Happy days! Bars not to close

The coup leader has announced there will be no elections for 15 months. So, bars won't close because of elections. Every cloud does have a silver lining. Happy days!

[Oliver]

Military and reactionary governments, led by rather dim soldiers, have a habit of interfering in the private of their citizens. Their concept of morality tends to be rather conservative.
Don't get the balloons out yet.

[Up2U]

Some people have a strange idea of a silver lining.

[Smiles]

And some have an intolerance for sarcasm.
And then there's Oliver . . .

... soldiers, have a habit of interfering in the private of their citizens.I'd be happy to let some of those soldiers rummage in my privates! Let's face it there's not a damn thing any of us can do to influence what's happening in Thailand unless you want to boycott the place and that presupposes economic sanctions at that level actually work. Why is it not a silver lining?

[newalaan2]

Why is it not a silver lining? But it is. How very positive of you to make such an uplifting feelgood post kommentariat, and starting a thread on 'military takeover silver linings'. Just what we have come to expect from you.

So what about some of the other silver linings? I would have thought Oliver would have been delighted with the immediate plans to pay the issan rice farmers their outstanding dues, and while not sufficient to secure the family financial future, certainly there will be enough for a monthly room rent deposit and one way bus ticket to Pattaya or Bkk helping to ensure sufficient staff levels in businesses to pander to your wants and needs.

It's just a case of getting into the correct frame of mind during these trying times, thank you for leading the way kommentariat.

[Nirish guy]

and following in that theme ....more seats on planes, more tables in restaurants, more seats at the beach, more boys to take care of our every whim, with them being obliged to stay with us until 4am it seems whether they want to or not......yes all in all not the worst, perhaps if we send the army a letter congratulating them on their actions they'll agree to extend things a little further for us :-)

[colmx]

And don't forget no late night street parties in Boystown to disturb the hotel residents!

[Up2U]

I now see the light.... only us queers put things in their proper perspective. The Titanic is sinking and we strike up the band. During the Loma Prieta earthquake in San Francisco, I was on Polk Street and the lights went, sirens blaring, the Marina district fires in the distance, but that never stopped the drinking, talk about a street party!

The Titanic is sinking ...That analogy would only be true if we were stuck on the Titanic with no alternatives. The Thais are stuck on the Thaitanic. We are not.
I would have thought Oliver would have been delighted with the immediate plans to pay the issan rice farmers their outstanding dues ...The more cynical would find this adoption of a key Shinawatra economic policy by the military an attempt to buy support, or buy off opposition. Either way the coup does have many silver linings.

[Up2U]

Yes, let's think of all the silver linings dictators have given us. Hitler took a demoralized nation and united it, built the freeways, rejuvenate the industrial base, united populace and in1938 was Time magazine's Man of the Year. Do you think Gen. Prayuth will receive also receive this award?

Yes, let's think of all the silver linings dictators have given us. Hitler took a demoralized nation and united it, built the freeways, rejuvenate the industrial base, united populace and in1938 was Time magazine's Man of the Year. Do you think Gen. Prayuth will receive also receive this award?Probably not given that all the world's Chattering Classes are taking action against him. The Australian government, so I read, has not only abandoned joint military endeavours with Thailand but has taken action to ensure that no junta member can travel there. You seem to live in a somewhat monochrome world Up2U with no swings and roundabouts. The silver linings you point out under Hitler (did you forget the Italian trains running on time under Mussolini?) did actually occur but largely accrued to the German nation. The silver linings on the Thaitanic so far are accruing both to us, the sex tourists, and to the rural Thais who are at last getting paid under the rice subsidy scheme. Given that that scheme is something that will help bankrupt Thailand thus making boys more available and possibly cheaper is another example not just of silver linings all round but win-win-win.

[lego]

Yes, let's think of all the silver linings dictators have given us. Hitler took a demoralized nation and united it, built the freeways, rejuvenate the industrial base, united populace and in1938 was Time magazine's Man of the Year. Do you think Gen. Prayuth will receive also receive this award?
Why stop there? He will bring back peace and happiness to Thailand and unite ASEAN under Thai leadership, so a Nobel Peace Prize will surely be in order.

Yes, let's think of all the silver linings dictators have given us. Hitler took a demoralized nation and united it, built the freeways, rejuvenate the industrial base, united populace and in1938 was Time magazine's Man of the Year. Do you think Gen. Prayuth will receive also receive this award?Why stop there? He will bring back peace and happiness to Thailand and unite ASEAN under Thai leadership, so a Nobel Peace Prize will surely be in order.The Chattering Classes won't allow that to happen, lego. It's also quite obvious when you think about it why the 15-month period has been chosen. They don't expect Smiles' neighbour over the back fence to be around that long.

And let's not forget, lego, that in Paul Handley's book there's the story about another Thai whose family tried to get a Nobel Prize for one of their members and failed dismally. It just wasn't the Nobel Prize for Peace.

[newalaan2]

The "Junta Silver Linings" just keep on coming! 73 arrested in Phuket Taxi Mafia crackdown reported in Bangkok Post.

What's next...a call for all Jet Ski operators to turn themselves in? Holding in custody a bunch of trouble-making politicians who were destroying Thailand's economy and intent on leading the country towards civil war. Reforming the Royal Thai Police? Does this mean I won't get stopped in Korat for the usual Bt100 for driving in the correct lane of the motorway at the correct speed?

For goodness sake where will it all end, next they will be eradicating the yaba problem which is the scourge of each and every society throughout Thailand. If that happens.....petty crime, street robberies and assaults will plummet! The quicker there are elections and there is a "proper government" in power to get things back to 'normal' the better if you ask me.

Just what is this Junta up to? Don't they realise they will be tarnishing the reputations of Junta regimes around the globe by engaging in populist reformations which could ultimately have a positive effect on the country? The South American Juntas (past and present) will be absolutely livid!

The more things change the more they stay the same?

[attachment=0:36qb5nw9]ViciousCycle.jpg[/attachment:36qb5nw9]

[Oliver]

Or to put it another way; too many of Thais are "buffaloes"- poor workers from the North and north east- for a genuine democratic process ever to be acceptable to the rich, royalist and military elite. The "wrong" party will always win, whatever it's called. Hence the desire for an authoritarian government that will forcefully protect the needs of that elite.