2 replies to this topic

[Hedda]

It seemed to go totally unnoticed in Thailand's English-language press, which is hardly surprising given it's status as unofficial propaganda adjunct for the current government, but Prime Minister Opposite gave a interview in Hong Kong this past weekend in which he totally absolved the Thai military of doing anything improper in the Rohingya drowning episodes:

''[The Internal Security Operations Command] will have to handle it but they will have operating procedures that will not repeat this situation where all these allegations happen,'' he told Greg Torode of the Sunday Morning Post.

"We've gone to great lengths to get the facts . . . we established that there had been cases where boats were made to drift to other shores, but I've also been informed in all such cases there was food and water supplied. ''We don't find evidence of the kind of abuses that are alleged, tying people, throwing them into the water.''

Asked if future arrivals would be towed out to sea, Mr Abhisit said: ''No repeats, no repeats, we don't want to see it. ''I think there is now a good understanding among the people responsible that they will have to be very responsible.''

It' sort of neat the way Opposite says nothing improper wrong happened but then insists there will be "no repeats." Only in Thailand.

[Garcia]

You can assume for a fact that Opposite is in no position to challenge the army on anything. They hepled to put him in power and they will keep him there as long as it suits the purposes of the silent people whose orders they obey. The idea of an elected politician controlling the Thai army is ludicrous.

[Bob]

The idea that the Thai government at any level could actually investigate the Army is rather unbelievable. And that's presuming that the Thai Army would allow it in the first place.