Thailand: political and social unrest

[King of Gipsy Lane]

Given our almost DNA changing links to Thailand surprised the huge protesting there hasn’t it’s own thread, my sister-in-law works at the Embassy there and she said there is a very strange atmosphere building and their security detail has been ramped up, the Germans are now looking at the Kings activities while living in Germany, given our owners are Royalist and one of the rule/protected families of Thailand surely any significant change to the monarchy or how the country is run will have significant outcomes for Kingpower and in turn ourselves ? 
 

Just seen the C4 news piece on the protests there and it certainly looks like something very big is building 

[Christoph]

It's certainly bubbling up to something but its been bubbling away for a while so who knows if it will kick off. I suspect this will all come down to what the military decides to do. As long as the king has the support of the army then things will continue as is. You do suspect there might be change coming especially with the economy likely to be affected by corona. 

 

I was planning on going holiday there next September (assuming you can by then) but that's looking less likely now  

[Free Falling Foxes]

Indeed. I was ready about this at the weekend.

You get the impression things may well change now with the young challenging the status quo, such as unquestionable loyalty to the monarch.

Seems strange too that he is living in Germany.

With this and the reduction in air travel, it does make you wonder.

[King of Gipsy Lane]

10 minutes ago, Christoph said:

It's certainly bubbling up to something but its been bubbling away for a while so who knows if it will kick off. I suspect this will all come down to what the military decides to do. As long as the king has the support of the army then things will continue as is. You do suspect there might be change coming especially with the economy likely to be affected by corona. 

 

I was planning on going holiday there next September (assuming you can by then) but that's looking less likely now  

Poverty is often the cause of much uprising in history, if their economy starts to fail then I suspect the military will have to act one way or the other to protect their position, this King is seen as an issue he is bonkers by the looks of it and has none of his fathers diplomatic skills, I feel change will come sooner rather than later 

[Jon the Hat]

Worst case they sell us and we end up with American owners

[Webbo]

The money they've invested here means they're certain to be allowed to remain and I'm sure they've got their billions salted away somewhere. I don't think we have anything to worry about, clubwise.

[Fightforever]

The thais have diversified their income. They will be alright. If they do leave is it possible for us to go fan owned?

Edited 26 October 2020 by Fightforever

[Leicester_Loyal]

5 minutes ago, Fightforever said:

The thais have diversified their income. They will be alright. If they do leave is it possible for us to go fan owned?

You gonna pay for Ricardos new 100k a week contract?

[Fightforever]

Just now, Leicester_Loyal said:

You gonna pay for Ricardos new 100k a week contract?

Well no but the premier league prize money will plus we are self sustaining right now aren't we?

[Leicester_Loyal]

Just now, Fightforever said:

Well no but the premier league prize money will plus we are self sustaining right now aren't we?

Yeah we are to be fair. I don't think any club in the EPL will ever be fan owned though, not 100% anyway.

[Poznan34]

12 minutes ago, Fightforever said:

The thais have diversified their income. They will be alright. If they do leave is it possible for us to go fan owned?

How so?

[MPH]

27 minutes ago, Poznan34 said:

How so?

 

 

they don’t just own a football club or two, they also have the duty free shops. Separately, they also have hotels and leisure complexes and a multi story building.. the tallest building in Thailand, i believe...

[Fightforever]

1 hour ago, MPH said:

 

 

they don’t just own a football club or two, they also have the duty free shops. Separately, they also have hotels and leisure complexes and a multi story building.. the tallest building in Thailand, i believe...

Own a sizeable stake in air asia as well

[KingsX]

A digest of impressions from a few years of reading articles:

 

The late King Bhumibol was beloved.  The military decided to cement their power via laws requiring a medieval level of king-worship, which worked while he was alive.

 

The new King is a universally hated nutcase.  Named his poodle Marshal of the Air Force or some such, and confiscated billions in “royal” property always assumed to be held in trust for the people.  King-worship no longer available, probably not even king-tolerance.  The military are now all-in on a lame horse.  With each "election", they suppress democracy more.

 

Khun Vichai was regarded as a wise and connected enough figure to glue all this together.  He managed the feat of building his empire under Thaksin (deposed by the junta), yet then consolidating it under the junta.  No one the like of him is on the scene today.

