Thai government wants citizens to be happy
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The Thailand national team may not be in the World Cup, but thanks to the military government that was installed after the recent coup, Thai citizens in that nation will be able to watch the tournament for free.
Since the coup, the junta has increased surveillance, censored TV and radio stations, cracked down on protests and detained critics.
Despite all this, they also have a message for the Thai people – be happy! And free broadcasts of all 64 World Cup games is just part of this attempt to "return happiness to the people." They're also giving away movie tickets, throwing free concerts in Bangkok with singing soldiers and scantily clad women, and even brought horses with bales of hay downtown for people to pet.
The Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha wants to return happiness to Thailand so much he wrote a ballad about it.
It's set to music by the Royal Thai Army Band. With lyrics like "We offer to guard and protect you with our hearts" and "To bring back love, how long will it take? Please, will you wait?" it isn't quite as catchy as that other happy song.
@fareedzakaria on Twitter
Ok now how freakin awesome is this? Take lesson Assad and Mikila!
Sounds a little but like North Korea and other dictatorships who swear everything is happy go lucky
Such a pleasant evening. With banasy and Jane gone, it is truly a pleasure to read these articles and comments.
Too bad there is still a lingering Michigan lady about as distracting as a blister on someone's rear end.
Have a peanut butter sandwich and choke on it.
Good night sweetheart. You are truly blessed by the man below.
Still can't buy a date, Roem?
Be happy ... or else.
Rupert was here
I wish we had an army like that... An army that gives out freebies and promotes love... Especially the part about scantily clad women 🙂
Relax @ Ferhat...the virgins come after death lol.
Apology for mis spelling maliki earlier.
@ Ferhat Balkan:
The USA does not need an army like that. Here, we have many programs that give out freebies.
Social workers dressed in neat uniforms would frighten away our recipients.
I wouldn't be so certain about that Joey (uniforms). For instance, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) uses women for their recruiting purposes. Pictures of Israeli women in uniform are posted all over the internet to promote recruitment (and it works quite well). Thai women in scantily clad uniforms would certainly have a positive impact on the younger men. I don't see why something like that would frighten away anyone.
Lol @ Ferhat...you sure you didnt mean "older" men?