will change Thailand in a very bad way. No manufactured, unelected government will be able to cope with this.

By: martin

martin — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 23:18:34 +0000

David Brown you are correct and we are looking at some pretty big trouble.

The one event that wll trigger this and change thailand forever is comeing in 2009 I feel.

By: Sceptic

Sceptic — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 06:08:05 +0000

If there was another natural disaster like the 2004 tsunami, I wonder if Thailand has a government and prime minister capable of acting as swiftly, decisively and effectively as was certainly the case four years ago.

By: David Brown

David Brown — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:09:36 +0000

I was always a bit worried how the rich in Thailand seemed to be surrounded by people they could give a few baht to get them to do things …

It never seemed really healthy that these poor people were always just there, waiting for a few baht.

But everyone seemed to be smiling, and everyone seemed to revere the king and queen, the food is always a nice, tasty surprise and accomodation, clothing and food are cheap … everything must be alright.

What a change in the last few months … I have learnt so much I did not want to know about rich families and the military.

Also, I think, the ordinary Thai people have changed, they are not smiling, they don’t respect the institution so much, they think their country and their Thai hero is being badly treated by a madman and his mates acting for the military and the rich families.

The ordinary people are not smiling and when the military try to put pressure on them to conform, like they did in 2007 … this time the pressure will be resisted.

The rich families, for their own benefit, should put the PAD back in their box and knuckle under to real full voting democracy.

By: thy

thy — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 10:34:18 +0000

Absolutely embarrassed.

By: malaysian explorer

malaysian explorer — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 06:36:20 +0000

Thanks for a very good review of the situation in Thailand.

Cheers!