 

Probably the type of situation that could be controlled in the context of competent leadership and a performing economy.  With the tourist-based Thai economy suffering terribly from COVID … are all bets off?

[SemperEadem]

8 hours ago, KingsX said:

A digest of impressions from a few years of reading articles:

 

The late King Bhumibol was beloved.  The military decided to cement their power via laws requiring a medieval level of king-worship, which worked while he was alive.

 

The new King is a universally hated nutcase.  Named his poodle Marshal of the Air Force or some such, and confiscated billions in “royal” property always assumed to be held in trust for the people.  King-worship no longer available, probably not even king-tolerance.  The military are now all-in on a lame horse.  With each "election", they suppress democracy more.

 

Khun Vichai was regarded as a wise and connected enough figure to glue all this together.  He managed the feat of building his empire under Thaksin (deposed by the junta), yet then consolidating it under the junta.  No one the like of him is on the scene today.

 

Probably the type of situation that could be controlled in the context of competent leadership and a performing economy.  With the tourist-based Thai economy suffering terribly from COVID … are all bets off?

Which is why it was even more bonkers we had his name and photo beamed up around our games for weeks.

 

I and a few others got pelters for it but this well over stepped the mark.

 

Edited 27 October 2020 by SemperEadem

[Footballwipe]

1 hour ago, SemperEadem said:

Which is why it was even more bonkers we had his name and photo beamed up around of games for weeks.

 

I and a few others got pelters for it but this well over stepped the mark.

 

Did you give your season ticket back? I remember being told we were disloyal and ungrateful for even having a shred of discomfort for this when it was done. 

[Nalis]

13 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

Worst case they sell us and we end up with American owners

Cant wait to follow the Lie-Chest-er Foxes

[Finnegan]

Our owners WERE royalist. Lots were, the last King wasn't a completely psychotic weirdo. 

 

I'm not sure they're massively royalist in anything but name now. The new King is ****ing bonkers. 

 

Like if you crossed that Tiger King netflix guy with the NK Kim dynasty. 

Edited 27 October 2020 by Finnegan

[King of Gipsy Lane]

13 hours ago, MPH said:

 

 

they don’t just own a football club or two, they also have the duty free shops. Separately, they also have hotels and leisure complexes and a multi story building.. the tallest building in Thailand, i believe...

All Of which are flunking badly ! Covid is killing their business 

[KingsX]

1 hour ago, Finnegan said:

Our owners WERE royalist. Lots were, the last King wasn't a completely psychotic weirdo. 

I'm not sure they're massively royalist in anything but name now. The new King is ****ing bonkers. 

Like if you crossed that Tiger King netflix guy with the NK Kim dynasty. 

You’re right, being publicly royalist is the cost of doing business in this particular semi-dictatorship.  An easy go under a beloved former king who understood “popular” monarchy as a two-way street.

 

Now the controlling power has installed a king sure to be loathed by every segment of the population.  The perfect focus to turn justified resentment into fury.  These guys aren’t in charge because they are smart.

 

7 hours ago, SemperEadem said:

Which is why it was even more bonkers we had his name and photo beamed up around our games for weeks.

 

I and a few others got pelters for it but this well over stepped the mark.

 

 

The club must know nobody in the stadium likes the brandishing of Thai royal portraits, especially this geezer.  A strong KP being the base for LCFC’s success, one holds one’s nose at these displays of the cost of doing business.  I personally see it as the superficial side of the problem (realizing, for some fans, it is the problem). 

 

KP’s role in Thai politics is the issue.  But we have no window on it.  I’d bet that under Khun Vichai, it was as progressive as he could get away with.  But at the end of the day he didn’t wield real power, and his sons, less widely connected and trusted, may just be floating on the tide.  With the ingredients for revolt simmering.

 

Vichai used a personal appeal akin to the former king’s, to network among the business class, politicians on all sides, and the senior military, who all needed a figure who could bridge the divides.  Does such a figure exist today?  Maybe peaceful change isn’t even possible.  I don’t want my club’s owning family to be all-in supporting this regime.  But thinking they can have it both ways, may just be naïve and ignorant.

 

If it comes to the worst, I’d rather they be on the side of the angels, and just be personally safe and sound, whether they lose airport monopolies or whatever part of their wealth.