User Panel
Posted: 10/15/2008 2:34:12 AM EDT
Well, it looks like things are getting a little hotter around here!
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I just had seen my Thai nurse lady-friend an hour and a half ago, but things have changed already. Now they say that 1 Khmer was killed and 4 Thais injured. Each side denies firing first. Thais in Cambodia, like Khun Jo, are being told by their embassy to stay indoors.
The Thais have also just announced that they have their F-16s on standby. The Cambodian Air Force is just a few Mi-8 helos. Good thing I don't have to work tomorrow, unless the crap hits the fan here, as I'm going to be chained to the TV on Khmer and Thai channels. As long as the Khmer cable keeps running Thai channels, that is. |
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There are some unconfirmed reports of things happening here in town that I am trying to have confirmed by my guys or the folks in my phone trees at the various embassies I protect.
I am not near anything that would be a target, but I'm rather concerned about my Thai friends here. There is not much I can do other than what we are doing already. My Thai nurse lady-friend is already holed up, but there is very little I can do for her at all should anything happen her way. Her apartment is VERY close to a high-ranking individual in the Defense Ministry, so if something happens there, it would be with their approval. He has more armed guards with AKs outside his house than anyplace in town other than the PM's house. The last time we had rioting and assaults on Thais here was when a Thai actress made an offhand remark that the Khmer people took umbrage too. It resulted in a LOT of damage. We'll see what happens now, I guess. |
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Your thai friends should attempt to be ready to gtfo of there and into Thailand on a moments notice, IMO. By any means possible, they should be ready to leave/leaving right now. |
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same same
but different Now I'm kind of bummed that I didn't visit Preah Vihear stay safe |
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Standing by to stand by. |
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I'm sure that your lady friend will appreciate you being on the ball.
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Aye, stay safe over there also(you and your friends). |
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She is at work at the Thai hospital now, and though she is scared, she's doing her job. I'm doing mine by running coordination and phone trees when info becomes available. We're hoping this won't be a repeat of 2003. The US and UN security guys as well as the Brits and Aussies are all in contact, so I'm best staying put and helping with the comms. This will probably blow over with more chest pounding, unless the higher-ups here decide to organize some action. NOTHING major here as far as mobs happens without the approval of certain parties. Heck, in 2003, the fighting would stop from 11 until 1 every day for chow. They'd stop fighting, pull out the rice and the hammocks, and then look at their watch, put everything away, and start over. Not exactly motivated troops. |
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Different day, same shit.
When I was in Thailand in '87 the same stuff was going on. I knew one guy who'd been on the border, his unit was mortared and probed (he caught some shrapnel in his upper back); and hung out with a former Thai Marine who had some interesting stories to tell about border raids not only from Cambodia; but also Laos. And there was a pretty big firefight on the Burmese border just one or two years ago. |
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There was a fire "of unknown origin" in close proximity to the Thai Embassy. I had one of my guys roll by to check it out, and no casualties. Nor are there any other apparent problems in the city.
The Thais have F-16s and C-130s in BKK ready for an evac order, should one be necessary, but things seemed to have calmed down. I would not bet against them having some fast movers at Ubon Ratchatani, either, as it has a great runway and is only a few minutes away by F-16 from the disputed area. My Thai nurse lady-friend now has a ticket in hand to leave tomorrow afternoon by air to BKK. She had been planning on going home next month for a visit, but this just bumped it up. The radio and cell net has been put into place, and alert messages issued, so I can turn it over to the dispatch center and get some rest. Good night, Chesty, wherever you are... |
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Kinda off-topic, but could you give a clear picture of what's happening in the Thai gov't nowadays?
Being 10,000 miles away and trying to decipher what my Thai friends are telling me is pretty tough - who's the bad guy here? Are the Bangkok riots over? |
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1: Somchai, the current PM, is still a relative of Thaksin, so the PAD won't accept him. Even if he walked on water, fed the poor, gave his money to the Buddhist monks, and lived in a cardboard box, the PAD would still scream about him being a stooge.
