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Junta’s ‘Polite’ Repression

By Pravit Rojanaphruk
Senior Staff Writer

When the phone rang shortly after 9am on Wednesday it was a junta rep on the other end. He was polite as usual.

“Brother, the commanders think your trip should be deferred,” the soft-spoken Lt. Col. Adisak Showichien informed me. It was about my scheduled trip to Helsinki to attend the World Press Freedom Day organized by UNESCO at the invitation of the Finnish foreign ministry.

Since being detained without charge in the aftermath of the coup, I was “asked” to sign a memorandum of understanding under duress that included having to seek “permission” from the military, more politely and formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order, or NCPO, in order to travel outside Thailand.

I did not sign anything forbidding me from criticizing the military dictatorship, however.


Smiles all around as former Pheu Thai MP Worachai Hema is "politely invited" by a soldier into a van March 27 which then whisked him away to a secret detention facility. Photo: Matichon

Perplexed for a second about the implicit message, I politely asked Adisak if that meant the NCPO would not permit me to fly to Finland in early May. Adisak said yes, sounding reluctant and very, very polite – as usual.

I knew it would be impolite to ask Adisak why, so I didn’t bother. I just thanked him for informing me and finished the call.

Soon after I announced it on social media, The Associated Press wrote several paragraphs about my travel ban in an article about the new police like powers given to the military. Citing military government spokesman Maj. Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd as saying he did not know about it, but were it true, “it must be related to national security.”

Continue reading: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.ph ... ypecate=06

Survivors said the Khmer Rouge cadres who took people away, never to be seen again, were always very polite when they came.

Anyway, this is why I would think twice about buying a condo in Thailand now. Too much uncertainty and increased junta paranoia and assclownery. I would think that sometime in the near future there will be serious conflict ahead, much more than a few barricaded Red-shirt protest sites in downtown Bangkok, bringing Marshall Law and all that. That would be the time to buy, when the skittish want out.

For a westerner, with out a Thai wife or kids
i would NEVER EVER buy anything i could not take with me here

Until buying property gives you the right to Occupy said property till u sell it

phuketrichard wrote:For a westerner, with out a Thai wife or kids
i would NEVER EVER buy anything i could not take with me here

Until buying property gives you the right to Occupy said property till u sell it

I agree with that for the most part, although If things got really hairy there and the Baht plunged AND condo prices were to plummet due to civil unrest (due to other foreigners bailing out), I MIGHT take the gamble and buy place there as an investment. It would have to be money i was comfortable losing though. I think Thailand has a very bright future once they get past this succession of royals and find some resolution to the current political climate. It could be a tough 5-10 years ahead, though. Whether or not they will allow farang expats to take part in that bright future with some secured, basic rights is another thing. That's the gamble.

1. No matter what., prices will not drop, all u need do is drive around and see the hundreds, if not thousands of properties for sale/rent, yet they continue building
2. Only invest what your willing to walk away from
3. Allow Farangs to take part ? Never
4. Thailand ALWAYS recovers

Buying a condo 12 years ago was a sound move for me, I bought when the baht was 67 to the pound and it's now circa 50. Since then at times when I have worked away from Thailand I have always been able to rent it and have had about 50% of my purchase price back in rent. Like anywhere else in the property market if you buy quality in the right place you really have no worries. I guess for people that don't own rent must be their biggest monthly outgoing.

Some good analysis/forecasts from Stratfor:

The Next Phase of Thailand's Political Struggle
https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/next- ... l-struggle

Thailand: Buddhist Feud Threatens Fragile Peace
https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/thail ... gile-peace

Thai Royal Succession Exposes Broader Power Struggle
https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/thai- ... r-struggle

CowshedCowboyRedux wrote:Buying a condo 12 years ago was a sound move for me, I bought when the baht was 67 to the pound and it's now circa 50. Since then at times when I have worked away from Thailand I have always been able to rent it and have had about 50% of my purchase price back in rent. Like anywhere else in the property market if you buy quality in the right place you really have no worries. I guess for people that don't own rent must be their biggest monthly outgoing.

Yeah, as with all things, there are better and worse times to take that kind of investment risk. But you are still not out of the woods, financially. Too many variables now, and I don't trust the Thai authorities or opposition to NOT shoot themselves in the foot during this succession crisis/power struggle. You may have gotten in at a good time, but you may also have to sell one day and leave the country, and who knows what the condo market will be like if you need to sell. The continual building of new mega-sized condo developments is not a good thing for you in that respect. More supply = less demand = lower potential value, especially for older units. Let's face it, the Thais are not renowned for their building quality, and what structural condition your building will be in in 10 more years? What if you get new shithead neighbors (Thai or otherwise) who make living there difficult or unpleasant? That , to me, seems like a very real possibility in Pattaya, which gets more than its share of lowlifes from all over the plant. I've experienced that problem in rental units and was able to simply move out.

sigmoid wrote:Some good analysis/forecasts from Stratfor:

The Next Phase of Thailand's Political Struggle
https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/next- ... l-struggle

Thailand: Buddhist Feud Threatens Fragile Peace
https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/thail ... gile-peace

Thai Royal Succession Exposes Broader Power Struggle
https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/thai- ... r-struggle

I'll take your word for it since I cannot read them.

Read the first article via a sign up freebie, nice summary of the new constitution and the potential political dynamics. It is a very dry topic reading the Bangkok Post every day so appreciate the concise summary. I find the whole future fascinating and envisage being an interested observer rather than being part of a negatively targeted group in what will essentially be an internal Thai vs Thai issue. I honestly think most people are too busy working here to get actively involved to any serious extent.