What has the junta achieved?

[buksida]

When Thailand's military top brass take stock of their accomplishments in 2007, there may be some serious helmet scratching over whether their September 19, 2006, coup was worth the effort.

True, they raised the defence budget by a good 35 per cent, drew up a wish list of new weapons - including a submarine - worth 9.3 billion dollars to be purchased over the next decade, and got a few generals lucrative posts at state enterprises.

They also pushed through a new constitution that makes it a lot harder for anyone to monopolize Thailand's political scene the way coup-ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his Thai Rak Thai party did from 2001 to 2006, upsetting the country's old elite.

And most likely a new Internal Security Act will be adopted before the general election on December 23, to institutionalize the army's lead role in security matters including future political crises, and re-establish the Internal Security Operations Command as a key player in the provinces.

But has the exercise really been worth it? From the start, even the coup makers have shown themselves to be reluctant dictators.

Full Story: Bangkok Post

Thought: One thing they certainly achieved is a big fat offshore bank account each.

[redzonerocker]

Thought: One thing they certainly achieved is a big fat offshore bank account each.

& that the history of politics the world over

[The understudy]

Hi there Y'all

Apart what had been mentioned above. Many High ranking Generals had been put @ the Top of some partly state owned Companies. such as Thai Airways ect. some of them are geting too comfortable in their High Powered position in the Company + Their Armed froces Uniform that they wanna hold on to both priviledges forever.

your's The understudy!!

[johnnyk]

They got rid of Toxin...I'll let you know if I think of anything else