2: Sondhi, the rabble-rouser who has been the mouthpiece of the PAD, as well as most of their top leadership, turned themselves in after warrants being issued for sedition. As this is a capital crime, the charges were reduced in exchange for them turning themselves in willingly. It will be interesting to see how their trials go. The justice system in Thailand works a hell of a lot faster than in the States. 3: Queen Sirikit attended the funeral of one of the protestors who was killed last week. The meaning of this is that the King does not want any more fatalities, and that there WILL be peace between the PAD and the government. The Thais take ANY "hint" from the King very seriously. He is not just loved, he is REVERED. 4: The PAD got their butts kicked in the election, and are doing what they can to immobilize the government because it's corrupt. Seeing who is involved in the PAD, that's the pot calling the kettle black, and is worse because at least the People Power Party won the election fair and square, which is rare in this part of the world. Expect more mass demonstrations with people bussed in from all over the country. Gee, I wonder who is paying for that, eh? (PAD is starting to look like the Thai version of Acorn). 5: The Preah Vihear situation will probably unite the Thais. As the Thai military completely outnumbers, outguns, out-trains, and damned straight out-classes the Cambodian military, the Khmers would be wise to consider the consequences. The Thais have all their men receive some military training between 18 and 21, from 6-24 months, depending on various factors. They have more military trained men than the entire population of Cambodia. Cambodia has some Mi-8s, and maybe some An-26s. The Antonov's I've seen were not airworthy. The Thais have plenty of C-130s, F-16s, F-5s, turboprop Dakota conversions, and UH-1N/Twin 212s. The list goes on. |
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Really? I'm married to a Thai national, but I don't think any of her family has done any military service (though they are basically hick farmers from Issan who never went to school). |
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Will this affect the price of your hookers?
Seriously, I needz them.. |
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Here's from the Royal Thai Armed Forces WIKI page:
Current census is over 17 million men of military age. The population of Cambodia is around 14 million, total. Around 25% are under the age of 21. |
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About to be building windmills here in the states. Might enlist after college. Good luck to you over there and stay safe. |
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It sounds like if you don't volunteer, you could be subject to a random draft (based on need). My wife says that none of her brothers in law ever served, and that she knows only a couple people from her village who did. I don't think it's mandatory for all males (though it may be "duty" if called to serve). |
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ETA: No overnight developments per the control room in Phnom Penh. Most of the reports from the border are conflicting and being reported by people who have no idea what the situation is. One quote made me laugh:
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Meh.
Common stuff on the Malay/Thai border too when I lived there in the mid 90's |
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Edited for accuracy. |
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hey Kpel-
are the Cambodians doing road building up near Preah Vihear? You could have landed B-52s on the new road going up toward Kbal Spean north of Sisophon |
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Are you an American ? If yes, why don't you get on the next thing smoking for the USA ? Jeebus, first you almost lose your nuts and now this ? GTFO |
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That was pretty funny. |
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LOL! Glad you're progressing nicely in your recovery. |
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Stay safe |
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If it interferes with the drug trade, it will suddenly cease.
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Thanks for the 'translation'. I hate to see the turmoil there - There's something spooky about being a more-or-less sheltered American, and flipping on the news one night to see shots of a riot/demonstration/bombing taking place in places you've walked through before. |
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This is from Strategypage.com Three Different Wars At Once October 16, 2008: The armed forces commanders have assured the government that there will not be another coup, but at the same time, the generals refuse to provide troops to deal with the anti-democracy mobs. This leaves the government with only one option, to call in pro-government mobs from the countryside. Another option, of course, is to surrender to the demands that the government be run by officials from the urban minority (that considers itself morally superior to the majority that elected the current government, and thus more worthy to rule.) Thai and Cambodian officers met on the border and agreed to work out procedures to avoid any future gun battles. October 15, 2008: Thai and Cambodian troops fired on each other, leaving two Cambodians dead and seven wounded. At least seven Thais were wounded in a firefight that lasted about 40 minutes. There are several thousand troops in the area. October 14, 2008: Cambodia demanded that Thai troops be withdrawn from disputed territory on the border, otherwise there will be war (a small one, anyway.) In response, Thailand sent more troops to the border. October 13, 2008: The police chief told the government that he would not use his anti-riot forces to break up future anti-democracy demonstrations. However, the police will defend their headquarters and other police facilities. The police are led by urbanites who often agree with the anti-democracy demonstrators. October 7, 2008: In the capital, anti-democracy demonstrators again tried to shut down the government, but for the first time the riot police were sent in and used force to clear away the rioters. Two died and over 400 people were injured, out of over 5,000 involved. The rioters had attempted to shut off electricity and water to parliament and government buildings. October 6, 2008: On the Cambodian border, two Thai soldiers were wounded by a landmine. It's unclear whose mine it was. October 5, 2008: Police have arrested the leaders of the demonstrators who have occupied government compounds since late August. The demonstrators represent urban activists who wish to overthrow the elected government and replace it with one run by a more righteous and anti-corruption minority. The government has been unable to negotiate a peace deal with the anti-democracy demonstrators. October 4, 2008: Thai and Cambodian military commanders met on the border to work out arrangements to prevent further clashes. The Thais insisted that Cambodian troops entered Thai territory and opened fire first. In the Moslem south, a pickup truck full of gunmen opened fire on an army patrol, killing two soldiers. The trend in the south, however, is less violence. In any event, most of the civilians down there with guns are gangsters, not Islamic extremists. October 3, 2008: After over a month of quiet, Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged fire for a few minutes on the border. One Cambodian and two Thai troops were wounded. There has been a confrontation over exactly where the border is, and who controls land near an ancient temple. |
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